The Evolution of Rona Shively...

The thing I enjoy about some of my favorite authors is that they share the emotional ups and downs of the character with readers. I think it is important for the writer to be able to feel the emotions of the character as they write. If you are scared, angry, happy or sad as you write a chapter, you’ve probably done something right.

As I am in the process of writing the third book in the Rona Shively series, I wanted to talk a little bit about how this character has changed over the course of the first two books. I like the fact that she is evolving and growing with each chapter. I hope that the readers have been able to sympathize with her as she deals with the ups and downs of relationships, financial difficulties, and just plain living.

I plan to put her through her paces in book three by having her face up to things that even I, the author, am not sure I can handle. As I write about some of these things, I feel them in the pit of my stomach and I hope that I will be able to draw upon personal experience to find the right words to capture the emotional intensity of the moment.

When I read a book, I expect to get caught up in the main character’s turmoil. I want to feel as though I am walking right alongside them, figuring it all out. Who are the writers that invite you into their stories? I’m interested in hearing from readers on this one. What significant passages have made you never want to put that book down? I know that for me, I hated to finish reading any of Lisa Scottoline’s books. Scottoline has a way of making you understand where her characters are coming from. She digs in and gives you the details so clearly that you can even smell the food cooking in her stories.

When it comes down to it, that’s what we really want. We need to be there, holding onto our favorite character, making sure that they go in the direction we want them to go. Or, if they don’t we at least know why they chose the wrong way. As I get closer to the end of Rona 3, I am so glad that there has been laughing, crying, nail-biting, etc. Hopefully, it means I’m doing something right.

Until next time…

Rebecca Benston

http://www.theronashivelystories.com

Blog post originally published at http://www.wordpress.com/booksden

Passing the buck...

I am reposting this for a friend. I agree, parents are responsible for teaching their children how to act and that's the bottom line. We cannot continue to put the blame on the media, on the internet, on anything other than what we show our children through our own actions. One of the best things we can teach them is to take responsibility for their own actions. Stop blaming your bad behavior on movies, television, computer programs, etc. This is a huge problem and until people start looking at their issues with an eye towards resolving them instead of passing the buck, the problems will always be there.

Thanks,
Rebecca



STOP BLAMING MYSPACE!!

Anybody happen to catch Nightline the other night on ABC? In case you didn't, one of the hot topics discussed was MySpace. It is no secret to anyone who reads the newspaper or watches the 6 o'clock news that MySpace has been in the limelight because of "sexual predators" trying to "abduct and corrupt" the youth of the world. ! I see dozens of profiles a day showing 14 year old girls dressed like sluts, wearing four inches of make up and 32 layers of eyeliner, displaying their age as 18 years old and profile lines stating "Oh, I'm So Sexy" or "Hey There, Wanna Check Up On It?" Come on! The youth of today's world are already corrupt enough due to the undying need to be "older" than they really are. I seriously doubt there are tons of people on MySpace stalking "innocent young girls" who just happen to have tramped up profiles and ages 4 years greater than their own.

On Nightline, there was a story of a 12 year old girl who was a drug-addict and attributed it all to MySpace. She claims that Myspace allowed her to easily find drug dealers in her area, as well as older men to have sex with her. Now, at the age of 14, she has been checked into a drug-rehabilitation clinic and has been away from her family for 5 months. Her parents would rather place the blame squarely on the shoulders of MySpace instead of their daughter, who even admitted that at the age of 12, had already tried weed, crack, X, and had slept with numerous guys older than herself...but of course, it wasn't her fault, it was all because of MySpace.

Once again, COME ON! When are parents and children going to stop passing the blame and grow up enough to take responsibility for their actions and the actions of their children.. Parents: monitor your children online, take some responsibility for YOUR children! Children: if a profile name sounds like something that comes out of a cheap horror movie, like "DARK ANGEL OF DEATH WHO EATS THE BRAINS OF GIRLS"...chances are you DO NOT WANT TO ADD THEM AS
A FRIEND. Apparently there is new legislation in Congress now to block MySpace in all public schools and public libraries across the United States. All because little girls want to act like sluts and don't want to accept the consequences of their actions, and parents don't want to accept the fact that
their "innocent little girls" are posing as 18 year old crack whores trying to buy drugs.

A 14 year old girl and her mother have filed a law suit against Myspace.com because she was sexually assaulted by another user. She said he lied by saying he was on the high School football team, and THAT gained her trust. Obvisiously if thats all it took to gain her trust, chances are she'll pretty much
trust anybody and anyone (not really MySpace's fault). She's suing Myspace.com for $30 million because she believes MySpace has poor security. WHAT A CROCK! Myspace is not a babysitting service, take responsiblity for your own actions!!! What happened to her is a terrible thing and should never happen to anyone, period. Where were her parents? Why are they not held responsible for what their daughter does in their own home? Myspace has many many ways of blocking out/screening people, some are: you have to ACCEPT the person you may or may not know as a friend, as well as DENY people you do or do not know, you can have certain sercurity measures added like making your profile private, or asking for last name and email address, you can block a person, you can only associate with people you ALREADY know or simply you can NOT be on MySpace if you lack common sense.

Eventually, if this continues, MySpace could be totally outlawed from the Internet. Restrictions will be put in place in order to make MySpace "safer".
I don't know about you, but I use MySpace to keep in touch with my family and friends, use it for messages, and just to have a space that is my own. Just because some children want to act grown up, does that mean I may have to eventually give up my MySpace? If you feel the same way I do, please, repost this in your blogs or bulletins, or both as "STOP BLAMING MYSPACE". If enough people post this and spread the word, maybe people will get the picture and stop blaming MySpace for every little thing that their children do wrong. As a user of MySpace, we should all repost this and take some sort of action. This is not a chain letter, and nothing will happen to you if you don't repost this in 321654987 seconds. However, of all bulletins you will read today, I am sure that this one is the only one that actually has a point to it.

Pass this on if you support Tom, and Myspace.com. It's about time adults take responsibility for their own children, instead of blaming it on someone else.