Monday, October 14, 2013

It will be Halloween before we know it!!!



First apologize for last week. I didn’t remember that I forgot to blog until Thursday and by then I figured it was too late!!!

So You Think You Want to Write a Book???
Creating compelling, realistic main characters
A fatal flaw is a weakness or negative personality trait that leads the character to behave in a certain way – and thereby play into the author’s plot. “Fatal” may not necessary mean deadly. It refers more to fate. It is a trait that the character is helpless to control (and may not even be aware of). It might be something terrible – like jealousy that leads to murder. Or it might be something small like curiosity or a tendency to be late. You will probably give all your characters a flaw or two – since perfection is unnatural and boring. And not all main characters have a fatal flaw – but it helps to add interest if either your hero or villain has one. It makes the story seem personal to them. The flaw may be overcome during the course of the book. Or maybe the main character just discovers the flaw. Maybe they learn to cope or work around the flaw. It is very amateurish to describe a character in detail and then use NONE of those traits in the storyline. Try not to tell too many things about your characters at once. Even introducing too many characters at once is confusing to the reader. Giving detailed descriptions of each one might run the reader away completely.

October Book Giveaway
Remember to comment on any October post for a chance to win this month’s book giveaway (which includes a couple of Thanksgiving items)

What are the chances?
One of my craziest life experiences happened when I was 19 years old (and I should have realized that it was just the first of many such things to come!!) My future husband had just left on his mission and I was working at the Wheeler Basin Regional Library. A friend, Teresa, also worked at the Library and I picked her up. It had been raining hard for days so there was water everywhere. At a stop sign near Teresa’s house the car behind me had wet brakes and therefore – ran straight into the back of my car. This was long before cell phones so we had to walk up to a nearby house and ask them to call the police to report the accident. Then I decided to walk the block or so to Teresa’s house to let her know I’d be delayed. I got out my umbrella and walked along the street. After giving Teresa the bad news, I headed back to my car. To save time, I decided to cut across a lawn even though it was covered with spots of standing water. My shoes were ruined anyway and I wanted to get back before the police arrived. So I started across the lawn and completely forgot about the drainage ditches that ran along the side of the road. So when I stepped into what I thought was just a wide puddle, I actually stepped into a drainage ditch. So there I was standing up to my chest in water – still holding my umbrella. And if that wasn’t crazy enough – the woman who lived in the house opened her door and hollered, “Honey, that’s a ditch!” Wow. Helpful information.

Recipe of the Week

Butterfinger Cheesecake

3 packages cream cheese                     ¼ cup sugar
3 eggs                                                  1 tsp vanilla
½ cup mini chocolate chips                   3 TBSPs whipping cream
½ cup brown sugar                               4 Butterfinger bars, crushed
½ cup smooth peanutbutter                   2 ready-made chocolate cookie crusts

Preheat oven to 450. Beat cream cheese, peanutbutter, and sugars, add eggs and vanilla. Stir in crushed Butterfingers. Divide mixture between the two crusts and bake for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce oven temperature to 250 and continue baking for an additional 25 minutes. Refrigerate until thoroughly cooled.

Topping – melt mini chocolate chips, stir in whipping cream. Spread over cooled pies.

17 comments:

Robin said...

Thank you for blogging!

Anonymous said...

I have heard that ditch story many times but can't remember ever laughing so hard!! You are crazy :)

-Emily

Wendy said...

Too bad there was no youtube back when you stepped into that 'ditch honey'. :)

Cheers,
Wendy Cohen

NeverTrustASkinnyCook said...

LOL . . . reminds me of the time I cut across a field behind the school to get home quicker on a FREEZING cold day in Michigan. I stepped into a sewer drain (the lid had moved about 6 feet away in the tall, dead grass) and slid in up to my armpits. I managed to stop the fall with my arms and wiggle my way out of the water but by the time I walked the block and a half home, my pants legs were frozen solid and so I was unable to bend my knees. Apparently, I looked like Frankenstein meandering the streets just before dusk. lol

Lisa said...

I just knew you were going to say you broke a leg or fell in the yard! Oh my! And that cheesecake sounds so yummy!

Lisa said...

I just knew you were going to say you broke a leg or fell in the yard! Oh my! And that cheesecake sounds so yummy!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your books and ideas

Jim and Sherie said...

I will try the cheesecake recipe. I love cheesecake of all kinds. Sure made me laugh when I read about you and the rain/ditch incident. I guess it is good you ended up in the ditch and not your car.

Happiness,]
Sherie

Michelle R. said...

Your characters are well-thought out, believable and unique. Thanks for sharing your writing tips!

The Five that Jive said...

Ha! I love the story! Both sad and hilarious at the same time:) I just wanted to let you know that I've recommended your books to all of my friends and now I've started a blog where I'm recommending good and clean reads and you were of course my first recommend! www.cleanandgoodreads.blogpsot.com

The Five that Jive said...

Ok, one more story for you:) Theres a sister in my ward who is dealing with breast cancer, she just had surgery and is now going to start chemo. She is one of those sisters who is always on the go and her body is telling her that she needs to slow down and rest. She has been having the hardest time dealing with just having to lay down all of the time instead of being up and active. I gave her my copy of Hearts in Hiding to distract her and hopefully convince her to lay down for a bit and she is hooked!! She calls me every other day asking for the next book to borrow. She tells me that your books are her saving grace, the only thing that helps her to rest, so thank you for being such an awesome author!!

The biggest fan Krisann Ashcroft said...

Lol thats funny!!!! And that cheesecake looks so good i love the chocolate chip cheese cake recipe found in Poison!!!! i'm going to have to try this one.

Meg85242 said...

Betsy, just like your books, the recipes are amazing! Thank you for sharing and being a wonderful author!

Stephanie Graham said...

Your creativity is endless! May the "waters" of your imagination continue to flow to bless our lives!!!!! :)

Lene and Bry Family said...

That was great, I needed a good laugh. I think everyone should have a good story like that. Love your books.
Jolene Richmon

Meg85242 said...

I think I will try the casserole recipe for my next missionary dinner. I to have had crazy weeks but love how you keep it real on your blog!!!

Shantelle Spackman said...

You are so funny!! Glad I am not the only accident prone one. Thanks for all of the great stories!