Writing aspirations

When I mentioned that I was attending a writers' conference to a coworker (who is clearly no wordsmith, judging from the time we labor on her simple email responses), she first asked me "Do you mean riding or writing?" along with the proper horsey and writey motions.

One glance at me would reveal what a stupid question this is. Renee is not a person who has ever been within riding distance of a horse and plans to keep it that way.

And then the second question was "Do you have aspirations we need to know about?" I suppose that means aspirations which would mean chucking all my belongings into the nearest box or bag, scribbling "Take the job and shove it" on an available scrap, and marching in a dramatic, impressive, and satisfying exit. The short answer: Uh, no.

I don't aim that high. I do daydream about it, but live firmly in the reality of working a day job to cover the bills. My aspirations do include publishing. I want success and some money would be fabulous as well. After a few unkind words about an older romance and women's fiction writer who has had an amazingly successful career and made it a policy to give back, she reached the end of her conversation. My answer was that many writers would kill to have said writer's career. Who wouldn't enjoy being able to support herself doing what she loves?

Clearly, this is not a reader. And she has no concept of why anyone would sit down and write a book. I run into that alot and that's without saying that I write romance. I've been witness to the "romance is smut" sneer more than once within the rarified circles of literary fiction writers at these local conferences. I did once see a nice little lady poet whispering with a scandalized friend when two erotica writers showed up with their books covered in shirtless in cowboys. I still laugh about it. Some people just don't get it, can't understand why romance works, why people want to spend their time writing happily ever after.

I don't understand why we can't just agree to disagree. I don't understand people who...judge books by their covers. I mean, I wonder how much the literary group knows about romance (or mystery or science fiction or...any of these genres that readers, real readers, devour).

Currently, my aspirations are earth bound: I want to finish my fourth complete manuscript. I'm going to do it, too. Then I'll take aim at something else. Yes, I have aspirations.

The Suburban Frontier

I've decided that I live on the edge, the gray area, the restricted zone between neatly pressed suburbia and backwoodsy country. As the sirens are going off, I'm driving down a shortcut to reach my house and notice 4 or 5 people standing at the edges of their driveways, looking up at the sky and probably listening for the freight train tornado sound.

And then I passed an actual, live, clucking, befeathered chicken on the side of the road.

I turned the corner, drove a couple hundred feet, and turned into my subdivision. The streets here are deserted, no neighbors, no chickens, just closed garage doors and neat lawns as far as the eye can see. Somewhere, I drove over the imaginary border between here and there. I wish it were visible. I would spend more time thinking about the crossing over if that chicken were the gatekeeper at the border checkpoint.

As it is, I've spent some time thinking about how it feels to be within spitting distance of chickens and storm chasers. I've decided to rename my subdivision the Suburban Frontier. It brings to mind the image of tumbleweeds of grass clippings and peaceful streets enforced by the white hats of the homeowner's association.

No Rapture, no words either

Spent most of today at a local writers' conference. I've been looking forward to spending a little time with people who like to write. Some of them are multi-published, some are actively pursuing publication, and a few are dabblers who like to talk and dream. I'm in the middle category and I usually like to spend time with writers in all stages of the game, but there are those, the "experts" who tend to set my teeth on edge. Don't get me wrong: I go to these things to learn from people who've gone before. What gets me is the lecturer who pats herself on the back and chortles over inside jokes and she's the only one inside. I don't care for that. I looked around the room at rapt faces and figured I was the only one with a sour grapes internal monologue going, but that didn't really change my opinion. Also, why, why, why must we put down one genre to elevate another? I guess it's just nice to feel better than.

Note to self: if you ever make it out of rehearsal and into the show, try not to be a know-it-all pain-in-the-a to the people who come to you rfor advice, 'mkay? I suspect it will be a battle but I think I'm up to it.

Revise and Resubmit

As a beginner, I love to have the opportunity to revise and resubmit. I've been lucky enough to submit to two different editors who have given me feedback to strengthen my story. The first was a novella and I got a rejection after I resubmitted but it came along with a very nice encouragement from the editor and an invitation to submit future stories directly to her. That's wonderful! And then I sent it out again to New Concepts. They'll be publishing it.

On my first full length story, I sent it to a larger publisher and got back a form letter rejection. This and another similar incident have made me think less of the editor. Form letters are easy, right? I'm sure with the stack of submissions that must come in that it's difficult to give a rejection anything extra, but a single, pointed sentence would have made a difference. So I sent that story to another publisher and got an invitation to revise and resubmit. Feedback helps. Positive feedback mentioning the things that she liked? Priceless.

I threw in the towel and sent off the resubmit after adding 12,000 words. I don't think I'm hoping for acceptance but anything that keeps me growing along this path is appreciated.

Review: When You Dare by Lori Foster

Some writers are automatic purchases for me. I mentioned Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle eariler. Another is Lori Foster. She's been an automatic for me since Too Much Temptation (which you really must read if you haven't read it. I have it. It's a keeper.) many, many books ago.

I downloaded When You Dare as soon as it became available and never have I been more thankful for the color capabilities of my Nook than with this cover. It's truly a work of yummy art, right? That chest is perfection.

And as for the book, Foster does again here what I enjoy so much: she makes good heroes. Dare is tough, capable, deadly, and honorable. His tenderness shows in a concern for women, his friendships, and devotion to his dogs. And I'm sure it's the last that pitched me head first into love with Dare. Add to that total hotness and you have romance hero perfection.

I also enjoy Foster's average-girl heroines. Molly seems a little less average than others but is still very much girl-next-door in the face of Dare's over the top abilities. She comes across as a little vulnerable but still capable.

The action's good, and I enjoyed Chris and the dogs. Oh, and the sexual tension is seriously good in this one. I would definitely recommend it.

Also, if you are fan of very fine manly chests, check out the trailer for the book. Two words: hubba hubba.

Art Questionnaire

So did you know about this? In addition to the blurbs and bio, I got an art questionnaire from New Concepts Publishing with questions to help the artist create the cover. I had no idea! How much fun! Of course, I was born without a diva bone so I'm probably going to be happy with what I get this first time around. It was still a lot of fun to talk about Emily and Derek, how they met, how they dressed, where they live. I had to reread the story and was so happy that I still enjoyed it.

The toughest part of the process: favorite covers. I do, in fact, often judge a book by it's cover. You do, too. It's totally okay when it's actual books we're talking about. Because this is interracial and a little humorous (they all will be because those are the kinds of books I like to read most...the humor, not the interracial, although I do like those too), I want it to be light and clear and have people on the cover. I had to pick favorites. Do you have favorite covers? I don't really but I did recall some I really liked.

This one's from a Carina title. I liked that you get the idea that it's romance from the clinch which is sweet and sexy at the same time. You see the people, get an idea of who they are, and it's clear and bright. What do you think? What do you like to see?

And I also had to pick covers without people on them. I like a lot of those too and they could work for this story, but I always think it's a better idea for people how have a name to use this. I'm going to buy every Lori Foster book. Her name should definitely be much larger than the title and take the top spot. I don't know that this works for newbies, though.

Still, a cover with my name and everything will be cool. I can't wait to see it!

Scary but exciting

So I got this in an email. I had to read it several times before I understood that it was an acceptance, not a revise and resubmit email. I've gotten a few of those, one on this novella-length story already that turned into a "No for now, but keep us in mind for future submissions" response. This time, the response read:

I really enjoyed your story and thought you brought the
characters to life. I'd be delighted to publish this on our site.

So, I'm going to have my first story published with New Concepts Publishing. After a very short victory lap because it's a short story and I don't run if I can help it, I read the rest of the email. Blurb? Gulp. Mini blurb? Okay, if I finish the first I can probably get the second. Bio? Oh, man. I really should have been thinking this through long before the accpetance. I mean...I've had PLENTY of time to get all this straightened out, you know?

Setting aside revising for another story to ponder what my bio might say...

Yay!!! It's a good problem to have!