First Day of Vacation!

"In summer, the song sings itself." ~William Carlos Williams

OK, New York is always notably the LAST state in the country to finish exams and graduations. But here we are, finally, at the beginning of summer vacation. Hooray!!

Here's a picture from our graduation, this past Wednesday. Isn't it lovely?


And I'm off to a book signing this afternoon (2-5 pm at the Barnes and Noble in the Palisades Mall in Nyack NY, for anyone close by). Haven't done very much at all in terms of promo efforts these last few months. That's on my agenda to work on this summer (along with, oh, I don't know, a few hundred projects around the house...)

R.I.P.

"The idea is to die young as late as possible." ~Ashley Montagu

Wow, what a sad week for the entertainment industry and the world in general. Today, a moment of silence and memory for Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson hit it big when I was in middle school/high school. I will never forget what a huge icon he was -- the glove, the jacket, the crazzzy music videos (Thriller, of course -- what a terrific song/performance). And even though he got a little, well, eccentric as time went on, he's still credited with changing the world of music and dance forever.

A woman I work with was talking about Farrah, and how she represented an entire era of movie/TV starlets. She remembers how all the guys in college had THAT POSTER of Farrah hanging on their walls. It was so sad to see how she suffered near the end of her life, and for that reason, I'm glad at least her pain is over.

And Ed McMahon...talk about the voice that changed television, right? Such a vibrant, larger-than-life kind of guy. I'm sure the Johnny Carson fans are missing him more than ever this week.

RIP.

New Edits on my Plate...

"Writing is the hardest work in the world. I have been a bricklayer and a truck driver, and I tell you -- as if you haven't been told a million times already -- that writing is harder. Lonelier. And nobler and more enriching."--Harlan Ellison

Thank goodness this Friday marks the end of the school year (for a variety of reasons)...because yesterday my Samhain editor emailed me the edits for Summer's Song.

The book has an ebook release date in mid-November, which is exciting, but it always amazes me to realize, even after you sign a publishing contract, that so much work remains. I really like my current editor, but she's a stickler. Really. I skimmed the email of all the things she wants me to address (I didn't even look at the manuscript itself yet) and was so overwhelmed I had to close it again before I started hyperventilating. Little things, like removing some dialogue tags or changing references from pronouns to proper names. Big, messy things, like putting an original scene back in and changing other scenes that if affects.

I know it will be a better story because of the edits. But oh, how they intimidate me the first time I get them!

*****

I'm blogging over at Samhain's blog today -- want to come and visit me?

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Lynn Reynolds

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today's featured author is Lynn Reynolds. Enjoy!


Lynn, when did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?

I've been writing stories ever since I could pick up a pen, I think. My first big success was a series of stories I wrote in high school that parodied most of the teachers there - that was a huge underground hit with my classmates, which just encouraged me to keep writing!

Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

My new book is called THIRTYNINE AGAIN. It's the story of Sabrina, a fortyish breast cancer survivor who's trying to get back to her normal, quiet life. She discovers her fiance is leading a double life and the next thing she knows, she's on the run from him, the Mexican Mafia and a very sexy undercover agent investigating the case. Because the heroine's a breast cancer survivor, as are a couple of my friends, I'm donating a portion of my royalties to breast cancer awareness charities for this book.

What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Patience! Really. I was in a big hurry to get my first book published, but I am not a really fast writer. Now everyone keeps asking me what I have coming out next, and I don't have anything else lined up for publication at this time. In retrospect, I wish I'd piled up a few manuscripts so that I'd have had something else immediately ready to submit to a publisher as soon as THIRTY-NINE AGAIN came out!

I'd also tell them to read a lot. I think that's the best way to learn to write - by reading what you enjoy, and not worrying too much about rules and theories about what you SHOULD write.

What kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I read a little of everything. I love Jane Austen because she did such a fantastic job of depicting the details of every day life and making them fun and interesting. And of course, she created Mr. Darcy, the sexiest man in literature as far as I am concerned. I also love a lot of contemporary romance writers like Tori Carrington and Lani Diane Rich. And I really like a well-written mystery - Julia Spencer-Fleming is a favorite of mine. I also enjoy a lot of science fiction and fantasy - you name it, I've probably read it!

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

Haha. I don't! Really, this is a skill I'm still working on developing. I tend to get lost in my own little world when I'm writing, and I've realized in the last year that I need to find a way to balance it a little better with spending time with family and pursuing other interests. I could definitely use a course in time management!

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I like to garden and cook. I also enjoy traveling, mostly on short day and weekend trips right now because we have a son whose interested in local historical sites. I also enjoy running, although not as often as I'd like to (or should)!

When you write, do you use the computer or compose by hand, oral dictation, or some other method?


I always do my first drafts by hand. I just use an old-fashioned copybook and a pencil. Never
have to worry about whether I have a wi-fi connection or whether my batteries will run down!

What is your favorite movie? Did it inspire your writing in any way?


It's not necessarily my favorite movie, but one movie I really enjoyed was Bridget Jones Diary. The movie and earlier book definitely helped inspire the tone of voice I used in THIRTY-NINE AGAIN. I think Bridget is someone that many women, single or married, can relate to. She never feels like she's quite good enough at anything she does. She's a bit klutzy, not the best at her job, not tremendously sexy - but she's honest and good-natured and devoted to her friends. And in the end, that's all she really needs to help her find her own Mr. Darcy!


Lynn, thanks so much for being here today. Readers, make sure to visit Lynn's website to find out more about her current and upcoming books. Take a moment to check out her book trailer too!



Thanks for having me as your guest blogger today, Allie!

What's Your Inspiration?

A friend recently introduced me to the poetry of Pablo Neruda, and I'm loving it. Quite passionate, and I'll tell you, it's going to have a permanent place next to my computer in times when I'm searching for inspiration. Here are some lines from "And because love battles..."

...I don’t know anything about light, from where
it comes nor where it goes,
I only want the light to light up,
I do not ask to the night
explanations,
I wait for it and it envelops me,
And so you, bread and light
And shadow are.

You came to my life
with what you were bringing,
made
of light and bread and shadow I expected you,
and Like this I need you,
Like this I love you,
and to those who want to hear tomorrow
that which I will not tell them, let them read it here,
and let them back off today because it is early
for these arguments.

Tomorrow we will only give them
a leaf of the tree of our love, a leaf
which will fall on the earth
like if it had been made by our lips
like a kiss which falls
from our invincible heights
to show the fire and the tenderness
of a true love.

What inspires you to write? What breaks up writer's block, or gets you through the spots when the words seem wrong? Music can do it for me too, though most of the time I prefer silence for actual writing. But I know authors who have specific playlists for different kinds of writing.

I'm interested: what about you?

I've Been Tagged!

Well, I haven't done a blog meme in a REALLY long while, so I was happy to play along when Diane Craver tagged me yesterday. It's a "Four Things" meme...here you go!

Four Movies I can see over and over

Slumdog Millionaire, The Lake House, Gone with the Wind, Dirty Dancing

Four Places I have lived

Rochester, NY; Cleveland, OH; Providence, RI; Orange County, NY

Four TV shows that I love to watch

Survivor; Life; Fringe; Rescue Me

Four places where I have gone on vacation

Hawaii; Outer Banks, NC; Germany; Canada

Four favorite foods

Dark chocolate; apples; yogurt; edamame

Four websites I visit

Facebook; my school's home page; my author website; AbsoluteWrite

Four places I would rather be

On a Maui beach; in Zumba class; in a bookstore; hiking in the Alps

Four things that I would like to do before I die

Visit London and Paris; sign a contract with a NY publisher; swim with dolphins; reconnect with a certain person from my past (how's that for 4 TOTALLY different things??)

Four novels I wish that I was reading for the first time

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; It; The Count of Monte Cristo; Entwined (this last one of course is written by me and published by a NY publisher!)

Four people to tag

I'm cheating on this one and not tagging anyone in particular. If you'd like to play along, just let me know!

Happy Father's Day

My father passed away in January, so this first Father's Day without him is particularly tough. Today, in his honor, I'm posting this poem that I found on Billy Collins' 180 Days of Poetry site (by the way, the site itself is pretty cool...you should check it out). It's the kind of poem I think my father would have written for me:

For My Daughter by David Ignatow

When I die choose a star
and name it after me
that you may know
I have not abandoned
or forgotten you.
You were such a star to me,
following you through birth
and childhood, my hand in your hand.

When I die
choose a star and name it
after me so that I may shine
down on you, until you join
me in darkness and silence
together.

A Special Weekend Writer's Feature: Larry Kaplan

Today I'm happy to introduce Larry Kaplan, who's stopping by on his blog tour to promote his new release, House of Ghosts. And at the end of this interview you'll find details on how to win his book! Here's a blurb to whet your reader's appetite:

Imagine that Raymond Chandler wrote The Winds of War and you can begin to understand why House of Ghosts is such different and compelling detective story. Detective Joe Henderson is the modern incarnation of Philip Marlowe--hard boiled, hard drinking, hard loving, delightfully cynical, offering wry observations of life in the age of Starbucks.

The tale begins in the sweltering summer of 2000 when Preston Swedge, an alcoholic recluse and World War II veteran, has died in Westfield, New Jersey. At his estate sale, retired local police detective Joe Henderson discovers a 1944 diary describing a rogue attempt by a Jewish-American pilot named Paul Rothstein to drop his bombs on Auschwitz's killing complex where nearly 300,000 captives were about to be murdered.

With the fortitude of a Maccabean zealot and the patriotism of an American freedom fighter Rothstein had set out to defy his commanders who had prohibited any attempt to save Jewish lives. Joe Henderson's curiosity launches him on a crusade for the truth and a shocking revelation when he tracks down the last living witness who can solve the mystery of why the raid never happened.

Epic in its breadth, House of Ghosts sweeps effortlessly from contemporary Westfield, New Jersey to the Princeton University of 1939, and on to the aerial battle above Italy and Poland in 1944. Along the way you'll meet up with notables such as Charles Lindbergh, Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau, Jr., General Fulgencio Batista, and Alina Gilbert, the exotic dancer who helps to make this the hottest summer on record.

Larry, welcome to Allie's Musings. Can you tell us a little about your background?

I graduated from the NYU College of Dentistry in 1979, completed a residency at the Mt. Sinai Hospital, NYC and have been in solo practice practice since 1983. I live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with my wife Anne, two dogs, four cats, and a parrot named Boeing. Michelle and Richard are my children from my first marriage.

I grew up in a middle class section of Union, New Jersey with my parents, Jack and Selda and older brother, Ron. A child of the 1950s, I played punch ball in the street, didn’t go to camp, and didn’t talk back. It was a world where kids rode their bikes to get where they needed to go, mothers stayed home, and no one had two cars. And most important, people gave a damn about each other.

My dad was a dental technician; this inspired me to go into dentistry. So, in 1979, I graduated NYU's College of Dentistry, then completed a dental residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC. I stayed in Jersey, opened my dental practice, and lived the life of a successful suburban doctor. That could have been the whole story of my life. But that wasn't the way it turned out.

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

I’ve been blessed or cursed with a fertile imagination and have never faced dealing with writer’s block. I have more plots than time to write with three manuscripts currently under construction. My problem is when writing a novel, I lapse into the motor-mouth mode and have to edit and re-edit, paring out the extraneous.

Describe your writing space...

My desk isn’t sterile. It looks completely disorganized, but as hard as it is to believe, I can find everything at a moment's notice as long as the moment is extended and stretched. Being locked in an undisclosed location doesn’t work. Occasionally, I’ll shift to the porch and hang out with the cats.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Unfortunately, my writing career to this point hasn’t allowed me to give up my day job. Running a full-time dental practice and dealing with the detritus of daily life fills out my calendar. Anne and I are active in a number of community organizations that pinch into our off hours. Living in the “country” two minutes from the Delaware river affords plenty of recreation choices. Last but least, the four legged “kids” filter into the mix and my big-mouth parrot is never short on demanding shoulder time.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book(s)?

I’m not interested in writing the run of the mill mystery. Anyone can murder a character, commit the most heinous crimes, and live an alter-ego existence. While the Joe Henderson mystery series carries many of the same characters, different issues are examined—historical, medical, and political. Contrary to my mother’s opinion that she has the two smartest boys, I spend an inordinate amount of time researching a topic. I find it amazing that I can conceive, do the research, and cobble the bits together. Maybe my mother is right after all.

What is your favorite movie? Did it inspire your writing in any way?

I’ll be fifty-seven in July and that puts me on the cusp, no dental pun intended, of being an old geezer. I don’t watch a lot of movies, but do tune in Turner Classics on the cable. The flicks of Bogart and Gable, tough guys doing right in the end somehow filter into my writing. The war picture Twelve O’clock High with Gregory Peck played into the House of Ghosts character Paul Rothstein.

Larry, thanks so much for being here today. Is there anything else you'd like to mention?

Writing is tough. It is a full boar commitment, filled with promise, joy, anticipation, and rejection. I’ve learned not to take things personally, to put the rejection slips in the folder marked “dumb bastards” and to keep at it.

Readers, I hope you've enjoyed today's peek into Larry Kaplan's world. For a chance to win an autographed copy of his novel, go to his tour webpage and enter this PIN: 3738. And have a great day!

A Special Friday Feature: An Interview with Tamela Quijas

Happy Friday! I'm pleased to welcome author Tamela Quijas today...enjoy her interview!

Tamela, welcome to Allie's Musings. Tell us a little about yourself...when did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?

I am a fanatical reader and began writing in my early teens. For many years, I would write novels then carefully pack them away. Recently, I decided to fulfill my lifelong dream and become a published author.

Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

Currently, I am putting the finishing touches on my latest paranormal romance, Blood of the Beast. I'm hoping to have the novel available on Amazon in a month's time.

Set in New Jersey, the tale involves a police detective (Valentina Kureyev) who is investigating a series of unexplained murders that are plaguing her city. With the aide of an obscure museum curator (Demetri Daskova), who harbors dark secrets of his own, she seeks the serial killer that haunts the streets.

Valentina is a complex individual. She's been with the city's police force for a number of years and, as Demetri phrases it, she's gritty and abrasive. Val is dedicated to her job and is obsessed with finding the serial killer that is leaving bloodless corpses on the doorsteps of her community.

Demetri is in charge of the Russian Antiquities Department at the local museum. There are matters about him that are unexplainable and dark. The murders, and the unwitting involvement of a local priest, brings the two individuals together.

The curator forces Val to accept his assistance in locating the killer, enlightening her with the unknown and the unexplained.

Perhaps matters would have been simpler if Val's grandmother wouldn't have a picture of Demetri Daskova in her possession: a Photograph that is over a hundred years old.

Ooh, sounds great! Now, how do you go about developing your characters?

That's a tough one to explain. My characters have a basic outline in my head that evolves as I write. I haven't any formula, each person seems to burst from the computer with every word.

What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Patience. New writers require a lot of patience in the publishing and writing fields. There isn't anything that just happens overnight and don't ever be discouraged. Writing takes an immense amount of dedication.

What kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I read everything! My favorites have always been Jude Deveraux and Johanna Lindsey. Others: Dan Brown, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Alexander Dumas, Edgar Rice Burroughs, there are too many to name.

What do you find most difficult about writing? What do you find most exciting or rewarding?

The most difficult thing about writing is not being too obsessed with the edits. I can edit a novel to death!

The most exciting---seeing my work in print and actually holding it in my hand. Secondly, having a fan that 'sees' the images I have attempted to portray in my work.

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

I have to force myself to not spend more than four hours a day on a Work In Progress. Otherwise, there is an obsessed fanatic in me that will write from dusk til dawn.

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

I HATE writer's block. When I wrote Angel's Fire, Demon's Blood, I suffered a writer's block that took two weeks to overcome. It was debilitating in all aspects, I couldn't focus on reading, writing, or watching tv. I finally found something that made the dreaded curse disappear----I read excerpts of my project to one of my daughters (I have seven children) and she started asking the who, what, where, when and why questions. Before I knew it, fresh ideas began to pop up. My teenager is currently my sounding board for story development...Bless her heart.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I homeschool my youngest son and juggle motherhood with my seven children, all ranging from ages 30 to 8 years old. I cook a lot, if that's not obvious by the headcount in my home. Also, I enjoy chatting with my fans and friends on the internet.

Tamela, thanks so much for being here today! Anything else you’d like to mention?

Please stop by http://tamelaquijas.wordpress.com or http://www.myspace.com/tamelaquijas and visit with me! I would love to hear from you!

An Interview

"Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does." ~Steuart Henderson Britt

I forgot to mention this when it was posted, but here's a fun author interview I did over at Wendy Burt-Thomas' blog last month, when One Night in Memphis came out. You might find out a thing or two you didn't know about me, or the book!

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! I'm thrilled today to be hosting Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance on their blog tour to promote their debut novel, The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading. Here's the blurb for this fantastic YA novel:

When Bethany -- self-proclaimed geek girl -- makes the varsity cheerleading squad, she realizes that there's one thing worse than blending in with the lockers: getting noticed. She always felt comfortable as part of the nerd herd, but being a member of the most scrutinized group in her school is weighing her down like a ton of textbooks. Even her Varsity Cheerleading Guide can't answer the really tough questions, like: How do you maintain some semblance of dignity while wearing an insanely short skirt? What do you do when the head cheerleader spills her beer on you at your first in-crowd party? And how do you know if your crush likes you for your mind...or your pom-poms?

One thing's for sure: It's going to take more than brains for this girl genius to cheer her way to the top of the pyramid.

Darcy was kind enough to chat a little about the book and the background of this writing duo...

Darcy, congrats on your release! You both must be so excited! Can you tell us a little about your background?

I’ve been a college dropout five times – mostly because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. Despite that, I’ve worked in Human Services most of my adult life, first in unemployment offices, then at an agency that served children and now I work as the Volunteer Coordinator for a mental health center.

Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading is a novel for teens and young adults. It’s about two smart, kind of geeky girls who, through an unusual set of circumstances, find their way onto the varsity cheerleading squad. It’s the story of their season on the squad.

Geek Girl’s Guide started out as my co-author’s solo novel. She had written the first several drafts of it, and it had already finaled in at least one contest, before I got involved with the project. Charity was seeking an agent to represent the book when, through another unusual set of circumstances, I had a conversation with an agent about her story. He asked me to encourage Charity to make changes to the manuscript and resubmit, but Charity was reluctant. I badgered her about it relentlessly and even went as far as rewriting her first chapter for her, but nothing would change her mind.

Then my son was diagnosed with cancer. Charity was a huge support to me during those first weeks after the diagnosis – her inbox was always open. When I sent her a message thanking her for being such a good friend, she responded right away saying something like, “I just wish I could do more but we live so far away from each other; it’s not like I can pop down the street and deliver a hotdish to you.” But the next day she did exactly that.

She sent another email to me, inviting me to join a private online group for just the two of us. In her invitation she said, “Remember that story, the one about the geeky cheerleaders? What if we worked on it together?” Charity knew that I needed something else to think about besides my son being sick. She also knew that I needed money – cancer is a really expensive thing to fix.

We worked on the book together throughout my son’s illness. My son’s treatment was a success and so were our efforts with the book. Eleven months after my son was first diagnosed, his doctor told us she thought everything was going to be okay. By that time, Charity and I had revised the entire novel, found an agent, and our agent had sold our book to Simon Pulse!

Last week, on June 13th, my son celebrated two years of being cancer free!

Wow, that's such an inspirational story! What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Write because you love it – even on those days when writing doesn’t love you back.

What kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I have always been a “streaky” reader. As a child, I once spent an entire year reading nothing but basketball novels. I’ve had periods of reading only historicals, only fantasy, only mysteries, only women’s fiction. These days, I read a lot of Young Adult novels – partly as research, but also because I love the stripped down, “story first” way many of them are written. I’ve also been trying to revisit some classics and occasionally I read adult fiction like Jodi Picoult, or mysteries (I heart Sue Grafton) just so my entire reading life isn’t all about the OMG ; )

My favorite adult author is John Irving (A Prayer for Owen Meany, World According to Garp) and my current favorite YA author is John Green (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns).

What do you find most difficult about writing? What do you find most exciting or rewarding?

The most difficult thing about writing for me is starting. If I can make myself write those first sentences of the day, then I generally enjoy my writing session. I am easily distracted though, so it doesn’t always happen. The second most difficult thing for me is plotting. Oh how I stink at it! My characters would prefer to meander endlessly down the path of doing and talking about nothing of consequence. The most rewarding thing about writing is the writing itself. I just really enjoy seeing those words pop up on my computer screen – and then there’s that moment when I type ‘The End’ … that’s pretty delicious too!

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

Poorly.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

READ! I love to read. I also like to listen to music, especially live music. I like to hang out with friends and family, watch movies, play Tetris, and go for long, aimless drives in the country.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book(s)?

Hands down, it was this: When Charity and I first started working together on this project, parts of it were hers and parts of it were mine. Along the way, it started to become impossible to tell who wrote what. The novel became our characters’ story. It was magical!

That's so cool...OK, last question: What is your favorite movie? Did it inspire your writing in any way?

My favorite movie changes all of the time. I like movies but I suspect I don’t like them in the same way an afficianado does. To me, they are entertainment. I can’t remember much about them even a week later. Having said that, I would LOVE to write a story like Slumdog Millionaire. That was amazing!

Ah, yes...Slumdog Millionaire. I'll second you there! Darcy, thanks so much for being here today, and best of luck in your blog tour, sales, and future projects!

Good News!

"All human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope." ~Alexandre Dumas

Actually, today's good news is not mine, but my friend Liz's, who just found out that her manuscript Playing for Keeps has been recommended to the senior editor at Harlequin Blaze! A line editor had requested it at a conference, and she sent it in I think about 6 months ago (Liz, correct me if I'm wrong). Here's the perfect lesson in patience too, because I've heard how slow-moving NY publishers, esp. Harlequin, can be in responding to submissions. 6 months is a long time to wait and hear whether or not your baby is cute enough to win that modeling contract :)

But...yesterday she got the email from that original editor that the story was moving up to the senior line editor. So I suppose there's more waiting to come now, but still, it's an exciting day for her. Do me a favor and drop by Liz's blog to tell her you're keeping your fingers crossed for her, OK?

Overheard in Passing

"I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book." ~Groucho Marx

Just a quick story for Monday:

I was at a BBQ yesterday afternoon with a bunch of good friends, and one of them (a rough and tumble kind of guy) said to me, "Hey, I bought your books the other day and gave them to M____ (a mutual friend's mother)."

Me: "Wow, that's nice. Thanks."

Him: "Yeah, and you know, I started flipping through them when I was waiting in line. They're pretty easy to read. I actually got caught up in the story for a minute."

I laughed. Hey, if this guy can get caught up for a minute, it must mean I'm doing something right!

What's in a Title?

"Books have to be read (worse luck it takes so long a time). It is the only way of discovering what they contain. A few savage tribes eat them, but reading is the only method of assimilation revealed to the West." ~E.M. Forster

How much does the title of a book influence your decision to read it? Or at least to pick it up in the store and ponder? I'd say book titles don't normall have a huge effect on me, but if I see an intriguing/very different one, it probably will catch my eye.

Yesterday at my local RWA meeting, the discussion turned to titles; specifically, to the fact that one of our members recently submitted a manuscript to a Harlequin line and changed the title to be more in keeping with what they look for. Apparently they like to include "key words" in their titles, that their faithful readers will recognize and look for. (secret, baby, brother, baron, bride, etc.) Another of our members, published in Harlequin Historical, agreed, though she said it doesn't matter what title you use when you submit, because Harlequin will change it. In fact, she has been asked to submit up to 50 -- yes, 50!! -- titles for a single book for them to consider.

In addition, Harlequin will use those "key words" even if they don't have much to do with the plot. "Bride" is one of the most famous. The first book our Harlequin Historical author published had the word "bride" in the title they decided on, even though the story had nothing to do with one. When she explained this, they said, "Well, does the heroine get married at the end of the story?" "Um, yes...there's a proposal, anyway." So, because there was a HEA with a marriage on the horizon, the word "bride" remained part of the title.

Interesting, right?

I've seen discussion on some author loops about writers who would never agree to a title change if they got a publishing contract, while others don't care at all what their book is called. Me, I've been lucky enough at this point to have my titles kept exactly the same as when I submitted, but I would probably consider changing them if asked. I mean, it's the publisher's job to know what sells and what their customers like and look for.

What about you?

Ah, the Weekend...

"Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it." ~Anonymous

Busy, busy day here today, with lots on the agenda...

The first is my local RWA chapter's annual luncheon -- always a nice event that tries to get all us members together. Check out our new website -- and also notice that we're having a Writers' Networking Luncheon in September. If you're a writer located in the metro-NY/Hudson Valley/western CT area, consider joining us!

*****

Started reading Loving Frank the other day. It's a historical (romance) novel about the supposed true-life love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney. I know a little about Wright, but I never knew about the affair, so I'm interested. Plus the reviews on the book jacket are great, so I'm really looking forward to getting into it. Here's one of those:

It's a rare treasure to find a historically imagined novel that is at once fully versed in the facts and unafraid of weaving those truths into a story that dares to explore the unanswered questions. Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney's love story is--as many early reviews of Loving Frank have noted--little-known and often dismissed as scandal. In Nancy Horan's skillful hands, however, what you get is two fully realized people, entirely, irrepressibly, in love...Loving Frank is a remarkable literary achievement, tenderly acute and even-handed in even the most heartbreaking moments, and an auspicious debut from a writer to watch.

I'll let you know what I think!

Time for Another Trailer

"Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read." ~Leo Burnett

Well, since the release date for One Night in Napa is coming up in about 6 weeks, I've been thinking about making a trailer for it. I haven't done a lot (any) promotion for it...which is bad, but it's the end of school and CRAZY busy. Not a really good excuse, but an excuse all the same. Anyway, since it's an e-release I'll focus more on online promo, obviously, but a trailer should probably be one of those.

Lately, on the Samhain Author discussion loop, there's been talk of a trailer-making class -- whether they translate into sales, where to post them, how to make a professional-looking one. I'm not sure they do in fact translate into sales, but it's all part of the bigger strategy of branding one's name. The more places your author name appears, the more likely it is that readers will remember it.

So...maybe I'll start playing around with ideas. I do like the creative process; it just takes a while to find photos and music and put it all together. Then it's off to upload it to as many places as I can find. And if you have any suggestions, please share!

A Smile for Thursday

Got this from a friend the other day and figured it was pretty much perfect to share...

One morning a husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors, and reads her book.

Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, " Good morning , Ma'am. What are you doing?"

"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, "Isn't that obvious?")
"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.

"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading"
"Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up.."
"For reading a book," she replies,
"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her again,
But I'm not fishing. I'm reading"
"Yes, but you have all the equipment. As I said, you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up.."
"If you do that, I'll have to charge you with Sexual assault ," says the woman.
"But I haven't even touched you," says the game warden.
"That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment."
"Have a nice da,y ma'am," the warden said, and he left.

MORAL: Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can also think.

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Jennifer Shirk

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! I had the pleasure of meeting today's featured author, fellow Samhain author Jennifer Shirk, at a conference last fall. She's agreed to let us peek into her world today, so enjoy!

Welcome, Jennifer! Can you tell us a little about your background?

Sure! Gee, I’d love to say I’ve been writing since I could pick up a pen, but I only started writing about 4 or 5 years ago when my daughter was a toddler. Up until then, I was your average friendly neighborhood retail pharmacist.

When did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?


Well, I guess like any writer, I first started out as a reader. I started reading when I became first became pregnant. After my daughter turned a year old, I decided to try my hand at it—in between diaper changing, and naps, and cooking and cleaning. LOL!

Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.


My latest—and only right now—The Role of a Lifetime just came out in print this past March. It’s a romantic comedy about an actor, Ben Capshaw, who does some “training” at a preschool for an upcoming movie role. He becomes enamored by a young teacher and starts to question the objective he’d originally laid out for his life. But this woman’s been burned by an actor before, so Ben has his talent cut out for him convincing her he’s not just looking for a temporary part in her life—but one for a lifetime.

Sounds like a winner! Now, how do you go about developing your characters?


When I have a story idea, I already have a vague sense of what my characters will be like to fit with the plot. Then once I name them and start writing, they kind of develop on their own.

What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?


I totally feel like a broken record saying this but… KEEP WRITING. The more you write, the more your style changes, the more you learn, and your voice really begins to develop and grow. I’m living proof!

Do you ever suffer from writer's block?


If so, what do you do about it? Heck, YES!! But it’s not really writer’s block. If I get “stuck”, then I know I just made a mistake somewhere in my story and I either can’t figure it out or am too lazy to figure it out. But realizing that is half the battle. So I make myself step back and look at my story from beginning. Then I know it’s time to outline to come up with some possible solutions to the problem.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?


Eat—er, I mean, cook, hang out at the beach, read. (Sometimes in that order!)

Jennifer, thanks so much for being here today. Anything else you’d like to mention?


I just wanted to thank, Allie, so much for interviewing me! Also, readers can check out my website: http://www.jennifershirk.com/ or my blog: http://www.jennifershirk.blogspot.com/

I love hearing from readers, so if you’ve read my book (and liked it) please feel free to e-mail me and tell me. (Even if you didn’t like it, you can e-mail me) LOL!

Thank you!

Confessions of a Plot Junkie

This is the title of an article in this month's Writer's Digest. It's an interesting piece that talks about the difference between "literary" and "genre" fiction. FYI, the first is usually considered to be more character-driven, with a focus on word choice and phrasing, and the second is considered plot-driven, with less focus on diction and more on conflict and storyline.

Which is better?

Well, of course, it depends who you ask. The "classic" works of fiction are usually considered literary, and MFA programs often feel that literary fiction is what "serious" authors should aspire to write.

Then, of course, you look at best-selling authors like Stephenie Meyer or J.K. Rowling, and the mammoth success of their books makes one think that popularity and sales trump all.

I don't know that I favor one over the other. I love certain works that would be considered literary fiction, and as an English major/teacher I probably lean in that direction when I think of my favorite authors. But then again, every once in a while I'll pick up a page-turner that definitely falls into the genre fiction category, and it will captivate me.

A New York Times best-selling author I met this past year said (more than once, because I heard this from her at 2 different venues) that she wants to be the author whose book you cannot put down, the author whose book makes you stay up until 3 am or call in sick from work to finish. She is a genre fiction author and proud of it.

In the interest of full disclosure, the Writer's Digest article concludes that genre fiction shouldn't corner the market on plot-driven stories, that literary fiction authors could learn a thing or two about writing stories that are beautifully crafted AND impossible to put down. So here's the question that concludes the article, and I'll pass it along to you:

Which do you think is more important in your writing: A well-plotted story, or a tale with less action and more robust language and meaning? Or is it possible to have both?

Writer's Digest: Random Tips and Stories

I mentioned the other day that I was making my way through the latest issue of Writer's Digest. Since I actually took some guilty pleasure time yesterday to lie out by the pool and read it cover to cover, I thought I'd share some interesting tidbits with you:

Jason Roeder shares a few pieces of advice, including this one: "If you're going to write, you'd better get used to the word 'no'" and the fact that if you're doing a public reading, "a typical audience slips into REM sleep at about the 35-minute mark" (35 minutes?! No way I could read that long...but I digress...)

In the great central article "Publishing 101," which attempts to explain everything an author should know about the publishing process, the #1 tip is that authors MUST be prepared to market and promote their own work. However, there's also a great gentle reminder to balance that: if you spend too much/all your time marketing that first baby of yours, you'll never write anything else...and continuing to write is your primary job/passion.

I also liked this piece of advice: when working with an editor, hold onto the things that are really important to you. I have learned WONDEFUL things about writing from all my editors; almost always, they are able to point out areas of weakness, sections that needed change or clarification, and the result was a better story. Occasionally, though, you might feel strongly about keeping a plot point/name/character/etc...and if that's the case, then don't give up too easily. Explain to your editor why you want to keep your plot point/name/character the way it is. She might agree. She might still ask you to change it. But don't ever be afraid to have that conversation.

And how cool is this: Marianne's friend Charity Tahmaseb, whose debut novel The Geek Girl's Guide to Cheerleading I mentioned a few days ago, is quoted! She says, "The one thing that really stands out is how many times I ended up reading the entire book, in manuscript and page-proof form...As it stands now, the only book I've read more than my own is Pride and Prejudice." This is true as well, folks: by the time your book hits the shelves, you'll be so tired of reading through it, first for major revisions and then for minor edits and then again for typographical errors, that it's likely you'll never pick it up to read once it appears in print!

Finally, there's a great article on plot vs. prose, the debate between "literary" and "genre" fiction. More on this tomorrow...