Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Samantha Sommersby

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today I have a fabulous interview with romance author Samantha Sommersby. Sit back and enjoy!

Hi Samantha, and welcome to my blog! Can you tell readers a little about your background?

Sure! I was first published in 2005 and in January of 2007 I left what I used to call my “real life” day job in the psychiatric field to pursue writing and working in the publishing industry full-time. I think that my background as a psychotherapist is apparent in my work and it allows me to bring a unique perspective to my characters and stories. I’m thoroughly enjoying having the opportunity to spend my days writing and strive to create a hero that will literally sweep you off your feet.

I live with my husband of eighteen years, my fourteen year old son, and my cocker spaniel, Buck. My husband is a social worker who works with abused children. He’s an avid sailor who loves to surf, and you’ll find bits of him in every hero that I’ve ever written. My son is wonderfully sensitive, with a sarcastic sense of humor. He plays the piano, composes his own music, is a competitive fencer, and worships video games.

On the rare occasion when I manage to set aside some "play" time for myself, you’ll most likely find me reading a book, at the movies, or out wine tasting (we have an 800 bottle cellar and collect mostly California cabernets).

800 bottles?! Wow! (Fans self and wonders if it's 5:00 yet) So, how do you go about developing your characters?

I don’t outline with regards to plot, but I do extensive work before starting a story on characterization. I usually begin with the hero, then I move on to the heroine, and finally I address the important secondary characters. I’m pretty meticulous about it, creating a full background, giving them history, figuring out what motivates them, what it is that they’re afraid of, what they desire most, what they need. I like to get to know my characters inside and out then once I do, I set them loose. What happens after that? Well, they take on a life of their own.

Important question, now: how do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

That’s a constant struggle. I have the advantage of being able to focus on this full-time now, so I keep reminding myself that I can stop and pick things up the following day. I maintain a schedule and although it can be a challenge to stick with it, I do manage to most days. I always stop whatever I’m working on by 2:45 so that I can pick my son up from school, help him with his homework, make dinner, and enjoy the evening with my family. Once upon a time I’d write early in the morning, late at night, and on weekends because that’s the only time I had to write. Now I view writing as my job and I try really hard to balance that out with family, friends…and taking care of myself.

I think that's a terrific attitude to have. But do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

Sometimes I find that I’ve taken my character down a path that wouldn’t be true to them and I get stuck. Normally if I go back a few pages I’ll see where I went wrong. Once that’s fixed things flow smoothly again.

Can you describe your writing space for us?

I have a small office on the northeast corner of the house. We live in an old two-story craftsman bungalow in southern California. It was built in the early 1900’s and the office has built-in bookcases and oak wainscoting. The office was my husband’s domain, but now it’s all mine. I redecorated it last spring. I painted over the dark green walls with a light buttery yellow, moved my favorite reading chair and ottoman from my bedroom down there, made new curtains, and completely reorganized the closet. It’s a cozy space, but it has everything that I need. And, there’s a huge window that overlooks the front yard.

Oh, it sounds wonderful! Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

The third book in my Forbidden series, Forbidden: The Revolution, was released in mid-March and I’m working on promoting it now. I’m also in the early stages of writing book four, Forbidden: The Temptation.

The Revolution is set twenty-five years after the second in the series, Forbidden: The Awakening and introduces Byron and Violet’s son, Dell Renfield. Sorcerer. Sexy vampire. Special Agent. Secret weapon. In Forbidden: The Revolution, Dell is sent on a mission to Las Vegas where he encounters an old enemy of Byron’s and finds the two women that had been abducted along with Dell’s mother during Forbidden: The Awakening. The first woman is Rita, Byron’s former consort. The second is Alex Sanchez, who was an infant at the time of the kidnapping. Alex becomes Dell’s love interest. You’ll still see Byron and Violet, Luna will be back. But I’m also introducing some new characters, Byron’s daughter Lily, his assistant Chase, and a young werewolf names Jake who will be featured in book four. Oh – and there’s also a real badass mercenary mage named Basta in the book.

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

My favorite genres are urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Laurell K. Hamilton, especially the early Anita Blake stuff. I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan. I discovered Jeanne Stein’s Anna Strong Series last year and I’m about to start on the third. I’ve got more Kim Harrison in my TBR pile, Charlaine Harris, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Kelley Armstrong. There’s this fabulous bookstore here in San Diego called Mysterious Galaxy. Every time I walk in there I walk out with an arm full of books!

Samantha, thanks so much for being here. Readers, make sure to visit Samantha's website, and check out her books! You might just find yourself a new favorite author today...

Follow-up to Yesterday...

"Strategy and timing are the Himalayas of marketing. Everything else is the Catskills." - Al Ries

Thanks for all your comments on yesterday's "birth of a cover" blog post. In fact, Marianne did one of her own today, with all the covers she went through for One Love for Liv. Go check it out - you'll see that mine was pretty painless compared to hers!

Dru asked me the most daunting part of the whole publishing process, and I have to say, it's the marketing. The editing, the revising, the cover design - all that is still related to the writing aspect, which I'm fairly good at (I think!). But the learning curve as far as marketing and promoting a book has been huge, for me. Learning what kinds of promo to use and when, how much to spend, what audience to target for what promo...it's interesting but also overwhelming. After about a year of doing it, I feel marginally more comfortable...but only marginally.

Devon is in the process of having her very first novella published by The Wild Rose Press, and she's outlining her whole journey on her blog, from submission to contract signing to blurb writing to pre-marketing thoughts. I'll be interested to see her cover for Addicted ~ especially since I'm making the trailer for it!

Finally, while we're talking about covers, I should mention that for Lost in Paradise, I only got one version. I loved it, so the artist didn't change anything at all. Let's take a moment and look at that yummy picture of Eddie West again, hmm?...

And guess what I discovered yesterday? It's up on Amazon! Funny thing, though: I think you can buy it (I haven't tried yet) - it says it's in stock. But my "official" release date isn't until May 23. I wonder what's up with that? Hey, if you want it now, give a try and see if you can buy it. Why wait?? :)

The Story of a Book Cover

"Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter?" ~Pablo Picasso

I got my cover for One Night in Memphis, from my editor yesterday, and I LOVE IT!! It's so perfect. I can't share it with you yet, though, until it gets the official OK from the head honcho at Samhain.

In the meantime, I thought it might be interesting for my non-writer friends to know what's behind the process of getting a book cover, once you sign that golden publishing contract. I didn't know much about it, before I published my first book (and I have to warn you that, from what I've heard, authors have much less input and control when they publish with the big NY houses. Small presses can work more closely with their authors, I think.)

Anyway...

1. Soon after you sign your contract, your editor and/or the art department sends you a book cover info sheet. This is what Samhain's asks:

 Title of Book
 Series name (do you want this on the cover?)
 Author (name to be on cover)
 Author Email
 Editor name and email
 Genre & Time Period
 Where is story set
 Hero Description (Whatever details will help the art department)
 Heroine Description
 Short Summary of Story
 Author ideas/what would the author like to see (Please include specific examples and/or links, attach drawings or pictures if available, to help give art department as clear an idea of what you’re looking for as possible)
 Is there anything you don’t want on the cover or any comments

2. You fill it out, making sure you're as detailed as you possibly can be. You send it back and hear nothing for weeks or months. Then one day, surprise! You open an email from either your editor or your cover artist with your proposed cover.

Note: It may or may not resemble what you wrote on your info sheet.

3. You, your editor, your cover artist, and the publisher make a final decision. This, of course, is how One Night in Boston ended up, after I agonized whether I wanted the heroine on the front:



When I filled out my book info sheet for One Night in Memphis, I emphasized that I loved the clock-face overlay and hoped it could look similar to the Boston cover. And let me just say again: I LOVE IT.

Fingers crossed that the publisher will too, and I can post it here soon!

Surrounded by Inspiration

"I don't know a lot about politics, but I can recognize a good party when I see one." ~Mae West

Had such a lovely time yesterday at Jenna Kernan's Authors' Tea:

Jen is a member of my local RWA chapter (I gave away 2 of her books on my blog a couple months back), and she is absolutely the funniest and nicest person I've met in a long time. She writes historical romance for Harlequin and belongs to 3 - yes 3 - local RWA groups. And every year she has a tea in her home to bring fellow writers together and raise money for Heifer International (she won't let anyone bring anything, so a few years back instead of hostess gifts she suggested a small $$ to a charity).

It was a small group, just 8 of us, but they included a screenwriter, 2 published paranormal authors, 3 published historical authors, and 2 published contemporary authors. I sat between Jen, who just found out she's a RITA finalist this year (big honor in RWA) and a woman who is an RWA board member and also a professor of Victorian literature at a community college in CT.

The meal was scrumptious - scones and finger sandwiches and fresh fruit and lots and lots of tea - and the conversation never stopped for 3+ hours. It was so nice to be in a group of fellow authors, to talk about the writing and marketing and editing concerns common to us all. We told all kinds of crazy stories and laughed until the tears ran, literally. It was terrific.

Plus, it was just the kick of inspiration I needed, and when I came home I sat down at my laptop and got through another 1000 words or so on One Night in Napa. I'm struggling - it's the darned sagging middle - but at least I got something on the page.

And no, I don't have pictures from yesterday, unfortunately, but Jen took some, so if I get my hands on one, I'll post it. Now I'm off to write some more!

It's My Release Month!

"Winning isn't everything, but the will to win is." ~Zig Ziglar

It's finally here!! May 2008...the month in which not one but two of my novels release in print! And of course, that means contests. So here you go: I'm running two giveaways this month, and all you have to do to enter is comment on my blog. The more times you comment this month, the more times you'll be entered. Easy, right?

Prize #1: Signed print copy of One Night in Boston (OR an autographed bookplate for your own print copy, if you're one of my faithful fans who already pre-ordered one, + $10 Amazon gift certificate)

AND

Boston Red Sox goodies (OK, you might not be a fan, but Jack, our hero is) : baseball cap, coasters, bottle jersey.

Prize #2: Signed print copy of Lost in Paradise

AND

Goodies to help you create and enjoy your own slice of paradise: a wine preserver and yummy-smelling sugar plum candles. Oh, and I'll throw in some chocolate too...what's paradise without the sweet stuff?

Two lucky winners this month...I hope you'll play!

TGIF!

Welcome to Friday's Feast!

Appetizer
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?
How much am I dating myself when I answer this question? OK, Bugs Bunny (is there anyone who didn't love him?) and the Smurfs. Although in college a friend told me the Smurfs were a communist society, so hmm...I don't know...

Soup
Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?
Easy, a cat. They have tons of personality and don't need a human around 24/7 to tell them how wonderful they are (they already know). And I would never deign to give a cat its name. They name themselves ~ you just have to pay close attention to figure out what it is!

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?
Probably an 8 - it's fun, though not the way I'd spend every weekend.

Main Course
What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?
Anything I can sing along to - seriously, I cannot listen to anything BUT music when I drive. If the DJ starts to talk, I change the station.

Dessert
When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?
Tough one...I think it was actually our cuckoo clock from Rothenberg, Germany, that hangs in our great room. It took us 2 hours to pick out, in a room full of gorgeous ones. I love it :)

Exciting News Today!

"But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?" ~Albert Camus

Hey all, I have lots to share today - all good - so hold onto your seats!

First, I just found out I can order my author copies of Lost in Paradise, which I promptly did about 6.7 seconds after I opened the email from my publisher last night. This would be exciting in itself, but it also means I'll have print copies to bring to (and sell at??) my next public appearance, at an eclectic little place called The Spotty Dog, which is both a pub and bookstore. And seriously, whoever came up with that combination should win a gold medal, right? Anyway, I CANNOT wait to hold my book (my baby) in my hands...

Second, the latest issue of Romance Writers Report has good things to say about Samhain, my other publisher. A very interesting article about authors who have made the switch from e-pubs to NY houses had this to say:

"Not all e-publishers are created equal. There are many small presses and e-publishers in operation right now. Who are the leaders? Kensington Editorial Assistant Megan Records cites "Samhain, Ellora's Cave, and Red Sage." Literary agent Laura Bradford (of the Bradford Literary Agency) agrees. She notes, "Ellora's Cave and Samhain are two of the industry leaders for the e-pubs."

I count my lucky stars every day that I'm contracted with Samhain!

And this third announcement has nothing to do with me, but with a terrific cause that you should definitely take a look at, and that's romance author Brenda Novak's annual Diabetes Auction. Proceeds go to diabetes research (her son has diabetes), and let me tell you, there are some awesome items on the auction this year. There's something for just about everyone. Take some time and check it out, OK?

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Maggie Toussaint

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Enjoy today's interview with author Maggie Toussaint...

Hi, Maggie! Thanks for being here today. So tell us, when did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?

I’ve always been a writer. Early on, I poured out my heart in diaries and letters. I loved creative writing. In college, I ventured over to the dark side, biology, because of better job prospects in the deep South. Marriage came along, so did children and a day job. I scribbled essays or short stories from time to time. I typed up newspaper articles as a Pony Club mom. I wrote scientific journal articles for my day job. The urge to write never lessened.

In 1991, I had a snow skiing accident. I fell off the side of a mountain and landed backwards on a rock. The doctor prescribed a month of bed rest, and I read voraciously, sometimes two or three books a day. After reading a number of so-so books, I decided I could write a better book.

It took me three years to write a historical trilogy (100,000 words each) based on the colorful love story of my paternal grandparents. God bless my mother, my sisters, and my best friend for wading through those epics. Those books were rightfully rejected by publishing professionals. I purchased books about writing, subscribed to Writer’s Digest magazine, took a creative writing course at community college, discovered Romance Writers of America, and realized I needed to up my game. Years passed while I honed my craft and my voice. In 2006, I signed my first contract with The Wild Rose Press for a romantic suspense. A few months later I sold a mystery to Five Star. Since then, I’ve contracted a sweet romance to Freya’s Bower (the first in a trilogy) and a second romantic suspense to The Wild Rose Press

What a wonderful journey to success! Can you tell us about your latest writing project or published title?

No Second Chance, my second romantic suspense, was born from my love of horses. I barrel-raced as a youngster. With my friends and cousins, I rode through the moss-draped lanes and marshy flats of coastal Georgia. On a full moon we rode horses while in our sleeping bags, quite a balancing act, let me tell you!

My oldest daughter loves horses. Unlike me, she rode English style, competing in dressage, stadium jumping, and cross country events. When she became too busy in college to ride, we donated Eureka to a charitable riding foundation where sturdy mounts provided physical therapy for chronically ill children. My husband and I were on the board of that charity for a number of years before we were able to let go of the reins.

No Second Chance is about a different type of horse farm, one that rescues unwanted or abused horses. As the story opens, my heroine, Hope, is struggling to keep her farm afloat. Devlin wants to help her, but he’s got problems of his own, namely an enemy that wants to destroy his company. Devlin’s matchmaking mother binds Hope and Devlin together in a business arrangement where they must help each other. Troubles come, uniting Hope and Devlin against their mutual enemy.

Proceeds from this book will benefit a real life horse rescue operation, Days End Farm Horse Rescue, in Lisbon, Maryland. They have been involved with rescue efforts across America. Visit their website at http://www.defhr.org/ for more information on this well-run non-profit. Even better, No Second Chance is now available in both ebook and print formats!

Sounds like a terrific story! How do you go about developing your characters?

Character development is the key to my writing. I spend as much time fleshing out my characters as I do brainstorming plot events. I draw material from real life, from people I observe, from obituaries, from characterization books. I’m particularly fond of Enneagrams. (Check out my favorite enneagram book: Are you my type, am I yours? by Renee Baron and Elizabeth Wagele, HarperCollins, 1995)

Enneagrams seem to be ready made character sketches, giving attributes of each type of person and describing the people that don’t get along.

I use worksheets to create backstory for characters. Before I begin writing, I need to know what kind of car a character drives, how many pairs of shoes are in their closet, and the name of their childhood imaginary friend. To determine a character’s outward appearance, I cruise through my extensive picture files and snip out visuals to help jog my memory. I’ll collage the images together along with pictures of furniture, pets, and anything else that seems relevant. I keep all that stuff near my monitor as I compose the story.

In general, I write strong alpha males and independent, athletic females. My heroines are tomboys, misfits, or late bloomers, which gives them plenty of conflict and angst when physical attraction hits. I also believe that opposites attract, which is another built-in source of conflict for romance.

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

Two words: hunker down. Believe in yourself and write to the best of your abilities. Hold that creative spark close to your heart and guard it carefully. Writing is a demanding, competitive profession. If you want to be published, you have to apply yourself. You have to be willing to miss out on TV shows, to sleep less, to forgo impromptu lunches when you’re on deadline. You have to want it bad enough to persevere when rejection letters or “constructive” contest remarks arrive. You have to make writing a priority in your life. See? Hunker down.

Challenging question: how do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

Balance? What’s that? How many obsessive, focused people do you know who are balanced? Writing is my life; it just took me a while to figure that out.

Great answer :) Maggie, what do you like to do when you're not writing?

I’ve recently undertaken a new community service, hosting a local cable television show through Comcast. The rural area where I live is economically depressed and poverty stricken. Some people here don’t know how to read, many don’t read for pleasure, and few read to their children. On my weekly program, I stress the importance of reading to children. Coming up soon is an adult literacy series. I plan to interview regional authors to highlight different types of reading material. With any luck, About Books will inspire adults to read more.

That sounds really inspirational! Okay, on another topic, when you write, do you use the computer or compose by hand, oral dictation, or some other method?

I started out composing longhand. It was so rewarding to fill notebook pages with scrawling script, to hear the scratch of pen on paper, to physically shape each letter. The downside was that I’d fall asleep transcribing my prose into the computer. Other published writers I knew swore by composing at the keyboard. I didn’t like it at first, but I wouldn’t do it any other way now. I can type almost as fast as I can think, so there’s no lag time between brain and written word. That’s immediate gratification. I’m very much into that!

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

Allie, thank you for this opportunity to share my hopes, dreams, and books with you. I appreciate your hospitality.

Maggie’s links:
http://www.maggietoussaint.com/
www.myspace.com/maggietoussaint (my blogs are consolidated here)

And readers, check out No Second Chance...it sounds like a winner, and it's available now in both electronic and print formats - you can't go wrong!

What I Want in a Man

Whew! Stacks of papers on my desk to grade, my release month coming up in a matter of days (that means contests, you know!), and so I have no time for an insightful or clever blog post today. I'll leave you with this, instead, a recent email from a friend:

What I Want in a Man Original List:

1. Handsome
2. Charming
3. Financially successful
4. A caring listener
5. Witty
6. In good shape
7. Dresses with style
8. Appreciates finer things
9. Full of thoughtful surprises
10. An imaginative, romantic lover

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 32)

1. Nice looking
2. Opens car doors, holds chairs
3. Has enough money for a nice dinner
4. Listens more than talks
5. Laughs at my jokes
6. Carries bags of groceries with ease
7. Owns at least one tie
8. Appreciates a good home-cooked meal
9. Remembers birthdays and anniversaries
10. Seeks romance at least once a week

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 52)

1. Not too ugly
2. Doesn't drive off until I'm in the car
3. Works steady - splurges on dinner out occasionally
4. Nods head when I'm talking
5. Usually remembers punch lines of jokes
6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture
7. Wears a shirt that covers his stomach
8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids
9. Remembers to put the toilet seat down
10. Shaves most weekends

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 72)

1. Doesn't scare small children
2. Remembers where bathroom is
3. Doesn't require much money for upkeep
4. Only snores lightly when asleep
5. Remembers why he's laughing
6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself
7. Usually wears some clothes
8. Likes soft foods
9. Remembers where he left his teeth
10. Remembers that it's the weekend

What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 82)

1. Breathing
2. Doesn't miss the toilet.

Have a great day!

I've Been Tagged

“To a foreigner a Yankee is an American. To an American a Yankee is a Northerner. To a Northerner a Yankee is a New Englander. To a New Englander a Yankee is a Vermonter. To a Vermonter a Yankee is a person who eats apple pie for breakfast.” ~Michael Owen Jones

Well, Pam tagged me with this meme, and I haven't played in a while, so I'll try to see if I can come up with 6 things you don't already know about me...


The Rules:

a. Link to the person who tagged you.

b. Post the rules on your blog.

c. Write six random things about yourself.

d. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.

e. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment at their blog.

f. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.


Six Random Things About Me:

1. I can count from 1 to 20 in German.

2. I don't eat any kind of cooked fruit (it's a texture thing; I don't think fruit should be warm and mushy) - this includes apple pie, blueberry muffins, oatmeal raisin cookies, etc.

3. I started walking when I was 9 months old. I also did dance and gymnastics for most of my childhood and teenage years. I was also born on a Tuesday, which means I'm supposed to be "full of grace." All this and still I run into doorframes and the corners of walls when I'm walking through a building, even my own house. Seriously.

4. I'm the chair of my department at work, which means I get to tell people what to do. It's fun.

5. I can grip things with my toes. This was very helpful when I was in gymnastics and needed to stay on the balance beam. Now, apparently, it's just a novelty thing, as hubby likes to call me "ape toes" in his oh-so-affectionate tone. I suspect he's just jealous.

6. I don't like any of the following condiments: mayonnaise, mustard, relish, or onions. You can imagine that I eat a pretty plain hamburger.


I'm not tagging anyone, but if you want to play, leave me a comment and let me know!

What I Should Do Vs. What I'd Really Like to Do...

"Fatigue is the best pillow." ~Ben Franklin

Here's what I should do today:

1. Finish grading my students' research papers. Of course, if I spend as much time grading them as most of the students put into writing them, this won't take very long :)

2. Put together packages of promo items to send to a couple of romance writing conferences.

3. Start compiling lists of the groups/book clubs I want to contact, using those links from yesterday.

4. Finish reading a book I'm reviewing for LASR.

However, last night I had the lovely opportunity to attend a black-tie event with hubby and some friends:

(Check out the dessert...a pyramid filled with chocolate mousse!)

....which is why I feel like this right now:


Where's my caffeine??

Some Additional Links for Readers and Writers

"I must confess that I've never trusted the Web. I've always seen it as a coward's tool. Where does it live? How do you hold it personally responsible? Can you put a distributed network of fiber-optic cable "on notice"? And is it male or female? In other words, can I challenge it to a fight?" ~Stephen Colbert

For all my fellow readers and writers out there, I thought I'd share some websites I've come across recently that might be of interest. Let me know if you've visited/used any of these, or if there are others you'd add.

All Romance Ebooks - This is a great website where readers can sate their romance appetites. And for writers, the two women who run the site are absolutely lovely; I met them at the NYC Book Festival event last winter. They're always running ads in Romantic Times and offering reasonable prices to authors who'd like to participate.

BookTour - Every author who has a book in print should be listed here. This site enables you not only to post your works and your bio, along with any appearances, but to search areas where you might give readings or signings as well. And it's free!

MeetUp - This is a brand new site to me, but it looks like a place to search for different kinds of special-interest clubs. Great way to find groups to approach for book readings, I'd think.

PrintRunner - I don't know anything about this site other than Maryann Mcfadden recommended them at the conference I attended last weekend. But their price for bookmarks looks pretty good, so if anyone else has used them, I'd love to hear feedback.

Reader's Circle - For readers, you can search local areas to see if there are already book discussion clubs in place - or you can start one! For writers, you can do the same kind of search, to find possible book clubs to approach for readings.

Reader Views - Again, a new one to me, but it looks as though they have a pretty comprehensive offering for authors, including different "review" packages. I'm not sure how I feel about paying someone to read and review my book, but there's a free option I plan to look into.

Reading Group Guides - I just contacted them for promo information; they claim they can give authors access to their newsletter which goes to their 6000+ book clubs, among other things. I'll keep you posted as I find out more.

Rebecca's Reads - Ditto what I said about Reader Views, above.

Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction - Great place for readers to discover new romance authors and books, and writers to have their work reviewed. They say they'll review all romance except erotica and gay/BDSM, within 3-8 weeks. That's a pretty good turn-around.

Good luck - and again, let me know if you know of other sites that writers or readers would find useful, OK?

TGIF!!!

Happy Friday, everyone! Welcome to my Feast...


Appetizer
Name something you would categorize as weird.

You know those little hairless dogs with snaggle teeth and a sprout of hair on top of their heads? They're weird. Lovable, perhaps, since I once knew someone who owned one, but still weird.

Soup
What color was the last piece of food you ate?

Red: a yummy apple.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

Oh, I've always loved my alone-time. 10, definitely.

Main Course
Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______.

I will always vote for chocolate in a bakery full of dessert options. (Hah - what did you think I was going to say?)

Dessert
Describe your sleeping habits.

Hmm...well, I try to get at least 7 hours a night, I usually sleep on my right side or my back, and I only wake up if and when my cats are screwing around in some dark corner of the room (which, in fact, happened last night: they'd cornered a mouse at 4 am.)

Have a great day!

Never Before

"Everyone has a story." ~Neil LaBute

Hey everyone, I'm on my way to catch a plane back home to the chilly Northeast (never enough time in the sun, but that's OK).

But I have a short story published over at The Long and the Short of It today. (As of right now, it has the wrong title and author attached to it, but scroll down to the bottom, and you'll see my author bio - it's mine, really, it is).

It's titled "Never Before" - so enjoy the read, and if you'd like, pop back here when you're finished reading and let me know what you think!

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Pam Thibodeaux

Welcome to another version of Writers' Wednesday! (Yes, even from the warm shores of Florida, I'm featuring authors). Today, enjoy finding out all about inspirational romance author Pam Thibodeaux!

Hi, Pam, and thanks for being here today! Can you tell us a little about your background?

I am a housewife, mother, grandmother and full-time Insurance Sales Producer. A native of Louisiana, I am also the Co-Founder, President and Treasurer of Bayou Writers’ Group in Lake Charles.

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

I began writing over 25 yrs. Ago after reading one-too-many disappointing romances. I figured that I could do better. A mite arrogant as it turns out because though writing may be fairly easy, writing well isn’t necessarily so.

I think we all make that discovery at some point! Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

My latest published novel is The Inheritance, (which is available in Ebook and Print) but I also have a couple of short stories (Rosettes) either available or coming soon –all from The Wild Rose Press’ White Rose (Inspirational) line. I also have 3 out of my 5-part ‘Tempered’ series available from ComStar Media—also in Ebook and Print!

What terrific success so far! So, how do you go about developing your characters?

Well, Allie, I am a SOTP (seat of the pants) writer so I don’t’ always know much about my characters before I start writing, but we get to know each other pretty well in the process.

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

If you want to make money, write for the market—research, study extensively and write what sells. For any other reason, write from your heart and trust God to open doors for the publication of your works.

Important question, now: What do you find most difficult about writing? What do you find most exciting or rewarding?

For me the most difficult part about writing is editing. I love creating that first draft! That is when I just let it all flow. However, we all know that not many first drafts are perfect….therefore the editing/cleanup (ie; work) is a necessary evil in having a publishable book.

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

Since I work full-time outside of the home, I write mostly in the mornings, evening and on weekends. However sometimes I just let it all go and spend time with family—especially my husband and granddaughter. I’d spend equal time with my grandson if he lived closer.

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

That you can write the book of your heart and in due season, it will get published.

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

Computer –though occasionally I’ll print something and continue by hand if I’m going to be somewhere that a computer is not available.

Thanks for a great interview, Pam. Anything else you’d like to mention to readers?

First, I’d like to thank God for my success then, I’d like to thank all of my friends, family and fans for their continued support of my career. You ALL are the wind beneath my wings! I’d also like to encourage new writers to NEVER GIVE UP! Writing is a gift and a talent….don’t bury your talent or hide your gift.

Thank You, Allie for taking the time to create such wonderful and informative interview questions and for offering this opportunity to writers to share their lives with others!

You're very welcome...readers, make sure to visit Pam's website today and peruse her selection of books - and have a great day!

There Are Characters Everywhere

"I learned to write by listening to people talk. I still feel that the best of my writing comes from having heard rather than having read." Gayl Jones

Greetings from sunny Florida!

I'm not a big fan of flying, but there's nothing like getting on a plane in chilly temps and then getting off 3 hours later to palm trees and sunshine.

Actually, I realized yesterday that there's another advantage to flying: sitting in the airport and people-watching. I can find fodder for characters in my next 5 books, if I sit there long enough. From the elderly couple in matching wheelchairs speaking a foreign language I don't recognize, to the family with a beautifully made up wife who's chasing 3 young boys around the terminal while her husband talks nonstop on his cell phone, to the teenage-looking mother trying to comfort her newborn...it's all there.

Malls are good places for people-watching, too - especially if you're writing Young Adult or have a teenager anywhere in your book.

And of course, schools are built-in petri dishes full of character ideas, from kids all the way up to the adults. I'm lucky on that front; I'm faced with new ideas every day.

Now I'm off to give beach yoga a try...don't be surprised if I work it into a scene somewhere down the road!

What about the other writers out there? Where do you people-watch? Or do your character ideas come from other places?

And One More Thing...

"There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for." ~James Nathan Miller

Follow up to yesterday's follow up...

I made the fatal error of not bringing along any promotional material to the conference, though I honestly didn't think or realize there would be an opportunity to distribute anything (thus the fatal error...there's always an opportunity).

I sat at a table for lunch with 4 other women, and the conversation turned to pen names. When I piped up that I used one, they said, "You're published? How wonderful." And I had nothing at all to give them, with my name or website or anything. I told them One Night in Boston was available for pre-order on Amazon, but that was it.

Well, sometime in the 24 hours that followed, I found I'd sold another copy of my book. Coincidence? Maybe. But I'd like to think one of those women went home, looked it up, and liked what she saw.

###

And now for the most exciting news of the day: hubby and I are flying to sunny Florida for a 4-day vacation! We're visiting parents/inlaws and soaking up a little warmth during our spring break from school.

But never fear: my parents have high-speed connection, so I'll still be blogging. See you tomorrow!


P.S. - Read yesterday's comments, if you didn't before. The author whose marketing presentation I attended, and reported on, stopped by to visit!

Follow Up on Yesterday's Conference

OK, a report from yesterday's conference:

First, it was held at a local college, about an hour from my house - a beautiful setting, with delicious food, and only $40/person for the whole day. Plust it was so nice to be around other authors...and many of them, when they found I was published, congratulated me. For all of that, I'd do it again even if the workshops weren't great, which they were...

1. Reading by Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead and Exit A: I hadn't read either of his books, but it didn't matter. He read from his latest WIP, which I thought was really cool, that he didn't choose an already-published book. He stopped a couple of times to talk about process, and what I found most interesting was the word count he sets for himself each day: 500-1000 words. That's it. He writes for 2-3 hours a day, for 6 weeks or so, and then takes a couple weeks off. After a couple of years, he has a complete novel of 350 pages or so. I thought it was great that he doesn't rush the process. He was down to earth, quite humble, and a great writer, besides. He also emphasized the importance of making sure the reader is asking "What next" on every page.

2. Workshop on Teaching War through Literature: For the English teacher in me, it was a great workshop with a dynamic teacher. Made me want to take a college class again.

3. Promoting and Marketing your Book: Even though I knew a lot of what was discussed in this one, I still picked up a few things. The presenter was author Maryann McFadden, who self-published her women's fiction novel The Richest Season, sold over 30,000 copies, and went on to find herself an agent who sold the book at auction to Hyperion. Truly a success story, and a rare one at that. She was in real estate before, so she's good at talking to people and finding ways to make a sale. Her biggest tips were that, especially for the self-published or small press author, Independent Bookstores and Local Book Clubs are your best friend. They're both looking for local authors to meet and read. She even suggested that if you aren't published, you should still contact a book club and tell them you're looking for feedback, and you'll use their criticism and/or reviews for marketing to an agent or editor. Finally, she said definitely call rather than email these bookstores. They're much more likely to respond to a personal call than the dozens of emails they receive on a daily basis. She's started up a website as well, for authors: ABetterPlacetoWrite.com. I have no idea if it will turn out to be anything worthwhile, but you can always check it out.

Interesting note: She had one thing that many new authors don't have, which she admitted, and that's money: she gave herself an advance on her credit card when she first self-published and called it a "grant" for her writing career. She wouldn't specify how much, but she likened herself to another author who did the same thing, to the tune of $25,000. I don't know about you, but I don't have that kind of money. Still, the ideas of reaching out to local groups are good ones, and I'll definitely put them to the test in the next couple of months, when my two books release.

We'll see what happens!

I'm Getting Smart Today

I'm off to a writer's conference today - just a one-day thing, but it should be interesting. I'm taking one session on "Teaching War Through Literature" (for the English teacher in me) and one session on "Promotion and Marketing Your Book" (for, you know, obvious reasons).

Hope to have some good stuff to share with you tomorrow!

TGIF!

Welcome to my Friday Feast!

Appetizer
Name a color you find soothing.
Something in the blue or green family.

Soup
Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.
I hit a bird.
(Funny, since last week I did the same damn thing. Not the same kind of bird, though...)

Salad
What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?
My warm winter PJs - flannel
My fave warm weather t-shirt - cotton
My ultra-comfortable dressy dress - silk

Main Course
Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?
Well, I live in New York, so if we're talking anytime but the summer, when it's warm outside all night long, then no one. I'm too old. However, I do have to say I can't for all the tickets to go on sale at Bethel Woods this year (former Woodstock site) - it's 30 minutes from my house!

Dessert
What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?
In my real name: "L" (there are 4 of them)

Love-Love-Love

"And it occurred to me, too, that if this was a great love story, I had no idea where we were on its timeline. For all I knew, we might be nearer its beginning than its end." ~ Richard Russo, from She's Not There


A couple of days ago, Marianne brought up the question of “how soon is too soon” for a hero and heroine to fall in love, in a romance novel. She got a great response from her blog readers, and I think she’s probably going to discuss it again today.

Most people who responded didn’t have a problem with suspending their disbelief and even welcomed two people falling in love over a period of days – a couple of weeks at the most. But I just can’t buy into it. Falling in lust at first sight – absolutely. But love? Love that leads to a lifelong commitment to another person? That involves discovery, a slow, fascinating peeling away of layers until you see who’s standing in front of you (or lying beside you) and want to be with that person all the time anyway.

Now, I know people who’ve met their significant other one night, thought “He/she’s the one” and ended up happily married for umpteen years. But I’m willing to bet that, in most cases, that relationship still evolved over a certain length of time…and there wasn’t a marriage proposal after a week.

Part of the problem, I think, is that the genre requires it. You have to have a Happily Ever After – it’s what the readers expect. And no, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with an entertaining story that makes us trust that true love can happen. But most of the romance novels I’ve read recently suffer from a lack of character development. As a result, the strong, sexy hero suddenly finds himself thinking he can settle down with the heroine after a couple of dates, during which she’s laughed at his jokes, maybe stood up to him in an argument, and of course walked down the sidewalk beside him with her perfectly curvaceous body. And the heroine? She’s gun-shy of relationships but somehow decides she can trust the hero after those same two dates because…well, I don’t know, exactly.

So, can a fictional hero and heroine fall desperately in love and want to spend their lives together, in a relatively quick period of time? For me, yes – but only if the author has convinced me that a complete devotion is the natural, in fact the only, outcome for these 2 people, through their character development: I have to see these 2 people grow together and toward each other as a result of the conflicts that happen in the course of the story. Then I will happily cheer for them and feel ultimately satisfied by the ending. But to put the characters together just because the genre calls for it? That’s harder to swallow.

Actually, that’s why I’m glad the genre is changing, and why the HEA doesn’t have to include an engagement but instead an interest, a serious attraction, a desire to pursue a commitment. I’m also glad the genre of women’s fiction exists. In that world, I think, the story can be more about the main character’s journey, and while love and romance might be part of it, the author isn’t forced to shoehorn in a walk down the aisle.

Finally, I’ll leave you with this poignant passage from the book I just finished reading, She’s Not There. It’s a magnificent, complicated, touching, and at times angering memoir by a trans-gendered English professor. This is a tremendous testament to love:

Years earlier, her heart had inclined in the direction of another soul, and now, against the advice of many friends and well-wishers, she’d had the wisdom to understand that when our hearts incline – often in defiance of duty, blood, rationality, justice, indeed every value we hold dear – it’s pointless to object. We love whom we love. In the past two years, for Grace, everything had changed and nothing had changed. Her heart still inclined, as was its habit…

So...what do YOU think?

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Cara Marsi

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today's interview is with romance author Cara Marsi. Pull up a chair, refill your cup of coffee, and enjoy!

Hi, Cara! (Love the picture, by the way!) Can you tell us a little about your background?

I'M A NATIVE OF DELAWARE. I ESCAPED ONCE BUT I CAME BACK. I'M A CORPORAT DRONE AND CUBICLE DWELLER WITH A ROMANTIC SOUL. I WAS A MANAGER AT VERIZON FOR MANY YEARS, AN EXTREMELY STRESSFUL JOB. NOW I WORK AT AN INSURANCE COMPANY. I READ AND WRITE ROMANCE TO STAY SANE IN THE DRUDGERY OF THE CORPORATE WORLD.

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

I'VE WANTED TO WRITE SINCE I BEGAN READING. AS A YOUNG TEEN I ADORED THE YA ROMANCE NOVELS OF ELIZABETH HOWARD AND THE JUDY BOLTON MYSTERY STORIES. I WANTED TO BE LIKE JUDY AND THE HEROINES IN THE ELIZABETH HOWARD NOVELS.

Ah...so tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

MY LATEST PUBLISHED BOOK IS LOGAN'S REDEMPTION FROM THE WILD ROSE PRESS. I LOVED WRITING THIS BOOK SO MUCH THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE MY CHARACTERS. I HAD TO FORCE MYSELF TO END IT. LOGAN'S REDEMPTION HAS BEEN GETTING GREAT REVIEWS WHICH MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. I'VE RECENTLY COMPLETED A PARANORMAL INVOLVING A WITCH, A WEREWOLF, A DEMON AND A KICK-ASS FEMALE BOUNTY HUNTER. MY NEXT BOOK WILL BE ANOTHER TRADITIONAL ROMANCE FOR AVALON BOOKS. MY FIRST BOOK WAS WITH AVALON.

What wonderful writing success - congrats! With all that experience, what advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

READ THE TYPE OF BOOKS YOU WANT TO WRITE, TAKE WRITING COURSES, JOIN ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA, ATTEND CONFERENCES, LEARN THE BUSINESS SIDE OF WIRTING AND NEVER, EVER GIVE UP.

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

I LOVE ALL KINDS OF ROMANCE, CONTEMPORARY AND TIME TRAVEL IN PARTICULAR. I ALSO LIKE HISTORICALS. I HAVE MANY FAVORITE AUTHORS BUT THE ONE WHO TOPS THEM ALL IS HEATHER GRAHAM. I LOVE HER HISTORICAL ROMANCES. I MET HER AT A CONFERENCE ONCE. SHE IS VERY GRACIOUS.

OK, now the question everyone wants to know the answer to: how do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

ITS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. I WORK FULL TIME. I HAVE A HOUSE AND FAMILY. I WRITE EVERY LUNCH HOUR AT MY DESK. I LET A LOT OF THINGS GO AT HOME. I DON'T READ AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE. IT'S VERY HARD, BUT I WOULDN'T GIVE UP WRITING FOR THE WORLD.

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

I LOVE THE OLD ROMANTIC COMEDIES OF THE THIRTIES AND FORTIES. A BARBARA STANWYCK-FRED MCMURRAY MOVIE INSPIRED LOGAN'S REDEMPTION. MY FAVORITE MOVE IS "THE MORE THE MERRIER" WITH JEAN ARTHUR AND JOEL MCCREA (HE WAS YUMMY). ANOTHER FAVORITE IS "CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT" WITH BARBARA STANWYCK AND DENNIS MORGAN (ANOTHER YUMMY). I GET A LOT OF INSPIRATION FROM MOVIES.

Cara, thanks so much for being here and sharing your story with us today! Readers, don't forget to visit Cara's website...or perhaps read the 5-star reviews of Logan's Redemption and then pick yourself up a copy!

Blast from the Past

"I thought my life would seem more interesting with a musical score and a laugh track." ~Bill Watterson

Yesterday I was sorting through my junk mail when I stumbled across a postcard from my high school's Shakespearean Society - they're having a 50th reunion this spring. And wow, if that didn't bring back memories...They've even put together a website, and I was lucky (unfortunate?) enough to find a picture of me in the only Shakespeare play in did in high school, my senior year: The Tempest. Take a look:

Two things I remember most from that play: my line "Oh brave new world, that has such people in it!" and the fact that I had to "fall asleep" on stage for about 5 minutes, but the sleeves on that Elizabethan dress were so tight that my arms would fall asleep no matter how I tried to arrange them. Anyone else ever acted on stage? It's a trip, what actors go through behind the scenes. One time, in college, I was in a crowd scene on the second floor of a set and the main character leaned too far and almost took a tumble. I had to grab him by the back of the coat and yank him back into place.

That picture brought back more memories, though, so I went poring through my old photo albums for some other pics from my days in the high school musicals:

Ah, yes, the sweet Laurie singing to her cowboy Curly in "Oklahoma" ( what do I remember about this one? that some of the jocks in our school decided to sign up to play singing/dancing cowboys and promptly disappeared during rehearsals to get drunk in the school parking lot)

And my favorite role: Rose, the crazy secretary from "Bye Bye Birdie." This is the scene where I interrupt an uptight Shriner's Meeting and dance on the table. The last night of this performance, that skirt started tearing at the side slit and everyone including myself was wondering if I could make it offstage without showing too much leg.

Ah, memories...

I had a friend in grad school who always said teaching was like being on stage. It's kind of true; you have a captive audience, and you have to keep their attention. But you can also see that my love for great stories and happy endings goes back a long time...

Time for Some Introductions

"Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning: I wanted to know what I was going to say." ~Sharon O'Brien

Ah...I finally had a chance to get back to working on One Night in Napa yesterday. And I thought, since I'm pretty happy with the way the plot is progressing (for a first draft anyway), I'd share my hero and heroine with you. Now, be prepared: they're in their first stage, of course. But they're developing minds of their own, which is always a good thing, so I thought I'd spring them on the blogging world this Monday morning.

Without further adieu, I present to you...Grant and Kira(the first time we meet both of them). Hope you enjoy!

10:00 am
Grant Walker knew it was going to be a long day when he woke up and couldn’t remember the name of the woman lying beside him. His head throbbed. His stomach roiled. Late morning sun slanted across his face, and he squinted. Ran one hand over his stubbled jaw. Rolled over and stared at a digital clock he didn’t recognize.

Then he heard the sound again: his cell phone, beeping with a message unanswered. He groaned.

“Babe?” A manicured hand snaked out from the covers and caressed his bare chest. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” He slipped from the satin sheets, planted one foot on a throw rug, and ended up on his ass next to the bed.

She giggled.

He swore under his breath and pulled himself up. Naked, he searched the bedroom until he found the golf shirt and shorts he remembered wearing the night before. Shots of tequila, he recalled. And a blonde at the end of the bar, with a gorgeous rack and pouty lips, who wouldn’t stop staring at him. His two vices, served up neatly at Mick’s, the local bar conveniently located at the end of his block.

Grant glanced out a window swathed in pink gauze curtains. He had no idea where he was now. Clothed, he palmed his cell and checked his voice mail. And then was sorry.

“Grant? Where are you? It’s past nine.” His father’s clipped voice, cool and disapproving, sliced across the phone line.

“Shit.” He clasped his watch and glanced at the body still lying under the covers a few feet away. A perfect body too, as he recalled, all curves and soft spots and sweet smells. For a moment, he considered tossing the phone out the nearest window, stripping down, and spending the rest of the day rediscovering the places he’d visited last night...


11:00 am
Traffic noise outside her bedroom woke Kira March from a fitful rest. She rolled over and pushed her face into the pillow. She’d gotten what, four hours of sleep? Maybe less. They’d finished editing the final scene of Scott’s indie film sometime close to dawn. The last thing she remembered was the sun breaking over the Sierra Buttes outside the warehouse’s dusty windows.

Nonstop work for almost a month. Writing, filming, cutting, editing, all in a mad blur to get ready for the upcoming film festival. Kira yawned as a siren wailed. But it would be worth it. Scott Chapin was a film genius, as far as she was concerned. Brilliant vision, brilliant technique. She’d been lucky to find him in the tiny town of Yuba City. Or fated.

Thought I was moving here to get away. The notion wriggled its way into her mind, the way it had so many times before. Yet one hundred miles from home, she’d run right into someone who made it impossible for her to forget her former life. Kira ignored the irony.

Someone knocked on her door, and a blur moved inside. “You up?”

Kira reached for her glasses, and the blur’s edges sharpened into her roommate Ayasha. “Depends on what you mean by up. Barely awake, yes. Functional, no.”

Ayasha pulled at the long black braid that hung over one shoulder. “I started some coffee.”

“Drank about a gallon of it last night.” In fact, Kira could still feel it sloshing around her stomach, and she’d be lucky if the lining of her organ wasn’t beginning to peel itself into pieces. Should really try to cut it down to a few cups a day.

Ayasha sank onto the overstuffed, purple velour chair in the corner or Kira’s room. Her eyes brightened. “So did you finish it?”

Kira nodded. She pulled her glasses off again and rubbed at her eyes. Her fingers came away black with mascara.

Ayasha spun the silver rings on her fingers. “Is it amazing? Is it going to win?”

She shrugged. Sphinx was the best thing she’d worked on so far. She’d known it would be, from the moment she read the script over two years ago. But would it win any awards at next month’s festival? Who the hell knew. Too much relied on favoritism, and on who was due. Who’d put in their time. And who was new and sexy on the scene and would pull in the votes because it meant a cover shot on People.

Kira knew that better than anyone. She’d grown up in the business, though by birth and not by choice. No way. Yet while she’d vacillated over the years, at first loving and then loathing the spotlight, she had to admit that the film industry was so deeply rooted in her, she couldn’t imagine life without it...

Ah, Sunshine!

"April weather, rain and sunshine both together." ~English Country Saying

Yesterday was SO glorious here: 70 and sunny. Finally! I worked outside as much as I could and even tackled that rock wall which took a bite out of my finger a couple weeks back. Slow progress, but worthwhile. Today it's supposed to be cooler, so I hope to get some writing done!!

Speaking of which, Women On Writing has its April ezine issue up - and the focus is Freelancers. They also have something new, a monthly ezine you can subscribe to for $2 that provides info and contacts about all kinds of freelance writing gigs. I firmly believe that writing of any kind (articles, blogs, reviews, stories, etc) can help authors get their name into the public eye. So I may check it out; you might want to give it a look too.

Happy Sunday!

I Know I Live in the Country, but This is Ridiculous

"Accident is the name of the greatest of all inventors." ~Mark Twain

I'm a country girl by location, if not by heart. I grew up in a very small, rural town, spent a few years living in various cities during school, and now also live in a small, rural town, though this county is actually the fastest-growing in NY. While there's still lots of farmland and open countryside, we also have a few larger towns and small cities scattered around.

Since I live on 10 acres on the side of a Catskill mountain ridge, though, I'm used to seeing deer in my front yard, groundhogs under my porch, rabbits and squirrels amid the birds, and the occasional flock of turkeys parading across my driveway. Fine.

I am not, however, used to giant turkey vultures dive-bombing my car.

Yesterday morning, I dropped hubby off at work (we work for the same school, though 2 locations about 3 miles apart), where he picked up his car and went to grab something for breakfast. I was heading across town when all of a sudden this giant black shadow appears over my windshield. Then there is an enormous thud.

And then everything slows down as I try to process what just happened. This is my brain, in the span of about 5 seconds:

What the he** was that? Did I just - did I hit something?

Wait...the windshield is completely shattered.

Was that a - deer? But it fell onto my car. Some kind of bird?

Holy crap, did I just hit a person???

(Oh, and I should mention that of course this is hubby's BRAND NEW car that he's had for 3 months, that I was driving because my own needs an inspection sticker.)

So I pulled over and called 911. I would love to hear that recording again:

Me: "Um, yeah, I'm on ________ and I'm not really sure what just happened? I think I may have hit an animal?

911: "Do you see an animal anywhere around?"

Me: "Well, no, but, my windshield is shattered and..."

911: "Is there glass inside the car?"

Me: (Looking down at my lap for the first time) "Um, yes. (covering my lap and on the passenger seat. When did that happen?)

911: "Are you injured?"

Me: (Looking into the rear view mirror just to be sure) "No. I'm fine."

911: "Okay, I'm sending someone right now. Just stay right there."

Like I'm going somewhere?

The cop arrived about 5 minutes later, and I swear he was 12. Okay, maybe 16. What's the minimum age for the police academy these days?

Cop: "Ah, hello, there, miss."

Me: (so grateful he didn't call me ma'am) "Hi. I think I hit an animal."

Cop: "Yup, that's a deer strike."

Me: "Are you sure? Because it felt like a huge bird."

Cop: (leaning over the windshield and picking something out of the glass) "Oh yeah - look at that! Those are feathers."

So he goes up the road to check it out, and meanwhile hubby has come to my rescue. I will tell you that I am very proud: I never cried. I was shaken up, but I was quite pleased with whatever part of me was able to rationally make the phone calls I needed to and proceed on to school a few minutes later.

Cop comes back a few minutes later. "Looks like you hit a turkey buzzard. It's flat now." Chuckles.

Well, I am an animal lover, and I did say a little "I'm sorry...go to the Rainbow Bridge" to the bird, but I've gotta say, I wasn't overly sad about killing it. It clearly dove directly into my windshield.

To wrap up this saga, hubby and I switched cars, and the windshield was fixed by yesterday afternoon. Insurance is an amazing thing, in this case; New York has full glass coverage, so it didn't cost a thing.

I really am fine, though I do realize I'm fortunate that I wasn't hurt. And on the bright side, I figure it was good research, should I decide to write a car accident scene in an upcoming story. I'll post a picture or two of the damage, when I find where hubby put the digital camera. You've gotta see it - as windshield breaks go, it's a pretty glorious one.

So...how was your Friday?

Promo $$ and Eyes Crossing in Despair

I'm dashing out the door (late) this morning, and that darn chef over at Friday's Feast decided to take the morning off, so I don't even have a clever meme to fall back on for today.

I will say that I've been getting serious about my upcoming promotions, since Release Day is less than 2 months away, and this weekend I'll be putting together my next major efforts at promotion: 2 formal ads for One Night in Boston and Lost in Paradise. This will be the first major thing(s) I've spent $$ on, outside of excerpt booklets and smaller giveaways. It's amazing how much you can spend on advertising. I know I've talked about it before, but I've watched so many authors over the last year or so, trying to figure out what REALLY seems to work to improve name recognition and drive sales. With these print releases of my book, I plan to try my best to track when ads release and how my sales do in comparison. Otherwise it's just like opening my front door and tossing a fistful of cash into the wind.

I do believe, however, that consistently writing good books is the #1 advertising an author can do for herself, which is why I also need to sit down this weekend and make 2 plans: one for finishing the draft of One Night in Napa (yes, progress has slowed down a bit) and one for fine-tuning Summer's Song and getting it out to agents and editors.

First, though, I'm off to get together my Romantic Times ad (they say this is the mother of promo places for romance writers, so we'll see) and my Romance Sells ad (this one goes to librarians and booksellers across the country).

See you tomorrow!

I Felt a Little Like Socrates

"Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued." ~Socrates

Okay, to fully understand my absolute pleasure at what happened yesterday, you first must know how incredibly LONG winter has been here in the Northeast US. Not only did we get socked with snow/sleet/ice multiple times, so that we had 6-foot drifts along our driveway for months, even when the snow melted, around March, the weather never warmed up. Until this week, it was down around 15-20 degrees every night. And gray. So gray. Never any sun.

So finally, FINALLY, yesterday, we had a day that felt like spring was really here. The sun came out, and it was up in the 60s.

And my students asked if we could have class outside.

"Are you kidding?" I said. "I'll be the first one out the door."

So with the usual caveats of If you don't behave and stay focused, we're coming right back inside, and this will never happen again, we headed out to the park next door.

And for an hour, we sat in a circle in the sunshine and read poetry together. I have to say, it was a near-perfect day. There was something so organic, so very cool, about engaging 20 teenagers in conversation about language with the trees around us and the sun on our backs.

Of course, tomorrow they'll probably cry about the workload, or beg for a grade change, or I'll get called into the principal's office for taking them off school grounds without prior permission.

But I don't care. For a day, anyway, it was what being a teacher is all about. It's true: I felt a little like Socrates, surrounded by pupils engaged in earnest discussion. Except, you know, not nearly as brilliant. But otherwise...

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Colin Harvey

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today's interview is with author Colin Harvey. Enjoy!

Hi, Colin! Can you tell us a little about your background?

I’m 47, married to Kate for almost 20 years; no kids but two spaniels. I worked for Unilever for over twenty years before being made redundant last August. Since then I’ve been freelancing.

We're glad you're here today. Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

I have two!

The Silk Palace is an epic fantasy which has gone top five on the fictionwise (electronic) chart even outselling JK Rowling and Terry Pratchett for a week! The print copy has been selling well, as well, partly because the Library Journal said of it: “Harvey brings to life a compelling world of flying machines, wizardry, and divine magic.” While Bruce Boston, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Guardener's Tale, said of it, “Harvey fashions a richly textured magical kingdom that is ripe with sensuality and filled with both wonder and horror. Intrigues, betrayals, murders, love affairs, transformations, and revelations combine to create a narrative of epic proportions.”

And at the end of this month I move into non-fiction! Katy’s Cookbook is a collection of recipes that have been gathering dust in our kitchen in a hand-written book.

What wonderful reviews and selling success - congrats! So what advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

i. Write. Write some more. Write every day – small amounts regularly are better than huge binges on an irregular basis.
ii. Finish what you start.
iii. Remember, nothing works equally for anyone, so any advice you’re given should be tried, but if it doesn’t work for you, discard it.

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

SF / fantasy, and crime.
Two favourite authors; in SF it’s Alfred Bester, and in crime it’s Rex Stout. Apparently they lived next door to each other for a while!

Big question, now: how do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

My wife would tell you that I don’t balance it….but seriously, every writing minute has to be quarried out of life. Take lots of breaks – I work for 45 minutes, break for 15. On again – then off again. Exercise. I walk the dogs twice a day and go to the gym a couple of times a week. It’s important to exercise as much as you can, because writing is a sedentary, lonely occupation. But walking gives you time to think, as well.

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

I suffered for about twenty years. It ends when it ends, but I think the key is to convince yourself that it doesn’t matter. Take the pressure off yourself; write little bits and bobs – “thequick brown fox ran through the lobby of the hallway…” then see where it takes you.

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

I think about writing….



Colin, thanks so much for being here today. Readers, make sure to visit Colin's website and MySpace page - and have a terrific day!

My Gardening Woes

"Science, or para-science, tells us that geraniums bloom better if they are spoken to. But a kind word every now and then is really quite enough. Too much attention, like too much feeding, and weeding and hoeing, inhibits and embarrasses them." ~Victoria Glendinning

I have never been a gardener. I have never even pretended to be. I know some people love it, the planting and the tending and the reaping, and they all have lovely gardens that I envy whenever I drive by.

But I just cannot find the energy or motivation to join them, despite the promises of fresh air and exercise and meditation that comes with gardening. For one, any spare time I do have, I'd rather be reading or writing or running or walking - all of which I can also do outside. For two, gardening takes an awful lot of work, and vision, and patience, and I have discovered that I really don't have the hours or the creative ability to nurse plants and flowers over months at a time.

Having said that, I do try mightily each year to plant something new, to try again to coax flowers to grow. And I do love the moment they emerge from the ground in early spring. There is something so encouraging about green shoots poking up from bare earth, where there had only been snow for so long.

So I share with you my early spring pictures. And if anyone has suggestions for foolproof (and deer-resistant) plants and flowers that aren't too difficult to grow, I'm all ears.

The very first daffodil to begin to show its face (it's in the premiere spot, in full sun right in front of the house)

Snowdrops doing their best to survive still-cold nights...

...and an interesting occurrence: the daffodils in the back of this bed are, obviously, healthy and ready to bloom. The ones in the foreground, well, I laid all that black weed fabric in this bed last year and completely forgot I had early perennials there (we've only been in this house 2 springs). So not only were these guys fighting against the fabric, I had also laid a couple of fieldstones squarely over them. When I noticed a bump in the mulch a few weeks ago, I decided to investigate. Whoops. Poor things (I know uber-gardener Marianne will be angry with me...). But isn't it amazing that they continued to grow, despite all that? I'm waiting to see if they'll actually bloom.

My Next Book to Read

"In the end, people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out." ~from "The Lessons I'm Leaving Behind" by Randy Pausch


Did anyone see the featured author/book in the Sunday Parade issue yesterday? The main article was on Randy Pausch, a computer science professor who's 47 and dying of pancreatic cancer. He gave his final, farewell lecture at Carnegie Mellon a few months ago and has turned it into a book: The Last Lecture.

Among other comments quoted in the article:

"At the end of [one] semester, I presented a stuffed penguin to the team that took the biggest gamble while not meeting its goals. The award came from the idea that when penguins jump in water that might have predators, well, one of them's got to be the first penguin...Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted. And it can be the most valuable thing you have to offer..."

"As a professor, I've seen how disruptive it can be for parents to have specific dreams for their children. My job is to help my kids foster a joy for life and develop the tools to fulfill their own wishes. My wishes for them are very exact and, given that I won't be there, I want to be clear: Kids, don't try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become. And I want you to feel as if I am there with you, whatever path you choose..."

You can read the whole article, or watch his last lecture, here.

I've definitely put his book on my To Be Read List. Kind of reminds you what's important in life, doesn't it?

Last Chance for Spring Showers!

"It's not true that nice guys finish last. Nice guys are winners before the game even starts." ~Addison Walker

Well, here it is: the last week for the Samhain Spring Showers Event, over at Coffee Time Romance. I have another excerpt posted, from One Night in Memphis - where hero and heroine meet speak for the second time. (Remember to scroll down to subsequent pages if it's not on the first one :)

I loved writing Ethan, the hero in this story. He's a non-Alpha male, the sweet, quiet guy who's forced to step beyond his comfort level when he falls for crazy Dakota. Ooh, seeing the story again makes me wish for July to be here, so the book can officially release! (Yes, Devon, I will try my hardest to give you the heads-up before it does and before Samhain sends it out for review...)

By the way, my faithful blog readers will recognize Devon Gray's name because she likes to hang around my blog and say nice things about my writing :) She's also a reviewer for Fallen Angel Reviews AND even better, she's a romance writer herself who just got some great news from a editor who's interested in publishing her first book! So drop her a line of congrats on her blog if you get a chance.

***

Did some good writing on One Night in Napa yesterday: I'm finished with the Midnight chapter and hope to do a little work on 1:00 am today. We'll see. It's supposed to be a really nice day here, though, so the weather (and my flowers trying so hard to bloom) might tempt me outside.

Have a wonderful day!!