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2005 - 2006 Sandbox Archives November 2006 - Roxanne St. Claire & Susan Litman September 2006 - Lori Handeland June 2006 - Stephanie Bond & Paula Graves March 2006 - Meet the Mavens Part II February 2006 - Meet the Mavens Part I January 2006 - Kelley St. John December 2005 - Shelley Visconte, LPC, LMFT November 2006 - Roxanne St. Claire Roxanne St. Claire, known to her friends as Rocki, is a best-selling author of romantic suspense, short contemporary romance and chick lit novels. Her books have won numerous industry awards and have also been nominated for the RITA Award and the National Readers Choice Award. Roxanne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Market Communications from UCLA and prior to launching a full-time career as a novelist, she worked as a television actress and news reporter, appearing in Bosom Buddies and Laverne & Shirley. She then launched a career in public relations and marketing, including seven years as a Senior Vice President for Hill & Knowlton, one of the world’s largest communications firms. For most of the 1990’s, Roxanne ran a successful marketing consulting business. Her clients included Burger King Corporation, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and several prominent politicians and celebrities. Roxanne joined RWA in 2000, held a board position in her local chapter and is currently active in three chapters in her home state of Florida. In 2006, she is serving as the Chairperson for the RWA Image Committee, responsible for generating programs designed to improve the public image of romance fiction. She currently resides on the Space Coast of Florida with her husband and children. You can see more about her at her website, www.roxannestclaire.com. Playground Monitor: It may sound hackneyed, but everyone always wants to know about “The Call.” So please tell us about yours. Roxanne St. Claire: There is nothing hackneyed about the moment that your dreams come true. My “call” came on January 28, 2002 at 3:28 in the afternoon. The phone rang and I happened to be in the family room with my husband, folding laundry. I answered and my agent said, “Rocki, are you sitting down?” I dropped his boxers (the ones I was folding, you dirty girl!) and gave my husband the thumbs up. My very my first thought – my VERY first thought – was: Okay, I’ve sold one. What’s next? And that, my friends, is a snapshot of my personality. J I was thrilled, delighted, over the moon. But I also knew it was the very, very beginning of what I hoped would be a long career. And, secretly, I prayed that I could make enough money to pay someone else to fold my laundry. PM: Writing isn’t your first career. You did some acting and then spent years in public relations, both with a large agency and then running your own business. What, if anything, did you bring from your previous careers to your career as a writer? Rocki: Acting and PR, as far as I’m concerned, are the PERFECT prep careers for being a romance writer. I use the acting background every single day. Every line of dialogue, every movement (staging), every scene I write taps into my experience as a stage and television actress. Of course, the public relations experience has helped me navigate the muddy waters of self-promotion, branding and marketing. It also gave me some skills that you might not realize are very helpful to a writer: 1) I take editing very well because my clients were always ripping apart the speeches, press releases and annual reports I wrote; 2) I learned how to write on deadline; and 3) I learned how to take something inherently DULL (like research) and make it newsworthy (like fiction). Honestly, if you can make someone want to read the International Rectifier annual report, you can make them want to read anything. PM: You write both single title and category romance. And you broke into writing in single title. Tell us a little about the pros and cons of multi-genre writing. Do you have any advice for writers wanting to write in several genres? Rocki: I love writing in multiple genres because I get bored with one thing rather quickly. When I start a new book and it is in a completely different subgenre than the one I just finished, I’m jazzed in a wholly different way. The plotting process is different, the storytelling process is different, the scene structure, character development and pacing are different. The pros are clear: variety in writing, additional income, broader reach to more readers, and the security of working for more than one publishing house. The con is simply the struggle to balance life and a writing schedule. Too often, life gets dropped. I did sell a single title first, but way back then (2002/2003) publishers only wanted to put out one book a year, and I write faster than that. I added category to my career to augment my income and readership. The fact that I love writing it was an unexpected side benefits. PM: What is your favorite part of your job? Least favorite? Rocki: My absolute number one favorite part of my job: writing two words, six letters, one time: THE END. I love to finish a book. I have done it eighteen times (once this week), and each ending is sweet, satisfying, and joyous. I absolutely love the power and thrill and major-league gratification that comes with finishing a book. I always call someone in to witness the writing of “The End.” Usually that someone is four foot nine, and she says, “Yeah, cool, mom. Can I have a snack?” My least favorite part of my job usually comes about three days later. I hate, despise, loathe, fear and abhor the day I write two words, ten letters, one time: CHAPTER ONE. The beginning of a new manuscript is so scary, so dangerous, so fraught with problems and darkness and uncertainty. I don’t know these people. I don’t know this story. I don’t have a clue how I will get to the end – all I see is one big, black, ugly hole and I’m headed in, all alone. God help me reach The End. PM: Your books have revolved around a variety of ideas. There’s always a “story behind the story” so what’s the SBTS for the book about a NASCAR driver? A book written in emails and IMs? A museum curator and stolen art treasures? A cruise ship? Rocki: Yes, there is a “story” behind every book and every character. I wrote my first NASCAR book (long, long, long before it was hot, cool or otherwise) because I was watching the Indy 500 (not even NASCAR, to be honest) with my husband one Sunday in 2000 and he said, “You should write about a race car driver.” Then he said (I swear this is true): “But write about NASCAR. It’s going to be huge.” That man is smart. I wrote the all email book (HIT REPLY) because a friend of mine confessed that she was having a hot and illicit email relationship with a guy she loved in high school. Not long after the e-ffair got very serious, my friend was diagnosed with Hodgkins and the email boyfriend dumped her (literally disappeared off the face of the internet). She told me she’d said the three worst words you can tell a man. I love you? No. I have cancer. The book was born that moment. My first novel was lifted from the tragedy of a the real event of a cruise ship that sunk in a hurricane, losing thirty-one crewmen who’d stayed on board to navigate it to safety. I had been part of the damage control team hired to assist the cruise line with the horrendous public relations after the incident. The experience rocked me, and I turned it into a book. All books have stories because my ideas come from EVERYWHERE. From my life, from TV, from newspaper, from friends, from my fears and my dreams and my children and my past. There is a SBTS for every single one. But the BEST story is the one between the covers – it might be fiction, but I promise, it’s way more fun than real life. PM: Everyone loves the alpha male and your books have alpha to the max. Tell us your ideas on him. And who’s your favorite hero in all your books? Rocki: I love big, bad, tough, sexy, edible alpha men. Love. Them. But they have to have that gooey center for me. They have to have one little vulnerability that only the heroine can reach (perhaps with her tongue). And I love men with a wry, sarcastic sense of humor mixed with that bit of little boy wonder. Put that man in hot body with a gorgeous face, long hair and I’m in love. My favorite hero in all my books? Oh, I have to think about that. It’s a tie between Alex Romero (KILL ME TWICE) and Beau Lansing (KILLER CURVES). No, it’s Johnny Christiano (TAKE ME TONIGHT). Yep. Johnny. He’s my favorite. No, no. I love Gray from HIT REPLY. And Dane, my original hero in TROPICAL GETAWAY – near perfect. Oh, did I forget the McGrath brothers??? They were delicious, every one of them. (Especially Colin.) Wait, wait. I do have a favorite. You haven’t met him yet. Jackson Locke. A Desire hero, scheduled for late 2007. He’s THE BEST. All right, all right. I love ‘em all. PM: Your current series – the Bullet Catchers – features bodyguards. What attracts you to them and this type book? How do you keep things realistic? Do you have a bodyguard cousin you can call on for help? <g> Rocki: My nephew is an Army Ranger, does that count? What attracts me to them...uh, they’re smoldering hot, they carry guns, they worry about your wellbeing, they sleep ten feet from you, they’re funny, smart, fearless, tender, gorgeous, irreverent, playful, clever, oversexed, cool, artistic, amazing, provocative, muscular, brilliant and some of them can cook? What in God’s name is NOT to love? PM: What is the “typical Rocki day” like? How do you unwind? Rocki: Wake early, rally the troops, make chocolate chip pancakes (from scratch – the only truly gifted thing I can do in the kitchen with my clothes on). After they leave (Daddy drives), I walk the dog 1.5 miles around the lake, read three newspapers, do my email, and by 9:30, I’m writing. I try to write a scene a day – sometimes more, sometimes less. I write like a madwoman until the school bell rings, then I go into full mom mode and do everything except cook – that’s my husband’s job and he does it VERY well. At night, the usual. Read, watch Lost, supervise homework, review the pictures of hot guys that Marilyn sent that day. Glass of wine, a good night kiss and lights out. PM: How do you prepare mentally and physically to write the next book? Rocki: Oooh, good question. I wish I knew the answer. Like the Nike ad says: Just Do It. I clean up my office, put away my files, wipe my brain and plot board clean, and Start All Over Again. I spend as much time as possible on research for my single titles, because so much of the character and plot evolves from the world I’m researching. Then I have that dreaded moment: Chapter One. And on it goes until The End. PM: It’s said the devil is in the details. What’s your best and/or favorite research tool? Rocki: Another excellent question. The newspaper is my favorite research tool. I read The New York Times, USA Today, the Orlando Sentinel and Florida Today in hard, ink-staining copy every single day. I find character studies, plot ideas, crime stories and even obituaries of the most interesting people. I wish I had two more hours a day for more newspapers. PM: How do you deal with the inevitable stress of a deadline? Rocki: I make it worse. No matter what my deadline is, I cut a month off and convince myself the book is due then. I keep two one-year dry erase calendars in my office that track everything I’m doing or am going to do for 24 months. I also keep a four-month dry erase calendar to track my anticipated page production against actual, and I plan to deliver every book one or two months early. I build in contingencies and padding and expect that every September, we’ll be evacuated for hurricanes. PM: Any advice for newbies? Rocki: Write your ass off. I know, you want the Secret Handshake Insider Decoded I’ll-Kill-You-If-I-Tell-You Password. There isn’t one, my friends. Just write and write and write and write. Finish a book, polish it up, send it in, start another. The more you write, the better you’ll get. The better you get, the more interest you’ll have. The more interest you’ll have, the higher the chances of selling. The higher the chances of selling, the closer to publication. The closer you get to publication, the more neurotic you are. The more neurotic you are, the more you write. Seriously, here’s my one nugget, my secret weapon, my guaranteed to work advice: VISUALIZE YOUR SUCCESS. Every single day and night, you should think about it, imagine it, picture yourself where you want to be. Know what every sense will experience the day you get the call, the moment you walk into a bookstore and see your baby, the first time you sign your name on a title page. Visualize what you want and you will get it. That is truly my secret weapon. xoxoxoxo Rocki “The word on the loops is…” Who in RWA doesn’t know something about Harlequin? Sadly, they all seem to know something different and (usually) contradictory. With so much information flying fast and furious, what’s a newbie writer to believe? Never fear, Susan Litman is here. As an editor for Harlequin and Silhouette books, Susan has graciously agreed to sort out fact from fiction and rumor from reality when it comes to submitting to the industry giant. Problem Child: Hi, Susan. We really appreciate your time and your willingness to do this. The Playfriends thank you; confused submitters everywhere thank you. Before we get to the nitty-gritty, would you tell us a little about yourself? How long have you been with Harlequin/Silhouette? How did you get started in the business? Susan Litman: I’ve been with the company for almost five years. I’d actually worked in film and television production, and one day realized that since I had no intention of moving to LA, I’d better find a new career! Harlequin/Silhouette had an opening for an assistant editor, and five years later, here I am. PC: What’s your favorite part of your job? Your least favorite? SL: The best part of this job is finding a new book. Nothing compares to the excitement of reading a terrific new voice and getting to buy the book. My least favorite is probably rejecting projects. It’s a necessary part of the publishing business, but it’s not fun. PC: If you could make one rule that all newbie writers HAD to follow, what would it be? SL: Proofread, proofread, proofread! Not only for spelling mistakes or typos, but for consistency of plotting and characterization, and to make sure that you’ve tied up any and all threads by the end of the book. PC: Ready for the questions? It seems the opportunity to anonymously ask questions about H/S really excited the RWA PRO loop. More than 50 questions landed in my mailbox in the first hour alone. I’ve culled, edited, combined, and sorted, and away we go! Getting Ready to Submit: PC: We’ve all heard “Any editor can acquire for any line.” Can you explain how this works? I ask because we see notices like “Editor Jane Smith has been removed from the list of acquiring editors of Line A and added to Line B,” or we’re given lists at conferences of who is taking pitches for different lines. SL: Generally we each try to focus on our home line, but we can and do acquire across series. PC: Are all the lines going to computer word count? SL: Yes. PC: How can writers get an idea of what the lines are looking for when so many are going through changes in the focus of the line and no books on the shelves reflect the new changes? How can we find out what editors are looking for now, when the books out now were bought last year? SL: The best way to get a strong sense of any line is to read those books consistently, each month. Changes are incorporated gradually – nothing happens overnight. In terms of what editors are looking for, at any given time we’re all looking for the same thing – a story that grabs us on page one and keeps us turning the pages. The Query Stage: PC: We know not to query the same book to more than one editor at a time, but can you query two different books to two different editors for different lines (Say Editor A with a manuscript for Desire and Editor B with a manuscript for Intrigue)? Or are multiple queries automatically rejected? SL: It is important to build a relationship with one editor. Also, a book that was submitted and rejected for Desire or Special Edition may not be appropriate for another series, so the author has to take that into consideration when submitting. Submitting a category project to Harlequin/Silhouette and another company simultaneously is automatically rejected. PC: What do you like to see in a query letter? What type of mistakes really hurt the writer’s chances? SL: I like to get an idea of what the story is about, what series the author is targeting, and any personal details pertinent to their writing career. As for mistakes, glaring spelling errors, bad grammar, addressing the query to the wrong person, letters that are as long or longer than the synopsis – these are things that would make me question the quality of the submission, and I might not request a manuscript because of these errors. PC: Is it better to query by mail or pitch in person (if the option is available)? Does one have benefits over the other? SL: Unless you have an appointment with an editor at a conference, mail is preferred. The Legendary Harlequin Database PC: Once something is logged in to the database as rejected, can it ever be resubmitted? Does it matter if it was a query, partial or full? What if a lot of time has passed? SL: If the work has been revised to better suit the intended series or a different series, it’s fine to try submitting again. Sometimes, a book will not work for series A, but will find a home with series B – anything is possible. However, submitting the same project over and over is risky and not necessarily in the writer’s best interests. Submitting: PC: “I finalled in a contest in 2004 and the editor requested a full manuscript. The problem was, I hadn’t completed the manuscript, and then something happened in my life that made writing impossible. I’m back now; is it too late to submit the manuscript?” How long is too long between the request and the submitting? SL: In a situation like this, it’s always a good idea to send the editor a note, thanking them for their interest in the project and giving them some idea as to when they might see it. Speaking purely for myself, it’s disappointing to get excited about something, and then never get to read the entire book. In the case of several years passing between interest and completion of the manuscript, it’s a really good idea to send a letter to the editor, refreshing her memory about your project and asking if they’d still like to see it. The Nail-Biting Waiting PC: Why does it take so long to hear back? Is there any correlation between how long it takes to hear something versus how “good” the manuscript is? SL: Sorry to disappoint everyone, but there’s no real correlation there. We are buried under piles of manuscripts, both published and unpublished, and it takes a lot of time to get through everything. PC: When is it okay to check on the status of a submission? Is the wait time different for a query, partial or full? What’s the preferred way to check on the status of a submission—email, snail mail or phone call? SL: For a query, if you have not heard back within several weeks, it’s best to query again. For a complete, after several months it’s fine to send a note or email asking about status. Personally, I don’t like phone calls because I don’t have the information right at my fingertips. PC: Can you briefly walk us through the steps a manuscript goes through from submission to rejection or acceptance? SL: It’s pretty simple: I read it, and if I love it and think the project will work for H/S, I will pass it to the senior editor of the targeted series with my notes and recommendation. If the project isn’t working, I will reject it. However, if it’s not working but shows promise, I will ask for revisions or for a different project from the author. PC: Do all editors have the authority to buy, or must someone else approve first? SL: We always have to go to the senior editor – the acquiring editor is the first step. The Things that Happen While-U-Wait PC: Do editors send manuscripts to the editor of another line for consideration if it doesn’t work for that editor’s line? Yes, quite often. If yes, does this include projects submitted to a category line that would be more suitable for HQN or MIRA? This has happened on a few occasions, when the editorial was more suitable for single title. SL: Say Editor A requests your book. Later, the same book finals in a contest and is requested by the judging editor. What to do? It’s best to tell the judging editor that it’s currently with someone else at the house. When a line changes its editorial focus (like what happened recently with Desire), what happens to all the submissions that no longer fit the new direction of the line? Same thing that would happen with any submission – if the project shows promise, the editor might request revisions that will suit the new guidelines. The Big R PC: If a writer sends in a manuscript to one line and is rejected, can she then send it to another appropriate line? If she does, should she tell the editor that it was already rejected by another line? SL: You should always tell us if it’s been rejected before, and we’d see it logged into the database anyway. But honesty is best – maybe this book just wasn’t appropriate for that series. PC:If a manuscript is rejected with a form letter, no revisions requested, can a writer send the same manuscript, if it’s been HEAVILY re-written, back to the same line? Should the writer confess it’s a rewrite or just change the title and characters? SL: It’s fine to resubmit, but just changing the title is sneaky. I’d prefer to know that the writer has done substantial work on the book, and what kind of work they did. Plus, this helps me see how skilled they actually are with revisions and taking direction. PC:Do the answers to the questions above change if we’re talking about queries or partials instead of fulls? SL: No, they don’t – you should always be up front with an editor re: prior rejections or revisions of a particular submission. Wow. Thanks for all the great information, Susan. Is there anything you’d like to add? Something you’d like to say to all those people targeting H/S? SL: Reading our books and checking out the series/imprint guidelines on eHarlequin are the best ways to prepare your submission. And thank you all for reading our books! PC: We really do appreciate your time. You’ve been a great help, and the Playfriends owe you a drink. Please feel free to come back by the Playground any time! Leslie Wainger, an executive editor in Harlequin’s single title division, is taking a moment from her busy schedule to talk with us today about herself, life as an editor and why paranormal is the new hot genre. Her own book, Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies, quickly became the unpublished writer’s bible. A dear friend and editor at one time for all our Mavens, the Playfriends are ecstatic to have Leslie look at our sand, much less sit in it with us. Smarty Pants: Welcome to the Playground, Leslie! All of us have crammed into the Sandbox to get a chance to talk with you today. If you’re comfortable, why don’t you start by telling us a little about yourself? How did you end up as an editor? Was this your career goal all along? And how did you end up with Harlequin/Silhouette? LW: I was an English major twice over, so I’ve got a BA and an MA. I wouldn’t go back and do it any differently, because I adore books and talking about books, but when it came time to find a job, I knew I didn’t want to be an academic, so it pretty much came down to publishing or “Want fries with that?” I’d like to think I made the right choice. *g* When I started looking for a job, a friend who knew Kate Duffy, then the editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster’s brand-new no-books-even-out-yet imprint Silhouette, introduced us. I’ll be eternally grateful that Kate hired me as an editorial assistant, which is where everything started for me. Excitingly, since she was still putting together her staff at that point, I got to be a de facto assistant editor from Day 2, when I was given my first book and author of my own. It was an incredible and very rare opportunity, and one I credit with my entire career and whatever success I’ve had in this business. Instigator: Your book – Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies – is a great guide. How was it to be on the other side of the writing process? Have you ever considered writing a romance yourself? LW: It was educational, to say the least. Obviously non-fiction is very different from fiction, and the Dummies books are very conversational, so that was a big plus for me. I just tried to talk on paper, as if I were giving a series of speeches focused on different aspects of the writing/romance writing process. My editors (content and copy) worked much as I do, though, asking questions, looking for clarifications, making sure transitions were clear. They helped me structure my knowledge, particularly in terms of the Dummies modular format, which was invaluable. As far as writing a romance goes, I certainly don’t see myself doing it while I’m still “in the biz,” because it would feel too much like taking work home with me, for one thing, plus my authors are all just way better at it than I would be. But who knows what I’ll do when I retire, though to be honest, I don’t see myself doing it then, either. Some sort of writing might be in my future, though, since I try never to say never. (Except to bungee jumping.) I: Tell us what your average day is like. What do you think is a generalized misconception writers hold about your job and what your day-to-day responsibilities are? LW: I have no truly typical day. Most days are made up of a conglomeration of reading manuscripts, meetings, phone calls and e-mails, maybe some copywriting or revising. The biggest misconception is that I actually edit in the office, which in reality is almost impossible for me. I do 99.9% of my editing at home. I: You’ve worked for and led several different lines of books for Harlequin and Silhouette, and now you’re working on single titles. What kind of books do you enjoy reading when you’re not trying to acquire? LW: I go through phases, I suppose. I rarely read romances for fun, because that feels too close to work. (Though there are a few authors who are exceptions to that rule – and no, I won’t name them. *g*) For a long time I read a ton of mysteries and thrillers, but these days I’m reading fewer of those and more fantasy/sf, which was my great love growing up and all through school. Playground Monitor: The Paranormal Market is HOT right now. What do you think has caused the enormous popularity of a paranormal genre? LW: I’m not sure I really have the answer to that. I think a big part of it was a confluence of things: the generation that grew up on Goose Bumps got older and wanted spooky adult reading; a few authors (Laurell K. Hamilton, notably) hit it really big with paranormals; readers in general were looking for something new; the paranormal was hot on TV (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” etc.) and in movies (“The Sixth Sense,” etc.), and undoubtedly other things I’m not thinking of. The trend ended up snowballing, and it’s still rolling along and gathering size and momentum, which I think is great. PM: Some people have difficulty deciphering the difference between fantasy, like Luna, and a paranormal. Could you explain what you feel is the difference? LW: There’s a definite overlap, but the big-picture difference tends to deal with world-building, at least in my opinion. Fantasies posit a different and very completely drawn world that very much isn’t ours, while paranormals generally take place in this world plus, ie: this world plus vampires. Or ghosts. Or werewolves. Or all three. PM: What do you feel paranormal romance encompasses? We expect to see vampires, werewolves, ghosts and shapeshifters, but is there anything else that we could see coming out? Would angels fall into this category? LW: I think the limits of the paranormal are the limits of the authors’ imaginations. Angels and time-travel have been romance staples for a long time, but that doesn’t mean they’re not paranormal, just that they were accepted long before other paranormal elements were. Problem Child: What jumps out at you in a synopsis or the first couple of pages that makes you say “I want to read this”? LW: A good story about interesting characters, well told. It doesn’t have to be unique – though that can be a plus, certainly – but I want all the basics up front and quickly, and then get things moving so I can get involved. PC:If you could give one piece of advice to newbie writers that they HAD to follow, what would it be? LW: Don’t fall so in love with your own work that you can’t allow for objective criticism. And, as my screenwriting prof says, “Don’t confuse me with reality.” This is fiction. You want it to be accurate, but not so painstakingly accurate that it’s boring. Learn how to make your research serve you, not the other way around. PC: New writers hear all about the "rules." How many rules are there, really? What's the silliest one you've heard some newbie spread around? LW: I’m not big on rules. I prefer to think of the romance readers’ expectations, and there are four (plus any that might suit a particular sub-genre, like paranormal or historical). They want to see:
As for the silliest I’ve ever heard…I really don’t know. I tend to laugh, debunk and move on, I guess. Angel: How much does a string of contest wins/finals in a query letter matter? What else do you look for in a query letter? LW: They’re interesting to know about, but in the end they don’t matter at all. I have to like the book and buy into it enough from the synopsis that I want to see more. Practically speaking, they have no effect because 1) I have to go by my own judgement, not anyone else’s, and 2) it’s not as if I can put “Winner of 17 RWA chapter contests” on the front cover if I publish the book. In the end, the book has to sell itself to me. Nothing else matters. A: We just wrapped up the RWA National Conference in Atlanta this past July; can you share with us your craziest tale of pitch stalking? LW: No one ever seems to stalk me. Either I’m unloved or really scary, and I have no idea which. Maybe both! A: And what do you look forward to most at the conference? What is the hardest part for you? LW: My favorite thing is seeing my authors and getting to confab, but overall, I like the whole thing. Least favorite? Wearing heels all day (and night) and never getting enough sleep. For Fun: LW: TV/movies. (Books get to count as business. *g*) SP: If you could go on vacation anywhere and money was not a consideration, where would you go? What would you do? LW: My next dream trip is a photo safari to Africa. SP: What would we be most surprised to learn about you? LW: I type with one finger. SP: What's next for you? LW: I don’t know about next, but I’m currently training to be a volunteer at the Bronx Zoo, which I love (both the zoo and the volunteering), so that’s an “in addition,” at least. SP: Well, thank you for coming by the Sandbox and spending some time with us, Leslie. Come by and play anytime. Check out MIRA and HQN’s paranormals, as well as the new Harlequin Nocturne line coming out this October, and be sure to snatch up a copy of Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies if you haven’t already. You can also enter to win an autographed copy, along with some other great spooky goodies, by entering the September/October Playground ContestSeptember 2006 - Lori Handeland Lori Handeland, best selling author of over 35 books and anthologies, currently writes paranormal suspense for St. Martin’s Press and deeply touching romances for Harlequin SuperRomance. Her first Nightcreature novel, Blue Moon, won the 2005 RITA for Best Paranormal and her 2005 release, Hunters Moon, was the winner of the National Readers Choice Award. A dear friend and fellow blogger of Maven Linda Winstead Jones on the Midnight Hour, the Playfriends are very excited to have the chance to invite Lori to the Sandbox. Smarty Pants: Welcome to the Playground, Lori! Tell us a little about yourself. Lori Handeland: Let’s see, before I turned to writing I trained as a high school English teacher and worked in wastewater treatment pipe sales and as a studio manager for a professional photographer. Writing romance novels is so much better! I have two teenaged sons; my husband is a contractor and we live in Wisconsin—where the Packers rule and we like it that way. :) SP: Before we get into anything else, I just have to ask...how was it to walk up on stage and accept your RITA in Reno last year?? LH: Pretty cool. The best part was having my dear friend LJ (Linda Jones) give me the award. How neat is that? I’d been very nervous about going up in front of all those people if I won. Nerves ended up being the least of my worries as I contracted food poisoning and spent every last minute, right up to leaving for the ceremony, in my bed moaning. Not the best way to spend one of the best nights of my life, and not the way I’d recommend curing a bad case of nerves . . . but what can you do? SP: As a writer, I’m always interested in the writing process of other successful writers. Would you share a little with us about yours?Are you a pantser or a plotter? LH: A little bit of both, I guess. I plot out the main points—the beginning and the end, some turning points. But when I start writing, these points often change, or get switched around or don’t happen at all. The ending often doesn’t match the one I planned, because by the time I get there things have changed and I know so much more about the characters and what’s important to them. For me, the fun of writing a book is finding out about the characters and letting them lead the way. SP: You write romance for Harlequin Super and paranormals for St. Martin’s. In the past, you’ve also done historicals. Do you find it difficult to write in two very different genres at once? How do you manage them both? LH: I enjoy writing in two genres, though I don’t write two books at once, I try to alternate. That way I’m excited to move on to the next thing whenever I finish the last thing. Right now I’m toying with the idea of writing something in the women’s fiction genre for a change of pace. And I still miss writing historicals, but until westerns come back (my only love) I’ll have to wait. SP: You’ve written for both category and single title with several different publishing houses. What have you learned after working with them? What have been your best experiences? LH: Every house is different—they have different rules, different ways of doing things. Ask questions; take notes. Learn how that particular house prefers things to be handled. I love working with St. Martin’s Press and my editor there, Jennifer Enderlin. She didn’t get to be where she is by not being the best there is, and I’m honored to be one of her authors. SP: The Paranormal Market is HOT right now with authors like you and fellow Midnight Hour bloggers paving the way. What do you think the future of paranormal romance will be? LH: Paranormal romance doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. According to Borders Books, the paranormal romance market was up 30% in 2005 and 40% in 2005, with the upturn still going strong. It’s fantastic. SP: In your Nightcreature books, you mix Native American myth, voodoo and a group of your own invention - the Jager-Suchers. This monster-hunting unit tracks down experimental creatures – like werewolves – that were created by Hitler during WWII. That’s a great spin on the monster myth. Where did you come up with that concept? LH: I’m never really sure where my ideas come from. They start with something very small and snowball. I remember thinking, “who would be evil enough to create a werewolf army?” The answer was Hitler. The characters took it from there. SP: Several of your books have been based in the New Orleans area and your website has recently featured your efforts to help restore the New Orleans public libraries. Does Louisiana have a special place in your heart? LH: I’ve always loved New Orleans; I’ve felt at home there and I’m not sure why. Perhaps I lived there in another life, I don’t know. But when I’m in New Orleans I don’t want to leave. And when I’m in the French Quarter, I always kind of know where I am and how to get places. It’s odd. SP: What can Playground readers do to help with your efforts for the Crescent City Collection? LH: The Crescent City collection was a project I did in conjunction with my publicist Nancy Berland. We had readers recommend books that took place in New Orleans and Louisiana then asked the authors and publishers to donate copies. Once the libraries are back in business in the city (unfortunately many still aren’t open due to lack of funding and lack of employees) we’ll donate the collection to them. SP: I loved Priestess Cassandra in Crescent Moon and was excited to hear she’s getting her own book – Midnight Moon. Can you tell us a little about what you’ve got in store for our favorite voodoo priestess? LH: In Midnight Moon we learn all of Cassandra’s secrets and there are plenty of them. She travels to Haiti, which is a fascinating setting that was a lot of fun to write about. There she meets an adventurer, Devon Murphy, who I like to describe as Indiana Jones with an earring. We also discover there are more shapeshifters than just werewolves. SP: As new writers, we get bombarded with rules and advice which can be quite confusing! What one rule or piece of advice do you wish you'd ignored? LH: That you should find the genre you love and stick to it regardless of how well that genre is doing. I spent years writing western historical romance proposals (I must have 15!) and having them rejected not based on the story or the writing but the genre. My confidence in my writing was in the toilet and I’d actually gone back to school to update my teaching degree when someone mentioned to me that my voice sounded like something that Harlequin Superromance might like. And they did. I discovered that there can be more than one genre of the heart, so to speak. I also discovered that a book I’m not all that interested in writing at first can become, through the writing of it, a book I love more than any other. There’s a song that goes something like this “If you can’t be with the one you love, then love the one you’re with.” This applies to writing too. If you can’t write in a genre you love right now, find another one to love for the time being. SP: You participate n a group blog of paranormal authors called the Midnight Hour. What has been the best part of that experience so far? Do you feel this has helped you connect with your readers? LH: It’s been a lot of fun talking about paranormal subjects and paranormal books with others who are interested. The blog is just in the beginning stages and I hope it continues to grow. For Fun: LH: A great glass of wine and an even better book. SP: If you could go on vacation anywhere and money was not a consideration, where would you go? LH: Europe SP: What would you do? LH: I’ve always wanted to see England, Ireland, Germany and Italy. I want to stand in a castle. My husband has relatives in Italy and we’re the only ones in the family who haven’t been there to visit. SP: What would we be most surprised to learn about you? LH: That I’m also the corporate secretary, accounts payable and payroll officer for my husband’s contracting company. (All of that stuff gets handled after midnight.) SP: What's next for you? LH: I’ll have a short story, “Charmed by the Moon” in the anthology MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL WEDDING available in October. In it, Jessie and Will, from BLUE MOON, get married. The third book in the New Orleans Nightcreature trilogy, Rising Moon, will be out January 2, 2007. I’ll have an essay titled “Stephanie and Lula: The Best Buddy Team Since Butch and Sundance” in the Benbella Books release Perfectly Plum: On the Life, Loves and Other Disasters of Stephanie Plum, Trenton Bounty Hunter. I just began writing the first book in a new Nightcreature trilogy. Hidden Moon will be released in August, 2007 with books 2 and 3 to follow in February and August of 2008. I’ll have two novellas in two separate anthologies in October, 2007. “Cobwebs over the Moon” will appear in Pocket’s Halloween anthology and I’ll have a story in St. Martin’s witches themed Halloween anthology. SP: Wow, you’re one busy lady! Thanks for taking the time to sit down with us. Check out Lori’s website at www.lorihandeland.com and be sure to snatch up a copy of her latest Nightcreature Novel, Midnight Moon from St. Martin’s Press. You can also enter to win an autographed copy, along with some other great spooky goodies by entering the September/October Playground Contest. Blaze author, Rhonda Nelson, is near and dear to all of the Children’s hearts. Not only is she an amazing writer, she’s also one of the most generous women you’ll ever meet. Her sweet, Southern charm sometimes hides an amazingly funny wit and a surprising wild side – both of which pour out into her books. We’re very grateful she’s stopped by to play in the Sandbox this month! Instigator: Can you tell us how you came to writing? And what your journey to publication was like? Rhonda Nelson : Oi, vey. How I came to writing? Well, I’m going to commit the cardinal sin among writers and admit that I read a bad book and thought I could do a better job. I swiftly learned that I couldn’t, of course, but with time and the help of Maven Beverly Barton, I found Romance Writers of America--Heart of Dixie, specifically--and learned the ins and outs of this business. As for my journey to publication, it took roughly two years from the time I started writing to sell my first book. I made my first sale to Kensington’s Precious Gems line, and went on to sell three other books there before the line closed. Shortly thereafter, I was lucky enough to put a workable manuscript in front of Brenda Chin--my dream editor--and have gone on to sell eighteen additional projects to Harlequin. I: Many of our readers juggle not only a love for writing but also family and full-time jobs. How do you find that balance between your writing and life? RN: You’re asking the wrong person! If anyone has figured out a way to make this work, I’d love to know the secret. J In all honesty, I think the best word any writer serious about publication can learn is “no.” No, I can’t talk to you right now. No, I can’t volunteer for Project X Y or Z. No, no, no. Learn to respect your own time, learn that you can’t fix everything--a BIG lesson for me--and learn to let go of the guilt that goes along with saying no. This includes family, too. Now, as for the ideal way to balance life and work, here is my new plan and I’ll have to let you know how it goes. Currently I’m scheduling books around my kid’s school calendar. If they are off, then I want to be off, and it’s not like they’re going to let me get anything done, anyway, right? J I: You write a lot of great internal dialogue. Can you explain how you get this to work and not slow down the story? RN: I had to really think about this question, because I’d never really thought much about the process. I do write a lot of internal dialogue and I think it’s because I write such a character-driven book. I’m definitely a pantster. Plotting is not my friend and the one time I tried to plot a book and then write it, I never finished it. I knew the end, so what was the point? I generally have a firm idea of the beginning and a vague idea of the end, but everything else is pure spur-of-the-moment creativity and that’s the stuff that makes the writing so worthwhile for me. Those Aha! Moments when something just works. I: Brenda Chin, your editor, visited with us last month. She’s been celebrated for her ability to build strong author/editor relationships. Why do you think that is? And what do you do to maintain that trusting relationship? RN: Brenda is phenomenal. She’s one of the most hard-working people I have ever met and, above all else, she’s an author’s editor. In addition to being able to spot and fix any plot problem, character inconsistency, etc… she’s constantly jockeying to make sure that her authors are considered for different projects that come up within the company. She’s a sounding board, a plotting partner--she’s the first person I call if I get stuck in a book--and she’s a career builder. Her authors adore her because she’s not only invested in their work, but a champion of it as well. She balances so much and yet if you asked her about one of her authors, she could quote her favorite part of the author’s last book as well as what she’s working on next. Considering that I often forget characters names after I finish a project, that never ceases to amaze me. :) I: What drew you to the Blaze imprint? And why do you think it garners so many loyal readers? RN: The thing that I love the most about Blaze is the scope within the line to do so many things. You’ll find romantic comedy, suspense, dark and sensual and fun and sexy. It’s great to write for a line and not have to really worry about censoring myself. If I cross a line, Brenda’s there to yank me back. As for why fans are so supportive of the line, I think that it’s because Blaze is such an accurate picture of contemporary dating. It focuses on that initial attraction--that magnetic pull--that draws a couple together. Every woman who has ever been in love--or been acutely attracted to a guy--can identify with that. A hot guy who digs our worthy heroine and a promise of happily-ever-after--does it get any better than that? J I: As writers we’re always being told how important characterization is, that having a hero and heroine the reader can identify with and empathize with is one of the most important things an author can do. Who has been your favorite hero or heroine to write? And why? RN: Oh, this is a hard one. These are the babies of my imagination and trying to pick just one above another is really tough. I guess I’d have to say that my favorite hero would be Guy McCann in my upcoming October Blaze, THE MAVERICK. He’s reckless but honorable, outspoken but made vulnerable by the heroine. He was abused by his father, so he’s had a hard-knock life, but he’s knocked back and won. I adored him from his inception and writing him was a sheer joy. I’m hoping that readers will love him, too. I: Lately, you’ve had several connected books within a series - like your Men Out of Uniform series currently available. Do you start out planning a three or four book series or do your secondary characters evolve into needing their own stories told? RN: I usually plan the series books, but occasionally there’s a character that really lingers and I long to give them their own story. Tewanda, the heroine’s friend in THE PLAYER, was one of those, and luckily I’m getting to do an online read for eHarlequin in which I’ll get to give her a story. I: What are the best and worst things about working with connected books? RN: The best thing is revisiting the same characters. I love that. The worst thing is the details. I’m bad to forget the names of certain streets or pubs where they might hang out. (Careful readers of my Chicks In Charge series will note that The Blue Monkey Pub changed to the Bald Monkey Pub somewhere between book one and four. J) Also, the timeline. I have to really work to keep all of that straight. I wish I was better detail oriented, but… J For Fun I: What’s something about you that we’d be surprised to learn? RN: I may look like a sweet little southern girl, but when I get angry I can cuss until the air turns blue. I’m trying to work on this. :) I: What’s your idea of a relaxing day? RN: Reading, of course! I: And how do you celebrate turning in a book? RN: By collapsing into exhaustion, then cleaning my house. It’s usually an absolute wreck by the time I finish a project. :) I: Rhonda, thanks for visiting with us in the Sandbox this month! We really enjoyed having you and hope you stop by again soon. Don’t forget to visit Rhonda’s blog at http://www.readrhondanelson.com/blog/ And look for The Specialist – the second book in Rhonda’s Men Out of Uniform series - coming next month at www.eharlequin.com Brenda Chin, Associate Senior Editor for the Harlequin Blaze line, may best be known for the amazing editor/author relationship she builds with each of her authors. A well deserved recipient of PASIC’s 2005 Editor of the Year award, she’s been known to drag those same authors kayaking and white water rafting in search of a few thrills (a woman after my own heart). But the adventure doesn’t stop there, nor does the personal interest she takes, both in those established and those trying to break into this sometimes-tricky business. The Children are ecstatic and grateful she’s agreed to let us pick her brain on publishing and the Blaze line, which is celebrating its own milestone this year: its five-year anniversary. Instigator: Thank you, Brenda for sharing your wisdom. First, we’d like to get to know a little more about you – before we start picking your brain... Playground Monitor: How did you end up as an editor? Was this your career goal all along? And how did you end up with Harlequin/Silhouette? BC: Actually, I never intended to become an editor…but I’m very glad I did. My degree is in French, and I’d hoped to be a teacher. But things didn’t work out exactly as I’d planned. Too many hours working part-time and full-time during school took its toll, and my solid C average just didn’t cut it. So, when I ran into the purchasing agent at Harlequin (who was one of my regular customers at my part-time job as a cashier at a grocery store) told me about an opening in the mail room at Harlequin, I applied and got the job. From the moment I started at Harlequin, I knew I wanted to get into editorial. After all, my grandmother had me hooked on romance novels by age 12. And I was lucky. Three weeks after I started, I moved into editorial as an administrative assistant and worked my way up. That was 18 years ago, and I’m thankful every day. Playground Monitor: Besides Blazes, what kind of books do you enjoy reading? BC: Well, it goes without saying that I love romance and always have. But I’m also a real history fan. So, when I discovered historical romance as a teenager, I went through about five a week. It’s amazing the things you can learn from a historical novel… Now, when I get some leisure time, I still read a lot of historical romance. I also read historical fiction and a bit of heroic fantasy. And, of course, I’m a Harry Potter fanatic... Playground Monitor: Have you ever considered being on the other side of the writing process? BC: Long ago, I thought I’d try my hand at a historical. What I discovered is that I loved researching…and hated looking at a blank page. These days, I think you need to be driven to be a writer…and I know I’m not. That’s why I’m so impressed with the talent, imagination and dogged determination my authors show in writing book after book, each one coming in stronger than the one before. Instigator: There are a lot of unpublished writers out there trying to break in. What do you think is a generalized misconception they hold about your job and what your day-to-day responsibilities are? BC: I totally understand why people are frustrated with the length of time it takes to hear back from us. I’m sure many of them think we sit and read all day long. And, as you’ve guessed, getting the chance to read is a luxury. And when we are reading, it’s usually a contracted work that’s due into, or late for, production. Reading submissions, while incredibly important, is very low on our list of priorities – getting good books into production is the main part of our job. And as an Associate Senior Editor for the line, I’m also dealing with marketing, public relations, art, as well as the media. As well as working on my own books, I approve books for contract, schedule the series, offer career advice to my own authors as well as the Blaze authors in general, plan for the next three years… well, you get the idea. And Blaze isn’t my only concern. I also manage the books and careers of my Single title authors – Carly Phillips, Leslie Kelly and Stephanie Bond. So, while I wish I could get to things sooner, it’s often impossible. Instigator: As winner of the 2005 PASIC Editor of the Year award, what do you think is the secret to maintaining an excellent editor/author relationship? BC: This is easy. In my opinion, there are two elements that are crucial to a successful author/editor relationship – mutual respect and trust. Problem Child: What jumps out at you in a synopsis or the first couple of pages that makes you say "I want to read this!" BC: What appeals to me most—in reading anything—is voice. If an author’s voice grabs me, I’ll keep reading. Problem Child: If you could give one piece of advice to newbie writers that they HAD to follow, what would it be? BC: You had to narrow it down to one thing? I guess it would be to remember that writing is a business. You can’t take anything personally. You have to do your homework, find out all about the publishing houses, the editors, the agents etc, and then approach a query letter or appointment in the same way you would a business interview. Be knowledgeable, professional…and don’t be afraid to show what makes you stand out from the crowd. In this business, you’re selling yourself as well as your writing. And if the first attempt doesn’t work, find out why it didn’t, and try again. As long as you’re making progress, you’re on the right track. Problem Child: Newbie writers hear all about the "rules." How many rules are there, really? What's the silliest one you've heard some newbie spread around? BC: To tell you the truth, I don’t stand by many rules. A writer should have the basic understanding of how to write, points of view, chapter/scene breaks, etc. But I totally believe that rules are meant to be broken. However, you have to understand the rule, (as well as understand the reasons for the rule) before you decide to walk all over it. As for the silliest, well…I had a person come up to me at a conference and tell me I shouldn’t have bought a book for Blaze because it didn’t start with a love scene on page one. Can you imagine every book starting with a love scene? Weird. Just weird. Angel: I've noticed you’re a final round judge in quite a few contests. What motivates you to volunteer your precious time? BC: In the past, I’ve found a lot of talent by judging contests. Jennifer LaBrecque, Julie Kenner and Marie Donovan are just a few of the Blaze authors who’ve entered our rosters through the contest route. Contests allow us to see things that have They also don’t require a whole lot of work on our end, which is always a good thing. Because the entries are usually only a chapter or two, we get to sample the author’s voice and writing style without any expectation by the author that we’d read the whole thing. Contest entries are quick and informal…and the payoff can be incredible. Problem Child: On a similar note, how much does a string of contest wins/finals in a query letter matter? BC: I’ve discovered I’m a little harder on authors than most—mainly because, after working with my authors over the years, I’ve discovered just how deeply people can dig to bring out the best in their writing. So, while a string of contest entries is good to see, and definitely tells me there’s something there, I’ll still go into the manuscript expecting revision. Angel: We've heard Rhonda Nelson's tales of hiking and white water rafting with you. Is this one of your hobbies? And is participation required of all your authors? BC: No, I don’t drag all my authors out on adventures…although a few of them are trying to con me into an extreme shopping excursion <g>. I love kayaking, rafting, being in the great outdoors… I feel it’s made me a stronger person. I personally believe that you only discover what you’re made of when you’re out of your comfort zone. So, I make it a point to do something I’ve never done before at least once a year. It’s been good for me…and it’s been good for my authors too. In many cases, it’s helped authors put their careers—and other things in their lives--into perspective. After all, if you can raft a Class 4 rapid, there’s no reason why you can’t try that vampire book you’ve been dreaming about, right? Smarty Pants: The RWA national conference is coming up; can you share with us your craziest tale of pitch stalking? BC: Well, let’s see. I’ve been followed out of my appointments by the same woman 3 years in a row… I’ve been grabbed by the back of the neck… And I’ve been brutally ignored by one woman who really wasn’t interested in what I had to say—during her appointment! Let’s just say, she isn’t a Blaze writer… Smarty Pants: And what are you looking forward to most at the conference? What is the hardest part for you? BC: I love getting together with my authors and just hanging around with them all. And I enjoy doing workshops and getting people excited about my series. The negatives? It gets a bit wearing being ‘on’ all the time, especially by Saturday night. Too many days with little sleep take their toll after a while. But overall, I look forward to National every year—especially if we’ve planned some cool adventure before it starts… (Horseback riding AND rafting this year.) Instigator: We know the Blaze line is about to celebrate an important milestone. At the same time there seem to be many changes to the needs and scope of the line itself. Can you tell us some of the exciting changes readers and writers can expect? BC: Basically, we’re trying to make Blaze more like short, very sexy single titles, rather than like typical series romance. This means readers will get bigger stories, with subplots, secondary characters, more than 2 points of view, twists and turns…and a lot of sex. We’re trying a few new things this year as well – time travel, Gothics, adventure, chick-lit, a 6-book continuity… The only prerequisites are that the stories are around 70,000 words, and that they’re both super sexy and contemporary. Everything else is open for discussion. When we went to 6 books, I was charged with giving people a reason to pick up all 6 books. I hope that’s what we’re doing. Instigator: There’s been a lot of interest lately in the erotic romance market. Can you explain to us how Blaze is similar and different to books that might fall into that category? BC: There’s one critical difference between Blaze and erotica – the Harlequin promise. In one of our books, readers know that they’ll be falling in love with one hero and identifying with one heroine. They count on the two protagonists having some sort of happy ending. And with Blaze, they get the added bonus of a super sexy romance along the way. I can’t say I read a lot of erotica, but from what I’ve gathered, multiple partners are the norm. And while at times the explicitness in our books borders on erotic, we’re going to keep it between the protagonists…so we can envision them 40 years down the road, still enjoying incredible sex. Problem Child: The Writing Playground could be considered pre-promotion since none of our members have sold a novel-length project. As an editor, do you visit websites of potential authors? And, if so, does a professional site or blog have any impact on whether you think a writer will be a valuable asset for marketing the line? BC: As I stated earlier, editors don’t have a lot of free time. So, I’m afraid I don’t visit websites very often. However, it’s worth mentioning that it still pays to be very careful what you say on blogs or on your site. I’ve followed blog trails by authors I don’t work with simply because I’d heard they were slamming my books or my authors. That’s not attention anybody wants…. However, having a web presence already in place before you sell makes promotion and marketing a lot easier once you’ve made the jump from unpublished to published. It’s not something editors look for…but it’s nice to have. Playground Monitor: And finally, what would we be most surprised to learn about you? BC: I can’t really say I’m full of surprises. Although recently, one of my authors commented that they were surprised I was a decent cook (even if I hate it), so let’s go with that. Thank you very much for sharing your time and joining us in the Sandbox. We really appreciate your generosity. Please come back and visit anytime.
Friday July 28th @ 3PM in the Harlequin Suite (The Champagne Suite) Stephanie Bond, best selling author of over 30 books, writes contemporary romantic comedies for Harlequin and humorous romantic suspense for Avon/HarperCollins. She jumped from a systems engineering career track to writing romance. Her newest release, In Deep Voodoo, was nominated for a RITA in the Best Romantic Suspense Category. A sister Southerner, the Children were excited to get to meet her in May when she spoke at our home chapters' Romance Readers Luncheon. Angel: Welcome to the Playground! Tell us a little about yourself. Stephanie Bond: I grew up on a tobacco farm in eastern Kentucky, I studied computer programming in college, entered the corporate world, finished my MBA at night, then became interested in writing—specifically, romance novels. I wrote in my spare time for two years before selling my first book to Harlequin for their Love & Laughter line. A couple of years later I left the corporate world to write full-time. A: On your website, you describe how you came to writing after pursuing a career in systems engineering. That seems like a very logic-oriented type of job. Can you tell us how it meshed with your more creative side? Why romance? SB: Programming does sound very rigid, and there is a very left-brain quality to programming, but give two programmers the same task to accomplish, and their finished programs will look entirely different. So there really is a bit of creativity to programming. And my great keyboarding skills certainly helped me to become a productive writer! As far as why I write romance, it’s what I love. I grew up reading romance novels and mystery novels. It only made sense to write what I loved to read! A: Do you find that you approach your writing logically? Are you a plotter or a panster? I’m a plotter, definitely. SB: I’m also very pragmatic about my business product, so my goal is to SELL a book before I write it. In order to do that, I have to demonstrate to my editor that I’ve thought through my story. A: From your site, I noticed that your husband is also the artistic type (architect and painter). Are there benefits/drawbacks to having two artists in the house? SB: It’s wonderful to live with another creative person (my husband also left his corporate job in the wireless data industry to enter a creative field) because he understands the pressures of a creative occupation, how manic it can be. He’s very understanding when I have to “go under” to finish a deadline, because he’s been there. The only drawbacks is that we’re both so excited about what we do, we sometimes find ourselves talking over each other in the evenings to talk about our news, ideas, and what we have coming up! Oh, and then there’s always juggling our schedules—for instance, this year the RWA conference is FINALLY in Atlanta, and of course my husband is having his biggest gallery opening to-date in Chicago that same week! A: You write "humorous" romantic suspense for Avon/HarperCollins and romantic comedies for Harlequin. Humor is obviously part of your voice. Was it hard to sell "humorous" suspense? SB: Certainly humorous romantic suspense is a hybrid, so yes, it can be hard to position. But I like to say my humorous romantic suspense novels have both dead bodies and naked bodies…and there’s a happy ending beyond just the mystery being solved! A: Did you find it hard to move from category to single title? SB: Yes, because my agent and I had to prove to an editor that I could pull it off. And that first single title, OUR HUSBAND, was both exhilarating and difficult to write, but the experience gave me so much confidence as a writer. A: Markets for short romantic comedies seem to be shrinking. What do you see as the future of the short romantic comedy? SB: Perhaps “short shorts” in terms of online projects for eHarlequin, and as other publishers begin to put content on their websites for readers to download, etc. Romantic comedy novellas for anthology collections, I think, will continue to be popular. A: You offer a lot of awesome information for writers and booksellers on your website. Why have you chosen to do that? SB: For years I’ve written articles for my local writing chapter’s newsletter and for an RWA bookseller publication as a way to get my name out there. The information on my website is recycled from those volunteer efforts. Also, after creating my website, I found, like so many writers discover, that I was getting bombarded with questions from aspiring writers on how they could become a novelist. By having a section on my website for writers, I can deflect those requests where I was answering the same questions over and over (and over). And the articles bring a lot of traffic to my website, which is, after all, the primary goal. A: What piece of advice would you offer newbies like us? SB: My top piece of advice is to join a critique group. A: What one piece of advice do you wish you'd ignored? SB: Not to submit simultaneously. A: You quit your day job to write full-time after 10 sales. What do you think writers should consider before they walk away from their first careers? SB: Consider that the money is LOOOOOONG in coming and that insurance isn’t paid for. You need to have a business plan for your writing career, and be realistic about your cash flow, which will be VERY erratic. For Fun: A: What's your favorite indulgence? SB: A neck and shoulder massage. A: If you could go on vacation anywhere and money was not a consideration, where would you go? SB: I visited Melbourne, Australia a couple of years ago, and didn’t get to stay as long as I would’ve liked, so I’d probably go back there. Also, New Zealand is on my list. A: What would you do? SB: Observe, experience, and journal! A: What would we be most surprised to learn about you? SB: That I’m learning to play the harmonica. A: What's next for you? SB: In July 2006, the first book of my BODY MOVERS series for Mira will be released. It’s more of a sexy mystery series, with three potential love interests for my main character, which won’t be resolved until the end of the series. It’s very exciting to be doing something new, although the book is a compilation of all the writing elements I do and love! Be sure to check out Stephanie's website and blog for more information on her and her upcoming books! We're thrilled to introduce you to our fellow chapter member-both of Southern Magic and Heart of Dixie! Paula Graves has been writing since she was six, but it wasn't until she was out of college that she began aiming for publication. In 2005, she sold her first book, Forbidden Territory, which will be released as a Harlequin Intrigue in June 2006. She is a multiple contest winner and works full-time as an advertising creative director and graphic designer. Angel: Hi, Paula! Why don't you tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey before "The Call"? Paula Graves: I've been writing about as long as I can remember. My first finished work was an adventure tale starring my neighborhood friends and me. I was six. I made my own cover with crayon drawings on dark blue construction paper. I have no idea where that seminal work finally ended up--probably in the trash. A: How many manuscripts did you finish before you sold? PG: Not counting the above-mentioned pre-school story, seven. Three of which will never see the light of day again. I've finished another one since I sold. A: What inspired Forbidden Territory? How did it come to be the one that sold? PG: Answering the last question first, if I knew how it came to be the one that sold, I'd write a non-fiction book on how I did it and how you can do it, too. Then I'd really be rich! Seriously, Forbidden Territory has some really great characters (at least I think they're great!), an emotionally wrenching plot, lots of spooky atmosphere and a happy ending. Who wouldn't want to buy a book like that? As for what inspired it, the story came together from two distinct ideas. First, I'd just read a book written by a friend that had a secondary character, a private detective, who was trying to quit smoking and not having much luck. I loved the idea of a guy who's hero material except he can't quit smoking. I toyed with the idea of a hero addicted to nicotine gum, but later changed it to an addiction to antacids. The second part of my idea--a psychic who is desperately trying to stop having visions, came out of my love for all things paranormal. I'm pretty much a stone-cold skeptic about such things, but to quote Fox Mulder's office poster, "I want to believe." The character of Lily came out of that, and I put her together with poor, antacid-popping, uber-skeptic McBride and the child abduction he was investigating. It was a spark-inducing match. A: What was the most helpful advice you received? What one piece of advice do you wish you'd ignored? PG: The most helpful advice I ever received was to accept that there's no such thing as an easy path to publication, so don't waste time trying to find it. Just put your backside in a chair, put your fingers on the keyboard and keep writing until you come up with something an editor wants to buy. I'm not sure I've ever gotten any bad advice that I didn't ignore, thank goodness. A: You were pretty active on the contest circuit. Could you tell me why you chose to do this? Some of the pros and cons? PG: There were two things that drove me to the contest circuit: my competitive nature and my complete inability to write a decent query and synopsis. Fellow writers in my local RWA chapter were finaling in and winning contests; I couldn't let myself lag behind. Pride was involved. Also, when you final, sometimes editors ask to see your full manuscript without your having to write a sassy, attention-getting query and synopsis. Win-win situation! I entered only the contests with editors I thought might ask to see my manuscripts. That's how I kept the cost down to something I could afford. The pros are obvious--a contest win led directly to my sale. The cons are that there are a lot of pitfalls you have to know how to avoid, such as spending too much money, entering contests and never finaling, entering the wrong contests for your manuscript, or spending too much time polishing the first chapter of your only manuscript rather than writing new stuff. But a smart writer can learn what to avoid and how to make contests work for her. A: Tell me about the time between "The Call" and when your book actually hit the shelf in May. For the uninitiated, what all was involved in getting your manuscript into publication? PG: First, there's the verbal agreement to the sale. Once I gave the editor that, while I was waiting for the hard copy of the contract, my editor sent me the Art Fact Sheet to fill out. It's a standard Harlequin/Silhouette form that asks questions about your manuscript, your characters, your setting, and specific scenes in order to give the cover artist something to go on when he or she is putting together your cover art. The editor also asked for any dedication I wanted to put in the front of the book, plus a brief bio. And since I sold to Harlequin Intrigue, I had to write and send a Cast of Characters for the opening pages of the book. Next came the contract. A lot of writers have agents to handle that for them. I didn't. However, Harlequin's contract is pretty much boilerplate, at least for a first time writer, so I didn't have to know much. Still, if you think you're getting close to selling, you should check out the articles on the RWA website. There are several that deal with what to do when you get The Call and what you need to know beforehand. Harlequin sent back my copy of the signed contract, along with the check for the first half of my advance. My editor had given me fairly extensive revisions. I had a deadline to meet and serious rewriting to do. I made a point of beating my deadline. I've tried to do that with every deadline that's come up so far; you want the editor to trust that you'll deliver on or before the deadline. After the revisions were accepted, I received the second half of my advance. A few weeks after that, I received my editor's line edit and the copy editor's notes. I made changes directly on the line-edited manuscript my editor sent, sending back only the pages I made changes to. Finally, I received a sheet called the Author Alterations sheet. I got one last look at the manuscript, as it would appear in print, and caught any last minute errors the copy editor or the data entry person may have made. After that, I received a copy of my cover art and the blurb that goes on the back of the book. I really love my cover! I expect to get my contracted free author copies next, hopefully in the next month or so. A: What have you enjoyed the most about selling? What have you disliked? PG: I think what I've enjoyed most is the sense that I've finally reached a goal that I wanted so badly but wasn't sure I'd ever accomplish. Since childhood, I've known that I simply had to write. I never stopped wanting to tell stories, never stopped trying to figure out how to do it in a way that would make my passion marketable so that I could share it with other people. Finally selling was a huge sense of validation and relief. I also love seeing my name up on Amazon.com, or as I call it, "Paula's Personal Shopping Mall." It's hard to think of something I've disliked about selling. I guess maybe the pressure, now, to sell book two. I mean, who wants to be a one-book wonder? There's always a new goal to reach. No time for sitting around, basking in the glow of your sale. A: Do you have a particular author who mentored you or made the most impact on you? PG: The first name that comes to mind is Gayle Wilson, who's an RWA chaptermate and one of the most sensible, encouraging people I know. She's happy to answer even stupid questions, gives great advice, and her head is screwed on straight when it comes to this business. And I love, love, love her writing. She's the one who inspired me to write for Intrigue. My friend Kristen Robinette has been one of my biggest cheerleaders. She was my first writing friend, and her passionate belief in Forbidden Territory is what made me pull it out of the closet and give it one more look. Linda Howard, Beverly Barton and Linda Winstead Jones were among my first influences when I first joined RWA. Like Gayle, they're patient, savvy and supportive writers who are happy to give great advice and encouragement to aspiring writers. And since my sale, both Debra Webb and Rhonda Nelson have been a huge help to me in figuring out what steps to take next in my career. A: Do you have any craft books that taught you a lot? PG: My shelves are full of great craft books. The ones that probably had the most influence are Dwight Swain's Techniques of the Selling Writer, Debra Dixon's Goal, Motivation and Conflict, and Leslie Wainger's Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies. There are also non-craft books I've found indispensable for a romantic suspense writer, including John Douglas's books on criminal profiling, the Writer's Digest "Howdunit" series, and Ronald Kessler's books on the FBI and the CIA. A: Are you doing any kind of marketing for Forbidden Territory, since it is a category book? PG: I have a website and a blog, and I also blog regularly on my local RWA chapter's new group blog, Romance Magicians (romancemagicians.blogspot.com). I'm also part of a couple of group websites, the Intrigue Authors site and the Ghophers, a site for writers who finaled in the 2004 Golden Heart contest. My book title and my website information are part of my e-mail sig line as well as my eHarlequin community boards signature. I've designed and printed bookmarks and bought pens imprinted with either my book title or just basic information about me as a writer, which I've sent as freebies or goodie bag stuffers for reader and writer events. And I talk up my book every chance I get. But for a first category-length book, that's probably all the marketing I'll do. A: How do you balance your writing commitments with your full-time job and life? PG: It takes some doing. On one hand, I'm single and childless, which is probably helpful. On the other hand, my mom, my sister and her two young children live with me, so I don't really get to miss out on the chaos. But at least I can send the whining children to their mother if they start bothering me. I do work full time, but I try to make the most of the bits of time available, like my lunch hour at work or evenings and weekends. I try to put myself on a writing schedule when I'm working on a new project--at least two or three pages a day and more on the weekends. I can pretty easily write two or three pages in an hour, and I can usually find an hour of time, between my lunch hour and my evenings, to get those pages done. I create a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel to help me track my writing progress. It gives me the incentive to write when my brain tells me I'd rather be playing online pool. I do like to see the book pages add up on my spreadsheet! A: What's coming in the near future for you? PG: My editor liked the proposal I sent her for the sequel to Forbidden Territory, featuring one of my heroine's sisters, who also has a special gift. So I'll be polishing up the full for that over the next couple of weeks and getting it ready to out to my editor. After that, I'm working on creating an ongoing series for Intrigue featuring characters who work for an international security and threat management firm. Everyone who works there had some involvement in a fictional terrorist incident that took place a few years earlier. What each of the characters experienced during that crisis will have ongoing repercussions for them in the present. For Fun: A: What is the one thing we'd be surprised to learn about you? PG: I used to be an online chat host for AOL's now-defunct X-Files Fan Forum. Oh, and I learned to play the baritone horn in a week after the entire low brass section of my high school band graduated. A: If you had an unexpected afternoon off work and free of commitments, what would you do? PG: I'd write. Really. I so rarely get that long a stretch of free time to devote to my stories, I'd be like a kid in a candy store. However, if I didn't have a project in the works, I'd probably go fishing with my mom. Drop in and say hi to Paula via her website or blog and be sure to enter this month's contest to win an autographed copy of Paula's Forbidden Territory! Debra Webb is a fellow Heart of Dixie chapter member and one sweet lady too! She loved telling stories and writing as a child, but put those dreams aside after marriage and family came along. She took up writing seriously again in 1996 and first became published in 1999. Only seven years later, she's published over 50 books and is still going strong. This best selling author writes "spine-tingling romantic suspense and high action women's fiction." Let's see how she does it! Angel: Tell us a little about yourself. When did you first decide you wanted to write? How did you finally sell? Debra Webb: Well, I always wrote when I was younger. My whole life I’ve enjoyed making up and telling stories. Finally in 1996 when my oldest daughter was off to college and my youngest was off to kindergarten, I decided to stop fantasizing about it and actually do it. I wrote my first two stories on my own. Lucky for me I met a lovely new friend who was certain I needed to submit my work to Harlequin. So I rushed off to the post office and did exactly that, assuming they would, of course, be blown away by my fabulous story. WRONG! After the second submission was rejected, I called the editor just to get a clearer understanding of what exactly was causing the delay in Harlequin seeing how wonderful I was. She recommended I find RWA. I did and here I am more than fifty books later. A: Averaging practically a new release per month for several years now, you are obviously a fast writer. Could you tell us about your writing process? Are you a first draft writer? When do you find time to plot, have fun, or sleep? DW: Hmmm...these are closely guarded secrets you’re asking for. Okay, just for the Writing Playground I’ll divulge my deepest, darkest secret: This is simply the way it works for me. I have no idea why. I believe it works very differently for everyone. I write two to three hours a day when I’m working on a book. During that time I usually do 18 to 25 pages. I get up and with coffee in hand I go straight to the computer. I can get lots more done if I don’t let the day start first. No news to depress me, no stuff to frustrate me (like the whims of a teenage daughter), no static whatsoever. When I finish that chapter (or two if I doing shorter chapters), I stop and go for a walk (3-4 miles) and then I eat (my favorite part). I usually read back through what I’ve done every three or four chapter, making minor changes, and then move on. When I’ve completed the story, I read it through once more and then off it goes. That, children, is when things are clicking. Since this is not a perfect world, I’ll tell you about the other days. I write a few chapters that I love and then I don’t know what I want to do or the characters don’t want to cooperate. Then I argue with myself for a couple of days until I figure it out and then I pick up with the writing again. Eventually the story is done, read, and off it goes. And yes, there have been times when I’ve written 100 or more pages in one day, but that is asking for brain damage (for me anyway). It takes days before I stop having bouts of word salad after that. WORD SALAD: saying words that aren’t the ones you intended; jumbling your sentences so that people look at you strangely. Twenty to twenty-five pages a day is a nice pace for me. No word salad. No feeling abused. Lots of time for real life. Sleeping eight hours every night is extremely important!!!! I try hard to do that. I do NOT write everyday (meaning I take nice breaks between projects--most of the time). I do NOT spend more than that 2 or 3 hours at the computer per day. So I enjoy the rest of the day doing regular stuff. Plotting is something that is easy for me. My biggest problem is keeping focused on one thing when my brain is trying to tell me about three more stories I should write. I make lots of notes. They’re stuck everywhere! Story ideas, lines of dialog, weird stuff. A: You have an active family life. How do you balance your writing (both craft and the business side) with family and taking care of yourself? DW: Now this is extremely important: writing can consume your life – do not allow this to happen! I do the walking almost everyday for my health and for my stress level. I love spending time with my daughters and my husband. My husband walks with me. We do a lot of talking during that time. I do stuff at my teenager’s school and with parents of her friends. I like staying on top of what she’s into. She helps me stay up on the hottest fashions and the music. I’ve recently discovered I love some of the rap. I enjoy having social time with my writing friends as well at and outside conferences. My family and friends are very important to me. I read at night when I go to bed, usually for an hour. I can’t stress enough how important it is to keep that balance. This is why I have a strict schedule. A: Complete this sentence: My readers… DW: My readers are my primary concern when it comes to my work. My goal is to never disappoint the readers. We all work too hard for our money to blow it on something that wasn’t worth it. And though I can’t hope to get everything right every time, if I can give them something to remember every time that’s the point. They may not like something about a scene or a character but if the book left them satisfied and with something to think or talk about, then I did my job. A: You've recently sold your first set of single title books to St. Martin. How did this come about? Was it something you'd been looking into for a while? DW: I had hoped to move into mainstream romantic suspense for a couple of years now. I love the work I do for Harlequin, but I wanted to be able to stretch beyond those boundaries. I believe it’s important to stretch and grow in your work. If you’re not growing then you’re stagnant. Try new things. Fresh approaches. The biggest compliment an editor or reader has ever given me is that they’ve never read one of my stories that was a cookie cutter copy of another. I try to make each one different on as many levels as possible. Just as all people are different, the way a new character reacts to a situation should be different from a previous character. A: What is the biggest difference between writing category versus single title? DW: With category there are more rules on how far you can go with various aspects of your story. I wanted to be able to move into more gruesome, grittier territory. I wanted to focus more on the characters as well as the plot. I wanted to make them as real as possible, which means not all things always work out perfectly. I recently completed my first book for St. Martins and I surprised myself with where that story went. The biggest difference in category and single title is reader expectation. While readers of both types of books expect satisfying stories, there are many elements within each story that add up to the definition of satisfaction. When a reader picks up a Desire or an Intrigue or a Bombshell or a Blaze, they have certain preconceived expectations based on the promise of the line. A writer must stay within the boundaries of that promise to ensure the reader isn’t let down. In single title the expectations are far less defined. There is more freedom for taking different routes to achieve that definition of satisfaction. A: What one piece of advice would you offer newbies everywhere? DW: Pay attention. Writing is like any other aspect of the entertainment industry, it takes intense focus, paying full attention, to stay on top of what trips the audience’s trigger. A: What one piece of advice do you wish you'd ignored? DW: The rules of others. Make your own rules. Write the book the way it needs to be written. If it’s good they will buy it. If it’s not, write another one. We’re writers, this is what we do. A: What do you do in your downtime? DW: I love looking at houses, old, new, big, small. I’m certain in another life I must have been an architect or interior designer. I love doing stuff around my house. Planting flowers (even weeding them). I made new wreaths for my front doors each season. It’s the only crafty thing I’m good at. I love traveling. I love going new places with my family. Exploring streets in my own town that I’ve never driven or walked down before. I’m a cheap date. A: What is your favorite indulgence? DW: Shopping for house stuff. Curtains. Pictures. Frames. Furniture! A: What's coming up next for you? DW: Well, I’m about to start one of the NASCAR books for Harlequin. I’m in the NASCAR Holiday anthology coming from HQN this November with Roxanne St. Claire and Kimberly Raye. But the book I’m about to start is one of the books that will launch the continuity in February 2007. Then I’m back to St. Martins for a second book with lots of murder, mayhem and steamy sex. You can find out more about Debra Webb (and see a really cool introduction!) at her website: www.debrawebb.comGin. Stilettos. A Clooney crush. A little dog in a fetching pink tam. A suffer-no-nitwits attitude. A wealth of knowledge about the publishing business and a blog for a soapbox. Add in a Devotion of Snarklings, and it can be only one person: The Divine Miss Snark. Now that you've seen how smart and gracious the Mavens are, we'd love to introduce you to another side of them. This is the fun side we get to see at chapter meetings and retreats. They're even more fun after a couple of rounds of margaritas, but we won't go there. Here are a few things we wanted to know… well, just because we wanted to know. 1. Why do you write romance? Linda Winstead Jones: There was a time, many years ago, when I dabbled in straight mystery. It never failed that as soon as I was into the story, the relationships became more important than whodunit. Romance is about people, it’s about love. When I write, that’s where I go. Beverly Barton: Because I’ve always been in love with love. I’m a romantic at heart. Even as a child, the stories I wrote were about male/female relationships. In life you can never be certain of a happy ending, but in romance novels you can. Linda Howard: I write what I love. I write the characters I love, and tell their stories. Can I help it if they seem to be an amorous bunch???? 2. What is your personal writing space like? Any good luck totems or rituals? LWJ: No rituals. (Unless massive amounts of coffee counts) Sitting at the computer and looking around, I see many little things that mean a lot to me. Pictures of my grandkids, The Children, and the Mavens. A few books I need close at hand. The magic 8-ball. My lucky pen. A couple of trophies and my Rita flags. Wind chimes. My coffee cup. All my books, on a shelf above the computer. A tape dispenser shaped like a cowboy boot. And a lot of paper that needs to be filed and will be – eventually. BB: I’m fortunate enough to have a beautiful office that reflects my personality. This space has been “a long time coming” and I think I’ve earned it. In the past, I worked at my dining room table, then in a corner of my bedroom and finally in a small, cluttered room that housed my office equipment and eventually became known as Beverly’s office/the junk room. LH: No totems or rituals. I don't listen to music while I write, nor do I have the television on. My writing space is a piled-up mess. I had a huge U-shaped desk made, with lots and lots of storage space, and it's crammed full and piled high with books and papers, boxes, catalogs, equipment, and photographs. As I progress deeper into a book, the desk gets messier and messier, and everyone is forbidden to touch it. 3. What is your typical writing day like? LWJ: There really isn’t a typical writing day. Every book is different. Some go quickly. Others are like pulling teeth. I have to adapt to the way the book is going. I am more creative in the morning. If I try to run errands in the morning and then come home and write, it doesn’t go well. Afternoons are usually strictly for editing and revising. BB: It varies from time to time and from day to day, depending on what I’m doing—writing the WIP, pulling together a synopsis, doing line/copy edits, reading galleys, plotting a new book, etc. LH: I don't have a typical writing day. I write as much, or as little, as I'm moved to write. Sometimes life takes precedence for long stretches of time. 4. You’ve just met an important deadline. How do you reward yourself? LWJ: Sometimes I crash in front of the TV and watch Shakespeare in Love or Phantom of the Opera. Other times, I just crash. <g> BB: I rest. Sometimes, it’s only for a few days, but I simply have to have some much needed R&R. Also, I call a friend and go out for lunch. LH: By sleeping and reading. 5. Over the course of your impressive career, what’s your favorite story that you’ve written and why? Your favorite hero/heroine? LWJ: Why don’t you just ask me which one of my kids I like best, or which of the grandchildren is prettiest? <g> BB: I just mailed off my sixtieth book and you’re asking me to choose one story, one hero/heroine! I can’t do it. No way. Often, I think my favorite is the one I’m working on at the time I’m asked this question. LH: Very difficult to answer. I guess the story that most obsessed me was "Son of the Morning." And I can't pick a favorite hero/heroine. My weakest books, in my opinion, where those where I didn't absolutely love both the hero and heroine. Those are few and far between, thank goodness, because it's sheer torture forcing myself to write a story that I maybe like, but don't love. We'd like to thank the ever-generous Mavens for taking the time to interview with us at the Playground. We hope you enjoyed this insight into their world. If you missed the first half of this interview, check out part 1... Tim Tams, Aussie phrases and passionate, sexy love stories are synonymous with the name Bronwyn Jameson. As a matter of fact, her trademark phrase is “Hot Desire from the Land Down Under” and as one of her devoted readers, I can verify that the “hot desire” part is correct. She’s celebrating because her September 2005 Silhouette Desire, The Rich Stranger, was just selected for a Reviewers’ Choice Award from CataRomance. As Playground Monitor, I’m chuffed to have Bronwyn with us in the Sandbox. Kick off your shoes, grab a bucket and shovel and learn a little more about one of my favorite authors. PM: Bron, can you tell us a little about yourself? When did the passion for writing begin? And why do you write romance? BJ: I’m a wife, mother of 3 boys, and partner in a farming business with my dh. We share a couple of thousand acres in the Australian heartland (sometimes verdant and green, other times dry and dusty) with a whole lot of sheep, a few horses, several dogs, and an occasional kangaroo. I have always been an avid reader and gravitated toward romance in my teens. In all my jobs I did some kind of writing (rural journalism, advertising copy, technical booklets, promotional flyers) but it took me an age before I decided to give fiction writing a go. That happened after I picked up a magazine, quite by chance, which included a feature on “becoming a romance writer.” The idea took hold very quickly and I joined Romance Writers of Australia, bought a couple of how-to books, and started thinking about a story idea. When I sat down to start writing, I fell in love from day one! Why romance? Because that’s what I love reading; that’s what I know. PM: Who has influenced your career? Any particular craft books that you recommend? BJ: Where do I start? Many people, including several of the Australian authors featured in the article that got me started: Emma Darcy, Valerie Parv, Alison Kelly. My mentor through RWAust’s Isolated Writers’ Scheme, Lisa Annis. Helen Bianchin, whose advice kept me centered at a time before publication when I was being pulled this way and that by conflicting advice. Fiona Brand, who sold to Silhouette and showed the house wasn’t closed to non-American authors writing non-American characters. Leslie Wainger, who took a risk buying my first book and introducing an Australian voice into Desire. My current editor, Stacy Boyd, whose blood is worth bottling! And a whole lot of authors – too many to name – whose writing has inspired me and taught me and pushed me to keep working harder at my craft. Craft books, hmm. I went through a stage where I was a craft-book junkie and I have quite the collection. My favorites are on my website here. Also there are so many fabulous articles available on the internet—probably too many! But if you have time to search out the ones whose ideas or voice speaks to you—wonderful! PM: Will you share with our readers about receiving “the call?” BJ: I sold from a contest entry but my call came after I’d given up hope. The editor placed me second and the winner had already heard—as in sold—a month or so earlier. I assumed my rejection letter was in the mail, had held my premature pity party (involving loads of chocolate!) and I was back at work completing my next manuscript. This morning (in Feb 2000) I’d put the answering machine on while I took the kids to meet the school bus. I came home, booted up the computer and didn’t check messages. When the phone rang I almost didn’t bother picking it up. Then I heard this American accent and Leslie started her 2nd message for my answer-machine. I picked up! Oh, and I closed my ms file because the rest of that day was spent on the phone and email letting everyone I’d ever met (well, almost) know about my sale. PM: Are you a member of RWA? Is there an Australian chapter of RWA? BJ: Yes. And of PASIC, the Published Authors’ Special Interest chapter; Romance Writers of Australia; Romance Writers of New Zealand. PM: Living in Oz, do you feel separated from the romance community as a whole because of distance? Is it difficult for you to stay in contact with American editors and publishers? Are there any particular hurdles that you have that someone in the United States doesn’t? BJ: I would love to have a local chapter or group—that is one thing my isolation costs me. There is one other romance author who lives within driving distance and we get together for coffee and a chat every couple of months or as our schedules allow. As far as publisher contact—that’s not such an issue because of email. Except with edits and proofs, where the hard copy has to be mailed to me. I’ve often ended up receiving these AFTER the date they were due back in NYC because of the time spent in transit. I’m expecting line edits this week with a short turnover time. It’s stressful waiting, not knowing quite when they’ll land and how much time I’ll have. The other thing I miss is the networking at conferences. I try to get to RWA National every second year but the travel is too expensive for annual visits, as much as I would like to do that. If I was in America, I’m sure I’d try to get to a couple of chapter conferences or retreats as well. PM: Do you write fulltime? If not, is there another profession that uses part of your time? BJ: I mentioned the farm—well, I handle the business/financial side, which takes some time. I’m also primary carer for our disabled son. So I guess you’d say that writing is my part-time job. PM: What do you do in your downtime? I’m assuming you have some downtime. <g> BJ: Not much, actually. Mostly I spend my downtime with family and I love to read, watch movies and a little television (I have my favorite shows.) I’m a bit of a sports fan, and this year I’ll be parked in front of the Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games and World Cup (soccer). I also love to travel and every year I aim to visit somewhere I’ve never seen before, whether in Australia or overseas. This year we’re doing a trip to the South Island of New Zealand. PM: New writers always ask for advice and this newbie is no exception. What bit of advice would you offer an aspiring writer? What bit do you wish you’d ignored? BJ: My best advice: write consistently, every day if you can, even if that’s only for an hour. If it’s not possible to get to the computer, due to kids or work or whatever, then always have a notebook handy and write the next few paragraphs, the next page, whatever you can manage longhand. That will keep you in the story and keep the story in your mind. Advice I wish I’d ignored: Silhouette is only interested in American stories and characters. PM: What effect (if any) has the Internet had on your career? BJ: I’m smiling at the “if any” because I cannot picture my life or my writing day without the internet. It’s my lifeline to the writing world, for support and communication, for friendship, for up-to-date information on what’s going on in the publishing world, for research, promotion. Contact with readers. PM: Related to the Internet, you are part of a writing group called the Ditzy Chix. How did you come to join up with this group? What advantages do you see in belonging to such a group? BJ: Most of the Chix met on the cataromance loop in the late 90s-early 00s and our friendship strengthened when many of us met in person at the New Orleans National conference in 2001. Shortly after we formed our own email loop, just to chat and share writing war-stories. Roxann Delaney designed our website for fun at first, and then we saw the benefits of promoting as a group and started a newsletter and a readers group and using our name on promotional handouts for conferences. The benefits are to do with group economics: we all put in and whatever the cost, for domain name and hosting, for the promo items, are split. Plus we’re sharing and promoting readers between group members. I know I’ve picked up some of my most loyal and treasured readers, who I also call friends, through the Ditzy Chix. Not the mention the lasting friendships—which I value way above the promotional benefits—I have made with the Chix themselves. PM: Complete this sentence: My readers... BJ: ...are the reason I keep writing. PM: Just for fun: BJ: As of this week...a brand new Milano-red Honda Accord Euro! PM: What is your dream vacation? BJ: Exploring a new destination, experiencing the different culture, strolling the streets of a new town, tasting the local food!, people-watching--but all at a nice, relaxed pace with time to kick back in the evenings with a glass of wine and good company. (PS: there needs to be some shopping!) PM: What is your favorite comfort food? BJ: Tim Tams. (No surprise there, huh?) PM: What would we be completely surprised to learn about you? BJ: I went on Wheel of Fortune and won (amongst other things) a car! Many thanks to Bron for taking time from her writing to join us at the Playground. I hope she feels free to come back any time. Readers can learn more about Bronwyn and her books on her website at www.bronwynjameson.com and her blog at www.bronwynjameson.com/blog. As regular visitors already know, three special women have taken upon themselves to mentor us, laugh with us (or is that AT us?), and keep this rowdy bunch in line. We collectively refer to them as “The Mavens”. As authors, they are prolific, talented, and award-winning. As women, they are gracious, generous, and wise. We wanted our Playmates to have the chance to get to know them, so we invited the Mavens to spend some time with us in the Sandbox. First, a formal introduction: Linda Winstead Jones has written for four different publishers under four different names since 1994. She’s a three-time RITA finalist and winner of the 2004 RITA in the paranormal category. 2005 saw the sale of her 50th book. Her most recent release was the novella “Forever Mine” in Beyond the Dark, a Silhouette Signature Select Halloween Anthology. The Star Witch, the third book in her Sisters of the Sun trilogy, will be released as a Berkley Sensation in January 2006. Beverly Barton is the NYT best-selling author of over fifty books, written for Harlequin/Silhouette, St. Martin’s, and Kensington. She is a two-time Maggie Award winner, a two-time National Readers’ Choice Award winner, a RWA Rita Award finalist, and a recipient of the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her latest single title is Killing Her Softly, a Zebra Romantic Suspense. In January 2006, Silhouette Intimate Moments will release another book in her Protectors series, Penny Sue Got Lucky. Linda Howard is a NYT best-selling author who began writing at age nine. Since then, she’s penned many books including her newest Killing Time, Now You See Her, Kill and Tell, Son of the Morning, and Shades of Twilight. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from RWA. Her next single title, Cover of Night, hits the shelves in May. Linda Winstead Jones: To me it all comes down to one word: Community. RWA is a healthy, flourishing community, with writers at all levels active and involved. To me, the benefit is the community itself. The meetings, the friendships, the interaction. The parties, the laughter, and the shoulders to cry on. Beverly Barton: Mentoring is sharing knowledge. In the same way mothers teach their offspring how to survive in the world and give them guidance as they grow from babies to adults, published authors nurture the unpublished. Linda Howard: To me as a human being, there is the benefit of helping friends, of giving them forehand knowledge of things I learned the hard way. And the benefit to me as a reader is that there can never be too many good books in the world, and if I can help any of them along the way that's great.
2. What do you get out of participating in groups like Heart of Dixie? LWJ: See all of the above. <g> It’s so easy to get caught up in the business of publishing and the obsession of writing that all else falls by the wayside. This is NOT a good thing. There is life beyond my computer, and let’s face it – No one understands a writer’s joys and tribulations the way another writer does. We need one another. BB: You mean other than having a lot of fun? Being a part of Heart of Dixie gives me the opportunity to spend time with other writers, to form friendly acquaintances with many and lasting friendships with a few. I can’t stress the importance of our receiving encouragement and support from one another and giving it in return. Who but another writer could ever understand what goes on in our unique world of imagination? LH: Friendship, first and foremost. If the occasional snippet of information comes along, that's just icing on the cake.
3. Each of these generous ladies has served in various positions in Heart of Dixie in the past, from Board Membership to chairing events. Linda Howard and Beverly Barton are founding members of this chapter. Why is it important to be actively involved in local chapters/groups? LWJ: It’s tough to form close friendships when you see someone for an hour or so ten times a year. Simply attending meetings isn’t enough. By being more involved, you get to know and work with the other members who are willing to donate their time and energy. By volunteering your time, you make yourself a part of something bigger. You can truly donate to the health of an organization, large or small. BB: My association with Heart of Dixie began when I helped found our first Alabama RWA chapter, so I have a strong emotional attachment to this particular chapter. Over the years, HOD and the friendships I’ve formed with other members have enriched my life immeasurably. Writers need other writers. It’s that simple. LH: Again, for the information available. No matter what you need to know, you can almost always get an accurate answer. Look at the varied resources we have in our little group. And writing is by necessity a lonely occupation, as well as an unusual one. How many of your family and friends will understand how exhausting it is to write? They really can't, because they haven't experienced that sort of mental exhaustion. But another writer knows. We all speak the same language.
4. We’re always hearing how much more difficult it is to break into this business now than it was 10 years ago. Do you think this is true? Why? LWJ: This is the sort of thing I do my best to ignore. I made my first sale in 1993. At that time, I heard how tough it was to break in. Tougher than it had ever been, they said. I was hit with all the odds and none of them were good. Fortunately, I didn’t hear any of this until after I’d sold. I might never have put the book in the mail, if I had known the odds going in. BB: Probably. When I sold my first book in ’89, I was told that it was more difficult then to make that first sale than it had been in the early eighties. In the early to mid-eighties, there were countless series romance publishers and seemingly endless places where a writer could submit her/his work. Publishing houses consolidated, publishers cut series romance lines until Harlequin became the only game in town, romance writers became more savvy thanks to RWA, etc., etc. LH: It is more difficult, because there are fewer publishing houses. The big mergers brought hitherto independent houses under just a few big umbrellas -- and they don't compete against the other houses under their own umbrella. So you have fewer options for selling a book, and fewer options for leaving if you wish to change publishers. There are also fewer outlets for selling books, with the big chains and online booksellers running the small bookstores out of business. That doesn't mean it's impossible to sell, just more complicated.
5. Was there one thing you learned right before selling-that magic puzzle piece that made everything click for you? Do you continue to have these Aha moments? LWJ: I was totally ignorant when I sold, so no – There was no magic puzzle piece. When I sent that first manuscript in, I didn’t even know RWA or HOD existed. If I had, I might’ve known how bad the odds were, and well, see the answer to question number four. <g> BB: Not really. Just as there is no secret to becoming published, there is no magic puzzle piece. Were there clues that I was on the verge of making that first sale? Probably. One was that I finaled in several writing contests, which simply validated me as a writer. Another was having a highly respected published author tell me that I was going to sell and she even told me which of my several projects would be the one to sell first. LH: Nope. For me it was like learning how to ride a bicycle. I practiced and practiced and practiced, and every time I wrote something I got a little better as I learned how to better express the story that was in my head. Then one day, I was good enough to sell. End of story. Well, not really. To this day I still have "Aha!" moments, but they all concern the plot of the story I'm working on at the time.
6. What one piece of advice would you offer a newbie writer? What is the best advice you have received during your career? LWJ: Best advice for a newbie writer: Write. Write, write, write. I love the community I live in. I love my writing friends. It’s important. But writing is a solitary pastime, accomplished on your own. Talking about writing, plotting with friends, planning your career, those are all fine. But unless you actually make the time to sit down and write, you’ll never get anywhere. BB: If you want it desperately enough and are willing to work like crazy to achieve your goal of being published, then NEVER give up. Determination and perseverance are the keys to success. As for good advice I received – don’t sweat the small stuff. LH: Just one piece of advice, out of so many??? <G>. First and foremost, don't write to the market; it will have changed by the time any book you write now can be published. Write what you love -- period. Write the story idea that has seized you by the throat and won't let go. Write it to the best of your ability. And don't let your ego blind you to the fact that everyone in the world needs editing.
7. What drives you to succeed? Is there someone or something that inspires you? LWJ: Confession time. I’m not particularly driven. Not by success, at least. I am totally driven by the characters and the stories that possess me. It’s all about them, not any external measure of success. Would I like that external measure to be greater? Of course I would. But that’s not what drives me to write. BB: I suppose having a type-A personality is part of it. I’ve always been an over-achiever, an aggressive, gotta-be-the-best-at-whatever-I-do person. Add to that the fact I’ve been a writer since childhood and being a published writer fulfilled a lifelong dream. And never underestimate the power of greed. LH: No, inspiration is sadly lacking in my life, unless you're talking about the people who live in my head and the stories they demand I write. That's what drives me -- telling their stories. That's it.
Both Linda Winstead Jones and Linda Howard served recent terms on the Romance Writers of America National Board and are currently serving second terms. 8. What prompted you to run for RWA national office? LWJ: Someone asked, and I was intrigued. I wanted to be more involved, and what better way than to serve at the National level? LH: Not what, who. Linda Winstead Jones, one of the other mavens. She said I was needed. I thought about it, and agreed to run.
9. What did you gain from the experience? Anything unexpected? LWJ: I found a new respect for the organization as a whole, the staff that keeps us operational, and the volunteers who give so much of their time to RWA. It’s a massive effort. LH: A whole new level of respect for the organization. I've also met some truly wonderful people.
10. How did it change your view of RWA? LWJ: There were times in the past when I took RWA for granted. No more. LH: For one thing, it's far more complicated than I expected. I also learned that no matter how hard any Board tries to satisfy everyone on each issue, some people aren't going to like the action taken. It's human nature; everyone views the world through their own lenses.
11. Coming off a controversial year for the board, what prompted you to seek re-election? LWJ: The other board members and the office staff, all of whom work so hard to keep RWA operational and healthy. I’m not going to cut and run because we had a controversial year. There’s still a lot to be done, and I’d like to finish some of the projects I was in on from the beginning. Check back next month for Part II of our Meet the Mavens Interview.
Problem Child: Hi Janice. Welcome to the Sandbox. Tell us a little about yourself. Janice Lynn: Hi! & it’s fun to be in the sandbox (Janice reaches over to brush sand off of Matthew McConaughey’s bare chest.) Let’s see, I’m often confused with Nicole Kidman and eat all the chocolate I want and never gain a pound, and just last week Brad Pitt, Clive Owens, and Johnny Depp all begged me to go on an exotic weekend get away with them, but I had to refuse as my heart belongs to Matthew and he wants to play cowboy at his place in Texas. What? You’re not buying this???? Well, so the truth of the matter is that I write fiction (no kidding, right? <g>) And, not just any fiction, I write romance, which is the greatest of all the genres in my opinion as it offers hope and happily-ever-afters in a world that often doesn’t. PC: Now, tell us about your book. JL: JANE MILLIONAIRE is a fun contemporary romance meant to put a smile on the reader’s face. It’s a story about a tough-girl cop who goes on to a reality television show pretending to be her sister pretending to be a princess. Sounds complicated, eh? Well, things do get complicated when the twelve, vying bachelors can’t capture Jill’s heart because she’s fallen for the show’s producer. Like me, my characters aren’t fans of reality television and think it’s a bunch of crock—yet, they find themselves caught up in one and that it’s turning their definitions of “reality” and “fantasy” inside out. PC: What event or idea inspired the story? JL: As I mentioned, I don’t watch reality TV. But I have a dear friend (Lindsey Brooks) who loves it. We’d be on the phone and she’s have the gall to hang up mid-sentence of a conversation with a quick, “Bachelor’s (Survivor. Average Joe. Take your pick.) coming on. Got to go.” Slam! She’d hang up. I teased her one night that I was going to write a reality television set book so she’d finish a conversation with me. I started it as a joke and fell in love with the characters on page one. From that point, Jill and Rob inspired the story. By the way, I’d never heard of Rob and Am-bah when Rob’s name came to me. By the time their story came out, Jane Millionaire was already sitting on an editor’s desk. Not where it eventually sold, but an editor’s desk all the same. PC: How did this book get to be “the one that sold?” JL: JANE MILLIONAIRE won the American Title contest sponsored by Romantic Times Magazine and Dorchester. I competed in the American Idol like contest for a total of five rounds (I entered the contest in June 2004 & won in April 2005!) and the prize was a publishing contract. PC: What’s the most exciting and/or most unexpected thing you’ve experienced as a debut author? JL: How nice everyone is. Booksellers, reviewers, readers. I’m blown away by how wonderful everyone has been to me and about all the nice things they have to say about JANE MILLIONAIRE. I wasn’t truly prepared for that part of it, it’s been a wonderful surprise. PC: The worst? JL: How much time promotion takes and how little time I’m finding to actually write. Ugh. I’ve got to learn to manage my time better for future releases. How long have you been writing? Will you tell us how many books you wrote before this one? (Feel free to share a rejection story with us J.) I’ve been writing for about four years. How many books I’d written….oh man, do I have to? Let’s see…I’m thinking JANE Millionaire was my 9th ms. Rejections…let me count the ways….ran out of fingers….looking at sand-covered toes….a lot.…okay, so I don’t have that many fingers or toes and I’d offer to use Matthew’s to finish counting, but I tend to get distracted when I look at him and start counting his body parts. Imagine. <g> I had somewhere around 20 rejects when I sold Jane Millionaire. Probably a few less. Which just means I wasn’t putting myself out there enough. I courted a particular editor at Harlequin because I really want to write for her and, unfortunately despite her liking my writing and even having one ms passed up to her by another editor with recommendation to buy, nothing’s happened there. Not that I’ve quit courting, but just that she hasn’t called to buy one of my books *yet*. (Remember I write fiction and have a vivid imagination—but I’m not giving up hope!) PC: What single piece of advice would you like to give newbie writers? Go for your dreams, don’t let anyone steal them from you, give it your best and then some because if you’re not willing to fight for those dreams, no one else will be willing to fight for them for you. Never give up. Persistence pays. Dreams do come true. I’m living proof. (now, gotta go. Matthew is gonna rub lotion all over me so the sun doesn’t burn me while we play in the sand. <g>) PC: Thanks for dropping by. Come back and play with us soon. January 2005 - Kelley St. John Problem Child: Hi Kelley. Welcome to the Sandbox. Tell us a little about yourself. Kelley St. John: I began my writing career at NASA directly after college. I gained a wealth of information (and plot ideas aplenty) from that position. While I enjoyed the opportunity to work for the Department of Defense, my heart always yearned to write fiction. In 2001, I finally decided to hand over the reins to my dream and began pursuing the career I wanted. Since then, I've written a little of everything (non-fiction, suspense, romantic suspense, sexy contemporary, paranormal and women's fiction). I actually believed my suspense novels would sell first. However, Good Girls Don't isn't a suspense; it's an extremely sexy, very sassy contemporary. It's one of those stories where the characters basically took control and ran the show. And I had a ball letting Bill, Lettie, Amy and Landon have their way. PC: Now, tell us about your book. KSJ: While Good Girls Don’t has three romances, it’s basically Bill and Lettie’s story. I absolutely adore them. Bill is that good-looking, nice guy that we all knew in high school. The best friend and confidante that you'd never date because that would simply "ruin it." But it's 12 years later; Bill has grown up. And he's, consequently, sexy as all-get-out. Lettie is that girl who was already pegged as a wild child simply by circumstance (in Lettie's case, her mother was the town tramp, so she was automatically the child of the town tramp). She has worked very hard to overcome that image and has almost succeeded. At long last, she nearly has enough money to start her own business and quit her less-than-favorable position as an alibi consultant. But just before she turns in her notice, she ends up lying to Bill, the one guy who treated her like she was special. Worse than that, Bill wants them to find out what they missed back then...and what they can have together now. Lettie wants that too, but she fears she'll lose out on the happy ending again when Bill learns the truth. PC: What event or idea inspired the story? KSJ: I read a newspaper article about alibi agencies, actual businesses that provide alibis for cheaters. I started pondering what kind of person would work at a place that helps spouses cheat. Then I asked myself what would happen if an alibi consultant ended up lying to a friend. And what if the consultant was actually a girl who’d been termed as a “bad girl” who wanted nothing more than to be good. That's when Colette came to life. She explained, "I didn't plan to work here long, only until I got my business going. And I never, ever planned to lie to Bill." PC: How did this book get to be “the one that sold?” KSJ: My agent, Caren Johnson (www.carenjohnson.com), actually pitched my 2nd book, Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2, to Beth de Guzman at Warner Books. Beth was interested in that novel, but before she made an offer, she was promoted to Vice President of Mass Marketing. Thank goodness she didn’t send an automatic rejection when she moved up! <insert great big smile of gratitude for Beth de Guzman here> Instead of leaving me out in the cold, she asked for another book, then passed both books to Editor Devi Pillai for consideration. Devi bought both books, but decided to release the 2nd book, Good Girls Don’t, first. She fell in love with the book – which totally made my year! So…Good Girls Don’t is on the shelves now, and Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2 will be a September 2006 release. PC: What’s the most exciting and/or most unexpected thing you’ve experienced as a debut author? KSJ: Interviews. Lots of people are interested in debut authors’ stories, and believe me, it’s a lot of fun to share. Earlier this year, I was interviewed by Serena Altschul of the CBS Early Show – talk about nervous! I dropped the microphone down my camisole (don’t ask). Thank goodness the production guys didn’t laugh…too much! I was also interviewed by Lauren Mosko for the Writer’s Digest 2007 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market. And then I was interviewed by Natalie Danford for a Romance Writers of America article in Publisher’s Weekly. (By the way, if you’re interested in romance—reading, writing, you name it—check out the RWA site: www.rwanational.org.) PC: The worst? KSJ: Did I mention dropping the microphone down my shirt during that CBS Early Show interview? PC: How long have you been writing? Will you tell us how many books you wrote before this one? (Feel free to share a rejection story with us.) KSJ: I began working with NASA as a technical writer (then senior technical writer) in 1988. I dabbled with my fiction writing for years, but finally began submitting it for consideration in 2001. In my first fiction novel, everyone died. Everyone. I had someone read it and tell me I’d never make it in the business because my work left no opportunity for a sequel. (How do you write a 2nd book if no one is left standing?). A small tree could have been saved if it weren’t for the rejection letters from that book ;) Too many to count. And the funny thing is, I still love that book. Believe it or not, several editors did too; they just said they weren’t sure where to market it, or that’s what the R letters said, and I’m going to believe it. (By the way, for categorizing that book, I’d term it an “Inspirational Murder” – What? Is there no section for that at your local bookstore?) PC: What single piece of advice would you like to give newbie writers? KSJ: I’ll share a piece of advice given to me by NYT Bestseller Linda Howard… “Never settle for less than your dream.” PC: Thanks for dropping by. Come back and play with us soon. KSJ: I enjoyed it! And I LOVE this playground (and if I’d had the kind of hunky treasures that you have here hiding in my locker room in high school, I’d have enjoyed school WAY more!) December 2005 - Shelley Visconte, LPC, LMFT, and resident Playground therapist is on duty and here to tell us a little about herself. Problem Child: Hi Shelley, welcome to the Sandbox. Shelley Visconte: Hi. PC: First off, tell us what those letters behind your name mean. PC: What kind of counseling do you do? PC: So you’re used to dealing with crazy people. PC: Are writers crazy people? PC: So why are you volunteering your time around here? PC: So, what kinds of therapy do you see yourself doing on the playground? PC: Are you willing to do therapy on imaginary people? I mean, you’ve helped both Kira and me with character problems in the past. PC: Can Playground visitors send you questions? PC: What kind of counseling do you do off the site? And folks can contact you for specific help for their own issues? PC: You’re doing your first article on dealing with rejection, right? PC: Fine then, be a tease. I’ll talk to you later. |
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