Jennie Bennett, Romance Author

It's been like FOREVER since I've done a bloghop. I just happened to see this one on G+, being hosted by my two favorite Krista's , and I thought, why not? Here's the deets: Share 400 words or less to about a real villain, one you created in a novel, or a flash fiction. Your villain doesn't have to be necessarily a murderer or stalker, but any anti-hero in your writing will work just fine! I decided to go with Flash Fiction since it's been a while. Really, it's good to exercise that part of my brain. Win-win. *** “Did you really think it would be that easy?” Hunter says, dangling the watch in front of my face. I hold my breath. One wrong move and the watch could break, destroying our time. Hunter knows that better than anyone, but he swings it anyway. “I’m sorry,” I say, falling to my knees.  Dust puffs from the floor, a rat skittering to its hideout. All the clocks in the room start to ring. Their phantom song dwarfing all conv...

This past weekend, my husband's uncle and his family came to visit us. Houston is HUGE and there's a lot to see. We gave them a list of ideas and let them decide what they wanted to do. Sunday morning came, bright and clear with prefect temperatures. They really wanted to see NASA, and I suggested we could walk the beach in the evening. Not everything works out as planned. We arrived at NASA, pulled over to the little park out front, and had a conference. It dawned on us in that moment just how expensive a day at NASA would be and how beautiful the sunshine was. So instead of walking around indoors and looking at  cool space stuff, we decided to go straight to the beach. Because the excursion was mostly unplanned, we came unprepared. We didn't have food. We didn't have water. We didn't have sunscreen. None of us had brought our bathing suits. Some of us were in long pants. Some of us were in long sleeves, but we went anyway. It was kind of silly, going to ...

I don't profess to be an expert in writing. I've learned a lot over the years, but I believe there's always more to learn. Each time I sit down to write, I'm constantly asking myself questions. Do the words flow? Is this the right word? Does this make my point clear? Is there enough mystery? Is the mystery so thick the reader is lost? I have my own methods to keeping my writing strong, but my way doesn't work for everyone. The brilliant thing about reading is that there are so many differences in the way people write, you can be transported into a character's head and consider the world in a way you never would've before. However, it never hurts to have tips about how other writers improve themselves. Even if the advice isn't spot on, it can generate ideas about new ways to look at things. That being said, we'll move on to the meat of this post--visualization. I recently finished reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I got completely sucke...

Last week my youngest had a birthday. Piled among the gifts was a car from his Nana---a Lighting McQueen that will run on it's own after it's been shaken.  Perfect gift for a two year old, right? Especially for a little boy who loves engines like my guy does. He's been roaming around the house with it clutched in his hand, driving it around, and basically having the time of his life. Every time I catch him with it though, I have to laugh. The wheels are spinning on their own, but he's still holding the car as tight as he can. I kept telling him, "You have to let the car go." I eased it out of his hands and placed it on the floor, demonstrating the full potential of the toy. Yet, he still insists on driving it himself. It only took me a couple of tries to realize he had to figure it out on his own, and I couldn't help him unless he wanted to be helped. The experience made me stop and think. What am I holding onto that would work better if I just...

I'm gonna start this post out with a confession: I'm a scaredy pants. Confession number two: I will NEVER self-publish a novel. At least not until I've traditionally published first. Why? Refer to confession number one. All you self-published peeps out there, I give you major props. It takes serious guts to put your work out there all on your own. There's so much to think about. The right cover, the right title, the right hook. Finding reviewers, finding a good editor, finding your audience. MARKETING. Traditional publishing has a bit of comfort behind it. You find an agent - validation. You sell your book - validation. All the other little details are taken care of for you. But here's the thing: either way, it's a risk. Just becasue a book is traditionally published doesn't mean it's going to sell well. It might tank. Traditionally publishing might be even riskier becasue other people are banking on you. What if you end up being a big...

Time to party! The Real Thing releases today (whoop whoop!) and Cassie's giving away a swag pack full of goodies. The Real Thing postcards A froggy loofah Oh the Places You'll Go!  by Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham  by Dr. Seuss The Real Thing Samsung Galaxy S3 Phone Case A Cassie Mae pen A collection of select Cassie Mae/Becca Ann signed books Rafflecopter right below the excerpt and book details :) ********************************************************************************* “All right, all right,” he says, smiling and holding his palm up to stop me. Tomato juice is dripping from the top of his head down his cheeks, getting caught in the smile lines by his mouth. I can feel it running down my face, too, and I should be gagging, but I’m not. I open my mouth to tell him how cute he looks even with juice all over him, but a light ploof! hits the center of the tub between our bodies, and I stare down at my froggy loofah, now covered in red. “Oh no!...

I admit it, I've said the words tortured artist in a joking manner. Poking fun at the cliche of someone who's a creative that also suffers from depression or anxiety or a similar mental illness. I regret the time I said those things, because now I understand. I'm not personally depressed, but I have gone through periods of depression, some serve enough to contemplate suicide. I've seriously thought my kids would be happier and my husband would be free if I just left this world. Obviously, I haven't acted on those thoughts, but it frightens me when I'm low enough to consider those things. Time to talk about Robin Williams for a minute. Yes, his shocking death is the reason I'm compelled to sit down and write about the creative mind and mental illness. Robin Williams was talented, I'm not the only person who enjoyed his comedy. He gave characters life in a way few other actors have. As a writer, I appreciate that. As a writer, I also understand how ...