Bouchercon 2012

Wow!  That’s about all I can say right now.  I’m sitting at a crowded gate at the Cleveland airport, trying to find a way to sum up Bouchercon 2012, my first ever writer’s conference.  But seriously, B-con was so much more than that. 

It wasn’t just a convention for writers and authors, but for readers and fans of all types of crime fiction, as well.  So while I was in absolute heaven being surrounded by other writers who truly understood me and my passion for writing and my genre, and I learned an incredible amount of information at the panels, I also had the opportunity to chat and socialize with the very people who might buy my book when it “hits the stands” next week.

But before I get into all that, let me first fill you in on the personal side of this big excursion.  As most of you already know, I was planning to meet my bff, Lisa Regan, in person for the very first time.  She didn’t get there until my second day, so I met my other bestie first, Jennifer Hillier, author of Creep and Freak.

Jenny and I

I hadn’t seen Jenny since she moved from my neck of the woods last December.  Though she was suffering from some back pain, she managed to make the trip, and we had a grand time catching up, eating and drinking, and attending panels.  And when Lisa finally arrived, Jenny was there to capture it all on video.  But that’s a private moment I’m keeping to myself right now. I do, however, have a couple of photos Jenny took.

Lisa and I

The three of us spent no small amount of time partying it up at The Renaissance.  This newly renovated hotel, a grand dame dating back to1915, was opulent and conveniently located at Tower City, another beautifully revitalized structure also housing The Ritz Carlton, an entire shopping mall, food court, and cinemas, plus the RTA or local rapid transit train, which delivered me from the airport for only $2.  Everything we could ever want was right at our doorstep.  We never even had to venture outside. 

Me, Lisa, and Jenny

The Renaissance at Tower City at night

...and in the morning

The grand lobby staircase

Tower City entrance

The Renaissance lobby fountain

The street view out our room window at The Renaissance

But, of course, we did since the opening ceremony took place at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  That was a fun event with wine, beer, and hors d’oeuvres.  Best of all, it was emceed by famed master author, John Connolly.  We did have an incident where a close-talking stalker fan latched on to Lisa, but we managed to shake him, thank God.  Then it was back to the hotel bar for a nightcap where we were constantly surrounded by famous authors like Lee Child and Chelsea Cain.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Lisa, me, and Jenny out front of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Author John Connolly was quite the comedian emcee

Inside the reception hall at the museum

Author Charlaine Harris of the Sookie Stackhouse mysteries (True Blood)

Jenny and  Chelsea Cain

Author Will Lavender and Jenny

Friday and Saturday were again chock full of wonderful panels.  They were moderated and debated by panelists such as John Connolly, Chelsea Cane, Charlaine Harris, Linwood Barclay, and countless other rock stars of the genre and industry. I learned more than I ever thought possible on subjects such as morally challenged heroes, adapting novels into movies and television, crafting thrillers, character development, avoiding the unbelievable, and serial killers, the last of which was paneled by Jenny herself.  And all that barely scratched the surface.   

I met so many wonderful people, especially other writers and a few debut authors like myself.  One in particular was Mark Pryor, a friend of both Lisa and Jenny and author of The Bookseller, launching tomorrow, Tuesday, October 9^th from Seventh Street Books and As She Lay Sleeping, true crime from New Horizon Press and already available on Amazon.  I found Mark incredibly charming as he spent an entire evening regaling a group of us women with stories of his job as a prosecuting attorney in Austin, Texas.  

Mark, Lisa, and I were all on the New Authors panel where we were unexpectedly instructed to stand before the crowd and speak about ourselves and our books.  And although it was intimidating as hell, the moderator, legendary author Val McDermid, was so hilarious, she put us all at ease as we belly-laughed at her early morning Scottish humor.  

 Val McDermid

Lisa and I after our New Authors panel

At the Museum party, we met a group of women—readers and librarians from Lisa’s neighborhood in Philly—and just like so many of the attending fans, they were thrilled to learn that Lisa and I were launching books this year and were anxious to read and possibly share them.  How cool is THAT?!!

Seriously, Even though Jenny was wracked up and I had some weird eye infection the whole time, we had a blast, and I could go on and on about how wonderful and fulfilling this trip was, but with all I have to say, it would take 5000 words, at least, and to be honest, I drank more alcohol in last 4 days than I have in the last 4 months, so I’m a tad exhausted what with getting up everyday before 6am.  But I know so many of you were cheering me on here and on Facebook and Twitter, so I at least wanted to give you a glimpse into the most spectacularly fun 5 days of my life!

Have you ever been to a writer's conference like this?  

Dangerous Embrace by Dana Mason

Today is Launch Day for my friend, fellow SSP author, and Bay Area homegirl, Dana Mason.  If you love romance and suspense, then join me in celebrating the release of Dana's debut novel, Dangerous Embrace.

Synopsis:

Sarah Jennings wants nothing more than a quiet life—alone.  Raised by an eccentric mother, their life on the road only taught her how to run away from hard times. But when she finds herself in an abusive relationship, this lesson serves her well.  

Now, back in her hometown, she's found a place she loves. She’s a first grade teacher, and with few friends and less family around, she has what she wants, a quiet life under the radar where she can be free of her past and live quietly. Finally comfortable in her own skin, she’s settled, and less fearful than she’s ever been in her life.

But it only takes one night and one act of violence for everything to change. Injured and afraid, Sarah wants to run again, but Mark Summors refuses to let her go.

Just when Sarah thinks she can have Mark and the life he promises, her past comes back to haunt her.

Mark Summors was born and raised in Santa Rosa. He married his high school sweetheart and never questioned his life, until he found his wife with another man.

Now divorced, he wants something more. He’s passionate about his job, he wants to protect people, and he devotes his life to it.

This time he’s protecting more than just another client, he’s protecting his future; at least, Sarah Jennings will be his future, once he convinces her she loves him.

Excerpt from Dangerous Embrace:

Sarah pried open her heavy eyelids and turned, trying to focus on the clock. “Ow, dammit!” She clenched her teeth and looked down at the sling tied to her arm. The smothering realization pressed on her chest. When the nausea hit, she flung the covers off and rushed to the bathroom, fighting to get to the toilet before her stomach heaved.

When the painful dry heaving stopped, she lay back on the cold tile floor, exhausted, and waited for the room to stop spinning. Her ragged breaths roared in her ears and seemed to echo in the quiet room. When her breathing slowed, the silence ebbed around her in waves, but when footsteps approached the bathroom door, she tensed again.

A bead of sweat dripped down her scalp and at the same time someone tapped at the door. Her pulse spiked and she fought like hell to remember who brought her home from the hospital. 

She closed her eyes. “Who’s there?” The waver in her voice pissed her off. Gawd—please don’t let me be pathetic in front of whoever this is.

A hesitant and completely unfamiliar man’s voice said, “Are you all right? Do you need something?”

Sarah sucked in a hard breath. “Um…” She exhaled slowly. “Who are you?”

“Mark Summors.”

She stiffened and tried to sit up. “Do I know you?” she asked her voice pitching.

“I can explain if you open the door.”

She steadied herself against the bathtub. The sling had slipped up her arm, exposing the trail of bruises. She swallowed another wave of nausea and tried to put the pieces together. Mark Summors? She glanced around for something to use as a weapon just in case, then she wanted to laugh—and cry. Who the hell was she kidding? She rolled her eyes. Good plan, Sarah, take on a strange guy with a toilet brush. 

“Can I come in?”  His voice was muffled as if he was resting his face against the door.

“Go ahead.” She clamped her mouth closed to suppress a shiver, then said, “It’s unlocked.”

The door eased open and a cup of water shot out at her.

“Oh, thank you,” she cried out, relieved to wash the disgusting film out of her mouth. She snatched the cup out of his hand and gulped it, letting her eyes lift above the rim to see his face.

 “Ah.” Sarah choked and inhaled the water. She set the cup down, almost upending it as she dropped it. “Oh my God!” She would never forget those intense blue eyes, just like she would never forget the smell of her attacker’s breath. They were all thrown together in the same horrifying memory.

Dana Mason started writing to prove to her computer geek husband and her math & science geek kids that she actually has a brain; it’s just a right functioning brain instead of a left. She’s lived all over the country and uses that experience in her writing and character studies. Her debut novel, Dangerous Embrace, is the first in a contemporary romance series about a group of friends from Northern California who learn just how short life can be when you don’t hold on to what’s important. Second chances don’t come easy…but sometimes love is worth the risk.

When not writing, Dana specializes in professional development and training. She’s also a board member on the local Art's Council and does what she can to support the art community.  

As an avid reader and movie watcher, she always requires a happily ever after ending.

IWSG: A Shoulder, a Hand, and a Word of Encouragement

It’s the first Wednesday of the month, time for

Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Supports Group

I’ve been participating in the IWSG for a year now, and, in that time, I think most of my posts have been complaints about one thing or another, usually about how discouraged I was feeling.  Yes, I know, that’s kind of what it’s for, but, besides being a place to vent insecurities, it’s also a place to support those writers who need it.  I just always seemed to be on the receiving end.  But not today.

Today, I’m here to tell you, you CAN do it.  I’m living proof.  And if I can do it, so can you.  For whatever reason, writers are incredibly insecure.  All we want is for others to read our words, and, for most of us, that means we want to publish those words, get them out into the world for all to see and, hopefully, love.  But with the industry in total upheaval, it seems quite daunting.  There are dues to pay, rules to follow, a platform to build, and a craft to learn and perfect. And to make it even harder, we have to get past those pesky gatekeepers, because…well, that’s the way it’s always been done.  Right? 

As my dear friend and fellow author, Jennifer Hillier once told me, there are many paths to publication.  Some of you have chosen the self-pub route.  I commend you on that move.  Contrary to what some might think, it’s not the easiest way, at least not if you want to actually sell your book to readers.  It takes endless hours of hard work to promote a book on your own.  I know I could never do it myself.  And it’s not just about not having the marketing expertise either.  I simply don’t have the drive.  Even if I hadn’t sold my novel, I know I never would have self-pubbed because it’s just so blasted difficult.  Kudos to those of you fearless enough to take on that brave new world.

If you’re more like me and, for whatever reason, only consider traditional publishing, take heart.  That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pursue the traditional path.  With the explosion of ebooks, and with traditional publishers—namely the Big 6—not really knowing how to forecast, let alone deal with what the future might bring, many small presses have popped up.

These independent publishers are focused and built on the very foundation of ebooks, as well as the old standards.  They’re start-ups with marketing and business plans developed around this new formula, with the ability to change with an industry in flux.  They aren’t dinosaurs trying to survive what they see as a world apocalypse.  And while the Big 6 and all their subsidiaries and imprints throw 99% of their marketing budgets behind 1% of their authors, the indies are not only willing to cast their money and reputation behind new talent, they thrive on it  

Most of these establishments understand that the old blueprint is not the only way to find this new talent.  They don’t rely solely on literary agents.  They know writers don’t always choose to seek representation, and that even if a writer hasn’t been able to land an agent, that doesn’t mean their work is not worthy of publication.  It just means many agents overlook talent while pandering to the T-Rex. 

I spent a few months seeking the Holy Grail, and while I only tapped the top of the well and had planned on digging deeper, I didn’t limit myself.  In addition to sixty or so agents, I chose to query one small press, which resulted in a deal.  Yeah, sure, I would love the validation that goes along with representation, but ultimately, publication was what I sought.  And I got that.  Without an agent.  It is possible.  In fact, I have several friends who’ve done the same recently.  I stand behind it so fiercely, I convinced another friend who seemed dead set against it to finally submit to my publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing.  Why the hell not?  His book is every bit good enough. 

So to all of you who feel ground under the heel of Godzilla and his minions, fear not.  Embrace change and snuggle deep into the bosom of revolution.  It’s your time.  You just need the ability and desire to break free from dogma of conformity.  The publishing industry is headed that way regardless.  Why not tag along for the ride?     

________

This is my last IWSG post before my debut novel, The Mistaken, launches on the 18^th.  After that, I might be seeking consolation for utter and total failure.  But I sure hope not!

BTW, if you were here on Monday, you know I’m out of town at my first writer’s conference.  Because of this, I probably won’t have time to make the rounds until I get back.  But thank you so very much for stopping by.  It’s the support of friends like you that has enabled me to make my dreams come true.

All Kinds of Wonderful!

Short post for me today.  Hey, did I just hear a cumulative sigh of relief?  Ha ha, no worries.  I’m swamped with all kinds of wonderful right now. 

On Wednesday, I leave for BoucherCon, my first-ever writer’s conference, though, to be honest, it’s way more than that.  It’s for anyone who loves mystery and crime fiction, fans and writers alike.  Even better, I get to see one of my besties, Jennifer Hillier.  Sadly, she moved from here in Seattle back to Toronto last December and I haven’t seen her since, so I’m excited beyond words!  Happy dance time!

But as incredible as that is—and it is incredible—something even bigger is planned.  I finally, FINALLY get to meet, in person, my pub-sister, my most valued critique partner, my email buddy, and my very best friend and confidant, Lisa Regan.  We’ve been CPs for over two years now.  Without fail, we email long-ass letters to each other twice a week, with lots of little ones and texts in between.  So, hell yeah, this is going to be EPIC!!!  Be prepared for lots of pictures when I return.

Also exciting, starting today, I’m a judge for the Small Press Pitch portion of Deana Barnhart’s Gearing Up to Get an Agent Blogfest or GUTGAA, as we lovingly call it.  How cool is that? 

And, of course, since I’ll be gone and it’s the beginning of the month, I have to compose a little sump’m sump’m for Alex J. Cavanaugh’s IWSG on Wednesday.  And with all this wonderfulness, I simply have nothing to complain about, so I plan on writing something a bit lighter than usual.

That said, I’m happy to be buried in edits—my new day job—which, I must say, I love, love LOVE!  In addition to all that, my debut novel, The Mistaken, launches in less than three weeks, along with my whirlwind blog tour, so while I’m drowning in promo, I’m lovin’ every minute of it!  This is me with my head ready to spin right off my body! 

What about you…have you ever found yourself drowning in pure euphoria?     

  

       

THE MISTAKEN Book Trailer!

I’m so thrilled to share my book trailer with you today.  I’ve wanted one for ages, but I’m so technologically challenged, I had no idea where to start. 

A few weeks ago, my dear friend, fellow author, and beloved SSP pub sister, Carrie Butler, revealed not only the spectacular book cover for STRENGTH, but the trailer, as well, which, in all honesty, absolutely blew me away!  

Carrie knew I desperately wanted one of my own, so she generously offered to put one together for me.  I gave her the script, the link to the soundtrack I’d found, and an idea of what I was looking for as far as the background video goes.  Carrie mashed it all up, tweaked it here and there, and…viola!  

I love it so much!  And I want to share it everywhere.  If any of my lovely followers has a spare day available on their blog and wouldn’t mind hosting me, I’d love to post it for all to see.  And you know I’ll pay it forward.  Just let me know if you’d like me to host your guest post or anything of the sort, and I’m so there for you.  Email me anytime.  My address is available here or in the Contact Me tab above. 

I hope you enjoy the trailer for THE MISTAKEN and find the story intriguing.  The book will be available 10.18.2012 from Sapphire Star Publishing.  You can add it to your Goodreads TBR list today!

The Genre Favorites Blogfest

Oh, I love a good blogfest, and today, Alex J. Cavanaugh is hosting a good one.

One blogfest, four favorites!

List your favorite genre of:

Movie

Music

Books

And a guilty pleasure genre from any of the three categories!

This should be easy.  First, in the movie category, my favorite genre is the action thriller!  But it has to be smart.  I’m not interested in dumbed-down macho action flicks.  I want films like Primal Fear, A Perfect Murder, Se7en, and Silence of the Lambs.

Music is a bit tougher as I like so many genres, but alternative rock is absolute my favorite.  This is a hazy category and includes elements of metal and grunge.  Think: Three Days Grace, Alice In Chains, Seether, Staind, and Smile Empty Soul.

Books are probably the easiest for me.  While I do read some YA, my favorite go-to genre is definitely the adult psychological thriller.  Think: Creep by Jennifer Hillier, Iron House by John Hart, Room by Emma Donoghue, and The Shining by Stephen King.

Okay, now for a guilty pleasure from any of these categories.  Hmm, this one is much harder.  I think I’ll go for films and the British romantic comedy.  Think: Sliding Doors, Love Actually, Nothing Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Shakespeare in Love. 

What are your favorites?

STRENGTH Cover Reveal!

Cover design by Carrie Butler

Photograph by Yuri Arcurs

When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, her rumor-laced notions are shattered. Handsome, considerate, and seemingly sane, Wallace Blake doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, screaming and banging on the walls of his dorm room. Hell, he doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, period.

Too curious for her own good, Rena vows to uncover the truth behind Wallace’s madman reputation—and how two seconds of contact had left her with bruises. Of course, there are a few minor setbacks along the way: guilt, admiration, feelings of the warm and fuzzy variety…

Not to mention the unwanted attention of Wallace's powerful, supernaturally-gifted family.

They’re a bloodline divided by opposing ideals, two soon-to-be warring factions that live in secret among us. When Rena ends up caught in their crossfire, Wallace has no choice but to save her by using his powers. Now they’re really in trouble. With war on the horizon and Rena’s life in the balance, he needs to put some distance between them. But Rena won’t let go. If fighting is what it takes to prove her own strength and keep Wallace in her life, then that’s what she’ll do—even if it means risking a whole lot more than her heart.

Where to find Carrie:

WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  SSP  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS  |  GOOGLE+ 

Where to find Strength:

BOOK PAGE  |  GOODREADS  |  FACEBOOK (New!)

I’m so damn proud and happy for my girl, Carrie.  Her book, Strength, is amazing.  I’ve read it, so I know.  Do yourself a big favor and add Strength to your to-be-read list today!

IWSG: Juiced Book Reviews

It's the first Wednesday of the month,

time for Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group

As writers, there’s probably nothing that makes us more insecure than bad reviews.  After all, public humiliation is torture when you’re working hard to cull a following and fan base.  As an author whose book is primed for release in a few short weeks, I worry endlessly, but I also know this business is hyper-subjective. 

As a reader, I’m exceptionally particular and put down far more books than I keep reading.  I know the same thing will happen to my book, that there will likely be many who dislike it for whatever reason.  I can’t exactly say I’m okay with that, yet, when I received my first 3-star rating this week on Goodreads, I was surprised by how little it stung.

Sure, part of it was because it was my first and all the others are 5 stars.  And part of it was because she only rated it.  I would have invested far more stock in her opinion if she, as a Goodreads librarian, had reviewed it, as well.  And although she does read widely, she still reads and rates primarily romance, which my book is not.  But still, I thought it would hurt a lot more than it did.

I’m not one of those authors who will rate my own work.  I find that a little…I don't know...narcissistic perhaps.  I was recently warned by a blogger friend that one of my Goodreads followers was a fellow writer who often slams other authors and their books on Goodreads and Amazon.  When I checked him out though, I deduced that he was probably just a disgruntled writer, jealous of others’ success.  So yeah, the source of the review matters to me.

Now we have this whole controversy of authors juicing their Amazon rankings with less-than-legitimate reviews.  The first I’d ever heard of anything along these lines was just a few weeks ago.  My friend and fellow author, Lisa Regan, asked my advice about an interview she was going to post on August 16^th with best-selling British thriller author, David Kessler.  While she was excited to go one-on-one with an author she admires and whose books she enjoys, she was also a bit concerned by the advice he was advocating to other authors: 

“Do not let anyone lecture you about ‘ethics’ and the integrity of reviews.  Get all your friends to review your books and if they are too lazy, write the reviews for them and get them to use their ID's to publish them. (Throw in a few four star reviews as well and maybe even a single three star review that is only mildly critical - and get all of them to vote that each others reviews are helpful).”

But this was not the last I heard on this topic. On August 25^th, NY Times columnist David Streitfeld published this article about Todd Rutherford and how he'd been contracted to write and publish over 4,500 counterfeit book reviews on his GettingBookReviews.com website, now defunct.  Then on the 28^th, Porter Anderson covered the controversy, as well, on agent Jane Friedman’s blog, exposing the fact that self-pub phenom, John Locke, had actually paid people to buy his books and write reviews.  And then again on Sunday morning, September 2^nd, author James Scott Bell posted about what the “Paid For Reviews Scandal Means for the Future” on The Kill Zone website and how “Andrew Shaffer compares these paid-for reviews to the doping scandal in sports.”

This whole debacle has left a bitter taste in my mouth.  While we authors dearly want success and for everyone who reads our books to love them and write glowing reviews, those desperate enough to commission spurious analyses serve only to contaminate and impair the very resource designed to assist them.  It creates mistrustful readers who will be much less likely to purchase based on posted reviews. 

Perhaps this behavior is in reaction to those folks who post equally-illegitimate bad reviews on books they’ve not even read.  But I think those reviews are transparent and that the average reader can see through the malicious nature in which it was composed. 

I, for one, believe my work should stand on its own merits and face whatever valid criticism arises, good or bad.  But even saying this, I can tell you, I rarely buy books based on reviews.  I read the jacket copy and perhaps the first page or chapter and decide from there whether it’s a good fit for me.

What about you…do you buy books based on customer ratings and reviews, and will this baring of the truth affect how you make your future book purchases?  

(Sorry for the atrocious length of this post, but I felt it was an important subject for the IWSG.)

The Next Best Thing

Since this Wednesday is set aside for the IWSG,

I thought I’d post a little light fluff for today.

I was tagged in The Next Best Thing!   How cool…thanks, Amy!  Okay, here goes…

What is the working title of your book?

The Mistaken

Where did the idea come from for the book?

From song lyrics—30 Seconds To Mars’ Hurricane.

What genre does your book fall under?

Adult psychological thriller

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

When I wrote the book, I had Andy Whitfield in mind for my male protag, Tyler Karras.  Alas, Andy has since passed from cancer, but I still can’t picture anyone else.  RIP Andy.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Vengeance tastes sweet the day Tyler Karras pledges his wife's killer to sex-traffickers in San Francisco's Russian Mafia, but when he mistakenly targets the wrong woman and jeopardizes the deal to secure his brother’s freedom, Tyler’s forced to protect them all from the very enemy he's unleashed. 

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be traditionally published by Sapphire Star Publishing and released on October 18^th.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Including the outline, 3 months.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Hurricane’s lyrics—“Tell me, would you kill to save a life?  Would you kill to prove you’re right?” made me wonder what could drive a decent man toward violence.  And from that, The Mistaken was borne.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

From my CP, Lisa Regan:  “The Mistaken’s protagonist goes on a pretty despicable downward spiral, and the reader is with him from high to low to high again.  The book questions how far decent human beings are willing to go in the name of revenge and how to put one’s life back together after horrible tragedy.  It asks questions about forgiveness, for others and ourselves once we’ve crossed the line.  The main characters aren’t police or military or special ops forces.  They’re just regular old people.” 

And tag, you're it!

Carrie Butler

Cassie Mae

Kelley Lynn

When One Door Closes, Another Opens

This is so not what I’d planned on posting about today, but something unexpected happened the other night. First, a little background:

Many of you know I’m an interior designer by trade. I’ve run my own business in the field of model home merchandising since 1997. But in 2007, the economy, and home-building in particular, took a major nose-dive. Since then, I haven’t been working much in my field. The first 2 years off, I cooked and baked a lot. Then in 2010, I started writing. Since then, I’ve spent every moment possible honing my craft and becoming as skilled a writer as possible.

Some I've learned from books and blogs, but mostly from reading and critiquing other manuscripts. I believe critiquing to be the single best way to improve one's craft.

I take it very seriously. I’m brutally honest, kind, fair, constructive, and very thorough. Unless asked otherwise, I’ll edit down to the very last period—for grammar, content, characterization, plot, setting, dialogue, you name it. If it doesn’t work for me, I’ll explain why and give examples on how to fix it.

Critiquing has brought me great friendship, too.  Lisa Regan, Carrie Butler, Jeff O'Handley, all good friends and skilled critique partners.  Working with them and my many other partners ensured my manuscript was clean, layered, and rich.  It also had a significant impact on my writing style. 

Well, out of the blue last month, my publisher asked me to critique a 75,000 word manuscript.  I found this request quite complimentary; they expressed considerable faith in my ability.  I completed the critique with nearly 1,100 comments.  Afterwards, I was told I had a “natural eye for editing.”  They suggested I consider freelance editing, and, after going back and forth a bit, my publisher offered me a contract.  Can you believe it?

  

I am now a freelance editor!

How cool is that?

I’ve often heard, when one door closes, another opens. Well, I believe it. A new opportunity has arisen, just when I needed it most. Can you imagine, getting paid to read? Okay, so it’s a lot more than that. A LOT MORE! But still, it’s reading. And to be honest, I can’t simply read for pleasure anymore anyway. No matter whose book or how well written, I cannot turn off that inner editor.

I'm grateful; my publisher is willing to work around my writing schedule so that I may finish my second novel, a sequel to The Mistaken. After all, that’s what’s most important to me. But making a little something on the side doing what I love most is a pretty cool gig.

Don’t you think?

"Forged by Greed" Cover Reveal!

Cover art by

Jeannie Ruesch at Will Design for Chocolate

Their choice had been taken away long before they were born.

__________

Two Seattle 16-year-old Shape Shifters, Jatred and Jasmira, are torn between following their hearts and protecting the order of the world.

The ancient Shape Shifter Races—the Winter wolves and the Summer leopards—exist on Earth, living among humans and perfectly fitting into modern life. Their secret societies are organized, each united by their own laws and traditions.

Two Goddesses, Crystal and Amber, command their respective Races. One is on a quest to tilt the scale of power to her side. The other will never let it happen, even if it means sacrificing Jatred and Jasmira’s love.

The Amulet commissioned to bring stability into the world remains hidden and concealed with the help of advanced technology. Jatred is the guardian of the Amulet and key to the Goddesses’ conflict.

The forces of nature are disrupted. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions rake the world. The Goddesses go to war and summon all their Shifters to join in the conflict. Jatred and Jasmira fight not only for their star-crossed love but to protect the future of both races and humankind.

__________

Excerpt

The wolf stood under the trees, several yards from the fence. His eyes were fixed on the stone statues. He growled and took a few slow steps back. Then he sprang forward and ran full speed toward the gate. His upper lip drew back, showing sharp, long canines. He jumped over the spikes of the fence, his belly inches away from the pointed iron finials. The wolf landed on the other side and left large paw prints on the freshly mowed grass. He lost his balance but regained it momentarily.

He heard her footsteps even before he heard her voice.

“Jatred!” From the house Jasmira ran toward him. Her long curly hair billowed behind her. “J, you made it. You made it.”

The wolf whimpered and trotted forward to meet her. Without slowing down, she threw herself onto him. Her hands grabbed his thick fur. His body was massive, and Jasmira looked like a child hugging an uncommonly large dog. The air around them pulsed and shivered. Jatred shifted into his human form and fell onto his back. Jasmira sprawled on top of him. Holding his face in her hands, she kissed him. His face broke into a broad smile.

__________

Forged by Greed will be released on September 20, 2012. The second book in the series (untitled) is scheduled for publication in summer 2013.

Angela Orlowski-Peart was born and raised in Poland. She describes herself as European born, American by choice. She was just seven-years-old when she decided to learn English to translate her favorite Polish fairytales. 

Angela is a Young Adult and Adult fiction writer. She completed her first YA paranormal romance novel, Forged by Greed, which is scheduled for publication on September 20, 2012. This is the first book in The Forged Series. Angela writes in multiple genres, including paranormal, fantasy, urban fiction, sci-fi, and short stories. She is a member of the Society of the Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Western Washington Chapter, and several authors’ and readers’ networking groups on Linkedin and Goodreads.

Angela loves reading good books almost as much as writing them. She can’t decide which is her favorite season—summer or fall. She speaks with Polish accent, but loves listening to the Southern drawl. 

She is passionate about watercolor painting, fashion—especially stilettos, rock climbing, environment, and organic food and gardening. She lives in the Seattle area with her husband, two children, and a very independent and chronically curious cat.

Angela can be found on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and Goodreads

Visit Angela on her website and on her Goodreads author page to read more excerpts from Forged by Greed and to learn about upcoming giveaways and other events. Add Forged by Greed to your To-Be-Read list on Goodreads. Check back on September 20th for the buy links and the book blog tours information.

Y'all Come Back Tomorrow Now, Ya Hear!

I know this is my regular day to post, but I'm still away in Arizona, getting my son settled in at ASU.  

Please come back tomorrow for Angela Orlowski-Peart's

big cover reveal for her YA paranormal novel,

"Forged by Greed"

Until then...

Moving (check), Launch tour (check), Blogfest (check)...OYVEY!

This is not my normal Monday blog post, but there’s good reason for that.  This Friday, I will be flying my son down from Seattle to Arizona State University near Phoenix, and on Sunday, we’ll move him into his residence hall.  Yes, after 2 years of researching schools, college fairs and tours, applications, and essays, it’s all come down to this.  

May I say how stressed out I am, especially since I have to do it alone,

without my husband’s help?

 

Yeah. Super-über mondo-stressed.

Mind you, ASU is the largest public university in the entire US.  That’s nearly 70,000 students, most of whom attend the beautiful one-square-mile Tempe campus, where my son will be living.  So far, we’ve UPS’d one huge box down to his hall, at great cost, too.  The rest will be packed and fly with us. Thank God Southwest Airlines doesn’t charge for checked bags!  Needless to say, I’ve been a busy mama.  So while I don’t have the time to dwell over a thoughtful blog post, I do have time for a few announcements.  

First, my dear friend, Jennifer Hillier, has just released her second novel, Freak.  Though it stands alone on its own merits, it’s also a sequel to her debut novel, Creep, which came out last summer.  (I loved that book, by the way!)  I ordered a hard copy of Freak so Jenny can sign it when I see her at BoucherCon 2012 in October.  I was excited enough just to get my copy, but then I opened it up and saw that she had mentioned me in her acknowledgements.  Yes, more than a few tears sprang to my eyes.  Thank you, Jenny!

Second, after receiving another update from Goodreads, where I noticed one more add to another reader’s TBR list (thank you Lynda R. Young,) I saw that Lisa Regan had updated her review of my book, The Mistaken.  This update has a lot of depth and detail and is not simply a rehashed synopsis.  She shares what she loved most about my story and what she feels makes it special.  My humble thanks, Ms.Regan!  

Next, with my book’s release a short 2 months away, I’m frantically getting ready for my blog tour.  Besides the one arranged by Sapphire Star Publishing, (who, by the way, has a shiny new website) I have my own tour looming ahead.  That’s 15 guest posts and interviews I have to compose.  I’ve already written 10 of them, but I have 5 new additions that came up last week.  (Thanks to those of you who asked me to guest post.)  So yeah, I’m a bit swamped at the moment. 

I did, however, want to mention a couple of other events coming up, like Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Genre Favorites Blogfest on September 17, 2012.  One blogfest, four favorites!  Simply list your favorite genre of:  movie, music, books, and a guilty pleasure genre from any of the three categories!  Alex hosts the best parties, so if you want to participate and meet new people, click here for the latest info.  

Also, on Tuesday, August 21^st, my friend, neighbor, and fellow writer, Angela Orlowski-Peart, will reveal the cover for her new YA paranormal novel, Forged By Greed, set for release in September.  Angela will be my guest that day while we celebrate this important event.

And lastly, I’d like to thank Karen Elizabeth Brown for nominating me for the Liebster Award.  Though I’ve done this award before, it could use some updating, so I’ll try to post about it sometime in the near future. 

Whew!  Can I take a breath now?

Oh yeah, right…I have to go finish packing.

*sigh*

So what have you all been up to this summer?

How Do You Measure Your Own Success?

Last week, in response to my post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, many commenters spoke of how a writer’s focus often changes once he or she is agented, signs a book deal, and/or gets published.  It only makes sense that this would happen.  Just as our dreams and careers are not static, neither should our blogs remain fixed. 

The purpose to my blog was to chronicle my journey toward publication.  In the beginning, though I had a book, I had no idea if it was saleable or if I could even consider myself an actual writer.  I met others along the way who were exactly where I was on the journey and many others who were farther along—agented and hoping beyond all hope for a publishing contract.  And still others who had their contract or were even already published. 

I enjoy reading each writer’s contribution, studying their progress, and partaking of their generous advice and experience.  I’ve never felt any jealousy but rather a sense of encouragement that it is all, in fact, possible somehow, if I just work hard enough.  But even having said that, there has to be some measurement of success along the way, some way that we, in our own right, encourage ourselves to continue, to not give up. 

For each of us, I imagine, it’s quite different.  I know when I started blogging, I was excited if one person read and commented on my posts.  Then it became all about the number of followers I had and how many I was adding each month.  After my numbers increased, I measured my success by the number of comments I had for each post.  I still do both of these to some extent, but I’ve become less obsessed with the overall numbers.

In the past few months, it’s been more about my book and who’s added it to their Goodreads TBR pile, but that seems rather shortsighted of me.  Now, all I can think about—the one true way in which I can gauge my own success—is by my writing.  That means I have to write another book. 

Over the last two-plus years, I’ve often wondered if this whole experience is not just some kind of fluke.  I’ve asked myself if I could ever duplicate it, if I could ever do it again.  So that’s how I’ll be calculating my success now.  Can I do it again?  Can I plot and write another novel worth publishing? 

I have my doubts.  Serious ones, too.  I’m working on another story, a sequel to The Mistaken.  In fact, I was flying along in the outline phase until my edits came in from my publisher for the first book.  Then I came to a screeching halt.  Afterwards, one of my dogs died and the other got very sick.  I know once my son goes off to college out-of-state in a little less than two weeks, I’ll have all the time in the world to focus on my new WIP and move it along again.  Still, there’s that part of me that thinks I’ll never be able to do it again.  But I’ve always been of the mind that if I did it once, I can do it again.  God, I sure hope so.

So what about you—how do you measure your own success?    

            

IWSG - Fear of Losing Friendships

It’s the first Wednesday of the month.

Time for Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group!

All things considered, I’ve been fortunate on my journey toward publication.  I know this, and I’m grateful.  Very grateful.  But just because I managed to snag a contract doesn’t mean everything is always roses and sunshine.  There’s still a lot to worry about. 

Will my launch go smoothly?  Will anyone participate or even care about my blog tour?  And the big one, of course, will anyone buy my book?  Oh yeah, an even bigger one…if they do buy it, will they like it?  My long fingernails are pretty much a thing of the past now, chewed down to the nub, bleeding and ragged.  But you know, I’ve done all I can.  I can only hope and pray for the best.

But still, there is one thing that concerns me.  When I finished the first draft of my manuscript, I built myself a platform and started this blog.  Most of you have been there and done that. You know how hard it is to start up, build a following, cull new friendships and relationships.  I certainly didn’t go into it expecting all that, yet that’s exactly what I got.  And I can’t tell you how thrilled I am by that.  All the new friendships have enriched my life in ways I can’t even begin to explain.  But I can say, it’s all good.  And I don’t want to lose it, any of it.  That’s one of my greatest fears now, my big insecurity.

You see, I’ve noticed a trend in the blogosphere.  Certainly not always, but often enough to be worrisome, once a blogging writer gets their contract and publishes, their readership begins to fall away, their comments diminish.  I imagine it’s because the author has less time to traipse about all the blogs and comment.  I hope that’s the reason, but I don’t intend to find out. 

I will always dedicate a day a two every week to ramble, read, and remark.  What good is my platform if no one is standing around to listen?  All that work, the time spent writing and roaming, down the drain, and just when I need it the most, too.  It’s counterintuitive. 

But as much sense as that makes—to keep up my end of the blogging bargain—I’ve heard from several author friends about how they’ve lost not just followers, but real, true friends—or who they thought were friends anyway—to envy and jealousy.  I can’t imagine any of my friends or followers succumbing to that.  My path has hardly been traditional, and we’re not competing against each other anyway. 

But still, it happens.  I’ve seen it.  And it scares me. 

Just as I’ve learned so much from those who’ve come before me, perhaps I can teach a small thing or two to those who come after.  It’s part of paying it forward.  I just hope there’s still a few around to pay it forward to.