Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Agent #1 Pro’s: Over 25 years experience

Clients on NYTBS

Very well respected.

Writer and agent.

Has spoken at conferences. Quite knowledgable.

Con’s:    Doesn’t cover romance.

Agent #2: Pro’s:  Young and eager.

She “is” the market.

Represents a wide variety of romance, one of my favorite authors included.

Will advise clients against a deal if it suits them better.

Con’s: Says my genre is running out of fresh stories (did I read that right?)

Agent #3: Pro’s:  Has a sense of humor, wry cutting wit.

strong editor and copyrighter

Con’s: New to the agenting world

Agent #4:  Pro’s: AAR member

Con’s: doesn’t take unsolicited queries. (Per P&E)

So, the search continues….

Sometimes I wonder if I should even bother with an agent yet….

This is a timely topic because the daily life of a housewife includes many duties. Now, that doesn’t have to do with ownership per se, except for the fact that I need to own up to my responsibilities. Things have to be done, so, I do them. Or procrastinate. But they do get done. Eventually.

Also, one could talk about the joys of home ownership. There’s never a shortage of projects to be done. This on top of the daily chores and tasks. I’m talking about the gutters being cleaned, the garaged re-organized, the broken door in the hall to be fixed, the appliances repaired, the walls painted. You get the picture. It’s really never ending. But it’s MINE. My house, My money pit.

Or of pets. Grrrrrr. I love my dogs. I hate my dogs. It gets to be so tedious to do some things by rote. Especially when it takes away from motherhood and wifely time.

But as it relates to writing, the crux of the matter is still the same. You have to own it. Maintain it. Repair it. Love it and hate it. The time and dedication writing requires is no less than what anything else to which you’re devoted. And with that hopeless devotion (anyone else channeling Olivia Newton-John?) comes responsibility. You remember anniversaries. (housewife) You pay your mortgage and bills. You take care of your pets. (I surely hope so.) Do you take care of your writing?

Some one will. By that I mean, write your story. Only you can. Not let it molder in your mind. With a little luck and a lot of sweat something marvelous will come to fruition. But you have to own it.

I am saving up my money to join RWA, if only to join the specialty chapter of Hearts Through History . They have a contest and this years judge for the category I would have entered, If I’d realized it was held, is from The Wild Rose Press, which is where I just KNOW my work has a home. It’s exciting, even though I’ve missed this years contest. So why am I all aflutter? Because it confirms to me that colonial era romance has a home.

New York may not be calling, yet, but It is definitely a step in the right direction.

Dreaming while awake is interesting. No, I don’t mean daydreaming, although that’s nice too. I mean following your dreams with such a passion that you are almost blind to anything else. I wake up, and besides wanting to go back to bed as soon as possible, I think of writing. It consumes me. If I’m not writing I’m plotting, I’m thinking of those two new twists that just came to me. I’m planning on ways to torture, or at least be cruel to real people put into fiction. (C.L from work, I’m working on YOU! [it's ok. they don't know I write.])

I’ve moved past my malaise and discouragement about me taking so long to get anywhere. I mean, if I drew a graph for time spent and effort put forth, it would NOT be an inverse diagram. (where’d THAT come from.)  So besides obscure math references, I have oodles of romance fiction  waiting to be purged.

I will exorcise these characters, so help me…

I’ve been a reader forever. I read at 4 years old. But of romance, I’ve only read since maybe my senior year of highschool. My tastes have ebbed and flowed depending on what was available. Only in the last 4 years or so have I actively sought a certain genre. But again, there is a trend that makes certain types of books more available. Regency seems to be the most popular lately. It has been said that it is fading out, but I haven’t seen evidence of that. I have seen that other’s are making a surgence, without diminishing the others. (I think the reason for that is because there are as many varied tastes and likes as there is people. And also because reading is one enjoyable pasttime that will not be hindered overmuch by the economy-some, but not much.)

I’ve read tons of regencies. (haha, i made an unintentional pun.) I’ve read westerns. I’ve read indians. (not exactly the same as westerns.) And there are other historicals. 

So, perhaps some writers would say, I must write x because it is ‘hot’ now.

But not me. I’m not necessarily against riding the wave or current trend. I’m no fashionista, or glamor goddess. But I know what I like. The same goes for writing. I write what I love. And I love history. American history. And why not start around the birth of our nation?

Theres a beginning trend now for this type of historical. I haven’t read much. And when I started this ambitious series, I had seen none. So, I felt a little aprehensive. Would this be accepted because there isn’t this out there right now. But I snapped out of it, quick-like. Whether there is or isn’t wasn’t going to stop the story. It had to be told. And I’m telling it. Where it goes from here, no one knows. So, am I part of a new movement? Did I [preconceive where the next trend was going? 

I don’t think so. I think I’m writing what I love and that perhaps, just maybe, someone else would like it too.

I have been on and off the fence regarding looking for a literary agent since I seriously started to pursue writing. I’m going very slowly, having half-way finished a work last year only to realize after contest subs that I needed to start over. Which I have. And for the better. But now I want to move forward. Not too fast, because I want to do it right and do well. 

I want to get a critique partner and polish up the first few chapters so that I can begin shopping my work around. I have little clue to which agents I should pursue. I have some clue to which publishers I will try. I want to ultimately aim for New York, I mean, who doesn’t, but should I aim small at first? There is an e-publisher whose lines have a perfect fit for me. I think I’ll go there. Dare I mention them? Ok. I will: The Wild Rose Press. They have an American Rose line. Excellent! It would be so perfect for the series I have planned and started. 

When I think on it, I get all fluttery in my belly. Excited, nerves, anxiety. but…

I don’t have anything completely ready to sub.

I’m surprised I haven’t been able to get a CP yet. Having one seems crucial to me. It is an integral part in being able to give your best. Having objective eyes looking at these words and characters is necessary so that I can offer my best. I just need to have the gumption to get it out there. I am wondering if waiting for a CP is worthwhile, even as badly as I need one. But I’ve been working on this one book for too long, and I refuse to lollygag. Part of the length of time is because I have been toying with it. But last year, It got real.

I wrote 150 pages. I was proud of and impressed with myself. But, it was dreck. I’ve been guided some since then and hopefully have managed to learn from what information I’ve been given. The work isn’t too terrible, I hope, to warrant a second look. I’ll polish as much as I can, but editing can be done still. Just like it. Like me. Believe in me.

I would like to pay homage to a quote by a former president, of whose politics I am unaware. But he sums up in the following how I feel about our country and its leader:

“Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country.” — President Theodore Roosevelt

Discuss:

The Romance Divas annual Not Going to Conference Conference will make you feel a bit less deprived! Amazing workshops, a star-studded guest list and awesome giveaways, all on the Diva forum! Don’t miss it!

Here’s a bit of a schedule update for the Q&As and Workshops…

Wednesday, July 30

Paula Guran, Editor, Juno Books
Q&A on Creating Kick a** Heroines

Laurie Rauch, Editor, Samhain Publishing
Workshop on What Happens After the Contract (aka Editors are People Too!)*

Thursday July 31

Joyce Hart, Hartline Literary
Q&A on Inspirational Romance Stories and the Inspy Market

Sandra Schwab, Historical Romance Author
Workshop on Historical Accuracy and Anachronisms

Friday, August 1

Yolanda Sfetsos, Author of Guarded by Stone
Q&A on Paranormal and Urban Fantasy World Building

Katie MacIver, KatieDidDesign
Workshop on Website Design and Color Selection

Saturday, August 2

Joey W. Hill, Erotica Author
Workshop on Plotting Erotica and Erotic Romance

Rhonda Stapleton, Editor and Author
Workshop on Style and Voice

How about if I list some door prizes?

• What Gwen said” mug donated by Gwen Hayes
• 3-chapter critique of a YA by Simon Pulse author Rhonda Stapleton
• 3-chapter critique of a YA, chick lit, or rom com by Golden Heart Finalist Amanda Brice
• An ebook of your choice from Nell Dixon’s backlist
• An ebook of either Second Sight (paranormal romance) or Dragons’ Choice (fantasy romance – dragon-shifters) from Debbie Mumford
• Ten dollar Amazon gift certificate from Jodi Henley
• Lush stuff from Seeley deBorn
• e-book copy of Chasing Shadows from Erin Richards
• Paperback copy of Iron Horse Rider OR Smiling Eyes from Adelle Laudan
• Book thongs from Angeleque Ford
• 3 chapter critique from Sela Carsen
• winner’s choice of ebook copy of “Not Quite Dead” or “Heart of the Sea” by Sela Carsen
• e-book copy of HEATWAVE by Eden Bradley
• e-book copy of BREAKING SKYE by Eden Bradley
• a box of goodies, trade and paperbacks, bath products candles, etc… All for a fun and relaxing home spa day treat. courtesy of The Midnight Moon Cafe
• 1 download each of Natasha Moore’s Samhain books, The Ride of Her LIfe and The Passion-Minded Professor
• a copy of “Painted Soul” by Mary Quast
• e-book copy of HER CINDERELLA COMPLEX by Jenna Bayley-Burke – Samhain
• e-book copy of PAR FOR THE COURSE by Jenna Bayley-Burke – Samhain
• e-book copy of FOUND by Jenna Bayley-Burke – Wild Rose Press
• e-book copy of NIGHT OF INSPIRATION by Jenna Allen – Phaze
• e-book copy of ON AGAIN by Jenna Allen – Phaze
• $10 gc to Amazon from Kendal Corbitt
• ebook Vampire Oracle: Harmony by MG Braden
• Ebook ARC, Art of Sensuality by Jax Cassidy

Plus a lovely bar of wonderful Chagrin Valley hand made soap, Caramel Pralines jar candle, handmade jewelry, Tarot readings, a Lush box for European Divas/Dudes, a $10 fictionwise gc and much more!

I grew up loving the Red, White, and Blue. I cannot separate the celebration of Independence Day from watermelon in Grandmama’s backyard. Going to fireworks displays was always fun. We’d go to different places each year. My favorite was at Lennox Square. We parked at the top of the parking deck, and the view was spectacular. I think I haven’t been to a display now since I was pregnant with my son. I live close to the beach as it is, so I can see, and especially hear, the relvelry without leaving the house. But I don’t relegate this jingoistic behavior to only one day a year. Yes. Similar to mother’s day, I think it is something to celebrate everyday. Freedom is hard to explain to those who have the same liberties as we do. As American born citizens, we have grown up in this society, enjoying what we call freedom. But what is it really? Can one be free or know freedom if they’ve not known oppression? Well, perhaps. I know how I’d feel were my rights removed. I know I may have taken for granted what a great life I’ve been able to have. And the potential for more greatness and wonderful things are there for me. But I so do not want to forget how this came to be. As much as I wish to be a true Daughter of the Revolution, my ancestors in Virginia could easily have been Tories or Loyalists instead of Patriots. I do not know. But I draw inspiration for this day in seeing freedom being won for others. I have not felt oppressed. But I sympathize with the trials of others. I see the atrocities man has wrought and my heart breaks. I mourn for lives lost in the pursuit of this freedom. And it is for them this day is made. Today is the epitome of what their sacrifice gave.