RWANYC Blogging In The Big Apple

DON’T MENTION YOUR NOVEL, BECAUSE SOMEONE MIGHT GET OFFENDED

2012-01-16T02:00:00.000-05:00

by Dr Annabelle R Charbit

What happens when the anti spam police go too far? In a fashion not unlike the effect of the PC police, we end up unable to say anything without offending someone. This article highlights the frustrations of authors struggling to be heard on the internet, yet having to do so under impossibly restrictive conditions.

Ok we get it, spam is bad. No one wants their newsfeed clogged with thousands of irrelevant adverts, or even relevant advertising, but a thousand times a day. We get it!

But I also think many people are taking their loathing of spam too far....

Let's say you're a writer with a new book about to come out. You may join writer's forums. And let’s say your book has a heavy rock-climbing theme, so you'll probably also join rock-climbing forums. And in all these forums you'll talk to hundreds of like-minded people who'll be happy to learn all about you… all that is except for the fact that you've written a book!

The moment you so much as hint at your achievement, bam the petty police (we all know who they are, every forum has at least one) send you hostile and bitter emails that this forum is not the place for self promotion.

Well if you're a writer in a writer's forum, then, one should be surprised if you DIDN'T have a book up your sleeve.

As mentioned before (this needs to be repeated, lest some self-righteous petty Betty, who didn’t read the first paragraph, says something asinine about spam) there is a difference between alerting relevant parties of your new product and bashing them over the head with it in the form of spam. A huge difference!

My editor put out a press release in which she explained that thanks to her fabulous editing, my book has found a publisher. Well, of course, I shared it to all my social media. It appeared on my Facebook wall (once) in relevant Facebook groups (once), on Twitter, Stumbleupon and LinkedIn (all once), among others. For the most part people were receptive and offered congratulations. But then there was the bitter mafia, who accused me of everything, from spamming to even faking the press release. One group member said that my publisher wasn't sufficiently well-known for me to claim that I had found a publisher, whilst another said that the press release contained “too much extraneous capitalization,” which made her suspicious.

The best was the sour puss who wrote "is this self promotion or are you advertising the services of your editor? If it’s the latter then fine, but if it's the former then it has NO place in this forum!" Then what exactly is this ‘writer's forum’ for, you sad, miserable witch?!

By the end of a day that had started upbeat and full of hope, due to the arrival of the press release, I was totally deflated and broken by so much hostility and plain nastiness. I must add that my book exists purely for entertainment purposes. I am not trying to sell anyone on a concept or a product, so I don't see the harm in letting people know that it's out there.

So what promotes this apparent aversion to other people's attempts to make something of themselves? Is it envy, the desire to see someone fail, or the fear that someone might succeed? And if that is the case, then don't worry petty police, by the time your done muzzling and breaking the spirits of people you've never even met before, many I'm sure will have given up hope and abandoned the project.

As for me, I'm still fighting the good fight, trying to navigate the increasingly strict rules of social media and the oversensitivity of petty people.

Because I may or may not have a novel coming out. I'd love to tell you more about it, but can't in case it offends someone. So I'll just say this, the title begins with A. Also I have a website, but you can't have the link because giving someone a link is a major spam crime.

So if you want me, you can find me on Facebook and LinkedIn, talking about everything and anything, and always diligently avoiding mentioning that I may or may not soon be a published author.

Oh, and if another person tells me to join google+, I'll throttle them - I get abused on enough social sites as it is.

P.S., in case anyone is wondering, the most vicious petty Betties live on LinkedIn, so beware.…♥

Dr. Annabelle Charbit grew up in London, UK, and has been writing since 2006. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience. Annabelle is also a playwright and a journalist. Her comedy play, Sound Advice, was performed by CP Theatre Productions in London. In 2010, she wrote for TheFrisky.com, an online magazine who commissioned her after noticing her blog, Crazy in a Crazy World. A LIFE LIVED RIDICULOUSLY is Annabelle's first novel. Visit her at http://www.ridiculouslife.net/.

WRITERCARE: Sitting is a Pain

2012-01-11T01:59:00.000-05:00

By Elizabeth Knowles Palladino

As a writer, it is probably a given that you sit for hours in some kind of office chair. This can definitely cause low back pain or worsen back problems you already have. It is no secret that pain or discomfort lowers concentration. Obviously this will impact a writer’s ability to turn out a decent manuscript.

Sitting in general, especially if you slump or slouch, increases stress on the back, neck, shoulders, arms, and legs. It adds large amounts of pressure to your back muscles and spinal discs. What is a writer to do?

First of all, stay active and generally fit. Do exercises that strengthen your core—your abdomen and back. Always use good posture when sitting. Distribute your weight evenly, keep your feet flat on the floor, and do not slouch. Change your position often. At a bare minimum get up and stretch once every hour. More often is better—try adjusting your position every 20 to 30 minutes.

Make sure your chair, desk, and monitor are ergonomically adjusted to improve comfort and minimize lower back issues. Just purchasing an ergonomic chair is not enough. Visit www.spine-health.com/print/wellness/ergonomics/office-chair-how-reduce-back-pain for specific guidelines.

Low back pain is a leading cause of employee sick time. Don’t let pain make you call in sick for your writing career.♥

Elizabeth Knowles Palladino lives in Kingston, New York, where she works in health care and writes medieval romance. She writes a monthly WriterCare column for the RWANYC newsletter.

FORMATTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

2012-01-09T02:29:00.000-05:00

By Lisa Dale

Formatting Fiasco

When it comes to formatting most literary agents aren’t actually that picky, in my experience. However, bad formatting acts as a red flag to agent and editors, and that flag says “amateur.” There aren’t really set rules about formatting a manuscript for submission.

But there are guidelines:

1. Use a clear, easy to read font—one font only. 12 pt, double-spaced, standard one-inch margins.

2. Put something like this in the upper left corner (in the header) on your manuscript pages: Your Last Name/Your Title/page number.

3. Chapters begin about three double spaces down the page with a page break between chapters.

4. If you include a title page, keep it simple: Your title, by your Real Name, writing as Pen Name. Then include your full contact information in the lower right corner.

Common mistakes I’ve seen

1. Compile all your chapters into one file.

2. There’s no need for a table of contents/chapter outline unless you’re writing prescriptive nonfiction. As a side note, there’s no need to write a chapter-by-chapter synopsis…but that’s a story for another time.

3. Don’t try to make your manuscript pages look like a book—you know, wide margins, 1.25 spaces between lines, etc. Even if you manage to make your word processor look bookish, agents will know the difference.

4. If you’ve self-published your book, don’t submit your PDF page proofs in lieu of submitting your typed pages. Also, don’t submit your full book or your bound book unless requested.

5. Your last name should appear on every page.

6. Courier’s time has passed. Yes, it’s a great, nostalgic font. But it’s kinda dated, and using it on your manuscript is like showing up to a party in a ruffled cummerbund.

Happy formatting!♥

Lisa Dale is the author of SIMPLE WISHES and IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (Grand Central), and SLOW DANCING ON PRICE’S PIER (Berkley, 2011), which was a Top Pick and Barnes and Noble and BookPage magazine. Her newest release, A PROMISE OF SAFEKEEPING (Berkley), received a warm review from Publisher’s Weekly, which used adjectives “emotional… surprising… spectacular… hooray!”
Okay, maybe that last word was Lisa’s.

WTF--Cursing in Fiction

2012-01-06T02:12:00.002-05:00

by Isabo Kelly

I need to preface this article by saying two things. First, I’m going to use bad words. It’s hard not to in an article about cursing. You have been warned.

Second, I had no idea how controversial the issue of cursing in fiction was until I started doing a little research. There are very strong feelings about whether or not swear words are necessary at all, particularly in religious-focused genres and YA (though high fantasy seems to come up in the discussion a lot too). For the record, I’m only going to discuss how to use these words effectively in fiction. Whether or not this kind of language is actually included in your stories is entirely up to you, the needs of the story, the genre conventions and expectations, and the characters being developed.

But if you are going to incorporate those “bad” words…

As with the use of any distinctive language, curse words can be very effective in conveying tone, setting and character. But like any interesting or complex word, the overuse of profanity can also snap readers out of a story. There is a real danger of both watering down the impact of the words and making them feel annoying and monotonous. When using swear words (or for that matter jargon, foreign languages and slang), the balance is all important.

Let’s talk specifically about how cursing is used by and relates to your characters. How often a character cusses and the specific words used is a direct reflection of, can provide great insight into, and really helps with developing your heroes and heroines.

The situation the character finds themselves in should always play an important part in their level of cussing. There are times when even the most foul-mouthed heroine will have to curb her tongue and when the most straight-laced hero will let loose with a sound, “sonofabitch!”

Your character’s job will also impact their word usage. A career soldier is more likely to curse regularly than your average kindergarten teacher. That’s not to say the kindergarten teacher wouldn’t, especially under stress, but the choice of words is probably going to be mitigated by all the time she spends around children—the use of sugar instead of shit for example. And our teacher actually saying “shit” is going to have an impact on the reader that our soldier’s more liberal use of “fucking bastards” might not.

Your character might come from a culture or background in which cussing is just part of everyday language. If this is the case, it’s important to include that feeling in their speech but without taking the usage too far. Just as with any dialogue, real conversation doesn’t translate exactly to the page. Fictional dialogue is edited to read well and simulate realism, not transcribe it. So even if in real life every other word out of your character’s mouth would be a swear word, their dialogue needs to be tailored for the page.

Let’s look at an example: “Ah man, that fucking thing was the fucking worst fucking thing I’ve ever fucking come across in my fucking life. Would you fucking believe my fucking dickwad of a boss asked me to fucking deal with it before the end of the fucking day? Bastard sticks me with that sonofabitch at five on a fucking Friday night for fuck’s sake.”

That’s a lot of fucking in one paragraph. To be fair, if this was only one paragraph in your novel and you did this for the impact and to impart a particular impression of the character speaking, you could almost get away with it. But if this is your main character and they talk like this all the time, readers will get tired of all the cussing very quickly. They will either start skimming the dialogue, or worse, put the book down.

To give the impression of a character that curses liberally while preventing your readers from walking away from your book, cut back on the quantity and use the words where they will have the strongest impact.

“Ah man, that thing was the worst fucking thing I’ve ever come across in my life. Would you believe my dickwad of a boss asked me to deal with it before the end of the fucking day? Bastard sticks me with it at five on a Friday night for fuck’s sake.”

You could even eliminate one or two more “fuck”s and still convey the intentions of the dialogue and character effectively. As with many good things, with profanity less is more.

When delving into the internal narration of your character, incorporating swear words also has to be well balanced. Just as in dialogue, use these words only at the most significant places so they will have the greatest impact. Also, even though a character might cuss liberally in their speech, they might not necessarily think in the same terms. A good way to limit the use of profanity in a book where a character does curse a lot is to take out almost all incidences of swearing from the internal narration and limit the words to dialogue.

Beyond quantity, word choice is important to pay attention to, and again, cultural background will play a huge role here. The word “fanny” isn’t considered particularly naughty in America, but say it in England or Ireland and you’re using a very bad word. (For the record, “fanny” on that side of the Atlantic is a hard, mostly derogatory word for a woman’s genitalia.) On the other hand, most Irish people don’t consider the word “cunt” nearly as bad as American’s do. Even innocuous words like “pants” or “box” can have very different meanings and connotations. And that’s just with cultures that technically speak the same language! If your character speaks a language other than English, and you need that person to curse, do some research on what profanities might realistically be used. Don’t assume because it’s a bad word in the US, it’s a bad word in Japan.

(As a side note, if you write speculative fiction, there’s a whole other layer of world-building involved with creating and using profanities. I’ve included a link below to an excellent couple of articles by Rita-Award winning SFR author Linnea Sinclair on just that topic.)

For those who either don’t want to use profanity or want to limit the on-the-page use to only a few significant moments, there is always the fall back option of simply saying, “he cursed”, or some variation on that. Even if you are using profanity liberally, you might want to use a few of these phrases to help control the balance of those words in your story.

The danger with using this technique, however, is that it can dilute character development. When an American firefighter cusses, she will likely be using some different words from an English or Canadian firefighter. Without showing those words on the page, the reader looses a small but significant insight into your character. Whether that small sacrifice in realism is important to the story or not is entirely up to the author.

Using this default of telling the reader someone curses rather than showing the words can also become as monotonous as the swear words themselves so consider every instance carefully.

On a last note, the use of sexually explicit terminology has increased significantly over the last few decades. With the rise of erotica and erotic romance, a lot of words are no longer quite so taboo as they once were. For example, “cock” shows up all the time in mainstream romances now. Using this kind of graphic language is entirely up to the author. However, graphic words can carry a great deal of impact and really add to the power of a sex scene.

Using bad language is like any other aspect of crafting your story. You have to use it thoughtfully. Swear words can convey a lot about character, setting and tone, and can add grit and realism to your fiction. But overuse can bore the reader and come across as forced. Just remember the less-is-more rule, then don’t be afraid to let the profanities roll.♥

Isabo Kelly’s latest fantasy romance, BRIGHTARROW BURNING, had any number of awkward sentences before editing, most of which were rescued by one of the tips above. For more about Isabo and her books, visit her at www.isabokelly.com, follow her on Twitter www.twitter.com/IsaboKelly and friend her on Facebook www.facebook.com/IsaboKelly

RESOLUTIONS, GOALS, TO-DO LISTS

2012-01-03T06:56:00.001-05:00

By Maria Ferrer

It's a New Year. A time for joy, for peace, for goodwill, for resolutions. But resolutions are easily broken. Heck, it's a tradition to break them, and yes, Virginia, the sooner you break them the more points you get.

Hence, I don't like the word or the idea of "resolutions." I prefer goals or my all-time favorite, to-do lists. I get orgasmic if I can cross something off a list. Ooh.

So I've compiled my to-do list for 2012. The "trick" to a good to-do list is to be specific, to be realistic and to keep it short. For example:

1. Get up one hour early on weekdays to write or revise manuscript.
2. Have new pages for Critique partner every other week.
3. Attend monthly RWA Chapter meetings to network and energize.
4. Submit short story / enter contest every quarter.

Short, sweet and to the point -- and better yet, these items are achievable and affirming to the Writer within. And, isn't that the whole point of New Year's Resolutions?

I will submit my To-do list to RWANYC's 2012 Time Capsule at the January 7 meeting. It will be fun to see how much I have achieved and how many items I will be able to cross off my list at year's end.

Hope to see you there as well. Until then, Happy New Year, Happy Writing!

NEXT CHAPTER MEETING: Saturday, January 7, at TRS at 44 East 32nd Street, 11th floor, 12 noon.

Maria Ferrer writes erotica and contemporary romance. She's published in one and hopeful on the other. Visit her at www.mydelcarmen.com and www.4horsewomen.blogspot.com. She is also RWANYC's newsletter editor and is always looking for writers and stories. Hint. Hint.

New Year’s Resolutions – Make Them or Break Them

2011-12-19T03:11:00.002-05:00

by C.H. Admirand

I stopped making New Year’s Resolutions about ten years ago. Why don’t I jump in line with the rest of those eager to start the year off right and make changes in my life for the better?

Ahh, that’s because I know me. I used to make lavish resolutions: Prepare fabulous gourmet dinners for our family of five; keep our home sparkling clean and photogenically (hmmm…probably not a word, but it should be) ready for when the photographers from House Beautiful and Better Homes and Gardens magazines show up on our doorstep; dazzle my darling husband until his eyes cross and his socks end up in our neighbor’s yard (if you don’t understand the reference, don’t fret, just email me at c.h.admirand@gmail.com for clarification); and write three un-put-downable novels in one year.

Are you still wondering why I don’t make resolutions? I suppose you’re still young and impressionable and haven’t hit the sandwich years yet (those of us who still have twenty-something children living at home and are taking care of a parent or parents, whether your parents live with you, or in a nursing home, etc. you are caught between two generations.) This year we’ve added yet one more generation with the birth of our grandson.

Life is so full of ups and downs that we have to remember to embrace the ups when we can, and forge ahead through the downs when we must—with dogged determination knowing that whatever we do, it will be the best we can do at that particular moment in time.

Which leads me to the part about writing three un-put-downable books in one year...a particular goal of mine, however, between writing deadlines, family, and a darling new grandbaby, I’m setting my sights and goals to be attainable: two un-put-downable books per year…working up to four or more for next year. And they will be the best books that I can possibly write at that particular moment in time.

As for the gourmet meals: our oldest son, Phil loves to cook, and for that we are all extremely grateful. The other night he wowed us with Beef Bourguignon. It was melt-in-your-mouth delectable. When I asked him where he got the recipe he laughed—apparently it’s my recipe—BUT he actually follows the recipe verbatim instead of my winging it and using the recipe as a guideline. He’s getting closer to buying his first house, and I’m still wondering what we’ll eat when he does. Probably go back to eating the 3 Ps when I’m on deadline: Pizza, Pasta, and Peanut Butter!

Keeping our home sparkling clean and ready for that photo shoot? HAH! Not happening until I earn enough for a maid, promotion for my books, attending reader events and conferences, and buying diapers to have on hand for when our darling grandson visits. LOL!

Now the one thing I do try to do is dazzle my darling husband. This actually ties in quite well with my on-going research for the love scenes in my books. You’ve gotta love a man with broad shoulders, sparkling green eyes, and a strong back. My darling husband Dave is my hero.

Soooo…this year, my resolution is once again, NOT to make a resolution, but to tackle each day as it comes, meeting my writing deadlines, and all of the other responsibilities that come with being a part of the sandwich generation. This year’s deadline is more doable than last year’s December 31st deadline. The good news is that I’m on schedule…tweaking the first book in my new Small Town USA series for Sourcebooks: A WEDDING IN PURITY which I will be turning in on schedule (Dec.15th), and the copyedits for JESSE’s story due five days later! Best of all, I still have time to buy Christmas presents!♥

With eight short stories and thirteen novels to her credit, this award-winning, multi-published author’s books are available in paperback, hardcover, e-book, trade paperback, and magazine. DYLAN will releases Jan. 2, 2012, JESSE will release July 2, 2012, and A WEDDING IN PURITY will release November 2, 2012 from Sourcebooks. To read excerpts, stop by her website at http://www.chadmirand.com/ .

BREAKING THE RULES

2011-12-15T04:45:00.000-05:00

By Isabo Kelly

We’ve all heard them. The Rules of Writing: Write what you know. Show don’t tell. Write every day. Outline your story before you start writing. Be persistent and persevere. Never give up. Always have a critique partner or group. Have a writing schedule. Avoid starting a story with dialogue. Study the market. Learn proper grammar. Read read read! Revise revise revise! Don’t use exclamation points! Avoid all clichés. Write with a unique voice. Never ever use adverbs and adjectives. Murder your darlings. Stop writing for the day in the middle of a sentence…

For an art and a craft, there are a lot of rules to follow.

Okay, some of this is really more “advice” than “rule”, but they’re often presented as The Only Way To Succeed As A Writer. And to be fair, some of them are pretty good. Like reading a lot. Really, if you’re a writer, you should read. Being persistent and persevering is an important piece of advice too. That whole revising thing can be helpful.

However, some of these “rules” I think are a bit more flexible. And there are some I just don’t follow.

What rules do I break?

Well, I don’t write every day for one. Such a big no-no according to some. But the truth is, I have to work writing in around my life. And there are just those days when there is no room or brain power left over for writing. Also, it’s good to take time off and do other things. Makes a writer hungry to get back to her story. Normal jobs allow for time off for good behavior. Writing should too.

I never outline. I did try this. Finishing a full novel is probably easier if you can outline. But I can’t. So I don’t. Simple as that. At least I tried.

“Write what you know” is just about impossible since I write science fiction but I’ve never been in space (yet) and fantasy but I’ve never wielded magic to do battle with evil elves (yet). I’ve always thought this should more properly be “write what you’re interested in” because you can do research to learn what you need to know to write a believable story. A lot of other really excellent writers agree with me on this one, so I give full permission to flout this rule brazenly.

Have a writing schedule. Wouldn’t that be nice? I’d love to have a regular writing schedule. At points in my career I have managed to have something like one. But sadly, no more. I write whenever I can squeeze it in—late night, early morning, on the subway, during toddler nap, on a scrap of paper in a waiting room. The general day to day chaos of my life means I’ve been breaking this rule for years.

The “avoid all clichés” rule…all I can say is good luck with that. If you can manage it, tell me how you do.

And finally, a piece of advice I believe in adamantly and think is an excellent rule if you’re going to succeed in this brutal business—never give up. Well, I break that one all the time too. I’m always giving up. I throw in the towel several times a year and think, “I’ll just be a reader. I don’t need this (insert expletive). There are plenty of things I can do instead.” Then I go right back to writing. I can’t help it. So I guess, in point of fact, through no effort of my own, I actually do ultimately follow this rule. But it’s pretty fun to say, “I quit!” every now and then.

So what rules do you break? What “absolutely must do” writing advice do you thumb your nose at? On purpose or otherwise? Bet they’re some pretty good ones, huh?

To read the “rules” of some contemporary authors, visit this Guardian (UK) article on the subject (http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one). Some of the advice is very funny. And some of it is excellent—pay close attention. Some of it…well, don’t take it too seriously. After all, rules were made to be broken. ♥

Isabo Kelly’s most recent fantasy romance, BRIGHTARROW BURNING, has a dark tone, is written in her typical informal style, and is undoubtedly written in her unique voice (which took a lot of writing to uncover). For more on Isabo and her books visit her at http://www.isabokelly.com/.

SELF-HELP FOR ROMANCE WRITERS

2011-12-12T03:08:00.002-05:00

by Anna DePalo

In my ongoing quest for spiritual illumination, the answer to the universe and the magic bullet for writing a powerhouse novel in the shortest amount of time possible, I’ve come to this conclusion: We Have Met The Enemy and She Is Us.

Procrastination, self-doubt, and perfectionism are just some of the enemies of the writer. Then, of course, there are the more mundane ones: bad grammar, poor punctuation, and pesky homonyms.

For the purposes of this article, I’ll stick to the spiritual (non-mundane). A good writers’ conference, workshop or talk is great for recharging your batteries, of course. But in between, I turn to other things for inspiration. Living is the best one: watch television, read a good book, get a massage, go out with friends, and keep abreast of the zeitgeist.

And then there’s what I call the “self-help for writers” industry, chiefly in--what else?--print. Here are some titles that I’ve found helpful therapy for my writer self:

TIME TO WRITE: MORE THAN 100 PROFESSIONAL WRITERS REVEAL HOW TO FIT WRITING INTO YOUR BUSY LIFE by Kelly L. Stone. Need a literate spanking? This is the book for you. Stone subtitles her manual “No excuses. No distractions. No more blank pages.”

WRITER MAMA: HOW TO RAISE A WRITING CAREER ALONGSIDE YOUR KIDS by Christina Katz. Have young saboteurs in your life? This book is for you. It is geared toward non-fiction querying of magazines, newspapers and the like, but the overall message—divided into sections on preparation, practice, professionalism and poise—is for anyone.

FALL IN LOVE LIKE A ROMANCE WRITER: YOUR FAVORITE NOVELISTS SHARE THEIR SECRET KEYS TO A LONG AND LASTING LOVE, edited by Amelia Grey. This one could be titled CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE ROMANCE WRITER’S SOUL. Not all the entries are about finding The One, but every one is a celebration of love in one form or another. The contributors are married, divorced, never married and widowed.

IF YOU WANT TO WRITE: A BOOK ABOUT ART, INDEPENDENCE AND SPIRIT by Brenda Ueland. It is a bit ponderous, but also a classic dating from 1938 and still available. Check out, in particular, Chapter X: “Why Women Who Do Too Much Housework Should Neglect It for Their Writing.”

And if none of the above works for you, get out the New Age crystals. Peace.♥

USA TODAY best-selling author Anna DePalo's latest book is IMPROPERLY WED (Nov. 2011). You can join her e-mailing list at http://www.annadepalo.com/, and catch her on Facebook or www.twitter.com/anna_depalo.

LET YOUR HERO BE MALE

2011-12-08T01:03:00.002-05:00

By Shirley Hailstock

How many men do you know who hunker down on snowy evenings with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa? I don’t know any. All the men I know, regardless of weather, want a bottle of beer, a loaded pizza, and a 55-inch television tuned to any sporting event where the possibility of blood exists. These are real men, not fictional characters, but the ones we live with -- the ones with body odor and dirty socks left wherever they discard them.

In writing, we want our men strong, characters we can love and fall in love with time and time again. Giving female qualities to a male character (and vice versa) will throw a reader out of a book as fast as lack of motivation or bad writing. Maybe I don’t want my hero to be the guy on my couch, but I do want part of him, a composite of a real man. This is not a stereotype. Many men are sensitive, but they are also male.

Other than trying to fix every situation and buying GPS’s by the truckload so they never have to ask for directions, what do males do? How do they react in situations? The answer lies in their character, who they are and what or who you, as the author, have borne them to be. Is he an alpha male or a beta male? Alpha’s are take-charge guys, no holds barred, shoot first and ask questions later kind of guys. Think Jason Bourne, Wesley Snipes, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Beta’s are the sensitive guys, those who think through the situation, weigh the options, make a decision and then act. Think Jack Ryan, Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington. Not that a beta doesn’t act quickly. His thought processes can be a split second in length, but he’s sized up the problem and discarded every option that has no chance of success.

To say men and women are different is a no brainer. There are times when women have to act with strength and there are times when men need to show their sensitive side. These usually arise from the situation, not from choice. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule and we know in writing there are no rules that can’t be broken. Writers develop characters that fit the plot of the book. If the story calls for a woman to be physically strong, i.e. Angelina Jole, a police officer, CIA agent, or for a man to not be part of the Monday morning quarterback brigade, the character still needs to have the qualities that go with their sex. There is no need for her to be a beauty queen or him to have the bulging muscles of a body builder.

Think about the characters that populate your novel. Who do they think they are? When they are alone, what do they do and what do they think? Are they artisans or hunks? Would Heathcliff decorate his living room? Could you imagine Gerard Butler distinguishing the difference between mauve and pink? Would Annette Benning resort to physical assault?

These are all characters that have a type of expectation. When it comes to the male character, the reader also has an expectation and a good book with a cup of cocoa are not on the list. You want to keep the reader in your book. Don’t give them a reason to put it down.♥

Shirley Hailstock began her writing life as a lover of reading. She likes nothing better than to get lost in a book, explore new worlds and visit places she never expected to see. As an author, she can not only visit those places, but she can be the heroine of her own stories. A past president of both New Jersey Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America, Shirley’s 27th book was released in 2011. Visit her at http://www.shirleyhailstock.net./

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS?

2011-12-05T09:44:00.000-05:00

By Rosalie Brinn

“By a vote of 77 for and 10 voting against, this New Year Resolution is hereby passed and …” Wait a minute. Is there a Congress in our minds? Do we put the things we do to a vote? Every New Year it seems we do. Yet no matter how many resolutions we write down and enact into law we all break them. Fortunately we never have to face a Senate subcommittee or hire a lawyer lest we go to jail for said offense.

Yet as each year draws to a close the ending is always the same. We run to get paper and ink to admit what we have left undone by what we plan to do.

Is your list always the same? Going to the gym and losing weight are always favorite number ones. But why try to lose weight in winter when our bodies are in opposition to this goal? And why do we have to go to the gym in order to lose weight? Can’t we knit or crochet in front of the TV so that we can’t munch out as we watch Sex and the City? An exercise DVD done at home, alone or with a friend is easier and more likely to be done.

Now we are coming to the big one. Since we are all writers, we must find time to write. But we never have enough time. It is true we all have to do some kind of work. In this case work is defined as anything except writing. Yet somehow work seems to prevent us from writing as much as we would like to.

Help is on the way. When traveling it is possible to write a paragraph or two. On paper if by bus or subway, in the mind if driving a car. While walking, especially across a street, the mind method is recommended. Also look closely at your fellow pedestrians, one of them may provide a prototype for one of your characters. Then one can pen a few words while on hold and even dash down a paragraph or two while in the midst of a boring meeting.

The main case against resolutions is that we really don’t need them. For heavens sake don’t we know the lacks in our lives? And although Ann Landers and Dear Abby are both gone, collections of their letters of advice are available and if carefully read can guide us for solutions to our current problems.

December is young as I sit here. I did not wait until the last moment of time to write this and maybe not write it at all. Now I can, with a clear conscience, concentrate on Lady Alyse and her myriad of problems. She is, disguised as Louis a young French page, about to meet Santousha a fortune telling gypsy. Who knows what will happen when Santousha has her palm crossed with silver?♥

Rosalie Brinn lives in Long Island. She started writing as a child and now considers it her passion and true vocation. This article was previously published in the RWANYC newsletter, Keynotes.

LADYLIKE LOOKS FASHION TREND ©

2011-11-25T05:41:00.001-05:00

by Polly Guerin
RWA/New York Fashion Historian

Bring on those Ladylike looks in fashion in your stories. Turn your heroine into a femme fatale that smolders passion underneath boucle suits, bouffant hairdos and baked Alaskas for dinner. The trend, which reigns supreme for fall right into spring 2012 revisits the 1950s and 1960s and also takes inspiration from the popular 60s fashions graced by the “First Ladies of the Air.”

GRACE KELLY RECALL

Remember those dolman-sleeved coats and suit jackets that so personified the Grace Kelly look. Well those shoulders were featured on the runways of Balenciaga, Donna Karan and even Marc Jacobs, and many others. Don’t forget the Kelly handbag or its hybrids as well as those pearls are demure ways to revive the Kelly look with a modern twist. Dressing-up also heralds the return of the 1950s black cocktail dress worn with a frivolity of the era, the cocktail hat.

DIOR REVISITED

A well groomed very feminine woman can be an object on display but she can be a smoldering seductress underneath it all. Remember the 1947 ‘New Look’ introduced as the world recovered from World War II. Paying homage to the past the nipped in waist in jackets and dresses returned at Christian Dior. His ladies were prim and proper in pretty print dresses, some with portrait collars. The head scarf makes a comeback and with it teasing brushes to create raised-hive hairdos. The classic pump is a most accessory and includes the black and cream tuxedo pump with vamp bow and a modest slim heel for ladylike chic.

FLY THE FRIENDLY SKIES

The hit TV show, which gives viewers a blast from the past with popular 60s fashions brings back crisp white blouses with shapely powder blue suits and oversized leather handbags. The proper suit with nipped in waist is a ‘must’ in a heroine’s wardrobe. For a modern twist on these iconic styles, visit OneStopPlus.com, Dots.com, the fast fashion retailer and eDressMe.com the contemporary fashion boutique, where you can find similar styles.

WALK SOFTLY LIKE A LADY

It’s time to lift up our feminine heads and walk the walk like a Lady. Your heroine gets interested in dresses in skirts for the first time in decades. Feminine details like gloves, particular white or pastel shortie styles that end at the wrist and “garden party” cosmetics, pink and lavender nail polish create pert looks that call for cat-eye sunglasses and puckered pink lips.

HERE’S TO THE RETURN OF THE PRIM AND PROPER WOMAN!!! SHE’S LONG OVERDUE IN FASHION!!! ♥

Polly Guerin, fashion guru and former professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology writes about fashion presentations in her book, “Creative Fashion Presentations,” Fairchild Books. Visit her at http://www.pollytalk.com/ where you will find a link to her Blogs. Polly is currently soliciting for a publisher for her book, “A Tale of Two Sisters,” the founders of the Cooper Hewitt Museum.

WILL WRITING ON THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT HARM AN AUTHOR?

2011-11-21T06:45:00.001-05:00

The National Sleep Foundation defines shift work as any schedule that falls outside standard daytime business hours. Factory workers, hospital staff, police and firemen, aircraft pilots, road crews, and yes--writers--commonly perform shift work.

Working off hours, especially between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. goes against the body’s natural sleep/wake rhythm. Consequences can include health problems, irritability, work-related errors, and increased accidents. Working extended, excessive hours can add to the problems.

It is common for writers to work late into the night after coming home from a day job. How can they mitigate the untoward effects of their self-imposed shift work?

1. Decrease the number of night shifts worked in a row.

2. Avoid overly-extended work hours as much as possible.

3. Avoid frequently rotating shifts; have a consistent writing schedule.

4. Get enough sleep on days off from writing, and do not start a writing stint when sleep-deprived.

5. Caffeine and wake-promoting prescription medications may have a role in maintaining alertness, but getting enough sleep is a better plan.

Maintaining your health while doing the shift work that writing demands will require planning and pacing—for yourself as well as for your manuscript!♥

Elizabeth Knowles Palladino writes a monthly column, WriterCare, for the RWANYC newsletter. She lives in Kingston, New York, where she works in health care and writes medieval romance.

FIGHTING SEX

2011-11-17T01:53:00.000-05:00

by Isabo Kelly

Intense, action-packed, emotional, potentially dangerous, and reveals a lot about who and what your characters are. What type of scene does that describe? If you guessed a fight scene and a sex scene, you’d be right.

In fact, these two scenes have more in common than many people might realize. And you can learn a lot about writing a good sex scene by studying the way fight scenes are written. When done well, both add levels of intensity and emotion to a story. But these scenes have to matter each and every time. They have to add to the plot and to character development. And that’s the trick with writing erotic romance, to manage so much sex without it getting boring.

So what do both fights and sex have in common? Each of these scenes has four major elements that are necessary to both to make them important and engaging for readers: emotion, choreography, believability, and character. Let’s look at these characteristics in a little detail.

Emotion

Emotion is what distinguishes erotica and erotic romance from porn. Emotion is what makes each scene significant to the plot and the characters. And you can’t write either a convincing fight scene or a convincingly erotic sex scene without this element.

What emotions are portrayed depends on your characters and what you want from the scene. Even the most jaded protagonist will get a charge from being in a fight or from having sex. There is always some kind of emotion involved, even if that emotion is not what a reader might expect.

This fight scene is from my fantasy romance, THE HERON’S CALL, published with Samhain Publishing. In this scene, the warrior heroine, Rowena, has just flashed back to a traumatic afternoon many years earlier and it’s put her on an emotional edge. She turns her fear and pain into a fight with the hero.

***

Gods, he’d probably seen her tears. Humiliated, she started back to camp, but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to face him and without thinking, her sword was in her hands. “Leave me alone, Kael. I mean it.”

“No. Tell me what’s wrong. Why are you crying?”

“I’m not. And it’s none of your business anyway.”

His eyes narrowed, sparked with a dangerous glimmer. “Yes. It is.” He pulled his own sword from the sheath strapped over his back, touched his blade to hers. “Winner take all,” he murmured.

“You don’t want to fight me.”

“You’re right. I want to fuck you. You’re the one insisting on a fight. So we’ll play your way first. Then we play mine.”

Her fear morphed to anger. “Arrogant bastard.” She spun away then swung back to catch his blade with her own, the sound of steel on steel ringing in the dark copse. There wasn’t a lot of room between the trees, but she used what she had, unleashing her anger and frustration, slashing, testing, pushing him to show her just how good he was.

He tried to back her against another tree, but she turned the trick on him, had him braced between bulging roots, barely able to deflect her attack as he untangled himself. She laughed at his growl, let the energy rushing through her wash away everything but the battle. Her muscles bunched and flexed, her feet danced, her blood pumped in time to the rhythm of the fight. “You underestimate me, Heron,” she said, swinging her blade to push aside his blow.

“Never.”

But on his next attack, he overstretched. She twisted around behind him and slapped him across the ass with the flat of her blade. She laughed, pleased with his yelp. As he turned on her, she continued to grin, enjoying herself, reveling in the play of skill against skill. He was good. Very good. And it made the battle more exciting.

***

Notice it’s not so much the fight itself but the way the two characters are reacting and how they feel that matters here. Rowena enjoys a good fight and losing herself in this one lets her forget her fear. Contrary to what a reader might expect a character to feel, Rowena is using this particular duel to bury feelings of hurt and confusion so she doesn’t have to deal with them. And it’s those conflicting emotions that make this fight scene important to the story.♥

Excerpted from FIGHTING SEX by Isabo Kelly. For the full article as well as many more fabulous articles on spicing up your sex scenes, pick up: HOW TO WRITE HOT SEX: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors, edited by Shoshanna Evers.

Isabo Kelly is the award-winning author of multiple fantasy, science fiction and paranormal romances and erotic romances. Her newest fantasy romance, BRIGHTARROW BURNING, is out now from Samhain Publishing. For more on Isabo, visit her at http://www.isabokelly.com/.

KNIGHT OF RUNES

2011-11-14T01:07:00.001-05:00

By Ruth A. Casie

I'm on the Carina Press site admiring the cover of my debut novel, Knight of Runes. Okay, so you may think I'm staring at it because he's a really hot guy. I have one in residence, hot to me that is. The picture may be the illusion, a picture of a make believe lord but my novel is real – and it’s published. That’s no illusion.

I really thought writing, re-writing and editing were the hard part. I was excited and relieved when I got The Call. I was so naïve. I went from writing mode into marketing mode. I researched and investigated and finally came up with my plan.

• I picked two major events to attend – the NJ Romance Writers Conference Oct 21-22, and the RT Conference in Chicago in April

• I picked three places to spend money for advertising: Romance Sells, RT Book Review, and Eye on Romance.

• I worked hard to develop a marketing package that includes: a three chapter book, trading cards (of my hero and heroine), chocolate with a QR code to my website, tattoos (my hero is marked with rune tattoos so why not my readers), and a tissue pack.

• I also set up a blog tour beginning the week before and so far ending the week after release and have been busy writing blogs and conducting interviews with myself. I’ve even had a Tarot spread for my hero. That one was fun.

So, I sit and look at the cover (on the buy site) and realize that all that hard work, the disappointments, and even the doubts were so worth it. I look at the cover, a symbol of reality to me, and the excitement bubbles up all over again. And that hot guy, the one in residence, told me he knew it all along.♥

BOOK SUMMARY: It’s the 21st century and time travel is still a Wellsian fantasy but not for Rebeka Tyler. Rebeka is a renowned renaissance scholar at the prestigious Kensington University in upstate New York. She’s awarded an inheritance that includes an English manor but more importantly it includes an unknown private library with documents dating back hundreds of years, a researchers dream. She goes off to England to claim her inheritance.

While on an impromptu tour of Avebury, she takes a misstep at the standing stones, and finds herself in the right place but tossed back into the 17th century. When Lord Arik, a druid knight, finds Rebeka wandering his lands without protection, he swears to keep her safe. But Rebeka can take care of herself. When Arik sees her clash with a group of attackers using a strange fighting style he is intrigued.

Rebeka is desparate to return to her time. She poses as a scholar sent by the king to help find out what’s killing Arik’s land to get access to the lib:rary. But as she decodes the ancient runes that are the key to solving his mystery and sending her home, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and powerful Arik.

As Arik and Rebeka fall in love, someone in Arik’s household schemes to keep them apart and a dark druid with a grudge prepares his revenge. To defeat him, Arik and Rebeka must combine their skills. Soon Rebeka will have to decide whether to return to the future or trust Arik with the secret of her time travel and her heart.

Ruth A Casie is a seasoned professional with over twenty-five years of writing experience but not necessarily writing romances. No, she’s been writing communication and marketing documents for a large corporation. Over the past years, encouraged by her friends and family, she gave way to her inner muse, let her creative juices flow, and began writing a series of historical time travel romance novels. When not writing you can find her home in Teaneck, New Jersey, reading, cooking, doing Sudoku and counted cross stitch.

TIME TO WRITE

2011-11-10T02:52:00.002-05:00

by Margaret Birth

I don’t think I’m at all unusual among the writers I know to have so many interests other than writing. As a matter of fact, I suspect that busy writers with multiple hobbies are more the norm than the exception—we’re curious and self-motivated by nature. I have one writer-friend who shows dogs, another who writes cookbooks in addition to fiction, several who are also actors—and I spend hours every week on genealogy. Like a lot of writers, I also stay very busy caring for my family—and love every minute of it.

But what of my writing? I love that too.

Over the years, I’ve developed several strategies and attitudes that I’ve found help to keep my work pace steady but in balance with the rest of my life:

● Accept that there are times in life when writing goes more slowly than at other times. Years ago, my writing went slo-o-owly when I wrote or typed with a baby on my lap. Pain from fibromyalgia can slow me down. Simply because work pace slows doesn’t mean that it stops completely. If you think you’d rather not write at all if you can’t keep up a certain creative pace…then you’ll get less writing done in the long run than you will if you persevere at whatever pace.

● Remember that all you need to do to be a writer is…write. You don’t need to write a book. This struck me anew, recently, when working on a submission to a publisher that wanted to see a list of my previously published works. I gave specific examples from my most recent, but also listed a tally, which included: 13 short stories, 21 fictional confession stories, 99 nonfiction articles, 113 poems, and 4 comic books. So far, there’s nary a book among my publications—but yep, I am most definitely a published writer. Also, as you publish smaller pieces, you can build a reading audience that will follow you wherever your career leads.

● Learn to embrace interruptions to your writing. They can become a blessing in disguise: if you have to stop writing while you’re in the middle of a scene or a chapter, the next time you’re able to write you’ll already be in the midst of creative momentum. I’ve actually come to prefer stopping my writing in the middle of things, because I get re-engaged in my project so quickly whenever I return to it.

● Juggle multiple writing projects simultaneously. This works on much the same principle as embracing interruptions. Instead of stopping your writing when you run out of steam working on one particular project, just move on to another. I like to work on a combination of short and long projects. You can feel encouraged as you continue to work on longer projects when you see smaller publications happen along the way. Also, different genres of writing use different elements of creativity—this can stretch your skills as a writer, as techniques that work well in one genre may enhance your writing in another. Yes, “The End” comes more slowly than it does when you work on one project alone—but you may find that you accomplish more writing when you look at your collective efforts over a certain period of time.

● Realize that writing can be a fulfilling part-time endeavor. You don’t need to devote full-time workdays to writing in order to be a legitimate writer, or a productive one. If you write steadily for only an hour or two at a time, but do so every day, plenty of words will get written—trust me. As a matter of fact, you may be surprised to see how much you can accomplish in how little time when you view your writing as a special treat, to savor and to honor with the best work you’re able to do in the time you have to do it.

You can make time to write…. ♥

Margaret Birth is a Christian writer who has been widely published in short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, both in the U.S. and abroad; in addition to working as a freelance writer, she's spent over a decade freelancing for multiple publishers as a manuscript reader, proofreader, and copy editor.

RWANYC TRIO ROCKS LADY JANE'S SALON!

2011-11-08T02:51:00.002-05:00

RWANYC took over Lady Jane's Salon last night at Madame X's.

Reading from their latest books were Addison Fox (BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE), Isabo Kelly (BRIGHT ARROW BURNING) and Jeanine McAdam (HUNGRY FOR LOVE anthology).

The audience was also full of RWANYC members, who lounged around on red velvet sofas and chaises and sipped spirits during the lively readings. Audience members included Mala, Elizabeth, Karen S, Kwana, Maria, Melissa, Kristina, and Stacey. Peppered among the group were also friends, family and fans of the authors, including Addison's best friend Roxanne from Texas.

Next month on December 5, another two RWANYC members -- and Lady Jane's Salon founders -- Hope Tarr and Leanna Renee Hieber will be reading from their latest works. See you there!

FIRST SALE!

2011-11-03T06:24:00.000-04:00

By Karen Cino, Chapter President

Imagine my surprise when I received an email welcoming me to the Secret Cravings Publishing family. I had to read the email over and over again before I believed it – my First Sale!

Writing has always been an important part of my life. My writing has been my best friend, and is always there at all the low times of my life, making it all bearable. The rejection letters that have come over the course of the past 30 years have always set me back.

But something happened this past year – I made a promise to myself that I wasn’t going to give up and I was going to send out my novel ROSES one last time. I wasn’t going to stop writing, as I would just be spiting myself. My writing is the one part of me where I don’t have to lie or hide. I can release all my inner feelings, and create characters that (I hope) will make a lasting impression on the reader and possibly help them deal with similar problems.

My genre has always been Women’s Fiction. It’s not that I don’t believe in happy endings, but I believe that life isn’t a fairytale. We all make mistakes, get involved in relationships that we shouldn’t, and we should be given a second chance at love.

Back to the email…I can go on and on about what reading that precious email meant to me and how I did my happy dance for two days, but I won’t. What I want to do is share something that’s more important than getting a contract. (Yeah right. Whom am I kidding?) What I want to share with you is my journey of rejection and determination.

I began sending out manuscript partials when you had to buy manila envelopes and send a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope). Can’t remember the exact costs, but I do remember it cost me quite a bit. I patiently waited for those SASEs to come back only to realize that no one read past the first page. I didn’t understand why back them, but now I know why. My manuscript wasn’t ready for publication. I stopped for months, not writing and being disgusted, but I never gave up hope. I rewrote, revised and revised and revised. And every time I revised, my manuscript got better and better.

My advice to aspiring authors is to never give up. Be yourself, write what you know and love, and don’t be afraid to ask one of your fellow RWA peers for help.

I’d also like to share with you my secret for keeping sane. Every day, something happens in my little world over here in Staten Island, making it almost impossible to get any writing done, causing me to become extremely agitated. My remedy, besides going out to the local DSW shoe store or Sephora and stocking up, is to take a walk through my neighborhood. Try it. You will be amazed at what you see and how it will boost your creativity.

And lastly, remember to write, write and write some more, in hopes that one day you too will receive an email welcoming you to a publishing family.♥

Karen Cino is President of Romance Writers of America New York City Chapter.  Her novel ROSES has been bought by Secret Cravings and will debut in e-book format in February 2012, with book format in July 2012.

READY, SET... WRITE!

2011-11-01T06:05:00.000-04:00

By Maria Ferrer

This is it -- November 1. The first day of National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. And the challenge is on – 50,000 words in 30 days.

The secret to winning this challenge is to write, write and write some more.

Don’t think.

Don’t edit.

Just write.

Write whatever comes into your head --- dialogue, narrative, lists, et al. If your character is thinking of a song, of a poem, of a blog post, then write it out. It will keep your writing juices flowing.

Remember that EVERY word counts.

Don’t cross out any words.

Don’t delete anything.

Just write.

And, don’t stop to do research or track down references. Make a note in your manuscript that you have to research this and that and keep writing. You can do the research later.

You want to write as many words as possible every day. The mathematical formula states that if you write 1666 words a day, you will reach your goal of 50,000 in 30 days. But let’s be realistic, some days you’ll write more than 1666 words, others you’ll write 66.

It doesn’t matter how many words you write per day. It only matters that you make the 50,000 by November 30.

So, don’t get discouraged.

Remember that every word counts.

And write, write and write some more.

Good luck. Happy Writing.♥

Maria Ferrer has entered NaNoWriMo four times and won twice. She is looking for a few good men and, oh yeah, her third NaNo win.

MODERN SENSIBILITIES

2011-10-31T06:30:00.001-04:00

by Kate McMurray

I like the idea of writing a historical novel, but I keep getting snagged by my modern sensibilities.

I had an idea for a story that took place in Brooklyn in the 1870s, two star-crossed lovers who meet and fall in love under unlikely circumstances. The twist was that these two lovers were both men. The problem I had was that I was interested in the historical context, too, and interested in how the story would be contrasted with modern gay relationships. I wanted to write something both modern and historical. Thus ACROSS THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE was born.

I started with the modern characters, Finn and Troy, as sort of a framing device. They're both historians who specialize in nineteenth-century America. But I needed some conflict, so I thought, well, maybe they're rivals. They don't like each other much, or something bad happened between them before the novel starts. But they stumble upon this mystery and feel compelled to solve it.

And then they took over the novel. It's really the story of how Finn and Troy first reconcile their differences and then fall in love.

The mystery Finn and Troy stumble on is the murder of two men who died in 1878. Troy curates a (fictional) museum that used to be a house owned by Theodore Cummings Brill, the son of a prominent New York family. But how can Finn and Troy unravel such an old mystery when no one really knows what happened?

I did research into historical Brooklyn for this novel, so I applied some of what I did to the characters. In order to find clues, they'd have to sift through plenty of paper evidence: police reports, newspaper articles, other records. I read a handful of articles from the New York Times from the era to get an idea for what that might read like. But evidence is one thing. I wondered how I could tell the story of these historical characters.

I'm kind of an agnostic when it comes to ghosts and haunted houses, but when used well, I like them in fiction. The historical murder victims, then, come to haunt the museum, and by doing so, they guide the characters toward important evidence, including their journals. Those journals are where Finn and Troy find the meat of the story.

Therefore, I had to also research language, the ways the Victorians spoke and wrote that were different from contemporary language, and I had to use language in a way that didn't sound too stuffy or British (since these were American men writing casually). Luckily, there's a lot of language to analyze (and even prolific New York diarists in this era, such as George Templeton Strong). I created the journal entries of two men who didn't exist, so I had to read a lot of nineteenth century prose, hoping to make it sound authentic.

The ghosts also get into the heads of Finn and Troy—literally. The ghosts are capable of making the historians "see" their memories, sinking Finn and Troy into the historical landscape of Brooklyn in the 1870s. I had to research what this would look like. That was easy enough—parts of Brooklyn Heights, where the story takes place, haven't changed much in 140 years. But parts are really different. There was no Promenade in the 1870s, no BQE; instead, fancy homes faced the East River. The view would have included Trinity Church but none of the other skyscrapers that populate the landscape now. There wasn't even a Brooklyn Bridge—construction on the East River Bridge (later renamed for the city it connected to Manhattan) began in 1870 but wasn't finished until 1883. There were plenty of other differences, too. If the characters wanted to take in a play, they might go to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, located on Montague Street rather than its current location of Flatbush Ave. Brooklyn was still an independent city, with a City Hall rather than a Borough Hall.

I'm enough of a history nerd that this was fun to research, and it was fun also to put some of my ideas and analysis of the era into the heads of my characters. The result is a story about two star-crossed lovers who can't have a happy ending and two modern lovers who can make things right.

ACROSS THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE is available for purchase. Check out my website, where I've got a book trailer, an excerpt, and special features including historical background, suggested reading, and a bunch of photos: http://www.katemcmurray.com/books/across-the-east-river-bridge/♥

Kate McMurray is a nonfiction editor by day. Among other things, Kate is crafty (mostly knitting and sewing, but she also wields power tools), she plays the violin, she has an English degree, and she loves baseball. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. She's on the web at http://www.katemcmurray.com/ or on Twitter @katemcmwriter.

GUINNESS, DAPHNE The Ultimate Fashion Fantasy ©

2011-10-28T04:16:00.000-04:00

By Polly Guerin
RWANYC Fashion Historian

Throughout history there have been celebrated women of style, but Daphne Guinness, a brewing company heiress, couture collector, and style icon is a special type of fashion insider. She not only inspires designers and brings their clothes to life, but Daphne actually re-invents looks that affect the way the fashion cognoscenti dress and/or think about dressing. She has re-invented herself using fashion to transform herself to become a creative force in her own right.

Art historian, John Richardson puts it: “She’s the object of her own creativity. Her persona is her own masterpiece.” If you’re like me hovering in the classic rung of the fashion ladder you may ask, “Why should any of us care about what DG does? It becomes clear at the exhibit at The Museum at FIT in New York City that Daphne Guinness, the most stylish woman living today, can turn even a basic into a head-turner. The exhibit on view through January 7, 2012 features approximately 100 garments and accessories from Guinness's personal collection, plus films, videos and image of and by her.

DESIGNER CONNECTIONS

A close friend of the late designer Alexander McQueen, the exhibition includes more than a dozen McQueen garments that have never been displayed. “I wish he was still here, he was part of my real friends. It wasn’t just about making clothes; you’re feeding off each other.” Daphne Guinness is also credited with inspiring some of the world’s greatest couturiers from Karl Lagerfeld to Valentino. Also featured is an extraordinary haute couture from Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix, and Valentino, as well as demi-couture from Azzedine Alaia, Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, and Rick Owens, and futuristic styles by young designers and clothes that Guinness has designed herself that show her love of uniforms. The breathtaking wide range of exceptional accessories, many which were created in collaboration with Guinness include Philip Treacy’s hats and Shaun Leane’s “armor” jewelry, not to mention towering platform shoes made especially for her by Christian Louboutin and Noritaka Tatehana.

GUINNESS’S INSPIRATION

When questioned: “Who did you most admire?” Daphne replied, “Diana Vreeland, she lived her clothes. In contrast to Vreeland who lived her clothes, Daphne added, “Some people put things on, but they don’t feel that they are part of them. With style you learn and adjust.” The Duchess of Windsor, Nancy Cunard, and Josephine Baker were other style icons Daphne mentioned. She added, “I am also inspired by books. I will envision what the heroine is wearing. I’m always going back to the basics in literature and art and I am an Old Master fan.”

DAPHNE’S VIEW ON COLLECTING

When asked “How to you approach collecting?” Daphne replied: “It has to be something so original it sparks something in you, reacting ‘Wow that’s something new and exciting,’ I was the first with skulls, but when skulls became mainstream I gave them up. I’m connected to music; rock and roll and fashion are very related. Music in the 60’s influenced a whole generation way of dressing. However, I feel that there’s a new movement seems to be happening in fashion now.”

CREATING INDIVIUDAL STYLE

“I would not say one style is better than another,” Daphne said in reply is the question, “Is there more of an opportunity today for individual style. Daphne: “Sometimes I feel that there is enormous pressure that some people feel that they must dress a certain way to be validated. Fashion hats and gloves may not be necessary but they are now fascinating. I always wanted to wear men’s suits. When cut right you can put it on again, again and again because the structure is good.” From her platinum-and-black striped hair to her towering ten-inch heels, from her to die-for couture collection to her amazing jewelry, Daphne Guinness completely embodies the rarified personal style of a fashion icon.

Several of Guinness’s films are shown, including The Phenomenology of the Body (which explores the politics of clothing), Mnemosyne (which was inspired by her perfume, and Tribute to Alexander McQueen, as well as numerous images and videos.

The museum’s annual fashion symposium, Fashion Icons and Insiders, November 3-4, 2011 will take place in conjunction with the Daphne Guinness exhibit.♥

Polly Guerin honed her skills as a fashion historian when Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology where she taught Creative Fashion Presentations, Styling and Merchandising whilst also writing 4 textbooks on fashion as well as the scripts for 2 video productions. The Story of Color is the definitive visual on the impact of color on mood, mind and spirit.

PREPARING FOR THE NANOWRIMO IN TEN EASY STEPS

2011-10-26T12:18:00.003-04:00

By Maria Ferrer

You are a writer. Like the Girls Scouts, you must be prepared for when inspiration strikes. Inspiration is arriving on November 1st.

November is National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). The challenge is 50,000 words in 30 days. Join me in taking up this challenge. And to help us, here are 10 easy steps to help you prepare for the big NaNoWriMo launch:

1. Stock up on chocolate. Cupcakes and champagne work just as well.

2. Throw away all the red pens in the house. If you are using a computer, throw away all the ink cartridges. No printing, no editing. Editing is not allowed at any time in the next month.

3. Clean the house now, because household chores are a no-no in November. You need your time to write. Unless of course, you need to clean to be inspired. Then don’t clean now; let the dirt accumulate until you need inspiration.

4. Buy lots of cereal, spaghetti cans and TV dinners. The family needs to eat; You have the chocolate.

5. Buy fat notebooks and lots of pens and pencils. If you are techy savvy, buy your netbook / iPad/ computer now. Work out all the kinks and make sure you know where all the power cables are.

6. Mark your territory now. Fill it with your writing must-haves and a big ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign. For example, around my writing spot I have the remote control for the radio/CD player; a coaster for my large bottle of water; a paper block and Donald Duck mug full of pens and markers. The other junk on the table doesn’t bear mentioning.

7. Keep the boy toys handy. Sex is research. Costumes optional.

8. Register at the NaNoWriMo website by October 31: http://www.nanowrimo.com/.

9. Email me to get on the Chapter’s Romance Nano Loop. We NaNoWriMo-ers must stick together.

10. Buy more chocolate. You are going to need it!

REMEMBER: You are a writer. You can do it. Join me. ♥

Maria Ferrer has entered the NaNoWriMo four times and has won twice. She prefers her chocolate with peanuts and Veuve Clicquot champagne.

COMMENT: Do leave a comment and let us know if you are entering the NaNoWriMo this year. If so, tell us how you are preparing for the big event.

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART III)

2011-10-25T03:07:00.002-04:00

By Hope Tarr

With hair and makeup out of the way, we sally forth to our third and final essential ingredient of a winning publicity photo.

The retouch.

“But I want to look like myself,” you say.

And good for you. You should. In a recent Vanity Fair interview, 51-year-old film star and legendary beauty, Michelle Pfeiffer was asked to comment on the preponderance of plastic surgery among celebrities. To paraphrase the presumably unaltered Pfeiffer, as we grow older we should still be recognizable to our friends.

Candid shots are great for family and friends, the people who already know and yes, love us. But when a photo is intended for wider, public distribution, we want to put our best…face forward.

Coiffed, Buffed and Retouched.

Arguably those smile lines and crow’s feet are badges of honor. And our faces are mobile, ever changing landscapes. A photographic portrait, however, is a static freeze frame capture of a set of sub-seconds. With unlimited time to look, viewers invariably hone in on the flaws.

In publishing we say, “the writing is in the rewriting.” Similarly, the “art” of photo editing/refinishing is every bit as essential to a great final product as capturing the winning shot.

A good photographer knows how to steer clear of overly plasticized perfection while conveying a polished yet natural look.

In the before/after photos shown here, notice how photographer, Biz Urban manages to “disappear” not only the puffy dark circles beneath my eyes and the small scar on my left cheek but also a good part of the last decade!

Before: A perfectly nice photo for family

and friends but for promo not so much.

After: note how the puffy circles disappear from beneath my eyes.

Ditto for the scar and freckle on my cheek.

Voila, publicity photos that look like me–currently–with the photo retouching equivalent of a few light (and pain free) nips and tucks.♥

This concludes Hope Tarr’s series on making the most of your publicity shoot. For more information about Hope, her books and to see more photos, visit her at www.hopetarr.com.

For more information on Biz Urban, including samples of her work, visit her at http://www.bizurban.com/.

Photo credit: All photos courtesy of Biz Urban
Reproduced courtesy of HopeTarr.com/Blog

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART II)

2011-10-18T02:46:00.003-04:00

By Hope Tarr

Some people put on makeup like they brush their teeth or put on clothes, which is to say every day. Some people never go near the stuff. Me, I fall somewhere in between. I wouldn’t go out for the evening without mascara, lip gloss and a smattering of powder, but I would and do frequently roll out of bed and head out for coffee with bed head and pillow creases.

Girl in the mirror--and yes, those taped up reminder notes

are mine a la "Romancing the Stone."

Jane needs no cosmetics.

But having publicity photos taken isn’t just an excuse to play princess for a day. It’s also an investment. You want to be able to use those photos for some time, perhaps years to come on your web site, press materials, social networking profiles and yes, your book jacket. If there was ever a time to put your best face forward, to strut your stuff, and to well, Work It, that time is now.

While I’m hopeless with my hair, fortunately I’m a decent hand with the war paint, as our mothers, mine at least, called cosmetics Back in The Day.

Like almost everything, when it comes to makeup, moderation is key, less is more. We still want to look like ourselves…albeit a really, really hawt version.

Next and final stop on the Princess Train: the photo retouch. Thankfully, along with the actual shooting, photo editing is your photographer’s job. A good thing, too. All this prepping, preening and posing has worn me to a nub.

NEXT WEEK: Part III -- The Retouch

Photo credit: All photos courtesy of Biz Urban
Reproduced courtesy of HopeTarr.com/Blog

RETREAT IN OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY & PHOTO ALBUM

2011-10-17T00:07:00.001-04:00

By Catherine Greenfeder

We finally did it! We finally had our first chapter retreat. After talking about having a writers retreat for a few years now, we did one, and boy it was fun! I suggested the retreat in Ocean Grove, New Jersey because I find it to be one of the lovelier places along the Jersey Shore, close enough to New York City, and yet with that “far away” feel. It’s a setting I have used in two stories I am working on, and I had spent time there on day trips and an artists’ group retreat a few years ago.

After scouting around for a bed and breakfast, I came across The Inn at Ocean Grove, a restored Victorian within a block of the boardwalk, and I visited the inn back in July. A colleague of mine spent a retreat weekend with her church group back in the springtime, and she had nothing but praise for the B&B, so I decided to check it out. I came back with pictures and a good feel for the place.

I reserved seven rooms; most had private bathrooms, showers, and refrigerators. We had places to lounge, read, write, or chat including a balcony, a patio, and the downstairs living room area. In addition, the inn had a Jacuzzi and a grill which we were welcome to use.

Someone asked about a program, and I said there was none. To me a retreat is what you make of it. For writers who find there’s not enough time, there are too many distractions, and there are other demands on us, I thought a retreat could provide us with an opportunity to spend time with our muse, share with one another about our works in progress or those momentary creative blocks, and explore something different. We did find two attractions nearby. The Lilligaard Bed and Breakfast, a much larger establishment, offered the Victorian Tea Room; the Paranormal Books and Curiosities offered a Ghosts and Legends Walking Tour. In addition, the downtown featured a host of boutiques, the famous Nagle’s Restaurant which has my favorite homemade ice cream, and a number of antique shops. Then there’s the famous Asbury Park with its convention hall, the old Paramount Theater, and the Stone Pony which helped launch the career of Bruce Springsteen. I walked the boardwalk from Ocean Grove to Asbury Park, enjoyed the vista, the ocean breeze, and a Nathan’s hot dog. I also got inspired to revise and edit a women’s fiction book I had started to give up on.

Oksana, the inn keeper, did an unbelievable job of making us feel welcome and comfortable. She even baked cookies. The rooms had charm and personality. I think everyone felt satisfied with their stay.

Most of what I got from this retreat; however, was camaraderie, being with other authors in a more relaxed atmosphere. We chatted to the wee hours over craft, the business of writing, and caught up with each other.

Hopefully, this first chapter retreat will lead to more retreats in the future. Some asked why hold it in October? Well, it’s off-season for one thing. As you can imagine, rates at the shore skyrocket in the summer and it gets more crowded. For another, it took awhile to get this going, and we had a mini-
conference in August, the Golden Apple in September, and then we have the holidays. There’s always springtime for another such retreat. If anyone has ideas, please let the incoming board and our chapter know. It truly is a remarkable experience. ♥

PHOTO ALBUM

Cathy

Lise

Shara

Tanya

Sibylle and Irene

Lita

Maria

Writers at Tea

A break at the beach.

The Jersey Shore

Time for Farewells.

Our hostess, Oksana, in center.

See You next year!

Photos by Maria Ferrer

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART I)

2011-10-11T02:37:00.003-04:00

By Hope Tarr

The photos from [my] shoot with uber wonderful photographer, Biz Urban are in and FYI, the woman is equal parts saint and wizard. In the course of five plus hours, she put up with my blinking problem, perennially crooked smile, and the wilting heat and still managed to get some good shots.

Some really good shots.

We’ll be posting said gems…anon, namely after I get my current book proposal in. Alas, this writing gig is really messing with my modeling career!

Getting in touch with my Inner Princess is fun!

For now and as promised, I’m getting my Jamie Lee Curtis on and showing you the unexpurgated me–as in wet hair, no makeup, and scariest of all, no photo retouching!

NEXT WEEK: Part II -- Makeup!

Photo credit: All photos courtesy of Biz Urban.
Reproduced courtesy of HopeTarr.com/Blog.

RETURNING TO FANTASY ROMANCE

2011-10-04T01:50:00.001-04:00

By Isabo Kelly

I write all over the place in the “woo woo” subgenre (as my first editor used to call it). I write fantasy, paranormal and science fiction romances and I write across the spectrum in heat levels. Why? Because it’s fun, it’s what I love to read, and there’s nothing I enjoy more than building a new world.

This is why I have published four different science fiction worlds, three different fantasy worlds (not counting my newest release which will mark the introduction of a fourth fantasy world), three or four paranormal based settings, and am working on books in three different paranormal/urban fantasy worlds at the moment. And this does not count the number of other worlds dancing around in my head or drafts of stories I’ve got waiting to be edited and submitted.

With all that, you might ask, how the hell do you decide what genre to write in at any given moment? To that I say, “Hahahahahha! I have no idea.” Actually, sometimes it really is just a matter of inspiration. Characters come to me already firmly in a setting of some kind and I go with it. But sometimes, I get to choose.

My latest release from Samhain Publishing (http://www.samhainpublishing.com/) was one of those books I got to pick the genre. The idea started with this little snippet of dialogue (essentially the dialogue that now starts the book), and I decided since I hadn’t written or published a high fantasy story in awhile, I would take that dialogue and put it into a fantasy story. So I got to world building.

The result was BRIGHTARROW BURNING. And I’m really pleased with the final book. It’s dark, angsty, extremely sexy and romantic. For excerpts (and a look at the dialogue that started it all :-) ) you can visit my website (http://www.isabokelly.com/) or Samhain Publishing.

Hope you all will enjoy the story!♥

COMMENT: So how do you pick your genres? Are you like me and you bounce around a lot? Or do you have a specific genre, time period, element that you always return to in each book?

Katrina Tipton writes under the pseudonym Isabo Kelly and has published both mainstream and erotic romances. Her latest release is BRIGHTARROW BURNING. Isabo's erotic romance science fiction novel, SIREN SINGING, won the 2009 Prism Award for best erotic romance. For more about Isabo’s books visit http://www.isabokelly.com/.

JONES, STEPHEN-THE MAD HATTER ©

2011-09-30T07:07:00.001-04:00

By Polly Guerin
RWA Fashion Historian

Do your characters wear hats? They should! Men always notice women who wear hats and pay compliments as if they were greeting the Queen Mum. Millinery gives a woman regal stature, it completes an outfit, it can create an air of mystery, tempting a man to find out what’s she is all about.

But who would ever predicted that a young boy growing up in the 1960’s, who aspired to be an astronaut, would one day become the British Mad Hatter, Stephen Jones, whose celebrity is synonymous with the millinery he has created for the fashion cognoscenti, superstars and royals. Stephen Jones burst on the London fashion scene during the explosion of street style in the late seventies and his oeuvre has proliferated into millinery stardom. He is considered to be one of the world’s most radical and important milliners of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. No wonder Jones was selected to co-curate the 2009 exhibition Hats: An Anthology for the Victoria & Albert Museum and to return triumphantly to New York to present Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones, a collaboration between the Victoria & Albert Museum and Jones, which opened September 16, 2011 at the Bard Graduate Center of Decorative Arts, Design History, Material Culture in New York City.

BECOMING THE CELEBRITY MILLINER
Jones was one of the original style-blazers of fashion and opened his first millinery salon in the basement of a trendy store in Endell Street in the heart of Covent Garden. “Overnight I had a business,” Jones commented in 2008. The Stephen Jones mystique and his ability to create iconic styles drew to its atelier rock stars to royalty, from Boy George to his regular client followers from Blitz and even Diana, Princess of Wales as a regular customer, to give them the head turning headgear that would make arresting headlines. His celebrity on the rise, Jones had a hat commissioned by the Victoria & Albert museum for their newly refurbished Costume Court, which was the beginning of Jones’ long and fruitful relationship with the V&A.

RED CARPET CONNECTIONS
Jones’ prolific oeuvre brought his creations to the fashion world creating hats for the catwalk shows of many leading couturiers and fashion designers including John Galliano at Dior and Vivienne Westwood. In 1984 Jones relocated his studio to Lexington Street and that year Jean-Paul Gaultier invited him to Paris to make hats for his show and subsequently he received full credit for his hats thus assuring that the Paris cognoscenti was made aware of his hats. It was inevitable that Jones would enter the retail arena and in the same year he also sold his first designs to a department store, Bloomingdales in New York. From the red carpet to fashion runways to race courses, garden parties and fashion magazine covers millinery by Stephen Jones are crowning achievements of originality, head turners on the fashion and social circuits.

STEPHEN JONES TODAY
His work is always identified by its inventiveness, its witty statement, its novel approach to subject matter and most importantly its high level of technical expertise. From the catwalk to the couture collaborations Jones’s hats have been an integral component in some of the most memorable runway spectacles of the past quarter century. In addition to his Model Milliner collection, he designs the widely-distributed Miss Jones and Jonesboy diffusion ranges, plus a JonesGirl accessories line exclusively for Japan. His hats are represented in the permanent collections of major museums worldwide and are always at the forefront of fashion on magazine covers and in the window displays of the world’s most celebrated boutiques and retail stores.

BECOMING A MILLINERY ICON

If truth be told Jones came into the fashion orbit of millinery in quite a serendipitous manner. Jones readily admits his faults and his triumphs, “I attended Saint Martins, but I couldn’t master sewing. However, despite this shortcoming I became an intern in the tailoring department of the London couture house, Lacasse.” However, upon observing the magical haven of creativity elsewhere Jones soon requested a transfer to the next-door millinery department. It was presided over by Shirley Hex and between 1976 and 1979 Jones spent his summer breaks working for Hex and learning about millinery methods and techniques. Jones left St. Martins in 1979 and the same year he became one of the style-blazers at London’s legendary Blitz nightclub himself competing to wear the most outrageous outfits including a pinstripe suit with stiletto heels. Many of the Blitz kids became his first clients, with Jones creating outlandish hats for them to wear to the club.

STEPHEN JONES IS POSSIBLY THE MOST ORIGINAL MILLINER
Rising to the heights of creativity Stephen Jones born on the Wirral Peninsula in Cheshire on the 31st of May 1957, and schooled in Liverpool, has propelled his art into the future and continues to attract a celebrity clientele which includes Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Whoopi Goldberg, and Cher. Hamish Bowles, Vogue USA said, “His genius is to enhance the mystery, allure and wit of the wearer.” Jones was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2010 New Year Honours.

STEPHEN JONES AT BARD
The show at Bard is comprised of more than 250 hats, the majority of which are chosen by Jones himself from the V&A’s extraordinary hat collection. Visitors will see hats ranging from the twelfth-century Egyptian fez to a 1950s Balenciaga design and couture creation by Jones and his contemporaries. A selection of rare film footage shows the elegant Jacqueline Kennedy, who almost single handedly revived the hat industry in the United States by her allegiance to this sartorial finery, wearing hats at the presidential inauguration in 1961. Look into Jones’s amazing atelier workroom where creativity spills forth over desks and floor in a profusion of ribbons and trims. The exhibit runs through April 15, 2012.♥

Polly Guerin honed her skills as an accessories editor at the tony trade newspaper Women’s Wear Daily. She currently maintains four Blogs including http://www.pollytalkfromnewyork.blogspot.com which runs every Monday. Visit Polly at http://www.pollytalk.com/ and click in the right-hand column on the Blog of your interest. Her recent feature on Marianne Brandt, Art Deco modernist is scheduled to publish in Contemporary Literary Horizon magazine in Bulgaria France and Italy.

LET YOUR CHARACTERS DO THE DRIVING

2011-09-28T21:55:00.000-04:00

by Margaret Birth

If you’ve ever listened to a group of writers discuss the merits of “plot-driven” versus “character-driven” fiction, then you know how contentious and confusing such a debate can be. If you’re wondering what position you, as a romance writer, should take, the answer is this: In order to keep your romantic story on the right road, let your characters do the driving.

Plot-driven fiction places the focus on the plot; characters’ development is secondary, as long as their actions fit the plot. This isn’t to say that plot-driven fiction can’t have likable characters—but characters’ internal conflicts take a backseat to external conflicts, and goals tend to be plot-related rather than emotionally generated. Mysteries, with their emphasis on crime, investigation, and process of discovery, are plot-driven.

Since romantic fiction is, first and foremost, the story of a hero and a heroine who fall in love, it is necessarily character-driven. Now, that’s not to say that all romance authors (particularly aspiring romance authors) write character-driven stories. I’ve seen several romantic suspense manuscripts, in particular, in which what is only supposed to be a suspense subplot (i.e., only one part of the story of a hero and heroine’s romance) takes over the whole story. Here are some tips for avoiding such pitfalls in your romantic fiction:

* Ask yourself what your hero and heroine’s goals, strengths, weaknesses, and motivations are; ask yourself how they act and react to one another, to other characters, and to the situations they encounter. Who your characters are influences why and how they act and react the way they do; and how they act and react (particularly with regard to one another) is what should form the basis of your plot.

* Keep your hero and heroine together as much as possible. Represent time apart by summarizing briefly—for example: “Dani heard a knock at her front door. It was sharp, insistent—the way he always knocked. She couldn’t believe it had been two weeks since she’d seen him last. She ran to open the door, and fell into Justin’s arms.” If you allow your hero and heroine too much alone-time, then too much of the story will focus on what they do while they’re apart, rather than on who they are and how their love grows.

*To really put your story into perspective (if you have a completed manuscript), put one color of Post-It Notes on every page that focuses on the love story and another color on every page that focuses on something else (whether suspense subplot, the heroine’s job, or whatever); for your story to be a romance, at least 60% of the Post-It Notes should be on pages that show the hero and heroine’s developing relationship. ♥

Margaret Birth is a Christian writer who has been widely published in short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, both in the U.S. and abroad; in addition to working as a freelance writer, she's spent over a decade freelancing for multiple publishers as a manuscript reader, proofreader, and copy editor.

CREATING CONFLICT: DON’T FIGHT IT—FINESSE IT (Part Two)

2011-09-12T01:15:00.000-04:00

by Margaret Birth

Look in the mirror. What do you see? Okay, I’ll tell you what I see: a nice head of chestnut brown hair faded to silver in places (hey, I earned those grays!), blue-green eyes rimmed with laugh lines (blessedly, I’ve had much more to laugh about than to cry about in recent years!), a nose I used to think was too wide for my face, and a mouth I love to use for singing. When I look in the mirror, what I see is influenced not only by my outer appearance, but also by my inner impressions.

It’s those inner impressions, those feelings, and the background that brought them into being that form the basis of internal conflict for story characters too. But that’s only one kind of conflict our tales need in order to have the complexity and depth that will keep readers turning pages.

Stories also need external conflict. Thankfully, in some ways, external conflict is a lot easier to understand—and thus, to create—than internal conflict.

In my previous work as a freelance manuscript reader, I saw many manuscripts in which a hero or heroine was stand-offish or argumentative with their supposed love-interest, but it was never clear why: It was never related to a clear and compelling internal conflict.

In contrast, I saw several manuscripts in which complicated, confusing external conflicts overwhelmed the romance plot. However, I’ve seen few manuscripts in which there was absolutely no external conflict at all.

External conflict is easy to define: External conflict is any event, condition, person, group, or organization that keeps the hero and heroine apart—physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually.

The best external conflicts often relate to characters’ internal conflicts. Say our heroine is a prosecution lawyer—pursuing justice since she, herself, was an abused foster child. Now she can’t believe she’s falling for a defense attorney. Imagine that a man she’d once had convicted for child molestation is let out on parole. Suddenly someone starts stalking her and traumatizing kids in her neighborhood. She assumes he’s responsible for these latest heinous acts, but the hero insists that the guy is innocent until proven guilty. Zounds! What powerful external conflict! And that’s, in part, because it’s perfectly tied in with the heroine’s internal conflict.

Keep external conflicts simple and logical: she’s a born-again Christian, and he’s agnostic (here the opposing faiths are the conflict); she comes from a wealthy family, and he comes from a poor one (here the conflict is that they come from socially and economically different worlds); she keeps pursuing an investigation of a shady politician despite the fact that she keeps on having mysterious accidents, and he’s hell-bent on protecting her (a classic woman-in-jeopardy conflict).

A short romance novel doesn’t need more than one external conflict, a longer one maybe two or three.

External conflicts don’t need to have seemingly endless, convoluted ins-and-outs and extra characters in order to be interesting, though. After all, external conflict that’s too complex takes a reader’s focus away from the most important part of the story: the romance.♥

Margaret Birth is a Christian writer who has been widely published in short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, both in the U.S. and abroad; in addition to working as a freelance writer, she's spent over a decade freelancing for multiple publishers as a manuscript reader, proofreader, and copy editor.

SUBWAY WRITING TIPS PART 2: Breakups and Cute Animals

2011-09-05T22:06:00.000-04:00

By K. Keith

Continuing the discussion of hidden romance writing benefits when one takes the subway, kindly allow me to introduce you to Exhibit B: Breakups and Cute Animals.

Picture this: I’m on a subway train which is going over some big bridge (I always forget which one ). My nose is buried in a book. All of a sudden, the tranquility is broken by a woman screaming into her cellphone, “How can you do this to me, Nicholas (or Jason, or whatever his name was )?! How can you leave me? Is it because of Elise?” I give her a sneaky glance, and then survey my fellow passengers, who are either studying their newspapers, their cell phones or the gum stuck to the floor. Basically we’re all pretending that we’re not witnesses to a relationship meltdown. Ah, but later---this could be great fodder for an argument scene in one’s romance novel.

On to Cute Animals. While waiting for a train, I hear a sound coming from the tracks below. It sounds exactly like someone typing on a noisy keyboard. Hmmm….This is odd even for the subway. I look down and see—a rat standing on its hind legs and holding a bagel with its front paws; Quite the noisy eater for a little fellow. Since then, I’ve given a mouse in my romance novel some of that rat’s cheekiness.♥

K. Keith is a RWANYC member. She's busy writing her first historical romance about Hexford, aka Lord Wilton, and Juliana.

DO LEAVE A COMMENT and let us know what you’ve observed on your subway/bus ride that might end up in your next novel.

TRACKING THE DETAILS

2011-08-30T01:23:00.000-04:00

by Tara Nina

As an author, I tend to simply sit and write without thought to direction. I admit to being a ‘pantser’, which some think is a misguided way to write. In fact, it’s not. To me it’s easier than plotting everything out and trying to maintain that course in the story. I find my characters have ideas concerning their actions, choices, plot, and of course love life. It’s not up to me to force them into a mold, but to listen to their story as told in their voice.

Sounds nuts doesn’t it?

It can be when these ideas rush forth and the fingers press the keys in a flurry of letters, words and sentences. Character descriptions, minor details, and assorted other items important in keeping the story straight can be confused or accidentally changed without intentional thought.

Over the years of conference attendance, I’ve listen to some of the leaders in the world of romance speak about many things. Keeping the details straight was a key factor in some of the workshops. When asked how they did it, they use storyboards set up in their offices. Nice idea. But for the rest of us who don’t have the space or luxury of an office, there is a simpler way.

In this age of computers, it’s easy to keep these things organized if one takes a moment at the beginning of each manuscript to create a file labeled: Character Traits and Important Story Facts. When a character is created, list their name, job, talent, location, and every minute physical trait: hair color, eye color, body build, flaws, etc. This helps when you’re halfway through the book and realize you’ve forgotten the color of their eyes or how you spelled the last name.

I even keep a running timeline in this file. So many times, I’ve gotten into the writing that I’ve forgotten how many days have gone by in the story. It helps keep the story flowing when you can keep the minute details straight. Readers pick up on these things. And some of them make it their job to inform an author of a mistake. Don’t let this happen to you.

If you find creating a Fact File on your computer as you write a bit confusing, then try using a notebook. Keep it beside you as you create and jot down notes that will help keep the facts straight.

I find that as I get older, every little ‘memory’ trick I can use is helpful in my efforts to write. Characters speak and I listen. Stories unfold and flourish. But it’s the details that get forgotten along the way.

Tara Nina writes hot romances with sexy attitude in the paranormal, contemporary and erotica genres. Her latest book, CURSED LAIRD, is available from Ellora's Cave. Visit her at http://www.taranina.com/.

WRITING TIME TIP: USE YOUR SUBWAY TRAIN DELAY

2011-08-15T01:12:00.001-04:00

by K. Keith

Since I have a day job and lots of fun chores, like cleaning the toilet and shopping for baking soda, I’m constantly on the lookout for time to write, which brings me to Exhibit A, the Subway Train Delay.

Picture this: I’m sitting in a moving subway train car. The train stops in a tunnel. After several minutes pass, the conductor makes an announcement, complete with eardrum-piercing static, to us passengers. “Rrrw, rrw, grrwl train rrw grrr ahead xlllik,” he says. Or maybe it’s “Rrrwl rlllx fire nnnrrr” or “Rrowl rrwe llttz rrulrul.”

Anyway, after everyone in my section asks each other, “What did he say?” and we confer (“owls in the tunnels” is the consensus ), I pull out my small notepad. Ah, time to write the next scene of my historical romance while we wait for the owls to cross the tracks.

What’s your favorite nuisance-turned-extra-writing-time tip?♥

K. Keith is a RWANYC member. She's busy writing her first historical romance about Hexford, aka Lord Wilton, and Juliana.

CHARACTER CHECKLISTS – A NECESSARY EVIL

2011-08-08T02:26:00.001-04:00

By K.P. Sharpe

There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a story and have to thumb through chapters looking for the color of a main character’s eyes or hair. Even the size/weight of your character or age of the character when the novel started can get lost in the sauce of your first draft. Who has the luxury of time to stop and go back to double check? When getting the story down pat, it’s amazing how much of the major/minor details you can forget, unless you create checklists. I use them for my short stories and especially my novels to keep track of physical descriptions as well as the character’s relationship to the others. I have one-page checklists for the short stories, and a full eight-page checklist for my novel characters. I have split the eight-page checklist so it covers two at a time, usually the main two characters. I may not use every question in my checklist, but by the time I finish, I have a detailed account of my main characters.

What type of components should be included in a checklist?
First the usual: date, place of birth, full name and the meaning of the name (if it’s unique); physical attributes like eye and hair color, height, weight, build, skin tone and hair style. Other details like home town, hobbies, favorite music, food, literature, color and drink become major tidbits of information as well. Things like, what mode of transportation does your character use; is he or she a drinker? Smoker? How much education does she or he have, and what is the primary occupation, are important points as well. I ask does my character have children, is the relationship with the children important, and if the parents are alive, what is the relationship between them? Even if the description is no more than a few mentions here and there in the novel or short story, it’s important to have something you can build on.

What else should you have in a checklist?
Everything I described above is rather generic and straightforward. I also ask which of the seven deadly sins or virtues does my character give into or fight against, what talents does my character have, what is the biggest regret? Biggest accomplishment, what are the peculiarities? What is his or her’s darkest secret and who knows about it? What do friends/family like most/least about the character? How does the character react to change or new problems? What is his or her drives and motivations? Is she or he divorced? Who is the person your character secretly admires and why? What is the religion and spiritual beliefs, and what part of religion or spiritually does it play in the character’s life. I even want to list what pets the character has, where he or she hangs out, where does the character vacation, and even what is the present and previous relationships with the opposite sex. I even list at least four close friends, their names and ages.

A couple of writing friends saw my character checklists and customized them for their own use. They realized this was a good way to build main characters and keep them consistent throughout your novel or short story. To have to stop and double check something 150 or more pages back is just not good when you’re under deadline. So build the skeleton first, the meat goes on easier that way.♥

Karen Pearl Sharpe has been an astrologer for close to four decades; wrote nonfiction articles for several weekly New York City newspapers and astrology columns for CableView Magazine, Harlem News Group and the nationally distributed Street News. Her NaNoWriMo novel from 2009, PSYCHIC LOVERS, was published under her pen name Sydelle Houston, and her collection of erotic short stories called Hot Pages will be available in August 2011, both on Amazon.com. She is currently working on a historical novel set in 1870 New York. Her main blog is: http://sydelleh.livejournal.com/

CREATING CONFLICT: DON’T FIGHT IT—FINESSE IT (PART ONE)

2011-08-01T03:25:00.002-04:00

by Margaret Birth

Okay, y’all, hear this! NO MATTER HOW OBNOXIOUS YOUR CHARACTERS ACT, OR HOW MUCH THEY BICKER, IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT THEY HAVE ADEQUATE CONFLICT!!! Got it?

There are two kinds of conflict in fiction: internal and external. Both play important roles in character and plot development. For now, I’ll discuss internal conflict.

Internal conflict is an emotional road-block; it’s something inside a character that keeps him or her from doing or becoming whatever he or she wants.

For example, a hero may place road blocks on the path to a developing romantic relationship; if he’s afraid of being abandoned again just as his mother abandoned him when he was little, the hero’s internal conflict is a fear of abandonment. Of course, being a disciplined guy with a strong personality and definite goals, he’s not just going to open right up and admit to something that he may see as a weakness, or as a part of his past that’s best left in his past; instead, he’s going to do whatever he needs to do to keep himself from being made vulnerable to the hurt that can come from loving someone else.

Keep in mind: Both your hero and your heroine should have some kind of internal conflict. It needn’t be earth-shattering; it could be as simple as a job that consumes the heroine’s life, to the point where she never takes time to smell the roses—or to commit to a serious relationship—because she wants her dad to be proud of how well she runs the family business.

Often, a character doesn’t recognize an internal conflict for what it is until he or she meets someone special; in other words, internal conflicts tend to be well-engrained. But then this new loved-one challenges the character’s ability to break down the walls caused by this internal conflict—which results in fear, excitement...and battles of will between the two.

Since the goals people set for themselves are closely related to how they perceive of themselves, a character’s goal and internal conflict may also be closely related. Think, for instance, of a prosecution lawyer-heroine who’s distressed when she realizes that she’s falling in love with a defense attorney; ever since she was abused as a child in the foster care system but no one believed her when she sought help, her goal in life has been to protect victims. Her goal (to protect victims) and her internal conflict (the childhood pain she holds onto so tightly that she identifies with all victims, and has trouble forgiving her defense attorney-sweetheart whenever he gets an alleged criminal set free) are closely tied together.

A hero and heroine often have internal conflicts and/or goals that mirror one another.

If you give your hero and heroine each an internal conflict, then you’ll have a good foundation on which to develop characters and build a plot—one that includes lots of scenes with fiery clashes and equally passionate vows of peace and love. ♥

Margaret Birth is a Christian writer who has been widely published in short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, both in the U.S. and abroad; in addition to working as a freelance writer, she's spent over a decade freelancing for multiple publishers as a manuscript reader, proofreader, and copy editor.

DREADED AUTHOR QUESTION: Are You Self-Publishing?

2011-07-25T03:20:00.000-04:00

By Isabo Kelly

This is such a timely question I was actually asked this by a non-writer at a family function recently. This person didn’t know a thing about the industry, but she’d heard about the upswing in electronic self-publishing, heard my upcoming book would be available electronically, and innocently asked if I intended to self-publish.

Naturally, with all the stories of huge successes, successful authors choosing to self-publish over taking a large advance from traditional publishers, and the plethora of tablets and e-readers flooding the market, even the average reader has heard of self-publishing ebooks.

Not so many years ago, this question carried negative connotations. Even when the self-published book was brilliant and successful, the common wisdom held that if your book had to be self-published, it wasn’t good enough. Not true then any more than it is now. Unfortunately, there are still some of those assumptions floating around.

But the revolution made possible by ebook self-publishing has made this avenue of getting books to readers not only a viable option but also considered by some to be a “better” and “more profitable” way to publish.

So what’s an author to do when asked this question? Especially by people who don’t actually understand what the question really means?

It’s a complicated issue. There is a financial investment involved if you want to self-publish well. There’s a lot of marketing involved with making sure people know your book is out there. There’s a lot of time and energy that goes into the process. There’s a lot of freedom and control over the final book. The percentage earned per book is a lot higher than via traditional publishers, but the market share for ebooks versus mass market paperback is still smaller. Not everyone who throws an ebook up on Kindle is an instant success, this isn’t a get rich quick scheme, and if the book isn’t well edited, readers will let everyone who sees the book know in their reviews.

But do you go into detail explaining this to the strangers who asked if you’re going this route? With all the sensational stories, how do you tell people the process isn’t quite right for you? Or you haven’t decided if you will try it yet? Or you’ve already self-published and the book is only doing okay? Or you’ve done it already and you’ve been wildly successful? All these things are possible. And there’s a lot of discussion about the details among writers—we care about all these things.

Does the average reader? Not in near as much depth of detail as the average writer. Giving a non-writer the basic answer—“I have”; “I’m gonna try it at some point”; “It’s not really for me and I’ll stick to more traditional routes”—will probably suffice to get them to leave you alone on the subject.

Still, being asked this question makes you think. If you’re answer is, “No, I don’t think it’s for me,” are you missing out on something? If you’re answer is, “Actually, I have self-published” but you can’t say “And it’s made me rich!”, have you done something wrong? Is your book that bad?

I’ve met several very successful self-published authors (as I’m sure a lot of you have), and I’ve talked to authors who haven’t done particularly well self-publishing and are keen to return to more traditional routes. I’ve also talked with many authors who just don’t want to self-publish, and yet others who want their feet in both doors—self-publishing and traditional. Only an individual author will ever be able to say if the process is right for them or not. Fortunately, there are a lot of resources out there to understand what goes into self-publishing a book and what you can reasonably expect, allowing you to say with a comfortable level of knowledge that the process is for you or is not.

In the end, all the sensational stories won’t make self-publishing the path for you if it’s not. If it is, knowing the nuts and bolts can only aid you in your journey. And when someone asks you this question, be honest. It’s a wonderful opportunity for writers. It can only be a good thing that we now have all these options. But self-publishing isn’t for everyone. And forcing yourself to try it or feeling like you might be missing out if you don’t want to try it, is a waste of energy. If it makes your pulse race and you love having that kind of control over your book, go for it!

It’s a whole new world, the industry is changing, we’re going to get this question a lot from people who don’t realize it’s not a get rich quick scheme or even as easy as it sounds. Stay calm when they press you on the issue. Your truth is the only one that counts for your career.♥

Isabo Kelly hasn’t self-published yet but she is one of those authors “considering” the option. In the meantime, she’s happy to let her publishers do all the business work while she writes books. Her newest fantasy romance, BRIGHTARROW BURNING, will be released from Samhain Publishing on October 4, 2011. For more on Isabo and her books (and if she ever decides to self-publish!) visit her at http://www.isabokelly.com/.

Bring On The Heat

2011-07-20T13:22:00.001-04:00

by F. Solomon

When I joined RWANYC, one of the coolest things that I did ironically enough was bring the heat.

No, not the kind that we are currently enjoying outside, but the HOT issue in August. This is the third year of our HOT issue, and it already promises seduction and testosterone! Whoo! And yet there is more--if you are up to it. There is a small window that you can slip into and turn up the heat even more.

Summer is here, it is hot as...who says you have to go away to have a fling? Although I am going away, but it will be too late for this issue if I am inspired! So you all have to help me, turn my e-mail on fire. Send me or Maria--who is keeping the summer pretty hot herself--your erotic musings, fiction or poetry. It can be primal or loving, whatever your fancy, just make it hot. And if you have never written anything erotic, step outside--literally--you will want to come back into your cool surroundings and heat up the screen with something for us.

Plus, I have a secret to reveal that is kinda hot! You'll have to wait for it!

YA THAT SIZZLES

2011-07-18T01:13:00.001-04:00

Recorded by Catherine Greenfeder

The speakers for this workshop were multi-published YA authors Tera Lynn Childs, Kimberly Derting, and Sophie Jordan. Books by the authors speaking include Firelight and Vanish by Sophie Jordan, Forgive My Fins by Terri Lynn Childs, The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting. Here is a summary based on notes taken during this highly informative workshop at the RWA National Conference earlier this month.

Characterization

How old should the protagonists be? Between twelve to eighteen years of age is fine, past that gets into adult fiction. So, seniors in high school are okay to use. Make sure to give the characters quirks so that they’re three dimensional.

Where do you start the book?

“All books open with your main character on the threshold of change.”

How hot can you make a YA?

“It’s not taboo to have graphic sex, but you have to keep in mind that the teen’s life experience is different from ours as adult writers.”

Off-page sex is not described but talked about. One of the authors didn’t feel the need to add detailed description on the sex, so she kept if off the page.

Sophie Jordan feels the sex has to be subtle because she has readers who have followed her from a younger age. Keep in mind that parents are buying the books. Her books are for twelve year olds and up.

High school versus the middle school readers are a different reader. Obviously! Sex, drugs, alcohol, and profanity are other subjects used in some of the books.

Does the adult voice intrude on the YA voice?

You have to shut off your adult voice, and put yourself into the view of the teen. Think back to your own experience as a teenager. The writer needs to ask what it felt like when I was a teenage girl of my protagonist’s age. Also, remember back and remember one of those fantasies you had. Teens still fantasize about those things, and it can be worked into your book.

Use Real Life Experiences for Teens

Being at a party where teens engage in use of drugs, alcohol, or sex is a real life experience. It’s real to the readers. However, you as the writer, have to be aware of who’s purchasing the books. Teens, of course, buy books, but so do adults. Therefore, gate keepers on subject matter are parents, teachers, and librarians; they can control the purchase of YA books; this gets into the issue of censorship. That’s not to discount the more edgy YA books gaining popularity.

Point of view

Writing first person P.O.V. versus third person P.O.V. is a matter of taste and is not a problem if you do what feels comfortable for you.

I Am Number Four crosses both girl and boy readership.

Dialogue/Teen Speak and Fashion

Don’t date your dialogue – teen lingo changes; avoid reference to pop culture which can change later on.

There’s a fine line between YA and trendy; use fashion that will still be in style because trends change. This includes music trends.

Common Issues

Dead parents, neglectful parents, and parents who are very busy with their jobs are found in a lot of YA.

Have e-book readers affected sales for YA?

Most definitely, e-books are increasing sales for YA. ###

Catherine Greenfeder is the author of two published e-books, Angels Among Us, and Wildflowers; and is currently hard at work on a YA paranormal set in New Jersey.

CREATING CHARACTERS THROUGH TAROT CARDS: KING OF SWORDS

2011-07-15T02:20:00.000-04:00

By Karen Cino

KING OF SWORDS

The King of Swords is a unique character. He represents the astrological air signs: Libra, Aquarius and Gemini. The Hero that is also known as the Bad Boy.

The King represents a man over the age of 35. You can usually find him in high power jobs, such as a lawyer, government official, advisor or president of a company. He is a man of power, stern and not to be reckoned with.

There is no excitement with the King of Swords as he has all his emotions blocked, not letting them affect his judgment. Most people see him as arrogant and controlling, having no conscience.

Romantically, the King is blunt, sometimes to the point of indifference. You have to give him breathing room because no matter how much you try to get any sort of emotion out of him, he will put up the walls and block you out. He can be a loving partner, however, he is quick to cut off his emotions and use his independence as his reward of intimacy. Getting close to the King on an intimate level can be a struggle. If you can make it carefully through his barriers he can be a good partner.

The King of Swords is the perfect person to work out solutions quickly and cut to the chase in chaotic situations and provides the solution needed to move forward. Most of the time, he is truthful and can be relied on to handle situations fairly and honorably.

Like the other Kings, he has both positive and negative traits. His negative characteristics could be quite severe at times making him to be a phenomenal antagonist. As an antagonist, he frowns on people that don’t live up to his expectations. He sets the tone of a situation and expects everyone to follow in his footsteps.

Positive

Moral/ethical leader, lives by the highest principles, works against dishonesty, impartial, applies reason and logic, rational, wise, authoritative, good communicator and practical.

Negative traits

Bullying, scheming. Impersonal, calculating, vengeful, can be violent and cruel, emotional issues, uncaring and extremely over emotional in an out of control way. ♥

Karen Cino is President of RWA/NYC. She writes women’s fiction and is currently working on a fiction book with Staten Island locales.

DOT YOUR I’S AND CROSS YOUR T’S, AND MIND YOUR P’S AND Q’S

2011-07-13T03:47:00.000-04:00

by Margaret Birth

This blog entry is on a subject that shouldn’t even need mentioning—but evidently it does, because I’ve seen so many manuscripts that don’t measure up in this basic area. The best way to summarize it is to say that you must make sure to: Dot your “i”’s and cross your “t”’s, and mind your “p”’s and “q”’s. If you haven’t guessed it yet, I’m talking about professional presentation of your manuscript.

It never ceases to amaze me how many authors submit manuscripts that are dog-eared; part-typewritten photocopies, part-typewritten carbon copies (!!!), part-computer printed copies; missing page numbers; and full of typos. Every time I see a manuscript like this, I want to take the author by the shoulders and shake her (or him).

Some writers may think that a messy manuscript is endearing, a sign of disorganized genius, the on-paper equivalent of Albert Einstein’s unfortunate hairdo. But I’m here to tell them (and you): Don’t do it! A messy manuscript does not look like disorganized genius; it looks like disorganized idiocy.

Herewith, a few pointers to make your manuscript look as fantastic as your story must have sounded in that query letter (You did already introduce yourself to the agent or editor in a query letter, didn’t you?):

Make sure the pages of your manuscript are clean and neatly aligned. Keep the food-stained, or dog-eared previous copies for scrap paper if you want to be that environmentally friendly (I do), but please don’t let a sloppy stack of paper be your introduction to an editor or agent. Otherwise, how will they get the impression that you’ll do a careful, thoughtful job for them if they accept your story or take you on as a client?

Use one font (something sedate, like Courier or Times New Roman) and type size (12- or 14-point, please) consistently throughout, and use black ink on clean, white, 20-lb. paper. Not only is it irritating to have to read carbon copies mixed in with photocopies, but it’s also irritating to have to read hot-pink fourteen-point Allegro, black bold-face twelve-point Sans Serif and black ten-point Courier all on one page of deckled gray paper. Think I’m kidding when I say that I’ve seen this before? I’m not. It was blinding to read.

Double-check that your manuscript contains all of its pages, and that they’re all facing in the same direction. Few things are more frustrating to a manuscript reader, agent, or editor than to be reading a story—especially one that shows promise—and then discover that there’s no page 213 but two copies of page 252! The reader has no choice, then, but to stop, leaf through the entire manuscript in search of the missing page(s), and fume at the lost time and story parts.

And finally… Proofread! Don’t rely on your computer’s spell-checker. It won’t catch correctly-spelled homonyms (“to/too/two”) or spelling errors which are words, themselves (“of” versus “off”), nor will it catch punctuation or grammar goofs. Pay close attention to capitalization and punctuation (no “’that stinks.’ He said.”), and to proper usage (“lie” versus “lay”).

Just follow these guidelines, and your manuscript should look like a million bucks! Now, about the size of that advance....♥

Margaret Birth is a Christian writer who has been widely published in short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, both in the U.S. and abroad; in addition to working as a freelance writer, she's spent over a decade freelancing for multiple publishers as a manuscript reader, proofreader, and copy editor.

TSTL - A WRITER'S LIFE

2011-07-11T02:07:00.000-04:00

By Dee Davis

Author’s Note: I wrote this article originally for the Austin Romance Writer’s Newsletter in response to a review I’d read that talked about a heroine being TSTL. I couldn’t help but relate it to a romance writer.

Recently I was reading a book review where the reviewer described the heroine as TSTL. Because of this nefarious acronym, she couldn’t recommend the book. I stopped reading, puzzled. TSTL?

Tempting Sultress Takes Life?
Tumultuous Seductress Taming Lions?
Tobacco-stained Slut Tasting Lemons?

Obviously being cut from the same cloth as said heroine, it took me awhile to figure out what the reviewer was referring to. But eventually the old light bulb flashed, and I had a major V-8 moment.

Too Stupid Too Live….

All of which brings me to the question of the day: Is a romance writer TSTL?

Every day it is estimated that 141 million women get out of their beds, make breakfast for spouses and children, hustle books into book bags, and papers into briefcases, children onto buses and panty-hosed bodies into SUV’s and begin another day. Of these women at least 8000 of them consider themselves romance writers. And, among other parts of their day, they will find themselves missing exits, forgetting the dry cleaning, or opting out of a board meeting because they have a story to tell.

These women will put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, in the determined hope that what they are writing will somehow become the next bestseller.

Too stupid too live?

Quite possibly. The Romance Writers Association estimates that there are approximately 2000 romances published each year. Of those slots, less than a fifth will go to new authors, the rest going to writers who have already proved their mettle. So even before typing the word ‘prologue’, our woman of the hour has an uphill battle.

And it only gets worse.

Right off the bat she’s got an obstacle. Only a very small percentage of all people saying they’re going to write a book actually ever finish the thing. What seems like a lark -- an absolute cracker idea -- quickly turns into a nightmare when faced with the necessity of a believable beginning, middle and end. The idea that seemed so simple in the imagination suddenly develops serious problems on page 134 with another 266 to go. And characters who seemed charming in chapter one have turned into boring whiners by chapter ten, leaving the writer with no alternative but to kill them off in the most torturous manner possible.

The only problem being that the book was meant to be romantic comedy.

And even if our heroine overcomes all these problems and actually finishes her novel, the problems have only just begun. Our brave little lady will be facing a horde of other writers, tightly plotted and typed manuscripts clutched in their perfectly manicured hands. Each of them fighting for a chance at the only gatekeeper to the gilded cage of literary success -- the agent.

And, truth be told, literary agents are a rare breed indeed, and our intrepid authoress-to-be is about as likely to snare one as she is a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes at a half price basement sale at Target. But rejection doesn’t throw our writer one bit. After all she is TSTL, and therefore, she pluckily ignores the odds and struggles forward, avoiding both the jabs and thrusts of other writers, and the innuendos and rumors coming down seemingly from the publishers on high.

She takes her historical, western set, time-travel with two separate sub-plots and a hero who successfully dodged all military involvement and sends it out again and again and again and again, until finally the Muses take pity on her and an agent offers representation.

Immediately the nay-sayers warn our heroine that her agent isn’t A-list, that Westerns are dead, and that a hero without a uniform simply will not sell. Being of the TSTL persuasion she smiles sunnily, signs a contract with said agent, and begins her new book, a comic romantic suspense set in Bolivia during the pre-Columbian era.

Time passes and our slightly addled heroine, who is cheerfully papering her bathroom with rejection letters, finishes her second novel and moves onto her third. (A paranormal shape-shifting romance based on BRIDGET JONES' DIARY.) Still no positive word from her agent. But one has to have hope. And fearlessly she forges ahead, ignoring the headlines of various publishing magazines swearing that the romance is dead and unhappy endings will rule.

Occasionally, as she stumbles over unwashed clothes or forgets to pick up her children, she wonders if she’s made a mistake, trading certain success in the world of personal injury law for frozen dinners and carpel tunnel syndrome. Her sex life has disintegrated to a series of post coital interview questions -- as she struggles to capture the magic of it all on paper. And her biggest joy in life is the day the Office Depot circular announces a sale on printer ink.

Still, being TSTL, she plows onward, certain that somehow, someday, she will have the intense pleasure of seeing her name on the New York Times Bestseller List -- right above all six of the latest Nora Roberts books.

And then one day, when she is knee deep in oven grit, the telephone rings. Her agent has news. Wonderful, amazing news. She’s sold the first novel. To a real bona fide New York publisher. She starts to cry and then wheezes hysterically, oven cleaner fumes combining with her joy to create total ecstasy.

For an amount only slightly higher than her monthly house payment, our long suffering heroine has beaten the odds and sold her book. And being TSTL, she immediately goes out and spends the entire advance on a new computer so that she can begin to create bookmarks and promote herself.

The wise, and unpublished, shake their heads knowingly. She was just lucky they say. One book maybe…but a second book --- Never.

The euphoria still in full effect, our heroine immediately polishes the Bolivian epic and the shape shifting BJD saga and sends them off to her agent. The agent suggests gently that the warthog should be something more stately -- a panther or tiger. And, edits firmly in place, our darling girl sends in her second and third tomes and sits down to await her editorial letter for book one.

The lists and organizations tell her over and over that one book wonders are no oddity and that everything she’s written about is unsaleable. She learns that royalties are a myth and that earning out is unlikely, that print runs are miniscule and that for every author published there are ten more waiting to take her place. She’s told it’s an editor’s world and that she’s living a day-dream if she ever expects to make it in the shark infested publishing pond.

But our word-driven heroine is TSTL, so she prints bookmarks and magnets, buys pens and teabags (the non-military hero is quite the tea drinker), joins chat groups and internet lists, and learns Front Page so that she can create a website.

Six months, and a forth book later, she holds the copy of her first book in her hands. Overwhelmed with it all she attends her debut book signing, selling a total of eight books -- which she deems a success (after all, she read an article that said selling three was a miracle). She slides through reviews with only an occasional bad one.

The nay-sayers maintain that it’s only a fluke, that her print run must be tiny, and that Amazon numbers reflect only the smallest of sales. But being TSTL, she continues work on her current story -- the tale of a virginal knife-wielding man lost in a harem of vampires at Disney World.

And soon word comes from the Almighty Agent on High that she has sold her second book. And this time, it comes with a multi-book contract including both the vampire harem and the shape-shifting panther.

Life is good, and her advance is sufficient for a long vacation in the tropics. But our erstwhile heroine ignores her husband and children yet again and plugs the money back into the franchise, buying a laptop computer and a color printer. Her first book sells well, and word on the street is that the book has buzz. But her royalty statements sing out the sad truth that the print run was tiny and the book, now out of print, is dead.

Undaunted, because she’s TSTL, our brave girl continues her plan, starting yet another book, this one a cross between Young Frankenstein and Prizzie’s Honor -- the heroine being a wimpy woman with no spine and a harelip.

Her second and third books come out to much success critically, but alas not quite financially. She plugs forward, selling the forth and fifth books along the way. And it is while writing the sixth (an epic romance among Eskimos in Alaska) that our heroine finds herself at the top of the NYT Best Seller List. It seems the nation is mad for virginal knife-wielding heroes.

When the fifth book comes out, one reviewer states that it is after all only a fluke… that our heroine’s latest book has at it’s heart a woman too stupid to live.

Said author, who can relate after all, smiles to herself as she slides into her Jaguar XKR and drives off into the sunset.

Too stupid to live?

Hardly.♥

Dee Davis writes romantic suspense thrillers for Grand Central Publishing. The next book in her popular A-Tac Series, DEEP DISCLOSURE, will be released August 2011. Dee is an award-winning author. She’s won the Booksellers Best, Golden Leaf, Texas Gold and Prism awards, and has been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Holt and two RT Reviewers Choice Awards. To date, she has sold 21 books and four novellas. Visit her at http://www.deedavis.com.

Summer Post for Twombly

2011-07-08T04:04:00.002-04:00

by F. Solomon

On a warm summer day, I read that the artist Cy Twombly died. His rendition of the seasons--summer accompanies this post--was a fixture once in the atrium at MoMA. He had recently been very active and has a current exhibition of sculpture at MoMA.

Four years ago, I read another article about a French woman, who was so overcome by one of Twombly's paintings that she kissed it! Artinfo said she vandalized or even more harshly raped on of Twombly's paintings in the Musee D'Orsay. She said that she was overcome with pure, intense love and when she kissed the white canvas she left a lipstick imprint. The lawyer for the plaintiffs said, "I do not share the same vision of love. For me love requires the consent of both sides."

I definitely think it was an act of pure and intense love--I am a romantic and have felt flushed many times in a museum upon seeing the work of a favorite artist. I can tell you that the other season paintings are quite something at close range, and that a kiss is one of the best tributes to the life and work of Cy Twombly. And as writers, why not go to MoMA and get inspired by a master?

Just please do not kiss the art!

RWA READERS FOR LIFE LITERACY AUTOGRAPHING & PHOTOS

2011-07-06T19:44:00.000-04:00

By Maria Ferrer

493 authors participated in the RWA’s 2011 Readers for Life Literacy Autographing on Tuesday, June 28, at New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel.

I was happy to see many of RWANYC’s own members signing, like C.H. Admirand, Thea Devine, Anna DePalo, Anne Elizabeth, Shirley Hailstock, Kathleen O’Reilly and Lisa Verge. (If I left anyone out, please forgive me and let me know so I can add you here.) I also ran into a lot of “old” RWANYC members, and it was great to catch up a bit and swap business cards.

I wasn’t able to get into the conference, as they were sold out even before the end of the “early bird special.” But I wanted to be a part of the event so I volunteered to help setup the literacy autographing. I set out books, books and more books; organized some of the chapter baskets/totes for the raffle; put out the RITA finalist banners, etc. At 5:00pm, authors started arriving to find their seats and put their own touches to their seats – pens, bookmarks, posters to name a few. At 5:30pm, the doors opened to the 2000+ romance fans waiting outside, which comprised of RWA members, conference attendees and the general public.

And then organized chaos reigned. Just look at the pictures if you don’t believe me.

And this was not even half the people on line. The first person on line arrived at 9:30am for the 5:30pm event. Is that a Romance Fan or what?!

There were a lot of “wall” flowers, and not just mid-list authors. I saw a few RITA Finalists who didn’t sell a single book. A lot of people were there to see the A list, i.e., Sherrilyn Kenyon, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Meg Cabot, Diana Gabaldon, Nalini Singh, etc. Nora Roberts was not there this year. I’m sure that was one of the reasons there were not more fans on line.

Some wall flower-authors looked sad. Others took advantage of the evening and passed out their bookmarks, pens and chatted with whoever passed in front of them.

One big lesson I learned from watching the authors is to be prepared with lots of promotional materials. Remember, that writing is a business, and you are your own Publicist. So an author needs to put herself out there and make her materials stand out.

Here are some promotional materials I saw:

--bookmarks -- most authors had these
--candy – chocolate was king!
--pens
--autograph stickers
--postcards or flyers for new or next book
--giveaways, like tshirts, hats and mini book excerpts

Best promotion I saw – this husband’s tshirt: He claims he was the inspiration for pages 274-277!

Best promoter – Caridad Pineiro. Boy, was she prepared. She had bookmarks, pens, flyers, excerpts, a banner for the table skirt and her laptop to run her book trailer. The video stopped people in their tracks and generated a few sales, and isn’t that the name of the game – to sell?

At the end of the evening, authors were ready to stop writing and start partying; Readers were ready to start reading; and RWA raised $47,000 for literacy. Next year, RWA’s National Conference will be in Anaheim, CA. RWA is not returning to New York until 2015, which will be here before you know it. Hopefully, I will be able to get into the conference that year and be one of the authors at the literacy autographing.

Until then, Happy Writing, Happy Reading.♥

Maria Ferrer writes erotica under the pen name of Del Carmen. Her story, “Ride a Cowboy” is part of the WOMEN IN LUST anthology being released November 2011 from Cleis Press. Visit her at http://www.mydelcarmen.blogspot.com/.

WHAT TEENS WANT TO READ

2011-07-05T13:39:00.000-04:00

By Catherine Greenfeder

As a middle school teacher of language arts, I’ve read quite a bit of children’s and young adult literature over the years, much of it is considered the classics, but more fall into the category of popular fiction. I need to know what interests the young teen market so that I can provide books which will keep students interested and engaged in reading and promote future literacy. So, along with ongoing discussions with students about their books, I’ve also conducted my own independent surveys of these teen readers who range in age from thirteen to fifteen years old. What I’ve found is not too surprising.

Among their favored picks from close to fifty titles in our class book selection are MY SISTERS KEEPER by Jodi Picoult, CONFESSIONS OF AN ALMOST MOVIE STAR by Mary Kennedy, Robert Cormier’s I AM THE CHEESE, TEEN IDOL by Meg Cabot, ELSEWHERE by Gabrielle Zevin, John Coy’s CRACKBACK, THE MISFITS by James Howe, RAVEN’S GATE and the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, YOUNG MAN IN VIETNAM by Charles Coe, the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul series, HATCHET by Gary Paulsen, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER by Lois Duncan, A WALK TO REMEMBER by Nicholas Sparks, MONSTER by Walter Dean Myers, DANGEROUS GIRLS by R.L. Stine, HOOPS by Walter Dean Myers, TRAVEL TEAM by Mike Lupica, and HEAD GAMES by Keri Mikulsi. There are gender based differences with the girls favoring romance, mystery, and fantasy; the boys preferring action/adventure and sports theme related books. A few suggested non-fiction and historical books including books set during war time. Due to the Twilight series, several girls showed an interest in vampire books and paranormals. Judy Blume books are popular among the girls. A few boys complained of lack of action/adventure books. So, I’ve been trying to meet the growing demand for these books when it comes time to add to our inventory.

As a writer, I am interested in the young adult reader and the market for YA books. I wrote a draft for my first YA novel, a ghost story, during last year’s National Novel Writing Month in November. I shared my goal with some of the students who took up the equivalent of NaNoWriMo with its Young Writers Program. It made me more aware of the challenge of writing for this age group.

What does the YA market consist of? Young adult readers are generally twelve to eighteen years old, but that does not mean that these young people read only YA books. Studies show, and I think mere observation as an educator, that teens read adult novel as well. I’ve had students read books by James Patterson, Stephen King, and Nicholas Sparks which I consider adult novels. I think this helps explain why authors who write both adult and YA such as Nicholas Sparks, Judy Blume, and Meg Cabot are so popular. Even Stephen King and James Patterson have published YA books. Along with author loyalty, younger readers choose books based on recommendation. As part of group discussions, the teenagers recommend books or critique them with each other. Another consideration in choosing books is length. If it’s too long, it might not appeal to the young adult reader. YA novels tend to run between 40,000 to 75,000 words. Although, as expected, the more advanced readers had no qualms about reading a bigger book, but they are more selective about genre and plot elements.

Even in these recessionary times, a time when it seems young people are not reading, there is a strong and growing market for young adult books. According to the American Booksellers Association “young adult readers are a powerful market force in the book industry – teens spend $ 94.7 billion per year, increasing by $ 1 billion each year. Most booksellers have sections devoted to young adults or teen readers, but increasingly the lines between age ranges and target audiences are blurred."

Also, location matters. “In small towns, booksellers often know all the children under 18 buying books, as well as their parents. They may inform the parents about the subject matter in books the kids want to read.”

Teen celebrity books are popular too, including Justin Bieber’s THE LAST SONG. Tie-ins with movies help as well. The movie Soul Surfer encouraged a few students to read the biography about the shark attack which changed the life of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton. Her courage and faith inspired several teenagers and interested them in reading other biographies. Young teens want to read about other teenagers who overcome problems or who deal with tremendous pressures from peers or society. These teens like to read about fictional characters that face real life issues including bullying, gangs, drug abuse, anorexia, illness, suicide, dysfunctional families, and young romance with all its challenges.

Working with adolescents gives me an awareness of trends and preferences. It challenges me to view the literature more critically, and it reminds me of my own choices as a teenager which went beyond the required classics of literature. Of course, like the adolescents themselves, tastes change. Many come in having read the entire Twilight series, Harry Potter books, and the Alex Rider series. By the way, a lot of the teens I’ve worked with love series. They’re loyal to them, and once hooked, read every book in the series.

It saddens me sometimes to have to shelve books because they’re outdated or have lost popularity. On the other hand, old favorites like the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy series have regained popularity. A recent visit to my local Barnes and Noble reminded me of this. In fact, one of my favorite teen reads, SEVENTEENTH SUMMER by Maureen Daly, published before my time, in 1942, sat on a counter display for recommended summer reading. I picked up a few copies for next year’s students who yearn for a sweet romance with strong teen protagonists and a historical setting.

Now that it’ summer vacation, I’m taking a little respite from reading YA books in order to work on revising my own attempt at writing for this growing, challenging, and changing market. A few of my students asked me when they can read my books. So, I hope to meet their request with a YA book in the near future. I’m also catching up on reading adult books including another favorite from my own teen years, THE PROMISE by Danielle Steele. It’s one of those romance novels which hooked me as a young adult reader and inspired me toward one day writing romance books. Have a good summer!♥

Catherine Greenfeder, vice president of RWANYC, is the published author of two e-books, ANGELS AMONG US, a paranormal romance, and WILDFLOWERS, a historical western romance set along the Oregon Trail.

All- American: A Sportswear Tradition ©

2011-07-01T01:45:00.000-04:00

By Polly Guerin

It’s easy to forget that women did not always climb mountains and ski, and become Olympic heroines. When we look at medieval tapestries we see aristocratic women riding to the hunt but in most cases women were relegated to sedentary roles. Gentle sports emerged in the 19th century. Women came out of the parlour and became active participants swinging a golf club, wielding a croquet mallet or playing tennis. There was no specific clothing for these activities. Though the skirt may have been shortened, you’d simply wear your daytime frock and hat encumbered with corset, bustle or crinoline depending on the era. In the late 19th Century a true liberation came in on wheels.

BICYCLE MADNESS

The bicycle afforded women the freedom to travel alone wearing of course bloomers, those liberating garments that had scandalized society when Mrs. Amelia Bloomer introduced them in 1851. Criticism about the bicycling craze erupted with a New York Times article from 1893 describes the phenomenon as ‘every woman must, does or will mount the iron horse.’ In Paris, women risked arrest wearing trouser-style garments while not in the presence of a bicycle.

THE SPORTING LIFE

Thank goodness those Victorian restrictions have given way to good looking garments that allow women to participate in active sports unencumbered and sleek in new fabrics that afford comfort and speed. The Museum at FIT responds to some of these sport/fashion issues in a new exhibition, SPORTING LIFE, which explores the relationship between active sportswear from the past 150 years and fashion. The exhibit on view through November 5, 2011 features more than 100 garments, accessories and textiles representing 16 sports juxtaposed with sports-inspired, ready-to-wear styles by leading designers.

FASHIONABLE SPORTS

If you’re waxing nostalgic about the good old days imagine what it must have been like to ride a bike. Sporting Life features a circa 1888 woman’s tailored bicycling ensemble, with a divided skirts that was designed for mobility as well as modesty. Clothing for bicycling changed substantially during the 20th century giving way to stretch materials and streamlined design for maximum performance in competitive racing. The earliest tennis garment on view, circa 1903, is a two-piece summer ensemble with shirtwaist style blouse and long skirt. The exhibit also pairs a 1926 silk Chanel dress, with a loose cut and a pleated skirt, with a familiar white cotton tennis dress, circa 1926, to illustrate the relationship between sport and fashion.

IN THE SWIM OF FASHION

Imagine garments for swimming and active sportswear made in heavy wool and how much it must have impeded one’s pleasure of the sport. The exhibition features a wide variety of women’s swimwear, ranging from a modest, two-piece wool suit from the 1850s to the body-revealing styles created by designer Rudi Gernreich during the 1960s. Other garments illustrate how new textile technology, including lastex and spandex contribute to today’s competitive sportswear’s high performance functionality. By the 1980s, spandex could be found not only in specialized sportswear and in exercise and dance clothing, but also in similarly body-conscious fashions.

FASHION DIVERSITY

The exhibition also has sections devoted to golf, skiing hunting, skating, horseback riding, motoring, surfing, dance, football and baseball. Some synthetic materials most often utilized in active sportswear are being using in fashion garments---neoprene, for instance, a fabric commonly used in clothing for surfing and aquatic sports. To illustrate, the exhibit displays a neoprene wetsuit alongside a sporty 1994 Donna Karan dress, also made of neoprene. Christian Lacroix’s 1990 beachwear ensemble is an eye-catcher with coordinated swimsuits, scarf, hat, sunglasses and shoes as is Gucci (Tom Ford) ski jacket, pink polyester/nylon/spandex, circa 1995.

Today companies are consulting with doctors and engineers in their efforts to make performance apparel that has “comfort, lightness, and style.” Meanwhile, runway collections continue to present adaptations of classic sports attire. ♥

The Museum at FIT is located at Seventh Avenue at 27th Street, New York City. Info: 212.217.4558 FREE admission. Closed Sundays, Monday and legal holidays. Tuesday-Friday, noon– 8pm, Saturday, 10-5 pm.

Polly Guerin honed her skills as a fashion authority as professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Visit her at www.pollytalk.com. In August she is flying down to Rio di Janeiro to speak at the 11th World Art Deco Conference on the famed Art Deco artist and textile designer, Sonia DeLaunay

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO ATTEND OTHER CONFERENCES

2011-06-29T07:32:00.000-04:00

By Elizabeth Kerri Mahon

I’ve been a member of RWA for over ten years, and I’ve attended my share of conferences both national and local. One of my dreams and goals as a writer was to one day is able to take my place at the literacy signing that opens every RWA national conference. However, my writing took a different turn, and my first published book is not a romance, women’s fiction or even young adult, the genres that I had been writing in for years. No, SCANDALOUS WOMEN is historical non-fiction which means that by RWA standards, I am not a published author, nor would I be able to sign books at the literacy signing. I felt it was important to attend a conference that was close to the genre that I want to write. As much as I love RWA and feel that it is an invaluable tool, I feel that in order to grow as a writer, it’s important for me to get out of my comfort zone and expand my horizons to other conferences.

Most people know about Thriller Fest, which is held in New York every year, as well as Malice Domestic for mystery writers, but what if you write other kinds of fiction say historical or even young adult? Well there is a conference out there for you. Some of the bigger names are the Maui Writer’s Conference (famous as the place where Jenny Crusie met Bob Mayer) as well as the Surrey Writer’s Conference in Vancouver. Of course, most of us don’t have the kind of big bucks for those conferences. However, the Liberty State Writer’s Conference is close by in New Jersey and not that expensive. Not only do you gain a different perspective on the industry, but it also is a great opportunity to make new friends, as well as expand your audience for your book if you are published.

Last week, I had the great fortune to attend the 4th Historical Novel Society conference the Holiday Inn by the Bay in San Diego. The Historical Novel Society has been alternating having the conference in England and North America over the past few years. I had only just found out about the society 4 years ago when they had their Albany conference, and I couldn't attend the conference 2 years ago when it was held just outside Chicago. Attending the Historical Novel Society conference was a now brainer for me. I’ve always read a great deal of historical fiction, and I’ve also begun to review the genre on Scandalous Women. The Historical Novel Review also gave SCANDALOUS WOMEN a nice review. Plus, I thought it would be nice to be amongst my people for a weekend, authors and readers who love history as much as I do, who have a habit of talking about historical figures like Eleanor of Aquitaine as if they were in the next room.

The conference was inspiring, not only did I get to meet some of my favorite authors such as Michelle Moran, author of MADAME TUSSAUD, but I also discovered some great new authors who I can't wait to read. There were so many fabulous authors there that I can't name them all. I was lucky enough to be a moderator for a panel entitled "Turning History's Antagonists into Sympathetic Protagonists" on Saturday with an incredibly distinguished group of authors including C.W. Gortner (author of the CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI), Emma Campion (author of THE KING'S MISTRESS), Anne Easter Smith, and Susan Higginbotham. I have read the works of all of these wonderful authors, so it was a thrill to be in the same room with them, let alone be moderating a panel. I'm pretty sure that I was chosen to moderate this panel, because the women in SCANDALOUS WOMEN haven't been treated sympathetically by their biographers over the years. We had a lively discussion on the panel and it was very interesting to hear the different points of view.

It was interesting to see the different viewpoints at the panel on whether or not you need a Marquee Name as your main character in historical fiction. The general consensus of the panel was that it does help if your main character is someone well known like Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I, or Anne Boleyn, but another way to get around that is to have a Marquee name as a secondary character which I have seen done successfully, or even a marquee setting such as Tudor or Elizabethan England. This is something that I've often wondered about. I adore Anne Boleyn, but how many stories are there left to tell about her.

The best panel was the Editor panel, moderated by Jennifer Weltz from the Jean Naggar Literary Agency, featuring editors from Sourcebooks, Random House and St. Martin’s Press. Here one got a real sense of what the editors were looking for as well as what was selling. What I love about historical fiction is that it is so wide open in terms of subjects and settings. There is something for everyone. Just like at RWA, there were opportunities to have editor and agent appointments at the conference.

Since I'm a relatively unknown author, I really didn't expect to push a lot of books at the book signing, but it was great to see them in the bookstore at the conference. I felt like a real author! At the end of the day, I came back with at least 10 ideas for historical fiction projects. As much as I love writing non-fiction and want to continue to do so, I started out writing fiction and there is a part of me that would like to see if I can actually write a novel that someone wants to buy! I had such a good time though that I’m already planning on trying to attend the conference next year in London.

My only quibble with the conference is that the panels were not recorded, so if you missed one, there is no opportunity to listen to it later. Nor were there that many workshops on the actual writing process or even panels on what do after you are published in terms of promotion. That is one area where RWA has it over the Historical Novel Society conference. I would suggest that perhaps the organizers of the next conference explore that option, as well as other workshops on the writing process, from querying to writing a proposal. From my informal survey, quite a few people would be willing to buy the audio DVD's of sessions that they missed.

All in all, it was a good experience and I’m glad that I decided get out of my comfort zone to attend.♥

Elizabeth Kerri Mahon is a professional actress and amateur history geek. Her first book, SCANDALOUS WOMEN, was published this March by Perigee Books. It is an extension of her blog, Scandalous Women, which was named one of the 50 Top History Blogs by Zen College File. A native New Yorker, Elizabeth still calls Manhattan home. Visit her blog at http://scandalouswoman.blogspot.com.

DREADED AUTHOR QUESTION: How can you write erotica? Won’t your family read it?

2011-06-27T03:32:00.000-04:00

By Isabo Kelly

I did a variation on this topic in an earlier Dreaded Author article where we talked about being accused of writing “those” books—romances, the ones with actual sex in them. Shock! Horror! But I just had this conversation with one of my new neighbors, I’d like to talk specifically about dealing with the question of writing erotica and erotic romance and that second part “Won’t your family read it?”

If you’re brave, lucky enough to have an open and understanding family, and belong to a community of people who support everything you do with good grace, this is an easy question to answer. You don’t have anything standing in your way and more power to you! You simply say, “I write what I love to write and the people in my life accept that. Besides, erotica is mainstream now!”

But for some, simply writing a romance novel with sex in it is risky. Actually writing erotica? Now there’s a tough subject to tackle. I have a friend who writes very sexy scenes in her romantic fiction but she won’t step over into the realms of erotic romance (even though I think she’d be brilliant at it) because she couldn’t face her community.

So what do you do? You have it in you to write something really hot, sexual and erotic. You want to deal with topics like BDSM or ménage a trios (or more) relationships. You are called to write on the very edge of sexual exploration between your characters. You like using all those naughty words and describing all those wonderfully naughty acts. But you really really don’t want your mother to read what you write!

Or worse, you aren’t taking the risk and writing what you really love because you’re afraid someone will read it.

One option to get around this conflict is to write under a pseudonym and only have an online presence with that pseudonym. Let’s face it, a lot of your marketing is going to be done online anyway. And you can be as anonymous as you like. Be sure to check things like the name your website and domain name are registered under as that can be traced back to your real name if someone is determined. But otherwise, online is a perfect way to publish as someone else without having to admit what you’re writing to anyone you don’t want to know about it.

If you feel brave enough to come out of hiding (and I encourage that bravery), tell those you love who would not deal well with your topic not to read what you write. They may anyway (my mom did) but at least you’ve warned them.

Or just be absolutely brazen and let everyone read your work. There might be fallout. Let’s face it, not everyone is open to erotica and erotic romance despite its launch into the mainstream over the last few years (their loss). But this is your life, your art, your career and you can do with it what you please.

Remember, write what you’re comfortable writing. If you do that, it’s easy to answer this question. When people ask, “Do you really write erotic romance?” you’ll proudly say, “Why, yes I do.” When they accuse you of writing porn, you can answer, “You only think that because you haven’t read it.” And when they ask in that hushed, fascinated whisper, “What if your family reads it?” You can say with a casual shrug, “They know what I write and support me.”

Ultimate, you have to do with your writing what makes you happy, no matter what the perceptions of your subject matter are. If not for brave souls in our industry who ignored all the insulting commentary on romance, we would never have our favorite genre. Write proudly. And if you have to do it pseudonymously, remember, you’re in good company!♥

Katrina Tipton writes under the pseudonym Isabo Kelly and has published both mainstream and erotic romances. Her erotic romance science fiction novel, SIREN SINGING, won the 2009 Prism Award for best erotic romance. SIREN SINGING is now available in print from Ellora’s Cave (www.ellorascave.com). For more about Isabo’s books visit http://www.isabokelly.com/

Taking Joy

2011-06-22T05:56:00.000-04:00

by F. Solomon

Many times when I am going to write a post, it seems that I have been out that night with friends. I am very appreciative of my friends, from whom I am always learning something and becoming a better person from. No one ever sees you like your friends do... the good and the bad; and, if you are friends for a long enough time, the good in their eyes is far more than you can or should ever see of yourself.

I always view myself as work on progress. So I stopped writing in April and though the urge has been there, I have not written a bit of fiction. There have been several blog posts and some passionate poetry, which I was pleased with, but even that is sparse. A good friend bought me a copy of Take Joy by Jane Yolen and I did.

I have wanted to write for a long time; the desire has been there but the motivation has been weak -- too many things going on. Now, after reading this book, I really felt joy. A desire to write just by looking at this book. Maybe I am still calm from my yoga class, where we worked on emotional balance. Kundalini yoga always restores me, gives me focus. And, I believe that we get in life what we give and put out. I am also a violent romantic; I always believe love will save the day. It's why I am a member of RWANYC and why I write. I love the craft, and I am happy my friends remind me of that so that I can take some joy in my craft hopefully once again.

An idea for a story came to me...if I mention it does that mean I have to follow up? that I will be shamed into it?!! No, I opt for joy....

BOOK BLOGGER CONVENTION 2011, NYC

2011-06-20T06:12:00.000-04:00

By Denise H. Sutton

As a sign of just how influential book bloggers have become, they now have their own convention with major publishing houses as sponsors and serving on panel sessions. The second annual Book Blogger Convention (BBC) (http://bookbloggerconvention.com/) was held May 27th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City and is affiliated with Book Expo America.

From book blogging tours to book blogger reviews, writers and publishers can’t ignore the public relations potential of book blogs. The Book Bloggers Convention caught my attention when I registered for Book Expo America; it made sense to go to the BBC because I was in the middle of reconstructing my author’s website. I have a lot to learn about social media, so I attended the BBC to understand just how I could better promote my writing projects. After all, as most of you know, writers are responsible for the bulk of their book promotion—unless you are Nora Roberts! And seeing how authors are connecting with bloggers and other social media was an eye-opening experience.

The BBC organizers were Michelle of Galleysmith (http://www.galleysmith.com/) and Rebecca Joines Schinsky of TheBookLadysBlog (http://www.thebookladysblog.com/). Fantastic job, ladies! Sarah Wendell, blogger extraordinaire and co-creator of the popular romance blog, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, (http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/) was the keynote speaker. She was energetic and funny—her writing personified and squared.

To emphasize the crucial role that readers play in publishing, Wendell asked us to imagine a four-way intersection of book production: the beautiful blacktop of authors; the exhilarating switchback road of book selling; the highway of publishing; and the reader’s road, which was somewhere between “a dirt road and a gravel road, maybe paved.” Wendell pointed out that with the advent of new media, the reader’s road is now the super-highway.

Thanks in large part to the development of book blogs—there are more than 1,400 book blogs registered with Google’s book blogs search engine—readers have started their own conversations about books, responding directly to authors, publishers, and book sellers through twitter, facebook, and a myriad of on-line communities. Publishers have begun to recognize and prospect the gold mine that is book blogging.

The convention was organized into three, two-hour blocks, with two topics running concurrently. The “Ask a Publisher or Publicist” was one of the best sessions. It became clear during this session just how much publishers rely on book bloggers. During the first half of the session, Random House, Harper Collins, Hachette Book Group, Simon & Schuster, Harper Teen, and Macmillan were represented; they all expressed an enthusiastic willingness to work with bloggers. And, quite frankly, why wouldn’t they?

Most book bloggers do what they do for the love of reading. Although a few make money by placing ads on their site, most work full-time jobs and blog as a passion. They provide a free service to publishers. And although many bloggers receive free books for review, the economics of this dynamic definitely serve the publisher.

Publishers need bloggers to connect with audiences because their publicity/marketing campaigns increasingly rely on non-traditional forms of media. After all, the landscape of publishing has changed: bookstores are disappearing and shelf space is shrinking. With the proliferation of online audience engagement, publishers rely on book bloggers to engage with readers.

The session “Practical Challenges of Blogging” focused on time management issues, and “Author Speed Dating” allowed attendees to meet with authors to talk about their books, the industry, and working together. “Technology for Blogging” covered the “latest and greatest in technology and innovation for blogging.” I attended “Navigating the Grey Areas of Book Blogging,” which was fascinating; the panelists discussed netiquette, professionalism, and the ethics of blogging. Each session had plenty of time devoted to Q and A—one of the best features of the convention.

Unfortunately, the final session I attended, “Blogging for a Niche Market,” was unwieldy because there were just too many panelists (a decent cup of coffee might have prevented me from leaving this session early). But as all convention attendees know, there are always ups and downs during the course of the day.

The influence of readers and book bloggers is empowering. Writers, of course, are a crucial piece of the dynamic; we can join these conversations by:

1) reading and responding to blogger reviews—join the on-line communities;
2) writing reviews for book bloggers;
3) learning how to work with book bloggers and asking them to review our books;
4) coordinating with bloggers to organize book blog tours;
5) creating our own blogs as part of authors’ websites;
6) asking publishers to promote our work by sending bloggers copies of our books.

If you would like to see the particulars on the panelists, visit the BBC site at: http://bookbloggerconvention.com/###

Denise H. Sutton, PhD, is the author of Globalizing Ideal Beauty: How Female Copywriters of the J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency Redefined Beauty for the Twentieth Century (Palgrave Macmillan) and an aspiring fiction writer. You can read more about her at www.denisehsutton.com.

THE DRUIDS

2011-06-17T06:18:00.000-04:00

By Ruth Seitelman

The Druids, a mystical order of people, have spurred legends and stories of magic, human sacrifice, and ancient rites. The earliest references to Druids are in the writings of Julius Caesar. He cited Greek and Roman texts from 200 BCE. These now lost early writings depicted the Druids as wise Celtic elders. The responsibility of these elders was to memorize the history and knowledge of their tribe and pass the information on to the next generation to ensure the future of their society.

The Druids, with their revered knowledge, played an important role in society and were a respected warrior class. They were a single authority responsible to act as judge, a lifelong position passed down in secret, to the next generation. This elite training, held in caves and forests, along with their herbalist expertise and the later development of the Ogham alphabet, associated with the Celtic lunar tree calendar, may have led to the summation that Druids were strongly linked to nature. Their vast knowledge gave them unequaled power over their people.

They met annually at a sacred place in a region owned by the Carnute tribe in the heart of Gaul. Gaul was a large area in Western Europe that is now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, as well as parts of Switzerland, Northern Italy, the Netherlands and Germany.

Without any written history, it is difficult to know the ritual, political and clerical practices. However, if we look at documented Celtic history we could make some assumptions about the druids.

The ancient Druids were priests, teachers, physicians (herbalists), legislators, astronomers, chemists, musicians, poets, theologians, philosophers, diviner, and judges of their time. Their insight was highly respected and their religious, judicial, and scholastic authority was absolute. Viewed as the conduit between the people and the gods, they handed down their knowledge orally from generation to generation.

Druid beliefs focused on the supreme power of the universe and the belief that the soul was indestructible/ immortal and after death passed on to another. Because of the diverse geography and number of tribes and cultures that made up the Celts, there were a variety of gods. This is one of the strongest factors in supporting the theory that Druids did not teach religion but rather taught their philosophy which gave order to the many different structures, instilled morals, virtues and ethics. So strong was the teaching that aristocrats, even kings, sought out Druids to teach their children. Because druidic instructions were memorized verses, none of the verses have survived.

Claims that Druids participated in human sacrifice are uncertain. Caesar claimed they sacrificed criminals by burning them in a wicker effigy, the wicker man. But other authorities claim Caesar’s information is all propaganda to demonize the Druid and justify his move to eradicate them.

Because the common people held them in such high regard, the Romans feared them. It was this reverence that prevented the success of Caesar’s invasion of Briton in 55 BCE. As a result, Caesar ordered their extinction. While almost successful a few Druids survived by hiding or converting to Christianity.

As with any invading and winning army, the Christian church absorbed the Celtic religion. Many of the pagan gods and goddess had new life as Christian saints with many sites that held spiritual significance becoming locations of cathedrals. By the 7th century CE, Druidism was all but destroyed or had gone into hiding.

In medieval tales from Ireland, the Druids were portrayed as sorcerers with super natural powers. In the 18th and 19th centuries, fraternal groups and neo-pagan organizations revitalized the ideas held by the Druids and there was a resurgence in Druidic beliefs. Today, modern Druidism is one of the pagan religions which include Wicca, Asatru, Shamanism.

With my story, Knight of Runes, the magical element of Druids and time travel fit nicely with the stones at Avebury. ♥

Ruth Seitelman is a historical fantasy author. Her first novel, KNIGHT OF RUNES, will be released in November from Carina Press. Visit her at http://www.ruthacasie.com/. This blog post was first published on the Seduced by History blog.

MAKING EVERY CHARACTER COUNT

2011-06-13T05:30:00.000-04:00

by Margaret Birth

In my job as a freelance manuscript reader, I once read a 315-page manuscript which contained over 30 characters. What was more amazing to me was that all of them were mentioned by name—even the night doorman and the day doorman in the building where the heroine lived!

Those were way too many characters for what was supposed to be a category romance novel; by the time I was reading this manuscript, romance publishing had moved well beyond the days of 1980s-style lush, sweeping sagas, and into the current age of tighter, more-active stories.

Even if the publisher for which I was reading had published much longer, more-complex stories, the 30+ characters in this particular manuscript still would have been a problem: Because all of their characters were described in depth, all of them were presented as though they were equally important. I couldn’t keep them straight, not even the few who played a major role in the story.

What can you do to make every character count? Here are a few tips:

Don’t give every character a name. You don’t need to name every child in the hero’s household or every employee in the heroine’s place of business. Unless they appear regularly throughout the story and play a major role in the development of the story, you could simply refer to them as “the twins” or “the guys at the auto-body shop.”

Don’t describe every character. Readers will only become confused if you focus on a minor character’s appearance or spend time explaining a minor character’s background or current work or interests or relationships; this makes it appear as though a character is important—but if they’re not…they’re not.

Consolidate characters. If two characters play basically the same role, turn them into a single character. The doormen in this one story are a perfect example of this. The heroine regularly interacts with both doormen, so I wouldn’t suggest omitting both of them; but neither one moves the story along more than the other, and neither one has a more developed personality than the other; so, the two could easily be combined into one.

Cut any unnecessary characters. Ask yourself what role each character in your story plays. Are they hero, heroine, villain or villainess, confidant(e), instigator or helper in the romance or in a mystery/suspense sub-plot? Every character should have a role; every character should help to move the story forward. If a character is nothing more than window dressing—however attractive or witty that window dressing may be—cut that character out of your story.

Our characters should be easy to love—or to hate. That’s one reason we sometimes have trouble being objective about whether or not they truly belong in a particular story. But if you take the time to ask yourself whether this character or that could just as easily be anonymous, or be merged with another character in your story, or even be cut, you’ll end up with all the characters you need—and none that you don’t.♥

Margaret Birth is a Christian writer who has been widely published in short fiction, short nonfiction, and poetry, both in the U.S. and abroad; in addition to working as a freelance writer, she's spent over a decade freelancing for multiple publishers as a manuscript reader, proofreader, and copy editor.

NYC: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

2011-06-10T05:24:00.000-04:00

By Jerrica Knight-Catania

Though I write historical romance and sometimes wish I lived in the 1800s, I'm incredibly grateful that I live in the year 2011 and have such amazing tools at my disposal, such as a smart phone. Whether you have an iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile or Blackberry, these little babies can really come in handy, especially when you're about to embark on a trip to a new city.

Since Nationals is in my hometown of NYC this year, I've scouted out a few important apps for all you iPhone users that you won't want to leave home without! (Some of these are also available for Android, but I'm not sure about the others. You may want to search for something comparable in your phone's marketplace, though!)

Up first…NYC Way

This is a pretty neat app, and it's free! This is kind of one-stop shopping for lots of different things around the city. It uses your location (click Allow when that warning pops up) to locate you and then when you click on, say, the Restrooms button, it will show you the nearest restroom to where you are. They'll show you coffee shops, dining options,Wi-Fi hotspots, banks, transit, local attractions, and more! Definitely a great app to have when you visit the city!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nyc-way/id343208275?mt=8

NY Cupcake Guide

Okay, so maybe you're not aware there's a cupcake craze going on in this country, or maybe you're glued to the TV every time Cupcake Wars comes on the Food Network, but either way, you'll want to have this app at your disposal. The City's 50+ cupcake bakeries are listed by neighborhood, so hop from one to another in an afternoon. It's a great way to see different neighborhoods while checking out the fun and unique cupcakes the city has to offer. It also has reviews, Editor's Picks, up-to-the-minute cupcake news, Facebook and Twitter integration, as well as the ability to comment on the bakery and star your favorite spots.

Oh, and did I mention it was created by Yours Truly? That's right! My husband and I embarked on a cupcake marathon tour last summer and we've released the app just in time for Nationals! It's been a long time in the making, but I'm sure you'll agree it was well worth the wait! Available for both iPhone and Android AND it's on sale for Memorial Day! You have until 11:59pm tonight (5/30) to get it for $0.99!...

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/new-york-cupcake-guide/id435741287?mt=8&ls=1

https://market.android.com/details?id=nycupcakes.com.swebapps

And last, but not least, Beer Gardens NYC

I bet you didn't realize that so many RWA members were whipping up useful iPhone apps, but here's yet another must-have app for NYC...

For multi-published romance author, Hope Tarr, Beer Gardens NYC was a true labor of love. She and her real life Prince Charming, information architect Raj Moorjani, spent six weeks visiting their initial pool of 50 New York City beer gardens before launching on the App Store in September 2010. Within one month from launch, they received press coverage in The New York Times, The New York Post and Gothamist. Appolicious named Beer Gardens NYC as one of its six "Best iPhone Apps for New York City." The suds-loving duo recently launched a 2.0 version that includes Foursquare integration, GPS functionality, and even more city beer gardens!

Tarr will be presenting her workshop, "Nobody Cares You Just Had a Muffin: Ten Tips for Using Social Media to Brand Your Books," at The New Jersey Romance Writers' annual conference on October 21-22, 2011. To learn more about Beer Gardens NYC, visit the web site at http://www.beergardensnyc.com/.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beer-gardens-nyc/id389710211?mt=8

So there you have it, folks! These are my picks for the 3 best phone apps, whether you live in NYC or are just coming here for a visit! For less than $4 (or $3, if you buy on Memorial Day!), you can have the city at your fingertips!♥

Jerrica Knight-Catania is a published author of Regency romances. Her latest novel, THE ROBBER BRIDE – Book 1 in the Daring Debutante Series! – is available now on Kindle and Nook. Visit her at www.jerricasplace.com. This article was first published in the Lady Scribes blog.

Gelato=Writing

2011-06-08T09:18:00.000-04:00

by F. Solomon

Don't get me wrong, I do not dislike the summer but I hate extremes. I don't like really hot summers or very cold winters. This past winter was one of the coldest I have experienced in my life as a New Yorker. I had to buy REAL boots, and not just cute ones that I walked in because there is a suggestion of snow on the ground. Spring forward--was there even a spring? Today, I am wearing a fire-colored sundress because I am anticipating the same from the weather....

But summer...there is Seasonal Affective Disorder for winter, but I think that summer can bring a lot of people down as well. There is the immediate assumption that there is going to be a lot of partying, barbecues, beach outings, outdoor games and the inevitable, summer romance. Personally? I never wear sunscreen because the time I spend in the sun is probably the time my body needs. I avoid the sun like the plague all year long not just during the summer. I am a sports spectator--not a player-- and in line with my summer vampirism, I never go to the beach. I cannot swim and have not owned a bathing suit since I was a child in summer camp. I was good underwater, but I hated the feeling of my bobbing around the water like if I was an apple.

I do a lot of seasonal activities that end in the summer. Now, I will have a lot of spare time on my hands--perfect time to write! I have not written in so long I forgot what it means to and if I even like to do it. I keep a sign on my desk from the Gotham Writers Workshop that says, Don't Forget To Write, but I am often too busy to see it.

However, one cannot hate a season that basically gives you license to eat as much ice cream as you like. The only other thing that would do that is to have your tonsils removed. But the heat and summer is a good reason for ice cream. So, while having as much ice cream as I can, maybe I will find a moment to put a pen in my hand or my hands on the keyboard of my MacBook or iPod Touch, on which I just bought an App that lets me utilize it like Microsoft Word.

I am not making any excuses for if I write or not, but being hot makes me lazy and tired...but with that being said, I think writing this post will make me think I should be writing every time I have gelato in my hands. It is true you know? My neighbor on the train told me that if you imagine it, write it and it is as good as true. So I am kind of hypnotizing myself.

Gelato = writing

Nicer than making myself think I am a rabbit....

photograph by F. Solomon

CREATING CHARACTERS THROUGH TAROT CARDS: KING OF CUPS

2011-06-06T05:42:00.000-04:00

By Karen Cino

Creating unique characters could be a challenge. What I’ve learned through the years is that everybody looks at the same person differently, and the same goes for different tarot desks. I use the tarot to create unique and realistic characters. What I plan on undertaking is breaking it all down for you according to suit.

The one thing to keep in mind is that no matter the suit, Cups, Wands, Swords or Pentacles, your character’s physical attributes can vary, be it black or blond hair, short or long, muscular or slender.

This month’s Hero is the King of Cups. The King of Cups represents the astrological water signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

The King represents a man over the age of 35. He is a calm man, always maintaining his composure as well as wise and understanding, giving nurture that comes directly from his heart. Having an open mind, he is comfortable with all kinds of people. He is “the” person that people turn to for advice because they know he listens attentively to them. Being the diplomat, keeps everyone around him happy and helps things run smoothly.

On his romantic side, he is warm-hearted, very sensitive, sympathetic, his feelings easily hurt. On the other side, he is the master of hiding his emotions, not letting his partner know how he is feeling. It’s not unusual for him to be harboring a deep dark secret. He is creative in the bedroom once he’s comfortable in the relationship, however, he can often be crafty and put his sexual needs first, leaving you wondering if it’s something you did.

The King of Cups as a protagonist can be a dark individual. He is dishonest, domineering and quite the manipulative man. He could lure you into bed with his charm, fulfilling all your dreams and desires or toss you aside, never to be heard from again.

There are both positive and negative traits to The King of Cups. In the tarot deck, when The King of Cups shows up in a reading reversed (upside down), the results are negative. I use the negative traits for my antagonist.

Positive Traits: Generous, reliable, kind, passionate, calm, loving, protector, dynamic, good listener, romantic, loves intimacy, extremely sensitive, compassionate and moody.

Negative Traits: immature, insecure, deceptive, dishonest, violent, untrustworthy, lazy and toys with your emotions. ♥

Karen Cino is President of RWA/NYC. She writes women’s fiction and is currently working on a non-fiction book on Staten Island locales.

TAKE IT OFF, TAKE IT ALL OFF

2011-06-01T06:25:00.001-04:00

by Pat Mihailoff

Erotica (from the Greek Ero "desire") is a modern word used to describe the portrayal of the human anatomy and sexuality with high-art aspirations, differentiating such work from commercial pornography.

Okay, I got that from Wikipedia. However, like water, sin, and prostitution, Erotica has been around a long time. Some say there is a very thin line between it and Pornography, but I say there is a wide divide between them depending on your point of view and its use. Older novels like The Story of O, Lady Chatterley’s Lover and D.H. Lawrence’s Women in Love, and The Virgin and the Gypsy are just samples of currently time-honored literature that was actually banned from distribution and not allowed in libraries, or anywhere in fact that was not on the bottom shelf of curtained and cordoned off shelves of bookstores. The movie Quills re-imagines the last days of the Marquis de Sade and how his works were spirited out of the Asylum he had been placed in because of his writings and in some circles has been touted as revolutionary.

As the mores of the nation relaxed (a little too much so in certain instances—can you say Booty shakers on MTV?), books and movies began to emerge into mainstream entertainment, and Bodice Ripping half clad pirates (all looking like Fabio) literally crowded and flew off the book shelves as women gobbled them up as fast they could be written. It’s too late to shoot me now but I admit I was one of the ones who bought books solely based on the sexiness of the cover (and long hair on the hero of course). As much as some people might not want to admit it, they are titillated by the forbidden, and without mixing it up with SEX-TREMISM, (I think I made that up), it is quite palatable in certain circles. Movies took advantage of this whispered call for something different and the cinematic screens took up the reigns of sexual exploration with a bang with 9 ½ Weeks, (Pre-messed up Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger’s table scene, or them in the rain in the back alley of an abandoned factory) and Wild Orchid, the love scene between the unnamed couple in the cave.

I have a lot of erotic favorites but anybody who knows me knows that the pilot episode of The Red Shoe Diaries is my all time favorite erotic movie. In my opinion, nothing director Zalman King has done since can compare to it (Ask Kathye Quick, I made her watch it and she is still suffering from shocked-lip-hang-itis). Are there other movies with similar and maybe even better sexual content? Of course, but his just happens to be the one for me.

Erotica can be funny. Oh you don’t think so? Just watch Zach and Miri make a Porno. It’s not only hysterical but fulfils both ends of romantic and steamy sex spectrum. Sometimes you have to look beyond the actual title and content of a movie or book to see what is truly being said. One of Lori Foster’s books had her hero telling his “chubby” love interest, “I work hard and I f--k hard, and I think you better know that before we start this.” Talk about wet panty syndrome! Whew! I had to hurry up and try to find ice chips, two fans and a Chippendale dancer.

No one is saying you have to be “filthy” to write Erotic love scenes. There’s nothing wrong with them; they are just a little more intense. No one says that anyone who writes erotic is doing everything they write, (although it will cause me to raise a brow if I saw Sister Mary Catherine of St Martin of Tours reading one, let alone writing it). You have to believe in what you do and write it so that it is believable to your readers.

There are things that I’ve seen written that the author might want you to THINK is erotic when in fact it is not only physically impossible but ridiculous as well. That swing thing hanging from the ceiling? Let me tell you about that, there is a certain angle that each partner has to prepare for BEFORE they get to the actual fun part. It is NOT fluid motion. Sure, Pole dancing is erotic, but make sure your pole is substantial enough to hold you and the antics you’re trying to pull off. Making love in Jell-o or chocolate pudding may be erotic for some, but I personally don’t see it. Pardon the visual I am sure you all have, but not everyone is equipped for such culinary
frolics, therefore I would never write a scene like that. So you see, even those of us who write sexually explicit prose have our boundaries.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. I have heard the uproar of debunkers who are literally knitting and crying a Madame DeFarge like “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS” to those people who would dare infuse society with what they call smut. Sex is everywhere, and without running the risk of raising the heckles of some. There is a certain book that is filled with it—hint you say? Sodom and Gomorrah, David and Bathsheba, Solomon and Sheba, Boaz and Esther. When there is something on Television I don’t like I turn it off, so if you do not like erotica or any forms thereof, do not read it, but like the forbidden dance Lambada, sex is selling and selling big and unfortunately, like rap music, it is here to stay. ♥

Patt Mihailoff was RWANYC's 2009 Author of the Year. Her latest novel, A LESSON IN LOVE, is available now from New Concepts Publishing. Patt also writes with author Kathye Quick under the pen name of P.K. Eden.

THE VAMPIRE SECRET

2011-05-30T01:38:00.000-04:00

by Thea Devine

I am Romanian on my father’s side, so you’d think I’d be steeped knee deep in vampire lore.

But in fact, apart from being scared to death on viewing Dracula in my early teens, I never gave vampires a half a thought until I was looking for an idea for my thirteenth book. And even then, and in the subsequent vampire book I wrote, the hero was not a vampire. In Sinful Secrets, the whole English parliament were vampires; in Forever Kiss, the vampire had a doppelganger who pretended to be him, so that when the vampire finally returned to his stomping grounds, he had to pretend to be the doppelganger pretending to be him. Believe me, he was royally peeved -- for lots of fun-to-write pages.

However, I couldn’t find a way to wrap my head around vampire as romantic hero. So when I was thinking about my next book, which it was suggested to me should have vampires, I really was at a loss. I needed an idea and I needed this vampire to be a hero.

And I really needed to figure out some real ways a woman would feel an attraction to a vampire -- because all I'm thinking is blood, gore, desiccation and rot. Coffins and graves. NOT very sexy.

I was in a local store one day, talking about this current project, when the teenaged clerk overheard me say, vampires, and she exclaimed, “Oh, I love vampires.” I asked her why and she said, because they were sooo Romeo and Juliet.

Right: yearning for something, and never to have it. And it all ends in bloody gory death. Murderous immortality. Not hardly romantic. Not quite the jump-start I was looking for.

So I listed all the reasons why a vampire is supposed to be seductive:

He is the love that cannot be
He’s immortal.
He has super-powers
He’s dangerous to love
He’s super sexual
He’s protective (paternal and sexual)
You yearn for what you can’t have
Reckless endangerment: death is but a kiss away

Still -- nothing in that list sent plotlines roaring through my head. I was discussing it with my husband one night and I read him the list. Then I asked him why he thought vampires were so seductive. I mean, there’s nothing like the male perspective, right?

He said, “they’re victims.” He said, “they have no choice.”

My jaw dropped. The heavens opened. Light flooded the earth and everything fell into place. Of course. Genius. But my husband always says genius things just when I need to hear them.

Victim.

A whole other side of the vampire. Immediately plot questions swirled through my mind. What would he do, feeling like that? How could he take anyone else’s life? How would he live? Did he want to die? How would he survive? What lies would he tell himself?

AND, if he’s a victim, you then have a heroine wanting to somehow help, nurture, make it better, change it. If you have the love that cannot be, one might feel the call to sacrifice for the other at some point. And there was the bedrock of the story -- vengeance and sacrifice.

So I wrote this:

He’s been exiled to the dank bloody world of the undead
He lives solely to destroy the one who sired him
He’s been living to die
Until he encounters the one he can’t live without
And eternity is not an option.♥

Thea Devine is a charter member of RWA/NYC. She is the author whose books defined erotic historical romance, and a Romantic Times Romance Pioneer honoree. She is the author of 25 historical and contemporary novels, the latest of which. THE DARKEST HEART, is a June 2011 release from Gallery Books. See video at http://www.theadevine.com/

Read excerpt of THE DARKEST HEART, click here.

ILLUMINATING FASHION: Rich HISTORICAL Imagery

2011-05-27T01:31:00.002-04:00

By Polly Guerin, Fashion Historian

“Illuminating Fashion,” the fascinating history of fashion and its ties to politics, social upheaval and cultural influence during the Middle Ages is a rich study in which clothing styles provide clues to how the royals and gentry expressed their fashion preferences and reacted to the vicissitudes of the world around them. The nearly 200 years covered by the show provides the viewer seeking fashion accuracy a rare opportunity to see a rich era for fashion, a period in which clothing styles changed rapidly, often from one decade to the next.

The exhibition at the Morgan Museum and Library, “Dress in the Art of Medieval France and the Netherlands,” explores the evolution of courtly clothing from the “Fashion revolution” around 1330 to the flowering of the Renaissance in France following the accession of King Francois I in 1515 in shaping fashion.

ILLUMINATING FASHION

Because few actual garments from the Middle Ages survive, the Morgan focuses on the art in the illuminated manuscripts and early printed books to reveal how historical dress in Northern Europe provides clues to the wearer’s identity and character. The exhibition connects through a historical timeline the potential impact of political unrest and social upheaval on the history of fashion during one of the world’s more calamitous eras: The Hundred year’s War, the occupation of Paris by the English, and the arrival of the Italian Renaissance in northern Europe. The exhibit also demonstrates the richness of symbolism in medieval art and how artists used clothing and costume as a code to help viewers interpret an image. In these works of art, what people wear is a clue to their identities and moral characters.

GILDED FASHION OPULENCE

Viewers seeking fashion accuracy need only examine the magnificent illuminated books to see the colorful, gold leaf illuminated fashions which provide a rare glimpse into the era of fashion opulence. I might suggest that you bring along a magnifying glass to look closely at the amazing detail and preserved colors in some of the tiny books. Replicas of some of the fashionable images from the manuscripts have been reproduced in colorful large-scale portraits on the walls which form an impressive panorama above the glass cases where the timeline connects historical facts.

HISTORICAL REPRODUCTIONS

To enhance appreciation for the fashions of the era, on display four full-scale reproductions of late medieval ensembles depict actual garments in the illuminated manuscripts. Using period hand-sewing techniques and authentic materials including silk, velvet, gold brocade, linen, straw and ermine the recreations include the Catherine of Cleves, Duchess of Guelders richly attired, her voluminous ermine-lined Houpeland, with cascading bombard sleeves, her hair is enmeshed in reticulated cone-shaped headgear.

When I mentioned that I would have expected to see such an impressive historical fashion interpretation at a fashion museum, Curator of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts, Roger S. Wieck replied, “Yes, but we have the manuscripts,” and that is what this exhibit is all about “Illuminating Fashion” that touches on the potential impact of political unrest and social upheaval on the history of fashion during one of the world’s more calamitous eras. At The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave., New York, through September 4, 2011. www.themorgan.org. ♥

Polly Guerin is a former professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology where she honed her skills as a fashion historian. In addition, Polly’s features on fashion, art and the decorative arts appear in Art & Antiques magazine, and Vintage Magazine 2011 will feature “A Tale of Two Sisters,” the Hewitt sisters who founded the Cooper Hewitt museum, an excerpt from her book The Cooper-Hewitts of Old New York. Robert Erskine the map maker to General George Washington, a Revolutionary War feature will appear in the Patriot magazine 2011.

Smile, Breathe and Go Slowly

2011-05-25T06:56:00.000-04:00

by F. Solomon

Sometimes I run from being a poet. Fiction was always the admired form, even when I was in high school, and it was even more so in college. After college and all the fiction classes I had there, I was dually writing fiction and poetry. I always keep a book that I can write poems in with me, which I rarely write in it although I did a few days ago.

The thing I do the most --inspired by my author friend Cathy Greenfeder --is morning pages a la Julia Cameron's THE ARTIST'S WAY. Cathy gave a presentation on journal writing for our chapter and it made me remember the powerful tool that writing is: how it creates and heals. I do not do my morning pages perfectly, or even every day, but I do them on the train enough mornings that once, when I was feeling lazy, someone asked me if something was wrong and why I was not writing?! Another time, I was rereading stuff I had written, which THE ARTIST'S WAY gives you permission to do once you are detached from it.

And so the poems come, even though I do not always write them down. I think it was Thich Nhat Hahn who said that a poet sees a cloud floating across a page, and I have always had an obsession with clouds. Thich Nhat Hahn is the author of the title of this post, because that it what it is to be a poet. So many verses that run so fast like water that you cannot possibly catch. Sometimes I speak in poems; sometimes I write them and sometimes I breathe them. I am infinitely thankful for both.

Poetry is not just a craft but a lifestyle, when I am quiet and soft the poems come.

LESSONS LEARNED

2011-05-23T03:24:00.002-04:00

By Caridad Pineiro

The philosopher Kahil Gibran said, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

As romance writers that sentiment touches us in at least two ways. First because we need to give of our real emotions in order to truly breathe life into our works. The second way that sentiment applies is in how we pay forward what we have learned in order to help other writers achieve success.

I hope that by [reading this], you will feel as if I have given you a piece of myself to take with you and inspire you to keep on reaching for your dreams.

I’d like to share with you some of the lessons that I’ve learned in over a decade of being a published author. Sometimes it seems hard to believe that it’s been that long and other times it seems as if it’s been forever.

I guess that’s Lesson number 1: It’s never a smooth road for anyone no matter what they tell you to the contrary.

Everyone has moments where they think they’ll never be able to write another word. Or they wonder where their next story idea will come from. They agonize over making their first sale or their fortieth and think, “Why do I do this?”

The answer to the why should be easy: Because you can’t imagine not writing. So in those moments where you’re asking yourself that big “Why?” realize that you’re not alone and every one of us in this room has likely asked themself the same thing.

Which is Lesson number 2: You’re not alone in this gig. Look around you at the sisterhood you have. They are your touchstones for those times when you feel as if you’re losing your way. They will cheer you on as you near the finish line and fold you in their embrace when you reach your goal, whether your goal was finishing your first page or selling your millionth book.

Lesson number 3: Just over a decade ago over an Easter weekend I got the call that every writer wants. Someone wanted to buy my book.

I was visiting with my mother-in-law on Good Friday when my husband called to say some editor wanted me to call her. He also told me that he had almost hung up on her because she had sounded like a telemarketer. Good thing he didn’t.

The editor said she wanted to buy the book that would help launch the Encanto line – NOW AND ALWAYS. The editor told me she would call back in a few days with more details on the offer and she did. Imagine my surprise when she said she wanted to buy two books!

In the eighteen months that followed, Kensington bought six more books from me and I thought, “I may have a career.” My editor and I became friends and my publisher loved me. I was one of the poster girls for the Encanto line. And then I got another call, but this time it was one no author wants: My editor was leaving the house.

My new editor left within a month, but luckily the next editor I was assigned was nice. In fact, she called to say they were interested in buying a ninth book from me and my concern lessened. But while we were negotiating for that ninth book, another call came: Encanto was going into hiatus.

Those who have worked in the television industry know what those words mean: The line was being killed. I didn’t sell that ninth book and to this day, the last two books I had written were never released. I went from having a career one day to wondering if I’d ever sell another book to this publisher.

I guess the moral of that lesson is: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Being published is a business. While you may be friends with your editor and your agent and even your publisher, the bottom line is that you have to protect your interests and to do so you have to make sure that you have a way to sustain your career.

Sustaining a career is often difficult. After Encanto folded I was in a dark mood. But on top of that, I had been wanting to write something different for quite some time and my dark mood was perfect for what I wanted to write: a vampire story. I was a fan of Buffy and the X-Files and had decided to write a story that combined elements of suspense and the paranormal. That story would eventually become DARKNESS CALLS.

Anyway, I had secured an agent at a well-known and respected literary agency. She wanted me to work on women’s fiction and become the Latina Terry McMillan and so I tried. In the meantime, I asked her to send around the three chapters I had done of my vampire story. My agent told me, vampires won’t sell. No one is ready vampires, but I told her, please try to sell this book.

In the meantime, I went to work on the women’s fiction story, but my heart wasn’t in it. I wanted to write dark and I decided over one Christmas break that I would do just that. I went home and wrote the book for me, because I loved the characters and the story.

Nearly two and half years later, I had not sold that story. I heard over and over, vampires don’t sell. And I wish I had a penny for every time I heard “We’re looking for the Latina Terry McMillan.” I could have retired long ago.

My agent and I parted ways and I started trying to sell my vamp book on my own while I kept on working on more contemporaries. Then one day I was at RWA National and saw that an editor to whom I had sent some proposals had a free slot. I thought, “Why not?”

The editor was quite glad to see me. She asked me if I had sent off my work as she had suggested. I explained that I had not received any letter back from her and the editor apologized. She had left something to go out while she was on maternity leave and a mix-up had clearly occurred. We talked about those projects and sending them to Brenda Chin and then this editor asked me what else I had.

I told her that my latest story was not right for her. Harlequin didn’t do dark violent vampire stories. She asked me to tell her more about the story and I did.

She said, “Send it to me.” I said again, “But it’s not for you.”

She said again, “Send it to me.” So I did.

What did I learn from that experience?

The first was Lesson 4: Never stop reaching for your dreams. My mother always told me that nothing worthwhile was ever easy and she was right. The first vampire sale was difficult, but it opened doors for me. There are now eleven books in THE CALLING Vampire series with three more coming out in 2012. What would not have happened if I had given up.

The second thing I learned, namely Lesson Number 5, was to never argue with an editor, especially one who is asking you to send her your book.

There is also another thing to remember about arguing with editors. Many of you know I have a full time job. I spend about twelve hours every day on that job and commuting. I write on the train going to and from work and spend long hours on the weekends writing. I don’t normally write at night because I’m usually tired after that long day at work, although I will do so if I have to.

Over the course of my career, I’ve had to do that several times. The first time was for Encanto when I got a call from my editor who said, “Can you write a Christmas book for us?” That was at the beginning of July and she wanted the book by August. She said that she knew I was one of the few writers for the line who could write that quickly. I knew it would take a lot of work, but I knew she was in a bind and so I did it.

The same thing happened at Harlequin. I was actually on vacation on a beach in San Diego when my cell phone rang. It was my editor calling. They wanted to do a vampire Christmas story, but they needed it right away. It was July and they needed the story by August. Very familiar, right? She said she knew I was one of the few writers who could do it that quickly and do it well. I said, “Okay.”

I started writing on that beach in San Diego and it wasn’t easy. When I got home I worked on it day and night, but I delivered the story. It would become FATE CALLS in the first HOLIDAY WITH A VAMPIRE.

I got a similar call just a few weeks ago. My editor wanted me to do another vampire Christmas story, but this time for HQN and of course I said, “Yes.”

Something similar also happened with my Chicas series. I had written a synopsis and three chapters and my new agent was shopping it around, but there was just one problem. Editors were saying “We know she can do vampires, but can she do women’s fiction.” They wanted to see the entire book.

That was rough, but after talking to my agent, I knew that having the entire book would help me sell it. Because I didn’t want to lose the momentum that seemed to be building for the book, I started working on that book. I worked on it day and night and in a month, I had finished it.

My agent sent it out and as I had imagined, more than one house wanted it. Over a Thanksgiving weekend, we had an auction as several publishers put in their bids for what would become the first book in the CHICAS series.

So why did I do this? Why did I push myself so hard?

Remember my mom? Nothing worthwhile is easy? I could have said “No”, but my editors and agent were in a bind. They needed me to help them out. I could have been obstinate and said “No way, I’m busy or I’m on vacation” or any other excuse you can imagine. But who do you think those editors thought of next time they were in a bind?

If you said Nora Roberts you would probably be right, but seriously, when it comes to doing revisions or turning your life upside down to meet a deadline, remember Lesson Number 6: Don’t be a Diva.

It seems like it’s time to mention that I do eat, sleep and spend time with my family and friends. Although there have been some rumors over the years, I am not a robot, clone or a vampire. Some legal colleagues may have alternately called me a shark or a tough cookie, but the reality of it is I’m human. I like to sleep, I love to eat which is why I am currently on a diet and I do bleed, usually red, white and blue.

I’m emotional, sometimes too much which is when lesson number 2 comes in handy and I remember that I have my sisters with me who understand. But inevitably, there are people who don’t understand.

They don’t get it. How could they not think that last book was the greatest thing since sliced bread? How can they not see my genius? My amazing metaphors and similes? The sensitivity beneath my brooding and oh-so-sexy six pack alpha hero?

Notice the perfectly planned segue to Lesson number 7 – my favorite number by the way since I was born on the 7th.

As I mentioned before, I recently was asked to do another Christmas vampire novella (remember lesson number 6?)

I didn’t have a lot of time to write the book which was a story based on Dicken’s Christmas Carol, only this time it was a guardian angel being sent down to save a vampire. The story had various visions as the angel shows the vampire what he’s done wrong and invites him to change his ways in order to save his soul.

When I finished the novella, I was quite pleased with it. I thought it had really come together nicely. I sent it off to my agent to review since she likes to see what I’m doing and offer up light edits and general suggestions.

I got a rather unexpected call from my agent a couple of days later. She was confused. She didn’t understand what was going on in the story. What were these visions about? Huh? I was surprised. Hadn’t she ever heard of a Christmas Carol? The story must really suck if she didn’t even understand it. But what could I do? It was Thursday and the story was due the next day.

I e-mailed my editor and told her I was finished, but had some things I wanted to tweak. I asked if I could deliver the story on Monday. She said yes, of course. It’s not a problem. I went home and went through the story over and over. I must had read and tweaked it four or five times, but the bottom line was that I still liked it and it followed the proposal which I had submitted.

I couldn’t understand why my agent didn’t like it, but I had little choice. I had to believe in the story I had written. I sent it in and to my relief, less than a week later my editor sent me a note saying it was “a fantastic novella.” That the character development and pacing was spot on.

Big whew. I was so relieved because I had not wanted to disappoint my editor after she had gone out on a limb to ask me to work on this anthology.

But I learned another lesson, namely: Not everyone will love what you write. Your critique partners may not understand what you’re trying to do. You may get bad reviews. DO NOT . . . repeat . . . DO NOT engage.

Repeat after me: DO NOT ENGAGE.

We’ve seen too many train wrecks lately where authors have taken to task someone who posted a bad review. Not only does it guarantee a very public pillory, but it makes you – the author – come across as a Diva. Again, see Lesson number 6.

That brings us to the last and maybe the most important thing I’d like to share with you. Lesson Number 8. In Numerology, 8 is the most powerful number because it represents the life path of someone who is charged with a nature that possesses individualistic desires, demands independence, and needs personal attainment.

But if those characteristics are the Yang of number 8, the Yin in such a competitive spirit is self-doubt, selfishness and maybe even envy.

If you’re not yet published, have you ever looked at someone else and thought, “How did they sell that book? Mine was better. How come I didn’t sell my wonderful story?”

If you’re published, how often do you check your own or other’s Amazon numbers to see who is selling better? Have you ever wondered why someone’s career left yours in the dust? Or why you don’t have the biggest line at the book fair?

I know I’m a Number 8 at times. I also know it’s probably the most destructive part of my nature: I’m a competitor. I want to be the best that I can be, but here’s the key and a very valuable Lesson Number 8: You need to learn to measure your success in different ways. Ways that are positive rather than self-destructive.

So with that I want to leave you with probably the most important part of my gift: How I measure success.

If I get a royalty statement that says I earned a penny, I consider myself to be successful because I am a penny richer than I was the day before. Pennies add up, especially if you’re a frugal Celt like I am.

I consider myself successful if I sell a proposal because I have people with whom to share that success. There’s a reason for the expression “It’s lonely at the top.” Somewhere along the way that lonely woman forgot what was important, namely family and friends and not fame.

But even if I do not sell that proposal, I consider myself successful. “Why” you may ask?

Because I set a goal for myself to do that proposal and send it out and I successfully completed that task.

Finally, more so than any other reason, I consider myself successful because I am doing something very special to me: I am writing the stories in my heart. I am writing about the thing that I consider more important than anything else in this world: Love.

And I consider myself successful because I am giving you a piece of my heart in every story and that is a true and special gift.

Never forget that you, too, are successful every day that you put a pen to paper and follow your dreams.

Never forget that each of you has a unique gift within you to share. A blessed gift which only you possess and can bequeath.~

Caridad Pineiro is an award-winning and multi-talented author, who writes paranormal, romantic suspense and contemporary romances. Visit her at http://www.caridadpineiro.com/.

WEATHERING CHANGE: MAKING THE JUMP FROM THE LIBRARY AND SMALL PRESS TO MASS MARKET

2011-05-18T02:04:00.001-04:00

by C.H. Admirand

I’ve been happily writing for the library and small press market for the last decade. It was a routine that I embraced. I wrote the partials, sold the books, and wrote the stories. There was not a lot of editing to my stories, and I thought it was because I had reached a place where a lot of input wasn’t necessary (I’ll get back to that erroneous thought later). I loved working with my editors, had input on the covers, and worked very hard to market my books through my publicist, promotional material, book trailers, conferences, conventions, signings, etc.

Vistaprint is one of my favorite sources for creating professional quality promotional material, and my publicist has a wonderful contact who creates excerpt booklets. I’m also a huge fan of the book trailer. When ScrapFairy Designs stopped creating trailers, I found COS Productions who has been a lifesaver for me.

Now here is where change arrived big time. For my first book with Sourcebooks, I had to do my first ever virtual tour. At first I thought…ok…virtual—does that mean that I pretend to go places and don’t, and if so, how the heck will anyone know I was there if it’s pretend? (Remember I don’t get out much and have traveled to some truly amazing locations in my mind.) Sourcebooks is fabulously supportive and has an in-house publicist, the lovely Danielle, who arranges the virtual tour stops and acts as the liaison between the blogs visited and the Sourcebooks authors who send her their blogs.

So this should be easy, shouldn’t it? Now add in a day job and two or three blogs to visit per week (and on one crazy day—two blogs) to babysit and comment to—for the entire month the book is released in—and it gets just a bit dicey! During the month of March—Stress was my first and middle name!

Fortunately, the learning curve was a bit easier because Danielle was so accessible during the virtual tour. What makes her so special is that she does all this for all of the Sourcebooks authors, and while doing her job, Danielle is unfailingly professional, polite, and encouraging to those of us who’ve never navigated this particular area before. Alas, I understand that it’s the “new” way to promote books—who would have thought it would be possible.

All in all, this old writer can be taught new tricks, but not without a few scars along the way.

I’ve learned that mass market means you have a lot more exposure, and therefore the potential for more fabulous reviews increases proportionately with the possibility of more negative reviews. I’m a firm believer in freedom of speech, however, I’m also a firm believer that making the negativity personal is not professional…but that dear reader is another conversation entirely and not to be put down in print where it might come back to haunt me. Meet me at Kennedy’s Pub the next time you’re in NYC and after a pint or two may divulge all!

Now back to my earlier comment about reaching the point in my writing career, where I needed less editing, I am pleased to say that I was wrong. Pleased because I’ve never worked so hard in my life to revise and re-create one of my books, but the end result is a deeper clarity and deeper connection with my characters. Simply put, Deb Werksman is a genius. She understands my characters and is beyond encouraging. I’ve never worked with an editor like her before and am so excited that I have this opportunity to grow as a writer and continue to hone my craft with her guidance. I’ve just turned DYLAN in (he’s on his way to the copyeditor) and I’m going to get back to JESSE’s story. But with a slightly different perspective, thanks to working with Deb, I have an insight into my work that I lacked before.

All in all, I’m still amazed that I’ve had the good fortune to stretch my wings and embrace this new direction in my writing career. For those of you who know me, it’s been a long time coming and a goal I have been working toward for years.

Another aspect of my career that recently changed is signing with the fabulous literary agent, Eric Ruben. I would not be able to make the following announcement without his guidance and input in my career—while I was at RT, TFER (The Fabulous Eric Ruben) called with the news that Sourcebooks offered another three book deal—this time for a Small Town America trilogy! While this is a slightly different direction for me, I’ve always loved writing about small towns and the closely knit communities that revolve around my characters and their story. I cannot wait to get started on the first one…but I have to finish JESSE’s story first.

With eight short stories and ten novels to her credit, this award-winning, multi-published author’s books are available in hardcover, e-book, trade paperback, magazine, and audio. DYLAN, book two in The Secret Life of Cowboys trilogy, will be released in January 2012 from Sourcebooks. To read an excerpt, stop by her website at www.chadmirand.com.

RWANYC CELEBRATES ITS 25th YEAR & ANNOUNCES GOLDEN APPLE AWARD WINNERS

2011-05-16T03:05:00.000-04:00

The Romance Writers of America New York City Chapter celebrates its 25th Anniversary. Founded in 1986, the Chapter’s mission then and now continues to be to support its members and promote the romance industry as a whole. RWANYC has close to 100 members, including publish and non-published authors.

Part of the year-long celebration includes RWANYC’s Golden Apple Awards reception to honor editors, agents and other industry professionals. Chapter President Karen Cino is pleased to announce this year’s Award Honorees. They include:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Sherrilyn Kenyon aka Kinley MacGregor

Publisher of the Year: Grand Central Publishing

Editor of the Year: Leah Hultenschmidt, Senior Editor, Sourcebooks

Agent of the Year: Kate Folkers, Martin Literary Management

Author of the Year: Elizabeth Mahon

This year’s Author of the Year, Elizabeth Mahon, is a past RWANYC President. Past GAA winners have included the late Walter Zacharius, Founder of Kensington Books; Lady Kathryn Falk of Romantic Times magazine; New York Times bestselling author Mary Jo Putney; Harlequin Enterprises and Sourcebooks.

For an invitation to RWANYC’s Golden Apple Awards reception on September 15, please email President Karen Cino at Karencino@aol.com. For more information on the Chapter and its members, visit http://www.rwanyc.com/ and http://www.rwanycblogginginthebigapple.blogspot.com/.

Springing Forward

2011-05-11T06:45:00.000-04:00

by F. Solomon

Maybe because it is Spring, or at least the suggestion of Spring in New York City, and even with a failed attempt at Script Frenzy, and although my life has been so hectic...even so I feel inspired.

I was at work, at my desk, and saw a name written with an unusual accent mark, and I was like, I should name my next character that. I do not even know who my next character is going to be, but I know her name!

An old friend said to me that she was surprised I did not finish what I had started and I said I was fine with it. A new acquaintance asked me if I was done with writing. I said no I was not, because it is the only thing I ever always do. Not finishing Script Frenzy felt like the end of the world, because, yes, it was something I started and I still believe in those characters...but I knew I was not going to never finish something again, as much as I joke about it.

I know I will continue writing. I am a very fatalistic person. Everything happens for a reason, as far as I can see, I have never questioned that. All the aborted ideas and stories that come from me still live with me. I once wrote a story about a relationship that had never happened to me so I had to imagine a lot to get it written. What I wrote came back to comfort me when I was in that type of relationship many years later.

Writing is not just rabbits you pull out of somewhere and put on paper. Writing is a healer; it is the thing you can do to write the actual, to create the imagined and it stays with you; it becomes a part of you.

So I cannot stop writing or imagining things to write, and trying to get them on paper or a screen. Failing to finish a piece makes me all the more determined to finish a piece. Not finishing Script Frenzy made me more committed to the creation and execution.

Seeing flowers all about me, as they struggle to come up, comforts me and let's me know they will come up and I will write.

THE PROCRASTINATOR’S GUIDE TO GOAL SETTING

2011-05-09T01:26:00.000-04:00

By Isabo Kelly

Goals are an important part of achieving anything in life. Without something to aim for, you won’t bother to take aim. Goals give us targets and motivation. And for the writer, that motivation gets us through the rejections and long, lonely hours of actually finishing a book. Setting those goals is a significant process and should be taken very seriously. You can’t just sit down and say “these are my goals”.

First and foremost, you’ll have to write your goals down on paper. This is a fundamental step. If they aren’t on paper, well they just aren’t real, are they? But you can’t use any old paper. You need really good paper, high-quality stuff that will take the ink. It may take some time to find the right paper. Don’t rush the process. If you use just any old paper, you’ll end up putting a cup of coffee on your goals and forgetting about them. You don’t want that! So you need the perfect paper.

Once you’ve got the perfect paper, you need a really good pen. No point in writing down these momentous targets of achievement that will keep you motivated with bad, runny ink. And you need to enjoy the writing process. To do that, a good pen is required. Again, this hunt may take some time, but don’t worry, you’ll be glad you’ve invested the added effort.

Now, you’ve got the perfect pen and the perfect paper. Next, you need a really good cup of coffee. Because how are you supposed to think about goals without a jolt of caffeine? And while you’re in the kitchen, you should probably prepare yourself a snack. You may be working on this for awhile. You don’t want to get distracted by hunger.

Next, make sure you’ve made all the phone calls you’ve been putting off. A ringing phone will only distract you. Preempt the distraction by calling everyone you know and having that long overdue chat.

At this point, you’ll need another cup of coffee. And there are probably dishes to be done after your earlier snack. It might even be time for a little more food. Give in to that need. A growling belly will only throw you off target.

Then you’ll need to check your emails and make sure you’re all caught up there. You won’t want to get side-tracked by emergency emailing while you're in the middle of working out those dream-achieving goals.

Next, you might want to get your holiday shopping for next year started. After all, once you know you’ve made a start toward reaching your dreams, you’ll think less about the stress of the holidays just looming out there at the end of the year.

And, I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to concentrate if I have a lot of laundry and a messy house crowding me. So be sure to take care of those household chores you’ve been putting off. This is no time to let the dust bunnies under your couch cause you background anxiety.

As a final step before putting pen to paper, you’ll need to search the Web and read any blogs or articles you can get your hands on about the process of setting and achieving goals. You don’t want to go into this blind! Gather as much information and research as you can to make sure you’re doing this right.

So now, you’ve got a clean house, the laundry is done, the dishes are drying, your belly is full and you’re working on a fresh cup of coffee. The emails and phone calls have all been made, you’ve done some of that early shopping that will save you time at the end of the year when you’re busy working on your goals, and you’ve read everything there is to read about the process so you’ll be sure not to make any mistakes. You’ve got your excellent paper and the perfect pen. Now’s the time to sit down and write.

But remember, these are your goals. You have to seriously think about them. They will affect how you feel about your entire year, next year, the year after even! You don’t want to write something down that might make you feel inadequate six months from now. An unachievable or ridiculous goal should be discarded too. These have to be things you can do.

The importance of setting goals can not be underestimated. Take your time in composing them. If needs be, go through several drafts. Even after you’ve got one draft done, you’ll want to take a few weeks to consider if that’s the final list. Remember rushing will only cause you more trouble later on.

Once you’ve finalized your list at last, be sure to hold it up and admire it. Pin it up over your computer where you’ll see it every day. Continue to admire the neatly written goals for as long as you like.

And finally, it’s time to start going after those targets. Good luck all you fellow procrastinators! Here’s to a productive writing future!

(This article first appeared in its original form, The Procrastinator’s Guide to New Years Resolution, in The Samhellion newsletter in 2008. This version has been adapted.)

Isabo Kelly’s newest fantasy romance, BRIGHTARROW BURNING, will be available from Samhain Publishing in Fall 2011. (One thing she managed to get done despite all the procrastinating!) To learn more about Isabo’s books, visit her website http://www.isabokelly.com/.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

2011-05-06T07:32:00.002-04:00

This Sunday is Mother's Day. Here's a collection of short stories by 14 Latino authors who reminisce about their mothers. It's a good read for mothers and children everywhere.

What are you giving your Mother on her special day?

Happy Mother's Day!

Feliz Dia de las Madres!

2011-04-29T01:55:00.001-04:00

By Polly Guerin, Fashion Historian

As a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology I often discussed innovations in color and especially Sonia Delaunay, the painter, textile designer and exceptional colorist who weaves a tale of intrigue worthy of a romantic novel. The unlikely connection between Sonia and the German art collector, Wilhelm Uhde is an interesting case of serendipity.

"I became aware of Sonia through the remarkable film, Seraphine," depicting the French artist Seraphine Louis of Senil who William Uhde, the avant-garde art dealer, discovered and sold the untrained maid's primitive art works. Wilhelm Uhde was a visionary, a man who also recognized exceptional talent in the young artist Sonia Terk (Delaunay). He played a major role in Delaunay’s life by introducing the young artist to Parisian society and presenting her paintings in his gallery. Delaunay was a woman determined to succeed and married Uhde in a union that brought her to the forefront of the art world. This kind of saga is worthy of romantic writer’s consideration for it is a riveting story about a marriage of convenience and the Robert and Sonia Delaunay romance.

A Marriage of Convenience

In 1908 Sonia was pressured by the demands of her influential and wealthy family in Saint Petersburg to take steps to conform to Russian tradition. Despite this restriction she had managed to persuade her family to let her study in France and it was during her first year in Paris that she met, met and shortly thereafter married the homosexual art collector and gallery owner Wilhelm Uhde. This union was a marriage of convenience to satisfy her parent's demands and at the same time for Uhde, through this public marriage to Sonia, would 'save face' so to speak and mask his homosexuality, which under law at that time was prohibited. The marriage was an amicable arrangement and through Uhde's impressive connections and the gallery exhibitions of Sonia's art work it establish her as a significant artist in Paris.

Love in Paris

Love walked in one day when Robert Delaunay's aunt, a frequent visitor to the Uhde Gallery, introduced Sonia to her nephew, Robert Delaunay, himself an artist. There was instant attraction and by April 1909 Sonia and Robert became lovers. They were two artists of kindred spirit but with Sonia's unexpected pregnancy it was decided for the sack of proprietary that she and Uhde should divorce. The Delaunay's son, Charles was born the next year.

Struggling Artists

During the early period of the Delaunay's marriage, they garnered a meager income and were supported by funds sent from Sonia's aunt in St. Petersburg, Russia. However, about this time cubist works were introduced in Paris and Robert and Sonia were at the forefront of the movement, which would change their circumstances considerably. Robert had been studying color theories and "designsimultaneisme," which is similar to the Pointillism, as used by Georges Seurat in which primary color dots placed next to each other are "mixed" by the eye of the beholder. And Sonia began a series of non-figurative paintings called, Contrastes Simultanes, combining geometric forms with bright, prismatic hues. This work was based on the theory of the simultaneous contrast of colors of the 19th century chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul. Sonia became a leading Parisian artist of Orphism. In the Delaunay's collaboration financial success was eminent.

The Orphism Movement

Credit goes to the Delaunay's friend, poet and critic Guillaume Apollinaire who coined the term 'Orphism,' a movement which developed out of Cubism, which made color the primary means of artistic expression. Sonia's work extended from painting to textile design, fashion, wall coverings and stage set design. In 1924 she opened a fashion studio together with the French Haute Couture designer, Jacques Heim. Brilliantly colored and sharply patterned geometric designs were lavishly displayed in the creation of her 'simultaneous' fashions and stopped traffic in Paris when Sonia appeared wearing a totally coordinated ensemble (cloche hat, coat and matching dress) that merged Orphism art and fashion with the interior of her automobile which was upholstered in matching textile. Sonia exhibited her diverse collection in the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, which gave way later to the term "Art Deco.”

Early Influences

Sonia Delaunay (nee Terk 1885-1979) was sent at a young age to St. Petersburg where she lived with her mother's brother Henri Terk, a successful and affluent Jewish lawyer. Although her mother was reluctant at first to submit to the plan, Sonia was adopted by the Anna and Henri Terk in 1890. Through this privileged upbringing with the Terks' she traveled widely in Europe which introduced Sonia to museums and galleries. In St. Petersburg her skill at drawing was noted by her teacher and when she was eighteen she was sent to art school in Germany, where she attended the Academy of Fine Arts. After reading a book which claimed that Paris was the center of the true art world, Sonia made one of her most decisive decisions and moved to the capital of light where her career took off through her marriage to Uhde. Sonia Delaunay-Terk died in 1979 in Paris at the age of 94 leaving a legacy of color and textile ingenuity that has influenced countless artists who followed. ♥

Polly Guerin is a former professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology and has lectured on color psychology as well as fashion presentations. Her two textbooks, CREATIVE FASHION PRESENTATION I and II, and the video she created, The Story of Color, are considered the definitive works on the subject fashion and color. Currently Polly is seeking an agent for her book; THE MESSAGE IS IN THE RAINBOW, on color psychology.

The Agony of Defeat, or Wonderful Tonight

2011-04-26T23:54:00.000-04:00

by F. Solomon

I was crossing the street in Times Square and thought to myself that I am most likely NOT going to finish Script Frenzy. This is an awful thing for me and an awful blow being that I have won it before and countless NaNos. I feel like a failure. I do not know where to begin but I know that it is very unlikely that I can do it. I was sitting at work trying to type and between the formatting of the page and the pressure that I felt to write I just got up and went to the Gap! It was a good day outside and that was what I wanted to do.

I think every writer, every creative person beats themselves up abut not creating or not creating something good enough, but I am extremely fatalistic. I do not believe that anything happens without a reason, and in the same vein, things do not happen without a reason. If it feels better not to write than maybe that is something that I should go along with. We prioritize the things that we need to at the time.

I am reading Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd, and it is rare that I read nonfiction, but this is a compelling story since Boyd was married to George Harrison and Eric Clapton. To paraphrase the last section I read, she describes that she never knew that she could feel about a person the way that she felt about Clapton and that she overlooked a lot of things because she was so deeply in love with him. That she did not regret anything....

My writing cannot be compared to being in love with Eric Clapton, but I have been sloppy about it, I have been diligent about it. It is my passion, I do not have to beat myself up about failing a challenge--what am I going to do next? I live in a city where the Gagosian Gallery has a new exhibition about Picasso and his muse Marie- Therese. What am I going to do next?

I am going to finish writing something, and that makes me feel wonderful tonight.

RWANYC Blogging In The Big Apple

DON’T MENTION YOUR NOVEL, BECAUSE SOMEONE MIGHT GET OFFENDED

WRITERCARE: Sitting is a Pain

FORMATTING YOUR MANUSCRIPT

WTF--Cursing in Fiction

RESOLUTIONS, GOALS, TO-DO LISTS

New Year’s Resolutions – Make Them or Break Them

BREAKING THE RULES

SELF-HELP FOR ROMANCE WRITERS

LET YOUR HERO BE MALE

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS?

LADYLIKE LOOKS FASHION TREND ©

WILL WRITING ON THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT HARM AN AUTHOR?

FIGHTING SEX

KNIGHT OF RUNES

TIME TO WRITE

RWANYC TRIO ROCKS LADY JANE'S SALON!

FIRST SALE!

READY, SET... WRITE!

MODERN SENSIBILITIES

GUINNESS, DAPHNE The Ultimate Fashion Fantasy ©

PREPARING FOR THE NANOWRIMO IN TEN EASY STEPS

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART III)

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART II)

RETREAT IN OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY & PHOTO ALBUM

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART I)

RETURNING TO FANTASY ROMANCE

JONES, STEPHEN-THE MAD HATTER ©

LET YOUR CHARACTERS DO THE DRIVING

CREATING CONFLICT: DON’T FIGHT IT—FINESSE IT (Part Two)

SUBWAY WRITING TIPS PART 2: Breakups and Cute Animals

TRACKING THE DETAILS

WRITING TIME TIP: USE YOUR SUBWAY TRAIN DELAY

CHARACTER CHECKLISTS – A NECESSARY EVIL

CREATING CONFLICT: DON’T FIGHT IT—FINESSE IT (PART ONE)

DREADED AUTHOR QUESTION: Are You Self-Publishing?

Bring On The Heat

YA THAT SIZZLES

CREATING CHARACTERS THROUGH TAROT CARDS: KING OF SWORDS

DOT YOUR I’S AND CROSS YOUR T’S, AND MIND YOUR P’S AND Q’S

TSTL - A WRITER'S LIFE

Summer Post for Twombly

RWA READERS FOR LIFE LITERACY AUTOGRAPHING & PHOTOS

WHAT TEENS WANT TO READ

All- American: A Sportswear Tradition ©

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO ATTEND OTHER CONFERENCES

DREADED AUTHOR QUESTION: How can you write erotica? Won’t your family read it?

Taking Joy

BOOK BLOGGER CONVENTION 2011, NYC

THE DRUIDS

MAKING EVERY CHARACTER COUNT

NYC: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

Gelato=Writing

CREATING CHARACTERS THROUGH TAROT CARDS: KING OF CUPS

TAKE IT OFF, TAKE IT ALL OFF

THE VAMPIRE SECRET

ILLUMINATING FASHION: Rich HISTORICAL Imagery

Smile, Breathe and Go Slowly

LESSONS LEARNED

WEATHERING CHANGE: MAKING THE JUMP FROM THE LIBRARY AND SMALL PRESS TO MASS MARKET

RWANYC CELEBRATES ITS 25th YEAR & ANNOUNCES GOLDEN APPLE AWARD WINNERS

Springing Forward

THE PROCRASTINATOR’S GUIDE TO GOAL SETTING

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

SONIA DELAUNAY AND ORPHISM ©

The Agony of Defeat, or Wonderful Tonight