Welcome Author Lilly Gayle

I'm so excited to welcome back my good friend and awesome author Lilly Gayle and she has a scary story to tell. So read on.


Autumn, thanks for having me on your blog today. The timing couldn’t be better since my first historical, Slightly Tarnished, was released last week. It’s now available in both print and e-book format from the publisher at http://goo.gl/0O9Vk and Amazon at http://goo.gl/hpoci .

And let me tell you, this book was a long time in the making. It was originally entitled American Beauty. I wrote it in 1999 and quickly found an agent. She requested ten hard copies via snail mail. That’s a lot of paper and ink. But I printed out all ten copies of the 350 page manuscript, packed it in the box a case of printer paper came in, and sent it to Colorado. I never heard from her again. All calls went straight to voice mail. Emails and certified letters went unanswered. To this day, I don’t know if she died, if aliens abducted her, or if she changed the title of the book and published it herself.


So, I sent the manuscript to publishers and other agents. And the rejections started rolling in. Then some time in 2001 or 2002, I got a call from an agent who wanted to take me on as a client. She then recommended an in-house editing service. It wasn’t cheap. But she said if I paid for her editing services, she could almost guarantee a publishing contract when the edits were done to her satisfaction. Color me naïve.

I wasn’t a member of any writing groups at the time, and I knew nothing about legit agents. But I did look her up online, and she had a professional looking website and a long client list. She had to be legit. Right?

Wrong! But I fell for it, hook, line, and credit card debt. Yep, I put that $2,500 editing fee on my credit card and anxiously awaited the edits. She mailed the manuscript back about a month later, and there were just a few red marks throughout.

At first, I thought it was because I was such a good writer. But as I looked over her edits, I started to wonder if she was a good editor. She marked spelling and punctuation errors any critique partner could have found—if I’d had one at the time. And she made a few suggestions about cutting a line here and there. She mentioned nothing about the plot or clarifying character motivation. Nothing about pacing. Or conflict. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Then, after I made the changes and sent the manuscript back, she sent me a contract for a marketing plan.

WTH? A marketing plan? Wasn’t that what an agent was supposed to do for her 15%? Market the damn book? Apparently not at her agency. And her cheapest marketing plan was $2,500!

That’s when I said, “Screw you and the horse you road in on.”

Okay, maybe I didn’t use those exact words. But I did call to say she ran a scam agency designed to defraud clients and take advantage of desperate wannabe writers. And I filed a complaint with the credit card company. But it was too late to get my money back. I’d paid for a service, and she provided it—crappy though it may have been. So, I filed a complaint with the company. Like that did any good! The agent actually said, “You’ll regret not signing with us. In this current literary climate, it’s impossible to find agents and publishers willing to work with new authors, and no agent or editor will provide the one on one service we provide here at The ****** Agency.”

Later, I went online and did my homework. That’s when I discovered Preditors and Editors. (Yes, predators is spelled that way.) The website http://pred-ed.com/pubagent.htm had issued this warning for Agent X: Strongly not recommended. A literary agent with The ****** Agency. And more recently on 7/25/06: Agent X has a judgment against her in "Washington Superior Court (King County) for $8,320 for breach of contract, fraudulent business practice and consumer protection violations."

While surfing the net, I also found Romance Writers of America and a local writers’ group less than forty miles from my home. After joining RWA and Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, I learned legit agents don’t charge reading or editing fees or recommend in-house editing. A legit agent will charge 10-15% of sales and postage. Nothing more. If your agent charges fees, check them out before signing a contract.

I also found my critique partners through HCRW. And, I got a third agent—a legitimate agent this time. Unfortunately, that relationship didn’t work out, but that’s another story.

Then in 2005, I completed a paranormal romance and submitted it to Silhouette. The editor loved it and sent a revision letter. But after nearly two years, three revision letters, an editor change, and a line change, it was ultimately rejected. According to the second editor, the story wasn’t dark enough for the new line. Sometimes, luck and timing are everything. That’s when my longest standing critique partner, Amy Corwin, suggested I submit to The Wild Rose Press. So, I changed the name of the book to Out of the Darkness and submitted it. They published it last year.

The owners, editors, and marketing staff at TWRP are the best. They respond in a timely fashion and the books go to print faster than some publishers acknowledge receipt of an author’s manuscript. I was so impressed with TWRP, I revised American Beauty. Again. And changed the name to Slightly Tarnished. I submitted it a year ago. And Slightly Tarnished was released last week.

The Wild Rose Press is listed on Preditors and Editors. In 2008, the site had this to say: P&E is hearing good things about this publisher. And I 2009 and 2010, Preditors and Editors Poll results named TWRP as the number one e-publisher.

So, if you’ve never read a book by a TWRP author, now’s as good a time as any.

To learn more about Lilly Gayle, author of paranormal and historical romance: Where love is an adventure no matter the century. go to...
www.lillygayleromance.blogspot.com
www.lillygayle.com & www.facebook.com/lillygaylebooks



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Hurry! Time is running out. To enter to win a copy of my new release, IN THE PRESENCE OF EVIL, pop over to my website and read the details. And, don't forget next Wednesday is my release day party, right here. Join me for a good time. AJ

2010 Golden Leaf Winner Evil's Witness

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I'm posting early this week for two reasons. One, my son is getting married to a wonderful girl. I can't wait to call this young woman, who has been my daughter's best friend for eight years, daughter. Their marriage is really meant to be. Maybe next week, I'll share a picture or two. She is going to be so beautiful. And son... well, I made him. He's gourgous.

The second reason for posting early is in the title. This past weekend Evil's Witness won the 2010 NJ Golden Leaf award for 'Best First Book'. The judges, I understand, were booksellers, librarians and readers groups. I'm so thrilled and honored. I can't tell you how much.

There were a lot of reasons for me to remember this conference. I got to hook up with a four of my Ruby Slippered Sisters (2009 Golden Heart finalists). They are truly a special part of my life. I saw many old friends and had great conversations over drinks and dinner, and I made new friends. I hope they all become old friends as time goes on.

The workshops were awesome. The special breakfast and luncheon speakers, Sharon Sala and Robyn Carr were inspiring. I think I did well with agents. We'll see how things pan out. And the booksigning held afterwards was a dream come true for me.

Now, with my toes finally finding the ground, I'm diving into the first round edits which hit my email upon my return.

If you can possible attend a conference, go. Being around others who understand why you talk to no one phyiscally in the room or on the phone, is truly like walking among the stars.

Please stop back Friday when I welcome guest Sherry Gloag, author of BRAT. Love that title.

BORING

REALLY BAD opening line: Sara Amos gripped the steering wheel tighter. She was nervous because she was starting a new job and had already pissed her new boss off.

Pretty bad opening, uh? What’s missing?

It's bare bones. There's not a sense used, nothing to grab the reader and bring the story to life.

We learn about our world through our five senses. Knowing this, it would make sense that we learn about our character’s world through their senses. Writing vivid, sensory details will engage your readers. Great writing integrates all the senses in a way that they blend and harmonious with the rest of the prose. So how do you that?

First we need to reach into ourselves and embrace our senses. Grab a pen and pad. Go sit outside on this autumn day and immediately close your eyes. The sense of sight is the easiest of all to write, using only it is lazy.

Now without opening your eyes concrete on your four other senses, one at a time. Again, without opening you eyes, scribble on you pad. Reach deep. Don’t just write the first element you recognize.

What do you hear? If you hear a sound you don’t recognize, what does it remind you of? Is it sharp, clanky or soft sound? Think out of the box.

What do you feel/touch? Not just through your fingers tips. Does the ground under feet feel spongy because of the downpour last night? Is there a bite to the breezy or does the sunshine kiss your cheek.

Smack your lips together. Stick your tongue out. What do you taste? Be Rachael Ray of sensory words.

What do you smell? Smell is the most powerful of senses to bring back memories. You don’t want to forget it. If you have a memory write it down.

Finally, open your eyes. Now what do you see? Really look at the world surrounding you. Look for the details. Details that will make your reader say, “Hmmm..I never looked at the old house down the street that way. It reminds me of a tired old boot, sort of sagging. It’s chimney leaning like the tongue away from the boot.”

Okay, we’ve got our senses sharp. Now let’s put them to the page.
Take the bare bone paragraph above and make it your own. Please post it in your comments and let’s learn from each other. Come on! One little paragraph. There is no right or wrong.

I will guarantee once you try this exercise, you will grab your current wip and start editing.

Let’s have fun.

Here's my attempt this morning:

Wet leather. She was going to smell like a freakin’ cow if she didn’t get a grip on her nerves. Sara Amos shook a mint from a tin, trapped the pill between her gloss covered lips and dropped the package into the cup holder with a ping. Six months she knocked— No, banged on the ivory doors of the Chase law offices before she had been granted entrance. Now that she was in, she planned on staying a long time. She pushed the button on the dash. Her relaxation CD whirled in the player for a second before fuzzy strands fill the car. Eyeing the passenger mirror held on by duck tape, Sara stretched her fingers one-at-a-time in her skin-tight suede gloves and curled them into the grooves of the steering wheel. Her new boss would just have to get over the fact she dumped him years ago.

***
Join me Friday October 15 as I welcome Paranormal/erotica author Kathy Kulig.

A Weekend View Of D.C.

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The past weekend my DH and I headed south to our Nation’s Capital. It was a fun-filled and inspiring trip.

Our first stop was at one of the two National Air and Space Museums. Dulles A & S is in Chantilly, VA. It’s truly a remarkable collection of air and space crafts. While my DH was totally engrossed with the planes that flew in the skies during the wars of the twentieth century, I was amazed at the enormous size of the challenger. I really didn’t think it was as big as a 2000 sq. ft. Ranch home. I can’t imagine the lift-power generated to launch it into space. I was also surprised at the compact size of satellites. I envisioned them to be much larger.
The museum is filled with stories of brave men and women who risked their lives to better mankind. You really need to visit. Parking was $15.00 but entrance is free. So load up the car and go.

Our next stop was Arlington Cemetery where we spent hours viewing and paying tribute to those who served our country. I especially prayed for the man, and his family, who died on his twenty-eighth birthday. It’s a very humbling and proud experience to watch the Honor Guards stand watch over the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is the one of the highest honors to watch over this monument. The men who do are the best of the best and very disciplined. They’re tour of duty is for one year, but it can be longer. To learn more about the Honor Guard visit http://www.tombguard.org/ If ever get a chance to visit Arlington, please don’t pass it by.



Saturday ended with a drive up Embassy Row, pass the Vice-President’s Home and the National Cathedral which was beautiful. Here is a picture of it from our room. We spent the evening enjoying a dinner and the sights of the Georgetown area.




Sunday morning we started off early. The Intentional Spy museum was on my must see list this trip and our first stop. Awesome. Love it. The museum was filled with biographies of spies as far back as the seventeen hundreds and the items used in espionage dated centuries before. I took notes as plots were coming at me like flying baseballs. My souvenir this trip is a mug from ISPY. GRIN.




After my husband literally drug me out of the ISPY, we headed to the Ford Theater. We met a very nice lady from Anchorage, Alaska while standing in line and had a great conversation about our states and our experiences in D.C. Inside the theater I got the goose-bumps knowing I was in the same room where one of our greatest leaders had been and where history was changed. A spokesperson shared details of President Lincoln’s final days in the White House, which ironically was his happiest because the Civil War was ending and his son was home safe. She also retold his final day’s activities and the final words he shared with his wife, Mary (Todd).

We also learned facts about John Wilkes Booth and his death that we didn’t know, such as, he had had plans to kidnap the President in order to hold him for ransom, hoping to gain freedom of one-hundred thousand confederate soldiers, but several days before April 14 General Lee had surrendered to General Grant thus ending the war. On April 14, that morning, Wilk was told a rumor concerning the President granting voting privileges to freed slaves which outraged him thus cementing his plan to exterminate President Lincoln. Ford’s Theater is a must see.


The rest of the afternoon we spent visiting the National Museum of Natural History (Both the dinosaur exhibit and the Hope Diamond were on my list to see, and both were awesome. Which would you rather stare at?)









and the original Air and Space Museum which houses another awesome collection from aviation history.






Our final stop was at the footsteps of the Capital Building. We marveled at its beauty and while looking at buildings of this magnitude, which were erected centuries ago, wondered how its construction occurred without large equipment and modern technology. The manpower it had to take. WOW!



While this was our second visit to D.C., my DH and I decided it will not be our last. The residents are friendly. The food is wonderful and there is still so much for us to see. Plus there are monuments we truly would like to visit again.


I hope you enjoyed my little recap.

Oh, a note for writers. I noted while riding the metro there were more people reading e-readers than paperbacks. Hmmm.

The Creative Gene Syndrome

Creative Gene Syndrome

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Once upon a time there was a girl. I’ll call her Sally. Sally had dreams. There were those who thought Sally was a little strange, but they didn’t know her. While other children weren’t content to play by themselves and would throw tantrums because friends weren’t allowed over, Sally was totally okay being on her own. Sally read so much she’d wear out her library card over the summer. She’d play with her dolls for hours, draw beautiful sketches or ride her horse to the mountain top and stare out over the valley below. Those who knew Sally knew she acted the way she did because she carried the creative gene.

When she looked at tree trunks or the clouds in the sky, Sally saw an elf doing a tap dance, a wolf leaping from boulder to boulder or something outlandish and absurd to those with her. She saw pictures in the strangest places—every plane of wood or grain of tile carried a tale, and Sally would weave stories to go with them. People would wonder about her, but they would listen with interest to the story she told.
As Sally became a woman, she longed to express the thoughts and the images that gnaw inside of her, but the people in her world said you can’t. You must stop being the dreamer and do something productive with your life—something that will benefit mankind. So, Sally laid aside her dreams, hushed the voices inside of her and followed the advice of others.

New calendars replaced the old many times over and each time Sally saw a teakettle or lion cub in an indigo sky, the voices tears filled her heart. Then, a child entered her life and soon after Sally whispered a tiny tale into his ear and the child smiled. Her delight at seeing his happiness tore a peep hole in the black veil she’d draped over the voices and Sally told him another story, and another, and another. Sally filled her lungs with a joyous laughter for the first time in years. She was being who she was supposed to be, a storyteller. And at that very moment, Sally realized every dream does have a purpose.


IMAGINE



Excerpt from EVIL'S WITNESS

After a week, her touch was familiar. His heart melted. He grabbed her hand, holding her in place as he turned and smiled down on her. Her nipples pushed against her white T-shirt. He gently brushed a knuckle across one peak. “No. It was hell without you.”

“Mmmm. Same here.” She pulled back and lifted his arm around her, curling into him.

Looking out over the lake, she sighed. “I could stay here forever, if you’d let me.”

“I wish we could.” He gathered her closer and kissed the top of her head. “But eventually Bobby and Em would have to go to school.”

“I could home school.” Her chuckle was strained.

He felt her pain. He smiled while his heart wrenched. He would like nothing more than to forget about the world and stay here with her and the kids. But they couldn’t. “Sooner or later Ben will call. We’ll have to go back.”


“I know.”

Steph moved away. A cold void took her place.

She drifted to the other porch column. Leaning against it, she folded her arms across her chest. Her lips pressed together as if she was forming the right words behind them. “I know I said that our time together here was going to be enough to last me a lifetime, but—” Tears brimmed her lids. “I was wrong. A lifetime won’t be enough.”

John stepped toward her. “I don’t know what—”

“I know; you don’t know how we can be together. So, Ben will call. We’ll go back, and I’ll identify Victor. You’ll toss him in jail and throw away the key. You’ll drive off in pursuit of the next bad guy and me…Well, I’ll go home and wonder where you are. Wonder if what I felt was love.”

The woman knew how to make a guy feel like a heel.

John pulled her into his arms. She buried her head in his chest and cried softly against him. He kissed her head and smoothed her hair. “Steph, I didn’t think I’d ever love again,” he whispered softly, cupping her chin and tilting her face up until she looked at him. “Like a bomb, you dropped into my life. Every defense I’d put up to protect myself from ever being hurt again came tumbling down. You opened up my heart. As much as you don’t want to live without me, I don’t want to live without you. I love you."



He kissed her gently. Her arms wrapped around him and held on. “Somehow, we’ll figure this out. I promise,” he assured her.




No part of this post may be used without the expressed permission of the author, Autumn Jordon.

Saturday Morning What Gives

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Glimpsing at the paper this morning during my walk, (I’m a mom. I’ve learned to do several things at once.) I came across an article on the recall of McDonald’s promotional Shrek glasses. If you haven’t heard about it, the glasses are being recalled due to the levels of cadmium baked into the glasses. The article stated long term exposure to low grades of cadmium can cause bone softening and severe kidney problems. Also, like lead, it can also hinder brain development.

If you have any of these glasses, please visit www.mcdonalds.com and learn more on the recall and how to get a refund.

I wonder who will end up taking the responsibility for this faux pas.

30 Days Until...

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Thirty days. I’m so excited. SEE ME DANCING. A dream is coming true. (No. I’m not going to Disney World, although I really would love to go in July for RWA National Conference, but the money is not in the checkbook this year. ) On June 18, 2010, my Golden Heart Entry, EVIL’S WITNESS, releases from The Wild Rose Press.
It’s been a long 18 months, since I signed the contract to publication. I can’t wait until I hold this book in my hands and smell its pages. Sounds silly, huh? I wonder if its scent is as thrilling like a new car aroma or as precious as a newborn smell. I imagine it’s close, since our works are our babies and we’ve worked our fingers to nubs polishing them.

Anyway over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting free reads— Steph’s and John’s stories before they meet— maybe I’ll even post Victor’s interview. (Did I ever tell you, I fell in love with Victor?) To learn more about the story, jump over to my website, www.autumnjordon.com You can view a trailer there too.
Oh, in the coming weeks, there will be contest information. Everyone likes contests right?

Tomorrow, author Beth Trissel joins me, so please stop by and say hey.
Take care, AJ

Why I'm A Romance Writer

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The US NEWS Industry had no problem filling their pages, slots or air time this week. The oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the flooding in the south central states and the bombing attempt in Times Square has kept the reporters typing and anchormen/women chatting. Activists and volunteers have already rolled up their sleeves and God bless them. At some time during our lives, the fickle finger of progress or the forces of nature will touch each one of us. If you don’t take a blow, you’re truly blessed.

Events like these remind me of why I’m an artist, a romance author. Out of the headlines, thousands of tragic stories will emerge. Short U-tube clips show the lost, that is what they time for. Only a handful of stories of triumph will be told. Ones which will bring joy to our hearts and tears falling to our cheeks. People need to hear the success stories in order to restore their hope and faith and give them the courage to put one foot in front of the other. They long to hear them.

I wonder if the media should take a look of the genre books sales for guidance in their reporting. While I know it is important to report the tragic developments for a score of reasons, I think the news should end on that happy note— for the well being of all.

With that off my chest this morning, I’m going to plan to celebrate the day by helping an elderly lady clean her kitchen, call my children and tell them I love them, plant a tree and some flowers, play with my dogs and cats, and then this afternoon continue to write a love story with a happy ending.

Oh yeah, since it’s Cinco de Mayo, I’ll share a Margarita with DH too.

Please keep those in need in your prayers.

Pulling In The Reins

Sometimes I get the feeling if I don’t act now, right now, today, a knocking opportunity will be snagged up by someone and lost to me. This feeling has led me to jump before I was dressed for the part. The end result didn’t lead to good news.

Today we're connected by the world-wide net and this urge to jump can occur almost every day. Because of the technology, our circle of friends is much larger than it was say ten years ago. Hardly a day goes by without someone sharing great news. They final in a contest or won. They've gained the interest of an agent and/or editor, or they actually signed with an agent or sold their work. I don’t know how this is possible. We feel happy for them but in the very same moment we feel something else. Jealousy perhaps or is hope that we too will grab the golden ring. Whichever, it urges us to push our unpolished baby out the door while knowing in our hearts it’s not ready.

There is truth in the old adage PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD and in FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. Bad first impressions take years and a ton of work to undo. I learned my lesson quickly and now each time I hear someone's good fortune I congratulate them and take my baby for a walk. Only I know when it will be ready for the public's critical eye, and I won't shove it out there just to say it's out for query.

So I’m wondering today, have you felt this way? And if so what made you pull in the reins? And when do you know your baby is ready to be shown off?

Oh, Give Me The Map

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This past week I’ve struggled with a new project. I’ve completed five books and started a handful in-between them. I’ve always started with a kernel of an idea and poof I’d take off down the story path without a care in the world. I’d type and think and type and think and the story came to life as if it had mind of its own. Four-hundred pages— geesh that’s nothing to write. This week however, I thought more about the characters, their wants and needs and how those desires would play against the hero and heroine and of course a villain.

I’ve always dubbed myself a panster, but I have this gut wrenching feel my writing style is changing, somewhat. I’ve had this nagging tiny voice in the back of my mind all week, waking me up in the middle of the night, saying, “I’d think what if and why and then ask more what if questions before you commit yourself to that direction.” I’m not a plotter by anyone’s description. I don’t make charts or time lines or collages. I just can’t sit still long enough or think that way. So is this change a bad thing?

After tormenting over not exactly having flying keys this past week, I’ve come to the conclusion that the change is a good thing. In recent years, I’ve learned that editing is part of the process of producing a good book and according to most authors I’ve spoken to, editing can take longer than writing the story. Passes must be made and layers have to be added to make the characters complex, scenery vivid, dialogue real and the writing tight. The only way the editing process can be shortened is if the author has a sense where he or she is going in the first place. So instead of starting off on a journey with just the sun at back while black clouds loom ahead, I’m taking a compass, a map and some equipment with me.

As you racked up books, have you noticed a change in your style?

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Today, Wednesday, I’ll be away for most of the day, having a new grandbaby , but I’ll return this evening and tomorrow to answer any comments.

Have a wonderful day. AJ

Microsoft's Devil

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The dang cursor hangs there sometimes and stares at me, and it even has the gull to wink at me.
Damn thing. One of Microsoft’s devils.

But you know what? The devil has become a motivator for me to write. I see the winky-blink and my fingers itch to press the smooth keys of my laptop and my mind starts whirling through the hundreds of topics or projects I could write about. And there lays the problem I think many writers have. It’s not that we don’t know what to write. We can’t choose from the many voices in our heads, shouting out at us, pick me, you promised me, you need to write about me today.

Usually it’s the last scenario which wins our attention. It takes up a good chuck of our freshest muse and it’s not be our WIPs. It’s a blog post, an interview or an article due. Sigh. It’s our WIPs we really want to spend time on. What to do?

Well, we could not write blog posts or do interviews, or articles and write only your books but be warn today is the age of the world-wide info net. At some point we will need to establish a presence in the arena which will require writing other material besides our WIPs.

So how do we do that? If you’ve read any of blogs in the past, you know I make goal lists each day. The hardest part for me is to shut off the other voices which sound a lot like my four children did when they were pre-teen and focus on a project. But I’ve found if I make my list in priority order, set a time limit for the project, turn on my white noise, sit my butt in chair and stare at the cursor all this has helped me write the other projects and then drag my muse to the WIP.

So, tell me how do you handle the writing juggling act? I’d loved to learn different tactics, to change up and always beat the Microsoft Devil.

2010 Golden Heart Finalists announced by RWA

I was so proud to host the 2009 Golden Heart® Ruby-slipped Sisters celebration party yesterday in honor of our new Golden Heart® sisters and brother. That's right. There is a brother among the finalists. I'm not sure if this the first time a man has joined the ranks but I think it's totally AWESOME!

Below is the list of finalists released by The National RWA. Good Luck to all in Nashville this coming July.


CONTEMPORARY SERIES ROMANCE:

Caught Beneath the Mistletoe by Tina Joyce

Games Without Rules by Nancy Holland

Honey, I’m Home by Laurie Kellogg

The Reluctant Nude by Cara McKenna

Laura Takes a Lover by Mary Oldham

Fake Fiancée, Real Love by Cat Schield

The Magic Man by Paula Stelluto

Hometown Star by Joleen Wieser James


CONTEMPORARY SERIES ROMANCE: SUSPENSE/ADVENTURE

Breathless by Kimberley Ann Howe

Wanted: Dead by Tina Joyce

Hollywood Hoodoo by Rochelle Staab

See Jane Run by Angela Platt

CONTEMPORARY SINGLE TITLE ROMANCE

For Love or Money by Elizabeth Bemis

Sharing Spaces by Laura Graham Booth

Steel Hearts by Nan Dixon

Rules of the Road by Hope Ramsay

Songbird by Lizbeth Selvig

Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy by Gayle Sharp

Three Little Words by Paula Stelluto

Seattle’s Best by Carolyn Ann Whitecarver


HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Good-Timin’ Man by Alison Atwater

The Healer by Elisabeth Burke

The Serpent’s Tooth by Jessica Ann Darago

In Longfellow’s Keep by Mary Lawrence

Rafe’s Redemption by Jennifer Jakes

Between Heaven and Hell by Jacqui Nelson

Overlander by Gail Zerrade

Wild Flower by Linda Bailey


INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE

Unforgiven by CJ Eernisse Chase

Violets & Violins by Keli Gwyn

Here Comes the Wedding Planner by Kristin Leigh Wallace

NOVEL WITH STRONG ROMANTIC ELEMENTS

Damaged Goods by Barbara Binns

A Place at the Table by Patricia O’Dea Rosen

Fortune’s Fool by Jane Sevier

The Lake Effect by Gabrielle Luthy

Switching Sides by Maureen McGowan

The Sinners by Lisa Connelly

Rescuing Rembrandt by Jean Willett

When the Bough Breaks by Chris Keniston

PARANORMAL ROMANCE

Glorious Misfortune by Donnell Epperson

The Perfect Adventure by Katrina Snow

Something Wicked by A. N. Conway

Bloodborn – Book One in the Light Blade Series by Kylie Griffin

Shadowed by Sharon Lynn Fisher

Honor Bound by J. Keely Thrall

Ancient Skills by Robin Weaver

The Divine Gate by Morgan Karpiel

REGENCY HISTORICAL ROMANCE

Her Husband’s Harlot by Aurora Grace

A Whiff of Scandal by Robyn Enlund

To Seduce a Proper Rogue by Gillian Layne

A Most Improper Gentleman by Elisa Beatty

Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

My Dearest Rogue by Elizabeth Stock

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Deadly Recall by Donnell Ann Bell

He Kill Me, He Kills Me Not, by Lena Diaz

Stronger Than Bone by Kendra Elliot

Counterfeit by Linda Lovely

Dangerous Summer by Greta MacEachern

The Yard Man by G. Jillian Stone

Midnight Guardian by Sharon Brennan Wray

The Poet’s Secret by Kenneth Zak

YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

Ghost-Ridden by Vanessa Barneveld

Shattered by Shea Berkley

bloom by Shelley Coriell

Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

The Halo Chronicles: The Guardian by Carey Denise Corp

Squeeze Three Times by Kimberly Eve MacCarron

Spelling and Glamour by Jennifer MacAndrews

Unchosen by Erica Daniel O’Rourke

American Idol Judges Wise Or What?

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Last night, I watched American Idol. Not a big deal, right? Millions do every week.

What I found interesting was the judges’ comments to the contestants. After each performance, every single time, one or more of the judges either said, you need to find out who you are, or, you know who you are. The five contestants who heard you need to find out who you are, disappointment wiped away their smiles. The light, which had illuminated from them when they took the stage, seemed to fade, quickly. In their eyes, you saw the plea for help, your vote, so that they might have one more chance to show the world they know who they are and will achieve their dreams.

I felt sorry for them. I understood them.

Finding out who you are, for many is a long difficult process. Sometimes it takes years even decades until finally a person finds their talent, their niche, their voice and becomes so comfortable with themselves that they shine to the rest of the world.

I have to admit the three contestants who the American Idol judges declared as knowing themselves, were in my opinion by far the best performers. So are the judges right in telling these young hopefuls that they need to find out who they are if they're going to have any hope of winning this contest? I believe so.

The question today then is, how do you find out who you are? Here are a few tips that helped me. And if you'd like to share your journey tips, please do.

1)Look inside. What are you passionate about? Not just what you like. What really makes your blood rush with excitement?

2)Feed the passion every day.

3)Use the talent you unearth every single day.

4)Don’t compare yourself to others. Be you. Be passionate about being you.


*****
If you like this blog, please consider following me here, on facebook, on twitter or Myspace.

******
Next week, March 17th, Ellora's Cave author Kathy Coddington joins me.

Bye, Bye Passion

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Last night I went to dinner with three friends. We met ten years ago, or more. Think Laverne and Shirley meets Thelma and Louise, with dysfunctional families and career changes as the main topics of conversation.

Our little group met some ten years ago, when we all had pie-in-the-eye dreams of becoming published romance authors. Laverne met Shirley. I met Louise and we all joined a newly forming chapter of RWA on the same day and quickly stepped into board roles. Man, oh, man that seems so long ago and yet it’s just like yesterday.

Anyway, years went by and we followed the rules others told us we had to follow in order to see our poured-over-works on the shelves of B & N and Borders. We studied. We wrote. We critiqued. We placed and won contests. We submitted and probably paid a U.S. Mail carrier’s salary for a year. (Fortunately, I married a rural carrier during these years, so I got my money back) And, we received our thank you but no thank you letters month after month.

One by one, other callings caught Thelma’s, then Laverne’s, then Shirley’s eyes and they focused on their new passions. A new passion never caught my attention. I, with thick, stubborn German blood refused to give up on my life-time dream of becoming a published author and continued to study and figured out which rules I needed to break, write, kiss the postman as I handed yet another submission to mail, and waited for the answer I was longed for. Sigh.

Okay, you all know the rest. OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE is on sell now (in e-format only. It’s a fun light-hearted story. Sexy too) and my 2009 Golden Heart entry, a romantic suspense, EVIL’s WITNESS comes out on June 18, 2010. Our gathering last night was in celebration of my first review, which was totally awesome. While laughing and chatting about past experiences we shared, I saw the joy in my friends’ eyes, but I also saw the longing they’d let go years ago.

So my question today, what keeps you from walking away from something that you’re passionate about? It doesn’t have to be writing related.




If you enjoyed this post, please consider following me and pass it on to your own Laverne, Shirley and Thelma.

And,if you'd like to read that super review go to my website
www.autumnjordon.com Thanks.

Debut author Tess Quinn

Today I welcome author Tess Quinn. Tess is an incrediablity talented writer and I'm so excited she has chosen me to throw her a kick off party for her blog tour featuring her new release, THE BEWITCHED COWBOY. So grab some cyber-bubbly, a party hat and a plate full of chocolate covered strawberries and let's welcome her.


Book release date: February 24, 2010
The Wild Rose Press: Faery Rose Line
Novella. You can purchase the book at:

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/the-bewitched-cowboy-p-3889.html?zenid=8305df24b5b6991feffd8aedd1f5ca2b


You’re a law student and a reader for an agent. How do you find time to write?

I actually give a workshop that involve Asian cultural and traditional techniques for better time management. In the workshop, I explain how it’s important to stick to a schedule, to write out everything you would like to achieve before the day begins, and attempt to cross off every item written on the list. I do this every day, but there are other reasons why I can do so many things. The first is, I’m single. Because I don’t have a family, juggling a lot of things is easier than if I had a child or husband. Second, I’m a stickler for the reward and punishment system. I’ll only reward myself with something, whether it be ordering Chinese food or buying a new pair of shoes, if I finish my word count for the week. Guilt and a hunger for Chinese take-out are strong motivators. Last but not least, I believe in a marathon writing day. Once a month, I’ll sit down and write for at least eight hours in one sitting. I’ll get up to use the bathroom and to grab food but that’s it. I call this my ‘catch up’ time if I wasn’t able to get as much done during the month as I would have wanted.

Recently, you submitted a workshop proposal for the RWA National conference and that proposal was accepted. Inquiring minds want to know what is the workshop’s topic and why are you the one to give this presentation?

The workshop topic is “Goal, Motivation, & Conflict in the YA Novel.” I write YA under my other pen name “Nisha Sharma” so I’m intricately entangled with the genre. The reason why the RWA workshop panel thought I was an appropriate speaker for the topic was first: I got approval from Debra Dixon who is the creator of the “GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict” structure, so I was legally allowed to talk about the subject. Second, I’m the national young adult book reviewer on Examiner.com so I have to read a lot of YA for my columns. Third, I was a remote reader for two literary agencies where I did a fair amount of YA reading whether it was queries or full manuscript requests. I was also a freelance editor and book doctor for YA authors. I recently stopped the freelance editing and the remote reading because I wanted to focus on my own writing more, but I gained a lot of experience through each job. Additionally, when I started writing YA, I decided to take Jennifer Crusie’s approach when attempting to write in a new genre: read 100 books. In one year, I think I read over 300 YA books in all different subgenres. In the process I created a chart where I wrote down in a few words what the goals, motivations & conflicts of the protagonists were. I read tons of psychology books and guides that talked about writing for the YA market. In the end, I had all this information which I was able to structure under Goal, Motivation, & Conflict along with research techniques and ways to get started with writing a YA novel. I applied it to my own writing and I landed a fabulous agent! Since it was a “tested” system so to speak, I decided to share the information and research I had done. Every three months I update the information in my workshop whether I’m speaking during that time or not, only because the genre is constantly evolving. I’m really excited to be giving the talk at RWA nationals!

You have a unique way of brainstorming which brought about the idea for your new release. Could you tell us about it?

Sure! I Googled.  I’m a law student so when I’m working on papers or legal research, I immediately go to Google because I’m able to get a general understanding of my subject and then find authors or articles, etc. that help narrow my focus even more. I use the same methodology when I’m brainstorming for a book. I start with a character, a very general premise, and I throw random words together in a Google search string. For my book ‘The Bewitched Cowboy,’ I knew I wanted to do something with a cowboy. I can’t remember exactly what my search string was, but it involved the words ‘cowboy’, ‘farmer,’ ‘romance,’ and ‘magic.’ I ended up with a bunch of hits for both wineries and Wiccan churches. Ding, ding, ding! The light bulb went off and after fooling around with Google a bit more, I ended up with a cowboy witch that controls the weather who lives on a vineyard.

The key to Googling is to keep an open mind and read everything. When I got hits for Wiccan churches and cowboys in Montana, I read it all, digested it, and didn’t discard a single idea or thought until I was completely saturated with information. It’s a great exercise I encourage everyone to try!



Book Blurb:

The last thing Matt expected his twin to tell him was that he had to marry the woman of his parents’ choice or suffer the loss of his powers.
Destiny, a PhD and successful parapsychology writer, certainly did not expect her mother to tell her that she would die if she didn’t get married to a man chosen for her in infancy.

The collision of two hardheaded, anti-marriage witches makes Destiny and Matt’s first encounter explosive. Now they have to figure out a way to get along for the two weeks they can’t be separated without doing the one thing that could change their fate forever…falling in love.

Excerpt:

Destiny’s voice was thick and sluggish with sleep. “How can you not believe I’m your other half after everything that happened today, cowboy?”
Matt smiled into the crown of her hair. Her question bothered him, but he didn’t think he could hide the truth from her. He didn’t want to. Despite everything, he wanted to be honest.

“It’s not that I don’t believe in bonding. I just don’t want anything to do with it or marriage. The last time I got involved with helping someone find the person they loved…bad things happened.”

Destiny looked up at him, her face close to his as she continued to rest against his chest. “Sometimes, you can’t stop life from going the way life was set to go.”

“You can’t stop ‘destiny,’ huh?” Matt knew he sounded rueful, but he couldn’t help respecting her for her answer. For someone who reacted so intensely to any reminder of her mother, she didn’t carry any guilt or blame anyone for her difficult life.

“What are we going to do for the next two weeks?” Destiny said, yawning. “We can’t be away from each other, apparently. Leaving you doesn’t feel…right.”

Matt knew saying that must have taken courage. He didn’t want her to know how close he already was to her. How panicked he felt. Was Destiny really the other half of his soul? He took a deep, ragged breath.

“Have you ever ridden a horse, Dr. Snow?”

“No.”

Matt smiled at the dry tone in her voice. “Well you’re going to have to get a crash course in riding, I guess.”

“In your dreams, cowboy.”

Matt smiled as he wrapped Destiny against him more firmly. Holding her this way calmed him, and that was what scared him the most.

****

Award-winning author Tess Quinn was raised in the countryside of northeast, Pennsylvania. With very little to do in a town where the local high school gym was a barn and the cow-human ratio was 2.5 to 1, Tess filled her spare time with eighties music and a lot of reading. Unfortunately there was only one bookstore and two libraries in the Valley while Tess was growing up, so she started writing sequels to her favorite novels. When she ran out of favorites to write about, she started creating her own stories, and she has been writing ever since. Tess graduated from Muhlenberg College with a B.A. in English. She continues her obsession with writing while she currently attends law school in New York.

Visit Tess at http://www.tessquinn.com

Check out Tess’s website tomorrow for her book birthday give away! She’ll be revealing her super secret contest information and the fabulous prize giveaway!

OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE'S FIRST REVIEW

I'm so thrilled. Thank you, Fern at Long and Short Reviews for the totally awesome review S4Aa4JwviTIof Obsessed By Wildfire. I'm so happy you love it!

Here are some tidbits Fern said:

My-oh-my, do they make things hot in Wayback or what? This isn’t my first journey to the Texas town, and you can guarantee after reading the newest story, Obsessed By Wildfire, it won’t be my last.

Due to mind-blowing chemistry and fantastic dialogue, the sex scenes positively sizzle. You’ll laugh, you’ll wriggle and squirm, and when things get dangerously hot, you’ll hover on the edge of your seat.

To read the entire review go to: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm

View the trailer below. Press arrow.




Please don't forget to follow me. WINK

What I Know For Sure For Writers By Misty Evans

Today I welcome to my blog a great wonderful writer and a great friend, Misty Evans. I'm both thrilled and honored to have her joining me.

Misty Evans is an award-winning, multi-published author of romantic thrillers and paranormal comedy. She likes her coffee black, her conspiracy stories juicy, and her wicked characters dressed in couture. Her debut novel, Operation Sheba, won a CataNetwork Reviewers’ Choice Award in 2008 and a CAPA nomination in 2009. Visit her at www.readmistyevans.com or www.twitter.com/readmistyevans .


Since the premiere issue of O Magazine, Oprah’s done a What I Know For Sure column on the last page. It’s usually the first thing I read in her magazine because it always gets me thinking about life and what I know for sure. When Autumn invited me to guest blog, I had just reread Oprah’s column from November 2008 – a collection of twenty of her all time Top 20. As a writer and published author, I have my own list of What I Know For Sure and thought I’d share a few of them with you.

No matter how many successes we’ve experienced, fear of failure can stop us dead in our tracks.
I have four stories published – my three-book Super Agent Series, and my Witch Lit novella, Witches Anonymous, which won a contest. All of my stories have hit My Bookstore and More’s Top Ten during their release week. I’ve received dozens of good reviews and even an award for Operation Sheba, the first book in my Super Agent Series. I’ve had pubbed authors and general readers alike email me after reading one of my books to rave about it.

But every time I sit down to work on my latest manuscript, the Doubt Demons snuggle up beside me. They fill my head with negative thoughts. They freeze my fingers on the keyboard. “You need to do more research,” they say. “Your muse is burned out. Give her a rest.” They tempt me with distractions. “Why don’t you check email/Twitter/writing groups? There’s a Ghosthunters marathon on today. You can write tomorrow.”

Fear is an ugly four-letter word. The Doubt Demons are in essence fear of failure, fear of rejection. Hard to face head on, so I sneak around them to give myself the courage to hit the keyboard. I light a candle, put on some relaxing background music and dangle a piece of chocolate in front of my laptop. I talk back to the Doubt Demons . “This is the first draft and I don’t have anything to prove.” If I make my writing goal on that day, I do reward myself with something other than the chocolate. An hour of Bravo or Twitter or lunch with a friend.


Being a successful writer is 10% inspiration and 90% determination.
I love my muse. She’s brilliant and wears fabulous shoes. However, she leaves me alone a lot, facing the Doubt Demons and the blank page on my lonesome. If I waited for her to show up in order to write, I’d still be working on my first story. A story I started in eighth grade.

But I’m determined if not brave. I love to spin stories and I’m completely, 100% on board with becoming a life-long, professional author. Goals and dreams are written in my journal. This year I’m writing YA and seeking new representation. I’ve given myself ten years to hit the New York Times Best Seller List but I’ve made a plan to do it in seven or less.

One caveat to this What I Know For Sure is that, like Alice, once I fall down the rabbit’s hole and immerse myself in a story, my muse usually shows up in her Laboutins with a brilliant plot device or line of dialogue that I would never have thought of. She touches me with her sparkly creative wand and, bam, the heavens open and words rain down.

What I know for sure is that when you most need the muse to show up is when you most need to force yourself to put hands on the keyboard and start typing. Don’t wait for her to guide you. Put on your own pair of fabulous shoes and start walking. Before you know it, she’ll be skipping along beside you.


“No” doesn’t mean “never”. It just means “not right now”.
Remember that old saying about the only two sure things in life are death and taxes? Well, I’d like to add one more. Rejection. No matter who you are or what you do, rejection is part of life.

As a writer who’s lived through countless rejections, I can tell you they will not kill you, and to use another saying, they will make you stronger…IF you think of them as a tool and not a personal attack.

First, let your ego have a meltdown for a specified amount of time, say twenty-four hours. Rejection sucks, plain and simple, and denying it will only offset the emotional flooding you’ll feel at some later, openly embarrassing point in your life, like your kid’s parent-teacher conference. Better to open the gates, get it all out, and move one ready to face your writing again.

Next, take steps to rebuild your self-confidence, as a person and as a writer. Every small step, every goal you’ve achieved so far is an earned accomplishment. Every sentence, every chapter, is a hard-won masterpiece. Keep a “pride” list or “success” list on display where you can read it every day. Fill it with the goals you’ve achieved and compliments you’ve received. Over time, those successes will far outweigh the failures.

Last, but not least, find the positive in the negative. When I say use rejection as a tool, I mean glean anything you can from it to make yourself a better writer. Like author Suzanne Finnemore says, “Rejection can be like mulch: dirty, smelly and essential to growth.”

Rejections can give you perspective and help you overcome your writing weaknesses. They can push you to up your determination and cull the crap.
And the next time around, you’ll be one step closer to a “yes”.


No one else can walk your journey for you.
Expressing yourself is a fundamental human experience. Be true to the small voice within and remember that you have two selves. Your inward self that remains untouched by the world, which is your soul, and your outward self, which is your personality. Respect, understand and nurture both, and your writing will change lives. Including your own!

So tell me, what do you know for sure?

Thanks to Autumn for inviting me here today. To learn more about me and my stories, visit www.readmistyevans.com or chat with me at www.twitter.com/readmistyevans .

Welcome Margie Lawson

Hi, everyone and welcome to my blog. I'm totally honored to have Margie as my guest today. If you've taken any of her classes, you know you're going to learn a lot reading her post today. So get out your highlighters, red pens and notebooks and welcome her.

RHYTHM and CADENCE and BEATS. Oh my!

Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!

I can see Dorothy, the Scare Crow and the Tin Man skipping down the Yellow Brick Road. The cadence of their sing-song line is similar to the heading for this section.

Rhythm and cadence and beats. Oh my!

Rhythm, cadence, beats--no matter which term you choose--it’s an internal assessment. No real rules apply. You know what sounds right and what sounds wrong.

You only know how it sounds if you read your work out loud. Frequently.

Read the last two paragraphs out loud. How’d they sound?

I could have written:

It is important to pay attention to the rhythm inherent in your written work. You could refer to this rhythm as cadence or a beat. It does not matter which terms you use. Understanding the rhythm of writing is an internal assessment. There are no real rules that the author can apply. You can only tell if the rhythm is right by reading your work out loud. You will know if it sounds wrong.

OKAY – Read that wordy block (above) out loud.

Is there anything pleasing about the way the words and sentences are arranged?

It’s written in a textbook fashion. Bor-ring. Bor-ring. Bor-ring.

What are textbook authors thinking? They often do an excellent job obfuscating what could be interesting information in an obdurate style. And they use words like obfuscate (I’m thinking disguise) and obdurate (I’m thinking unyielding) which increase the snooze factor.

What about my next sentence (from above).

You only know how it sounds if you read your work out loud. Frequently.

That rhythm works for me. Even the sentence frag.

Read your work out loud. Trust your CADENCE EAR. Your cadence ear tells you if you got it right. Your cadence ear will smile.

Ha! Funny image.

Let’s look at what Dwight Swain, TECHNIQUES OF A SELLING AUTHOR, said about sentence structure in 1965.
Yep, that’s when that gem was published and it’s still a winner.

The following is from Swain’s TECHNIQUES OF A SELLING AUTHOR, page 32. It’s three paragraphs.

It demands little genius to recognize that too many short sentences, or long sentences, or simple, or complex, or periodic, or loose or what-have-you sentences are likely to grow tiresome.

The answer, obviously, is to introduce variety—variety of length, form, style, and so on. Many a tired old declarative sentence (He stalked off without a word) has been given a lift via rearrangement of its elements (Without a word, he stalked off) . . . rephrasing (Grim, wordless, he stalked off) . . . addition of some bit of action (Pivoting, he stalked off) . . . or of color (Face a cold mask of menace, he etc.), or the like.

On the other side of the fence, beware variety for variety’s own sake. The moment syntactical acrobatics attract attention to themselves, they also detract from your story; and that’s a sure road to disaster.

SWAIN MADE MY POINT FOR ME. Let’s look at that last sentence again.

The moment syntactical acrobatics attract attention to themselves, they also detract from your story; and that’s a sure road to disaster.

Note: Swain backloaded that sentence with his most important word, disaster.

SYNTACTICAL ACROBATICS. A power phrase for a power concept.

BEWARE of syntactical acrobatics. Any writing that creates a speedbump for the reader, writing that puts a hugs spotlight on the writing and away from the story – creates authorial intrusion by syntactical acrobatics.

Back to Rhythm and Cadence and Beats.

Do you read your work out loud?

How often?

Do you match the rhythm to the scene?

Brandilyn Collins, author of GETTING INTO CHARACTER: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors, shares important points about sentence rhythms. If you don’t have her how-to book, I strongly recommend getting it.

Here’s one of Brandilyn Collins’s points:

The rhythm of your sentences should match the “beat” of action in your scene.”

It’s MARGIE again. Brandilyn and I share a brain. I agree. :-)

Brandilyn Collins provides these guidelines (pages 147 and 148) on creating rhythm.

1. Past participles (past-tense verbs ending in ‘ing’) are best used in quiet, easy –rhythm scenes. When action or suspense begins, use regular past-tense verbs.

2. Complex sentences work better in quiet rhythm; simple sentences work better for action.

3. In general, the higher the action level, the shorter your sentences should be.

4. In high action sequences, such as fight scenes, divide the action and reaction into separate sentences or short phrases within the same sentence.

Great advice. You’ll find more discussion on these points in GETTING INTO CHARACTER: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors.

Challenge your Cadence Ear:

Check out the cadence in these excerpts.

Please take a couple of minutes, read them out loud, and consider the cadence.

Jodi Picoult, CHANGE OF HEART:

“Fletcher,” he said, testing the word in his mouth as if it were made of sharp stones.

Powerful cadence – and a powerful dialogue cue too.

Anna Campbell, UNTOUCHED:

I could feel his gaze on me as I walked to my car. It felt like a cape made of light, like the wings of the angels I’d never believed in.

Ah – Fresh writing that brushes your heart.

BLOG GUESTS: It’s your turn!

Analyze the cadence of one of these excerpts (above or below).

What did the author do that made the cadence work?


Harlan Coben, THE WOODS,

I knew they were watching me, studying my responses. I became aware of my steps, my posture, my facial expression. I aimed for neutral and then wondered why I bothered.
Allison Brennan, SPEAK NO EVIL
His heart continued to vibrate between his ears, a loud ringing, and he could hear anything but his internal organs working, working. Heart pumping blood through his veins, his head swelling, filing with certain knowledge that he would be discovered.

Lisa Gardner, HIDE, p. 9:

Matt took me to the movies. I don't remember what was playing. I was aware of his hand on my shoulder, the sweaty feel of my own palms, the hitch to my breath. After the
movies, we went for ice cream. It was raining. He held his coat over my head.
And then, tucked inside his cologne-scented jacket, he gave me my first kiss.
I floated home. Arms wrapped around my waist. Dreamy smile upon my face.
My father greeted me at the front door. Five suitcases loomed behind him.
"I know what you've been doing!" he declared.
"Shhhh," I said, and put a finger to his lips. "Shhhh."
I danced past my stunned father. I drifted into my tiny, windowless room. And for eight hours I lay on my bed and let myself be happy.
I still wonder about Matt Fisher sometimes. Is he married now? Has two-point-two kids?
Does he ever tell stories about the craziest girl he ever knew? Kissed her one night.
Never saw her again.

Sara Gruen , WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, From the Prologue:
That moment, the music screeched to a halt. There was an ungodly collision of brass, reed, and percussion—trombones and piccolos skidded into cacophony, a tuba farted, and the hollow clang of a cymbal wavered out of the big top, over our heads and into oblivion.
Grady froze, crouched over his burger with his pinkies extended and lips spread wide.

SECOND EXCERPT from the prologue of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS:
The concession stand in the center of the tent had been flattened, and in its place was a roiling mass of spots and stripes—of haunches, heels, tails, and claws, all of it roaring, screeching, bellowing, or whinnying. A polar bear towered above it all, slashing blindly with skillet-sized paws. It made contact with a llama and knocked it flat—BOOM. The llama hit the ground, its neck and legs splayed like the five points of a star. Chimps screamed and chattered, swinging on ropes to stay above the cats. A wild-eyed zebra zigzagged too close to a crouching lion, who swiped, missed, and darted away, his belly close to the ground.

BLOG GUESTS:

Please post your ideas regarding rhythm and cadence and beats.

Have you trained your Cadence Ear?

Does your work carry the power of cadence?

Do you work to create cadence that draws the reader deeper into the scene?

I’d love to hear from you!

I’ll respond as time allows during my work day. I’ll be on-line in the evening (Mountain Time).

POST A COMMENT – AND YOU MAY WIN A LECTURE PACKET!

I will draw a name for a Lecture Packet, a $22 value, at 10PM Mountain Time. Winners may choose a Lecture Packet from one of my six on-line courses. Lecture Packets are available for all my courses through Paypal from my website, www.MargieLawson.com.

1. Empowering Characters' Emotions

2. Deep Editing: The EDITS System, Rhetorical Devices, and More
3. Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues Like a Psychologist
4. Powering Up Body Language in Real Life:
Projecting a Professional Persona When Pitching and Presenting

5. Digging Deep into the EDITS System

6. Defeat Self-Defeating Behaviors
Thank you for being here today. Please keep reading – you’ll learn about cool opportunities for writers!

FYI: BRENDA NOVAK’S DIABETES AUCTION!

NYT Bestseller, Brenda Novak, donates an amazing chunk of her life to fundraising for diabetes research. She selflessly gives months of her energy, creativity, and what would have been writing time, family time, self-time to her DIABETES AUCTION.

For writers – it’s a warm-your-heart win-win. Bid on one of the hundreds of items – support diabetes research and you may win an experience that changes your life. A plotting lunch with an agent or NYT bestseller at a national conference could contribute to a contract for you.

If you're not familiar with this auction -- it's a gold mine for writers!

My husband and I love to support the Diabetes Auction. With over 1000 donations, if I don’t mention them . . . you might miss them.

Yikes – a Missed Opportunity!

Margie’s Donations:

1. A set of six Lecture Packets

2. A 50 page Triple Pass Deep Edit Critique

3. Registration for a Write At Sea Master Class by Marge Lawson on Deep Editing Power, April 4 -8, 2011; donation by Margie Lawson and Julia Hunter

4. A FLYING GETAWAY FOR TWO

You select the destination – any place within 600 nautical miles from Denver.
A weekend, you and a friend, plus my pilot-husband flying our four-seater plane, me, and a two-hour deep editing consult. The consult is on the ground.

5. Registration for an IMMERSION MASTER CLASS session!

A $450 value . . .

The three-day Immersion Master Class sessions are designed as a personalized, hone-your-manuscript experience focusing on deep editing. The sessions are held in Margie’s log home at the top of a mountain west of Denver. Participants will concentrate on transforming their manuscript into a page-turner. The winner may attend a session in the fall of 2010 (depending on availability), or one of the four sessions offered in 2011.

THE DIABETES AUCTION runs from MAY 1ST to MAY 31ST. You can tour the
Diabetes Auction site now. http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

Brenda Novak is my hero. What a way to give back.
Margie Lawson —psychotherapist, writer, and international presenter—developed innovative editing systems and deep editing techniques for writers.

Her Deep Editing tools are used by all writers, from newbies to NYT Bestsellers. She teaches writers how to edit for psychological power, how to hook the reader viscerally, how to create a page-turner.

Over four thousand writers have learned Margie’s psychologically-based deep editing material. In the last five years, she presented fifty-four full day Master Classes for writers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Lectures from each of Margie’s on-line courses are offered as Lecture Packets through PayPal from her web site. For more information on courses, lecture packets, master classes, and 3-day Immersion Master Class sessions, visit: www.MargieLawson.com .


Thank you for your time – and thank you again for joining us today!

All smiles…………Margie
www.MargieLawson.com


NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: VALENTINE'S DAY WAYBACK STYLE
Please join me and six other Wayback authors as we share special valentine moments featuring couples from our books on sale at THE WILD ROSE PRESS.

Goal Buster. Don't Go There.

I had such a great response on the PFS site with this blog, I decided it needed to be posted again here.

It’s a new year and if you’re like the majority of the human race you’re planning to set goals for 2010. You have a burning desire to tackle an area where you think you need to improve yourself or your life. You visualize where you want to be in a few months or by the end of the new year or even years down the road. Come midnight on January 1st, you’re totally focused. Your jaw is set and you’re determined to meet those goals until ...da, da, da! …your first set back.

If your goal is to get up earlier, the set back will be the morning you oversleep. If your goal is to lose weight, your set back will be the first cheeseburger or candy bar you’ll gobble up. If your goal is to write every day, the setback will be the day life took over and you didn’t have a minute to boot up your computer or grab a pad and pen.

It’s important to keep in mind when working towards your goals that there will be setbacks. As sure as the sun will rise in the east, there will be setbacks. They happen. How you handle them will determine if you will make your goals.
Like a cowboy who gets thrown off his horse, you need to get off your butt, dust yourself off and get right back in the saddle. Like a ball player who gets thrown a third curve for a strike out, you need to shrug off the disappointment, study the pitcher and stand up to him again. Like the chef whose cake falls, you need to start over. I could go on with the analogies, but you get the picture.

Hints for making your goals for 2010.

1) Make your goals reasonable. Something you can control. And be specific.
Ie: (Non-writing related) I want to lose twenty pounds in 2010. (Writing related) I want to write my next book- 375 pages.

2) Write the goals down. Yes you can have more than one. Excelling at one might help your determination to do better at achieving the other. Post the goals where you will see them every day.

3) Break the goal or goals into manageable bits.
Ie: (NWR) I want to lose five pounds by March. Five more by June and the final ten by the November 1st. (WR) I will write 10 pages a week.

4) If you’re the type of person who needs to report to someone, an accountability partner, find one and set up a schedule to report. IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep in mind there will be weeks, maybe several in a row, when you are the one having trouble making your goal. Remember that cheeseburger. It’s okay. There will be weeks when you will shine.

5) Don’t get depressed when a mini-step toward the goal is not met on time. Life happens. Computers crash. Kids get sick. Husbands come home with candy hearts. Enjoy life. A happy person is more productive.

6) Mondays are the first day of the week for many of us, probably because of the business world, and the day of the week we seem to be most productive. It’s a mind thing. If you have more time to exercise or write on the weekend, try thinking of Saturday as being your first day of the week. Make a calendar labeling Saturday as the first day of the week if that will help you. Again, it’s a mind thing.

7) For the most part, we know our schedules for the week. Plan the minutes or hours you’ll work toward your goal out.

8) Make a list of things that have stopped you from making your goal in the past. Post that list too and don’t go there. Ie: Television, email, over volunteering, buying junk food, over stocking the pantry.

9) Remember the old adage. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

10) Remember this saying: Just do it. It says it all.

I hope my list will help you make your goals in 2010.