Did You Miss Me?

Hi there! Remember me? That writer who blogs and travels and writes and revises and then does it all again? I'm back! Well, sort of. I've been super busy writing and revising a new story which is highly important to me. It's a foot in the door and I can't squander it. And, to be honest, when everything is said and done, the books must come first.

This story has been kicking my little tushie. I've reworked the first three chapters so often that I think I want to kick it back! I have to write the story to know the people, so I wrote the entire manuscript in two weeks after I took the kid to college. Then I revised the first three chapters, reworked them. Then I revised the entire book again. Then I sent the first three chapters to my critique partners and they made me think about the conflict some more.

Ah!!! But now I think I have a better start to the first three chapters. And I know what I need to do to fix the rest of the book. But I really have to finish this partial and send it to publishing house. I do. However, I'm not rushing this opportunity to shine. I want the partial to be strong. Super strong and powerful enough to get that request for more OR a revise and resubmit letter. I've been getting a lot of R&R letters. A good thing, but certainly not restful or relaxing in a writer's world.

When I haven't been writing, I've been doing what we all do in the real world. Still guiding the College Kid, still supporting my friends and family, still working out and dieting, still traveling and attending writer's conferences.

And I've got fun events coming up. Celebrating three debut novelists on the blog, coordinating the Linda Howard Award of Excellence contest, going to the Southern Magic Readers Luncheon with my very own basket to raffle (stay tuned--photos will follow after I build it), and gearing up for a fantastic holiday season.

So I'm back, but I'll be flitting in and out of the blogger world like a manic social butterfly. Seriously, there are not enough hours in the day! But whenever I have to make a choice between writing, revising, or other writerly stuff, the book trumps it all.

James Scott Bell said it best:

What are the ten best forms of SELF-PROMOTION?

1. Your book.
2. Your book.
3. Your book.
4. Your web presence.
5. Reviews
6. Publicity (shortened for the blog-get THE ART OF WAR FOR WRITERS)Face time.
7. Face time
8. Your book.
9. Your book.
10. Your book.

If your books do deliver the goods, word of mouth will do more than all your self-promotion efforts combined. 

I'm not published yet. But I WILL BE ONE DAY. My way. I have an ongoing theory. If I don't have a product, then time spent on blogs and building web sites and frittering on social media is pointless.

So guess what I'm working on the rest of today?

MY BOOK.

Southern Magic Readers Luncheon

Yesterday I drove down to Birmingham with a friend, and writing partner, to attend the Southern Magic Readers Luncheon. The chapter did an amazing job of providing great food, hosting a wonderful program with Anne Stuart as the keynote speaker, giving us lots of cool author goodie baskets to try to win, and offering plenty of opportunities for readers to meet the authors. Afterward, we were able to buy books and get them autographed as well.

I love this luncheon because I see how much the readers love the romance genre. The spirit in the room is sparkling with energy. To know that one day my books might bring readers joy and give them the HEA they deserve to discover is a great and heady feeling. I know some people may pooh pooh the romance genre, but it deserves more respect than it receives. These books give women HOPE. And I love the idea of giving my readers that gift.

As a writer, the luncheon is immensely important to me. I get to reconnect with my fellow writers, published and unpublished. I get to celebrate my friends' most recent successes. Whether it is the first book sold (go Naima!) or the 10th sold, each milestone is recognized. And I get talk about writing with my CP, published authors and my writing partner on the way down and back again to Madison.

We need this time to reflect and connect with the people in our field. The writing world is one where we're usually boxed up in our offices battling revisions, or where we're sitting in a coffee shop downing too much java, or driving down demons of doubt when we receive yet another rejection. Being able to sit with other writers and published authors and just talk about it is a gift to me.

I was privileged this year to sit at Lynn Rae Harris's table. She's a HARLEQUIN PRESENTS author, newly published, and on her way to great success. When I first met Lynn, she was a Golden Heart finalist and had won a yearlong book editor through the Mills and Boon contest in London. In the year that has followed, she has received her call. Her contract! And I am so pleased for her.

She's a gracious and generous person who answered all our questions and shared a wealth of information with those of us who still stand on the unpublished side of writing.

That's the other thing about being a romance writer. Romance writers want to see other romance writers succeed. And the southern chapters I belong to make it their mission to help us all. Both Heart of Dixie and Southern Magic, along with my newest chapter, Georgia Romance Writers of America, give me professional support. In the year I have lived here, I have learned more about how to pitch, compile a synopsis, and SFO Green Berets than ever before.

These chapters and the people who make them run smoothly get a high five from me!!

Now I am energized and ready to hit the next round of revisions for the GH.

Onward ho!

Reader's Luncheon at the Von Braun Center

Yesterday I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Heart of Dixie's Reader's Luncheon. This our Romance Writer's of America Chapter's way of honoring readers who love romance and who support our genre. They also use this as a way to raise money to give to the literacy group in Alabama. The luncheon features food, fun raffles like getting your name in a future book, the company of published authors sitting at your table, and drawings for baskets filled with books, goodies and fun products. 

This year the luncheon was held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama and despite the dreaded swine flu hysteria, only ten people canceled. We had a full house! First we bought drawing tickets and plunked those into bags next to the baskets we hoped to win. Then we found places to sit where we could chat with published authors. Some top names at the the luncheon included Linda Howard, Beverly Barton, and Linda Winstead Jones from our very own writing chapter. And we had guest authors from the Southern Magic Writing Chapter like Laura Hayden and Jennifer Echols (YA). (For a complete list of all the authors at the luncheon, visit the Heart of Dixie Website) Finally, we were honored to have Vicki Lewis Thompson as our key note speaker and luncheon guest. 

Our president, Kimberly Lang (The Secret Mistress Arrangement), announced our mentor of the year during her speech. We were all a misty eyed when she choked up and called Linda Howard to the podium. And the grand Maven herself was teary eyed. She truly gives so much to all the aspiring authors in our chapter and I'm thrilled to be part of a group with a mission statement dedicated to helping all writers achieve their goal of publication. 

This year we've had several new authors get the call: Lynn Rae Harris, Kimberly Lang and Kira Sinclair. I hope to join their ranks in the future! They make me believe it is possible!!

I was fortunate to sit at a table with two e-published authors: Debra Glass and Pamela Hearon. Debra Glass is published through Ellora's Cave and I can't wait to download her book, Watchkeeper: Phantom Lovers. Pamela Hearon's book, His Hotness, will be released later on this year through Wild Rose Press. These authors were fun, easy to chat with and extremely generous with advice to me about their publishers. Now I know how to tailor my submission to both these e-publishers and how to put it in the best possible light for a full request. 

That's the best part of being involved in such a fabulous writing chapter (and Southern Magic is equally as wonderful!!). The generosity of its published authors. They want to see you succeed in this crazy business.