Jax's Artistic Journey...

I may not have read many books in 2009 but I sure have seen a lot of movies in the winter months through the start of 2010. Whether it was renting DVDs obsessively or going out with friends and family, I discovered a new way to get inspired. I suppose my love for the movie industry has always helped me to become a visual storyteller. What's not to love about seeing your hero and heroine delivering your lines so convincingly and passionately. Fine, it works in my head :)

One of the most romantic movies I've seen is the YOUNG VICTORIA which stars Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend. You'll love the chemistry and the gorgeous costumes. History couldn't be more interesting and after getting to watch the advance screening, I actually thought about penning a historical--right. Maybe next time. I whole-heartedly recommend this movie because it is simply fantastic. A romantic sleeper hit if you give it a chance...c'mon, just do it.

Okay, I caved into AVATAR and it's another example of romance in movies. Maybe the general public is starting to grasp how sellable a good love story can be...perhaps they'll even turn to more romance books. I've had the fortune of meeting James Cameron in person and he's a nice guy. Quiet and a bit reserved but friendly. During the buzz of the movie I've heard that he was a total jerk to a fan...but I wasn't there and that's what TMZ likes to showcase. Who knows, but I will tell you I enjoyed this movie for the sexy Sam Worthington. It had some issues that could be easily overlooked--but it's indeed another entertaining movie.

I'm going to have to say that I'm a big PRIDE & PREJUDICE fan. I'm with TEAM DARCY all the way so any version of the movie I will love. When I heard about LOST IN AUSTEN a few years ago I hunted for it but it was only available for the UK. I finally got my hands on a copy and I totally adore it! It's witty, fun, and takes the story to a whole different level. Another recommend that I am certain you Austen fans will find enjoyable.

I'm not kidding when I say I've seen at least 50 movies so I'm only touching on a few of them. What I discovered during my lull was that these movies that made me happy helped me to get back into the writing frame again. Sometimes your mind just doesn't want to create and it's not from lack of wanting to write. Sometimes your mind is telling you that it needs to be fed and by watching movies, it's a great way to subliminally influence you to create. Besides, it doesn't matter where you get the inspiration, it just matters that you're allowing your mind a little bit of breathing room to re-energize. I've produced more in the last few weeks (however sporatic) but at least I'm writing...which is really the key. One foot in front of the other will get me a completed proposal, short, etc.

I hope that when you're in a funk that you take time to do the things that will inspire you again. It might be easier than you think. Stress tends to be the blinders that limit you from seeing the endless possibilities flowing around you. It's there, you just got to open your eyes to it.

Happy Writing!

I'm over at HOOKED ON ROMANCE and talking about romance. If you want to pop by for a Monday visit at my other blog home, please do. I need the love. :)

Wishing everyone a happy week ahead! Make sure to enjoy the beautiful weather if you've got it. If it's still raining in your neck of the woods, sounds like a great time to grab a book from your TBR stash and curl up with a blankie. I suggest some chamomile or green tea (add some cream) accompanied by those yummy shortbreads...

Every February 14th there is a madness that overcomes the men on this earth. I've witnessed these last minute types as they dash to the nearest store to fight over the last batch of roses, chocolates, and other frou-frou stuff in order to stay in the good graces of their sweethearts. Of course, one can't help being smothered in all that pink and red--and any man who is clueless to this holiday are either single or in denial. However, their sweethearts aren't so subtle about dropping hints a few months in advance regarding what is really their true heart's desire...but how did this holiday come about? The real question is when did this holiday become more commercialized and less romantic?

All I know about Valentine's Day is from a radio ad for Trader Joe's I heard while living in LA. I decided to do some research and came across www.History.com in which they wrote:

"According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France."

I'm not going to lie, I love the idea of the holiday because it offers a reminder of romance...it's sexy and a little naughty...but for me, it's not isolated to just that particular day. I get romance every day and I don't need February 14th to remind me, or Mr. Right, that I'm special to him and he's special to me. I guess I became less enthusiastic the past five or ten years about this holiday because I've noticed that some of my friends have just gone through the motions without understanding the message of what that holiday is truly about....LOVE, PASSION, and APPRECIATION for the person they're with. Don't get me wrong, it's a double-edged sword because women are just as bad...I should know, I'm guilty of it. From past experience, I have been accused of being such a dude about these things.

No, this post isn't about bashing the holiday...it's more of a reminder that we need to appreciate the people that are in our lives. We should celebrate each day with the ones we love and when February 14th comes around, we can make it even extra special without relying on being sucked up in all the commercial aspect of it. You don't need a lot of money to make something special. Why not create a handmade card and throw in your own bit of romance? Maybe buy some rose petals and blaze a path to seduction from the living room to the bedroom...cook a romantic dinner for two and draw a bath with a champagne toast included...and if the experience is a success, rinse and repeat the process every once in a while to keep the passion alive.

I'm not St. Valentines and I don't shoot arrows to bring lovers together...who needs Cupid when YOU are the one in control of sweet Amour.

When I started out writing romance I had big dreams of being a paranormal romance author. I didn't think I would be writing anything else. Hence, the birth of GHOSTHUNTER. I've had this particular story spinning in my head since I was a kid and it slowly morphed into something so enormous and often overwhelming. As I grew older, so did my characters develop and become more grounded in my head. In the recesses of my mind, I know every detail of the Universe, the characters, the storyline. Often it was so draining I had to step away from the story. When I finally started penning the story, I had no idea how to write a proper manuscript. I was more interested in getting the story on paper and my first draft was terrible! But I was so proud I had completed the project, I didn't look beyond the mechanics and campy tone. Coming from a screenwriting background, it was a difficult transition to go from a dialogue driven piece to a detailed story with plot, dialogue, descriptives, etc...Thankfully, I've learned a lot since my first draft. If I could turn back time, I wouldn't have sent out that manuscript to any agents and editors, but you learn from your mistakes.

That part of my life was three years ago. A lot has happened since then.

I've since moved onto a new genre that I truly enjoy but it's just one of many genres I plan on writing. Today, I am most known for my contemporary erotic romances. I never thought I'd be doing it and writing erotic truthfully 'just happened'. I am a romantic at heart. I grew up being in love with love. I love the idea of love and like most girls, I want to find Prince Charming. I spent years writing screenplays, 98% of my stories were romantic comedies. Naturally, I was happy to write stories of love and romance. It took a little nudging from my girlfriends who wrote erotic to get me to write it. Love and romance came naturally for me and I couldn't pass up on writing about the process of falling in love, the beauty of lovemaking, the act of spiritual growth in a union. Growing up in a traditional ethnic household, there were lots of pressures to be discreet and respectable. Sex was never discussed and so it was easy for a teenager to become curious and want to learn about the unspoken act. Of course, often what was available online was unhelpful, but these days the internet is a wonderful resource for information and much more accurate. Well, it finally occurred to me that the mystery of sex was what led me to explore sexuality in my writing. I needed to dissect and understand what was perceived as right and what was wrong. I was on a personal quest and the discovery was very eye-opening. In understanding my own sensuality and sexuality, I embraced the power of women empowerment. I was finally in a different place in my life and in learning that liking sex wasn't wrong and didn't make you a bad, dirty person...my confidence soared. My openness to learning and exploring shaped the way I had viewed sex. It was liberating. It made me realize it is okay to explore your sexuality because it's truly a personal growth and life altering to hold that kind of knowledge about yourself. In respecting and understanding your own internal strengths and beauty, it could only make you stronger and more confident. I guess because of my own personal influences, I thought it would be a great platform to write multi-ethnic characters that were complex--characters who were fighting internal demons. Writing is a form of therapy because you get to explore the psychological aspect of a character and you hope your story resonates with someone. I'm not saying that what I write is based on my own life, I'm saying that as a writer you can sprinkle some aspects of your personal observations or experiences and incorporate it into the fictitious world of your characters.

With that said, I try to write stories that I would read. I may write multi-ethnic characters but the intention is not to highlight the ethnicity of my characters. My intentions are to write a love story that will transcend race and color. I grew up in an age where I didn't see race. My friends were kids I knew from pre-school and the issue of race never came up until I reached high school. It was a big adjustment to see the world in another light but I never tried to be anything other than an Asian-American who was more American than Asian. It was not about being embarrassed of my heritage but more of my environment and the type of people who influenced me. People who never made it a point to tell me I was different and because of these wonderful people, I continued life just being me. So perhaps I write with the desire that I hope to draw in readers who understand me, where I am coming from and that in some way my books will feel comfortable to them...that my readers will also see past ethnicity and would want to embrace the diversity of a new voice. A voice I hope that I am helping shape.

A certain poll came up today about romance and it upset a whole lot of romance readers and authors. Barbara Vey said it best..check out her BLOG

If you love romance and aren't afraid to say so, please VOTE, every voice counts! You just have to scroll all the way down to the mid-section of Danielle Steele's interview to get to it...

Romance certainly isn't bodice rippers any more and if anyone says otherwise, tell them to pick up one of my books! Or I can recommend a few excellent authors!

Here's a reminder that I'll be live on CRN Digital Talk Radio...

Wednesday, August 15th, 2007
4:00 PM PST
Tune-in to http://www.crntalk.com
Go to CRN 1 and click on "The PM Show" to listen
Topic: Erotic Romance Writers
Special Guest: Jax Cassidy on romance writing and her upcoming projects

I hope to entertain and inform... Hope you all make it!