Monday Mentionables: A New Year Begins!

"There's no word in the language I revere more than 'teacher.' My heart sings when a kid refers to me as his teacher, and it always has. I've honored myself and the entire family of man by becoming a teacher." (Pat Conroy)

Ayayayay....where did the summer go? yes, I know: I was remiss last week in blogging, but I'm back now only to say it's the first day of school for me which means my whole lazy summer schedule has vanished for yet another year :(

Don't get me wrong; I love teaching. I also love that there's an ending to every year and a chance for rejuvenation before a whole new group of students arrives. And yes, I know many people out there will tell me to stop grumbling, because teachers have it so easy with summers off. To them I say, then you should be a teacher! Kidding aside, while it's certainly nice to have time off, I don't get paid during the summer, which means hubby and I either need to work side jobs  to pay the bills or save and budget very carefully from September to June so that we have enough in our bank account to cover them. We don't, as some people think, get paid for sitting home and doing nothing.

Not like we're doing "nothing," by the way. More likely, if teachers aren't working a second (or third) job during the summer, we're spending our own time and money learning something we can use in school, taking classes, reading, visiting potential field trip sites, buying supplies for our classroom (out of our own money), or meeting with others to plan for a new year.

I'd also remind non-teachers that unlike many other professions, it is not a 9-5 job that we leave behind once we shut the classroom door for the day. After 7 or 8 hours of teaching, we either stay late to plan lessons, grade work, or prepare for the next day, or we load up our bags with work to do at home (sometimes both). This doesn't include the emotional ways we bring our work home with us either, contacting students with questions or concerns, emailing support staff for ways to reach troubled students, lying awake at night trying to think of a way to deal with the student who acts out because he's desperate for attention or failing every subject or thinking of commiting suicide or so panicked about getting into college he has anxiety attacks every week or...

Sigh.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to school starting up again, heartache and hard work and all. However, this also means I have less time to write, a definite downside, but it also means I will take full advantage of those slivers of time I do have.

By the way, we had a great time in Boston. One place we visited was the Sam Adams Brewery, and our tour guide, a fantastically energetic young guy who knew every detail of the place and all the beers, was none other than........a high school history teacher working a summer job!

Monday Mentionables: I Need Some Boston Recommendations

"In Boston, they ask, how much does he know? In New York, how much is he worth? In Philadelphia, who were his parents?" (Mark Twain)

A couple of notes for writers this morning: All Romance Ebooks is seeking submissions from any "Passionate Cooks" out there for a cookbook they plan to release this fall. If you've got a great recipe(and at least one book listed for sale on their website), here's a way to get your name out there in front of readers AND cooks! More information here.

Savvy Authors has a whole bunch of pitch opportunities coming up in the next couple of weeks - here's the webpage for more details about who's looking for what.

And in a separate note, hubby and I will be spending a few days in Boston...any recommendations for "must-do" things while we're there? So far the only definites are the Sam Adams Brewery (for him) and the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on the way there (for me)/ We've been to the city before, and are seeing friends so really only have one day downtown, but if you've been there (or live there!) and have some good recommendations, give a holler!

Friday Fun Facts: Studying the Craft

"Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret." (Matthew Arnold)

So I'm currently taking an online course titled "What Does Nora Roberts Know That You Don't?" offered through Lowcountry RWA. Like attending conferences, classes, workshops, and the like are great ways to jump start your writing. This one's only 3 weeks long, but our instructor has packed a lot in already. As a published author, I've already heard and used some of the techniques she's talking about. But there's ALWAYS something new to learn and apply. With a background in Hollywood and movie production, she's got a lot to say about story structure, archetypal characters every story needs, and scenes every story arc must have.

I can see where it's easy to get bogged down, though, especially if you do a lot of reading or studying. Different 'great' teachers have different techniques they swear by, and a lot of the newer/unpublished writers on the class loop with me are getting confused. I think the best thing is to read over as much writing instruction as you can and filter out what works for you. Continue to learn, of course, but don't spend so much time weaving this strategy with that one that you confuse yourself only to end up writing and rewriting the first few chapters over and over again.

Turn off your inner editor and let yourself go. Come back later and edit that page, using the strategies you've learned in moderation, and one at a time. Speaking of getting words down on the page, I've been tinkering with a sequal project to Beacon of Love, which is coming out next year. This one is tentatively titled Inferno of Love and gives one of my favorite minor characters from the first book his own story. This is also the first time I've written a sequel to any of my books, and I'm finding it a lot of fun! It's neat to go back to a town and characters I already know and see what they've been up to in the three years since the other book finished...

Writers' Wednesday: New Cover Art!

“Just give me a thousand words and you may make your own pictures.” (Erica Goros)

Ooh, look! I just got my cover from Audio Lark for Summer's Song, which releases in audio book format September 12th!

What I love about this cover is that it suggests a few important things about the story: that it's set in a small rural town, that it's about coming home (walking the road back home) and that it's set in the middle of a hot & steamy summer. Love the bare legs :) Also, I think the idea that it's a sweet romance comes across as well. It's interesting to take a look at the ebook/print book cover that Samhain did (over there on the right sidebar) - so different, right?? I love different artists' interpretations of a story!

Friday Fun facts: A Book Signing!

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket."  (Chinese Proverb)
Just one Friday Fun Fact to share today: fellow romance author Liz Matis and I will be selling & signing books and chatting with anyone who stops by at the Kingston Farmer's Market in Kingston, NY tomorrow, from 12-2! Now, where else can you pick up organic produce AND an autographed copy of a great beach read??

If you're in the area, we'd love to see you there!

Writers' Wednesday: Writing What You Know, Loving What You Know

“‎The simple truth is that you can understand a town. You can know and love and hate it. You can blame it, resent it, and nothing changes. In the end, you're just another part of it.” (Brenna Yovanoff)

One of the oldest pieces of writing advice is "Write what you know." It makes sense, to a certain degree: you can certainly write with passion as well as expertise on subjects you know well. But writing also requires imagination, creativity, and in some cases good research, which is why many authors can write compelling stories about places they've never been or worlds that have never actually existed.

I, however, have always preferred writing what I know. That's why I write contemporary romance novels like The Promise of Paradise or Summer's Song. I like using settings and characters based on people and places I can at least realistically imagine. Over the weekend, I went back to my childhood hometown to visit my mom but also to hear Amy Dickinson speak about her best-selling memoir, The Mighty Queens of Freeville. She's the writer of the column "Ask Amy", and she grew up in a very small town about 20 miles from mine. Her book in large part is about the comforts of home, and the details about her memories growing up in a small town reminded me why I love my own.

I love my hometown because after Amy's talk, I walked out of the Methodist Church where the talk had been held onto the village green, which sits in the center of town, surrounded on one side by three churches and the elementary school, and the other side by Main Street and the library and the firehouse. I love my hometown because I walked to my mom's house from there, about a mile straight down Main Street. I passed the bench where I kissed my first boyfriend. I passed the house where I broke up with my second one. I passed the bank where I opened my first checking account, the clothing store where you can buy anything from gloves to overalls to a bathing suit, the minister's house, the Town Hall where I used to go with my mom when she voted. I traced the route I used to run as a member of the junior high track team, and the super-wide street where I practiced 3-point turns with my dad before my driver's test. I passed the elementary school playground where I played tag at 8 during recess and years later drank winecoolers at 21 after midnight.

It is the kind of town Norman Rockwell would have painted, where the houses built in the late 1800s are considered "not that old," where hitching posts still stand along the street, where the volunteer fire dept. floods the green for ice skating in the winter, where every summer Wednesday people bring their lawn chairs to listen to the free concerts played in the village bandstand.

I feel most like myself in this town, like I can peel away all the layers of life that have happened since I graduated from high school and went on to college and work and marriage and life in other places. I love coming home, and it's no wonder I write so many stories about the power of small towns. I DO write what I know, and I love what I know.

Friday Fun Facts: I'm a Quote Junkie

"If music be the food of love, play on."

I'll admit it: I'm a nerd when it comes to literature. I love it. I loved reading from the time I was about 4, and that never changed through high school, college, or graduate school. In fact, the only part I didn't really love about majoring in English Lit were the papers I had to write analyzing authors. I enjoyed reading them; I loved drinking in the language and somewhere I still have a little book where I would write down favorite quotes I came across. I didn't really enjoyed tearing them apart.

That was a driving force in my becoming a writer, I think: I dreamed of crafting language that would make other people pause the way I did so many times. (That's always been a sticking point for me, actually: I'm much more interested in playing with language and phrases than hammering out a page-turning plot. It's something I'm continually working on improving).

In researching the YA novel I'm working on right now, I read through Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (and enjoyed it - told you I was a nerd). Here are some of my favorite quotes from that play, and I'm trying to figure out how to work them into my story. I'll keep you posted!

"Oh Time, thou must untangle this, not I. It is too hard a knot for me t' untie!"

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."

"Love sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better."

Writers' Wednesday: It's Time for First Chapters!

So today I'm the lucky featured author over at D. Renee Bagby's "First Chapters" blog (great promo opp for you fellow writers out there!). You'll have a chance to read the first chapters of my 5 contemporary romance novels, and if you haven't read them before, maybe today will be a nice little whetting of your appetite :)

In addition, though, all you have to do is post a comment on any of the chapters, and you'll be entered for a chance to win a $10.00 Amazon gift certificate! Hope to see you over there :)

Friday Fun Facts: Let the Fun Begin!

Official Opening Day for the Olympics! So excited....I can't wait to watch and cheer and follow all those human interest stories that the media loves to sell along with the competition :)

And hey, I'm guest blogging over at Brenda Williamson's blog today, about a different kind of workout ;)

Drop on over and join me!

Writers' Wednesday: What the Heck is Speculative Fiction??

So I'm working on a new YA (young adult) project, and in my browsing of the Web yesterday found this helpful website: YA Highway. Especially valuable is the "Field Trip Friday" feature, which seems to highlight the best YA stuff that's been out/talked about in each week.

I find YA lit interesting, I really do - the whole idea of your protagonist figuring him/herself out and taking on the world in the process. That's probably also an influence of my teaching teenagers. Despite all the attitude and all the hormones, that's exactly what they're trying to do too, and it's fascinating to watch and shape.

Having said that, I'm at a bit of a crossroads in trying to decide which genre my YA falls into, exactly. Very loosely, it's Shakespeare's Twelfth Night set in an alternate, post-9/11 universe, a la the television show "Fringe." It's not a dystopian society, which is what everyone seems to be writing and buying these days. It's just another, similar-except-for-a-few-key-differences, world. it's a world inhabited by people who used to live on Earth, so they've brought most of their previous life with them except for some changes they've had to make to actually live in a different world with a different atmosphere and different physical makeup. I don't think it's science fiction. I think it may be speculative fiction, but when I tried to find a definition of that I found about 20 of them:

'Speculative fiction is a world that writers create, where anything can happen. It is a place beyond reality, a place that could have been, or might have been, if only the rules of the universe were altered just a bit.'

'Speculative fiction stories, however fanciful, can have a big emotional and inspirational impact, teaching us much about ethics, bravery, kindness, good, and evil.'

'Some experts define speculative fiction as 'genre' fiction. A lot of readers think speculative fiction consists of science fiction and fantasy only. Other readers include horror, mystery and romance.

To me, it is writing that pushes the boundaries of the imagination. A good speculative fiction story would make you think, provide a new insight into human nature or even give you a new outlook on life.'

And so on...

Is anyone familiar with the speculative fiction genre? Do you read or write it? How would you define it?

Monday's Mentionables: Writing up a Storm

First off, congrats to JackieW and Charlene, winners in last week's Great Print Book Giveaway! 2 more winners to be randomly chosen this week, so stay tuned :)

I'm on a whirlwind of writing right now; I started a new book last week that's been bouncing around in my head for a while. It's different than anything I've written before - basically, a Young Adult set in a post-9/11 alternate (not dystopian) universe. I just.......needed to do something different. I was feeling frustrated and a little stale with my other projects, so I thought maybe I'd jump-start my creativity a little by switching gears for a while.

I have to say, it's been very freeing. I've done a decent job of turning off my inner editor to just write - and since I have to create a whole other world, there's been a lot to write. Also since I'm not teaching during the summer, I have lots of extra time, and I'm trying to take full advantage by not booking a lot of other things to do. My goal was 3K words a day, and so far I'm doing well. After 1 week, I have 22K words.

Yay! Of course a good half of that (or more) might turn out to be edited or deleted when I go back through, but at least I have words on the page.

So I'm off the try and continue the good vibes and get my 3K words done today...Happy Monday!

Reviewing Fifty Shades of Grey

OK folks, I did it. I read the runaway best seller Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. So far t's sold roughly 20 million copies, been optioned for a movie, and made its debut author oodles of royalty money.It's also been both lavishly praised and lambasted by readers and reviewers. Since I'm a writer, and honestly since everywhere I went people asked if I'd read it, I thought I needed to. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

Here's my unofficial, gut reaction: it's horrifying.

Here's my more carefully formed opinion: it is a poorly written novel with roots in Twilight fan fiction that creates a disturbing so-called romance from a BDSM relationship between an older man and an college-aged virgin.

These are the problems I had with this book:

1. It's poorly written. The writing is choppy, repetitive, verbose, repetitive, and features unrealistic dialogue and characters. Also, it's repetitive. Honestly, I wanted to put it down after the first chapter. I can't even count (well, I probably could, but I didn't) the number of times Christian's "long index finger" is mentioned, Ana bites her bottom lip, she says "Holy Cow" or refers to her "inner goddess," or we hear about the "gray linen pants" that hang off his hips.

2. It's wholly unbelievable. Why on earth would a 27-year old mega-millionaire have any interest in a bumbling, insecure 21-year old virgin? Why IS she a virgin in 2011 (religion aside, because that's never touted as a reason)? Moreover, she's also never masturbated or been kissed, but the moment she meets Christian, she has multiple orgasms and gives perfect oral sex? Really?

3. It started as Twilight fan fiction, which means the characters of Christian and Ana are Edward and Bella, grown up and having sex. First of all, I'm more likely to support an author who creates her own original characters, instead of drawing upon a fan base established by someone else. Beyond that, I didn't like the characters in Twilight because Bella's a weak heroine who gives up everything in her life for a controlling, creepy man, and lo and behold! The same thing happens in Fifty Shades, only Edward/Christian is about 100 times creepier and more controlling. From a high school teacher's POV, I tell my female students not to want to be Bella or want a guy like Edward, which brings me to my next point...

4. I understand that BDSM is a lifestyle that some people choose. However, the way in which inexperienced Ana is brought into the lifestyle horrified me in both a physical and emotional sense. Arousal through physical dominance/punishment borders wayyy too closely on abuse for me. Ana is taught that sexual pleasure comes from giving up everything to her man, and if she doesn't "behave" then he is allowed to control and punish her as he sees fit. Yes, I know they negotiate a contract, and she has safe words and is allowed to say no at any point. I don't care. To deliver the message to someone who has zero sexual experience that THIS is how you achieve that pleasure is disturbing. It is tantamount to telling young girls that they should obey and submit, that men should be allowed to control them this way because it's in everyone's best interests. What kind of message does that send to women? To men? How can we be sure they aren't taking those kinds of ideas from the bedroom into their professional and public lives? I read a commentary that suggested that the reason so many women enjoyed this book was because secretly, they were tired of being "in charge" in the rest of their lives and wanted to give up control and let someone else lead in the bedroom. Perhaps. To me, there is still a difference between letting someone else lead during sex and allowing your partner to order you to kneel in the corner without looking at him or allowing him to spank you if you "misbehave."

5. Finally, it's not a romance. The book does not end happily, nor does it really even have closure of any kind - I'm guessing that's because there are 2 more books in the trilogy, and the author knew that when she was finishing the first one. However, a romance is expected to have at least a "Happy For Now" ending and this one doesn't. Of course, in my opinion this isn't a romance in the first place, so if we file it under Women's Fiction I suppose it could get away without the ending neartly tied up. I'd still like to see some progress made in Ana's character, though, and I don.'t

I finished the book. I will not read the other 2 in the trilogy. I'm glad, I guess, that I read it so I know what everyone's talking about, but this is my take. I will say this: if Fifty Shades brought the romance genre more into the mainstream, and increased sales of other romance titles, then I'm glad, That's about the only redeeming quality I can see from this book.

And now....I'm done. Thoughts, anyone??

Writers' Wednesday: Guest Blogging at Romance Junkies Today!

Hey, all, I'm guest blogging over at Romance Junkies today with a little insight about long it sometimes takes for a story to find a publishing home. In the words of one of my favorite heroines, Summer Thompson, I give the lowdown on the bumps and detours in the road to publishing Summer's Song. (Hint: it took almost 10 years from first idea to release date).

Now, most books don't usually take that long, honestly. But I also want to dispel the myth that writing is "easy" or that authors can conceive of a story and find it a home in a few weeks or months. Sometimes, maybe, yes. Usually it takes longer, and that's where an author's patience comes in.

You must be patient to become a published author, and you must develop a thick skin, because so many people will tell you "No" along the way.

OK, enough blabbing on here. Come over and visit my blog at Romance Junkies, won't you?

(And back here on Friday, I'll be sharing my thoughts on Fifty Shades of Grey, which I just finished reading last night. See you then!)

Congrats to this Week's Winners!

First off, welcome back to the Great Print Book Giveaway! This week's winners are Virginia Campbell and Carol McLain. Congrats and thanks for following my blog and FB page! Virgina & Carol, let me know which book you'd like from the list right here, and I'll get it in the mail to you!

On a side note, tomorrow will be the first of 3 blog posts I've written for Savvy Authors on Audio Books: basically the process involved and whether or not it's something that you, as a writer, should be investigating as another way of getting your books into the public eye. I'll put up the specific link on Monday, but tomorrow you can check the Savvy Authors front page, and it should be there.

Happy (almost) weekend!

Writers' Wednesday: Does Length Really Matter?

So I'm spending this week finishing up a major revision to my novella Tequila Sunrise - only to have this nagging feeling that I haven't really "finished" it. Here's the thing: I'm not sure a novella-length is really my strong point. While in theory I like the shorter length (it isn't so intimidating to write lol), and I like reading some romance novellas, for me my story and characters end up under-developed. This is what I've been told by some of my beta readers, anyway, and maybe they're right.

My plan is to finish this one - it'll be "finished" at about 33K words and put it aside for a week or two. Then I'll try going back with fresh eyes and see if and where it needs to be developed.

Anyway, here's my question: if you're a reader, what's your favorite length story to read? Does it matter? And if you're a writer, what your preferred length story to write? Does that matter?

And just for kicks, here's my favorite few lines I wrote yesterday. Enjoy:

“Do you love her?”

Love. Hell of a terrifying four-letter word. He’d asked himself that question more times than he could count over the past few weeks, and the bottom line was, he didn’t know. He didn’t know what it was supposed to feel like. Like a punch in the gut? Like the comforting silence of a summer night? Hope crossed with fear, with a healthy dose of hormones tossed in? Depending on the day, he felt all that and then some, which seemed as though it could be love or maybe just insanity.

Maybe they weren’t that far apart.

Monday Mentionables: Back to Reality...

Happy July, everyone! I've returned from a long vacation (well, long for me - 2 weeks!) away from everything to do with work, writing, and social media. Hubby and I took a 10-day cruise in the Mediterranean, and it was beautiful! Had such a wonderful time just relaxing and taking in the sights. I'll be posting lots of pictures on my Facebook Fan Page later today, so if you're interested, stop by there and take a peek!

Also, the Great Print Book Giveaway is back in full swing, which means this Friday, July 13, I'll be announcing another 2 winners to choose any print book from my listed library for free!

Finally, I'm the "Sexy Host" (their words, not mine!) over at Coffee Time Romance's I'm Diggin forum for the month of July, and there are more books to win there if you post a comment in response to my weekly question. Plus, I'll feel less lonely if people are actually talking to me instead of just lurking there lol ;)

Have a wonderful Monday!

Friday Fun Facts: Winners and an Upcoming Trip!

Congratulations to this week's Great Print Book Giveaway winners: Melissa Keith and Skip Doodle! Pick your choice of books from my list here and they'll be in the mail ASAP!

Heads up, everyone: the Giveaway will be suspended for a couple of weeks while I'm out of town on vacation. Hubby and I are taking a trip to Italy (so excited!! pictures to follow when we return!), and I'll be away from most technology during that time.

BUT...Summer's Song will be listed for another Goodreads Giveaway beginning on July 1, so if you'd like to snag a signed copy, toss your name in the ring!

Happy summer...see you when we return!

Writers' Wednesday: Call for Submissions

Hey writers! Do you have a holiday-themed story that's looking for a publisher? Here's a call from Avon for upcoming novellas:

Avon Impulse is Avon Romance’s digital-first publishing program. The editors at Impulse are currently seeking 15,000 to 20,000 word novellas for the following themed collections:

Home for the Holidays — these sweet, romantic stories should center around the theme of being home for the Thanksgiving holidays. Stories must include at least one Thanksgiving-appropriate recipe. Quirky secondary characters, small town settings and a feeling of warmth, community and romance are welcome. Deadline for submissions is July 1, 2012.

Five Golden Rings — these historical Christmas novellas will center around a ring. This can be a family heirloom, a fairy ring — any kind of ring. Any historical time period. These should be moderately sensual to sexy. Submit by August 1, 2012

New Year’s Eve and Other Disasters — submit your romantic story centered around surprising things happening on New Year’s Eve. These can be historical or contemporary and may be moderately to super-sexy. Submit your story by September 15.

Submit using Avon’s online form: (http://www.avonromance.com/impulse/).

*******************************************************
And here's a quick peek at some of what I wrote yesterday, a (very thorough) revision of Tequila Sunrise:

“Oh my God I need a drink.” She collapsed onto the couch.


“You were fantastic.” He offered her coffee, but she shook her head.

“Something stronger than that.” She stared at the television, where Brigitte sat alone on stage now, talking to her audience about some new line of cookware. “How did I look? Really?” She mashed her hands against her cheeks. “Fat?”

He joined her on the couch and took both hands in his. “Gorgeous.”

She stuck out her tongue. “Liar.”

“You gonna use that? Don’t tease me with it unless you are.”

At that, she smiled and relaxed into his embrace. “You’re awful.”

“Not what you said the other day.”

“Mmm.” She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. “I like you,” she said in a quiet voice. “Have I told you that?”

He ran one hand over her hair, surprised at the swell of happiness in his gut. “I like you too. A lot.”

Monday Mentionables: I Need a Cough Remedy!

So I've been getting over a cold recently and dealing with the dreaded night-time cough, which drives me absolutely crazy! It's lasted a little over a week so far, and in my efforts to ease it, I've tried the following:
~sleeping on extra pillows
~sleeping with a humidifier next to me
~drinking tea with honey
~putting Vicks on the soles of my feet
~drinking lots of water
~taking a teaspoon of honey mixed with lemon juice
~sucking on cough drops
~taking doctor-prescribed medicine with codeine
~drinking a glass or two of wine before bed (not with the codeine lol)

Nothing has worked. The tea has come the closest. I know I'm on the mend (it gets a little better each night), I know my lungs are clear, and I know a cough is the body's way of clearing my airways. But I can only survive on 4 hours of sleep for so long! If anyone has other remedies I haven't tried, please please share them!

On the flip side, lying awake at night gives me lots of time to think about my plotline and my next story...

Friday Fun Facts: Great Print Book Giveaway Winners Announced!

Congrats to the winners of my weekly Great Print Book Giveaway: Diane Sallans and Chris L! Two more winners announced each week, and all you have to do is comment or chat or post about my giveaway! More info here, on the original post. Di and Chris, let me know your pics, and the books will be in the mail to you ASAP!

Writers' Wednesday: A Beginning and an End

So what's beginning today? My review of the audio files of Summer's Song - yes, that's right, it will be releasing in audio book format in early September, and the files arrived in my inbox yesterday ready to proof. Basically, this involves listening carefully to each chapter with the book in hand, and noting any errors and the time at which they occur. Then I send my notes back to the editor, who has the narrator do retakes. I have to say, there is something so cool about hearing your words read out loud by someone else. Though the listening process is a little tedious, I'm looking forward to it :)

Want to know more about the whole audio book process? I'm blogging about it in a 3-part series this summer/fall over at Savvy Authors. I'll let you know when those posts are up.

And what's ending? This school year, since I'm a high school teacher in my day-time, real-world job. Yesterday was the last day with students, which is always bittersweet. Lots of food, games, goodbyes, yearbook signings, gift giving, and general reflection on the year. How is it possible that each seems to go faster than the last?

Monday Mentionables: A Writers' Meeting in Review

So over the weekend I attended my local RWA (Romance Writers of America) chapter meeting. I've been a member for about 5 years, though I attend meetings with sporadic attendance. This year I've vowed to be better - because really, it's both comforting and inspiring to be in the company of fellow romance writers.

So how does a meeting shape up for us? Well, we spend about the first 1/2 hour or so socializing & catching up, since most of us don't see each other, or sometimes even talk online, in between meetings. You know, who's recovering from a cold, who adopted new kittens, whose dishwasher is on the fritz...that sort of thing.

Then we discuss Old Business (this time, it was the items we donated to the Brenda Novak Auction) and New Business (Wendy Felter of Red Rose Publishing will be coming to our July meeting and taking pitches!).

Next comes the "Round Up" - who's working on what, who's submitted what, who's sold what. A lot of us are actively revising stories, or in the middle of projects, so there wasn't a lot of sales news this time around, but that's OK. I will proudly say that we have quite a prolific chapter, with a good number of our members published in various genres and with various publishers, so like I said, it's inspiring to be around :)

And finally, we wrap up with people reading 5 pages of their current WIP. This is optional, though I've always found it quite valuable (once you get past the initial awkwardness of reading your writing out loud). We go around the table and everyone gives feedback. It's interesting to hear what certain people pick up on.

Every June we go to lunch together after the meeting, so this time we enjoyed some yummy food along with some non-writing related conversation. Among the topics discussed: domestic vs. foreign cars; the pros and cons of owning an iguana; naming cats; single motherhood; and the price of tattoos. I kid you not.

Happy Monday!

Friday Fun Facts

It's the end of another week of the Great Print Book Giveaway! Later tonight I'll share the names of the 2 people who have won their choice of books from my list. Love sharing the wealth!

Speaking of wealth, in numbers anyway, a total of 788 people entered my week-long Goodreads Giveaway for Summer's Song. Not too bad! I'm thinking of sending follow-up messages to those who entered who specifically list my genre on their reading preferences (I think some people just enter every giveaway, no matter what) - and I may offer a few ebook copies of Summer's Song if people seem interested. I'll also, of course, direct them to my blog and website. Always a good way to get a few more readers and followers! I do have to figure out a time-efficient way to do this, though, since it will involve sending individual messages and even if I only write to half those who entered, well, that's a lot!

In other news, I'm about 13K words through my revision of Tequila Sunrise. Making some major changes but the characters are cooperating so far, which is always a good thing~

Local RWA chapter meeting tomorrow, which I'm looking forward to. Always nice to chat with fellow authors and be inspired anew!

Writers' Wednesday: Pitch Results & What's Being Requested

The results are in from Romance University's pitch session with Entangled Publishing last week, and I'm thrilled to say that one of their managing editors requested both novellas I pitched, SEX ON THE BEACH & TEQUILA SUNRISE! Very exciting :)

I think about half the pitches received requests from the Entangled editors, which is great news. I scanned the other posts to see which kind of works were requested (and which weren't). In a nutshell here are the results:

~Most commonly requested material: single-title full-length (above 75K) contemporaries, romantic suspense, a couple time travel romances, and a few historicals; category-length (50K-70K) contemporaries; and a few YA romances (Young Adult).

~Some reasons that material wasn't requested: Heroine was a teenager battling Lucifer (tough for her to win...); they had just acquired a story with a rock star heroine and didn't feel they could take another; they had just acquired a military romance series and didn't feel they could take another; pitch didn't follow the guidelines (longer than 3-5 sentences); heroine was sleeping around to try and get pregnant; the story started in the wrong place; too much telling and not enough showing; no editors were looking for a shape-shifter story; didn't want a story with the main character "waking up"; a 20-year age gap between H/H was too much; the person had already pitched the story before; writing "not strong enough."

Hope you find these results interesting - I know I did. If you're an author, definitely keep your eyes out for online pitch sessions. They are great ways to get past the email slush pile and get a fairly quick response to your query and sample pages. I'll mention one: Savvy Authors often has pitch sessions with both agents and editors - there are a few coming up this summer, and here's the link.

Good luck pitching, and keep on writing!

Monday Mentionables: A Great Way to Learn is to Pitch!

OK, time for another week of the Great Print Book Giveaway - remember, all you have to do to win FREE books is comment right here or on my Facebook Fan Page (what book would you like to win? what do you like to read?) or Tweet about the contest. Last week's winners have their books on the way right now!

I pitched my 2 novellas to Entangled Publishing over at Romance University last week. The managing editor will be posting feedback on all 120+ pitches (wowzer!!) as well as making requests too. And I'll tell you a secret: it was sooooo interesting to read over the various pitches and see what people are writing and how powerful some of the first 100 words of a manuscript can be. If you ever have a chance to participate in something like that, do so. Reading over others' work can be a great learning experience for your own writing.

My Goodreads Giveaway of Summer's Song runs through this Thursday and is already up to 330 requests (as of late Sunday night). Have you entered??

Saturday Update

Sorry I'm a little late in posting this week's Great Print Book Giveaway winners BUT.....they are

Mary Hay
Debby (debby236)

Congrats! They each have their pick of the books on my list :) Email me your choice at allieb@allieboniface.com The next round os giveaways starts again Monday...

Also, just an FYI: my Facebook Fan Page is going to be down for a few days while I make some changes/updates. Stay tuned and I'll let you know when it's back up and accessible!

Friday Fun Facts!

First week of the Great Print Book Giveaway! At 6 pm today (EST), I'll announce 2 winners from all those who have commented/posted/Tweeted about the contest - and those 2 winners can have their pick of any print book from my bookshelf. Want a chance? More info on how to enter right here.

My Goodreads Giveaway for Summer's Song is going strong, now through next week! Enter here to win an autographed print copy.

Summer's Song will also be releasing as an audio book later this summer. I'm expecting the proofs of the audio files next week sometime, which is always exciting. It's so cool to hear your own words spoken by a professional narrator!

And on a writing note, I've decided my next project will be a major reworking of my novella Tequila Sunrise, which needed loads more conflict driving the action. The good news is that I have a complete draft to work with. The bad news is that I'm planning on changing a whole lot of it. Ah, well. Back to the drawing board. School is almost over, and then I'll embrace my summer vacation and the extra writing time it brings, with open arms!

Here's the new blurb for Tequila Sunrise. What do you think?

When accountant Lou, newly-divorced and unable to have children, is given the chance to sign up for a free dating service, she decides to take a chance on Toby, a construction worker who has no interest in kids or commitment. But when both end up in the “second-choice speed dating room” because they don’t meet the criteria for Charming Hearts, Lou must decide whether she’ll confront the Charming Hearts owners by suing for discrimination, as well as deal with Toby’s surprise announcement that he has a son he never knew about, in spite of the fact that she has no legal experience and suspects Toby only wants a relationship so she’ll take care of his child. 

Writers' Wednesday: Something for Everyone

For readers: in addition to the print books I'm giving away all summer long (see Monday's post if you missed the news), I'm also giving away one signed print copy of my novel Summer's Song, over on Goodreads. Check it out if you're interested!

For writers: Entangled Publishing is taking pitches tomorrow, all genres, heat levels, and lengths. Click here for more information.

Happy Hump Day!

Monday Mentionables: The Great Print Book GIveaway

Announcing.......The Great Print Book Giveaway!

OK, here's the deal: my closet and several bookshelves are overflowing with books. Many I've read. A select few I'll keep. Most I would love to pass on to new readers. That's where you come in. Every week, until the list is exhausted, I'm going to give away 2 print books for free. Yes, totally free - I'll even pay for the shipping. Sorry, this one's for US readers only :(

(Notes: These books all come from a smoke-free home. Most are in good-to-excellent condition. A few are brand new.)

How can you get your hands on free books? Each week, do any of the following:

1. Post a comment on my blog.
2. Post a comment on my Facebook Fan Page.
3. Retweet the contest news.
4. Post an original Tweet about the contest.
5. Talk about the contest on your own blog or Facebook page (make sure to email me the link! Send it to allieb@allieboniface.com)

Earn up to 10 chances a week by doing any combination of these, and then every Friday I'll pick 2 names randomly to choose a book from the list below. No limit to the times you can win, either :) A new round will begin every Monday, with the updated book list, and will continue until there are no more books to give away. And that's it!

The Great Print Book Giveaway starts right now!

**********************

Books currently available:

The Accidental Tourist (Anne Tyler)
An Affair Before Christmas (Eloisa James)
Alison's Automotive Repair Manual (Brad Barkley)
Animal Husbandry (Laura Zigman)
Baby Proof (Emily Giffin)
Bungalow 2 (Danielle Steel)
The Carousel (Belva Plain)
A Child Called It (Dave Pelzer)
The Color of Water (James McBride)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (Rebecca Wells)
Emergence: Labeled Autistic (Temple Grandin)
Everything's Eventual (Stephen King)
Fireworks over Toccoa (Jeffrey Stepakoff)
Five Men Who Broke My Heart (Susan Shapiro)
A Good Dog (Jon Katz)
Her Father's House (Belva Plain)
How to Deal (Sarah Dessen)
Intimate Enemy (Marilyn Pappano)
Little Children (Tom Perrotta)
Mama Makes up her Mind (Bailey White)
McKettrick's Luck (Linda Lael Miller)
The Memory of Water (Karen White)
The Mommy Fund (Madeline K. Jacob)
On the Street Where You Live (Mary Higgins Clark)
One Child (Torey Hayden)
One Day (David Nichols)
The Poet (Michael Connelly)
Prep (Curtis Sittenfield)
The Prince of Tides (Pat Conroy)
Rachel's Holiday (Marian Keyes)
Secrecy (Belva Plain)
Sleeping at the Starlite Motel (Bailey White)
Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend (Robert James Waller)
Snow Falling on Cedars (David Guterson)
The Things They Carried (Tim O'Brien)
Twilight Before Christmas (Christine Feehan)
Vinegar Hill (A. Manette Ansay)
The Wedding in White (Diana Palmer)
We Were Soldiers Once, and Young (Moore & Galloway)

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Today is the beginning of Memorial Day in many regions of the country (acually, several schools around here had yesterday off as well), so it's a good time to remember and be thankful for all the men and women who have served and given their lives to protect this country. A moment of silence in honor of them.......

Writers' Wednesday: Business or Pleasure?

I've been following an interesting discussion on one of my author loops over the last couple of weeks. It started as a discussion of how to measure sales based on a novel's Amazon sales rank and morphed into a general discussion of marketing, sales, and reasons for writing.

And this is what I found most interesting: many more people than I realized write for money. That is to say, many of the people who chimed in on this discussion are very successful authors (in terms of sales and hitting various best-seller lists). Over and over again, the common thread was that these authors spend as much time marketing themselves and studying which promo efforts translate into the most sales as they do writing their actual books. The feeling among most of them was that this is a job, I'm making a living, and thus I have to study the business side of it just as much as (if not more) the creating side of it.

I found that soooo interesting, mostly because I and the writer friends I know personally do NOT make a living from their books. They write on the sidem at nignt, on weekends, whenever they can, because they love it. If they make money, great. If not, they're still creating something they love.

This is not to say that the authors mentioned above don't love to write, but they don't seem to get lost in the creative efforts and experiences because they can't afford to. At least two of the authors in this discussion confessed that they wrote in the genres they did because those were the genres that sell best, not the ones they love best. They have deadlines, so they don't agonize over finding the perfect word or creating the perfect scene. They write the book for the audience that's awaiting it. They know what sells, and that's what they write.

This whole discussion was somewhat eye-opening for me just because I've heard so often, "Write what you love" but let's face it: there are many successful authors out there who write what sells - and they know how to sell it. I envy those authors to a certain extent, and I start to wonder if I'm going about this all wrong. Certainly, I don't need to pay the bills with my books, but maybe I should be thinking more about the end result of sales than I am right now.

What do you think? Are you an author who spends a significant amount of time studying marketing and sales? Do you tailor your writing and your promo efforts to make the most $$? Have you shifted what you write to take advantage of market trends, even if you're not in love with the genre? I'd love to know...

Monday Mentionables: Reviews Come From the Strangest Places

Happy Monday!

Today, a couple of reviews worth mentioning. Not traditional reviews, though - one is written by a student of mine who chose to read Summer's Song for her "book of the month" reading assigned (I suppose you could say she was hoping for a good grade, though she's diplomatic in certain places, and I know her well enough now, that I think she's being honest). The other is a fan email from a woman in Russia. The first time she wrote to me, I thought it was a fluke (sorry Katerina, if you are reading this), so I emailed her back with a couple of specific questions. She answered them :)

So it's true: you never really know who will read your book, who will love it, who will hate it, and who will review it. Once your words are out there, they're fair game for the reading public, which can be both a blessing and a curse :) Today, I'm focusing on the blessings:

From a student's review: "I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone; I was hooked after the first page! The book's amazing plot never fails to keep the reader on edge as it includes the surprise of suspense novel, the heart-warming sentiment of a romance novel, and life philosophies all in one...Additionally, the story inspires one to forget the "ghosts" of the past and look toward a happier and brighter future. The novel provides you with the perfect happy ending, and a description of the ever enduring, life-changing, can't-live-without-it kind of love that women crave."

From a fan email: "I am very happy write the letter to you!! You help me survive when I was in trouble. You know the best romantic book I read by you was called "One Night in Napa". The heroes are for ever in my heart. When I feel bad I think about them and I feel good myself. It was very very exiting!!! But that would be beautiful to read in in your native language. Thank you very-very-very much for my the happiest houres with your book!!! I am a big fan of romantic book since I met your book!!! And now I study English for to read your book in English!!!  Your creativity made my life better. Thank you!!"

Friday Fun Facts!

Happy Friday! Some fun facts for today:

~I'll be sending out my bi-monthly newsletter at the end of this month, so if you haven't signed up to receive it, you can do so right now, over on the sidebar -->

~Do you belong to Goodreads? I'll be holding a book giveaway over there in June - keep an eye out for it!

~Project Gutenberg offers a collection of Free books for your Kindle - click here for more details!

~Check out the website ACX, where authors can connect with narrators and/or audio book companies interested in producing the work in audio. Big congrats to my writing friend Liz Matis for scoring a partnership there!

~OK, this one isn't a fact but a question: does anyone out there use TweetAdder? I bought the software a few weeks ago and have been having huge trouble with all of the automated features :( I have some tweets that are set to post every day, randomly, but for some reason sometimes they post and sometimes they don't. Any ideas?


Have a great weekend!

Monday Mentionables: A Link or Two for You

Just a couple of quick links to share today, since I'm buried under papers from the college English classes I teach. Ugh! One more day, and 230 papers will be in the books. Until then...

Mandy Roth shares a collection of posts on marketing right here

Savvy Authors Blogs About What to Keep in Mind When You're Editing

Don't forget to stop by the Brenda Novak Online Auction to check out the many, many items up for bid, including my very own Summer Fun Tote!

OK, that's it for now. Have a great day everyone! See you back here Wednesday :)

Writers' Wednesday: Soldiering Through the Negativity

The other day, a co-worker  at school asked me how I dealt with the negativity of others. I thought she was talking about either fellow teachers or students, but she said she actually meant friends who were questioning her desire to write a screenplay. She said, "I mean, I thought they were friends, but now I'm not so sure anymore."

Isn't it too bad that some people in your life can't encourage you when you have a dream, or even the inkling of doing something different? I'm not sure why others discourage pipe dreams...maybe it's jealousy? Maybe they think they're being "realists?" Anyway, my advice to her was the same advice I give to any new/aspiring writers. If you want to write (or ____ fill in the blank with any dream you have) then do it - just develop persistence and a thick skin. Know that the journey might be tough, but if it's something you love, it's always worth it.

At the end of our conversation, she said, "I figured I'd ask you because you always seem like such a positive person" and considering I don't always FEEL particularly positive, either at work or at points in my writing career, I thought that was pretty cool.

Oh, and if you're a new/aspiring writer looking for some support, try the forums over at AbsoluteWrite. Theyr'e terrific, full of info and frequented by people in all publishing genres and at all different stages of the writing journey.

Soldier on, fellow writers and dreamers!

Monday Mentionables: Mud Runs & Spartan Races

OK, has anyone heard of (or done) one of these "Mud Runs" or "Spartan Races" or whatever they're called? This seems to be the latest trend in fitness: a running race that's combined with crazy obstacles like mud, water, barbed wire, fire, hay, huge walls to climb, huge slides to descend...yes, and I'm sure the list goes on. My brother-in-law has done one (I'm pretty sure he ended up bleeding at the end of it), and I have a couple of friends who are planning them for this summer, and I'm just curious as to whether anyone out there has experienced and would recommend one. I don't know that it's my 'thing' - I mean, I do road races and I like working out and everything....I just don't know about subjecting myself to possible (probable) minor injury along the way.

Or maybe I'm just a baby.

I'm also thinking there must be a story in there somewhere (isn't there always?). Two contestants who meet at a Mud Run, maybe fierce competitors, who end up together at the end despite missing a limb or an eye or something...

It's fascinating to me where stories lie, because all you have to do is look around you, or read the news, for inspiration. Life is crazy! Actually, one recent news article has stuck with me, and I'm thinking I need to use it in an upcoming story. Apparently there is a dating website that weeds out its participants based on looks. That is, if you aren't attractive enough, you can't join. I guess "beautiful" people only want to date similarly-described " beautiful" people. This site also apparently ran some kind of "check" on its current members and decided some no longer made the cut, so they were booted from the site even though they'd originally belonged. Wow - seriously?!

Oh, yes, there has to be a story in there...

What about you? What crazy stories have you read in the news and thought, yup, there's a book just waiting to be written?

Writers' Wednesday: A Contest, A Front Page, and Knee-Deep in Revisions...

Hello writers!

Don't forget that my local romance writers' chapter, Hudson Valley RWA, is offering a 25-page critique of your manuscript, along with a free entry into our annual Hook, Line, & Sinker contest, at the Brenda Nocak Auction.The price is currently at a very reasonable $12.00, but the auction runs through May 30, so make sure to bookmark it if you're interested! (We have some awesome published authors who will be doing the critique...check out our page for more info).

Check out the front page over at Night Owl Reviews, which is featuring the covers from selected books from The Wild Rose Press , among which is my very own Lost in Paradise. I still love that cover (although the story I always tell is that when I showed it to my husband, he said, "Hey! Nice car!" and he was serious about that. Take a look and tell me what YOU see first!

And finally, an update on my own writing: I'm working on another revision of  my novella Sex on the Beach, working through and applying some of the strategies I picked up at the Michael Hague Workshop. Hoping to finish by this weekend, then send it off to beta readers.

Happy Writing!

Monday Mentionables: Tweeting About the Brenda Novak Auction!

OK, it's official: I'm on Twitter. Sigh. Yes, I'm trying it out for a few months to see (1) if I can get the hang of it; (2) if I actually enjoy it as another social media; and (3) if I can grow a following that will ultimately help promote my books. So....if you'd like to follow me there, my User Name is AllieBoniface1 (and I need to figure out how to add a button here on my blog that makes it one-click easy to find me).

ALSO, the Brenda Novak Online Auction starts tomorrow and runs all month long, and among many other goodies you can bid on are 3 I will shamelessly promote in the weeks to come:

~Hudson Valley RWA Vera Bradley Tote Filled with Books and Other Goodies
~Hudson Valley RWA 25-page Critique by 3 Published Members AND Entry to the Annual Hook, Line, & Sinker Contest
~Summer Fun Tote from Yours Truly Filled with Summer Goodies & a Signed Copy of Summer's Song

Head on over, register, and start browsing! All the proceeds go to help fund juvenile diabetes research. Win something and do good all at the same time :)

Writers' Wednesday: To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

OK, fellow writers (and readers!) out there: a question for you: do you Tweet? That is, if you're an author, do you use Twitter as a method of social media communication/sales and promotion ~ and if you're a reader, do you follow favorite authors?

I'm taking a month-long course over at Savvy Authors on Social Media for Writers, mostly to figure out how to use what I do have in place more effectively - but also to find out if I should be using Twitter and if so, how the heck to go about doing it.

So I'm interested...if you are an active Twitter member, what do you like about it? What do you most use it for? How often do you Tweet, and is there anything that really turns you off about how other people use it?

I'd love to know!

Monday Mentionables: A Rundown of Michael Hague's Presentation

"You can be safe and unfulfilled, or you can live your destiny but be scared shitless."

Had a great time at the Michael Hague Special Event this past Saturday! First off, a big thanks to the New Jersey RWA for sponsoring him. And now, the highlights:

1. One of the most valuable pieces of information for me was his Six Stage Plot Structure. Basically he outlined the Six Major Stages that every (successful) plot goes through, and the point in the story where each must occur (what percentage of the total pages). I'm not a huge fan of formulas, but I think this will help me to check and see if the major conflicts/meetings/breakups/etc in my story are happening in the "right"places.

2. Another crucial piece of info I found helpful: your protagonist must have a goal that's VISIBLE - which means every audience member or reader will envision the same idea. For example, a goal of seeking revenge after being fired from a company is not visible (what does "revenge" look like?). But a goal of killing the top 5 executives of a company after being fired is a visible goal - everyone will know, basically, what that involves.

3. He did a nice job defining Inner Journey for creating characters and talked about moving your characters from living their Identity (the emotional armor a character wears, based on past wounds and fears) to their Essence (a person's "truth" once you strip away the armor). The quote at the top of today's post basically refers to that idea :)

4. He used a lot of movie/TV clips for illustration, and since he's a screenwriter and has worked with many major actors/actresses/directors, he had a wealth of knowledge upon which to draw. That was a great addition to the day.

5. He's funny! During one of our exercises, he said, "Now, I wouldn't recommend you apply this to a project that's 5 drafts in and due to your editor in 2 weeks. I really don't want to f**k you up that way. Apply it to something you're still just in the early stages of."


The only thing I wasn't crazy about was his tendency to answer specific people's questions very specifically - which sounds like a good thing at first, and is if you're that person. But for the other 99 people in the room, to sit there for 20 minutes while he dissects one person's character arc was a little frustrating at times.

Other than that, it was a great day, and I definitely gained valuable information which I plan on using as I go back through Sex on the Beach for revisions...beginning this week!

Friday Fun Facts!

Fun Fact #1: I finished the first draft of my novella Sex on the Beach. Yay! It's 30K words, and the last chapter is pretty much a trainwreck, but at least's it's DONE. And I'm hoping that Fun Fact #2 will help me with revising it:

Fun Fact #2: I'm headed to the NJRWA's Special Event this weekend, a day-long conference with Hollywood script and story consultant Michael Hauge. Among the topics he'll be discussing:

The primary goal of all stories
The power of desire, need, longing and destiny
The essential conflict all characters must face
How to turn plot structure from a complicated concept into a simple, powerful tool you can easily apply to every story
The single key to creating character arc and theme
How to create unique, believable and fulfilling love stories
How to adapt a novel into film
The single biggest mistake writers make in pitching their work
The eight steps to a powerful pitch

Can't wait! I'll share the recap next week :)

Writers' Wednesday: A Note On Edits

I've been working on what Lyrical Press calls "pre-edits" the last week or so. These are a collection of things the editors there want authors to go through before getting to the content or the copy edits. They have a pretty comprehensive checklist of things for us to look through, and while some I don't (thanks goodness) do, many of them did apply to me. The biggies:

Repeated filler words - my big ones turned out to be just, very, pretty, already, okay, and again. If you do a "Find" function in your word processing program, it will pull up each time the specified word is used. You might be amazed at how many times you do use those kinds of words - and everyone has their favorites. For the most part, they can be deleted or replaced. Keeping only a few will add to their particular impact, when they do show up.

Repeated actions - interestingly enough, I found this one when I didn't limit the Find function to "again" - which meant that "against" also showed up. And guess how many times I had my characters "leaning against" something?? It's one of those things that's tough to see objectively as the author of a work. So needless to say, I found other actions for my characters to do.

Overuse of italics (for internal thought) and em dashes - I do use both of these A LOT. And while I cut out quite a few instances of them, I kept some too. I'll be interested to see what my editor says regarding these. I mean, my characters think to themselves! They're introspective!

The nice thing about going through this process on a contracted work is that when I switch gears and work on my other projects, I'm more tuned into NOT committing these offenses as often. I hope.


One Other Note On Edits:
It's fascinating to me that one of my narrators for my audio books coming out this summer had to be replaced because she came down with a bad cold and it put the production of the book behind schedule. You never think about that kind of illness affecting book production!

One of my narrators (a healthy one) also emailed to clarify the pronunciation of a name in one of my books - which tickles me as well, because as authors we naturally know how those names are pronounced. But out loud? By someone else? I love hearing my books read aloud, by the way - such a cool experience.

Can't wait 'til they release this summer!!!

P.S. - Congrats to Mae Clair, the winner of my Facebook Fan Page April Showers contest!!! Thanks to all who participated :)

Monday Mentionables: Fun in Salt Lake City

OK, today's post has nothing to do with writing, but it's a fun recap of our spring break travels last week. We traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah (home of Brigham Young & the Church of the Latter Day Saints) - so my husband could take place in a one-day race car driving school. We also did a little sight-seeing and met up with my sister for a girls' spa day, so everyone had a good time! Some pictures from the trip:

The view from above Salt Lake City - it really is a beautiful place!
Inside the museum at Miller Motorsports Park, which hosted the school - about $50 million worth of Ford racecars inside!!
Todd driving a BOSS 302 Mustang that is almost identical to the one he owns (same color, but not the same rollcage or 4-point seatbelt harness inside lol)

View of the racetrack - set in the middle of the snow-covered mountains. So beautiful!

Preparing for the day in his racing suit...
The fountain and gardens inside Temple Square, where the Church is located. It was gorgeous - we also had perfect weather for the 4 days we were there!

At the Great Salt Lake - it's massive and yes, smells an awful lot like the ocean :)

Friday Fun Facts!

I know, I know - I've been gone all week. But with good reason! It was Spring Break, and hubby and I went on vacation to Salt Lake City, Utah. He did a Mustang racing school at a road course out there, and then I spent a spa day with my sister. So we both had a great time :) Pictures and more details to come on Monday...

In the meantime, here are 3 Fun Facts for you today:

Fun Fact #1: The Romance Studio's "Stay Home" Party starts today! Three days' worth of authors posting excerpts, chatting, and vest of all, giving away prizes! And yes, Yours Truly is participating. Drop by this link to see what you can win - and all you have to do is either comment on a post, or fill out a form with your choice of prize. Have fun!

Fun Fact#2: My April Showers Facebook Contest is going on right now, with new "shower scenes" being posted daily through Sunday. Stop by, spend some time reading, and email me your favorite next week to be in the running to win a travel umbrella + your choice of any of my ebooks!

Fun Fact #3: My fellow Hudson Valley RWA member Jennifer Probst debuted at #11 on the New York Times Bestseller List with her new contemporary romance The Marriage Bargain! I started reading it on during one of my flights this week, and I'm thoroughly loving it so far :) If you're looking for a new, compelling sensual romance, I highly recommend it!

Special Saturday Blog Announcement: Facebook Contest Starting Today!

Allie’s April Showers Contest!

It’s time for another fun Facebook contest – are you ready? We all know April showers bring May flowers, but sometimes those rainstorms can bring a little (or a lot!) of romance too. For the next week, I’ll be posting an excerpt each day on my Facebook Fan Page from my published novels (and a couple of WIPs too) that features a “shower” scene. Vote for your favorite by email, and the winner will be chosen randomly from all emails to receive a super-cute travel umbrella (for those REAL spring showers) and your choice of any ebook from my backlist.

Are you ready to get wet? Come over and join me!

Friday Fun Facts!

Fun Fact#1: I finished my taxes this morning. Yippee!! (not celebrating so much that now we have to pay the govt, but at least they're done...)

Fun Fact#2: My April Showers Contest is starting up on my Facebook Fan Page TOMORROW! Come on over for a week of sexy wet scenes and have a chance to win a super-cute travel umbrella and your choice of any of my ebooks!

Fun Fact#3: My new publisher, Lyrical Press, has a Goodreads group that's growing every day with chatty authors and industry news. Stop by and give a peek if you'd like.

Fun Fact#4: For spring break, hubby and I are traveling to Salt Lake City, Utah, so he can take part in a race-car driving experience. I will be looking on from the stands and taking lots of pictures!

Fun Fact #5: It's Easter Sunday this weekend, which means it's also time to take a few deep breaths, look around us, and rejoice in the new and wonderful things that make our lives so precious. Have a wonderful weekend!

Writers' Wednesday: Two Good Websites

Hey, writers! Two sites worth visiting today:

WOW! Women on Writing has posted their latest edition, and this one's all about The Art of Storytelling. Looks like a great collection of info on captivating readers and the media as well.

Savvy Authors has a number of pitch opportunities coming up this summer (July will be here before you know it!). I landed my contract with Lyrical Press through a pitch on this very website, so polish those book descriptions if you're interested in any of these agents:

Tamar Rydzinski (Laura Dail Literary Agency)

Jill Marsal (Marsal Lyon Agency)

Laurie McLean (Larsen Pomada Agency)

Peter Knapp (Park Literary Group)

Good luck, and happy writing!

Monday Mentionables: Reflecting on a Reading

Last week I was one of 6 authors featured at a local library "Author Showcase." I was with a self-published suspense author (who asked me if I could hear his knees knocking under the table), a British poetess, an 83-year old Italian-American woman who wrote a novella about her own love story/marriage, a local historian, and a woman who wrote a fictionalized account of a 1920s local murder.

My thoughts?

~It's always nice to be with other writers and hear about other authors' stories and struggles.
~It's also nice to be comfortable and confident in a setting like that ~ I've spoken in front of lots and lots of groups (New Authors: get yourself out in the public eye whenever you can!)
~Come prepared with enough bookmarks/business cards/promo materials - you don't want to run out!
~Bring singles so you can make change when people buy your books.
~Bring a good pen (and a back-up) for signing those books!
~Take time to chat with the people who've attended a reading. I've noticed that people of all walks of life get a kick of talking to a "real author."
~If you're reading an excerpt, choose and practice it ahead of time.
~Have fun and try not to be nervous!! I mean, you already wrote the book and got it into the world. This part should just be pure enjoyment :)

Writers' Wednesday: Two Guest Blogs & One In-Person Appearance

Hey everyone! I'm guest blogging today over at Marketing with Mandy....would love for you to pop in!

And tomorrow I'm blogging at Samhain Publishing's Blog, all about the romance of a warm spring rain. C'mon...you know April showers are right around the corner!

Also, tomorrow I'm sitting on a local authors' panel at the Pine Bush (NY) Library. I'm the only romance writer (6 different authors & 6 different genres), and I just found out today that I'll start the discussion off! I'm looking forward to chatting with other authors and readers. This afternoon I spoke with the woman who's coordinating the panel, and she asked me if I'd seen the local paper because my picture was featured in the article about the panel (I hadn't but asked if she could bring me a copy) So that's kind of cool...

Hope to see you in cyber-world (or maybe the real world, for anyone local??) on one of my stops :)

Monday Mentionables: Are You Getting My Newsletter?

Just a quick mention today: my e-newsletter will be going out later this evening, so if you havent' signed up to receive it, go ahead and do so (the link is in the right sidebar) - lots of info about some of my upcoming appearances and blogging gigs!

Happy Monday :)

Friday Fun Facts: A New Contract!

Well, since I signed the contract yesterday, I can officially announce it here: my full-length contemporary romance novel, Beacon of Love (my "lighthouse story" as I've been calling it) will be published with Lyrical Press in 2013!! This contract was actually the result of an online pitch session last month over at Savvy Authors - so a big thank-you to them, as well as the acquiring editor!

Lyrical is a small press but they've been around for a few years and appear to have solid sales in their romance genres - and so far I'm pleased with the correspondence from the publisher especially regarding contract language and some changes/adjustments that I requested. Covers are pretty, too - check out their website. Of course, I'm always a little nervous signing with a new publisher, but I did some research on them & talked to a couple of their current authors, and bottom line: I think this will be a good place for Beacon of Love.

I just wish I didn't have to wait so long!!

Writers' Wednesday: April Showers!!

Heads up everyone! It's almost time for another contest :) I won't start this one up until mid-April, but here's a sneak peek at the details and what you can win:

We all know April showers bring May flowers, but sometimes those rainstorms can bring a little (or a lot!) of romance too. From April 8 - 16, I’ll be posting an excerpt each day on my Facebook Fan Page(you'll have to "Like" it first, here) from my published novels (and a couple of WIPs too) that features a “shower scene." Vote for your favorite by email, and the winner will be chosen randomly from all emails to receive a super-cute umbrella (for those REAL spring showers) and your choice of any ebook from my backlist!

And just because you can never have too much romance in the rain, here's a brief "shower scene" that's super-tingly:

Monday Mentionables: Considering Digital-Only Publishers

Did you have a jolly St. Patrick's Day Weekend? I'll admit, I'm not Irish and I'm not one of those people who takes advantage of the holiday to go out and get rip-roaring drunk - though I did take advantage of the weekend without schoolwork to get some writing done. I'm about 18K words through my current novella, Sex on the Beach, with a goal of 30K and to be finished by the end of the month.

I've also been mulling over the pros and cons of submitting to publishers that are "digital only" - meaning no matter how long your book is, they will only format it to be sold in ebook (some publishers still put full-length novels, those over 60K or so, into print). I have mixed feelings about this, to be honest. Certainly, the ebook market is growing hugely, and almost everywhere you go, you see people with e-readers and iPads. Authors make more royalties on ebooks than they do on print books, and the number of brick-and-mortar bookstores seems to be dwindling on a daily basis. My digital sales have been higher than my print sales for every title I have.

At the same time, I know I have some readers who still want to read and buy print books. hey probably won't ever read a title if it's only available as a digital file. So will I lose those readers if I publish with a company who will never put my books into print? And , is that a big enough piece of my audience to affect my decision? It's tough to say....

Any thoughts?

Friday Fun Facts: Auction Goods and Mommy Porn

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

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

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

Happy Friday!

Writers' Wednesday: The Subjectivity of Publishing

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

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

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

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


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

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

Happy Wednesday!

Monday Mentionables: A New Novella and A Catchy Tune

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

Excerpt from the opening chapter:

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

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

Then the fire alarm sounded.

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

Friday Fun Facts: Giveaways!

Exciting news today! Beyond Her Blog at Publisher's Weekly is sponsoring a week-long celebration, and both today and tomorrow Yours Truly is participating as one of the giveaway authors. Check it out - lots of fun and so many prizes you can win, just by commenting!

I'm heading to my local RWA meeting tomorrow - always an inspirational way to spend a morning, talking to other authors and sharing ideas and potential publishing and promotional leads. Next week I'll also be sharing the item(s) both I and my RWA chapter will be donating to the Brenda Novak Online Auction. Hint: This year mine will be a "Summer Fun" basket...I know you can't wait to see what's inside ;)

Writers' Wednesday: A Local Appearance on March 29th

Just a quick announcement: I'll be one of 6 "local authors" featured at a showcase at the Pine Bush Library (Pine Bush, NY) on Thursday, March 29, from 6-8 pm.

The cool thing about this appearance is that the Special Events Coordinator contacted me (usually it's the other way around when I'm trying to set up an author appearance)...via my Facebook Fan Page! So I guess maybe FB is a good promotional tool after all (OK, I knew it was, but this was a nice confirmation of that fact).

I will be the only romance author, kind of neat, as the other 5 represent a variety of genres from poetry to mystery. Though I'm not positive on the format, I think we will each discuss/read and then have time for chatting and signing/selling after the panel.

I'm looking forward to it...and if you're anywhere in the area, I hope you'll stop by! Click here for library location and details.