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Lindsay Cross: Plotters and Pansters
Sunday, April 26th, 2015

Lindsay CrossAs a lifetime lover of reading, I have devoured book after book since I could read. In elementary and middle school, it was adventures and literature. In high school, much to my parents despair, I discovered Romance, and never looked back. My addiction to reading grew to the point of staying up all night to finish a book – every night.

But in all that time I never once stopped to think about the process of writing or even touched on imagining how much hard work all those awesome authors put into a book.

Now, as a writer myself, I am discovering the ins and outs and ups and downs. In the writing world, there is a distinct divide between processes and writers. The descriptions are as follows:

  1. The plotter – those writers I can only aspire to be. They plot and plan and lay out their story in outlines and timelines in a web so finely woven there is no way to get lost. They know what they want to write before they even start, follow the plan and make every word count.
  1. The panster – woe is me. Literally. The panster is a creature without a roadmap, a compass, or even the North Star. We write and let the story unfold as we go. Sometimes it takes us down a road lined with glittering gold and diamonds. The story just flows. Other times, the road is rocky and runs into wall after wall, forcing the panster to turn around and go another direction.

I’ve tried to plot to no avail. Plotting is not in my blood. As a panster, I usually write about 300,000 words for each 80,000 word book. Obviously, pansters are creatures of self-torture and believe in doing a lot more work than is necessary. But I’ve found through trial and error – you don’t mess with the process.

Whatever the process, they both work. And just like different processes there a thousand different types of books. What you like to read is all about personal preference. I love all things romance – period – but romantic suspense will always take the lead.

As a reader what is your favorite type of book? Western? Suspense? Erotic? Sweet Contemporary?

MAY 2015
ANTICPATION
A HEART & HANDCUFFS ANTHOLOGY
BY
MEGAN MITCHAM
&
LINDSAY CROSS

ANTICIPATION eBook (1563x2500)

Love is all you need. Really? Tell that to her unattended lady boner. Sure they had a love so relentless it shouldered the weight of children, careers, in-laws, and out-laws. But what happened to that zing of excitement his mere presence evoked? It grew into comfortable expectation.

Things had gone to hell in handcuffs. Convicts and caseloads. Files and felons. The stranglehold of work had kept him from husbandly duties long enough.

They had love, but how did they get back to lust?

With a little bit of Anticipation…

Anticipation contains two ten thousand word sizzling suspense short stories. In Megan Mitcham’s story “Climax,a busty and brainy red-head arrests her police chief husband and shows him exactly what she’s had to do to get by without him for the last two months. In Lindsay Cross’s story “Need,” a stay-at-home mom pushed to the brink pushes back, revealing her un-sated desire and making her Dominant reestablish control.

Coming soon: OCTOBER 2015

MEN OF MERCY SERIES

REDEMPTION
RESSURRECTION
RECKLESS
REHAB

BY
LINDSAY CROSS

REDEMPTION

For Hunter James and his squad, Task Force Scorpion, killing terrorists is as easy as cleaning their guns. Dark, deadly and destructive, TF-S is called in for government missions that are so far off the record, not even the president knows of their existence. But when Hunter is assigned to his hometown, he comes face-to-face with his ex-girlfriend, and all his training and discipline disappear.

Evangeline Videl tucked Hunter’s memory into a nice neat box in the back of her mind and tossed the key off a cliff. Their bond had been hotter than the summer in the South and deeper than the Mississippi River.  But Hunter pulled a disappearing act years ago and left her shattered. Now he’s back and intent on winning her heart once more.

As the enemy pulls the strings, will Evie dance to his tune or risk her heart and join forces with Hunter in a fight that could destroy them both or forge a union so scorching hot it will leave them forever scalded.

4 comments to “Lindsay Cross: Plotters and Pansters”

  1. Delilah
    Comment
    1
    · April 26th, 2015 at 11:04 am · Link

    Sorry this is up late, Lindsay! I’m at the hospital with my dd—and she’s very demanding!



  2. Elaine Swinney
    Comment
    2
    · April 26th, 2015 at 11:52 am · Link

    My favorite type book is the one I am reading at the time. I love books and don’t have just one type. I do not read horror(Stephen King), no way no how. 🙂



  3. Donamuree Holmes
    Comment
    3
    · April 26th, 2015 at 11:54 pm · Link

    I really lean towards erotica with romantic suspense elements. Why? Simply put, a book filled with only sex just wouldn’t hold my interest for very long. However, add in different elements of suspense and/or intrigue, and the story reaches a while new level of entertainment.



  4. Sami Sapphire
    Comment
    4
    · April 27th, 2015 at 2:09 pm · Link

    You know I’m a plotter, but you said it best–whatever works!

    Need from the Anticipation compilation sounds intriguing and sexy. Can’t wait to read it!



Comments are closed.