tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post5969620248426201791..comments2023-11-18T04:41:02.841-08:00Comments on LauraFrantz.net: Q and A ~ with giveaway!Laura Frantzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-61326087307295773212012-04-23T23:38:51.069-07:002012-04-23T23:38:51.069-07:00Yes, in February. Just getting the news out! Thank...Yes, in February. Just getting the news out! Thanks, Naomi!Carla Gadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-60362943683321672062012-04-23T07:01:08.716-07:002012-04-23T07:01:08.716-07:00I enjoyed being here as well, and I hope everyone ...I enjoyed being here as well, and I hope everyone got their questions answered. Thanks for having me, Laura!Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-30303884159164016432012-04-23T06:43:22.104-07:002012-04-23T06:43:22.104-07:00Thanks so much to everyone for the great questions...Thanks so much to everyone for the great questions and to Naomi for her very thoughtful answers!! It's been wonderful having you as a guest here. I hope everyone has a chance to read Sanctuary for a Lady. You're in for a treat!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-61145672058253942632012-04-22T13:24:54.079-07:002012-04-22T13:24:54.079-07:00Thank you, Laura. I'm glad my history research...Thank you, Laura. I'm glad my history research (or lack thereof) is convincing enough for you. I will say that when I'm writing a novel, I try to understand the mindset of the time more than historical details. If I can have my characters think like people would have back during the French Revolution, then the entire book seems more real and the characters more believable. I'd dive into the mindset and the political philosophies of my characters long before I'd bother to describe what clothes they wear or how they would have cooked a meal 200 years ago. I'm sure some of that is preference, but it seems to work for me.Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-69439096788148900632012-04-22T13:20:42.274-07:002012-04-22T13:20:42.274-07:00Thanks Carla. Didn't you just have a novel deb...Thanks Carla. Didn't you just have a novel debut at the beginning of the year? You must be so excited!Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-8642481079264025902012-04-21T19:10:14.548-07:002012-04-21T19:10:14.548-07:00Your novel sounds exciting and intriguing. Congrat...Your novel sounds exciting and intriguing. Congratulations on your debut!Carla Gadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01793809172905144101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-71713410211312981212012-04-21T16:37:40.945-07:002012-04-21T16:37:40.945-07:00LOL, Naomi;) No kicking, I promise! I admire your ...LOL, Naomi;) No kicking, I promise! I admire your honesty. And I've heard from a lot of contemp writers that they wouldn't tackle historicals because of the research. That's the beauty of literary license, I think. We can tweak history when we want or if it fits the novel's purposes. Of course I've been picked on a time or two for doing that and accused of getting history wrong. But I do think literary license is a wonderful thing! I am only half way through your book but find your historical angle very well done!!Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-70892825172128420282012-04-21T16:28:45.031-07:002012-04-21T16:28:45.031-07:00The end result is worth it, though! Did I mention ...The end result is worth it, though! Did I mention I have to do famous person look-a-likes for my characters. My hero was Ben Barnes, and my heroine was Keirra Knightley. :-)Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-89394193975920383032012-04-21T16:27:01.128-07:002012-04-21T16:27:01.128-07:00Oh goodness. Doing research on a book like this is...Oh goodness. Doing research on a book like this is a headache, let me tell you. There isn't a whole lot of information on the French Revolution available in English. (I'm sure there's an abundance written in French.) Google Books is really invaluable. Using there advanced search feature, I'm able to come up with all kinds of things. And I use Amazon's awesome search engine to look up obscure books, and then I order them through inter-library loan. But you should also know that research is my least favorite part of writing. <br /><br />Laura might kick me off the blog for admitting that, because I know she loves research and does a really wonderful job with it. But it doesn't come very natural to me. I have to force myself to do it, and even then, I probably miss things because I simply don't have the patience to look up little details. I'm a much bigger reader of fiction that non fiction and biographies. Sometimes I think that benefits my writing, and sometimes it hinders it in areas like research.Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-40898135026635601162012-04-21T16:03:45.523-07:002012-04-21T16:03:45.523-07:00Congratulations on your new book! I was wondering ...Congratulations on your new book! I was wondering how you go about doing the research when writing a historical book like this. <br /><br />Sarabeth<br />MattyandSarabeth(at)gmail(dot)comMatty and Sarabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16980926423914300580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-64892564718560719312012-04-21T13:39:08.485-07:002012-04-21T13:39:08.485-07:00Well . . . I'm really not the best person to a...Well . . . I'm really not the best person to ask. I like classic, ageless names, so thus far, I've gotten away with mostly Bible names or their variations. Of course, the longer I write, the more difficult that will become without repeating names. Behindthename.com is a great website that lets you look up the history of various names. And since I write historical romance, I need to always make sure the name would have been in use during that time period.<br /><br />In Sanctuary for a Lady, I liked the name Isabelle and knew it had been around and would have been used by the aristocracy because of Queen Isabella in Spain a couple centuries earlier. And Michel was the French variation of Michael, which happens to be a Bible name.<br /><br />In the novel I'm finishing up, I have a Luke and Elizabeth. Both Bible names. Maybe my mom's penchant for Bible names rubbed off on me. :-)Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-65418574205550386142012-04-21T13:16:28.219-07:002012-04-21T13:16:28.219-07:00Yes, it seems like it would take time to meld your...Yes, it seems like it would take time to meld your ideas with the cover artist-I bet it is exciting to see the end product! And, I think they did a very nice job :)Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468111478361359051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-80538389050663464082012-04-21T10:29:20.760-07:002012-04-21T10:29:20.760-07:00Congratulations Naomi.
I was wondering how you ...Congratulations Naomi. <br /><br />I was wondering how you select the names of your characters?<br /><br />karenk<br />kmkuka at yahoo dot comkarenkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01059861255253991778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-69265597212573631292012-04-21T08:49:52.196-07:002012-04-21T08:49:52.196-07:00Thanks for sharing the story behind your name. I h...Thanks for sharing the story behind your name. I had a hunch you might have been named after the Naomi in the beloved Biblical tale.<br /><br />I hear you on not being able to find keyrings and other things with your name on them. With the unique spelling of Keli my mom gave me (which I love, btw), I found the same to be true--until I visited Hawaii anyhow. But we have gotten something pretty wonderful with our names on them: our books! No pencil, magnet, or other trinket can compare with that. :-)Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-51408788957439345332012-04-21T08:47:34.931-07:002012-04-21T08:47:34.931-07:00Hey Andrea,
My publisher sends me a long, three p...Hey Andrea,<br /><br />My publisher sends me a long, three page form that I have to fill out. The form asks questions the cover artists need to know, like hair and eye color, theme of the book, etc. Then I have to give three scene suggestions, and the artists will pick which scene they think will work best. Also, I have to send in a lot of picture of period clothing, and settings and the like. It takes quite a bit of time to put everything together, and it wasn't exactly my favorite part of the publishing process. But I do think the art department did a great job on the cover, don't you?Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-38622260541551405262012-04-21T08:44:35.117-07:002012-04-21T08:44:35.117-07:00So glad you enjoyed it, Amy. Now if I can manage t...So glad you enjoyed it, Amy. Now if I can manage to write another one equally as good. :-)Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-17839021386898751772012-04-21T08:43:32.296-07:002012-04-21T08:43:32.296-07:00Characters. I don't intentionally do it that w...Characters. I don't intentionally do it that way, that's just how it happens in my brain. I think writers should do what's most natural for them in this area, though. <br /><br />But you know what works best for me, is to center my story around a problem rather than a plot or characters. How can a woman forgive the man who tried to kill her? Well, Sanctuary for a Lady answers it. <br /><br />Coming up with characters first probably leads to deeper characters in the long run, while coming up with plot first might well lead to a stronger plot.Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-57108251067066776782012-04-21T06:36:08.318-07:002012-04-21T06:36:08.318-07:00How fun you spotted my book, Keli! And isn't i...How fun you spotted my book, Keli! And isn't it so cool to have Jessica and I debut together? Super fun, I tell ya. You must be getting excited about your own book that releases this summer. Yay for you!<br /><br />Okay, about my name. Thanks so much for the compliment on it. But I must tell you that growing up, I didn't enjoy the name nearly so much as I do now. Would you believe I never got a pencil or notebook or magnet or purse or anything with my name on it? I wished more than once my mother had named me Nichole. That's a nice, normal sounding name, don't you think?<br /><br />LOL! Now that I'm older, I appreciate the name, though. My mom chose it because it was a Bible name. In fact, my other two siblings have Bible names as well. Naomi, Joshua, and Hannah. We always teased my brother for getting the only normal name of the lot. My mom said that when she was growing up, she always wanted two girls named Naomi and Ruth. But by the time my younger sister was born, Mom had decided we'd get too made fun of if our names came from the same Bible story. And she didn't like the way Ruth sounded in Spanish (she was a missionary for a couple years).<br /><br />So there you have it, the quirky story behind my quirky name. :-)Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-7799130006092140122012-04-21T05:52:34.825-07:002012-04-21T05:52:34.825-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468111478361359051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-29830680444773538912012-04-21T05:50:50.587-07:002012-04-21T05:50:50.587-07:00Hello Naomi,
Am curious about how book cover illu...Hello Naomi, <br />Am curious about how book cover illustrations are developed. Can you describe your experience?Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12468111478361359051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-37810615031982787362012-04-21T05:25:32.248-07:002012-04-21T05:25:32.248-07:00Hi Naomi! I bought your book for my Kindle App not...Hi Naomi! I bought your book for my Kindle App not too long ago- LOVED IT! So, no need for me to be in the drawing! My question thought, nonetheless, is what are your inspiration sources for writing? Blessings! ~AMYamyhttp://www.sweetperipety.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-68650353577793574122012-04-20T22:40:38.222-07:002012-04-20T22:40:38.222-07:00Congratulations Naomi! My question deals with cha...Congratulations Naomi! My question deals with characters and plot - which comes first for you? Do you sketch out a character and then place them in a situation? Or do you have a set plot and plunk your character into that plot?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15334812243182354729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-5554759556777729612012-04-20T16:41:26.571-07:002012-04-20T16:41:26.571-07:00Congratulations on your release, Naomi! I saw your...Congratulations on your release, Naomi! I saw your book in my local Walmart next to the one by your fellow Love Inspired Historical debut author, Jessica Nelson, and I smiled. I'm thrilled for you and hope you're having the time of your life.<br /><br />I have a question, but it's not writing related. You have a lovely first name, but it's not one I see very often these days. It has a dated feel, which as another historical romance author, I really like. How did your parents choose the name? Is it one that's been in your family for a long time? Does it lend itself to any nicknames?Keli Gwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13236868298400593688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-80562054804611133522012-04-20T11:15:35.344-07:002012-04-20T11:15:35.344-07:00It completely depends on the book. For this one, t...It completely depends on the book. For this one, the female character came first, as I wanted a wealthy aristocrat's daughter who had lost everything during the French Revolution.<br /><br />For my cowboy story, the hero came first, as I wanted to put a spin on the age old cowboy idea and bring the rancher east rather than have the fancy eastern woman go west.<br /><br />For the sequel to Sanctuary for a Lady, I already had my antagonist who now apparently needs his own story. So then it's a matter of finding the right--or wrong--woman for him.<br /><br />I think it's probably easier for me to start with the heroine rather than the hero. But sometimes writers simply don't get those choices.Naomi Rawlingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431203734855694561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2607797015497924515.post-85422003428128933912012-04-20T11:02:50.369-07:002012-04-20T11:02:50.369-07:00The story seems very interesting and I am looking ...The story seems very interesting and I am looking forward to reading it.<br />Do you prefer creating your lead male character or lead female character for a book or do you not have a preference at all?Michelenoreply@blogger.com