Okay so I asked to do another story for Amber Quill and was approved so now I have three stories due to them coming up. One due in August, one in September and one in October. This would mean releases from me in December 08, January 09 and February 09. So I had to do it. How could I not?
So I will have the medieval menage story, A Knight For All. A contemporary m/m opposites attract story called, The Other Side (if title is approved), and another m/m story about the first time discovery/realization of their sexual preferences. No title for that one yet. No story for that one yet.
Then I have Trust to work on and hopefully Sinful, not to mention edits coming from EC.
But you know I want to be successful and the way to do that is to build up work at both Ellora's Cave and Amber Quill.
I will be one busy writer when I come back from vacation so I had better enjoy the luxury of reading while on my vacation.
A minor update: The editor at Wild Rose Press says she loves the story of The Prisoner but she isn't sure the timeline works without knowledge of the first book so she was going to have a reader read it and get back to me. What does it mean? Not sure at this point, but I am guessing it may turn into a no if the reader is at all confused.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
AQ Stuff/Shawn Lane
So my menage story for Amber Quill is to be called A Knight For All. It's been officially listed as such with the editing team. I have until the end of August to get it written but intend to start really concentrating on it when I return in June from my vacation.
I've volunteered to do another story for one of the Amber Pax collections that will appear in February 2009. This is a m/m erotic romance with the theme Opposites Attract. It's been approved and has to be written by the end of October.
These will be contracts 2 and 3 for Amber Quill and Contracts 9 and 10 respectively.
I've volunteered to do another story for one of the Amber Pax collections that will appear in February 2009. This is a m/m erotic romance with the theme Opposites Attract. It's been approved and has to be written by the end of October.
These will be contracts 2 and 3 for Amber Quill and Contracts 9 and 10 respectively.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
My Long Winded Post
So the editor at Samhain acknowledged receipt of my partial of Sinful so now I wait. I suspect it will be several weeks before I hear back as to whether she is interested in seeing the full. I believe they have something on their site that says you can go ahead and send the full to begin with as they will request it anyway if they like it but I'd rather know if the opening three chapter prompted them to request more. If you send the full you may never know if they got past the first ten pages before they passed. At least if they come back and request it you know they saw something there. My theory anyway.Plus she was nice enough to tell me to send her future work, I don't want to bombard her with a full if it ends up just not being her thing.
Haven't heard back on The Prisoner and it is almost the end of May when the WRP editor said she would have it read by, if not before. Definitely not before, obviously. I am thinking it will be a reject with suggestions for revisions. Then I will have to make the decision on whether to revise or just...well not. I don't know how I feel about it right now. Could be it depends on how extensive the revisions would be at this point with everything else I have going. I think the ending scene in that book is really one of the most romantic scenes I've ever written, really, so it will be a shame if it never sees the light of day, but that well may be it's fate.
Moving along on Trust at already 8000 words and not even the first sex scene yet. I've decided who the villain is but I have to think of a way it isn't too obvious. I've almost thought of a sequel to it too and though I know many of the other publishers do sequels I am not sure that EC does so I may be wasting my time thinking of a sequel to a book I haven't finished or even had contracted by anyone yet.
I think my other hero in A Knight's Love (I haven't thought of a real title yet) will be Gregory. I was looking up names on a medieval naming guide I have and that is the name that stuck out. I'd kind of like to go with Benedict but he is already the hero in my as yet unfinished Sorcerer's Lover tale that may also end up going to AQ in the future.
I'll be taking lots of reading material with me on my vacation. Books I have purchased, a book I am revising, and a notebook for um..notes.
Oh and a return to the subject of The Mist. I finished the book. Really good. My only complaint is this one tiny part where King has his protagonist who I really liked cheat on his probably dead wife in the grocery store. Yes, I know people deal with stress in different ways and his wife was almost certainly dead, he knew it and the reader knew it, but still it took him down several notches for me as a hero of the story and I can't for the life of me figure out what King was thinking when he included it in the story.
I did rent the movie made out of the book and there were certain things they got pretty good. I think the actor they had playing the protagonist was perfect for the part. The actress playing his wife was pretty terrible but they glossed over their relationship so fast she was barely in the story for more than a minute. Too bad, because I really felt their relationship in the book. They also tweaked the neighbor a bit but he was mostly okay. A lot of stuff they did in the grocery store they did right. Some of it they got really, really wrong. They did skip the protagonist cheating on his wife which was a good decision, but they made a much bigger part of the military guys in the store than was in the book, adding one in the pharmacy that was absolutely just stuck in there to be gross because he wasn't in the book, and a sacrificial scene involving one of the soldiers that was just so wrong on many levels I was shouting at the television. It was just so completely unnecessary. I think it was meant to provoke but what it provoked in me was disdain. And don't even get me started with the ridiculous way they changed the ending. When I returned it to Netflix I gave it a ONE rating. I should have known not to waste my time.
Haven't heard back on The Prisoner and it is almost the end of May when the WRP editor said she would have it read by, if not before. Definitely not before, obviously. I am thinking it will be a reject with suggestions for revisions. Then I will have to make the decision on whether to revise or just...well not. I don't know how I feel about it right now. Could be it depends on how extensive the revisions would be at this point with everything else I have going. I think the ending scene in that book is really one of the most romantic scenes I've ever written, really, so it will be a shame if it never sees the light of day, but that well may be it's fate.
Moving along on Trust at already 8000 words and not even the first sex scene yet. I've decided who the villain is but I have to think of a way it isn't too obvious. I've almost thought of a sequel to it too and though I know many of the other publishers do sequels I am not sure that EC does so I may be wasting my time thinking of a sequel to a book I haven't finished or even had contracted by anyone yet.
I think my other hero in A Knight's Love (I haven't thought of a real title yet) will be Gregory. I was looking up names on a medieval naming guide I have and that is the name that stuck out. I'd kind of like to go with Benedict but he is already the hero in my as yet unfinished Sorcerer's Lover tale that may also end up going to AQ in the future.
I'll be taking lots of reading material with me on my vacation. Books I have purchased, a book I am revising, and a notebook for um..notes.
Oh and a return to the subject of The Mist. I finished the book. Really good. My only complaint is this one tiny part where King has his protagonist who I really liked cheat on his probably dead wife in the grocery store. Yes, I know people deal with stress in different ways and his wife was almost certainly dead, he knew it and the reader knew it, but still it took him down several notches for me as a hero of the story and I can't for the life of me figure out what King was thinking when he included it in the story.
I did rent the movie made out of the book and there were certain things they got pretty good. I think the actor they had playing the protagonist was perfect for the part. The actress playing his wife was pretty terrible but they glossed over their relationship so fast she was barely in the story for more than a minute. Too bad, because I really felt their relationship in the book. They also tweaked the neighbor a bit but he was mostly okay. A lot of stuff they did in the grocery store they did right. Some of it they got really, really wrong. They did skip the protagonist cheating on his wife which was a good decision, but they made a much bigger part of the military guys in the store than was in the book, adding one in the pharmacy that was absolutely just stuck in there to be gross because he wasn't in the book, and a sacrificial scene involving one of the soldiers that was just so wrong on many levels I was shouting at the television. It was just so completely unnecessary. I think it was meant to provoke but what it provoked in me was disdain. And don't even get me started with the ridiculous way they changed the ending. When I returned it to Netflix I gave it a ONE rating. I should have known not to waste my time.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The saga continues...
Okay so I am contracted for stories with Ellora's Cave into 2009 already. That's great in a way, but the thing is I don't want to stop writing just because I have plenty of contracts.
So when I have Trust completed in the summer I will go ahead and send it to my editor there anyway. I'd really like for it to find a home there more than anyone else out there. Fully knowing it won't be a release until 2009.
I started Scarborough's story with Cerridwen in mind but I am not really sure where I am going with it or I am satisfied with the parts I have written. I will give it some thought and probably put it aside until I return in June from my vacation then I will really work on it in earnest and send it to my CP for input. Provided she is willing of course.
I have also started the story for Amber Quill that would be coming in December and is potentially contract number 9 (if it is an acceptable piece of erotic fiction, of course). No title for it. But I have named one of the heroes Edward and the heroine Katherine. No name for the other hero yet. Need something for the medieval period so something like Dylan or Chip is out of the question, LOL.
I was reading the sad story of an author recently who sold a book to a major print publisher. Well, apparently it didn't sell very well and so they aren't going to publish her second book with them and have returned the rights to her. This can happen to any of us folks and it is a reminder that publishing is a business.
And finally I sent a 3 chapter partial of Sinful out to an editor at Samhain. Will see where it goes from there, if anywhere.
So when I have Trust completed in the summer I will go ahead and send it to my editor there anyway. I'd really like for it to find a home there more than anyone else out there. Fully knowing it won't be a release until 2009.
I started Scarborough's story with Cerridwen in mind but I am not really sure where I am going with it or I am satisfied with the parts I have written. I will give it some thought and probably put it aside until I return in June from my vacation then I will really work on it in earnest and send it to my CP for input. Provided she is willing of course.
I have also started the story for Amber Quill that would be coming in December and is potentially contract number 9 (if it is an acceptable piece of erotic fiction, of course). No title for it. But I have named one of the heroes Edward and the heroine Katherine. No name for the other hero yet. Need something for the medieval period so something like Dylan or Chip is out of the question, LOL.
I was reading the sad story of an author recently who sold a book to a major print publisher. Well, apparently it didn't sell very well and so they aren't going to publish her second book with them and have returned the rights to her. This can happen to any of us folks and it is a reminder that publishing is a business.
And finally I sent a 3 chapter partial of Sinful out to an editor at Samhain. Will see where it goes from there, if anywhere.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Future Plans
So I have learned with all my contracts at EC they usually won't release them too close together and with my many contracts I am probably going into 2009 already. Which is cool in a way but I also have all these ideas and plans working in my mind all the time.
I have decided I can probably start working on my third duke book, Scarborough's story, in earnest. It will take me a while to write it because it must be novel length for Cerridwen so over 50,000 words. So once I return from my upcoming vacation (next week) I will really concentrate on that. It has to have the same mystery suspense element as the other two duke books (well it has to have these elements to me)
I will also continue working on Trust too in the meantime. I hope to have that done in the summer and then I will submit that.
And I volunteered to do a story for an Amber Pax anthology for Amber Quill. It has to be a menage and I am thinking a medieval theme. I was approved by the editor to write it so I guess I am. Have to have it done by August.
I have decided I can probably start working on my third duke book, Scarborough's story, in earnest. It will take me a while to write it because it must be novel length for Cerridwen so over 50,000 words. So once I return from my upcoming vacation (next week) I will really concentrate on that. It has to have the same mystery suspense element as the other two duke books (well it has to have these elements to me)
I will also continue working on Trust too in the meantime. I hope to have that done in the summer and then I will submit that.
And I volunteered to do a story for an Amber Pax anthology for Amber Quill. It has to be a menage and I am thinking a medieval theme. I was approved by the editor to write it so I guess I am. Have to have it done by August.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Notes on a Sunday
I got my scores for Sinful for the HTH contest and they really weren't as terrible as I thought they would be. In fact my scores were great and in another year I might have finaled because I got an average score 147 out of 150. So I feel much better about Sinful right now.
Unexpected had to be renamed. Not my original intent, but still the name chosen isn't terrible. So when the contract goes through it will be as Wanting Sam.
Unexpected had to be renamed. Not my original intent, but still the name chosen isn't terrible. So when the contract goes through it will be as Wanting Sam.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Number 8
I got my 8th contract offer. That makes 5 erotic romance contracts. Quite surprising, really.
The title has to be changed, sigh, which I thought my title was perfect for the story. Anyway, it's great news even if must change the title. Minor inconvenience.
More details to come
The title has to be changed, sigh, which I thought my title was perfect for the story. Anyway, it's great news even if must change the title. Minor inconvenience.
More details to come
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Squire's Cover
The Squire now has a cover which can be viewed on the "available soon" page of the Amber Allure site here: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/AA_upcoming.html
I really like the cover, especially the way he did the title. I'll update my website later with the cover as well. Can't do that from work.
What a great story the publication of The Squire really is. This is not the story I originally entered in the Amber Heat Wave Contest. I entered If Only You (now Another Chance coming out from Ellora's Cave), but realized I still had time to write a second story to enter so thus The Squire was born. I was absolutely stunned it was chosen as one of the winners. I still am stunned, really. But you know what the damn thing is good and I am very proud of it.
I really like the cover, especially the way he did the title. I'll update my website later with the cover as well. Can't do that from work.
What a great story the publication of The Squire really is. This is not the story I originally entered in the Amber Heat Wave Contest. I entered If Only You (now Another Chance coming out from Ellora's Cave), but realized I still had time to write a second story to enter so thus The Squire was born. I was absolutely stunned it was chosen as one of the winners. I still am stunned, really. But you know what the damn thing is good and I am very proud of it.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Torturing Myself
And no, not in a good way.
Though I vowed not to stalk my email I must make the confession that I have been. Stupid, I know. PD even reminded me that I was told it would take two weeks to even get to it and it has only been slightly over one week. So why am I expecting magic? Who knows. I suppose it is because one time when I was told by the same editor that it would take her "several" weeks with Another Chance and it took her slightly over a week to offer. So what if every other time she had told me a time limit and it has been at least that long? Yeah, I am creating torture for myself basically. Especially since not being able to get to it for two weeks probably means she won't even read it until then. So likely it will be more than two weeks. Stone of Wrath was and of course I was convinced that meant she hated it and she offered for it.Stop torturing yourself. Honestly. I know this is a trait of writers though from speaking with several other writers. But I am going to try once more to stop stalking my email. Really I am.
In relevant writing news things are going swimmingly on Trust. I've finished chapter one and am well into chapter two. I have to work them toward getting to a point where they can begin having hot sex of course. I am hoping to have some time this weekend to work on it.
Though I vowed not to stalk my email I must make the confession that I have been. Stupid, I know. PD even reminded me that I was told it would take two weeks to even get to it and it has only been slightly over one week. So why am I expecting magic? Who knows. I suppose it is because one time when I was told by the same editor that it would take her "several" weeks with Another Chance and it took her slightly over a week to offer. So what if every other time she had told me a time limit and it has been at least that long? Yeah, I am creating torture for myself basically. Especially since not being able to get to it for two weeks probably means she won't even read it until then. So likely it will be more than two weeks. Stone of Wrath was and of course I was convinced that meant she hated it and she offered for it.Stop torturing yourself. Honestly. I know this is a trait of writers though from speaking with several other writers. But I am going to try once more to stop stalking my email. Really I am.
In relevant writing news things are going swimmingly on Trust. I've finished chapter one and am well into chapter two. I have to work them toward getting to a point where they can begin having hot sex of course. I am hoping to have some time this weekend to work on it.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Fairly Wishy-Washy Redux
So once again I am back to not wanting to work on medieval paranormals. As I mentioned previously I entered both Sinful and Redemption in my chapter's contest mostly for chapter support but also of course for the chance to final. The contest allows published authors to enter which is why I was able to enter. Most RWA chapter contests you can't be published. Anyway, I digress.
The point is I am discouraged by how both of these did in the contest. I didn't final in either category and I got bad scores in both. I am currently at a loss as to how to fix them so I think it might be better to set them aside and not deal with them at the moment. The ambivalence with which I feel about them right now leads me to believe I wouldn't do them justice. I did the same think with It's Only Make Believe.
So maybe in the early fall I will re-evaluate them. In the meantime, I am going to put my energies in Trust. Since I am trying to make Trust into at least a short novel or an extended novella I am guessing I won't have it ready for submission until close to July or in July even.
I'm in wait mode again on recent submissions. If The Prisoner doesn't fly with Wild Rose Press I don't know that I will try to fix it. If Unexpected gets no interest with EC I will offer it to Amber Quill.
The point is I am discouraged by how both of these did in the contest. I didn't final in either category and I got bad scores in both. I am currently at a loss as to how to fix them so I think it might be better to set them aside and not deal with them at the moment. The ambivalence with which I feel about them right now leads me to believe I wouldn't do them justice. I did the same think with It's Only Make Believe.
So maybe in the early fall I will re-evaluate them. In the meantime, I am going to put my energies in Trust. Since I am trying to make Trust into at least a short novel or an extended novella I am guessing I won't have it ready for submission until close to July or in July even.
I'm in wait mode again on recent submissions. If The Prisoner doesn't fly with Wild Rose Press I don't know that I will try to fix it. If Unexpected gets no interest with EC I will offer it to Amber Quill.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Nothing in Particular
I am hoping to get my cover art for The Squire soon. It comes out in just over a month. I have noticed some of my fellow Heat Wave contest winners getting theirs lately, the ones with slightly earlier release dates than mine in June. Some of the covers I have seen are really good so I am hoping for something cool myself. I can't wait to be able to post it on my website for Shawn Lane.
I was trying to get my query letter ready for Sinful but I am not sure it's very successful. My friend is trying to help but really it is a difficult process to make something look interesting in a one page letter. Sigh. It's making me want to go back to working on "Trust". Is that lazy or what?
I think I will start it anyway because I've been thinking about it for the last several days. I think it is important to go where your creative mind wants to go.
I was trying to get my query letter ready for Sinful but I am not sure it's very successful. My friend is trying to help but really it is a difficult process to make something look interesting in a one page letter. Sigh. It's making me want to go back to working on "Trust". Is that lazy or what?
I think I will start it anyway because I've been thinking about it for the last several days. I think it is important to go where your creative mind wants to go.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Fairly Wishy Washy
Yep, that's me.
I am thinking of returning to work on Sinful again. I know, what was all that talk of working on Trust or maybe even the next duke book? What was all that nonsense about being down on medievals?
But I'm thinking that I need to get working on that so I can get together a decent query letter and partial to start querying agents. As long as the process is it could be months before I hear anything once I send off stuff. So this is what I am thinking I will do is work on Sinful and its proposal.
I'll never know if I can sell Sinful if I don't try, right?
I am thinking of returning to work on Sinful again. I know, what was all that talk of working on Trust or maybe even the next duke book? What was all that nonsense about being down on medievals?
But I'm thinking that I need to get working on that so I can get together a decent query letter and partial to start querying agents. As long as the process is it could be months before I hear anything once I send off stuff. So this is what I am thinking I will do is work on Sinful and its proposal.
I'll never know if I can sell Sinful if I don't try, right?
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Contract Announcement and What's Next
I can officially announce my latest contract offered in April!
I am pleased to announce that Stone of Wrath will be released in November as part of Ellora's Cave birthstone series.
I had a lot of fun writing the story of Jed and Topaz and I managed to do it in three days. Something I'm not sure I'll do again as it was not without its agony. But I did it and sold it too. Not bad for a story I basically wrote on the spur of the moment. I had vague notions of an idea back earlier in the year but had discarded them, but talking with my friend, Ava, made me think about it again and before I knew it I was writing it. She'll probably stop talking to me because she is the one who told me about Amber Quill's contest as well.
Okay so a first for me. The attempt to write a novel-length gay romance. So far the stories I have written have all been novella or quickie/kiss lengths.
I have probably mentioned this before but I have trouble with word counts. The longest book I have ever written is Duke's Project and that was around 93,000. All other novels since have come in well under that. A Man Not Her Own comes in around 70,000 and Prisoner around 63,000. Duke Pretender is 10,000 less than that. So you get the idea. Sinful is only 50,000 something too so if I ever do want to try and market it I will need to double the pages/words.
So in some ways I like writing the novellas as I tend toward that. The Squire, Stone of Wrath and Another Chance are particularly short stories, but both Perfect Man and Unexpected make it over 20,000 but under 25,000.
Since the presently named story, "Trust", is only vague ideas in my head with no real plot other than former lovers reconnecting years later, how do I think I am going to manage the novel length needed for that story? I checked out Amber Allure today and their novel length is anything over 41,000 words. With Ellora's Cave I know their novellas go up to 30,000 and I have found out their short novels are 30,000 to 45,000. I think their novel lengths go from 45,000 to 75,000. After that it becomes a Plus Novel and a Super Plus Novel. I know Cerridwen Press starts at 50,000 but because Duke's Project was 93,000 it was rated as a Plus Novel. So if I can make "Trust" in the 40,000 to 50,000 range I should be okay for either Amber Allure or Ellora's Cave. But that's a lot of words on a story I have no real plot for. And I think based on my contracts I will have to offer "Trust" to Ellora's Cave first (this may change if they do not offer for my recent May submission).
So I am thinking of making "Trust" a romantic suspense type story. So one of my main characters would be in danger from something in addition to the trust/reconnecting issues they must deal with. Since it would be a novel length I wouldn't have to necessarily throw my couple into bed in the first chapter. EC views their stuff as 50% plot, 50% sex. I can probably manage that.
I thought of a title of maybe Broken Promises or simply Promises but not sure those haven't been done to death.
I have recently realized I start too many sentences with "so" and "well" when I am conversing with people.
Anyway...should I write the Duke of Scarborough's story for Cerridwen Press? How do I manage it? My original plot won't work for them at all so I would have to scrap that. I could go back to my original idea of having Scarborough get together with Lucy, Jack and Simon's sister (which changed when I started writing the story), but I would have to tread carefully with any interaction between Julian and Lucy before they were married. I could begin the book with them already married or getting married and then having them interact would not be a problem. I recently wrote a new, darker prologue which could work for the story. Hmm..I tentatively titled the new version Duke Restrained to go with the other duke books but I may need a different name than that. Could I work on both that book and "Trust" at the same time? Work on one Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the other Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday/Sunday? Will that be too much? Too confusing? Only my fevered brain knows.
I am pleased to announce that Stone of Wrath will be released in November as part of Ellora's Cave birthstone series.
I had a lot of fun writing the story of Jed and Topaz and I managed to do it in three days. Something I'm not sure I'll do again as it was not without its agony. But I did it and sold it too. Not bad for a story I basically wrote on the spur of the moment. I had vague notions of an idea back earlier in the year but had discarded them, but talking with my friend, Ava, made me think about it again and before I knew it I was writing it. She'll probably stop talking to me because she is the one who told me about Amber Quill's contest as well.
Okay so a first for me. The attempt to write a novel-length gay romance. So far the stories I have written have all been novella or quickie/kiss lengths.
I have probably mentioned this before but I have trouble with word counts. The longest book I have ever written is Duke's Project and that was around 93,000. All other novels since have come in well under that. A Man Not Her Own comes in around 70,000 and Prisoner around 63,000. Duke Pretender is 10,000 less than that. So you get the idea. Sinful is only 50,000 something too so if I ever do want to try and market it I will need to double the pages/words.
So in some ways I like writing the novellas as I tend toward that. The Squire, Stone of Wrath and Another Chance are particularly short stories, but both Perfect Man and Unexpected make it over 20,000 but under 25,000.
Since the presently named story, "Trust", is only vague ideas in my head with no real plot other than former lovers reconnecting years later, how do I think I am going to manage the novel length needed for that story? I checked out Amber Allure today and their novel length is anything over 41,000 words. With Ellora's Cave I know their novellas go up to 30,000 and I have found out their short novels are 30,000 to 45,000. I think their novel lengths go from 45,000 to 75,000. After that it becomes a Plus Novel and a Super Plus Novel. I know Cerridwen Press starts at 50,000 but because Duke's Project was 93,000 it was rated as a Plus Novel. So if I can make "Trust" in the 40,000 to 50,000 range I should be okay for either Amber Allure or Ellora's Cave. But that's a lot of words on a story I have no real plot for. And I think based on my contracts I will have to offer "Trust" to Ellora's Cave first (this may change if they do not offer for my recent May submission).
So I am thinking of making "Trust" a romantic suspense type story. So one of my main characters would be in danger from something in addition to the trust/reconnecting issues they must deal with. Since it would be a novel length I wouldn't have to necessarily throw my couple into bed in the first chapter. EC views their stuff as 50% plot, 50% sex. I can probably manage that.
I thought of a title of maybe Broken Promises or simply Promises but not sure those haven't been done to death.
I have recently realized I start too many sentences with "so" and "well" when I am conversing with people.
Anyway...should I write the Duke of Scarborough's story for Cerridwen Press? How do I manage it? My original plot won't work for them at all so I would have to scrap that. I could go back to my original idea of having Scarborough get together with Lucy, Jack and Simon's sister (which changed when I started writing the story), but I would have to tread carefully with any interaction between Julian and Lucy before they were married. I could begin the book with them already married or getting married and then having them interact would not be a problem. I recently wrote a new, darker prologue which could work for the story. Hmm..I tentatively titled the new version Duke Restrained to go with the other duke books but I may need a different name than that. Could I work on both that book and "Trust" at the same time? Work on one Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the other Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday/Sunday? Will that be too much? Too confusing? Only my fevered brain knows.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Finished Another One And the Fate of Medievals
Stick a fork in it, it's done. Unexpected that is. I have finished it, done the synopsis, and sent it off to my editor. And this time I vow I will not stalk my emails! She might not even have it read by the time I leave for my vacation anyway.
So next up is my story I am calling "Trust" right now. That won't be the final title but I am not sure what their book will be called be right now. I'd like to try and make this my first novel length gay romance. We'll see if I can manage it.
So my recent mindset begs the question:
Do I continue to write medievals? I still love the time period, but do I have the ability, the voice to write them? I used to think so. I am not so sure any longer. And the truth is many of the print publishers are still not buying them. That may change of course. But see the thing is, I have thought my medieval, Redemption, was good. It's only a first draft so I knew it was far from perfect, but I thought it was decent work. Among some of the best I've done lately and yet in the one and only contest I decided to enter it in all three judges trashed it. I mean the scores were appallingly bad. I thought at first mine was last place but I think it was actually second-to-last which is not much comfort frankly. Okay, it was THAT bad? I mean one judge gave me a 94 out of 150 points. That is really, really pathetic. I judged the same contest and even the entry I thought needed the most work didn't get that low of a score from me. Did I really suck that much to deserve an almost 60 point deduction? I guess maybe I am just clueless about what a medieval should be. I mean that had been through a critique group and no one there thought it sucked. I just don't get it. And is that the problem? I just don't get what these women who read that time period want?
I don't know. And that is what worries me. Okay five people in the critique group like it but three judges hate it. Which do I believe? Can I in all conscience just dismiss those three people? I do have two medievals about to be published, but one is a gay romance and I don't think you can truthfully view those in the same light as what these contests judges are looking for. I am fairly certain these judges would be disgusted by the love shared by William and Duncan no matter the time. I don't think A Man Not Her Own my other medieval coming out is terrible.
On the other hand, one of my own dear friends who writes medievals couldn't get through even a few chapters of Sinful. She kept giving me excuses as to why she hadn't gotten the crit done so finally I just told her not to bother. It had gotten to the point where it was painful to both of us. She meant well, but it was clear she didn't want to do it. I know part of that is she just hates paranormals and Sinful is definitely paranormal.
So does that leave me with abandoning historicals altogether? I've written some Regency-set historicals and of course had them published but many of my partially written historicals will just not work, I know that now, and I am not entirely certain I could change them to work. Not and keep the plots the way I had intended.
I certainly never intended to write contemporaries, although that is what I have been delving into lately. I don't know the answer but I know I am discouraged.
So next up is my story I am calling "Trust" right now. That won't be the final title but I am not sure what their book will be called be right now. I'd like to try and make this my first novel length gay romance. We'll see if I can manage it.
So my recent mindset begs the question:
Do I continue to write medievals? I still love the time period, but do I have the ability, the voice to write them? I used to think so. I am not so sure any longer. And the truth is many of the print publishers are still not buying them. That may change of course. But see the thing is, I have thought my medieval, Redemption, was good. It's only a first draft so I knew it was far from perfect, but I thought it was decent work. Among some of the best I've done lately and yet in the one and only contest I decided to enter it in all three judges trashed it. I mean the scores were appallingly bad. I thought at first mine was last place but I think it was actually second-to-last which is not much comfort frankly. Okay, it was THAT bad? I mean one judge gave me a 94 out of 150 points. That is really, really pathetic. I judged the same contest and even the entry I thought needed the most work didn't get that low of a score from me. Did I really suck that much to deserve an almost 60 point deduction? I guess maybe I am just clueless about what a medieval should be. I mean that had been through a critique group and no one there thought it sucked. I just don't get it. And is that the problem? I just don't get what these women who read that time period want?
I don't know. And that is what worries me. Okay five people in the critique group like it but three judges hate it. Which do I believe? Can I in all conscience just dismiss those three people? I do have two medievals about to be published, but one is a gay romance and I don't think you can truthfully view those in the same light as what these contests judges are looking for. I am fairly certain these judges would be disgusted by the love shared by William and Duncan no matter the time. I don't think A Man Not Her Own my other medieval coming out is terrible.
On the other hand, one of my own dear friends who writes medievals couldn't get through even a few chapters of Sinful. She kept giving me excuses as to why she hadn't gotten the crit done so finally I just told her not to bother. It had gotten to the point where it was painful to both of us. She meant well, but it was clear she didn't want to do it. I know part of that is she just hates paranormals and Sinful is definitely paranormal.
So does that leave me with abandoning historicals altogether? I've written some Regency-set historicals and of course had them published but many of my partially written historicals will just not work, I know that now, and I am not entirely certain I could change them to work. Not and keep the plots the way I had intended.
I certainly never intended to write contemporaries, although that is what I have been delving into lately. I don't know the answer but I know I am discouraged.
Monday, May 5, 2008
My Toughest Critic
So most people probably think it's no big deal nor particularly surprising when your mother likes your book. She's your mother, she's bound to like anything you do.
Not so my mother. My mother reads a lot of romances. I think she spends probably more than $500 a year on romances. In fact, it's probably much, much more than that. She has her favorites whom she buys every book they write. And occasionally she reads a new author.
Anyway, I knew she would buy a copy of Duke's Project. She might not be the most supportive mother on the planet, but I knew she would go as far as to purchase it. But she is no warm fuzzy mom who will tell me I am wonderful no matter what. Trust me.
So I was very pleased when she called me Friday and said she really enjoyed it and was looking forward to Jack's book, Duke Pretender, when it comes out in late June. My sister has now said since my mother liked it so much she will have to read it herself for sure.
So anyway...I was happy my mother liked it. She really is the typical reader of romance.
And finally, I am determined to finish Unexpected this week.
Not so my mother. My mother reads a lot of romances. I think she spends probably more than $500 a year on romances. In fact, it's probably much, much more than that. She has her favorites whom she buys every book they write. And occasionally she reads a new author.
Anyway, I knew she would buy a copy of Duke's Project. She might not be the most supportive mother on the planet, but I knew she would go as far as to purchase it. But she is no warm fuzzy mom who will tell me I am wonderful no matter what. Trust me.
So I was very pleased when she called me Friday and said she really enjoyed it and was looking forward to Jack's book, Duke Pretender, when it comes out in late June. My sister has now said since my mother liked it so much she will have to read it herself for sure.
So anyway...I was happy my mother liked it. She really is the typical reader of romance.
And finally, I am determined to finish Unexpected this week.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
The End of a Contest Junkie
So I'm winding down on Unexpected. Just one more chapter to go I think and then I will tackle that synopsis. I'm pleased with the work so far.
What comes next? I am not sure, really. I'm still considering. I thought of returning to Sinful but I am not entirely sure I'm feeling in the mood for medievals right now. Which is another reason I am not sure I will be working on Sorcerer's Lover next. Maybe I will work on "Trust" after all. Hmmm.
So my contest pain is over for good. Well, okay, unless I someday enter the RITA contest, but I have no such plans at this point and don't know that I ever will. I don't do well in writing contests and I am done with them! It'll save me money and pain.
I used to enjoy entering them, but those days are over. Have been for a while really and I am not sure why I continued to enter them. I guess I kept hoping to somehow get a miracle and final and get in front of my dream editor.
Of course all my contest entering over the years wasn't a total loss. I did win a publishing contract from Amber Quill for The Squire.
Not only am I done entering them, I am also done judging them. I've done more than my fair share over the years and I am burned out on them. It has become difficult for me to even get through an entry and I don't think that is fair to those that are entering. They deserve someone who wants to be judging and that is not me.
What comes next? I am not sure, really. I'm still considering. I thought of returning to Sinful but I am not entirely sure I'm feeling in the mood for medievals right now. Which is another reason I am not sure I will be working on Sorcerer's Lover next. Maybe I will work on "Trust" after all. Hmmm.
So my contest pain is over for good. Well, okay, unless I someday enter the RITA contest, but I have no such plans at this point and don't know that I ever will. I don't do well in writing contests and I am done with them! It'll save me money and pain.
I used to enjoy entering them, but those days are over. Have been for a while really and I am not sure why I continued to enter them. I guess I kept hoping to somehow get a miracle and final and get in front of my dream editor.
Of course all my contest entering over the years wasn't a total loss. I did win a publishing contract from Amber Quill for The Squire.
Not only am I done entering them, I am also done judging them. I've done more than my fair share over the years and I am burned out on them. It has become difficult for me to even get through an entry and I don't think that is fair to those that are entering. They deserve someone who wants to be judging and that is not me.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Friend Update and Fangirl Post
First the awesome news that my friend, Kris, has sold her medieval romance to Kensington in a two-book contract. This is terrific news and I know Kris is thrilled. She worked very hard on this book and it is well-deserved as the book is absolutely fabulous!
And now some fangirl posting, but there is a point.
I am reading an old novel (I think it was originally posted as a novella as part of an anthology) of Stephen King's called, The Mist. They recently made a movie out of it which I have not seen.
I know there are folks out there that don't like King's work but I think they are crazy. He is brilliant, in my opinion. I have read several of his novels over the years and they are great. Some, of course, have been made into movies with varying degrees of success. I never understood the snobbery of some writers who think so-called genre fiction (horror, romance, fantasy, etc) is somehow inferior to so-called literary fiction. There's a passage in Salem's Lot that literally takes my breath away with it's imagery.
I think writers should read in genres other than the one's they write in. I read romances, of course, but I also read horror, police procedurals, non-fiction, mysteries. I feel it is important to be well-read. Plus often because I write romances I find myself reading them all with a critical eye as though I can't turn off my editor/judge. I think of what I would have done, or how something or other isn't quite right and on and on. I love a book that makes me forget to eye it with a critical eye. Which brings me to The Mist.
I am only 32 pages into the book, but he has managed to grab me and hold me. In those 32 pages he has set up his protagonist and his family in such a way that I feel they are real. It is amazing how much in those 32 pages he has managed to make me care about these characters. So few writers really can master that skill, but in this book, at least, King has done so beautifully. If I were an editor and he a new writer, I would be calling his agent now to buy this book even though I have not read anything else.
Which brings me to my point. It's no wonder so few books are bought my publishers because so few books manage this. I have done a lot of judging in my years with RWA and I can count on one hand the entries I have read that made me go, oh wow, this is great. I have even given very good scores to some, but none of them have grabbed me like this writing. I don't think I come close to managing that myself either. It's definitely something to aspire to even though I cannot see myself ever writing horror, but the skill translates to all genres, I think.
And now some fangirl posting, but there is a point.
I am reading an old novel (I think it was originally posted as a novella as part of an anthology) of Stephen King's called, The Mist. They recently made a movie out of it which I have not seen.
I know there are folks out there that don't like King's work but I think they are crazy. He is brilliant, in my opinion. I have read several of his novels over the years and they are great. Some, of course, have been made into movies with varying degrees of success. I never understood the snobbery of some writers who think so-called genre fiction (horror, romance, fantasy, etc) is somehow inferior to so-called literary fiction. There's a passage in Salem's Lot that literally takes my breath away with it's imagery.
I think writers should read in genres other than the one's they write in. I read romances, of course, but I also read horror, police procedurals, non-fiction, mysteries. I feel it is important to be well-read. Plus often because I write romances I find myself reading them all with a critical eye as though I can't turn off my editor/judge. I think of what I would have done, or how something or other isn't quite right and on and on. I love a book that makes me forget to eye it with a critical eye. Which brings me to The Mist.
I am only 32 pages into the book, but he has managed to grab me and hold me. In those 32 pages he has set up his protagonist and his family in such a way that I feel they are real. It is amazing how much in those 32 pages he has managed to make me care about these characters. So few writers really can master that skill, but in this book, at least, King has done so beautifully. If I were an editor and he a new writer, I would be calling his agent now to buy this book even though I have not read anything else.
Which brings me to my point. It's no wonder so few books are bought my publishers because so few books manage this. I have done a lot of judging in my years with RWA and I can count on one hand the entries I have read that made me go, oh wow, this is great. I have even given very good scores to some, but none of them have grabbed me like this writing. I don't think I come close to managing that myself either. It's definitely something to aspire to even though I cannot see myself ever writing horror, but the skill translates to all genres, I think.
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