Friday, March 16, 2012

Friday Fun Facts: Auction Goods and Mommy Porn

Hey, everyone! The Brenda Novak Online Auction will start up next month, and both Yours Truly and the Hudson Valley RWA have donated prizes just waiting for your bids! Writers can bid on a 25-page critique by 3 published Hudson Valley RWA members, and readers can bid on an awesome Vera Bradley tote filled with donated books from our members.

Or...you might be interested in snagging yourself my "Summer Fun" tote instead :)

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In other news, has anyone read the new/next hugely popular erotic romance trilogy Fifty Shades of Grey? Nicknamed by some as "mommy porn" for its appeal to housewives/mothers who are re-discovering their sex lives thanks to its inspiration (hey, I don't judge, I just report), it's a small-press published book by a first-time author that's gone viral in the world of romance (and non-romance) readers. I read the first few pages over at Amazon and will reserve judgement at this point. Will I read the whole thing? Maybe. In truth, I'd rather work on my own writing, though...

Happy Friday!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Writers' Wednesday: The Subjectivity of Publishing

OK, for all you aspiring and already published authors out there, here's a stark reminder of how subjective the publishing world can be. We already know that one person can love a book while another can hate it. That happens with editors and agents too, all the time. And I've had my share of rejections that eventually led to publications elsewhere. But this just happened in the last 24 hours, so I had to share:

I had sent a work, a novella, out to 2 different editors at 2 different small presses. They each responded within a day of one another.

Editor A: "I am actively looking to build my contemporary list, I really like your voice, and...so I approached this submission with high hopes. Unfortunately, the first chapters feel very generic. It’s become almost a cliché for a contemporary romance to open with a friend encouraging the heartbroken friend to get laid. We’re looking for something fresher.

I’m sure you must be disappointed, but it’s important to have an editor who really loves your story and can be its champion. As you know, the publishing business is very subjective, and I have no doubt that [your story] is exactly what another editor is looking for..."


Editor B: "I shared the pitch with other actively acquiring [editors in our house]. Specially, [Editor C] requested your partial, read it and she emailed me to let you know she'd love to receive the full. In fact, she stated she's keen to read it. I've copied her on my email to you so that you two may start to dialogue. I'm thrilled to give you this news and I wish you much success..."

So there you have it. What one doesn't care for, another craves. Bottom line? Try your best not to be discouraged when one person tells you "no" or "I don't like it" (and actually, this pretty much goes for life in general, not just writing and publishing).

Happy Wednesday!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Monday Mentionables: A New Novella and A Catchy Tune

Well, I've managed to get almost 9K words into a new project: a novella titled Sex on the Beach (it's a companion piece to Tequila Sunrise and features two of that story's characters). I'm liking it so far, although now that I'm a third of the way through, I'm fearing the sagging middle a bit. Still, two members of my writers' group have joined me in a goal to finish a writing project by the end of this month, and Sex on the Beach it is! 30K here we come...

Excerpt from the opening chapter:

At that, Bryce kissed her. He took the heart-shaped mouth that had been teasing him for the last half-hour and cut her words off in mid-sentence. His hands moved down that exquisite body, curves from head to toe, and finally wound their way to the small of her back. He didn’t let go. He didn’t stop. Her head fell back, and she laughed under his lips as they tasted her throat, the soft spot at the ...base of her neck, the line of her jaw.

After a moment Cass stopped laughing, and when her breath caught in her throat and he felt goose flesh on her bare arms, he pulled her in closer. Whispered, word by delicious word, exactly what he wanted to do to and with and for her, and when she lost her balance in his embrace he was certain, absolutely certain, she’d come back to his cabin.

Then the fire alarm sounded.


And I heard this song for the first time over the weekend and really liked it. Isn't it a catchy way to start your week? Happy Monday!