is thinking about writer's voice after watching Vicky Christina Barcelona, a Woody Allen film. Every line that came from the actors, including Scarlett Johansen, Javier Bardem (that gorgeous Spanish actor who played the snake-eyed murderous psychopath in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and here is a romantic and fiery Spanish painter), and Penelope Cruz sounded like Woody Allen and his usual hapless love interests, even in Spanish.

I could close my eyes and be listening to Annie Hall, Hannah and her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors as easily as the new film. There were the same neurotic repetitions, the angst, the emotional twists and turns. I'm not just talking the usual Allen themes of fidelity, romantic v. practical love, fantasy, unrequited love and existential longing, but the actual words and inflections felt the same.

Voice is supposed to be consistent in everything from the story an author chooses to tell to the syntax she uses, but it's startlingly true in Woody Allen's movies.

Sometimes this consistency ends up being boring--the writer begins to produce works that seem pale imitations of earlier successes--but other times there remains new turns and twists, new windows into the world view so there is consistency and freshness at the same time. What writer voices are most vivid to you? Chameleon-like? What did you think of this film?

WANTED: The Perfect Dog for a Life Lesson

I need a dog...BAD. Not for me--our tabby pretty much rules the home front at the moment, though we do love dogs, too.

What I need is a puppy for my hero, Chase McMann, to give my heroine, Sylvie Stark, as a surprise gift. She won't like it at first--she's scared of commitment--but she comes around eventually.

Deep inside, Sylvie believes she has to earn every bit of love and affection she gets in life. She was left at seven with her grandparents by a young, flaky mother, so she spends her life working hard, being the best she can be.

Chase, meanwhile, is easy-going and flexible and assumes everyone will love and forgive him--and they do--he's a mischievous charmer. Of course, that's what this dog is all about--a canine embodiment of what Chase will be in Sylvie's life. The dog will teach her to to kick back, have fun, be flexible, get into trouble but charm her way out of it.

What do you think? Can you recommend the perfect dog to help my character find her true heart and get in touch with all the love she has to give?

So far this King Charles Cavalier is working for me, but I'm not sure he's perfect. These spaniels are loving, not yappy, friendly, behaviorably manageable, affectionate, devoted, almost a lap dog, but not sickeningly so, and smart.

What are your thoughts for my character and your own idea of the perfect dog?
Dawn
www.dawnatkins.com

I need a dog...BAD. Not for me

prize-winning dead mall

The book I'm working on focuses on saving a small, quirky shopping mall. Doing research, I've been intrigued by all the reports of malls going down in flames. There's even a website, deadmalls.com, where they show photos and report on dead or dying malls. Are malls dying, do you think? Bear in mind, I'm not a shopper, so this is way out of my realm. I shop with friends who are pros at it and my sisters, who rock at shopping zen. What first drew you to the mall? Now what does it? Malls reflect culture, right? What's Life Beyond Malls like, do you think?
Best,
Dawn Atkins
www.dawnatkins.com

Willpower and Wishes

I really regret eating the piece of Butterfinger cream pie I saved for my son. It was late at night, I took the cat to her sleeping area, was nearly asleep, then peeled off to the fridge to pull it out and wolf it down. I was almost asleep! Where is my willpower? I need it now facing a new story and its first draft, always stressful, always a challenge.

As I've gotten older, my ability to call up the strength to do something difficult seems to ebb and flow. I need some willpower tricks. I've made lists, but, somehow, when the chips are down, it's blood-sweating agony to push past the temptations.

What about you? What willpower tricks have you come up with?

Help me...I'm desperate...must resist homemade pirogi...

Best,

Dawn Atkins

www.dawnatkins.com

Stark Naked in Public

Okay, I've published 22 books and I'm nervous as all get out over the book due on shelves in a week. STILL IRRESISTIBLE is the title. The cover's pretty good, right? The story's emotional and has mystery and humor. All good. So what's the problem?

The women in my exercise classes recently have discovered I'm a writer and are clamoring to know when and where to find my next book. I told them and now they might buy and read the thing.

I feel like I do in those dreams where you show up at school stark naked. Completely, um, exposed. Will they like it? Will they tell me? What if no one says a word? Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Such is human nature, I guess.

And, speaking of human nature, I recently got hooked up on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and eHarlequin, chatting away like a maniac. As I face those "what are you doing now?" queries each morning, I realize how utterly boring I am.

What am I doing? The usual: Writing, fighting writing, worrying about writing, revising writing, with an occasional "waiting for word from my editor or agent on my writing."

Who wants to read about that?

Though when I accidentally deleted an hour's worth of new writing on a synopsis and reported it on Facebook, I got several frantic posts of concern, and suggestions to hit "control Z" before it was too late! Very sweet, I thought. People care about frustrations and loss and want to help where they can. I find that comforting.

What other updates scored major comment? My post-martini misery, my jones for Paradise Bakery cookies, and my sick cat. At least I know we all know what's important.

I had a blast with "20 random things about me," tagging friends and getting tagged back. I'm impressed with all the wisdom and wide-ranging life experiences my friends have had.

What are your favorite updates? Do social networks help you stay close or irritate the crap out of you?

Oh, and, what are you doing right now?

Best,

Dawn Atkins

www.dawnatkins.com