Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Lanaia Lee

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm happy to be hosting author Lanaia Lee. Settle in and enjoy the interview!

Hi, Lanaia, and thanks for joining me today. Can you tell us a little about your background?

Not much to give for my background in writing. I have only been writing for five years. Divine intervention, I would say. My poetry has won numerous awards and I'm hoping so will my numerous books I will end up writing. I had a stroke at 35, confining me to a wheelchair, so me being a Taurus, my husband calls me Sitting Bull.

Ha - love the nickname! So when did you first begin writing? Was there an event or moment in your life that triggered your desire to write?

Five years ago my husband dared me to write a poem. After writing it being curious, I posted it in several on line poetry forums, and the feed back was so positive, I continued to write. Poetry at first, then short stories and finally novals.

Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

Right now I am working on a five volume fantasy series called Of Atlantis, book one realeased on May 17th, right now it can be purchased at http://www.rovalpublishing.net/, book two called Skulls of Salvation, to be released by the end of summer by A' G' Press, http://www.agpress.8m.net/, the press will publish my last 4 books. I also have a book of poetry available through A. G. Press, called Within Lanaia's Garden of Darkness, now available every where. Soon Of Atlantis book one will also be available everywhere.

That's great news! Now, how do you go about developing your characters?

My characters from Of Atlantis have been in my imagination since childhood. I was an only child, so some of my characters, I played with as a child. An only child seems to develop quite the imagination. My series is based on a lot of my own personal beliefs, so no problem in developing my characters.

OK, what advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Any new author, make sure [to be careful] in dealing with anyone, especially from the Internet. There are people out there that will seduce you, by telling you, just what you want to hear, just to take advantage of you. So my advice is to be very careful and be absolutely sure of who you are dealing with.

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

I love mysteries and historical romances. My absolute favorite author of all time is Edgar Allan Poe, this man was a literary genius. Having died when he was only forty, I wish he had lived longer, so there would have been more of his work.

Ah, I'm a Poe fan too! What do you find most difficult about writing? What do you find most exciting or rewarding?

Sometimes in writing poetry, after writing over a thousand poems, sometime I get a bout of writer's block, but after a while of thinking, I always come up with a poem. After I write, I will read it aloud to my husband, and my most rewarding thing, is seeing the look on my husband's face. This tells me if he truly enjoyed my work. The most exciting thing is when friends read my work and comment. Remember those closest to you are your biggest critics.

Thanks for sharing your journey with us, Lanaia!

Allie, I would really like to thank you for taking the time to interview me and talk with me...and readers, remember to buy Of Atlantis!

Gardening Woes and Wows

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. " ~H. Fred Ale

I'm not much of a gardener. This will not come as a surprise to anyone who's read my blog for a while, but really, I do not possess a green thumb and have no great desire to develop one. I would much rather spend any free time I have reading or writing (or possibly drinking a good Merlot, but I digress...)

However, I'm happy to say that the vegetables we've started in containers on our front porch are actually growing. This is a feat in itself, as I'm always somewhat surprised to see seeds in dirt turn into green plants above the ground. Yesterday I was weeding (if you can believe it) and hubby came running across the driveway waving something in his hand. Thrilled, he produced two tiny green beans from one of our plants. Hooray! Actually, the lettuce is doing quite well too, and everything else seems to be growing and flowering. I'll take a picture and post it up here sometime.

The poor flowerbeds around the property aren't doing quite as well, though, mostly because it's been beastly hot and dry here, and also because most of the ground beneath us is slate and sand (a neighboring town is actually named "Slate Hill" - need I say more?). But they're doing OK. Except while I was weeding yesterday I found hoofprints in one bed. Yes, actual hoofprints, from the local deer. Yes, they're cute. Yes, I refuse to let hubby hunt them. Yes, I hate to see them hit along the side of the road. But they demolished my impatiens - demolished those and yet left the petunias completely alone.

Unbelievable.

Oh, well. Some things are still steadily growing, others are struggling, and others are thriving no matter what gets thrown at them (like the hostas...they're enormous...does anyone need any??)

Sort of like people, now that I think about it.

Countdown to End of School, and Party Plans, and Release Dates, and...

"We can make this thing into a Party, instead of a Memory." ~Will Rogers

Two weeks left of school...and I'm not sure who's happier, the students or the teachers!

I'll be spending this week (among other things that, you know, have to do with my day job) getting ready for my book launch party this-coming Saturday! I'm excited, if only because I'm holding it at a place that's really small and maxes out at about 50 people - which means if even 10 people come to my party, it will at least look sort of crowded and well-attended :)

And this is a shout-out to my local blog readers: everyone's invited on Saturday! (really) - Click on this link to find out more details.

I had a chance to visit my parents this past weekend, and my mom said to me, "You know, I got a little worried toward the end of Lost in Paradise. I thought maybe it was going to have a sad ending." Aha! So the black moment in the book works :) And see, that's the nice thing about the love stories I write - you can count on the fact that they have happy endings.

Speaking of love stories with happy endings, only three weeks and counting 'til One Night in Memphis releases!

Happy Father's Day

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." ~Clarence Budington Kellard

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

My goal for today is to finish my second round of edits for One Night in Memphis. One thing I like about my Samhain editor, she's very efficient. She always gives me about a week to work on edits, which is nice because, really, it doesn't leave me a lot of time to procrastinate. I got this round last Wednesday, I think, and she wants them back Monday. Of course, being that it's the end of school, life's a little crazy right now, but luckily she only wants a few things fixed.

I can't wait for this story to meet the world - less than a month to go!

A Quick Question

"I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments." ~Oscar Wilde

OK, so here's my question: if you were going to attend a presentation at your local library given by 2-3 writers (and of course you would, right? because writers are very cool and you support struggling artists), which would you rather hear?

1. A discussion of what it takes to write something and get it published

2. A discussion of how the romance and women's fiction genres are changing and what kind of plotlines they include these days

3. A brief introduction of what each author writes, maybe a personal anecdote or two, and then an open Q&A session

4. Something else altogether

I have the opportunity to speak at a couple of places this summer and am wondering what might be the best draw?

And I know there are lots of you out there who lurk but don't comment, so if you have an opinion today, I'd love to hear it!

TGIF!!

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." ~Jimmy Dean

Thanks, everyone, for your kind words yesterday...that's why I love cyberworld!

And because I am at the end of a long week and fresh out of new ideas, here's the Friday Feast. Enjoy!


Appetizer
Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist?
I'd say 80% of the time, I'm an optimist. Every once in a while the pessimist side rears its ugly head, though, and I'll spend a few philosophical hours wondering the point of any of my efforts, since in the very grand scheme of things, we live such a short time and have such little (if any) lasting effect on the world.

Soup
What is your favorite color of ink to write with?
Blue.

Salad
How often do you get a manicure or pedicure? Do you do them yourself or go to a salon and pay for them?
During the summer, I get pedicures at a salon about once/month. In the winter, rarely to never, or I do them myself. (c'mon, it's like shaving - who's going to see your legs and your feet when it's 20 degrees outside??) And I never, never get manicures. I use my hands way too much...between doing dishes and playing the piano, the polish comes off the next day.

Main Course
Have you ever won anything online? If so, what was it?
I've won books in different writer's contests. For me as an author, that's a pretty cool prize.

Dessert
In which room in your house do you keep your home computer?
Desktop: the office.
Laptop: anywhere I am and need to write...

And I Thought Mrs. Giggles Was Tough...

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." ~Lance Armstrong

Ouch.

Hang on, let me get another bandage.

And find the limb that got torn off and thrown somewhere across the room.

And see if I can stop the bleeding.

I got my worst review to date, yesterday, for One Night in Boston, from Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction.

The reviewer wrote, in part, "The biggest problem with this story is pace. I read the first chapter excited. The second going, okay, bring it on. The third through probably the next five to six were absolutely flat. I regained my excitement only to have more flat chapters appear. They merely read as set up and lent nothing to the actual story line. I ran into all the cliche roadblocks of Woman’s Fiction and a few from Romance...Heroine’s big secret, which the reader figures out by the end of the first chapter, is so horribly hooked I wanted to tear my hair out...The plot gets warped because I am trying to follow so many characters and none of them truly get to make their mark in the tale."

Yeah - ouch.

I suppose I should find some kind of comfort in the fact that the reviewer went on for paragraphs about what s/he didn't like - my writing was powerfully bad enough to draw actual frustration, not just indifference. Woo hoo!

And I suppose I should be glad for the few teeny tiny glimmers of positive light, because s/he did ultimately say, "I would give her another shot if she could do something other than the already overdone...Big Kudos for trying a new formula in romance...Personally, I’d like to see something else from this author that is outside the box. Hey, if she isn’t writing inside the proverbial limits in the first place, she might as well take a deep breath and jump. All in all, I am giving this book a rating of good read, intriguing, mainly on characterization. She’s got style. I can’t wait to see what might come from her in the future."

I spent a couple of self-indulgent hours yesterday feeling really bad. I thought, wow, maybe I shouldn't be promoting a book that is so obviously flawed. Then I thought, well, I'll take what I can from the review and move on. No one likes everything. No, the book isn't a traditional romance. No, the hero and heroine do not meet in the first chapter. They don't even meet until halfway through the book. Yes, I probably sacrifice action and conflict for prose that captures a mood or a moment - though it's something I'm working on. And I got a thumbs-up on style, which made me happy :)

So, live and learn. Bad reviews sell books too, right? (As a matter of fact, it looks as though 2 copies have sold on Amazon since that review went up. Connection?)

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen

Thanks for joining me for another exciting author interview - and today, we have a slightly schizophrenic one (just kidding). She writes alone as Mechele Armstrong and collaboratively as Melany Logen. Intrigued? Read on...

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

I've written most of my life from the time I was a child. What really got me serious was a moment at the beach when my youngest was tiny. I read four romance novels in a weekend after having not read them for a long time. I thought, "I can do this." Came home and wrote a romance novel, which will need lots of tweaking before it ever sees the light of day. That was a defining moment that got me serious about writing.

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

Learn your craft. Don't give up. Give yourself permission to write badly. You can always go back and fix things later. The only thing you can't tweak is a blank page.

I stand by that advice, myself. What kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I love to read almost anything. My favorites are paranormal and erotic romance, followed by romantic suspense, thrillers, and horror. I have several favorite authors, LOL, too many to list here. Some authors with books on my keeper shelf are Robin Schone, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Karen Marie Moning, and Lynn Kurland.

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

The most difficult thing is promotion. I'm a shy person, and it's hard for me to talk about myself. I've had to get over. I've had to get over my shyness and approach people for things. The most exciting and rewarding things for me are when a person loves my book. I've had my books and keeper shelf mentioned. It's a wonderful thing to hear.

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

It is a constant juggling act. I juggle hubby, kids, friends, pets, and the house and hope I don't drop anything. The house is probably what suffers the most.

I can't imagine you ever suffer from writer's block, since you're writing under two names...but do you ever get stuck? If so, what do you do about it?

A hot bubble bath usually helps me get back on track. If I'm really stuck, pushing ahead or writing on something else will sometimes jog lose the stuck portion of my brain.

Describe your writing space for us...

Hee. I have a fairly new wooden desk that I sit at to write on my laptop. It sits in an inset of a room, which we just painted a mellow shade of green. A picture of New York City (with the TradeTowers) hangs in front of it. A signed poster of Kinley MacGregor's Sword of Darkness hands to the wall to the right. Across a doorway, on the far left wall hangs a poster my hubby did for me of my covers to date. It's beautiful. I also have one Snoopy statue and one snowglobe of him writing on top of his doghouse sitting on top of boxes that hold address labels, cards, and such to the left. The words, "It was a dark and stormy night." are etched on the doghouse. A lamp rests on the desk to the right with a tray for "stuff" to the left. The cat generally lays on the desk to the right beside the laptop fan as I tickety type. It's very inspiring. I love my desk.

Oh, it sounds lovely! What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book(s)?

That the novel isn't done once you type the end. It takes lots of tweaking from me and rounds of edits before it's truly "finished."

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

I'm a computer writer. My handwriting is horrible especially when my brain pushed on ahead. It's bad when you can't read your own handwriting. Plus, I tweak as I write so would end up scribbling out things and writing in the margins. I'm much happier writing at the keyboard.

Mechele, thanks so much for being here today! Readers, make sure to stop by and visit Mechele's website or Melany's website - and have a great day!

Of Sales, Promotions, and Horse Races

Marianne reminded me yesterday that I should have shown the videos from the 1978 Affirmed-Alydar matchup that resulted in the last Triple Crown winner. So here's the final, the Belmont Stakes, and it's a heck of a race:



Got a nibble yesterday from another bookstore I sent a mailing to, who asked me to send promo items and noted that they'd ordered both One Night in Boston and Lost in Paradise. So that's a good sign - I'll probably offer to stop by this summer (it's about 75 miles north of where I live) and sign copies or do a "meet and greet."

I'll be interested to see how the print sales are for both these books, though it's tough to wait because Samhain, anyway, gives you print royalties only twice a year, 6 months behind the selling period. That means I'll find out about Jan-June sales for this year in December. That's OK - I guess I can wait! Got my royalty statement from The Wild Rose Press yesterday for the first quarter of 2008, and it was pretty disappointing. I know they're focusing more on their ebook/e-short stories than their print books now, so I don't expect print sales for Lost in Paradise to be astronomical.

Live and learn, I suppose.

And Now for Something Completely Different

"I think it's better to break a man's leg than his heart." ~from the movie Seabiscuit (2003)

I'm sure a lot of us watched the Belmont Stakes over the weekend, hoping and wondering if Big Brown would become a Triple Crown winner. And without getting into all the conversations about horses on steroids, or the cruelty of the sport (Eight Belles RIP), let me just say that I do love watching them run. They are such magnificent animals.

So I did a little video searching for today's entertainment.

The first is Rags to Riches' victory in last year's Belmont, a tremendous win because she was, of course, a girl. I love the emotion in the announcer's voice:



This one's a 1938 film of Seabiscuit and War Admiral. Watch the people on the infield running back and forth as the race progresses! (By the way, this is a great movie if you haven't seen it):




And finally, if you have the time, here's the classic final race scene from The Black Stallion (also a terrific film - the beach scene early on, which spans 15 minutes without dialogue, is a cinematic masterpiece):

Summer's Here...

"Do what we can; summer will have its flies." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ugh. Summer has arrived with a vengeance, in her finest array of heat and humidity. We're in the throes of a heat wave here - it was 100 yesterday and is supposed to stay in the upper 90's through Tuesday. And the humidity, of course, just hangs over everything with this awful haze that makes you sweat the minute you step out of the shower...

So I decided to take one more crack at revising Summer's Song yesterday, with all my readers' comments in hand. Maybe it was the heat (I'm hoping) but all I saw were the problems. I had to put it down again after an hour because I was so aggravated with it.

Sigh.

Maybe I'll spend today in the nice cool basement and try again.

Ah, Saturday...

"I've been thinking Hobbes --"
"On a weekend?"
"Well, it wasn't on purpose..."
~Calvin and Hobbes

What I'm doing today: Meeting some girlfriends from my writers' group at Borders to chat and swap pages. Hooray!

What I'm reading today: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - Anyone else know this one? It's YA vampire romance, and the teenage girls in my class have been RAVING about this series (there are 3 books out, the 4th due this summer). I finally decided I should see what all the hype is about.

What I'm writing today: Probably figuring out what to use as an excerpt for One Night in Memphis. I know that's going to be the next thing my editor asks me for, so...

What about you??

Odds and Ends and Questions from Readers

"If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance." ~Bern Williams

So a few odds and ends to round out the week:

1. Amy asked when we start school here in NY ~ the day after Labor Day, always.

2. Dru asked how I decide where to set my One Night... stories. Well, One Night in Memphis was the first one I wrote, and it was based in part on a real-life single night in Memphis, on Beale Street, that a girlfriend and I spent after college. One Night in Boston - well, I just love the city. I do feel like I should write about cities I've actually been to. But I deliberately set One Night in Napa on the West Coast for marketing reasons, thinking I shouldn't isolate readers out there. (I've been to SF and Napa Valley, though). I have plans for Cleveland and Philadelphia, too.

3. I found out that my short story "Blue Circle Books" is about 95% guaranteed to make the cut for publication in Adams Media's My Mom is My Hero anthology, coming out next Mothers' Day.

4. I received my copy of Romance Sells in the mail yesterday. This is a catalog of new and upcoming releases in romance, that's sent to about 8000 librarians around the country. It's hefty $$$ to place an ad in it, but I figured I'd give it a try for my first 2 books and see what happens.

5. And speaking of selling, I got my May royalties from Samhain, and unbelievably, I'm still selling ebooks of One Night in Boston. Cool!

It's the Personal Touch that Counts

"Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure not this thing nor that but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing." ~William Butler Yeats

Here's my latest discovery, and it's certainly not rocket science: a personal touch will get you further in promoting your book than a big fancy book signing at a big fancy chain store in an overcrowded mall off a major highway.

If you read my blog every day, you already know I contacted my local library/resource center and they were delighted to host a book launch party for me later this month. And you already know that I'm planning on attending a book discussion group this summer headed by my fifth grade teacher, who discovered that One Night in Boston was dedicated to her.

More evidence? I sent a handwritten letter and some bookmarks to the library in my childhood hometown and said I'd love to join their writers' group one evening and talk about my experiences. The librarian emailed me tonight asking what date this summer worked for me.

And finally, all those handwritten notes I sent to independent bookstores in NY/CT/MA/RI/NH? I mailed them Monday. Today at noon I got a phone call from a store manager up in Portsmouth, NH, saying they'd like to carry Lost in Paradise, since it's set in New Hampshire. How cool is that?

I'll keep you posted on what kind of response I get from the other 79 letters I mailed.

***
Went to see the "Sex and the City" movie the other day. I was never a big fan when it was on TV, but some girlfriends wanted to go. It was cute. Long, but cute. But wow, definitely a lot of sex. I guess that's sort of their whole theme, though, right?

***
Devon asked me the other day if I was done with school yet. {{Insert huge sigh and shaking of head here.}} I think New York goes longer than any other state in the country. My last day of school is actually JUNE 27 can you believe it??!! I am so ready for it to be here...

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Janet Lane Walters

Welcome to another Writers' Wednesday! Today I have the great pleasure of featuring prolific romance author (she's published books in just about every sub-genre!) Janet Lane Walters. I'm a little partial because, well, Janet is also in my critique group, so I'm one lucky author to be able to benefit from her experiences in the business!

Hi, Janet, and welcome to my online home! Can you tell readers a little about your background?

I have a BA in English and a BS in Nursing. Married for a long time to a psychiatrist who refuses to treat my obsession for writing. I have four children, the youngest is a biracial adopted daughter. I have five grandchildren, four black and one Chinese. We're awaiting the second Chinese granddaughter. I have been around for a very long time.

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

I've always tried to write, but it wasn't until we lived in a small Oklahoma town with a small limited library. After reading three volumes of the encyclopedia, I decided to write and so I did.

Three volumes - wow! So tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

My latest published is a YA to adult fantasy, The Henge Betrayed -- Flight. This is a story about two sets of male/female twins who must leave home and their parents to seek teachers. On the way, they meet up with the son of the prince who is partly responsible for their tragedy. They also encounter an evil dom who wishes to use them. The story tells of their learning to use their affinities for Water, Earth, Air and Fire. I have two books coming soon, as well. One is a spicy romance -- A Silken Seduction and the other is a third of a fantasy trilogy -- The Secret of the Jewels.

How do you go about developing your characters?

I often use Astrology to develop my characters. Using the Sun, Moon, and Rising Sign to give them their motivations, actions and reactions to various situations. Then I flavor them with bits and pieces of myself and those people I know.

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

The advice that was given to me. Finish the book and then revise.

Good one, absolutely! OK, what kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I'm an eclectic reader just as I am a writer. I don't like horror and the artsy kind of book are the only ones I don't read. Favorite authors are too many to be counted since I read a book about every two days.

Every 2 days?! I'm impressed. Now, what do you find most difficult about writing? What do you find most exciting or rewarding?

Writing the rough draft is the hardest for me. I love rewriting and revision though sometimes I have trouble letting a story go.

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

At this point in my life, there's little to get in the way of writing. Years ago when I had children living at home, finding writing time was harder. I also worked part-time as a nurse and for a few years full-time. I didn't write much during those years.

Do you ever suffer from writer's block?

I don't think I suffer from writer's block but from writer's procrastination. That means diddling around and finding other things to do instead of write.

Describe your writing space for us...

I have a study off the living room of the house that was once a sun porch. There are shelves on one wall for my reference books and another bookshelf. A recliner, and two tables for works in progress as well as the computer desk. On a shelf above my computer is my dragon collection. At this count 16.

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

My first choice is visiting in person or on the phone with my grandchildren. Then comes reading. Cooking is third. Cleaning the house is my hobby, the thing I do when I have nothing else to do.

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

I'm a planner, so little surprises me while I'm writing. Perhaps making the characters come alive sometimes surprises me. They can be so stubborn at times.

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

I handwrite everything and them type into the computer, making notes and revisions as I type. I then write the next draft by hand. Around the third or fourth draft, I make notes and corrections on the printed pages and only re-write segments.

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

Now here's a funny thing. I seldom go to movies. Even when I write, I don't see pictures, I see words on the printed page.

Janet, thanks so much for being here today! Readers, take a peek at Janet's blog if you want to know the latest!

Another Promo Opportunity

"I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works." ~Oscar Wilde

A picture from the book signing last Friday - don't we look good??





And a new review for Lost in Paradise, from Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction. It says, in part, "This was a very sweet love story I'm glad I had the chance to read. I wouldn't hesitate to read anything by Allie Boniface."

Finally, I'm excited because last night I met with a lovely group of women at our local resource center/library (very small but cute and cozy), and they've agreed to host a book launch party for me later this month! We agreed it will be good publicity for both of us, since they're trying to raise funds and I'm, well, you know, trying to sell my book :)

P.S. Don't forget you can enter my contest every day this week, over at Long and Short Reviews!

Contest Time!

Just a quick Monday post today, to let you know that this week I have author features on two websites, to celebrate my releases of One Night in Boston and Lost in Paradise, and on both you can enter to win either a book or a gift certificate! Plus, I have to say, the women at both sites did a lovely job with presenting all the information:


I'm the Featured Author over at Road to Romance, and


I'm in the Author Spotlight over at Long and Short Reviews.


Stop by and enter to win - it's easy!

More on Promotion

"Upon the creatures we have made, we are, ourselves, at last, dependent." ~Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe(1749-1832) German poet, novelist and dramatist.

Yesterday, the June issue of Romance Writers' Report arrived, with an article titled "Self-Promotion for the Introvert." Perfect timing! Though I'm not really an introvert, I'm always interested in what other authors/publishers have to say about marketing and promotion.

Most of it was the typical advice: develop on online presence, send out press releases, have bookmarks made and carry them everywhere you go.

But two pieces of information did stand out for me, both in the section on Book Signings. First, the author of article recommends having 2 but no more than 3 authors at a book signing. More than 1 is good so you're not sitting there alone, but more than 3 becomes intimidating for readers walking by. I've already blogged about how I agree with this. Second, choose other authors whose books are similar in genre to your own. This, I think, is part of the struggle I have with the group of authors in this area that I've been doing appearances with. They're all lovely, interesting women, but 4 of the 5 of them write erotic romance. (The 5th writes historical romance and I, of course, write contemporary mainstream that's sweet/bordering on sensual). It's tough to promote your book about a love story set in present day that has no explicit sex in it, when your title is sandwiched between covers with naked men and multiple arms and legs twined together and stories about demons and vampires and futuristic societies where everyone is having lots and lots of graphic sex, often with multiple partners.

Don't get me wrong, I know that the market is hot for paranormal and erotic romance right now. And I'm learning a lot in spending time with authors who've been published longer than I have. It's just that it's difficult to sell such completely different kinds of books to a single reader standing there looking at the covers.

So how does this affect me? Well, in the future I may not go to every signing and appearance that the group sets up, though I'll still attend some, especially in my local area. But as I said a couple of days ago, I need to think carefully about where I spend my promotional time and money, and this article shed some light for me.

Along those lines, I'm looking into setting up an author launch party at my local library (which is not really a library, but a "resource center" - long story for another time), which would be just me and my books. We'll see...I have to do some more research and talk to some people this week.

And that ends today's chapter on Allie's Promotional Efforts - I hope those of you out there who are pre-published or newly published are taking notes! (just kidding...sort of...)

Book Promotions

"Without promotion something terrible happens...Nothing!" ~P.T. Barnum

Report on last night's Borders book signing:

OK, book signings are fun, if only because you get to see other authors (provided you're doing a multi-author one), hang out in a bookstore, enjoy complimentary beverages, and talk to readers. But I'll affirm what other people have said: I'm not so sure they're the best use of time and money. After 2 hours, 2 of the 5 of us had sold 1 book each. Now, I only drove an hour to get there, and enjoyed dinner with hubby and my mom as well. But gas prices being what they are, I would not be the person who drove 2+ hours one way to sit there for 2 hours and sell nothing. I think other forms of promo are better. But of course, I'm still learning~

Also, we discovered that, as romance authors, we did NOT pick the best Friday night for our signing, since the "Sex and the City" movie opened last night. Guess where all the 18-40 year old women were? Not in the romance section of Borders, but standing in line waiting to buy tickets for a movie that began about 15 minutes before our signing. Oh, well.

Today, a crack at a different kind of promo: I'm mailing 80 envelopes to various independent bookstores in NY/CT/MA/RI/NH with a general tip sheet about my book(s), a handwritten note introducing myself and asking if they'd like more info or bookmarks or a visit from Yours Truly, and a self-addressed, stamped postcard that they can return if so. The cost of this honestly isn't that high; it's more the labor of researching the stores and putting the mailing together, but it will be interesting to see what kind of return I get. That, of course, will let me know if I should do it again.

So I'm off to stuff and seal envelopes!

It's Pouring

"The more we do, the more we can do; the more busy we are, the more leisure we have." ~Dag Hammarskjold

OK, it's official: the whole never-rains-but-always-pours cliche applies to my writing life. Honestly, it's a funny, funny thing: I can be in limbo for months, working on a WIP but that's it, and then suddenly BAM! Everything that must be done before a certain deadline rushes into my email inbox hanging over me.

Honestly, May has been the craziest month:

1. I got my edits for One Night in Memphis, which have a one-week turn-around.

2. Both One Night in Boston and Lost in Paradise released in print.

3. I ran around like an insane person trying to set up promo for late May and June, which has worked out well except that I have 3 author spotlights in 3 different places which means making sure I'm sending the right info and the right links by the right time, to each one. You should see the lists and the scratch-outs on my calendar!

4. One Night in Memphis releases in less than 2 months, which means I should really start thinking about the promo for that (I haven't).

5. Oh, and that darn day job always comes to a non-stop climax in this month as well, between final grades coming due and final projects needing to be graded and awards ceremonies and frantic seniors trying to get everything in order so they can actually graduate.

Tonight I am going to my first official (since my books have been released in print, anyway) book sigining, at a Borders in Paramus, New Jersey. Very cool, since the store was even able to order my books, and I don't have to carry them in myself. I feel like a real author! (I know, I know, I did before too, but this is a cool affirmation as well).

And now I'm going to stop complaining, because as busy as I am, it still is better than achieving the dream of writing and publishing books at all!

Two Good Things on the Writing Front

"It is perfectly okay to write garbage--as long as you edit brilliantly." ~C.J. Cherryh

Writing is good here. Why?

1. I'm working through my edits for One Night in Memphis and have been hugely relieved to see that my editor is right, it was a pretty clean manuscript and she's only asking for a few small changes. Besides cutting out my over-use of commas, she wants me to address a couple of scenes set in POV other than the hero and heroine (I knew that was coming, and it's the toughest), add a couple more hints of the bad guy's evil character early on, and change some of the H/H's introspection to active dialogue. That last one's a little tough too, when the characters are alone, but I'm working on it.

2. And reading through that story again inspired me to FINALLY finish the first draft of One Night in Napa! (it was a good way to take a break from my edits) It's 55K words, which means I'll need to add about 10-12K when I revise, but it's complete from start to finish, with an actual plotline I can work with. I'm thrilled!

OK, I'm off - busy day ahead (which ones aren't??)

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with Skylar Sinclair

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday, and today's featured interview with erotic romance author Skylar Sinclair!

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

I am an award-winning and bestselling author of paranormal, fantasy, futuristic, and contemporary erotic romance. I started writing in my early forties and have been writing ever since. I am also a cover artist and graphic designer.

Wow, you wear a few different hats in the publishing business! Tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

I seem to be fixated on futuristic stories for the moment. I have two books I am writing (by the time this interview comes to pass, they might already be done!) They will both center around far out worlds and men we all dream about, with women who know just how to handle them, but maybe not at first *grin*. I hope to see these stories out by the end of 2008.

You've obviously learned a lot in your success as a writer. What advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Write what you know and love what you write. Never give up if writing is all you think about, dream about. Take online classes, read books and, first and foremost, believe that you can do it.

Terrific advice! Now, what kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I really love all types of romance books. I read a lot of historical and paranormal books of late. Just a few authors I favor are: Robin Schone, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Elizabeth Amber, Laura Baumbach and Christine Feehan (and many, many more).

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

I have no problem with the beginning and ending of my books, it is the darn middle that always gives me fits. What I find the greatest part of writing would be the readers who buy my books and email me how much they enjoyed them. That makes all the difficult times so very well worth it.

Ah yes, that dreaded middle! So what was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book(s)?

Heck that’s easy: That I can even string a few sentences together and slowly I create a story. That process still amazes me to this day!

Thanks for sharing your writing world with us today, Skylar. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

To find out my latest releases and what new things I having going, you can visit my site: http://www.skylarsinclair.com/ or join my newsletter group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skylar_sinclair_newsletter/


Thank you Allie for this wonderful interview!

Print Release Day!

"How amazing, Jack thought, to peel back the layers and realize you still loved someone beyond all comprehension. How amazing to admit you still ached down deep..." (from One Night in Boston by Allie Boniface)

Today is the print release of One Night in Boston!! My very first book ever contracted ~ what a thrill to know it's out there in the world! (That also means it should ship from Amazon today, for everyone who pre-ordered). It should be up on Samhain's main page later today, too.

Here's the trailer...


And the winner of the giveaway contest to celebrate is...WindyCindy! Cindy, email me your address at allieb@allieboniface.com and I'll get those goodies in the mail to you!

***

Dru asked the other day "What's container gardening?" Well, it's the lazy woman's approach to full-fledged gardening, and basically it means that you grow flowers/vegetables in pots, or containers, rather than in the ground.

Actually, it isn't just for lazy people; it's also good if you don't have a lot of ground in which to plant things, or to keep things contained from the critters that like to nibble on them (as long as you can put your pots somewhere protected). We're attempting to grow a few veggies this summer in containers, sort of as an experiment. Here's what our side deck of containers looks like now:



That includes cucumbers, beans, peas, lettuce, broccoli, and basil. We're also going to plant some tomatoes, in those upside-down hanging thingys that supposedly work well. I'll give you a report as the summer goes on...

***

And finally, I need some help! Yesterday I opened another email from my Samhain editor who needs the blurb for One Night in Memphis tweaked. Specifically now, the publisher is asking for authors to write down a couple of novels that are similar to their own. I guess this is so readers and booksellers can make comparisons and know what they're picking up, which makes sense, but honestly? I have no idea what to put down.

Um...anyone who's read my novels have any suggestions? I mean, the writing style and nature of the romance are pretty much the same in everything I write. So if you have any ideas, don't be shy!

Happy Memorial Day

Personal politics aside (or as aside as they can be), today is certainly a day for remembering those men and women who gave their lives to protect freedoms we take for granted in this country. Let's hope soon we can bring home most of the soldiers who still serve abroad.

Planting Time!

"Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity." Charles Mingus

It's shaping up to be a glorious weekend...the goal for today is to finish planting some annuals around the house and then tackle the vegetables - we're trying container gardening this year for the first time. Should be an interesting experiment!

***

Diane posted the link to a great article on deep POV (point of view), which I'm going to link to here as well, for any writers out there.

[Loved this line: "The heroes I take to bed with me, usually after they have fallen off a horse or been shot. That’s when they introspect on their past the best..."]

Hmm. Maybe I need to insert a horse or two in my novels.

I've never really had a problem with POV; I'm usually pretty clear on whose head I'm in, and I don't hop around often. But the recent comment from my editor, about the couple of scenes in minor characters' POV in One Night in Memphis, has me worried. I mean, she's right: I do have a couple. Three, if I remember right. Do they add to the plot? Well, they move the action along. And they happen in places where the hero and heroine aren't present. Again, I haven't opened the file my editor sent me yet (I'm putting it off until after the weekend), but I hope she doesn't want me to cut them altogether.

Sigh.

I'm off to play in the dirt!

Happy Weekend!

"One should never criticize his own work except in a fresh and hopeful mood. The self-criticism of a tired mind is suicide." ~Charles Horton Cooley

So I finally got my first-round edits for One Night in Memphis back, from my Samhain editor. This is some of what she had to say:

This is really a pretty clean manuscript, so hopefully these won't make you want to tear your hair out or anything like that.

Still like the story, still love your writing, so yay!

A couple of things.

One: There's a *lot* of introspection going on in the manuscript. [Ah, yes. How I love my "deep POV." Gotta work on that. ] Particularly with Ethan and Dakota doing a lot of thinking. Take a look at the italicized stuff and see how much, if any of that, could possibly be turned into active dialogue, if you would.

Two: I'm not sure how well the scenes written from Gunnar and Mike's POVs work in this manuscript. [But - but - how else am I going to show the reader what's going on while Ethan and Dakota are, you know, otherwise occupied?] I understand that you want to use them to connect pieces of the puzzle or let the reader know what's going on outside the main story, but given that they're not primary characters, I found myself wondering what the true reason for being in their heads was...

So it looks like those are the two big issues. I have one week to work out the kinks (I haven't even opened the file yet...am probably going to put that off for a day or two, since we have out-of-town company this weekened). We'll see. I have this dreadful fear that she's going to want me to axe entire scenes, and, well...there may be some tears over the keyboard in that case...

***

On a different note, I've blogged today over at The Wild Rose Press, about the print release of Lost in Paradise and include "5 Fun Facts" about the story you might not know. If you have a chance, pop on over and leave a comment, so I'm not too lonely there!

Enjoy your weekend ~ it's supposed to be gorgeous here. Hooray!

It's Finally Here!

"It's funny, I think, how far we'll go to flee our ghosts and how much we'll do to protect our secrets..." (from Lost in Paradise by Allie Boniface)

I'm thrilled today, because it's the day for my very first ever book to be released in print:

When high-society, Harvard grad Ashton Kirk moves to the sleepy town of Paradise to escape a family scandal, Eddie West, the town’s most eligible bachelor, takes notice. In one steamy summer, two people from different worlds discover that, sometimes, you can find your soul mate in the place you least expect.

Readers say:

Lost in Paradise is one of the best reads I've had for ages. With well-drawn characters and an interesting storyline I found it hard to put down. Allie kept the momentum going right until the end. (Rosalie)

What a great love story. All Ashton ever wanted to do was live her life like she wants. All Eddie wanted to do was forget the past. The future is theirs to have, if they let it happen. (Dru)

So if you haven't already ordered your copy from Amazon, hurry over to The Wild Rose Press today and treat yourself!** (And maybe get it onto the best-selling lists again, over there) I'll even send you an autographed bookplate for inside...just email me and ask :)
**Note: Since I post pretty early in the morning, as of right now the cover is linked to the ebook page...keep checking back for the print version - it should be there soon!!

I'm posting the trailer for this book here again, 'cause I do love it, the music especially, and it's been a while since I've looked at it.


Finally, I'm happy to announce the winner of today's Lost in Paradise giveaway: Amy Addison! She'll receive a signed copy of the book, along with some other goodies. Amy, just email me at allieb@allieboniface.com with your address, and your prize will be on its way. And thanks for commenting!

Now I'm off to celebrate!!

Colds and Quilts and Edits and Things

"I think the hardest part of writing is revising. And by that I mean the following: A novelist has to create the piece of marble and then chip away to find the figure in it." ~Chaim Potok

Well, thanks to lots of tea, chicken soup, and zinc, I think my cold is on its way out (thanks everyone for your well wishes and home remedies). I hope so...I have no time to be sick.

Hey, if you haven't popped over there already, go and visit Dru's blog, and check out her latest quilt project! Actually, it's a wall hanging ~ an experiment with using actual book covers on the quilt itself (and there's more cool stuff to come besides the covers. Just wait). She's one talented lady, right??

Finally, Marianne mentioned her Samhain editor's process the other day, and I thought I'd share my experiences here, with my own (whom I love, by the way). With One Night in Boston, my editor sent me the first round of edits 2 months before my scheduled release date and asked for a week's turn-around. Those edits focused mostly on content/plot tweaking/sentence restructuring. The next round came about 1 month before my release date and focused mainly on any sentence/wording problems we'd missed the first time through. Then it went to a FLE (Final Line Editor) who proofed just for grammar and mechanical errors we both missed.

My scheduled release date for One Night in Memphis (according to my "Coming Soon" page over at Samhain) is July 8. I've yet to receive my first round of edits, though, which makes me a little nervous, since that's only 6 weeks away or so. Maybe the manuscript is SO brilliant that my editor figures it needs little revising. Right? ;) Or maybe she's swamped and knows we've worked together before and the quick turn-around won't be a problem. Either way, I'm hoping I'll see it in my email inbox before too long!

Writers Wednesday: An Interview with Beth Wylde

Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm featuring erotica/erotic romance author Beth Wylde (yes, that means she writes the steamy stuff, so some of her links are R-rated...be forewarned). Enjoy!

Hi, Beth, and thanks for being here today! Can you tell us about your latest writing project or published title?

I've got several things going on. My first release from Torquere Press, Switching Sides, came out in April. It's f/f erotica. In May I just had another release, from Phaze, that was supposed to be for an anthology, but they asked me to lengthen it so it could be published as a stand alone title. It's called The Big Four-0h! and it is m/f/f/m erotic romance. I also just signed a contract with Phaze for an adult fairytale rewrite titled A Little Taste of Red. It's based on the Little Red Riding Hood story but it is definitely not for the kiddies or the faint at heart. Very steamy!

Congrats on your writing success - that's a busy spring! So what advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Write, write, write. Then don't be afraid to submit. We all get rejections and that's okay but you'll never get anywhere if you don't try. Also(and I'm speaking from experience here) do your homework and check out the publisher before you submit. I've been caught in one that was closing and one very poor publishing house. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Check with other authors and people who have worked there. See if they are happy. If you get a lot of bad reports then steer clear. A bad publisher is much worse than having no publisher at all.

Very true! OK, what kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

Love paranormal and erotica and if they are combined then that's even better. I'm a big fan of the werewolves and the vampires. I also love the f/f stuff. I just started reading some m/m but what I've read I've enjoyed. I'd love to see more of the big publishers take on the f/f stuff. Not sure I have just one favorite. I love Kim Harrison and J.R Ward for the paranormal. I've also really enjoyed Cassandra Gold's m/m and Jolie du Pre and Megan Rose for the f/f writing. Cass is in my critique group and she rocks.

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

Most difficult is definitely finding the time to actually sit down and type things out. My three kids and part time job keep me busy, not to mention keeping things together when I'm at home. I often write things out longhanded, the kids don't seem to mind me sitting down with a notebook but they hate to see me at the computer. Then at night I try to type things out or use my dictation software to save my wrist a little wear and tear.

The most exciting is finding out what my characters are going to do next. I often get the ideas for a story, the basic intro and stuff but from there on out I kind of wing it and the characters tell me their next moves. A lot of times the story goes somewhere I didn't plan to go but I have to give my characters free range or the story stops dead.

The most rewarding has to be getting a good review, especially when a reader emails me and tells me they loved my book. It makes it all worthwhile.

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

Not sure I ever do balance it but I do the best I can. The writing is something I love to do and something that I have to do too. It keeps me sane. I have all these ideas running around in my head and I have to get them out.

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

I think all writers suffer from block at least once in their lives. My problem usually comes from trying to force the story. If I relax and let it flow where it wants to I'm usually okay but when I try to bend the storyline in a certain direction I almost always get stuck or end up hating what I wrote. I also have an amazing critique group that helps me out. Brainstorming is wonderful when you do it with people that understand you. If all else fails I walk away or switch to a differnet project until inspiration strikes again.

Fun question, now: what is your favorite movie? Did it inspire your writing in any way?

My favorite movie of all time is The Lost Boys. I watched it over and over again and I think that is what got me into the vamps and other paranormal characters so much. One of my favorite genres to read is paranormal romance or erotica.

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us today, Beth. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

I can be found online in a lot of places. For info about my writing, great chat events or sneak peeks at my stories check out my website:
http://beth-wylde.tripod.com/ or my yahoo group where I host monthly events and often offer up free goodies http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/

I have yahoo IM at b.wylde and email at b.wylde@yahoo.com

Links to my guestbook and other things such as my Myspace page can be found on my website.

My current publishers are Torquere Press: http://www.torquerepress.com/
and Phaze at: http://www.phaze.com/

Check Out My Banners!

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." ~Walt Disney


Another short post, but today's is a fun one:

Check out the animated banners that the lovely Judy from LASR made for me! {The "is" is cut off in the first one, but that's only because I don't know how to adjust the borders on Blogger :)They're perfect for posting on websites with click-through links to my purchase page, right? Here's hoping, anyway. I have featured author spots booked for 3 different websites, for next month...we'll see how that translates into sales :)

It's Monday Again? Really?

"I'd like mornings better if they started later." ~Author Unknown

OK, you've been warned: it's a crazy time at school, I'm feeling under the weather, both my books are releasing in the next 10 days and so I'm doing a ton of promo...and thus my blog posts may not be any kind of wonderful.

Sorry.

However, I wanted to remind everyone about my giveaway contests, one of which will happen this Friday, May 23, to celebrate the print release of Lost in Paradise, and the other which will happen next Tuesday, May 27 to celebrate the print release of One Night in Boston. Make sure to stop in and see if you're the winner!!

Remedies, Anyone?

"My own prescription for health is less paperwork and more running barefoot through the grass." ~Leslie Grimutter

I teach.

I have lots of students running around with germs all year long.

Yet I don't get sick from September through May, ever. I go through multiple bottles of hand sanitizer. I work out. I eat well. I get my sleep.

But inevitably, sometime around the end of school (last year it was late June), I get hit with a nasty cold. I think it's the build-up of months of stress, perhaps. This one set in yesterday.

I hate them. I have too much to do, and no time to deal with feeling lousy. Yet here I sit, tired, stuffy-headed, achy.

So my question today is, what's your best remedy for the common cold? I take zinc and vitamin C, I drink lots of water, I try to get a decent amount of sleep. But does anyone have any other good ways to get rid of this thing??

The Black Moment

"Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite." ~C.S. Lewis

Well, I've just started the final stretch of One Night in Napa (current WIP), which means tackling The Black Moment. This, of course, is the point in the story where Everything Goes Terribly Wrong and the readers thinks there is No Way The Hero And Heroine Will Ever End Up Together. Black Moments are usually challenging for me to write, though this time I feel a little more secure in the way the story's going up to this point, so that helps.

One thing I have to remember, which a well-published author once told me, is that my sentences and paragraphs at this point should be short. Lots of tension, lots of movement. No dilly-dallying around with lengthy sentences of description. So that's what I'm keeping an eye on. It's only a first draft, though, and I really want to just push through it. My goal is to finish by the end of this month (and really, I'm only 12K words or so from my projected word count), and since I began it totally from scratch on March 1, that will mean 3 months to completely write a 60K word first draft. I'm pleased. After that, I'll let it sit for a month or so, and then do a first revision. My end goal, I think, will be 65K - 70K words. That seems to be a solid length for Samhain novels, which is where I'll pitch it.

***
And speaking of new works, Marianne's Yellow Rose novella "A Change of Heart" released this week, over at The Wild Rose Press. I had the pleasure of reading this gem when it was in its first stages, and as usual, she's written a charming story with great characters. She's gotten some terrific reviews on it, too, so take a look!

TGIF!

Welcome to the Friday Feast (so glad my tired brain doesn't have to come up with a scintillating post this morning...)~

Appetizer: What is the nearest big city to your home?
Only the biggest, baby - NYC itself (about 65 miles southeast). This in itself can be both a curse and a blessing, however...

Soup: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?
Hmm. I think I'm pretty good, though it REALLY depends on the situation, the people involved, and the secret itself. Maybe an 8?

Salad: Describe your hair
Too funny, since I just visited the salon yesterday. It's short (I've always had short hair, can't stand long), straight, on the fine side, and as of 24 hours ago, it's brown with blonde highlights and bangs. I haven't had bangs in a while, but I was bored (I get bored with my hair really easily), so I told her to cut some in. But now they're too short. How long does it take bangs to grow, anyway?

Main Course: What kind of driver are you?
Decent. Sometimes I speed on the highway, but I'm pretty good at not letting myself get distracted. I have an impatient streak with other, incompetent drivers, that rises up now and again, though...

Dessert: When was the last time you had a really bad week?
Oh, I couldn't say. My life is pretty good ~ I'm healthy, like my job, have great friends and a loving family, and am seeing my dream of publishing books come true. Anything "bad" is minor (knocking on wood as I type this...)

Have a terrific day!!

It's Here!

"Memphis ain't a bad town, for them that like city life." ~William Faulkner

Here's my new cover!!

One Night in Memphis releases this July, and I'm so excited for this one...it was actually the first "24 hour" novel I wrote, before One Night in Boston. I love the characters, and I amped up the action/suspense in this one too, in the form of a vengeful ex-boyfriend. Here's the (unedited) blurb:

What if a woman, tired of broken hearts and bad choices, traveled a thousand miles to the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, and spent a night forgetting her past in the blues clubs of Beale Street? What if a man who lost his wife to cancer ventured to Beale Street's social scene for the first time in over a year? And what if they met and realized love was still possible for them both?

Dakota James and Ethan Meriweather have both given up on finding happiness in a relationship. When they meet in downtown Memphis, at a crowded nightclub, neither has romance on the brain. But as the evening unfolds, and small talk turns to the stuff of hopes, dreams, and shared loss, a kinship grows that surprises them.

Before the night is over, though, Dakota's past will catch up with her in the form of a violent ex-boyfriend. As dawn approaches, and tragedy threatens to tear Dakota and Ethan apart, both will have to make a decision that could change their lives forever. Is new love worth putting your life on the line for someone you've just met?

What do you think??

Writers' Wednesday: An Interview with MJ Fredrick

Welcome to another Writers' Wednesday! Today I'm pleased to feature romance author MJ Fredrick, whose first two novels just released within the past two months. Enjoy!

Hi, MJ, and thanks for joining us today! Can you tell us a little about your background?

Thirteen years ago I finished my first novel. It’s taken all this time to sell, with lots of highs and lows in between. I’ve had tons of rejection letters, I’ve finalled in a number of contests, including the Golden Heart. I’ve had an agent, been orphaned by an editor who had been enthusiastic about my work. I’ve had revision letters and I’ve learned a lot that is translating to stronger first draft writing these days. In real life, I’m an elementary teacher, a wife and mother to a 16 year old. I’m lucky to have a lot of support here or this twisty road or I never would have made it to this point!

Wow, what a journey! So tell us about your latest writing project or published title.

Hot Shot was a two time Golden Heart finalist. It was the book that got me my agent and the enthusiastic editor and the bulk of revision letters. It’s the story of a wildland firefighter, Gabe Cooper, who’s recovering from the betrayal of his wife and distrustful of women, and reporter Peyton Michaels, who’s trying to discover what makes a hero.

When Peyton Michaels signed on to write about everyday heroes like her deceased husband, she never expected she’d be running up a mountain with a wildfire nipping at her heels. She never expected to put her life in the hands of hunky Hot Shot Gabe Cooper. And she sure never expected to fall in love with another man who put his life at risk every day.

Gabe Cooper has had enough of women who want to make him into someone he’s not. Peyton may see him as a hero, but he’s just a man doing a job. So he saved some Girl Scouts and pulled his crew out of the fire. It’s no more than any other man would do. But the pesky reporter won’t leave him alone, and the more time he spends with her, the deeper she gets under his skin.

Because Peyton’s husband was killed in the line of duty on the SWAT team, the last person she wants is a man who risks his life every time he goes to work. But when she and Gabe are trapped in a blow-up on the mountain, she not only sees what a hero Gabe is, she finds the charge that makes him go back year after year. She has to overcome her fear of losing him and he has to dig deep to find what it takes to become her hero before they can find their happily ever after.

Sounds terrific! Now that you've weathered so many ups and downs in the business, what advice would you give to new writers just starting out?

Work hard, work smart, and never give up! Story comes first, but craft is important, too.

Ah, good advice. What kinds of books do you like to read? Who is your favorite author?

I like all kinds of books – I recently rearranged my TBR by genre. Romantic suspense outnumbers the rest right now. I love Nora Roberts, Virginia Kantra and Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

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

Right now, promotion is the most difficult. I’m in the middle of a new book which I love and I just want to work on that, but I’m also trying to participate on promotional listserves. Some days I come home to 700 emails!

I can definitely appreciate that challenge! How do you balance writing with the rest of your life?

This is my eternal struggle. The thing that suffers most is the housekeeping, naturally. I get up early to write, go to work, come home and do email, take my new (used) laptop out in the backyard to write till dinner, then recharge it and take it back to the couch after dinner to watch TV or movies and write more. I do not sacrifice TV ;) I wonder if Tivo can be considered a writing expense?

Oh, I think you should look into that! What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I like playing in the dirt with flowers, and I bought some fabric to make a new skirt and pair of pants, but the fabric remains untouched after over a month!

Thanks for a great interview, MJ! Readers, make sure to check out her website and her blog ~ you might just find a new favorite author!

The Other Side of Promoting: Fear

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

"Do one thing every day that scares you." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

First off, thanks to everyone who commented yesterday, and especially those who offered suggestions of possible places I might sneak in an author visit.

Marianne, if I end up swinging through the Boston and southern NH areas this summer, I may just take you up on that offer for your local library.

Bunnygirl, I would love the contact info for your aunt who heads up the public library in CT (I'll find a way to contact you offline)!

And here's another possibility: when I got home last night and opened my email, I found a message from my fifth grade teacher...the very same one that One Night in Boston is dedicated to! (My mom called her up and told her about the book and dedication). This is what her email said, in part:

You can't imagine how excited I was to hear you have published your first book. Congratulations! And I am so honored and pleased to learn that it is dedicated to your mom and to me!! What a surprise. Your mom tells me that you will be in town for a signing in July; what is the date for that because I certainly want to see you there and buy your book!

Also I'm wondering if you would be interested in reviewing/leading the discussion of your book for our local book club....Please let me know if you are interested, and I will fill you in on details.

Isn't that cool?

A couple of people commented yesterday about how much work I put into marketing, and it's true, I suppose, I do. It is also quite daunting, however, so I don't want anyone to think I just breeze through these experiences without any qualms. Despite the fact that I stand up in front of high school students each day, I still get uneasy when I'm not in my element. I'm not the person who can walk into a party and strike up a jovial conversation with the first person I see.

But I have always tried to live by Eleanor Roosevelt's words on fears and facing them, which I featured today (up above). I have found that you will amaze yourself if you honestly try to do the thing you think you can't.

***

Last thing to share for today: the trailer I made for Devon Gray's upcoming novella, Addicted. She picked out the music and wrote the script; I just compiled it. But I think it's terrific, and now I can't wait to read the book! Thoughts?

Promotions, Promotions...

"The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don't like to do. They don't like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose. "~E.M. Gray

So it's about 2 weeks until my official print release dates for One Night in Boston and Lost in Paradise. What am I doing this week for promo? Here's the unofficial list...

1. Sending handwritten notes with book info and a SAS postcard (in the hopes they want more info) to independent bookstores in and around Boston, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire (this was a suggestion from a couple of different authors I've spoken to in the last 6 months). Of course I didn't get around to buying my Forever stamps last week, so I'm paying the extra penny per envelope starting today...

2. Contacting libraries & book clubs listed on www.booktour.com about possible author visits this summer.

3. Going through www.meetup.com and making a list of any relevant groups that might be interested in a visit from moi.

4. Following up with the woman who's making me some banners to post on a couple of different websites. (I'm excited about this one ~ I don't have any banners right now and am clueless about how to make them myself!)

5. Drafting the next two chapters of One Night in Napa so that I can actually continue to have manuscripts to query (and yes, Summer's Song is still in the wings, waiting patiently for me to revise her once and for all and then send out agent/editor letters. That's on the calendar for June...).

Oh, and don't forget about my contest...every time you post a comment here during the month of May, you're entered into the drawing to win an autographed copy of one of my books!

Happy Mother's Day

"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his." ~Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895



Update on yesterday's signing:


The Spotty Dog is a charming little bookstore with a bar inside. They have some great local beers on tap (which they gave us for free...I felt a little like a celebrity!). It's located inside a historic, refurbished firehouse and owned by this very cool 30-something woman who left corporate America to follow her real dream. Here she is with her 2 bartenders:



They set up a great location for us at the front of the store:


And they had a nice little crowd for their Mother's Day Girls' Night Out. I did actually sell 2 copies of One Night in Boston - and got to sign them ~ what a thrill!! Here's a picture of some of us who were there:



I also met another [hugely successful] Samhain author (who doesn't do pictures, so she isn't in the photo), and it was really nice to talk to her about marketing, promoting, etc. Her #1 piece of advice? Be a prolific writer. Every time you publish a book, new readers find it, which means new readers are also then finding your backlist (all the books you've published previously). Do promotions, do signings, do networking, but WRITE above all. Good reminder...


***


Finally, to all mothers out there (most especially my own!), here are wishes for a very happy Mother's Day. Thanks for all that you do!

My First "Real" Book Signing!

"Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book." ~Author Unknown

Just a quick post this morning, since I have a million little errands to do before I head off to The Spotty Dog for a book signing later this afternoon. And I actually have both my books in print, in hand, for this one!

It's a "Girl's Night Out" at a pub/bookstore, and I'll be there with Stella Price, Tilly Greene, Cat Johnson, Tara Nina, CH Admirand, and Bianca D'Arc.

Should be interesting ~ I'll give you the full report tomorrow!

TGIF!!

"My big stand is this: Every child deserves a home and love. Period." ~Dave Thomas, found of Wendy's

Thanks for all the warm wishes yesterday , everyone!

And this is weird, but if you go to Amazon now and search for Lost in Paradise, only the Kindle edition comes up. You can still get there by clicking a specific link I already established (like this one), so it's in their system somewhere, but...guess I'll have to email them today to find out what's up!

***

And here's my Friday Feast...

Appetizer
When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?

Always.

Soup
Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?

A mix of carpet (in the bedrooms), hardwood (in the foyer, kitchen, dining room) and tile (in the great room). It works.

Salad
Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.

Apples always attract amorous ants.

Main Course
Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?

Of people? Yep: one of my closest friends at school is an aunt to a boy and girl from Kazhakstan; my principal is mom to 2 girls from China; 2 co-workers have grown sons who are adopted; and I once dated a guy who was adopted (his sister too).

Of furry people? Yep again: we have 2 cats, one adopted from a shelter, one from our front porch. Then there's my parents, some friends at school, a writing friend out in CA, my childhood friend in Detroit...

[I would be surprised if anyone *couldn't* answer this question with a "yes."]

Dessert
Name 2 blue things.

1. The ocean off the Gulf coast of Florida.
2. My cover for One Night in Boston :)

Have a great day!

Allie's Christmas in May - Presents Everywhere!

OK, first off, a hearty Thank You! to Blonde Duck, who nominated me for the "Blogging with Purpose" award. I think that's very cool...I'm not sure I always have a purpose here, but it's nice to know some reader out there thinks I do, anyway!

***
And now for my very exciting news:

Yesterday I received my author copies of BOTH books that are coming out this month! I'm still a little overwhelmed that both Lost in Paradise and One Night in Boston are releasing within a week of each other, but I'm sure not complaining :)

So I thought I'd share with you a little montage of my "Christmas in May" that occurred last night when I got home and found two boxes on my front porch...

Trying in vain to open the first box, without damaging the valuable contents inside...

Ooh, look what it is! The very sexy cover of Lost in Paradise - Eddie West looks even better in my hands! (OK, pun not intended)

2nd box is a little bigger (The Wild Rose Press sends authors 1 complimentary copy, and I ordered 10 additional. Samhain sends authors 10 complimentary copies, and I ordered 10 additional.)

Here it is! The first book I ever contracted, ever edited, ever marketed, ever published...pause for some happy tears, please...

Beautiful back cover, right? Samhain also puts review clips in the front - and speaking of the front, let's just look at the title page:

Sigh. A dream come true...