Are you apart of a critique group? If so how helpful are they and would you recommend other authors to take part in critique groups?

I am of sorts. I am the member of a plotting group. It’s me and two ladies, Geri and Heidi. We get together every few weeks, have lunch, talk, and then get down to work. What we do is discuss out upcoming works, proposals, and WIPs to tighten them and work through plotting and character development.   Rather than review each other’s work once its written, because all three of us are seasoned writers, we work together to try to build good stories and romances before we actually write them.   I can’t tell you how many books we’ve heled each other with, but we have been working together for three years or so and all of us have seen a jump in the quality of our writing. Also in the process we have become good friends. I know I can rely on Heidi and Geri for just about anything. We’re partners in crime so to speak and what one of us isn’t sure of, one of the others is an expert.

I also have two beta readers. One is Dominic and the other is an amazing lady who has a read nose for a good story. They help me with issues once the story has been written.

My recommendation is to find people whose opinion you respect and get their opinion on your work. Don’t join just any critique group, but find people you know are going to give you honest and helpful feedback. That is always worth its weight in gold.

Lawson sat next to him on the sofa, and Dayne turned to him, jaw set. If Lawson said one more time that everything was going to be all right, Dayne wasn’t sure if he could stop himself from hitting him. He didn’t know where his anger was coming from, but it boiled up from deep inside. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, trying to keep from flying into a million pieces as he waited for what everyone seemed to want to say.

Instead, Lawson wrapped his big arms around him and held him tight. The anger slipped away as quickly as it had built, and Dayne buried his face against Lawson’s chest, holding him in return. “Sometimes words just aren’t what’s needed,” Lawson whispered. “You take all the time you need. No one is going anywhere.” He rocked slowly and rubbed Dayne’s back.

It had been so long since anyone had been so nice to him. Over the last year, he had learned that loneliness ate at you from the inside and perpetuated itself. Sometimes he had longed for contact with others so badly that he was almost willing to make a fool of himself to get attention. Dayne didn’t cry, which he was pretty proud of. He did soak in Lawson’s warmth and attentiveness. He knew this was only because of the loss he’d suffered and because Lawson was trying to help him, but it felt nice to be held and looked after, even if the huge, handsome man felt sorry for him.

“Better?” Lawson whispered, and Dayne nodded slowly. “Good.” Lawson released him and then slowly got to his feet. He moved the way Dayne imagined someone might around a skittish horse they didn’t want to frighten. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll finish up dinner.” He left the room, and Richard leaned forward in his chair.

“Are you feeling more comfortable?”

“I guess.” Dayne shifted on the sofa, because even while he was in shock, Lawson’s hug had set his stupid dick to thinking things it shouldn’t be thinking. He wanted to thump the damn thing and tell it to behave, but it didn’t seem to want to listen, especially when it came to Lawson. “I appreciate you coming over.” God, he hated playing the part of the damsel in distress. It really sucked.