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Destination Inspiration: Caffe Fiore

Caffe Fiore Interior

Sometimes neighborhood coffee shops are our favorite places for writing, as they tend to have a familial feel and a welcoming atmosphere whether we know anyone there or not. Such is the case with Caffe Fiore, a coffee shop with several Seattle locations.

Caffe Fiore Food and Drink

Food and Beverages

On our recent visit to the Sunset Hill location, we shared a zucchini loaf and onion pastry. Sarah opted for a chai while Daytona had a latte …

Caffe Fiore Coffee and Pastries

Caffe Fiore Sign

Caffe Fiore Outside Seating

Caffe Fiore Counter

Location and Atmosphere

Located on the corner of 32nd and 85th, Caffe Fiore is a neighborhood gem but is also located along a busline and on the route down the winding road to Golden Gardens, making it both easy to get there by public transportation and a natural destination if you’re looking to warm up after a trip to the beach on a brisk day.

Writeability and Purchased Presence

It seems just as common to see people sipping their coffee as they read or write at their laptop as it does to see families stopping in here as a stop on a walk. Our take is that it’s a great spot for some relaxed writing. Just be sure to be conversational and friendly with the staff and other customers, and order a second drink if you’re going to stick around a while.

Price: $$

Parking

Located at an intersection, there is ample parking on the side streets flanking the cafe.

Caffe Fiore Counter and Seating      

Writer’s Tip

Take some time at this cafe to revisit old pieces you’ve put on the back burner. See if spending time with them brings about anything new. A fresh place can bring a fresh perspective.

Caffe Fiore Exterior

Find it:

Caffe Fiore, Sunset Hill
3125 NW 85th St
Seattle, WA 98117
Website

 

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From the Pros: Tips for Productivity

*Guest post by Lynnette Bonner*

Let’s face it. We’re all busy. Most of us writers have that disruptive day job that constantly cuts into our writing time. Many of us have children, grandchildren, church, exercise, and other volunteer activities we feel are important to squeeze into our day too. So where does that leave time for writing?

I’ve often been asked how I find the time to write. My answer is almost always the same: “You make time to do the things you love.”

So my first tip for productivity would be for you to assess your passion for writing. You obviously love writing or you wouldn’t be sitting there reading this post. But where is your must-write-or-die level at, right now? We all go through seasons. When I had 3 little boys at home and was homeschooling, I didn’t get a whole lot of writing done. There were nights when all I could do was fall onto the couch and summon the energy to click the power button on the remote. I slowly worked on one book over the course of about 10 years. But now that my kids are older and I’m not their educational teacher, I have more time for writing and have produced 4 books over the last 5 years, or so.

Cover-The-Unrelenting-Tide

Once you’ve assessed the above realistically, you then have to meld your discovery with actual availability. Look at your schedule. What time slots can you set aside for writing? Do it and mark them on your calendar and guard them like gold. Treat them like any other responsibility. When that friend calls to see if you’d like to go shopping, you can then say, “I’m sorry. I already have an appointment at that time.”

Now it comes down to the actual writing time itself and I want you to think through one more aspect. What motivates you? Your personality will have a lot to do with how to assure your success when you finally sit down at the keyboard. If you take me as an example, I’m extremely goal oriented. So I like to make lists. And I take great satisfaction in crossing items off my list and find great vexation when I can’t cross something off. So it is a real good motivator for me to put “write 1000 words today” on my to-do list because I hate not being able to cross it off for the day. I’ve heard of some writers who demand a certain word-count of themselves before they let themselves eat breakfast. (Just don’t skip the coffee, or you might end up with a garbled mess!) Some writers respond to rewards – ie., “If I get this chapter done I can go shooting at the gun range.” Some may need an accountability partner to keep tabs on them. (Although if that’s you, I would seriously reassess your passion for writing.) Some surround themselves with inspirational pictures that put them in the mood of the piece they are working on. Anyhow, whatever it is that works for you, find it and implement it, and stick with it.

Once you sit down at the keyboard turn off your phone, your email, even your internet access, if you have to, and just WRITE. Feel free to let the words flow from your fingers in as rough a manner as necessary to get them on the page. Editing can come later.

Here is a thought to ponder: 500 words a day for 6 months would result in 90,000 words, which is a full length novel, or one and a half to two devotional books. At that rate you could write 2 full length novels a year. Maybe you can’t do 500 every single day, but I bet you could do 1000 words 3 times a week. Why not challenge yourself?

Assess, meld, get motivated and WRITE! You can do it!

Lynnette Bonner just released her 5th title, a romantic suspense titled: The Unrelenting Tide. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, four children, and one very spoiled PomChi pooch.

Pick up a  copy of Lynnette’s latest book on Amazon here!  http://www.amazon.com/Unrelenting-Tide-Islands-Intrigue-ebook/dp/B00CLMKQI6/

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How to Give Your Character an Achilles’ Heel

*Guest post by Lesley Ann McDaniel*

Every hero needs an Achilles’ heel. But what exactly does that mean?

In one of my current manuscripts, the hero gets an opportunity to rescue the heroine in the climax of the book. What kind of hero would he be if he didn’t, right? Since the story takes place on an island, it makes sense that the water surrounding it would figure into the final mêlée. I knew from the start that the hero would jump in to save the heroine, but when the time came to write that moment, he wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t jump.

It was then that I discovered his Achilles’ heel. It’s his overwhelming fear of water.

Direction

So, what exactly is an Achilles’ heel, and where does the term come from?

According to Greek mythology, Achilles was an exceptionally brave warrior. When he was born, his mother tried to make him immortal by dipping him in the River Styx, which presumably held magic powers. Unfortunately, the heel she held him by remained dry and, therefore, vulnerable. All an enemy had to do was aim for the one part of Achilles that was still mortal.

So any weakness, whether in a person, a thing, or an idea, can be referred to as an Achilles’ heel.

As writers, how do we apply this to our characters? Think of it as their greatest fear or weakness, like Indiana Jones and his fear of snakes.

Why does this matter? Because it’s an effective way to raise the stakes for our characters, and a reliable tool to prevent a “sagging middle” in our stories. Knowing a character’s Achilles heel lets us create more difficult decisions for him, if we do it right.

In the example of my poor water-fearing hero, his choice has been elevated from ‘save-the-heroine or not-save-the-heroine’ (a pretty ho-hum choice) to ‘face-my-darkest-fear or continue-to-be-a-coward’. The moment is more powerful because he has to face his greatest weakness.

Here’s how to effectively utilize a character’s Achilles’ heel:

  1. Set it up early in your story.

As with every story element, this shouldn’t announce itself as a set-up. Reinforce this component of your character, but don’t project the pay-off. Let the reader’s curiosity build.

2. Your character must acknowledge his weakness early on.

He can either deny it, decide he’s fine with things just the way they are, or maybe even express a desire to overcome it someday.

3. If your character has a nemesis, that nemesis has to take advantage of your character’s Achilles’ heel.

4. Let your character face his weakness in an interesting, unexpected way.

Ideally, this would come at the 2/3 inciting incident, or the climax. Maybe both, as long as the second event is even more creative and unexpected.

5.   Your character doesn’t necessarily have to overcome his greatest fear, but he does have to face it.

Be creative. What’s the most interesting Achilles’ heel you can come up with?

 

LESLEY ANN MCDANIEL writes romance, romantic suspense, and young adult fiction. Her new book, “Lights, Cowboy, Action” will be released through Heartsong Presents in June, 2013. Contact her at lesleym3@juno.com or visit her website at www.lesleyannmcdaniel.com.

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From the Pros

The beginning

All writers learn from those who have come before. In my case, I am blessed with a circle of friends who are successful in their writing right now and have books coming out soon. Part of me celebrates with them and the other part wants to learn from them. Lucky for you, we’ll be doing both here at Nooks & Cranberries!

Over the next few months we’ll have guest writers sharing tips and tricks about writing and what’s worked for them. In addition, we’ll fill you in on some of their work and their upcoming books.

First up, next Thursday, Lesley Ann McDaniel, author of “Lights, Cowboy, Action” will share about discovering your character’s Achilles’ Heel.

Here’s looking forward to learning, honing our craft and celebrating success. Cheers and happy writing!

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Cowboy in the City

Here at Nooks & Cranberries our motto is that “there are plenty of reasons not to write, but we’re here to ensure that a lack of creativity isn’t one of them.”

Lately I’ve had plenty of creativity, but what has kept me from finishing the many projects that I’ve started is fear. It’s a silly fear really, but what it comes down to is that I’m afraid of killing my characters. You’d think the fact that I write thrillers and murder mysteries would have hardened me, but really I’m quite sentimental. In this case however I’m not talking about actually murdering my primary characters (although let’s face it, someone always has to die), I’m speaking to the fact that when we write a story, even a short one, we are committing those involved to a path. A path of identity. In a way, we are locking them in to certain facts. If dear ol’ country boy Mitch has a drawl and a swagger that makes the girls melt, you have just locked that feature into the minds of your readers and now that’s a permanent part of him. Having that as part of his identity is going to forever guide his choices and therefore will determine the road he takes. Now the possibilities of him being anybody else are, in a sense, dead.

Douglas Duncan on the street in NYC
Cowboy Douglas Duncan on the street in NYC. Image from wnyc.org/blogs.

This character killing reality has been a roadblock. Country boy Mitch will never have the street smarts of someone who was born and raised in the city. But then I realized something, just because I’ve used Mitch in one story doesn’t mean he is dead to every other story I write. Part of being a writer means having the liberty of reviving anyone I want and using them in another chapter. And having locked Mitch into his country persona doesn’t mean he can’t change. It’s all about justification. And I don’t mean the ‘excuse-disguised-as-reason’ type justification. I’m talking about authenticity. Perhaps being attached to certain characters and wanting to use them can open up options, not just close them down. Perhaps a certain journey Mitch takes transforms him into a city-wise country boy that adds a depth to his character that wasn’t there before. What we have to be careful of in the long run is making sure our intentions are genuine. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that while our uncanny ability to justify anything and everything can be very useful in the world of writing, it can also bring about some awfully flat and unbelievable drivel.

Here’s my challenge to you: wielding this power of justification, take a second look at some of your characters. Pick one that seems a bit flat and see what changes you can justify in their character that could give them more depth and perhaps some new plot twists!

Cheers and happy writing!

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Chelan Writing Retreat: The Barrel Feast

It was a gorgeous weekend. The sun was out, the sky was clear and the snow capped mountains were a gleaming backdrop. The best part was that we were viewing all this splendor from the car as we drove out of Seattle and made our way to Chelan for a quick writing retreat.

The kids were set to spend quality time with the dads and the women were off to let the their writing minds take them where they may…well, with a loose itinerary. We were to visit a few wine tasting rooms, meet a press contact for dinner, stay the night at a lovely resort overlooking Lake Chelan and then meet for a “Wine Immersion” experience the next morning. Boy were we in for a treat!

Chelan Horizon

By the time we had settled in at The Lake House and tasted some of the wine provided in the room, it was time to meet our contact for dinner. We were privileged to meet about a dozen or so people for the intimate Barrel Feast at Tunnel Hill Winery. What a fantastic experience! We arrived and were led into their barrel room in which was set a long table with a silk copper runner, candles and place settings lined by four wine glasses each. After a brief meet and greet, we took our seats and were presented with a four course meal, complete with wine pairings. Our host, Guy Evans, introduced the cook who is the head chef at Cafe Mason.

Beet Salad

We poured over the mouth-watering courses with the wine pairings and got to know the people sitting around us. As I looked up and down the long table, the writer in me started to churn…or more accurately, the fiction side of my writing mind. Sure, I could write a compelling piece about how lovely our trip has been and how tasty the local fare is, the travel magazines would surely eat that up. But the fiction-writing side of my brain was looking for something a little more thrilling, mysterious even. It kept wondering ‘what if’. Like, what if someone left for the restroom and didn’t come back? What if the next person to visit the restroom found the previous person’s body slumped against the wall, dead? Of the people I’ve met so far, who would make the best victim? Who would make the best murderer? Perhaps the congress woman sitting next to me, political motives are often seedy. Or what about the innocent-looking newly wed couple to my right? They do seem a little too innocent. What could they be hiding? Or this contractor across the table, how far would he go to win a bid? My brain went on like this, humming in the background as I made pleasant conversation and secretly gleaned information for character development.

While I am fortunate to have a steady job as a freelance writer, sometimes the pressure to produce non-fiction material takes over and my fiction muscles feel neglected and atrophe. This trip was a nice opportunity to stretch those muscles and get back in action. I’d like to encourage you, if you have a passion for writing fiction, to allow yourself to let go every once in a while and run with the wiles of your imagination. Of course, do your due diligence, if you have a non-fiction deadline, but then exchange that notepad for your story-telling notepad. Soak up the characters around you and let your mind wander down the path of ‘what if’s’.

Writer’s Tip: Having a restricted setting with a set cast can force you to get creative with your limited options.  Next time you go to a restaurant, find the table with the most people and use them as your cast of characters. Write a short story that takes place in that restaurant with just that table of people.

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Paralyzed

Have you ever had so many things to do that you didn’t know where to start? Lately that’s been happening to me in terms of writing. I’ve had so many ideas swirling in my head that I just didn’t know what to write down first! I felt literally paralyzed.

Earlier this week I decided to grab my notebook and pour my brain out onto the page. It was hard. I stuttered. I strained. Finally, I had a list started. Why was that so difficult?

It is like a new breed of writer’s block. For me, in this case, it was matter of organization and worrying about capturing every little thought before it got pushed out by another. I was so afraid I’d forget something that my brain was blocked up with everything trying to get out the door at once.

Shower crayons can be a writer’s best friend.

After I took a breath and looked at my list, I started thinking of ways that might make the ‘un-blocking’ process easier.

1. Talk to a friend. If you are unsure where to start, see what idea seems to be swimming at the surface. What topic do you find yourself talking about the most?

2. Read. Read. Read. Your subconscious has a way of letting you know what is most important. Start reading and as you find your mind wandering, jot down a key word or phrase to capture that thought and get back to reading. Do this every time your mind strays from the text. After you’ve finished a couple chapters, look at your list and see what themes emerge. Pick the primary theme as your starting place.

3. Purchase shower crayons. I love these! You can often find them in the toy or stationary aisle of your local store (or on Amazon of course). The shower is often my think tank and it really helps to be able to write down ideas they second they pop into my head.

4. Go for a walk. Fresh air and blood circulation really help untangle all the ideas bumping around the brain. Bring a notebook of course and before you know it you may be perched on  the curb, jotting everything down.

5. Go somewhere. Sometimes it’s a matter of getting out. At N&C we are huge advocates of finding inspiration in all kinds of places. Check out some of our Destination Inspiration locations for ideas of where to go to unclog your brain.