Channeling Your Inner Child With Guest Blogger Kathy Lane

ATTENTION READERS: Join me on my July Blog Tour and play my Scavenger Blog Game. Visit each of my blog/interview sites for the month of July and leave a comment. At the end of July, one lucky winner will receive a prize package which includes a copy of Bloodsworn I and II, a $25 Amazon gift card, and more! Happy July!

Children tug at our heartstrings. They’re cute, cuddly, frequently messy, and wonderfully unpredictable. Handled correctly, they can also add depth to a story. Keep in mind the ‘handled correctly’ part. In my humble opinion, sticking a child into the plot for the sake of sentimentality won’t cut it. Characters need a purpose, even the adorable ones.

            So let’s say your story calls for a rambunctious little boy or shy little girl. can be loads of fun, though getting things right from a child’s perspective isn’t always easy. Have you ever read a book where the dialogue definitely didn’t match the child’s age? Very distracting, isn’t it? It’s hard to take a step back from everything you know as an adult to try and recapture the wonder and innocence only a child can possess. Especially when there are decades and decades and, *sigh* decades, between you and your childhood years. All I can say is: Do Your Research! Surround yourself with age-appropriate examples. Invite the nieces and nephews over for a tea party. Have lunch at a place that caters to children. Watch, listen, and learn. Then write.

One last thing. As a reader, I enjoy getting a glimpse into a child’s world which is chock full of wonder and imagination. An author, however, especially romance author, needs to keep in mind just who the story is about—the Hero and Heroine—and not get carried away with a re-visit to her childhood. *grin*

In Linked by Blood, my new book due out this month, you’ll meet a wonderful little boy named Seth. He’s five-years-old, loves to play with frogs, splash in water, and has a boy’s healthy fascination with sharp, pointy things. His mother is Sheren, a young widow who finds herself drawn to the Amber Blade, Bracca Cu-Laurian, despite her vow to keep her distance. Things get even more complicated when young Seth becomes ill. Only Bracca’s Bloodsworn can save him, a move which links Bracca and Sheren even closer while putting all of their lives in danger.

            You can pick up your copy of Bloodsworn II: Linked by Blood at www.thewildrosepress.com. Hope you enjoy the story!

Here’s question (3) on my Blog Tour: Seth’s favorite critter is a jade frog. When you were little, what animal/insect/ect. held the most fascination for you? Mine were doodlebugs, also known as antlions.