But WOW, thank you. That is a tremendous compliment, and you totally made my week!

So sorry to hear you are sick, try my home remedy mix some honey with whiskey and drink. If it don’t cure you it will make you a little high if nothing else!

Because I also write erotic romance as Lorelei James, I’ve had reviewers tell me I couldn’t possibly be the same person that writes the mysteries because the tones are different. I’ll take that, but I like to think the voice is the same. Some are stronger than others, for me first person female is the strongest, but I love the challenges of keeping the voices strong in third person too.

Awesome post, Rocki, and I have to follow this tomorrow?

Voice. The one I always point to is Nora Roberts writing as Nora Roberts and Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb. Totally different in tone, cadence, structure. I love JD Robb, often devouring a book in one sitting. Nora’s books? Not so much. I have to struggle to read them. I know. That’s almost as bad as me not reading Linda Howard. *duck*

Voice is something most beginning writers struggle to define, me included. Color me surprised when another author told me she could almost always pick out the snippet I wrote because I have a distinctive voice. Oh, yeah! I was doin’ the Snoopy Dance(tm).

Great post today. I’ve got to get my hands on Bird By Bird, too. Like…right now. I have GCs for Borders AND B&N! *clicks*

so, voice. it took me awhile to allow mine out. my problem when i first began this journey was trying to sound like my favorite authors. I loved their voices. Unfortunately, imitation just doesn’t smell as sweet as the real thing. my first sale was the first book where i said, “screw this, i’m writing a karin book!” every book since then has been a karin book, whether it’s been my historicals, which have the same voice but more dramatic or my contemps where my voice is very much like, well my voice. succinct with not BS clogging up my point.