LM Preston’s new book FLUTTER OF LUV is here!
C. Lee’s take on Flutter of Love:
Your parents were kids when you arrived, so while they’re in your life, they’re not really. Your refuge is Nana. And how about you? Well, you’re the fifteen-year-old who can’t afford contacts, or a hair salon. What’s worse is you still have braces and your breasts haven’t come in yet, not like the other girls. You’re the tomboy who loves to play football with the “rag tag” team in your hood. Then Tony arrives and he’s the one you crave to notice the young woman behind those horrid glasses and wired teeth.
This is a sweet story about first love and all the angst that comes with it. What I enjoyed most were the characters: Nana who says things, like, “. . . in life we get what we get, so deal with it.” Dawn, the MC, with the knowledge that, “Every girl has a little ‘stalker’ in her. And, of course, Tony who won’t tell a girl he loves her unless he means it.
I also loved the authentic and consistent voice of this ten episode story. Well told and interesting from start to finish. A book with lots of heart.
Here’s the book summary: Dawn, the neighborhood tomboy, is happy to be her best friend’s shadow. Acceptance comes from playing football after school with the guys on the block while hiding safely behind her glasses, braces and boyish ways. But Tony moves in, becomes the star running back on Dawn’s school’s team and changes her world and her view of herself forever.
About LM Preston:
LM. Preston loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. She worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. Her passion for writing science fiction was born under the encouragement of her husband, who is a Sci-Fi buff, and her four kids. Her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds feeds her creation of multiple series for Middle Grade and Young Adult readers thirsty for an adventure. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encourages her writing.
Direct from LM:
One of the challenges with deciding to write a romance was that I personally hate writing the ‘boring parts’. You know what I’m talking about, when nothing really is happening except the main characters are whining about how they love the other character.
So…
I have a problem. I hate reading or writing books that nothing happens. Now there are many books that have been considered bestsellers that are just plain dull. Nothing truly happens to the character for over ten chapters. At least nothing you can see outright. But I have stuck with them. I have read those works in spite of the fact it took me an awful long time to do so. And have to admit that sometimes nothing really has to happen for you to enjoy reading.
DOES IT PAYS TO BE DULL?
However, great works of fiction are not exciting. But they feed you bits, and nibbles of the underlying plot and conflict along the way. There are some genres that are notorious for this type of ‘ease the reader in’ approach and I find that they tend to be my least favorite genre.
WRITING THE DULL PARTS
As a writer there are parts when I just have to bring it down several notches. I’ve tried over my writing years to weave exciting things into those mundane parts where the character has to learn something, share something or experience something. And I’d be lying if I didn’t reveal that there have been bestsellers that I had to force myself to read in pieces just to finish.
I’ve realized that yes, yes, yes, there is a need for those slow parts of a book. It sets the pacing, brings the reader in, and if the writer is really clever, they are a welcomed slow down.
SO WHAT DO I DO?
In Flutter Of Luv, I decided to slim this book down to a short story and write only the part which something juicy happened.
Lisa Gail Green says
Ooh Congrats to LM! I have issues with slowing down too. I tend to be fast paced. I should challenge myself and do that also. 😀
Misha Gericke says
Sounds like a great story. 😀
Beverly Stowe McClure says
OK. Third times the charm. I've tried to post this twice, but Google hates me.
I love to read stories about first love. Very nice review, C. Lee. Congrats on your book, LM. It sounds like my kine of read.
Beverly Stowe McClure says
I love reading stories about first love. Nice review, C. Lee. Congrats on your book, LM. It sounds like one I'd enjoy.
Catherine Stine says
Cute cover! Yes, the "housekeeping" stuff has to be there, but it can be kept brief and written with as much zip as possible.
Catherine Stine’s Idea City
Beth says
Good luck LM. I'll get this on my kindle ;).
Leslie S. Rose says
Yay for LM. I got the warm fuzzies for FLUTTER OF LUV reading the post.
Medeia Sharif says
Those dull moments can be a welcome slow-down and they can also provide moments of insight.
I added Flutter to my wish list.
Ednah Walters says
The dull moments works when they set the stage for the big ones. Good luck with your book, sounds like fun.
Samantha says
This looks great! I completely agree, the best writers will make the "dull" moments a welcome change of pace now and again 🙂
DMS says
Best of luck to LM! I am so happy for her. It was interesting to find out how she got around the dull parts. This sounds like fun and I look forward to reading it!
~Jess
Kelly Hashway says
I'll definitely be reading this one. 🙂 Yay for LM!
M Pax says
Best to LM. All success on the new book!
Carrie Butler says
Sounds good! Thanks for sharing, Lee! 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
Short stories are good if they're well written, LM. This one was. I really did enjoy reading it and I've said why in my review. No lamenting, okay?
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
Good luck to LM!
LM Preston says
Thank you Ooodles C.Lee for allowing me to drop by on your rockin' blog and gush about my short story and lament about why it's a short story and not a full novel. 😀