Where did the scrappy character of Robin come from? Every writer has to search through their inner pantheon to cast their stories.
When I think of the inspiration for Robin, I remember a little only child in California circa 1962. She is watching her black and white television in her bedroom and her favorite show is coming on-- Disney's "Swamp Fox" with its fabulous theme song Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox tail on his hat...nobody knows where the Swamp Fox is at. She pretends a cheerleading baton is a sword and she fences her way around the room as the theme song plays. She is the heroic Swamp Fox!
A few decades later that fantasy morphed into the heroic Princess Robin, fighting for justice, leader of the downtrodden.
I think there's a bit of Robin in all of us. Amazon Page
Thanks for your support.
Dana
The Robin Hood legend is turned upside down in this campy, colorful adventure. Available in e-book at Amazon, Nook & Smashword. Only 99 cents!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Writing Robin
It's been fun to get some Princess Robin feedback. One mother/daughter duo took turns reading aloud from the Kindle. When they got to a sexy part the 30 year old daughter just said "blah, blah, blah." She was too embarrassed to read sexy moves to Mom. Overall, they both enjoyed the adventure.
To get back to an earlier post. The writing of Robin largely took place during an eight month period of 2003 after my father experienced a stroke. I was forced to leave my family in Oklahoma and become his caretaker in California. That was one of the most difficult times of my life. Seeing Dad's health fail, being separated from my husband and children, I was very low. I'd wake up in the morning under an emotional cloud.
Princess Robin became my light in the tunnel. I'd start out the day feeling sad, but after a couple hours of Robin and Simon matching wits, taking on the dastardly Lord Basil, I always felt better. The story brought me joy.
I hope it does the same for those who happen upon it.
Have a lovely day--
Dana
To get back to an earlier post. The writing of Robin largely took place during an eight month period of 2003 after my father experienced a stroke. I was forced to leave my family in Oklahoma and become his caretaker in California. That was one of the most difficult times of my life. Seeing Dad's health fail, being separated from my husband and children, I was very low. I'd wake up in the morning under an emotional cloud.
Princess Robin became my light in the tunnel. I'd start out the day feeling sad, but after a couple hours of Robin and Simon matching wits, taking on the dastardly Lord Basil, I always felt better. The story brought me joy.
I hope it does the same for those who happen upon it.
Have a lovely day--
Dana
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Free Preview at Scribd.com
The Prologue and opening chapters of PRINCESS ROBIN are now available for your FREE reading at Scribd.com:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24833386/Princess-Robin
For your reading pleasure.
I just downloaded Kindle for PC at Amazon.com. So fast, so easy!
Have a great day--
Dana
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24833386/Princess-Robin
For your reading pleasure.
I just downloaded Kindle for PC at Amazon.com. So fast, so easy!
Have a great day--
Dana
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Contestant
Hello from sunny, warm California!
ROBIN has been bouncing around in the Amazon numbers between #32 and #45 in the Kindle Store. I hope she is keeping people entertained in the freezing East and Heartland.
To pick up from yesterday. I wrote the Prologue (Robin's secret birth) and Chapter One (Robin and Simon chase each other around the Chancellor's treasure room) as a contest piece. I can't remember all the contests I entered, maybe four. I know ROBIN finalled in every contest entered and took 1st place in the "Great Expectations" and "Gotcha" contests.
I was ready to stop the story at that point, having proved to myself I could take a 1st place. But my RWA writing pals were so encouraging, I kept spinning it out. Writing the witty banter and painting the colorful scenes was great fun.
In the Spring of 2003 I was taking a walk with a friend when my husband pulled his car around the corner and halted in the middle of the street. His next sentence heralded a complete change in my life.
He said, "Your Dad is in the hospital. He's had a stroke."
During the course of the next several months, writing PRINCESS ROBIN would be my saving grace, my secret escape into a fantasy world so much happier than real life.
To be continued...
Dana
ROBIN has been bouncing around in the Amazon numbers between #32 and #45 in the Kindle Store. I hope she is keeping people entertained in the freezing East and Heartland.
To pick up from yesterday. I wrote the Prologue (Robin's secret birth) and Chapter One (Robin and Simon chase each other around the Chancellor's treasure room) as a contest piece. I can't remember all the contests I entered, maybe four. I know ROBIN finalled in every contest entered and took 1st place in the "Great Expectations" and "Gotcha" contests.
I was ready to stop the story at that point, having proved to myself I could take a 1st place. But my RWA writing pals were so encouraging, I kept spinning it out. Writing the witty banter and painting the colorful scenes was great fun.
In the Spring of 2003 I was taking a walk with a friend when my husband pulled his car around the corner and halted in the middle of the street. His next sentence heralded a complete change in my life.
He said, "Your Dad is in the hospital. He's had a stroke."
During the course of the next several months, writing PRINCESS ROBIN would be my saving grace, my secret escape into a fantasy world so much happier than real life.
To be continued...
Dana
Monday, January 4, 2010
The beginning
Good morning!
PRINCESS ROBIN is ranked #55 in Kindle Store this morning. A shout out to the OK City Chorus of Sweet Adelines that I think must be responsible. Thanks, girls! I hope you enjoy the story.
A short blurb on ROBIN's history: The year is 2003. This author is on the cusp of publication, having contracted her first novel to the first publisher who read it. (Probably not the smartest move.) I'm soon to be ineligible for the unpublished authors contests in the RWA (Romance Writers of America). I've been entering my two contemporary novels and consistently getting in the finals, but never taking first place. If I have any hope of being a successful author, shouldn't I be able to nail a couple of these contests? I decide to "target market" the contest realm.
Here are the requirements, as I see them:
1. Take a familiar theme and twist it
2. Throw the hero and heroine in immediate conflict
3. Obey the rules of romance--no "head hopping," clear POV, immediate sexual tension
4. Make it fun
PRINCESS ROBIN was born.
That's enough for today.
(Books in the Kindle Store can be downloaded onto PCs, I-Phones, BlackBerries via the "Kindle for PC Free download" at Amazon.com)
Have a wonderful day!
Dana
PRINCESS ROBIN is ranked #55 in Kindle Store this morning. A shout out to the OK City Chorus of Sweet Adelines that I think must be responsible. Thanks, girls! I hope you enjoy the story.
A short blurb on ROBIN's history: The year is 2003. This author is on the cusp of publication, having contracted her first novel to the first publisher who read it. (Probably not the smartest move.) I'm soon to be ineligible for the unpublished authors contests in the RWA (Romance Writers of America). I've been entering my two contemporary novels and consistently getting in the finals, but never taking first place. If I have any hope of being a successful author, shouldn't I be able to nail a couple of these contests? I decide to "target market" the contest realm.
Here are the requirements, as I see them:
1. Take a familiar theme and twist it
2. Throw the hero and heroine in immediate conflict
3. Obey the rules of romance--no "head hopping," clear POV, immediate sexual tension
4. Make it fun
PRINCESS ROBIN was born.
That's enough for today.
(Books in the Kindle Store can be downloaded onto PCs, I-Phones, BlackBerries via the "Kindle for PC Free download" at Amazon.com)
Have a wonderful day!
Dana
Friday, January 1, 2010
The Susan Boyle of Publishing
I listened to the Susan Boyle CD while I fixed breakfast this New Years morning. Like the whole world I'd watched this brave, but shy, talented woman take center stage and bring a smile to Simon Cowell's face as the audience behind him roared. As I unwrapped the CD I was afraid the album would be a disappointment. Was Susan a one-song wonder? Had her handlers forced unsuited songs upon her?
"I Dreamed a Dream" is an inspiring joy, a mixture of Broadway, standards, and sacred. Susan is allowed to sing the songs from her heart, the story of her life through music. Disappointment, determination and faith all projected through a crystal-clear voice. She became the people's choice of 2009 because we all see ourselves in Susan Boyle.
I'd love to see Princess Robin become the Susan Boyle of publishing for 2010. The little book that the experts called too "old-fashioned"--not "hot" enough. A book the people loved anyway.
Happy New Year--
Dana
"I Dreamed a Dream" is an inspiring joy, a mixture of Broadway, standards, and sacred. Susan is allowed to sing the songs from her heart, the story of her life through music. Disappointment, determination and faith all projected through a crystal-clear voice. She became the people's choice of 2009 because we all see ourselves in Susan Boyle.
I'd love to see Princess Robin become the Susan Boyle of publishing for 2010. The little book that the experts called too "old-fashioned"--not "hot" enough. A book the people loved anyway.
Happy New Year--
Dana
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