What’s in it for me? (Article)

Why choosing a novel by Lori Villarreal is a decision you can trust

 

This is my opportunity to present a sort of informal resume describing my background and to explain my qualifications as a writer of fiction. My goal is to perhaps gain an undecided reader’s trust in the entertainment value of my books and woo them into trying at least one of my romance novels.

I read a lot. Every single day. My personal library consists of nearly 500 romance novels, mostly printed versions, but my Kindle list is steadily growing. Needless to say, I never find myself without something to read! When I don’t have a new book waiting like a Christmas present yet to be opened, I pick one from my collection and read it again. Many have been read two or three times, especially those from my favorite series.

 

What do I get from reading romance novels?

Merely by turning the first page, I’m instantly transported to a different time and place. I become a silent observer (a voyeur, if you will) of a story as it unfolds. I’m allowed into the most private and intimate thoughts of the characters. I’m a witness to their struggle to overcome conflict. I experience their pain, sorrow, joy, their successes and failures right along with them, and feel a connection on a human level. I can relate.

Would the fact that I read a lot make me a good writer? Not necessarily. It just means I’m an avid reader and know good writing when I read it.

I have an artistic background. I spent most of my young life in creative pursuits like drawing, painting, and writing. As a budding artist, I took any art class available and in my spare time experimented with different mediums and techniques. I worked with pencils, ink, acrylics, and oils. I played around with clay, calligraphy, silk-screening, and created a line of stuffed characters from original cartoons, which I then sold at local craft shows.

 



Gabriella from Whispers in Time
(rendered illustration by Lori Villarreal)



I continue to nurture my creative side by way of website and graphic design, book cover design and, most recently, 3D graphic illustrations of by books’ characters.

Would being artistic make me a good writer? Probably not in and of itself.

I have a 21-year background in the IT industry, which includes 12 years in website design. I went to school while living in West Palm Beach, FL, earning an associates degree in computer programming in 1991. I’ve done everything from data entry to network administration and database development. As part of the process of programming and development, technical writing is a necessary skill in the documenting of a project, as well as creating understandable end-user instructions.

Would my background in the computer industry make me a good writer? Maybe from a technical standpoint, but not necessarily as a fiction writer.

Currently, I’m a freelance writer and reporter for The Township Times, a local weekly newspaper, covering human interest stories. I attend community and special events, interview key individuals and other participants, and take pictures. I then combine the information I obtain from the event with research on the subject matter to create a well rounded, interesting article.

Would being a newspaper reporter make me a good writer? I should hope so! But we’re still not quite there. A news article is designed to portray factual information, with little emphasis on artistic prose.

I’ve had kind of an adventurous life, having been divorced once and married a second time, lived in Michigan, Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, and Texas. So, it goes without saying that I’ve had a few jobs! I’ve worked for small companies and large corporations in industries like information technology, publishing, marketing, retail, restaurant, healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, mortgage, military, education, customer service, sales, construction, and journalism.

Would having many different jobs in many different industries make me a good writer? No. Having had a lot of jobs has given me life experiences to draw on, but as a whole or individually, those experiences wouldn’t necessarily make me a good writer.

Then what do you, as a reader, get out of reading my books? You might ask, “What’s in it for me?”

All the things I just mentioned, when considered separately, wouldn’t necessarily make a person a good writer. I’m an avid reader. I have an artistic background. I’ve lived in different places. I’ve worked in many industries. I’ve experienced nearly every level of the publishing process (including agent queries and rejections!). I write for a newspaper.

When all those elements are combined, however, along with the trial-by-error experience of novel writing going back six years, research experience, study of fiction writing, courses in creative writing, critiques and feedback, I’m better able to put together the whole package: a solid plot, realistic characters (including strong, independent women and hot alpha males), a pervasive illusion of reality, an interesting setting, and a happily-ever-after ending.

To sum it up, you (the reader) are the beneficiary of a lifetime of experiences gathered together that results in a romantic and compelling story in such a way so that it:

• Nurtures your romantic nature
• Gives sustenance to your imagination
• Indulges your need for entertainment
• Nourishes the intellect with an endless supply of subject matter
• Inspires you to achieve your own goals
• Fulfills your wanderlust—allows you to travel without setting foot outside your door

With these things in mind, I believe you will enjoy my books!

Researching for Whispers in Time (Article)

When I decided to write my first book, I wanted to write about time travel. I’ve always been fascinated by the notion of what would happen if a modern-day woman (or man) were to suddenly find themselves in the past. How would she react? What would he experience in such a different environment? What would the smells be like, the sounds?

So, I knew I wanted to write a time travel romance novel, but what would the premise be – how, exactly, would the heroine be thrust into the past? Where and when in history would she end up? I had to think of something that made sense, in a fantasy fiction kind of way, of course. Because, really, as far as I know, time travel hasn’t been achieved…yet.

I decided on time-travel-by-ancient-stone-artifact. What I then needed to do was create an explanation for the Stone’s mystical powers. It just made sense to use Celtic folklore as a basis for the Stone’s magic. I did some research into the Celtic gods and goddesses and linked a couple of them to the Stone.

Damon and Gabriella (3D illustration rendered by Author)

I chose nineteenth-century England because that’s a time period I enjoy reading about in the form of romance novels, and being an American, I’m intrigued by the world of the nobility of that era. And, being American, I had no idea how to properly address a member of the “peerage” or what the order of the hierarchy (titles) was, other than what I’d read in books.

I had to learn the order of importance (Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron, and Baronet) and how a peer of the realm was addressed depending on the circumstances, how a wife was addressed, a daughter, a married daughter, the eldest son, younger sons, wife of the younger son, or the mother.

There’s the formal announcement or correspondence (His Grace the Duke of Glastonbury, K. G.), the salutation on formal correspondence ("My Lord Duke,"), an informal announcement or social correspondence (His Grace The Duke of Glastonbury, K. G.), the salutation on social correspondence ("Dear Duke of Glastonbury," or, more familiarly, "Dear Duke,"), the address in speech ("Your Grace" (by inferiors) or "Duke" (by social equals) the first time in conversation, followed by "Sir" (or "Glastonbury," if addressed by a very close friend or relative), the reference in speech ("His Grace" (by inferiors), or "The Duke" (by social equals)), and the signature on social correspondence (Glastonbury).

Whew! It’s a very complex system and I still need to refer back to my notes once in a while!

Once I got all that out of the way, I was ready to construct my story. But first I had to create my characters. I had to decide what Gabriella would look like, such as her hair color, eye color, skin tone, body type, and what kind of personality she would have. The same went for Damon and all the other characters. And voila, with Whispers in Time we get Gabriella, a confident modern-day American woman meets stuffy nineteenth-century aristocrat, and turns his world upside down.

 

TWELFTH MOON (paranormal romance) will be offered for FREE this week, Oct. 18-21

3D Graphic Illustrations

I’ve been working on creating 3D graphic illustrations of the characters in my books. I started with Whispers in Time, rendering images of Gabriella and Damon. The software I’m using allows me to choose a model and from there I can adjust the body shape and size, morphing any body part to achieve the desired results. I then add hair and clothes, change eye color, lash thickness, and hair color. I can pose the models, from full body positions, right down to the smallest digit on a hand. I can also add lighting and camera angles, backgrounds and even props.

Damon St. Tremaine, Sixth Earl of Arrowood

 

I’m still learning the nuances of the software, but so far I’ve had a lot of fun creating my characters just how I imagined them when writing the stories. You can view renditions of Gabriella and Damon on my website. Stay tuned for additional and updated images as I tweak and refine my illustrations for all of my books!