Spreading the Word

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Next Leg of the Journey

The Journey continues. I've been very bad about posting of late, but the journey has kept me incredibly busy!


ARC or Advance Readers Copies

I've always made my own, printed them landscape and they're set up like an open book you might hold. I always used comb bindings for them. I'd created some and was mailing them out to various reviewers and booksellers. THEN it happened, I got REAL ARCs from Berkley it was SOOOO cool. So now I've been sending them out to different folks, hoping they'll read and review/recommend Kismet to others.

Book Two of the Order of the Sicari Series

The book is turned in and we've given it a name. Now that sounds almost like I gave birth doesn't. Well if it had been a live birth, it could be equated to birthing a 10pd baby WITHOUT an epidural. *sigh* Anyway, the book is called Assassin's Heart. I got to pick it this time, but that's because I presented a logical argument for it.

1. Book 1 is called Assassin's Honor so it sort of seems to fit that the 2nd book would encompass the Assassin piece, and the fact that Honor and Heart both have 5 letters and start with an H seemed like Kismet. *grin*
   
   
2. Heart is really appropriate to the book because the hero is a half-breed and his loved ones keep telling him that his heart is Sicari
   
   
3. Finally, as a friend pointed out after reading the book. Assassin's Heart has a dark, edgy, yet romantic feel to it. My editor agreed

Oh, and I just realized, I never posted my most AWESOMENESS! cover for book 1 in the Order of the Sicari. The hero has BEN AFLECK's jaw! Dreamy, dreamy, dreamy.

Advertising

I am getting knee deep in promo now as well as ordering advertising. Not solely for Kismet though as most people might think. I'm working on trying to get advertising for next fall in the RWR, and I just scheduled a full page ad (jointly with the wonderful Emma Wilds) for this coming May. Not to mention the other advertising I've been organizing that's starting to reach out to next Sep and Oct. The bucks are starting to add up, but at least it's a tax write off. With the economy the way it is, getting notice takes money, and the publisher limits its advertising, so it's up to me. I did hire a publicist to help with getting mailings done, and organizing some signings as well as getting my name and ARCs in front of booksellers. LeeAnn works hard, so I think I'll see great benefit for my money.

New Book

I have a proposal for a new historical due December 1st. I've got maybe one chapter done. I HATE it (the book and the deadline). I'm not sure whether it's switching from a paranormal back to a historical or if I'm a little burnt out. It's been a crazy 12 months, and I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

What Else????

When working under deadlines, it's important to take care of one's self. I started walking again, despite the foot injury I suffered last year. I've stubbornly put off going to the doc about it, mainly because my gut says it will possibly involved surgery. I can't afford that...time or money wise...right now.

I've only been able to read VERY little, but I did get to devour Michelle Moran's Cleopatra's Daughter. I might have mentioned it here before, but I'll say it again. DAMN! It was a great book. Historical fiction just the way I like it. I've also been reading page by page, Isabo Kelley's The Promise of Kierna' Rhoan. It's sci-fi romance, the first I've ever read, and I'm loving it!! Isabo has a wonderful voice.

Finally

I'm getting REALLY excited about Kismet, although I confess that I waffle back and forth about the book and how it will be received by readers. I'm not too worried about reviews, because those are always a toss up and one opinion won't influence sales of the book that much, BUT...if enough reviewers LOVE the book and rave about it, then that will influence sales. Word of mouth is everything in this business.

Just For Kicks

Ok, It's my turn to post. The latest book is coming on strong, about 2 chapters left. Setting up for the big finale (aka black moment). Trying to wrap it all up. Hope I can create that satisfying ending. But I'm WAY to swamped to write out in detail what's happening through out the writing life. EXCEPT - getting up at 4:30am - 5:00am is making a HUGE difference in my productivity.

Oh, and I'm also working on developing the next book (a historical ) in the back of my head. I can't wait to start it.

In the meantime, here's something I found on YouTube that I just loved. I used to have a job this wonderful, only we moved, and I had to find a new job. *sigh* Of course, it helps that I LOVE the song!

Guest Blog Day - Candi Wall

Because I believe a blog should be fluid and not static, and of late, my posts have been sporadic. Thereby the blog is pretty static. *sigh* Of course, that's because I've been hunkered down at the desk writing! *grin* So when Candi approached me as to whether I do guest blogs, I thought about it, and decided that...

1. It would make the blog more fluid
2. It would take some pressure off me to write a post (WOOT!)
3. As long as the post was entertaining, informative and not outright promo, it might be fun.
4. It would be another way for me to give back to writers who are at a stage in their career that I remember quite well.
   

So, here's Candi Wall with her post about writing and her epiphany based on a single word. Enjoy. Monica
___________________

Hi, Monica! Thanks for having me. My novel ‘STAY’ is entered in the Next Best Celler Contest at TextNovel.com

Another contest post, you say? How many of these have we read? Subjectivity, poor marks, great comments, finals, no finals…yada, yada, yada… Ummm, yeah. We’ve read about them a ton. So no, this won’t be a post about contests, but about a single word.

A single word that Monica once used in an e-mail she sent to a loop we both belong to.

One Word

Didn’t think a huge amount about it at the time. Just kind of filed it away with so many other snippets we all gain from all the posts, groups, workshops, lectures…yada
(K, you get the point.) But this one word raised its head with a vengeance the moment I clicked the link that would lead me to TextNovel’s upload page, where I found myself staring at the blank section titled Chapter 1.

Nasty little word that it was, it mocked my prose the moment I entered my chapter on the screen. 500 words later (Since I wanted to conform as closely to the contest advisements as possible) I sat back with that word screaming in my head like a demented cheerleader - for the opposing team.

Impact Is The Word

My writing was like this picture.



Pretty nice.






I flashed back in my mind, thought about Monica’s e-mail and the meaning I’d so carelessly looked over at that time. Now, I knew what she’d meant. NOW, I understood what the definition of that word encompassed…

Monica’s statement… ‘Make each word count. Make every line and every word have impact…’

IMPACT, IMPACT, IMPACT!

This picture is how I needed my writing to speak.










If there’s one thing that will surely make you take stock in your writing, it’s trying to break down your work into 500 word increments, and have them exciting, happy, sad, tense, whatever enough to keep the reader clicking or flipping to the next portion.
I’ve revised more of my story than I ever would have. And my newest WIP will get the same break down when it comes to edits.

Think you’ve got Impact? Here’s a little test. Take a section of your work. And since we all tend to refine the first three chapters to death, take the section from a later section of your book. Now here’s the rub. Only take 1000 words. End on a sentence, so if you have 1006 it’s okay, and see what you’ve got on the impact scale.

1-5

1) Ugh, did I actually write this and why?

2) Wow, I didn‘t realize how passive I sounded. My characters are blah here…

3) So-so. Maybe this character slows things down… especially when he/she really isn’t contributing much…but what if he/she did this…

4) Hey, I’ve actually got some good stuff here, maybe I can strengthen…

5) Dang, I’m the bomb and I need to stop reading Candi’s post. She’s got no impact ‘cause I GOT IT ALL!

No cheating. Just snip a section, don’t even see what portion it is and chop it to a thousand to see what you’ve got. Really brave, go down to 500!

Let me know your results. I’m happy to hear from 1’s as well as 5’s! And of course, share your own thoughts on how you keep your prose from lagging.

Candi Wall
http://www.textnovel.com / ‘STAY’
http://www.musetracks.wordpress.com

A couple of days ago, I posted a link to a book trailer on Sue Grimshaw’s blog at Borders. It was for the new book by Michelle Moran, Cleopatra’s Daughter. After viewing the trailer, I immediately got it for my TBR. In my post with the link to the video, I indicated that if the book was HALF as good as the trailer, it would be one hell of a read.

One of the reactions to my post got me to thinking about book trailers and covers in general. I suppose my thinking actually originated because of the commenter's snarky attitude. There was this sneer in the comment that ticked me off. Essentially, I was chastised for even thinking I should buy a book simply off a book trailer, and that if I did so, I was an idiot. To some degree, I can understand this individual questioning why I would purchase the book strictly on a book video (Although I confess I didn’t understand the outrage or snark that oozed from the comment itself.). It does seem rather odd, doesn’t it to buy a book just after seeing the book video? But then I don’t see it as being any odder than using a review to buy a book or seeing a pretty cover and slapping your dollars on the counter. However, the book trailer for Cleopatra’s Daughter had three things going for it from the get go with me.

Let’s Take ‘Em One At A Time

A) I love a slick trailer. Doesn’t matter if it’s a movie or a book or whatever. If it sucks me in, I’ve got to think that there are at least SOME good parts to the item being marketed. And this trailer was like a fricking movie production! I should be so lucky to have such a great trailer.

B) A book set in Ancient Rome is going to get me every time. I don’t care if it’s bad or good, I’ll watch it or read it. I have both seasons of ROME the HBO series, simply because I love that time period. It doesn’t necessarily signify the series is good (although Season 1 are phenomenal IMHO), but because I love the time period, a good-looking trailer about a book set in Ancient Rome is going to grab my attention.

C) Michelle Moran is the author! I know the author. I know her work, and after seeing the book trailer, I’m definitely going to want the book, not just because of her past works, but because the trailer totally hooked me as to the story line of this latest book. Moran is a newcomer to historical fiction, but I love her voice, and to date, her three books are set in time periods I love! So it sort of goes with the territory that the book trailer would totally captivate and inspire me to order this latest book.

So the commenter really didn’t have the FULL story before they posted their snippy comment that implied I was an idiot for buying a book strictly based on a book trailer. Of course, if this individual goes to the movies even once a year, I’m wondering how often a movie trailer has captured their attention enough to go see the film, or at least caused them to investigate whether the movie warranted an extra hard look at the movie as something to see. Of course, I could call someone an idiot for going to see the latest Gerard Butler movie based on a movie trailer, but then I allow for individual tastes, and I’m not inclined to call someone an idiot (implied or not), unless they actually act like one.

Covers and Impulses

Impulse buys aren’t limited to just book trailers either. The same thing happens with covers too. Covers can propel sales according to people I’ve talked too. I know they have for me. My bestsellers have been books that have great covers (Dangerous and Obsession are good examples). These books were good books, but the ones that won awards didn’t sell as well, and I’m convinced it’s because of the covers. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say a cover can make or break a sale. Most of the time, it’s about getting the potential buyer to just pick up the book. If the cover is compelling, it makes the consumer pick it up and flip it over for the blurb. If the blurb is exciting and concise, that makes the consumer even more interested in buying the book. Some people don’t even open the book in a situation like this. It’s an impulse buy for them because the cover looks sexy, pretty, elegant, etc. and the blurb makes it sound like the book is going to be a great read. Now, I admit that readers are becoming more discriminating with their buying dollars, but there are still PLENTY of impulse buyers out there (I’m counting on that come January, along with some decent reviews). Buyers who may or may not know my name or what kind of a book they’re going to get when they read me.

Nonetheless, I’m convinced that for impulse buys, a book trailer and/or a great cover/blurb will sell a book a lot more often than people think. Is the quantity sold as many as one that gets a mention on Regis & Kelly (are they even still on??) or a starred review in Publishers Weekly. I've no real idea, but I believe a great trailer or a great cover can definitely pique a reader's interest and even spur the reader to buy, especially if it’s an author the reader knows already.

And as for the individual who implied I was stupid for making my book buying decision based solely on a video, it’s a shame they weren’t a little more open-minded to at least go check out Moran's work. I think they’re missing out on a great writer by being so cavalier. Which reminds me, I forgot to order Susan Holloway Scott’s latest. Grrrr *banging head on desk*

Monica

The Journey and the Fear

Fear can drive people to kill, it can drive people to run, it can be a great motivator to keep a job. Fear can do a lot of things, including making a writer question their ability to write.

Fear and Characters

I find it challenging to write character-driven books. I’ve always thought myself good with plots, but characterizations have always challenged me. So I'm terrified that my characterizations won't hold up. Particularly with reviewers who vary from gentle to scathing. Of course, I’ve never understood reviewers who sneer at misunderstandings in stories. When I read comments from reviewers who lambast writers for issues like misunderstandings, I’m sort of like, huh??? There’s actually nothing truer to life than a misunderstanding. It’s how people operate on a daily basis. People think something based on another’s actions and they get bent out of shape because of that misunderstanding. I think that IS part of characterization. It’s the psychological observations of the human kind. We all deal in misunderstandings on a daily basis. So I’d rather someone say the EXECUTION of a misunderstanding wasn’t done well. And I have to say that there are some books that reviewers rave about that I scratch my head over. I think it’s easier to say that it’s the VOICE of a writer the reviewer doesn’t resonate with as opposed to anything else.

Fear of Opinions

Anyway, because of some comments about "my" misunderstandings, I’ve been thinking that I’m a fluke when it comes to my selling books. So it’s generated this fear that I’m going to fail in my latest endeavor. Because characterization comes so hard to me, blending world building and characterization so a book is a worthwhile read is like putting a rocket together when you’re not a rocket scientist. I don’t know about other writers, but I not only edit as I go, I can always see what’s coming next, that is until this book. Perhaps it’s the complexity of it that terrifies me. I often set up challenges for myself that are too much for me. It’s one of those “set yourself up to fail” things. I’ve done it all my life, and this WIP is no different.

I’ve got three story lines in this WIP, one of which doesn’t hold much characterization at all, because the relationship is already cemented. Another one might possibly have to flow into the third book and then there’s the main relationship. So when I say with all sincerity that I was insane to try and write this book, I am not understating my madness. I had these wonderful delusions about writing a book that would create buzz, and the only thing I can say is that fear is driving me to complete it.

Fear of Obligations

Fear that my editor will hate it. Fear that if she hates it, I will have to rewrite it. Fear that if I rewrite it, I might as well slit my wrists, because I don’t know how I can meet my other obligations AND rewrite a book. I wonder if these fears will ever vanish, or if I’m the only writer who puts themselves into a white jacket like this. I still love what I’m doing, and I love writing, but I can’t remember the last time I ever felt this insecure. Ok, yeah I can. I was in high school.

The Great Motivator

Fear can be a great motivator and it can be paralyzing. When I had my came home from RWA National, I looked at my calendar and I freaked. OMG, I thought, this book is due the 15th of September. So I plowed through the book until I was about 75 pages from the end. I looked at my calendar for something completely different and was thunderstruck to see that the book isn’t due until OCTOBER 15th. *sigh* While I’m not so panic-struck at this point, I’m anxious to put this book to bed, and I was looking forward to getting working on it full speed this weekend, when it happened…the DREADED copyedits (CEs) for Kismet hit the inbox.


Fear and Copy Edits (not so fearsome)

Petrified (there’s that fear again!), I opened the document and was astounded to find that there were hardly ANY changes to the document. The CE who reviewed the document is a GODDESS, I’m going to tell my editor that I want the same CE forever! She totally improved several spots in the book by rewording sentences or removing words. I LUBS her/him! The only two issues were minor rewrites to resolve a minor plot point and a minor issue with the ending. I couldn’t believe I got through the entire document in two nights without any problem. I have to give it one more read through with all changes made and look for any last minute fixes that need to be done. These have to be back in my editor’s box by Friday the 18th (ten days is a pretty short turn around if you ask me, but I’ll manage). The next thing to come will be actual pages in the form of what are called galleys, and there ONLY typos can be corrected. No new stuff added.


Fear and It's Effect On the Body

So, there I was almost done with the CEs and yesterday my body revolted. Bronchitis has set in and I’m sleeping 12 hours a day, lying around for 12 dozing off and on with not much energy to do anything else. This is how I started writing for publication back in 2002. Can I say how many times in the last month I’ve said to myself, “WTF were you thinking to try and do this. Why didn’t you just stick to being a reader.” There’s that fear talking.

Know what I told that little voice of fear a short while ago??? Go F#*$ yourself, I’m doing this because I love it, and don’t you dare try to stop me. I was brilliant, I tell you. BRILLIANT at looking in the mirror and saying that. Now I just have to believe it. *grin

Fear…it can be your best friend or your darkest enemy, but no matter what, I’ve a feeling it’s never going to go away. That’s the hardest lesson of all.

The Journey and Discovery

Panic has now subsided (somewhat). I’m feeling relatively confident that I’m going to get this book done on time. I won’t say before the deadline, but that’s what I’m shooting for. I’m at 145 and counting downward. I tend to leave the s*x scenes for last, and since I’m at one right now, and I expect another a little way down the story, that leaves me with 125 or so pages of character development and action to write, WHICH as I sit her and think about it, might not be enough pages for everything I’ve got going on. Who knows maybe it’ll be just right. We’ll see.

A New Part of the Journey

Here’s the usual DISCLAIMER. This is my experience, and I’m only a beginning professional, so don’t try this at home.

Foreign rights. We just got our first offer of foreign rights for Kismet with inquires as to Assassin’s Honor too. It’s interesting how foreign rights operate differently than from US publishers. The advance is significantly lower with the royalty rate just a smidge lower. Interestingly enough, they give you print run numbers up front, whereas apparently it’s a big secret here in the US. *shrug* Anyway, it’ll be KEWL to see my book in a foreign language with a new cover. I’ll hold off saying what country, just in case the deal falls through. One never knows what can happen.

Not Writer's Life

For those blog readers who prefer not to read about me whining or talking about the journey, here’s something just for you. Well, maybe not, because I apply it in my writing. *grin* It’s called Google. I know I’ve been living in a hole of late, I mean writing (oops) has me by the shorthairs (since I’m a girl, is that an appropriately applied statement? *shrug*), but WOW! have I come into the mother lode this past week.

I discovered Google. NO, not as in Christopher Columbus type of discovery, but in as WHAT Google can do for me. O-M-G. I feel like I have walked into room and found the true motherlode of all Internet. I have NO idea where I’ve been, but Google has things I never knew about. I’ve slowly been discovering this gem and that. But here’s how it started.

The other day, I was playing with the blog design here and managed to get my Facebook account listed. See it there on the side? Don’t? Keep scrolling it’s next to my book cover. Anyway, Natalie said she couldn’t get hers to be limited info like mine, so I went looking for how to do it for her. I’m the biggest geek in the bunch here on the blog. So in the process of trying to sign into Facebook, back into blogger, into blogger again, I got REALLY frustrated because Google has pretty much taken over Blogger, log in wise.

So I started futzing with my Google account, of which I discovered, I had THREE! Who the hell needs three Google accounts? So I started trying to figure out how to consolidate everything. It took me almost four hours to squelch everything into one account. So there I am, looking at a pretty Google account scene, when I realize…HEY, I can see my Google maps I’ve created from this screen. Then I realized that my YouTube account could be managed from this screen, THEN OMG, I can use something called Reader to pull in all my blogs for a consolidated view of them. No more clicking on each link to this blog or that. They’re all fed through into my Reader service. Now to escape prying eyes, I only have to hit Alt-Tab to dart away from a blog site. *evil grin*

MotherLode!

I continued to explore, and then I saw it. The one thing that can make life so incredible! Google Docs. This has to be one of the most amazing features. It’s like using Word for the most part. But you can load up documents you’re working on and pull them down off the net onto your computer no matter where you are (although you do have to have an internet connection. *grin*). I’ve now got another backup resource for my work. HOW awesome is that.

I next found iGoogle! It’s even better than one of those customize your pages at other search engines. Things add, move and drop in like a breeze. And I LOVE that I can create a wonderful backdrop at the top that’s pleasing to the eye. There are a lot more things going on here as well. I’ve got my Twitter feeding into FaceBook, which feeds into iGoogle and LORD knows where else. I am in AWE of this incredible resource. Not to mention that one account gives me access to Blogger (all my blogs), FaceBook, Google, Google Maps, Google This, Google That, Google Everything.

I’m so deeply in love that Google might just come close to replacing the DH…ummm, no, probably not. On a cold night, snuggling up to Google won’t warm my feet. But if you’re still a newbie with Google, check them out. I promise you, you will NOT be disappointed at the customization or the variety of apps you can add. Just be sure not to spend too much time away from your writer’s life.