My fourth book (Relentless) is coming out in just over a week, and I've got to get my butt in gear with figuring out how to promo this one. We've just had a death in the family over the weekend, so I'm not exactly feeling motivated about writing right now, but it's my responsibility to try to get the word out about the book. And I'm looking for a little advice from you guys. What have the rest of you found that works the best?
I usually send out a newsletter to people who've signed up for it, and I'll post details about the book here and on my blog. Then there are reader loops and various romance loops on the web where I post excerpts and blurbs, and of course Facebook and Twitter. I also try to find someone who's willing to have me as a guest blogger so I can reach a different audience, and give away a digital or print copy of the book. Hopefully if the reader likes it well enough, they'll go out and get my backlist :)
So I'm all ears. Any good tips or tricks that have made a difference when you promote a book? Inquiring minds want to know!
I'm going through edits with DEMON right now and I've had quite a few people ask me what it's like.
First of all, it's humbling. When you first open up the document and see all those changes, it can be disheartening. Like, omg, did I really suck that much? No, you don't. It's not that you suck, it's just a little intimidating at first. But if you know your story, know your characters, it's not hard at all. Once you get started, you realize all that red (or purple in my case, my TC is set to purple) is just a whole bunch of little tweaks.
There were several of the changes that after I went over them, a light bulb went on and I knew it was better than what had been there before; tighter, stronger, more powerful. My editor gets my humor and my voice, so it's more like we're working together to make my book better. The editor isn't the enemy, as some writers believe.
Another question about the edits were if I felt comfortable to say if I didn't agree with a change or I wanted to word it a different way. Yes, yes and more yes. It's my book. Again, see above. We're working together, it's a partnership to put out the best quality product we can.
So far, I've learned a lot and I'm looking forward to the next round of edits.
If anyone has any more questions feel free to ask me.
(Well, not exactly me. Because, last time I looked I was definitely female, and no way would you catch me wearing a hairy sweater like this dude. But you get the picture.)
DH, who has the day off work, has confined me to bed. (He's currently downstairs bemoaning the New Zealand vs Paraguay nil-all draw in their FIFA World Cup soccer match this morning.)
And I kinda have to listen to him because he's the only well person in our house at the moment. Son has a nasty virus and the doctor gave him the week off school. And daughter started feeling dire last night -- so much so, that she only watched half of The Vampire Diaries before opting for bed. Between you and me, she'd really have to feel like crap to miss the first episode. So she's off school today, too. Happy joy. But hey, the silver lining is that it's raining and it's cold and it's miserable outside. Everyone picked a good day to stay home.
Anyway, DH was most unimpressed to discover me sitting at my computer working when he got home last night, so I was kicked downstairs to warm up and have some dinner. And after a bit of a lecture, I've been banned from the office today, too.
"But I have a blog post to do!" I protested. "And I've got deadlines."
"Tough," he said. "You're probably writing crap at the moment anyway, because your head's all stuffed up with the flu. And as for the blog? Post a picture of someone with the flu and tell them you'll be back next week."
He kinda has a point. Hence this post.
And I'll leave you with a wince or a laugh from a blog I subscribe to called SlushPile Hell, in which "A grumpy literary agent wades through query fails."
"My 318,000 word novel may seem like it starts a little slow, but after the first 100 pages or so it really picks up steam, so I hope you will be patient and not be distracted."
Hey, a SQUIRREL! Cool….Oh, hang on. What were you saying?
No offence intended. I've written some pretty dire queries in my time, so maybe that's why I can now see the funny side of it.
Off back to bed before DH comes back upstairs to check on me.
I'm curious. What is it about your favorite author's love scenes that make them unforgettable? Think Lisa Marie Rice, Linda Howard, JR Ward (Bella and Zsadist, or Rhage and Mary), Gennita Low. What makes their love scene sizzle? For me, it's all about the eye contact and the emotional connection between the characters.
The first two books of my romantic suspense series are spicy, but in the third I turn up the heat significantly. Books four and five are downright hot, about as hot as you can go without calling it erotic romance. It's not just the level of detail or graphic language used that makes the scenes hot though. It's the revved up pull between the characters and the ultimate release of all the tension created up until that point in the book. Eye contact says so much. Eyes and gazes can smolder, glitter, devour...then and add in a little delayed gratification...yum. So when a sexy hero focuses all that sexual heat on an equally attracted heroine? Fireworks, baby. And maybe a little toe curling as well :)
So who are some of your favorite love scene authors, and what makes them so good?
I'm gearing up teaching my online classes for the year and I thought I'd post about storytelling structure. I cover this topic in my Basics of Romance Writing and Characterization and Plot workshops.
Some of you know how much I love writing books by the late Jack M. Bickham and if you do, too you'll recognize this information.
A story is more than a jumble of words on the page. For anyone serious about their writing, this aspect of the craft needs to be understood and implemented.
Storytelling Structure
Information from Jack M. Bickham and Dwight Swain
Storytelling structure provides a life-like reading experience. To achieve this read through these check points and see if you have all the needed elements. I may have included this information elsewhere but this is so important, I’m probably repeating myself.
1. It is lived moment-by-moment, with no summary. Developed through stimulus and response. 2. It is lived from a singled viewpoint. 3. It is lived now. 4. It is lived with the knowledge that what we do has results.
*All novels are written in scene and sequel.
Scene Pattern: goal, conflict, disaster. Scene as above in the storytelling structure is ACTION. Scene provides excitement, involvement but it has structure. The goal is clear, specific and attainable now.
Every scene starts with a goal and the goal statement raises a scene question in the reader’s mind.
Sequel Pattern: Emotion, quandary, decision. Once a decision is made and acted upon it leads you right back into scene. Sequel allows summary, transition, skipped time, logic with emotion and characterization.
The next time you're reading a book or watching a movie, see if you can spot scene and sequel and how the writer utilized this to the best effect.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY EDITOR, by Maree Anderson (for Writers Gone Wild)
Hi y'all,
Didn't get a chance to post this up at midnight US time, like I usually do *smacks hand* Got caught out by an early school closing for my son, an unplanned school shoe shopping expedition for my daughter -- don't ask! --a parent/teacher interview, karate class and then dance class... because I promised I'd go this week, after being AWOL for nearly a month.
And after grabbing dinner at Denny's around 11pm with some friends, I crawled home about 12.30am this morning, with the best intentions in the world of posting something before I hit the sack. But you know what they say about good intentions, right? They yawn at the blurry computer moniter, type a few words that don't make any sense, then shut the computer down and crawl into bed. So, now I've had my morning coffee, and I'm awake -- kinda -- I'll get to it.
I heard back from my super-savvy editor about the final revisions I turned in for From The Ashes, my space-opera. This one's been an interesting journey, so I thought I'd share it with you.
From The Ashes started out as a 1st person (heroine's) POV novella of 30,000 words. Red Sage don't take 1st person POV, so if I wanted to pitch it to them, I had to re-write it. I like a challenge, and I wanted to see if I could pull off this sort of rewrite -- you never know when you might be required to change a POV in order to sell a story, right? So, I re-wrote it in 3rd person POV. And I really enjoyed the process of bringing Asher, my alien Phoenixae hero, to full, blazing Technicolor life -- fleshing him out and giving him his own voice, instead of having the reader always see him through the heroine's eyes.
When I'd finished the POV rewrite, it was 47,000 words and pretty tightly plotted, if I don't say so myself! DH read it, and thought it was the best thing I'd written so far. Coming from someone who owns the entire Robert Heinlein collection and used to read stacks of SciFi, I figured that was pretty awesome feedback, so I sent it off to my editor.
She thought the story was good enough to make me an offer on it -- yay! And I was thrilled, because I figured that having cracked the 40,000 word "novel length" mark, when this one was published, I'd finally feel like I deserved to belong to those pubbed author loops who kindly allowed me to join up despite only being pubbed in novella-length fiction. Woot!
But my editor also commented on the offer that although she loved the story, she felt it had the potential to be longer. And even more emotional. She loved the characters, but she believed I could develop them still more -- especially the hero, Asher. Provided I was willing to give it a go, she wanted to see it up around 55,000 words. Otherwise, I could leave it as is. No harm no foul.
Oookay. Dilemma: Take the sure thing, or go for the harder option, knowing you might royally screw it up and stuff up a really good story.
I chose the hard option. Because after reading it through again, I could definitely see from my editor's notes that there were gaps where full-on action, and the race to defeat the baddies and achieve a satisfying HEA, had taken priority over truly exploring the emotional depths of my characters. It was a wild ride of a story, but there was so much more I could put my characters through. If I cared to.
I cared. I knew my heroine, Calista, pretty well by now. But Asher? He still had some unplumbed depths that made me curious. So I got to work. And after I'd explored Asher some more, and given him the opportunity to grow still more by adding in a whole new plot angle, the story was 56,500 words. I read it through again and figured I'd done a pretty bloody good job.
My editor thought I had, too. But she reckoned I could expand some of the themes in the story still more. And that I could ramp up the emotional punch still more -- make it really gut-wrenching. The new stuff I'd written was good, but again it was action-oriented, like I was afraid to explore the deeper stuff.
Shit. It's a bit frightening to have someone believe in you this much, when you don't really believe in yourself. I was like, can I really do this? What if I let her down? What if she reads it, and she's disappointed because it's a "good" story, but deep down she wanted more from me, and I failed to deliver? What if she's like, "What a shame. I guess this is the best that Maree can do and there's no point in pushing her anymore, so we'll just have to go with the story as-is."
And I was afraid that I might be so "over" this particular story, that I'd already dug deep and it'd sucked so much out of me, that when I started working on it again all the pleasure of being presented with a challenge would be gone. I was afraid that anything new I wrote would reflect that feeling. I was afraid that readers would know I'd not been able to rise to the challenge and they would see through me. Readers are smart that way. They know when your heart wasn't in your writing.
I sat down and read through it again. And took a good hard look at the areas my editor had tagged. She'd commented, "I know you can do this, Maree. Don't hold back. Go for it!"
So I did. All the while wondering whether I was up to this challenge, hoping I wouldn't just slip into "action-chick" mode, which I'd come to realize was my way of copping-out when the stuff I was writing got a bit too raw and emotional for me to be comfortable with.
And I turned in that latest lot of revisons -- 62,500 odd words -- with a sigh of relief. I was pretty wrung out. I even succumbed to a comforting dose of the flu, and crawled into my cave for a while to recuperate. For a few weeks there was no going to the gym, no dance class, no catching up with friends. Even DH commented on my emotional distance. I hope he understood. Maybe if I send him the link to this post, he'll realize exactly why.
Anyway, my editor just emailed me a couple of days ago to say that I'd nailed it. In one scene, she jumped out of her chair, punched her fist in the air, and screamed, "Yes!" Two scenes near the end, she cried. And then she thanked me for jumping on board her suggestion that the story needed a really big ending. She confirmed that she'd sent it off to the copy-editor and we're good to go.
OMG. I did it. But I didn't do it on my own.
Judith, I need to thank you again. So this time, I'll do it publicly. You believed in the story from the very start, and you believed in me. You knew I was scared to go to some of those places, and you gave me the courage to go there. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
From The Ashes, a hero will rise -- and an author who didn't know she had it in her!
Yeah me! It's been almost two years since my last new release, book one in the hag series, and let me tell you I am freaking stoked for this one!Next Tuesday, June 22, The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag: Swept Under the Rug comes out!Here's a taste of what's doing.
Jacket Cover:
Crime and grime are everywhere, at least in Maggie Phillips’ opinion. Deep in the throes of a New England winter, Maggie’s still adjusting to her new role as confidential informant for the Hudson Police Department. When a suspicious fax is sent to one of her new clients, Maggie is sure she’s unearthed a conspiracy. With no crime to investigate, however, the Hudson P.D. can do nothing—that is until a wealthy trophy wife disappears and the FBI is called in to the hunt. On the home front, her twelve-year-old son is growing up way too fast, while her brother is back with a few surprises destined to wreak havoc on the household. To frost the whole crappy cake, her best friend’s marriage is falling apart, which leaves Maggie worrying over her own. All of the family drama is put into perspective, however, when Maggie is arrested for kidnapping and blackmail. Between economic woes and a now tarnished reputation, Maggie is in way over her head. Yet out of the ashes of frustration and failure, something great might emerge. If she survives the birthing process that is….
And for the first time for my great friends at the Writer's Gone Wild Blog a sneak peek into Maggie's new crisis! Excerpt: We parked in front of the Valentino’s house. The brick and stone behemoth, flanked by leafless deciduous trees, sat at the end of a private drive. While the house was gated, the gate stood open, probably in expectation of the police. Lights blazed from every window and reflected off the brilliant snow and the sight took my breath for a minute. The mansion did have a Currier and Ives look to it, even the snow seemed whiter than in my middle-class neighborhood.
“Tell me again why we’re here.” Neil scowled at me and shifted in the driver’s seat, bashing his knee into the gearshift. Whoever had designed the Mini Cooper didn’t have six foot, two inch retired Navy SEALs in mind.
“Mrs. Valentino called me, thinking I had something to do with the dead bird. My logo was on the delivery box. Therefore, I have a vested interest in getting to the bottom of this.”
He winced as he rubbed his abused knee. “Only in your mind, Uncle Scrooge. Do they know you intercepted that fax the other day?”
I rolled my eyes. “What do I look like, a complete doofus? I made a copy of the fax before I beat feet outta there. The original I left precisely where I found it.”
“I still say you’re sticking your nose into somebody’s kinky sex life,” he grinned and met my gaze. “That’s always entertaining, at least.”
I thought of Sylvia’s stricken face. “Not so much from my angle. Besides, you ever heard of anyone with a dead foul fetish?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I’m a sheltered sort, you know.”
I snorted and unbuckled my seatbelt. “Yeah, Neil the Pure with his lily-white sensibilities. How about the thing you did to me last week in the shower? What bedtime story featured that particular move?”
“My favorite.” He glanced around. “You sure she called the police?” I’m not seeing any lights yet and we’ve been sitting here for five minutes on top of the twenty minute drive.”
“I told her to call, but she was a little busy doing the Technicolor yawn and then my phone went dead. And you left yours at Dr. Boob’s. I mean Bob’s.”
He opened his door. “Might as well knock and see what’s up.”
The air hit me as soon as I straightened from the car, whipping my hair into my face. Neil grasped my gloved hand and pulled me to the relative shelter of the porch. He rang the doorbell and we waited.
“Maybe she took the package directly to the police station. Or animal control.” Neil guessed.
I opened my mouth to respond, but a black Jaguar slid to an abrupt stop in front of the house and Mr.Valentino emerged. He sprinted up the porch steps and brushed by us without a word, inserting his key in the door. It swung open and he didn’t bother to shut it so Neil tugged me inside.
“Candace?” Mr. V called out stomping through the foyer. “I can’t just show up whenever you’re in the mood to….”
Neil cleared his throat and gave me a knowing smirk. Valentino spun on his heel and scowled at us, his gaze focused on my husband. “Who the hell are you?”
Neil dropped my hand and extended his own. Neil Phillips, sir. Your wife called mine.”
“Phillips, Phillips,” Mr. V pursed his lips. “Why does that name sound familiar?”
“Your wife hired me to clean twice a week. I’m Maggie Phillips from the Laundry Hag cleaning services.” I informed him. Though I’d been on the job for almost a month, this was the first time I’d seen Valentino up close. Jet black hair cut fashionably short and GQ worthy stubble only emphasized his high cheekbones and pale complexion. His eyes, almost a neon shade of blue, stole attention from his extra large nose, an almost beaklike appendage which announced his Greek heritage. He appeared the perfect masculine foil for Candie’s petite blonde beauty, but some instinct told me theirs wasn’t a love match.
“Well, get to it then,” Markus Valentino dismissed me with a wave of his hand and continued his hunt for his wife.
Before I could get my back up, Neil called to his retreating form. “We’re here about the bird.”
Valentino stopped in mid-stride, like his feet had been super-glued in place. It was almost comical, like a Wile E. Coyote signature move before he fell off a cliff.
“What bird?” Mr. V’s tone held suspicion, and as he turned back around to face us, I noted a brief flicker in his eyes. Fear perhaps?
“Oh, Markus!” Candie rushed down the stairs and flung herself at her husband. Beneath her tan, she was sickly pale and trembling. “It’s awful, just plain terrible.
“What is?” Valentino held her an arm’s length away. “I get this message from Sierra that you need me here, but no explanation. Just what is going on?”
Candie looked as if he had slapped her. With visible effort she pulled back and composed herself. “It’s in the kitchen.” Without another word she led the way, Valentino hot on her heels.
“What a tool,” Neil murmured almost inaudibly. I heard him though and grinned. He’d read my mind.
We followed the footsteps into the kitchen. A large white box, like a bakery container sat open on the granite island. Candie had been right, it was the little caricature from my business logo, the sprightly little woman with a pink kerchief wrapped around her head and matching vacuum. Candie stood in the corner next to the gourmet refrigerator, arms wrapped around her upper body. Valentino loomed over the box then pulled away in disgust, yanking a handkerchief to his face. I shuffled past Neil and stood on my tip toes to get a better look. The carcass did resemble a large bird, one that had been barbecued. The stench invaded my nostrils and I stepped back.
“If I had to guess, I’d say it was some sort of hawk, maybe a falcon,” Neil moved closer, seemingly oblivious of the putrid smell. “Did you phone the police?”
“What for? It’s obviously a prank.” Valentino scoffed, the tone losing some impact delivered as it was through the hanky.
“If it’s a prank, I’m missing the punch line. Dead foul in a bakery box, how is that funny?” Neil asked his tone mild. “Looks more like a message to me.”
“Just who the hell are you?” Valentino seethed.
“A concerned husband. Whoever sent this didn’t do it by certified mail. The smell alone insures that. And the box has my wife’s logo on it, which means the perp wants to shift attention to her.
“Why wouldn’t he go all the way though?” I asked “If he ripped off my caricature, he could have put my business name on there too, made the connection even more obvious.”
“Who gives a shit?” Valentino thundered, closing the lid with his hanky-free hand. “It’s just some freak playing a game. Not worth all this fuss and bother.”
Out of the three of us, Markus Valentino was the only one who appeared remotely riled. The stress brought out his Texas accent and a vein bulged in his forehead. Neil stood like the calm eye in the center of a shit storm and both Candie and I were green around the gills.
“I recommend you report this to the police. Mrs. Valentino has our number and we’ll be happy to answer any questions they might have.” Neil inclined his head toward Candie and then led me to the front door by my arm.
“We can’t just leave—” I protested as he propelled my forward.
“There’s nothing else we can do.” Neil replied. “We can’t force him to call the cops and your connection is shaky at best.”
“Why do you think my logo was on the box but not my name?” I repeated my earlier question. Neil didn’t answer until we were both secure in the car and heading towards the main road.
“Someone is messing with Valentino. Did you see him freeze when we mentioned the bird? I think whoever sent that box has been watching them and snagged your logo to cast suspicion on you. Maybe they didn’t want it to be obvious that it was you, or maybe the site that I ordered your stuff from has copy write protection for its consumer’s company names. I’ll look into that when we get home.”
I wanted to ask why me, but didn’t bother as it sounded too whiney and Neil had put up with enough from me today. “Do you think Valentino knows who is behind this?” I asked instead.
Neil cut his gaze to me briefly. “I’d bet my left nut on it.”
I posted this topic on Facebook today. Not enough room there to post as much as I wanted so I thought I'd expand on it here.
As writers we need to know and understand ourselves to really create our best work.
My physical body was born in the United States but my soul is Scottish to the heart. Yes, I have many ancestors from Scotland and perhaps that's why I long to go. I write mostly paranormal romance with a strong Celt/Scottish slant. We write what we know and love.
Some things we know to be true whether it makes sense or not. The care and feeding of the soul is what nourishes the Muse. To me, they are intertwined like the beautiful Celtic Le Tene knot work.
Today, I've listened to Celtic folk music all day. It it wasn't so damn hot, I'd turn the oven on and make a batch of Scottish shortbread. Tonight it will be me and a mug of Cafe Drambuie.
I LOVE Drambuie. I ration it out because it isn't cheap but my muses need a dram and so do I.
One thing is for sure: If I ever get to Scotland it will be terribly hard to leave. The Isle of Skye is one of the places that holds magic for me. From the time I first learned of the Fairy Flag I've wanted to see it. It captured my imagination. It's also the place where Scathach trained many of the famous warriors such as the legendary Ch Chulainn.
Take the time to feed your soul. Your muse will thank you.
Do you have a country or place that haunts you? Why?
Well it’s 9:30 pm on Thursday and I just realized it’s my turn to blog this Friday. Since I have no idea what to blog about I thought I’d make that the topic. Or, more to the point, how to pick a blog topic.
I like to talk about my writing, so if I have a new release or a project on the go, I tend to blog about them. My next release isn’t until August though, so I’m going to have to fill in a month or two here with something else.
Another favorite topic is my pets. Those of you who subscribe to the Cheeky Changeling know that I write a monthly column in it from the point of view of my dog – Ramblings of a Jack Russell Terrier. I have a lot of fun with that one. I’ve also let my cat write a few blogs for me and they’ve been well received.
Readers also like to hear about things that happen in our personal lives, our pet peeves, and things that make us laugh and cry. Our children. Our homes. The garden. Where we’re going for vacation, and how we spent our weekend. The list of blog topics is truly endless, which makes me wonder why I couldn’t come up with one for this week.
Anybody else ever come up blank when it’s their turn to blog?
Real Life Issues in YA Books by Maree Anderson (for Writers Gone Wild)
Spotted an interesting discussion over at The Supernatural Underground blog about sex in Young Adult novels.
I can only speak for myself and, since she’s only in her first year of high school, my daughter. Daughter is a voracious reader. Loves paranormals. She's always picking up the books I’m reading and checking out the blurbs. Or at least, I hope that’s all she’s checking out!
It was pretty easy to monitor her reading material at first. Since I’m a big reader of paranormal YA myself, inevitably, I’d read a book and then pass it on to her. But—as they always do—things got a bit tricky.
When the Twilight books hit the shelves, we both knew she was only gonna borrow them from her friends at school if I didn’t let her read them. And as she was only 11 at the time, and I knew very well that all YAs are not equal, we did a deal: I bought them all and read them first, and then passed them on to her.
I’m glad I did. Because the Bella giving birth scene was very graphic and IMHO, quite disturbing. Reading it first, gave me the opportunity to remind my daughter that it’s “fiction”, and babies don’t really break their mother’s ribs and pelvic bones, and try to rip their way out of the womb! (Last thing I wanted was for her to freak out and harbor a morbid fear of pregnancy when she became an adult.) And turned out she didn’t have any problems with that scene at all. Must only have been me, LOL.
One of our favorite series is Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampires, which I’ve been collecting for a while. In the first few books, Claire is underage and her boyfriend, Shane, being older and a decent guy, is very careful not to let things go too far. But as Claire ages in subsequent books, so fictional hormones and “real life” kick in, and sex becomes an issue for Claire and Shane.
Am I okay with my young daughter reading a series in which it's obvious that Claire's two older flatmates are getting it on, and the young heroine eventually makes the choice to go all the way with her older boyfriend? Yes. Well, so far, anyway, LOL. I absolutely trust that Ms Caine won’t suddenly go all graphic on us, so I wouldn't have a problem with Daughter reading the next book in the series before I do. And I trust that if she has any issues about what she's reading, she'll approach me about them.
Another series we’ve been sharing is P.C. and Kristin Cast’s House of Night. I love these books! But here's the thing: When the heroine, Zoey, first arrives at the school, she walks in on a girl giving a guy a blow-job. Ooookay then.
The way I figured it, there were going to be 3 possible scenarios: 1) That scene goes right over daughter’s head — kinda like when young kids watch certain scenes in Shrek and they don’t understand the sometimes quite adult innuendos, but they still love the movie. 2) Daughter is curious enough to want more information, and asks me to explain. 3) Daughter has already heard the kids at school talking about BJs and knows all about the, uh, finer details.
Turned out it was a mixture of Scenario 2) and 3) and when I fully explained the, er, “act” to her, she was (thankfully for my ongoing peace of mind!) young and innocent enough to go “Eeeew! You mean, girls really do that?” Which is a helluva relief because it means there is no Scenario 4), if you catch my drift. Thank. Goodness. For. That.
Anyway, daughter is now buying her own books and ordering books in from her library. So these days, it’s quite likely that she’ll recommend a series to me. And because she's a precocious reader with a rather avanced reading age, inevitably there’ll come a time when I’ll be reading a book she’s recommended and freaking big-time about the content. Which will open the way for one of those frank mother/daughter conversations. You know, the ones that send our menfolk running from their rooms with their hands over their ears, LOL.
I have the greatest of respect for YA authors who can write about the very real issues that kids today must deal with, and still make it “real” and relevant and not a cop-out, without making it too real. It’s a fine line for YA authors to skirt, keeping the savvy, street-smart kids of today entertained with their stories, while still remaining age-appropriate. And that line is possibly becoming even more fine, considering the increasing adult crossover appeal of many YA books. Sure wouldn't want to be on the marketing team for some of these books. Nightmare!
Which brings me to the only YA book I own that my daughter has asked to read, and I’m unwilling to give her. So far, anyway. I read the book while on holiday a couple of years back and it devastated me — obviously the mark of some brilliant writing, right? But brilliant as it was, I didn’t find the book at all uplifting or hopeful, as some critics had claimed. Afterward, I was just gutted and terribly, terribly sad. For now, even though she's spotted it on the top shelf and asked again if she can read it, the answer is "no". Because for me, teenage terminal illness (including a heart-wrenching 1st person POV death scene), is just not something I want my 13 year old daughter to have to deal with at this time.
My very personal choice--not a criticism of the book or the author. I'm her mom. I still get to call the shots. Or at least, some of them. For now. Of course, if she gets it from the school library and reads it on the sly, that’ll be her choice. And we’ll deal with any fallout then.
So, here’s my question:
If a book’s shelved under YA, do you automatically presume it’s suitable for your youngsters to read and leave them to it? Or do you personally check the book out first?
During my trip to Texas, I got to meet my editor. This was great for several reasons, not the least of which because I think it improved our working relationship. We hit it off so well that she invited me to work on a project with her and two others for a different line at The Wild Rose Press. The um...hot line :)
As soon as I got home, I started working on the novella and I just finished it last week. It's very different from what I've written before, but I liked it! It was fun. And, nobody died in the story! That's a first for me, lol. I'm going to have to pick a different pen name if it gets published, but so far I have to say I'm enjoying this journey over to the dark side. Maybe more than I should! I've already got plans to start another novella. Hey, whatever fires the muse, right?
So what about you? Have you ever taken a leap outside of your writing comfort zone? How did it go?
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Posted by
Saranna DeWylde
Hello, my loverlies. It's been awhile. I have been completely distracted with my latest book, but it's finished now and I can return to the real world. I love it when a book swallows me whole. It's not so much a fight to get out as is it is following the candy land path to the witch's gingerbread and then discovering a new way to get home we haven't tried before.
I was thinking today we could talk about one of the most frustrating things a writer has to deal with--submission times. Writing always feels like hurry up and wait. Well, I hate waiting. I'm not a patient woman and I refuse to ask my preferred deity to give me patience. Why? Because if you ask for patience, you will learn it. The old fashioned way. It doesn't just suddenly make you patient, you have to wait. And wait. And wait some more. Then, when you think you can't wait any more, you'll still be sitting there with your thumb up your bum like a plum pie. But I digress.
We're in the convention season now, so everyone we're submitting to has a plate that's stacked high with a few more trips to the buffet on the docket. That's what conventions are for these editors, a huge smorgasboard where they pick and choose old favorites and/or try new things. Would you rush a fat girl at a buffet? I wouldn't. Because *I* am a fat girl and if you get between me and my food, I will cut you. So, that analogy really drives it home for me.
But that doesn't mean not to follow up. I had a publishing house who had one of manuscripts for two years before it was read. In that time, someone else sold something similar and it was already on the shelves by the time this editor read my book. How frustrating was that? Yeah, I screamed and cried and made a general ass out of myself, but hopefully where no one could see me.
My advice? Not that I claim any expertise, but this is what other, "more thoroughly published" friends have suggested and it's seemed to work.
Follow the writer's guidelines. Usually, they will state clearly how long you should wait before expecting a reply.
If the timeline is given, you must allow a grace period. My own editor is amazing, but his desk is so full, patience is the key. There's that word again. Patience.
Further? After you've submitted, start your next project. Whether it be writing, home improvement, or self-improvement, do something so you're not staring at your phone screaming "Ring, damn you!" while waiting for The Call. It will only make you crazy.
In my next blog, we'll talk about do's and dont's of the follow up. :)
Tambra Kendall/Keelia Greer for Writers Gone Wild.
Not that I wanted the world to know I'm single now, but I'm really wondering how a guy is going to handle the news of what I do.
Y'all know where I'm going this.
There are uneducated oafs who think all romance is porn no matter how you try to explain there is a world of difference. I'd consider this spontaneous combustion=a meeting with some Texas whoop-ass. I've traveled alongside the pot-holes in this road. Nope. Not. Going. There. Again. *Makes note to self: learn to use a whip*
I'm guessing there are others out there who think if they pretend to be cool with it, it will be an easy lay and possibly he's going to be the next studly-do-right in my next book. Admittedly, this guy could be fun for a little while, but that's not what I'm looking for in the long run.
This time, I'm looking for the kind of man who's proud of what I do. I write stories that make people happy. I give them a chance to lay down the stress of of their lives and be transported for a little while to another place, a place where there is a happily-ever and love does conquer all.
I've met a few of those men who support their wives and their writing careers. Guys, you are loved and appreciated more than you know. Not every woman is blessed with a man who will sacrifice to help make her dreams come true.
I think I may keep a journal when the time comes and record the responses I receive. I'm single, not desperate. I like who I am and what I do. Besides, no mere man is going to force me to choose between him and my writing. If he can't handle it, then I figure he isn't man enough for me. Respect goes a long way.
What about y'all? What do you think?
Hugs, Tambra Kendall/Keelia Greer June 14: Coffee Time Romance June Jubiliee The Basics of Romance Writing @ Savvy Authors: July 19-August 1
FEELING THE FEAR... AND DOING IT ANYWAY by Maree Anderson (for Writers Gone Wild)
Hi y'all.
Veeery quick post today. The time got away from me and I've got 45 minutes to get this post published, grab a bite to eat and get changed for karate. Yikes. Better get my a into g.
So, have you ever been terrified out of your tiny mind by some physical challenge, and then forced yourself to do it anyway?
I thought when I did the Kawarau Bungy down in Queenstown a couple of Christmases ago that I might have hit that particular wall. But surprisingly, I wasn't scared at all. I was exhilarated. And so, when we booked Rock 'N Ropes in Taupo, I figured that compared to a bungy jump, it'd be a doddle.
High wires and harnesses? Pfft. A breeze!
And then, on the third obstacle, I realized that the log I was supposed to walk across was curved and I hit the wall. I mean, duh, it is a log, after all. Of course it's curved and not flat on top! But for some reason, that rather pertinent fact just hadn't occured to me. I'd pictured in my mind that it'd be flat on top. And therefore easy to walk across. And did I mention it was raining, so it was wet and slippery?
I looked down at DH (who was belaying) and my kids and the instructor, and informed them in no uncertain terms that this might be the obstacle I couldn't do.
I knew I was safe. I was in a full harness. If I slipped and fell, I'd only fall a couple of feet before the belaying ropes kicked in and then I'd be lowered to the ground. Besides, both the kids had gone before me, and they'd made it look easy! I knew all this. But I just couldn't bring myself to let go of the climbing pole and take that first step.
Eventually, after a few minutes of encouragement, I took a few steps. And freaked. And managed a few more. And although when I look at the video now, I know that entire journey only took a few short minutes, it seemed like an eternity before I reached the other side.
Then, damned if they didn't make me walk backward, until I'd reached the middle and could do the whole leaning backward until I cleared the obstacle, and could be safely lowered to the ground. Video me announced, "Shit, that was hard!" But boy, did I feel good having done it. Great, in fact.
I know for a fact that I wouldn't have cared if I'd not made it to the other side. I know this, because the next obstacle I tried was even freaking harder, and although I made it to the top of the pole and stood upright -- somehow! -- and jumped, I didn't catch hold of the trapeze. But it's the trying that matters.
If you don't give it a go, then you'll always wonder whether you could have made it. And it'll haunt you.
So, this is your cue to share your I Felt The Fear But Did It Anyway stories. And I look forward to reading them!
I had planned to blog about hurricane season (which started yesterday, btw) but I'm gonna save that for another week. Since moving and settling in, I thought now that I was writing full time from home I'd have more time. Um, not so much. It seems there's always something going on no matter what. In fact, I swear I have less time during the day now. After dealing with edits and a domain name crisis yesterday (lost the one to my alter ego, grrr, not even gonna get into it) I'm ready to shut my computer off for a week straight. Okay, not really, I think I'd go into withdrawals much like crack addicts do.
Instead of chatting about hurricanes, I thought I'd share that Unleashed Temptation (written under my pseudonym) placed 3rd in RWI's More Than Magic Contest in the novella category. It came at a much needed time too (doesn't it always?). The first review I received for this story was craptastic and even though the following ones were great, this contest final made me feel good for so many reasons. I don't think that makes me shallow. Or I hope it doesn't. Sometimes receiving validation is what keeps this writer going.
Happy hump day everyone! If you're feeling overwhelmed, I hope you take some time for yourself!!
I was going to post about something else entirely, but my crit partner e-bommbed my inbox with 10 chapters of her new WIP in the last 48 hours. Having just finished my second novel for 2010, betaing for her is a breath of fresh air. I can unleash the inner editor I keep chained in my mental attic because I know she appreciates it.
Since I'm going to be in that mode anyway, I'll be ready for a second look at the novel I finished in April, Who Needs A Hero? Then the one I just completed, Stellar Timing needs another peek and the sequel, CosmicBalance which is just a jumble of thoughts and needs to be organized. Ideas for The Misadventures of the Laundry Hag 3:All Washed Up are coming fast and furious plus a few single title contemporaries I have on the back burner....
Yeah, never mind the edits for River Rats and Hag 2 that are coming, submissions, promotions, writing courses and maybe even having a life. I can't remember the last time I didn't cook something for the pleasure of cooking, not meeting a dietary requirement. problem is, I can't seem to shut my creative brain off anymore. If I'm not writing, I'm thinking about my characters and what's coming down the pike for them next.
I have plenty of goals for this summer, things I need to accomplish with my house, and want to do with my kids. But it's very hard to shut off the side of my brain that's going, "Oh, I need to mail this or rewrite that..."
Do you do this too, no matter what your profession, do you have trouble doffing the mantle at the end of the day?
My fourth book (Relentless) is coming out in just over a week, and I've got to get my butt in gear with figuring out how to promo this one. We've just had a death in the family over the weekend, so I'm not exactly feeling motivated about writing right now, but it's my responsibility to try to get the word out about the book. And I'm looking for a little advice from you guys. What have the rest of you found that works the best? 
