Getting my Body Moving
by Stephanie Bond
Body Movers by Stephanie Bond
I’m limp at the moment. Last week I finished writing the last of 8 back-to-back projects, including 3 Harlequin Blaze manuscripts, 2 novellas, and 3 single title manuscripts for my BODY MOVERS sexy mystery series…about 2500 manuscript pages in one year.
2 Bodies for the Price of 1 by Stephanie Bond
That’s a LOT of ass-time! Like most writers, I struggle with keeping my weight stable while holding down such a sedentary job. I read somewhere that if a person sits for 4 hours, their metabolism comes to a screeching halt—like they’re dead. A slowed metabolism leads to more calories stored, which pitches the writer into a horrible cycle. Throw in high-stress deadlines that have writers reaching for carbs at all hours of the day and night just to stave off boredom and to stay awake, and no wonder most writers find their weight creeping up with each book.
To counter the dreaded “writer’s spread,” I’ve had to be creative about working exercise into my schedule. First, I dress in workout clothes every morning, including an athletic bra and running shoes. That way I’m always ready to work out if the opportunity presents itself. (Changing into workout clothes later is just one more mental obstacle.) Second, I have several 20-minute workout DVD’s—I can usually convince myself that I can spare 20 minutes. Third, I bought a jump rope—if I only have 5 or 10 minutes to work out, or if I’m traveling, nothing beats jumping rope! And fourth, I set a goal for myself. I signed up to run a half-marathon for charity, and asked readers to pledge $13.10 (one dollar for every mile I’ll run) to the organization First Book. Just knowing that other people are counting on me to complete that run makes me get up and move every day.
3 Men and a Body by Stephanie Bond
4 Bodies and a Funeral by Stephanie Bond
Another way I work exercise into my writing schedule is by “wrilking”—I write on my AlphaSmart machine (which resembles a mini laptop) while walking on a treadmill at the gym. The AlphaSmart machine rests between the shelf on the front of the treadmill and the safety bar. I can type comfortably if I walk at 3 mph at an incline of 1.5, and can usually write 4 pages in an hour’s time—and have 3 miles behind me! (I should add that my husband pretends he doesn’t know me when I “wrilk” at the gym.) I’ve heard of another writer who puts a leaf from her dining room table across her treadmill at home and sets her laptop there to write while she walks. (DO NOT try this unless you’re a touch typist!)
5 Bodies to Die For by Stephanie Bond
Another rule I follow—I don’t read unless I’m on a stationary bike. Writers have to read a lot—I read pages every week for my critique partner, I read for research, I read for contests, and I read for pleasure. But I won’t let myself read unless I’m on a recumbent bike. So what if I have to stop occasionally to write something in the margin? The machine will simply “resume” my workout when I’m ready, or even start over. The point is not to try to get in the ultimate workout—the point is to get moving! Any workout I get on the bike while I’m critiquing pages is better than the workout I would’ve gotten critiquing on the couch. In that respect, exercise is like writing—a little bit every day really adds up.
The other advantage of working out while you’re under deadline is that you simply feel better. There’s nothing worse than being behind on a manuscript, and feeling lousy, and being depressed every time you look in the mirror. Exercise will give you more physical and mental energy and endurance to get you to THE END. Find sneaky ways to work movement into your writing and reading schedule. Having another book “under your belt,” doesn’t have to be so literal!
6 Killer Bodies by Stephanie Bond
A bit about Stephanie…
Stephanie Bond writes a humorous, sexy mystery series for Mira Books called BODY MOVERS in which an Atlanta woman works for Neiman Marcus by day, and helps her brother move bodies from crime scenes by night. Received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Books 1-3 are available now, with 4 Bodies and a Funeral, 5 Bodies to Die For, and 6 Killer Bodies to be released April, May, and June 2009. Visit www.stephaniebond.com for more.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
No wonder you have so much energy to write as much as you do.
These are great tips for any of us who spend to much time sitting!
Thanks
Oh, good grief, Stephanie! You’re writing faster than I can read. I thought I was caught up on the Body Movers and you’re TWO AHEAD OF ME! I can see I’ll have to go order them. But unlike you, I won’t be reading on the stationary bike. I’ll be reading in the bath which, when there were four kids at home, was the only place to get any peace and quiet at all! Looking forward to them. Wesley is so much fun (yes, I know he’s not the main character. But I look forward to him every book!)
Anne
Patricia,
It might SEEM as if I’m moving all the time, but I’m really not! In my corporate job, my office was on one floor and my “users” were on another floor. I didn’t realize how much exercise I got running up and down those stairs all day until I left my corporate job to write full time–acckkk! The weight started creeping on almost instantly! Combine that with getting older and a natural metabolic slow-down and I realized if I didn’t do something to incorporate more movement into my schedule, I was going to be in big trouble! Ten years later, I’m managing to break even!
Anne,
Sigh…the bath sounds wonderful, it truly does. (I think that’s why some readers will always prefer a book over an eBook, don’t you?)
And LOL about me writing fast–it was kind of necessary this past year to get a lot of books in the pipeline, but trust me this year: fewer manuscripts, more wine!
By the way, I LOVE writing Wesley in the Body Movers series. Thanks for the nice words about him. He’s in for lots of good times and lots of bad times in books 4-6!
Stephanie,
Sorry I wasn’t able to post sooner! BOTH my kids are sick. I had to take both to the doctor Friday, which ended up with a trip to the Children’s hospital for xrays for my son. It’s been nuts this weekend. I have some pending comments that will get approved a little later this morning after I take my boy to school (what a miracle meds are these days!).
I love your books, by the way. I’ve been a huge fan since the Temptation days. Oh, how I hated that line closing!
Heather R.
Heather, between me and you, Harlequin Temptation was my favorite line, and I think my writing was most suited to Temptation. When the Blaze line was introduced, though, it cannibalized Temptation, which is why Temptation ended. So I had to adjust my style slightly to write for Blaze–instead of the teasing romantic comedies, I had to give my stories more sexual oomph! But it’s good to be challenged as a writer.
Hope the kidlets are all better soon!
I totally agree that Temptation was the best line ever. While Blaze give you the “more” — more sex, more plot, and well, just more. I don’t find myself pulled in emotionally like I did with the Temptations.
I don’t find I like non-romances Stephanie, but your Body Movers series has been very interesting. What’s in store after this series?
I love the idea of not reading unless you’re exercising, too. It’s something I’ve found myself doing a lot here lately on the treadmill with an ebook reader. =)
Wow, Stephanie! Great advice. I think this advice applies to everyone not just writers. You ever tried to dictate work? In my job I do it some and have found (even if I’m the one typing it later) that it will save me time and energy over sitting still and “thinking” through my problems at a computer.
Oh, and pretty covers!
I’m trying to figure out the deal with your series. I haven’t read the books. Well, heck, I’ll admit I shy away form true series books like this where there aren’t multiple hero and heroines. Is the hero and heroine in this one the same all the way through? And how do you keep it interesting from book to book with no resolution?
I love your books. I found it highly offensive that the Amazon and a few other review sites were so harsh (maybe not the word one might immediately think, but my opinion of them) about this series. Is it that the books are a different tone from what you normally write? I’m waiting to save up a little then buy them in ebook form. I tend to read while moving too! Even if it’s in a car! ;-)
Stephanie,
I’m so glad to hear a Temptation author agree with me. I can only take so much sex in a book! ROFL! I like more all the way around. But then I often do read the sexier books when I’m looking for the more sex, less talk. Okay, so I’m not really a confused reader, but if a book is good, it’s good. I don’t mind what line. I just wonder if some of the Blaze books couldn’t be more balanced. Then again, it wouldn’t be the “sexy” line of Harlequin, then, would it?
Anyway, the kiddies are getting there and I’ve finally gotten caught up on some blog moderation items. Hence the posts that just pushed through and posted today.
Talk to you again soon! And thank you for visiting with us!
Heather R.
Sasha,
The big difference in Temptation and Blaze is that the Blazes have to have an inherently sexy premise–sexual awakening, one-night stand, seduction, etc.–whereas Temptation could be about anything, with a little sex thrown in. The Temptation line actually offered more flexibility for story lines, but when the Blaze mini-series within Temptation was introduced, sales skyrocketed for those books. So Harlequin was smart to introduce the Blaze line to match the demand…they just didn’t realize that Blaze would cannibalize the sales of Temptation. And authors were happy to have more pages to explore storylines and subplots in Blaze, but that’s disappeared with the cut in wordcount…now Blazes are exactly the same size that Temptations were!
Thanks for asking what’s in store for BODY MOVERS! Books 4-6 that will come out back to back this spring will introduce a serial killer called The Charmed KIller who leaves a charm in the mouth of each of his victims. There’s a contained mystery in each book, but the serial killer mystery arcs over all 3 books–and there’s still the overall storylines of where are the fugitive parents? And which guy will Carlotta choose to be with? Of course Wesley manages to get himself im more trouble, too. There’s a LOT going on in these 3 books! (I don’t mind admitting they were difficult to write.)
Love the idea of you using your eBook reader on the treadmill! I’m getting ready to go read on the stationery bike!
Lilly,
I used to dictate into a small tape recorder when I had a corporate job and a long commute–it helped me get out extra pages when I got home. But now that I’m never in a car (we moved to Midtown Atlanta and I don’t drive–hurray!) I haven’t dictated in ages. And I don’t write long-hand unless I’m on a plane making notes. I really think faster when my hands on are a keyboard!
Karen,
The BODY MOVERS series is really about a sister-brother due who move bodies. Carlotta is the main character, and after sacrifing her 20s to raise her younger brother Wesley after their parents abandoned them (her father committed a white collar crime and skipped town), she now has 3 men in her life: the cop who arrested her brother for hacking into the city computer and who reopens her parents’ case, her brother’s body-moving boss (when Carlotta gave her brother the ulitmatum to get a job, she didn’t dream it would be moving bodies for the morgue), and her first love who dumped her ten years ago when her family scandal broke, but is back in her life trying to make amends.
You’ll get mostly Carlotta’s point of view, with a little of her brother Wesley’s only because I think it’s important we see her through someone’s eyes. And Wesley has his own problems!
Each BODY MOVERS book deals with the same characters–the romance hasn’t yet been resolved.
Actually, I see Body Movers as one big long romance…but since the romance isn’t resolved at the end of the book, the publisher can’t put romance on the spine!
I hope you’ll check them out, Karen! Enjoy!
Anonymous Romantic,
Amazon reviews–sigh! Who can guess what’s going to push readers’ buttons? I think my male readers are frustrated that the books are more romantic than they want? I don’t care because I’m not going to change. And some people wanted me to wrap it up in book 3 because they don’t want to invest that much time in more books! I want to email back and tell them to look up the word “SERIES.” And some readers are furious because Wesley is acting so badly, and I want to scream, “He’s 19 years old! His parents abandoned him! He’s going to make a lot of mistakes!”
I finally stopped reading reviews–if they stop buying the books, they’re going to miss some good stuff! But frankly, I don’t think they’ll stop buying the books. Evanovich gets lousy reader reviews and her books go like gangbusters…it’s just a few people blowing off steam. It’s like if you watch a TV series, but you don’t like one episode, are you goign to stop watching? Probably not. I strive to make each book a different reading experience; I don’t expect every book will be everyone’s favorite, but I hope that book will speak to someone that my previous books didn’t. On some level I’m surprised that readers are so invested in the series that things the characters do make them “furious.” I want to say, “Gee, folks–this is fiction!”