Speaking of It's Only Make Believe I may end up with a novella rather than a quickie length after all. I have this urge to make it a little more substantive than I originally thought. We'll see. The quickie length goes to 15,000 words so it is possible I will still be in that range. Novella lengths for EC are 18,000 plus. So if it gets in between those two word counts I'll be in trouble.

If my editor at EC rejects it then I am pretty sure I can get it published with Amber Heat. It won't work for Loose-ID no matter what the word count as it is too heterosexual for them. Anyway, hopefully when it's been submitted it will be a go at EC. I still would like to have it to my editor there sooner rather than later though I don't think it will be by the weekend as I said earlier. Maybe by next weekend? Definitely by the middle of August.

I received edits for Wanting Sam and have completed them. I'll be returning those to my editor today. I chose my excerpt but am admittedly having trouble with my blurb.

Waiting still for my contract for Sorcerer's Lover to reach me. I anticipate getting it soon.

And we all know I still have A Knight For All to finish. I'm like a broken records on that.

We've got visitors for the next couple of weeks which can make it difficult to get what I need to get done.

Random Thoughts Again

I've decided not to rush It's Only Make Believe to get it out by Sunday. Why? What is the rush? I'm just going to write it, work on it every day until it is finished, make sure it's good, and then send it. I still expect to send it soon but there is no reason to make a non-existent deadline for myself. I want the story to be good, not done fast. It likely will still be a quickie length, I'll see where it takes me in length. If it is done by Sunday, great, but it doesn't have to be.

I was reading a few romance blogs recently. One implied that she'd read a lot of formulaic erotic romances lately. That's probably true. Really there's a lot of that in romances in general. I don't think erotic romances are the only ones. For that matter there are cliched formulas to other genres as well, fantasy, horror, etc. Of course the stuff she mentioned isn't what I've read or even the types of erotic romances I choose to read for the most part (a clue is in what I write myself).

Another one I read was about jealousy. I actually enjoyed reading that posting more than the one mocking erotic romances. I think we all have a touch of jealousy that is hard to control. I once had a dream of selling to the New York print pubs. I'm not sure that is the place for me anymore. But I have a touch of jealousy aimed at two friends who recently not only snagged up and coming hot agents but sold books to big time publishers. They are living my dream or the one I had for many years, anyway. I am also, of course, very happy and proud of them too and wish them both success.

July 29, 2008

Today is my mother's 82nd birthday so a big Happy Birthday there. This is a difficult day for my mother as my father died on her birthday in 1992, 16 years ago. I'm sure she still thinks about it. I know I do. The great thing about my mother is she is still sharp as a tack and in decent health for a woman in her 80s.

In other news, still working on It's Only Make Believe. I didn't do as much as I would have liked yesterday. Only about 200 words. Not promising if I want to have it done and sent to my editor at EC by Sunday.

And finally...isn't it odd how things work. I'm still not quite sure how I got into Ellora's Cave with now six contracts. Some of it was skill, absolutely, but some of it was just luck. Having been sent to an editor there who just happened to like my work. If you aren't sent to the right editor at the right publisher at the right time you just don't make it. A friend just got rejected there. A friend whose book is great, too. I don't really understand why it got rejected. She's a New York print published author, too. Yet, my books make it there. Strange.

I'll soon have six contracts with Amber Quill too. I've been over the story of how I got there more than once so I won't repeat it but I still feel my friend's gay erotic stories would do well there and I'd like to encourage her to finish a certain vampire story to enter it in 2009's contest but I know she is discouraged and not likely to take my advice.

More to Learn

I find even now I am still learning things about writing and publishing.

Some things I thought I knew, I didn’t. Some things I thought I didn’t know, I did.

Sometimes you have to take a chance even if it may not work out as well as you would like. I had a review site for gay historical fiction request to review The Squire. I had a feeling it might be trashed. I went ahead and sent it over for review anyway.

I was correct that it was trashed. Well, for historical details, anyway. One was a simple misspelling leaving a letter out of a word, but the word was important and without that letter it takes on a new meaning. So, I learned that I need to be more careful. I should have gotten it right. It was absolutely my responsibility to do so.

I somewhat disagree with their take on the squire aspect. I am well aware that squires became squires at a young age, a boy really. I meant to imply in the story that Duncan was a two-year new squire to William, not that he was a new squire at sixteen. Obviously I failed to make that clear and I take responsibility for that as well. I don’t agree with the comment about horse riding. I didn’t say he couldn’t ride, but rather he disliked it and wasn’t that great at it. I stand by that as I do know people who know how to ride horses but not necessarily well or well-loved.

Anyway, in spite of being trashed for the historical details the review did mention the sex was red-hot and enjoyable and the characters too. The reviewer even said they would check out future works because I can obviously tell a good tale in and out of the bedroom.

So, I learned something from this review. I need to be more careful when writing historical works in the future to get it right. Even stuff I knew, which I conveyed incorrectly. I can’t change it, but I can change future works.

Got the edits for The Prisoner for Wild Rose Press. Nothing too bad from the looks of it. I’ll be working on It’s Only Make Believe this week which is a contemporary m/f erotic romance. Then once that is off to where it needs to go, I’ll be back to A Knight For All, my historical ménage erotic romance.

A New Cover and a review for The Squire

Okay I just have to keep posting my cover for Wanting Sam coming in 2009 from Ellora's Cave because it is just too gorgeous not to post. It's just what I wanted for Wanting Sam.

And in other news for Shawn Lane, I blogged today on the Amber Quill Author's Blog.

I got 4 Angels from Fallen Angel Reviews for The Squire. It had some really great comments even though the reviewer commented several times how she didn't believe it was historically accurate. Not sure what she found not accurate since she didn't say, but since she really liked the characters and the book I really can't find fault.

ETA: I am guessing based on a more recent review the reviewer for Fallen Angels had issues with the age of the squire (I said Duncan had been Sir William's squire for 2 years).

More Titles From Shawn Lane

Speaking of, I've almost got my latest short erotic historical gay romance finished. Called Sorcerer's Lover, I will shortly be sending it to Amber Quill for contract consideration. I'm hoping to report sending it off within the next few days.

ETA: I did send Sorcerer's Lover, Part One to Amber Quill and it will be contracted as an Amber Kiss. No stalking need commence for that one.

Then, I will be finishing off my latest short erotic contemporary romance (this one is heterosexual) called It's Only Make Believe and getting that sent to Ellora's Cave for consideration.

Then of course stalking emails commences. Sigh.

But while I wait to hear back on those two (which honestly I want both sent off to the pubs by Sunday, August 3rd at the latest), I will return to the story giving me more trouble than I ever guessed it would, A Knight For All. I have to finish it by the end of August which even if it takes me until August 3rd to send the other two stories off, that gives me almost an entire month in which to finish it.

By the way, I don't intend to take that entire month as I also have At Long Last to finish by the end of September, not to mention The Other Side and Jake's Regret in October and November. I haven't even started Jake's Regret and do not intend to until I have A Knight For All and At Long Last finished.

Don't forget, tomorrow I blog at Amber Quill.

Shawn Lane, Erotic Romance Author

Okay, yes that title of today's entry is an effort to get google to pick up the Shawn Lane name. You put Shawn Lane in google and the guitarist comes up. You put erotic romance author or even author and still he comes up as well as a few other sites that mention me. But www.authorshawnlane.com does not come up. It is frustrating.

I don't know what the answer is other than maybe once more of my books come out as Shawn Lane I'll start appearing.

Speaking of Shawn Lane and The Squire, not only was it the #3 selling book for Amber Quill in June it was the #5 for the entire second quarter for Amber Quill. Pretty darn cool. I am very happy with my success there.

I'll be blogging for Amber Quill again this coming Saturday, July 26, 2008.

No 2008 RWA Conference For Me

So I'm sad that I can't go to the RWA Conference in San Francisco next week. I really wanted to go the next time it was in California, but it's just too much money. The problem with San Francisco is it is probably the most expensive city in an already expensive state. I had to make the difficult decision that I just couldn't afford it, but I am sad. I haven't been in three consecutive years now.

The thing about the RWA Conference is it's just a great experience. It's hard to explain for those writers who haven't been able to go to one but you get such a feeling of excitement. I love all the workshops and the going around with your name tags and totes and you feel just as important as all the other writers there. I've been to three of them now. The first one was a long time ago (1998) in Anaheim, California. The next was a few years ago in New York and my last one was in Reno four conferences ago.

I doubt I will get to go to the one next year in DC. Ellora's Cave is planning a conference next year, their first ever, and I'd like to go to that and I don't think I can manage two conferences in one year.

Anyway, I can hope for Nashville in 2010. I've been to the hotel in Nashville the conference is at. It's the Grand Ole Opry Hotel and it is amazing. I went there in November 2002 or 2003 (can't remember now) for a friend's event and they had already decorated it for Christmas and it was just something out of a fairytale.

If I can't make it to that one I am going to San Diego for sure.

I feel left out as my fellow writers go to this year's conference. There are many flaws to RWA and I think you make what you get out of it and many should stop expecting some sort of miracle out of it (it's just a writer's organization folks, it really cannot make your career), but the conference is not one of them. It's a great experience and I have loved each and every one of them.

July 21, 2008

So my alter ego, Shawn Lane, has lots of things in the works.

Besides the stories for the Amber Pax collections I am working on, I am intending to get Sorcerer's Lover done and over to the editors there for possible inclusion. I am also thinking of the possibilty of a mini-sequel for The Squire.

Busy...busy.

All this and the edits coming fromThe Wild Rose Press for The Prisoner.

The Wide Variety of Tastes

I suppose that is why there are so many books/stories out there.

I have friendly relationships with some fellow writers, for example, that freely admit wherever they post (and some of them post in a lot of places) that they just don’t get the appeal of m/m romances. They think because they are heterosexual themselves they can only appreciate heterosexual sex I guess. Whatever. That is their right to feel that way, but in my opinion they limit themselves and miss out on some really amazing love stories (and no I don’t mean my own). Again, though, I respect their right to have that opinion.

I am quite certain there are a number of folks who feel that way, but I also know that there are a lot of us out there that enjoy those stories. I read them before I started writing them and yes I am even turned on by them. Lots of us are. Does that mean I don’t also like to read heterosexual sex? No, of course not. I enjoy many stories from that genre too. Including your average every day non-erotic romances.

I love to read horror novels by Stephen King. I know there are lots of others out there who agree, but probably just as large a number that think…eww.

There are certainly stories I do not care for either that many readers love. I cannot get into Western and Civil War romances no matter how hard I try. Nope, just can’t. I have tried them. I think, again only my opinion, in order to decide you don’t like to read a particular genre you ought to read something from it. I have. Still don’t like them. Funny thing is two of my favorite all time movies are Western-themed but for some reason the idea just does not translate into romances for me.

I love true-crime books and often read books that have grisly, disturbing details of crimes. Definitely not for the faint of heart. A lot of folks are too disturbed to read those books. I can completely understand.

I’ve read a few ménage stories but not a lot because I have a bit of a problem with non-monogamous relationships. No matter if you are a m/f or a m/m I believe in a two person relationship. Some books work really well with this though and I have read some that are quite hot. I’m writing one myself that is supposed to be for one of my publishers and I can honestly say it is a huge challenge for me. I doubt I will write another one. I think this is it for me. I do hope that I can do justice for it though and make it a story readers enjoy and want to read.

Anyway, I guess there are people out there surprised by the popularity of m/m erotic romances. I’m not one of them. I’ve long had an interest there. I know there are people who were surprised by the popularity of vampire novels. I’ve heard writers say they just don’t get the sexual appeal of a bloodsucker. I suppose they would be really shocked at my friend’s gay vampire story. Fabulous, fabulous beginning by the way. She hasn’t finished it but it’s really one of my favorite stories she has worked on.

Speaking of, it’s great to have found a fellow writer who understands the appeal of what you like to write. I have had other critique partners and they wouldn’t get it in a million years. Who knew joining my chapter’s critique group would be such a terrific decision for me and not because of the crits I got there.

Anyway, I am drifting from my topic. Write what you want to write. Regardless of what the naysayer’s might say. If it is a well-written story the readership is out there for whatever genre you’d like to write. You won’t and can’t please everyone.

Review Thoughts

Speaking of reviews, so far I have been pretty lucky with the reviews I have received on my releases. I know that can change any time. I know there are writers who refuse to even look at their reviews. I’ve had a couple of so-so reviews. One wasn’t all that bad, though, I don’t think the reviewer really understood the story. The other was a mostly good review with just some rather odd comment about being unsatisfied but with no real explanation as to why.

Other than that my reviews so far for my various releases have been highly positive. You always worry a bit when you open the review. Or at least I do. Are they going to like it or hate it? I haven’t run into any “hates it” reviews yet.

I admit I am really rather sensitive to criticism for my writing. I understand you have to learn to develop a thick skin, but I don’t think I ever have and I have been writing for years. Back in the days when I was still entering contests this was a big problem for me. Anyone not completely wowed by my sparkling writing…well it stung. Badly. I’ve come to the recent realization I just don’t have the thick skin for contests. I was a giant failure in writing contests for the most part. I have a clean, crisp non-flowery way of writing that you either really appreciate or think isn’t detailed enough and needs much more. I used to get a lot of judges in the latter category.

Anyway, fortunately I have editors now who appreciate my style. Good, because I will never be able to write like Anne Rice. Of course, it filled me with delighted amusement when one of my reviews for Duke’s Project mentioned something about loving the details I wove through the story. Me detailed? To be truthful Duke’s Project is likely my most-described book. Probably why it is the longest I have ever written at over 90,000 words too.

The Squire's Reviews

I am absolutely delighted with the reviews I have received so far for my little story, The Squire. I am so glad that Duncan and William have come across the way I intended... as passionately in love and deserving of their happily ever after.

I just found my third really good review. This from a blogger who reviews GLBT stories.

http://reviewsbyjessewave.blogspot.com/2008/07/squire.html

Check out my website www.authorshawnlane.com for more reviews of The Squire. Look under the Amber Quill titles page.

Rest of the Year Plans

So I've posted a lot about plans for the year and some of that has gone by the way-side. So now that there are approximately 4 and 1/2 - 5 months left in the year I need to think what I hope to accomplish in my writing for the rest of 2008.

For Amber Quill I would need to write the four books I agreed to write: A Knight For All, At Long Last, The Other Side and Jake's Regret. If I have any time left after that for the year I would like to finish and submit Sorcerer's Lover. I don't think it will fit in at all at Ellora's Cave given the time period and content.

For Ellora's Cave I want to finish Trust and submit it for consideration and if I have time, I would like to finish It's Only Make Believe and submit that before the end of the year too. I can't see myself finishing Duke Protector before 2008 is over so it looks like that will be a 2009 submission.

For Wild Rose Press nothing really. I will be doing the edits for The Prisoner and then I honestly have nothing else to submit to them at this time nor do I anticipate anything in the near future.

Sometimes Things Just Suck

Yes, indeed.

There isn't always a rhyme or reason to something. My friend's m/m story just got passed on at a well known publisher. This story is great. I would totally love it even if I didn't know her and I would have purchased it as well. But...they passed. I'll never understand the total subjectivity at publishers. Never. Anyway, I think I might be more bummed than she is. Er probably not.

I am back from my mini-trip to Indio. It was all right. I would never live there in a million years, though.

I heard from Pam at Wild Rose Press and she said she expected to have my first round of edits for The Prisoner to me by the end of this month. So that means I really need to get busy on my other titles because I have a feeling I will have a lot of edits to do on The Prisoner

Currently...

Working on Updating Shawn Lane's website:

www.authorshawnlane.com

A work in progress so stay tuned.

Off for the weekend with no ability to write anything so I will be reading about Bo and Sam from Bay City Paranormal and generally drinking wine and gambling at the nearby Indian Casino. Going to a place called Indio. One of the hottest places on earth in the summer. And I mean that literally not as in happening. They are famous for their dates but not much else. Near Palm Springs if anyone cares to know.

Looking Ahead to Next week: More updates for Shawn's Site and real progress made for A Knight For All. I mean it now!

My Three Pubs

Nothing terribly new to report.

Still waiting for the edits for The Prisoner from my Wild Rose Press editor. I really need to nail down the blurb and excerpt for that but I admit I am procrastinating. That really is my least favorite part of the whole process and it's difficult coming up with a one paragraph blurb for a short story of only 12,000 words let alone a book of 64,000 words. How do you get enough information about both your hero and heroine and somewhat what they face in the story in 100 words or so. And then for the excerpt picking something that fits whatever guideline that particular publisher requires (and believe me all three of mine have different requirements) and make it interesting enough for a reader to want to read. So...yeah, total procrastination on my part.

In other Wild Rose Press news A Man Not Her Own comes out in less than a month now. In fact just a smidge over three weeks. I thought that release would never come!

As for Ellora's Cave, nothing much to report on that front. I have release dates for three of my stories coming out this year. Waiting for final line edits on all three of those, too. I expect since Another Chance comes out on September 03, I should be getting those any time. Hopefully nothing too significant. I don't expect to get the edits or cover for Wanting Sam until August or so. I have nothing new to submit to them either. I'm still working on Trust though admittedly I haven't worked on it in some time.

I'm making great progress on At Long Last for Amber Quill. This is my "First Time Around" pax story that comes out in January 09. In other words the first time coming out as gay for at least one of the characters. So far I'm pretty satisfied with that and The Other Side (Opposites Attract pax out in February 09). I've got a couple of chapters written on both of those and I know where the plot will take me for both.

I haven't started Jake's Regret yet (I Remember You pax not out until March 09) and I don't intend to until I have finished A Knight For All, my medieval menage story that's supposed to come out in December of this year. Good luck with that! Sigh.

I will be away this weekend with no access to writing because I still don't have a laptop. So, I will be bringing one of the Bay City Paranormal books with me to read. At least the fangirl in me will be satisfied.

So the long weekend was a mix of good and bad.

First the good: I got my first official review of The Squire and it was really positive. The fireworks in my city were amazing. I made progress on two of my promised Amber Quill stories, At Long Last and The Other Side. In fact I'm up to about 5,000 words on The Other Side and since the story isn't due until October I feel great about where I am at with that story. At Long Last is due in September and I only have about 2,000 done on that one but I feel pretty good about it. This morning on the bus on the way to the day job I played out in my head the big emotional black moment of the story. If I can get what I thought of into the actual document I will be very happy indeed.

The Bad: Number one has to be the rejection from Samhain. It stung, no doubt about it. I had high hopes there and it didn't work out. I've promised not to dwell on it though and I won't. I made no real progress on A Knight For All my menage story due in August. I think I managed to bleed out a single paragraph. Not good. I need to get that story done and off my radar so I can relax and concentrate on other works. It's become my own personal albatross. I didn't have any more success with Trust. I wanted to make that a novel length but I am rethinking that and thinking it may end up novella since the EC novella lengths go up to 30,000 words. I think the reason I can't get past Brad and Justin's first sexual encounter in the book is maybe I am coming at it from the wrong point of view. Right now I am in Justin's but I am thinking I may try Brad's to see if that unsticks me in the story. I really, really want to get that out to EC this summer.

Rejection

It still happens even when you are published.

Heard from the editor from Samhain and they don't want Sinful. No explanation. Just the usual form rejection, "not right for us" type. Oh well. I guess the avenue is closed. I was told I could submit something to her in the future, but honestly I don't think I will have anything for them any time soon.

On the positive side, I am no longer waiting to hear. No need for email stalking!

Which will bring me back to having to expand the word length, etc..

In other news, I am working on The Other Side right now. It isn't the one due first to AQ, but it seemed to be the one calling to me the most.

Shawn Lane...

My alter ego, Shawn Lane, got a great review from Rainbow Reviews:

Rainbow Reviews » Blog Archive » The Squire by Shawn Lane

I'm particulary proud of this review as the site specializes in reviewing gay fiction.

July 03, 2008

The review of Duke's Project is up at Romance Reviews Today. Check it out, if you get the chance.

The Independence Day weekend here in the United States is upon us. Tonight and tomorrow I am pretty much busy with celebrating, but I hope to get a significant amount of progress done on some of my current works in progress. I've delayed working on Trust for too long. Not to mention all my Amber Quill work that needs to be done.

Speaking of I volunteered to do another Pax story. This one should be out in March 2009 and the theme is reunited lovers. My title is Jake's Regret. I think it is going to revolve around two former lovers meeting again at a funeral of one of their fathers. I have some other vague notions but that is what I have for now. The manuscript is due by the end of November on that one.

Anyway, lots of projects in the works. Since I am almost done with all the edits on my EC work (except Wanting Sam which should be soon) I am getting antsy to have something else for them. Don't want to let that avenue rest for long. I may very well make It's Only Make Believe a Quickie. I've heard from some of their authors that Quickies sell really well.

I've also heard advice from some epublished that the shorter lengths like Quickies and Amber Kisses and novella lengths sell better than novels and they make more money doing several novellas than one novel. This is excellent news for someone like me who can't seem to write long fiction anymore.

Perfect Man's Release Date Is....

December 31, 2008

New Year's Eve. Just squeaked in for 2008. Way cool.