Stroking the fragile Author’s ego.

28 Feb

In all the time I’ve been pursuing my writing career one thing I’ve noticed is that most authors have fragile egos. Is it any wonder when every single time we put something out there we’re leaving ourselves open for rejection. Whether it be from a CP or an editor every single time someone picks up our work we run the risk of them not liking it. Of course we argue that it’s just one person’s opinion and this is true but it doesn’t stop us from chewing are nails and sweating bullets until the verdict is in. Now you would think once that book hits the shelves we’ve got nothing to worry about, right?

WRONG!!!

I’ve found the reading world is often the harshest of critics. OMG! Can they be rough. It’s no different than an editor not liking something really but for some reason a rejection from a reader holds far more weight than any rejection from an editor I’ve ever received. But for every reader who doesn’t like a story and says so, there is another who does like it. In fact there’s often more in favor than against and yet for some reason an author often takes on that rejection, lives it and breathes it, with far more enthusiasm. They cut and slice and we bleed but for some reason we continue on. Everyone has a different way of coping with rejection. Some like to wallow in it, others like to burn it with a flame thrower and others shrug it off and take the next step without giving it much time at all. But I’ve discovered a new way to deal with rejection.

I’ve started a folder of “likes”, kinda like the ones I get on my Facebook page, and every SINGLE time I get a rejection I yank the folder from under my desk and flick through all the “likes”. I’ve got acceptance letters, fan mail and reviews in there. All in black and white where my eyes can soak them up and try to convince my brain that I’m not wasting my time like the rejection suggests. So far it’s working. Sure a rejection still stings but I can look it in a different way to when I first started sending out my work. Now I look at it as a detour or a wrong turn. I just need to get back on that other road where the goal is clear and the crowd is cheering me on.

Rhian Cahill

www.rhiancahill.com

Sex + Magick = AWESOME!

26 Feb potter banner

Like Vivian said to Edward in Pretty Woman, “I want it all. I want the fairy tale…”

Why is it that the “Fantasys” ALWAYS cater to the kids? I understand the PG rating for movies and all but c’mon, tell the truth… don’t you wish you could get a special screening of the X-rated versions?

When you watched Lord of the Rings didn’t you wonder what Legolis could do in the sack with all of those “elfin” powers? Continue reading →

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It’s Not Me, It’s You

25 Feb

My name is Sasha, and if necessary I will break up with your series. Though I want it to have all the noise and fireworks of a sporting event, it will turn out more like this:

Complete with that facial expression. That’s my mad face

When I was younger, the very thought of quitting a series gave me hives. I figured I would read Baby Sitter’s Club and The Box Car Children until the author died (I was sure I would out live her) and had read them all.  It never occurred to me that there would be deal breakers and I would have to walk.

Now I know my hot buttons:

If all the books are essentially the same, just with different h/h names.

If there’s a tortured character that I’m totally invested in, but the author just keeps throwing random books in that in no way further the series story arc.

If the story arc involves a BIG BAD and there is never any sort of ground gained by the good guys (I LIVE for comeuppance)

And if characters start acting out of character. This is the most disheartening. While I’m willing to put up with disappointing books or a twist that upsets me, a character who is suddenly polar opposite (with NO explanation) will make me jump ship faster than anything else.

I’m working on series/trilogy this year and I want to make sure people stick with me.  I don’t want the break up speech.

What makes you abandon a series, or will you read until the bitter end?

________________________________________________________

Sasha

Who promises not to break up with YOU. Yeah, I’m talking about you, foxy lady! If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin

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Tax Season. OY

24 Feb

Well it’s that time of year again. Taxes. OY. Every year I tell myself I am going to be more organized and every year I’m scrounging around in files, folders and baskets for all my receipts. It’s time consuming but being a pack rat does have a few benefits at least I’ve kept the receipts it’s just a matter of finding m. LOL  So since I’m thinking about taxes I thought I would share some cartoons. So here you go.

 

Ahh taxes. LOL

 

~Lauren

http://www.laurenfraser.com

 

10 things…

23 Feb

you didn’t know about Sheet Music:

10) I began Sheet Music while in college after worming my way into a backstage pass at a Peter Gabriel concert. (No, David Tallis is in no way based on Gabriel.)

9) It took me 15 years to get around to finishing the version of the story that became this book. What can I say? I’m a slow learner!

8) My now ex-husband originally turned me on to Ellora’s Cave (who ultimately published the novel) in 2002, shortly after they arrived on the publishing scene. I didn’t submit a query to them until December of 2009. Again, I’m slow.

7) Of all my heroes, I trust David Tallis the least (the scoundrel), but would sleep with him first. The man has MAD skills!

6) I didn’t picture writing a sequel to the book until a crit partner mentioned having the hots for David’s ex MI-5 security specialist, Gunter Faust. (Undercover Lover is coming soon from Ellora’s Cave!)

5) The book is my third novel, but my first accepted for publication.

4) While the plot resembles nothing of Notting Hill, several readers have commented on the similarity in “feel” between Sheet Music and the movie. Notting Hill is, in fact, my favorite movie, and I never mentioned anything of the sort. Eerie.

3) I interviewed several male friends in order to be able to vividly write the steamy love scenes that occur from David’s point of view. I’m amazed their wives still allow them to speak to me.

2) David is the only character I’ve written who has openly argued with me as I wrote, trying to direct and control every aspect of his story. Arrogant man.

1) I fully intend to have a drink at the Ritz Rivoli bar the next time I’m in London. A delusional little corner of my mind expects David to ravish me in his hotel suite afterward. Hey, a gal can dream!

Organizing, How I Love Thee

22 Feb

So, I’m not a great housekeeper. I’m just not. I forget to clean things regularly, and generally only clean them when I can tell they need it. Like dusting. I don’t dust unless I’m sneezing a lot, or if I touch something and my finger comes back white. Then I think to myself “huh. Time to do that again.”

But organizing? I love it. I love labels and sorting and discarding and rearranging. So when Hubs took Tot out of town for 5 days, it was my chance to bust a MOVE on some projects I’d wanted to do!

Like the linen closet…

 

And the freezer…

 

And several more projects. But those were a few that I have photographic evidence of. It’s therapeutic, seriously, to just go through and take something apart and put it back together in a more enjoyable fashion!

I might be a nerd, but I’m okay with that! So, use this as your inspiration to start planning your Spring Cleaning, and go organize something!

KJ

Writer Basics: The Hook and The Line

19 Feb

No matter what technological changes occur in the publishing industry, good writing is still what an editor needs to see and what makes a reader choose to pick up another book by that same author. A veteran editor once told me she usually made a decision about a manuscript’s marketability by page 3, but a great hook could get her to hang in there for the whole first chapter.

I am very proud of the fact that one of my hooks made its way into several seminars and at least one how-to-write book that I know of. The following is the first line of my steamy revenge thriller, PRETTY MAIDS IN A ROW –

“Mizz Wallace, did you, or did you not, willingly take Senator Ziegler’s penis into your mouth on more than one occasion?”

* * * *

Of course, the real trick is to get that editor to keep on reading beyond the end of Chapter One. This is where The Line (or two) comes in. Basically it’s a hook at the end of a chapter to ensure the reader keeps turning those pages.

Here are a few of the chapter endings, in no particular order, from the same book –

* * * *  Stretching luxuriously, she felt Jerry stir beside her. As she did first thing every morning, she reached for her glasses and switched on the lamp. Holly turned back to wake her future husband with a kiss, and froze.

The dark-haired man lying naked in her bed was a complete stranger.

* * * * A week ago, she had never even heard of the Little Sister Society. Now, a group of virtual strangers could connect her to a violent murder.

* * * * “You see?” He whispered the words against her mouth. “I can be nice. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

She raised her lashes and met his gaze. They both knew just how wrong he was.

* * * *  There was no turning back now. She would be David Wells’ mistress…and he would be her instrument of revenge.

* * * *  David saw Butch’s bullet-ridden body as he stepped over the threshold. But he also glimpsed two agents pressed flat against the walls on each side of him.

“Shit!” was the last thought he had before all hell broke loose.

* * * *  If it was the last thing he did, he would make Wells regret the day he tried to steal Philip Sinkiewicz’s woman.

* * * *  Philip kissed the top of her head. “You’re all I have, honey. I’d do anything for you.”

 So, fellow writers and readers, what are some of your favorite hooks and lines?

 And by the way, if I’ve tempted anyone into reading the rest of PRETTY MAIDS IN A ROW, thank you for the support - Buy Link

 Happy creating,

Marilyn Campbell, www.marilyncampbell.com

facebook: AuthorMarilynCampbell; twitter: marilyncampbel3

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