We’ve moved our blog!!
A huge thank you to all of our readers over the last two years!
We’ve made some incredible friends, have shared some wild ups and downs, and have some changes on the wind. One of those changes is we’re moving and we don’t want to lose a single one of you during this time. So please mark your browser to our new blog:
Authors, readers, everyone is still welcome! We want you all! So as of August 11th, this blog will be locked and all of our wonderful authors will be trekking the hike to the new digs.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our website catalogue and look forward to sharing the wonderful books of SRN with you for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Sweeter Romantic Notions
Back to School Savings for Authors
Would you believe school started already for some students? That’s good news for those of you who juggle writing with taking care of kids.
It’s also good news for every author who needs notebooks, highlighters, pens, and a long list of generic office supplies.
Here are just a few examples of what I saved. Six pack of name brand highlighters … regular retail price of at least $1.99 … I paid nine cents! Ten pack of name brand stick pens … regular retail over $2 … I paid nine cents. One subject 80 sheet notebooks … regular price $1.99 … I paid five cents. Kid’s pointed scissors with soft comfort grip (the perfect substitute for specialty store EXPEN$IVE left-handed scissors) … I paid less than a buck!
Even if you don’t have kids heading back to school, be sure to take advantage of the sales and SAVINGS.
May the Muse be kind!!
Susanne Rose
http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette
Keep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.
http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
Finesse or Goober?
by Maggie Toussaint
I have the distinction of being a rural blue collar person who attained two college degrees. I was, of course, very familiar with the verb “goober” as in, to goober something up. Along the way to being educated I ran across another interesting verb: “finesse,” meaning to think a circle around your opponent and come out on top. Recently I lived through a situation that I hope was a finesse and not a goober. You decide.
Having a foot in both the mystery and romance world can be tricky. This year I had two romances come out and one mystery, which meant I should make physical appearances at places where these craftsmen gather. Early in the year, I decided on two spring romance conferences and two fall mystery cons. In addition, my mystery publisher held an invitation-only event for authors in Maine, where visiting authors would meet librarians, eat lobster, and tour the publishing house. I added that to my list of appearances.
During the year, I entered my first published novel, House of Lies, in the National Readers Choice Awards, a prestigious writing contest judged by readers. I was delighted when I learned that I’d finaled. Over the moon delighted. In the category of Romantic Suspense, my small press book kept company with four mass market best selling authors. I was so honored I nearly split open with pride. I allowed myself to dream what it would be like to win this contest, but I knew I was a long shot. I thought I had a better chance of winning Best First Book, the other category where I finaled.
The winner of the writing contest was to be announced at RWA Nationals on July 31, the same day I was scheduled to fly to Maine to meet with my mystery publisher. Holy cow! What a conundrum. Would I finesse the situation or goober it up?
The reasonable thing to do was to stay with the sure thing, visiting the mystery publisher, which I’d already accepted. I lined up a friend from my Jacksonville romance chapter, Barb Ferrer who had also finaled in this contest in another genre, to accept the award in case I won. I crafted a short but professional acceptance speech and gave it to Barb on the off chance that I’d win.
The day of July 31 was dotted with thunderstorms across Georgia. My husband and I got stranded in the Atlanta airport for 8 hours as band after band of thunderstorm came through. Delta changed our gate 5 times during the wait. It seemed like they didn’t want us to make that flight. My husband, a man noted for his glass half-empty perspective, kept saying “we’re going to be just like Tom Hanks, stuck in this airport forever.”
Needless to say, when we finally arrived in Portland, Maine a little after 11 that night, I was so relieved when the Airline Captain said, “You may turn on your cell phones” as we taxied up to the airport, that I did just that. Within seconds I had a call from Barb.
Oh, what a call!!!!
The connection was awful. I could barely hear her for the static and the thunderous applause around her. “Maggie you won!” Those are words I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. There I was stuck in row 12 B with a gaggle of weary strangers, and I couldn’t even stand up, much less squeal out my joy.
House of Lies tied with a book by Roxanne St. Clair for Best Romantic Suspense.
I couldn’t breathe for fear of breaking that spell, that magical spell of being the author readers loved. I nearly passed out from the effort of relaying the news to my husband: “I won!”
My immediate worry was - what had I written in that acceptance speech? Did I remember to thank everyone associated with the project? (It wasn’t until I returned home and dug up that email that I realized I’d forgotten to thank my editor, Anna Darclon, and my publisher, The Wild Rose Press. I wouldn’t have received this honor without their belief in me. Thank you to both of them!!!) Was this a finesse or a goober? I worried about that.
It’s now been almost a week since I got the news. My feet haven’t touched the ground yet. I’m as giddy as a teen in love. My husband is going on like I won the Pulitzer or Nobel Peace Prize.
I made excellent industry contacts in Maine, networking with mystery professionals. Did I mess up by not following through in the romance world? I honestly don’t know.
Tell me what you think. Did I finesse the situation or goober it up?
Maggie Toussaint
award winning author of House of Lies
romance.danger.mystery
What’s On Your Desk?
It’s the last day of the month. My desk is cluttered with drafts of deadline projects that must be e-mailed by the end of business today in order not to be classified as wasted opportunities.
The number one question in this author’s life is if I’m spending too much time on non-writing activities, or if I’m just getting too good at finding possible places to publish my work.
In either event, I’m tap dancing (and typing) as fast as I can toward that all too close deadline.
What’s on your desk?
May the Muse be kind!!
Susanne Rose
http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette
Keep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.
http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
When the Characters Take Over
So, I had one of those moments recently…Yes, one of those moments when your characters take over the story. ‘Well,’ you say, ‘the book is about them.’ ‘Yes,’ I answer, ‘but I am the author. I am supposed to be in charge.’ An important event in the book I’m currently writing was supposed to happen many chapters later, but my characters insisted it happen in chapter four. And once I started into it, I realized how much better it would be for this to happen earlier rather than later for the plotline. So, I guess those characters of mine know what they’re talking about. Has this ever happened to you — your characters taking over the writing and in the end knowing better than you about their story? There is a reason for that. These characters have in a sense come to life and their desires have taken precedence over mine.
Characters are the driving force within a story, making readers care to keep turning those pages. Think of your most favorite books – what would they be without the heroes of those stories? I love Pride and Prejudice but with no Elizabeth Bennet there would be no life and no reason to keep reading. (“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it; and everyday confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.” E. Bennet Chapter 24)
A good writer will wrap a reader up into a world with characters who seem to be living breathing people instead of words on a page. To accomplish this, one of the first things you as an author must determine is what are the desires of your characters. He should want something—have a force that drives him. It doesn’t have to be something huge and larger than life (although it certainly can be). It just has to be something!
In my Inspirational, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Your Wedding, my heroine, Kari, wants to belong. That’s really it. She feels abandoned, in a way, as her parents are both deceased, she had to break off her engagement with her fiancé several months ago and now her closest friend and relative is getting married and moving away. She doesn’t know where she fits in anymore. Add that to the fact that she doesn’t trust herself to fall in love again and you have some terrific emotional drama. Great plotlines can come out of character desires.
So as you sit down to begin a new or even your first story, think to yourself, ‘What is my character’s desire—the burning need, aspiration or yearning that forces him into action?’ In the end, it will produce authentic characters which elicit stories about something—stories worth reading, stories worth remembering.
Happy Writing!
Cindy K. Green
What I’m Reading ~ July 2008
In June, I posted what I’m reading and I decided to continue it through the months. I’m always reading after all so I may as well share it with all of you. 
The last couple months I’ve been involved in rewrites and final polishes (yes plural) of my very first full-length romantic fantasy book which is now under consideration with a publisher–so, fingers crossed. To keep me in the fantasy mood as I edited, I continued reading a bunch of great fantasy fiction.
One that I would really like to point out is Imogen Howson’s young adult dark fantasy novel Fire and Shadow. This is definitely a story anyone can enjoy from young to old. I was impressed immediately by the author’s writing style. The story is told in lovely language that flows so well that you really want to keep reading in order to find out how the heroine will defeat the menace to her world and her people. It contains the tenants to many well-written and plotted fantasy novels with a sweet romance strung throughout while at the same time fresh and original. I encourage everyone to give it a try.
Blurb:
Fern has lived half her life in fear of the Shadows, predatory creatures who move within the darkness and whose touch means death. When she discovers she has the legendary gift of fire-starting, she knows she may hold the key to their destruction.
But the unpredictable gift is curse as well as blessing. With the help of Nik, the enigmatic magician, Fern must learn - and learn fast - how to use it.
But can Nik be trusted? Or is he hiding secrets of his own?
Fire & Shadow is published by Drollerie Press. If you’d like to read an excerpt, you can find one on Imogen’s website. Thanks for a terrific story Immi!
Other books I’m reading:
Still plugging away on Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park
R.A. Salvatore’s The Crystal Shard (My husband’s favorite fantasy author)
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight (I gotta figure out what all the hoopla’s about)
Happy Reading all! I’ll be back next month.
~ Cindy
Meeting Mr. Right Online ~ Out Now!
Authors Do More Than Just Write
Sorry to be late for our standing Thursday morning date, but there are times when real life and the author’s life collide (requiring more than just a bit of “magic” to pick up the pieces and move on.)
Couldn’t agree more with Carol Ann’s post about writing every day, but authors do more than write … we gather up our courage and submit even though we know that by doing so we might get rejected.
Writers write. Writers submit their work. Writers resubmit their rejected work to other editors.If we pay attention to all the finer points of learning our craft and mastering the art of marketing, eventually all that writing and submitting leads to PUBLICATION.
May the Muse be kind!!
Susanne Rose
http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette
Keep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.
http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
Write is a Verb
I’ve been reading a craft book by Bill O’Hanlon published by Writer’s Digest books titled “Write is a Verb” ISBN-13: 078-1-58297-459-0. I highly recommend it to all people who are writing for publication, whether you’ve been published to date or not.
The front cover says: Sit Down. Start Writing. No Excuses.
Despite all the rules out there, these three two-word sentences say it all. In order to be published, you have to write. This book will help you define what motivates you to write, what makes you unique among the multitude of writers in our world.
It’s a motivational book that pulls no punches. It will literally give you a “kick in the pants.”
I write something every single day. It might be a blog. It might be a page or more on my current manuscript. It might be a character development sheet. But I write. You MUST write something every single day if you are a writer. Like Mr. O’Hanlon says: write is a verb. It’s action, not inaction.
So…what have you written today?
Carol Ann Erhardt
“A little boy who knows too much…a mother who will do anything to save him.”
Coming August 29…JOSHUA’S HOPE.
The Wild Rose Press: www.thewildrosepress.com
Working Vacation
Summer makes me envy those who have 9-5 jobs complete with PAID vacations! I picture them sitting on sandy beaches with exotic looking tropical drinks and equally exotic looking handsome hunks. I’m also jealous of stay at home writers who are married to spouses willing to share their vacation perks.
Color me green … wait that’s not green with envy. More like nauseated green from trying to save a few bucks by keeping the thermostat set uncomfortably high.
I try to keep myself motivated by believing that there’s less competition when writers hit the beaches and enjoy the waves instead of working. Instead of feeling jealous, I try to think of this “working vacation” as an opportunity to succeed. I TRY.
May the Muse be kind!!
Susanne Rose
http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette
Keep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.
http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press
Champagne Rosette
Getting over the hump
So there you are, sitting at your computer, your latest work in progress in front of you. The first three or four chapters just seemed to fall out of your fingers, slowing smothly from page and to page. And then…..shutdown. Nothing. Nada. Zip. You might as well be staring at a bolank screen. Oh, wait. You are staring at a blank screen.
Your characters won’t talk to you. Won’t have anything to do with you. You can’t even push out one sentence that you want to keep, and you;re so frustrated you’re thinking of taking up dog walking instead. So what do you do?
Okay. First thing: walk away from the computer. Yup, just glare at it and tell it to take care of itself. Tell your characters they’re on their own, you’ll be back when you’re ready.
Next, in konghand on a tellow pad of paper (or last week’s grocery list, whatever is handy) make a list of your main characters, what you like about them and what you don’t. It may be one of them has a persnality trait that’s locking up the story. Fix it and you’ve taken one step. Then set it aside for a while.
Now, get out of the room where you work altogether. Fix yourslef a cup of coffee, tea, a glass of lemonade, whatever you like to drink, go sit outside for a while (unless of course you;re in the middle of a snowstorm or a hurricane) and just let your mind hang out. Daydream. Maybe put yourself in the place of each of your characters and ask yourself what you’d do in their situation.
Okay, now you;re fantasizing and sipping on your drink, so it’s time to play What If. What if your heroine took a train instead of a plane. Took a new job instead of stuicking with one she hates. decides to finally talk to the hunky neighbor next door. Take each of your characters and each of your situations and play the What If game with them.
Sometimes you have to leave the WIP along completely. Read a book. Watch a movie. Do something with your kids or your grandchildren. Just get away from the roadblock totally.
And sometimes it helps just to stat a new WIP. Something totally different, that gets your mind away from the dreaded blank page.
Personally I like to drink Earl Grey tea and listen to my favorite mix from iTunes. Or read a book totally opposite from the kind I’m writing.
But whatever you try, something will work. I promise. And when you get back to tat blank page, words will suddenly leap of your fingers onto the keyboard and you’ll be on your way again.
Good luck.