Break Out the Bubbly & the Dark Chocolate: Celebrating Historical Author Julie Johnstone's New Release WHAT A ROGUE WANTS

Author Julie Johnstone

      Hi Everyone: Please join me in welcoming my sister Southern Magic chapter mate and Linda Howard Single Title coordinator, Julie Johnstone to the Veranda. After many years of writing Historical novels, Julie decided to take a risk on herself and self-publish her books. And wow!!! What an instant success as a result. She made PAN (that's Romance Writer Speak for Published Author Network) in three months. I'm so pleased for her. I asked her if I could share her story and her next release on the Veranda--naturally tempting her with dark chocolate and champagne. And now here she is visiting us and telling her special success story.

      Welcome to the Veranda, Julie. Tell me how did you end up becoming a writer? 

      Good question! I ended up becoming a writer because I fell in love with historical romance and thought to myself ‘I could write a romance book.’ Little did I know just how hard it was! Also, I really have always written since I was a child. I wrote short stories and poetry in college and then moved on to longer stories.

That's just how I started writing romance novels. And I'm so glad you challenged yourself to do the same. What is your favorite genre to write? 

It depends on what day you ask me! I’ve written contemporary short stories and historical romances and paranormal romances. Of the three, I suppose the historical and paranormal are my favorite.

Oh, I bet the contemporary short stories are good, too. and I love historical and paranormal romances. When you write your historical novels, are you a plotter or do you follow the muse? 

I’m a plotty punster. If I plot too much I get in trouble, but I do like to kind of know where I’m going.

I like that term: punster. After you finish "punsting" how do you relax? 

This one is easy! I relax with a bubble bath, a good book and a glass of wine!

Sounds deliciously serene!! What do you read when you're tucked beneath the bubbles? What are your favorite genres? Who are your favorite authors? 

I read mostly historical romance and paranormal romance. However, that doesn’t mean I won’t pick up a contemporary book, it’s just rare for me. I also read non-fiction self-help parenting books sporadically. Oh, and I have been known to go back to the classics like Tolstoy. My favorite authors are Diana Gabaldon, Jeaniene Frost, Delilah Mavelle (she’s new for me, but great!), Susanna Sandlin (also new for me, but great!), Phillipa Gregory, Julie Garwood, Suzanne Collins, Lisa Klypas and Erin Morgenstern.

Wonderful authors! I used to read a lot of self-help parenting books, too. They helped a lot :-) Now that you've published three books, tell me about your current project. 

I’m just about to start a new project which is the next book in my Whisper of Scandal Novels. This book is called Dancing with a Devil.

I love your titles! Any new releases?  

I am releasing a new book tomorrow – What a Rogue Wants, Book 1 in the Lords of Deception series.

The series sounds intriguing. Where do you get your ideas for your stories? 

Everywhere. I really can’t pinpoint exactly where. They just come to me and the strangest thing is new ideas often come to me in the shower!

Oh, the shower is my characters's favorite place to talk to me. And when I'm putting on makeup. What is the most difficult part about writing for you? 

Editing. Bleck! I hate it.

Ditto! How long were you trying to get published before you decided to self-publish? 

I was published before I self pubbed. However, I was published with a magazine for my short stories. I had been really trying to get published for the last five years with my longer novels when I decided to give self-publishing a go.

I think having a history in publishing has to give you so much more confidence as a writer. What were your greatest challenges in preparing the book for publication? 

Oh my goodness, formatting was a nightmare for me to learn! I am not technical at all! I do mean AT ALL!

I know I'd be lost without the College Kid doing all my fancy foo foo stuff on this blog and my new tumblr blog. I'm hopeless at it. Tell me what advice would you give writers considering independent publishing? 

Do your homework and don’t rush. Make sure your book is just as polished as any book published by a big NY firm.

Excellent advice! I know of a few great courses being offered to help teach future Indie authors how to go about putting out a quality novel. Are you still querying agents and publishing houses? 

I am not querying agents for my historical novels at this time. I am about to send my paranormal book to an agent who requested it off a pitch at RT, so we shall see how that goes.

How exciting! What advice would you give aspiring writers? 

Write every single day, find a good critique group, develop thick skin, take workshops and never give up!

Stay in the story--great advice. And continue to learn and grow as a writer. Very valuable. What encouragement can you give writers who face rejection? 

We have all been there. You can learn from most rejections, truly you can.

I agree. I call them Badges of Courage. What encouragement can you give writers who wish to self-publish? 

Hmm… this one is hard. It’s a leap of faith in a way. The self-publishing market is tough. However, you can break through and if getting your book into readers’ hands is your MAIN dream then go for it.

What is the most surprising thing you discovered after you began marketing your book? 

Word of mouth is KEY!

Word of mouth is still the greatest form of advertising. Excellent to hear that maxim is the golden rule of selling!!

You can buy Julie Johnstone's book, WHAT A ROGUE WANTS at the following venues: 

 Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords. 

And check out the blurb!

What a beautiful cover!! I'm intrigued.

Lady Madelaine Aldridge might be the worst lady-in-waiting to ever grace King George III’s court. An oddball who prefers archery to knitting and honesty to deception, she earns the dislike of the Queen, the cruelty of the other ladies-in-waiting and the advances of a lecherous fiend who wants to make her his whore. Her father demands she find a proper husband―a task that seems hopeless until Lord Grey Adlard rides into court.

Grey Adlard lives up to his reputation as a dangerously handsome rake when he proposes Madelaine meet him in the stables for a tumble. Yet when she needs a protector the most, Grey offers his services and vows he wants to court her. Wary yet intrigued by the mystery he presents, Madelaine slowly allows Grey to capture her confidence and then her heart.

Things seem perfect until her father is imprisoned for plotting against the King and Madelaine learns Grey is not who he pretends. As King George III sinks deeper into insanity, Madelaine must prove her father’s innocence in order to save his life. With the future of England hanging in the balance and a ruthless murderer hunting them Grey and Madelaine engage in a clash of wills and a battle fraught with suspicion, secrets, betrayal and two hearts that cannot deny the impossible, irresistible love between them.

Fate, Fortune Cookies, and Faith

I got what we writers like to say is "The Call." In my case it was an email. And I was sitting in my trusty Ford Escape getting ready to go to my morning Zumba class when it arrived on my iPhone. So what did I do after my new editor at Entangled Publishing sent me the email that stated my manuscript was approved?

Frankly, I trembled. It was unbelievable, surreal even, after all these years of seeking a home for my stories.

I emailed her back-thanked her so much and then I forwarded it to the Physicist and my critique partners, Sharon Wray, Karen Johnston, and Pam Mantovani. Sharon and Karen have worked with me since 2006 and they're talented writers whom I value beyond measure. Pam and I met through a contest that she was coordinating in 2009: the Maggies for the Georgia Romance Writers RWA Chapter. I finaled that year and the following year I wooed her to become my category romance writing partner. We haven't looked back. She's an incredible writer, a fantastic critique partner, and a dear friend.

I would not be the writer I am today if fate had not lead me to these women. Our relationship is special and I love them all.

Fate also lead me to a fantastic writing group. The Romance Writers of America. My first manuscript was requested by an editor at Harlequin and then rejected. Rightfully so. It was a hot mess and I needed to learn a lot. But in that rejection, the editor encouraged me to join RWA. So I did. Then I found Karen and Sharon and then I found more writing chapters with my subsequent move to Alabama. Southern Magic, Heart of Dixie, Music City Romance Writers and Georgia Romance Writers of America have given me so much support throughout these long years. Fate also led me to a fantastic group called GIAMx4 (Goal in a Month) after I emailed the loop's creator about a PRO post. Amy Atwell is a dynamo and I adore her for including me in this group. They are so good to me. Finally, fate also sent me a multi-published author who literally took me by the hand and said she'd read the first three chapters of the book I just sold because she knew how hard it is to get published. I finally plucked up the courage to send her this book and she fell in love with it. Though it didn't suit her publishing house's line, it lead me down an interesting pathway. And her faith in my writing kept me going when times got dark and I wanted to give up writing for a shopping vocation.

But I couldn't quit writing because then I would be--as Sharon so wisely and gently said--rejecting myself.

This brings me in no clear way to Fortune Cookies. For some reason I like saving certain fortunes that come in the cookies. I've kept two in my jewelry box for at least four years. I used one in my short bio because it suits me to a T. I kept the other one because it describes my internal motivation. Here they are:

Your ability to find the silly in the serious will take you far.
Your skills will accomplish what the force of many will not.

There were days when I'd open my jewelry box to get my hoop earrings and heart necklace and I'd read these fortunes just to jump start my day and keep my motivation going.

I came home and showed the College Kid the email who then promptly hugged me three times in a row (a record!) and said she was proud of me. I still get all weepy when I recall that moment. Then it was off to PF Changs because the day I sold to Entangled Publishing, the Physicist and I had already arranged a SWG with one of our favorite couples at the restaurant to catch up. SWG stands for Scotch Working Group. The servers there keep The Marine and The Physicist's  favorite scotch on hand and know them by name. So one minute I was signing a contract and the next I was off to eat Chinese and hang out with friends while the College Kid started fooling around with my Tumblr account to make it look better.

When the Marine and his wife learned the news they were very excited. But really? I was so dazed, I was almost overwhelmed. They insisted on me tooting my own horn a bit. So we had a big piece of cake on the house (because the server was happy for me after they told her I had sold a book). After we ate the cake (which was super yummy and completely sinful) the fortune cookies arrived. We each opened ours and I'm saving them all in my jewelry box. Here's what they said:

You will receive a surprising gift very soon.
You should have a talk with a friend today.
Treasure what you have.
A small gift can bring joy to the whole family.

Somehow, in the dim glow of the low lights at PF Changs these fortunes reflected my entire day. I loved that moment when each member of the table read their slip of paper, then handed me their fortune.

Their friendship leads me to Faith. I could not have gotten to this point without the company of faithful friends and without faith in something greater than me guiding my destiny. My family, my dearest and oldest friends (two who read the first ill-fated manuscript and encouraged me to go forth), my new friends, my Zumba Sisters, my writing friends, my awesome critique partners, the mentors and teachers who have guided me (Mary Buckham, Dianna Love, Margie Lawson, Michael Hauge to name a few), the published authors who have given me so much encouragement--all of them have filled my internal faith jar with hope for the future.

And I have a real faith jar. Years ago someone gave me a prayer jar. You write down your prayers on slips of paper and date them, then you put them in the jar and let them sit there. When things change, you check the jar and pull out the prayers that have been answered. OK, so now I'm crying as I write this because this weekend I pulled out two slips of paper. Here's what they said and the dates they were written:

I  pray that someone will publish my works 2005
I pray for strength to write strong even when I'm not published. 2012

The top of my jar is inscribed with the following words:

Faith is the substance of things hoped for... Hebrews 11:1

It's been a long journey from that first tiny slip of paper to today's new slip of paper. The journey's not over, it's just different. I'm making new connections and finding new friends who are in this extraordinary world that I've just entered. But I'm so glad that the companions I have known throughout my life will be cruising on this pathway beside me. They are why I have the courage to sit down to write stories which believe in the power of love binding two hearts together.

If I'm Not Writing, I'm...

-at the local YMCA where I meet my Zumba sisters, hang out with the Pilates crowd, and try not drop a weight on my toe in the Body Sculpt class.

-cuddling the Fur Babies--Tonks and Mischief need lots of attention.

-shopping for groceries, cooking meals, preparing high energy and low calorie snacks.

-entertain the Physicist's colleagues.

-attend and/or host a monthly book club.

-cleaning the house--it's a big house and I'm the current Commander in Chief of House.

-talking on the phone with my friends in other countries and states.

-traveling with the Physicist to see our friends or just have a romantic getaway.

-managing the household budget and bills--another struggle.

-texting the College Kid and sending her pictures of cool stuff.

-taking care of the College Kid, going to doctor appointments with her, trying to help her find the balance she needs to live a long and full life that's filled with happiness.

-wrangling medical information, insurance information, the CK's long distance medical issues.

-running a contest for my writing chapter.

-helping my Goal in a Month group as a scheduler.

-decorating the house with fun little bits of whimsy.

-looking for interesting recipes to try out on the family.

-planning my getaways.

-yard work--the struggle is real.

-hiding in my tornado shelter with the fur babies.

-reading a great book.

-fritzing around on Pinterest, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitterville.

-meeting a friend for lunch.

-encouraging others and listening to them.

-critiquing and beta reading books.

-running a gazillion errands.

-watching reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond.

-watching movies with the family.

-going to friends' houses for dinners and drinks.

-just being.

What do you do when you're not where you're supposed to be?

Great Expectations

On Monday I wrote about my tools to battle back the world pressing in and battling the demons of doubt and despair. Part of the reason I'm so tough on myself right now is I have set the bar very high this year. And another large part of the reason I am driving myself so hard is I've redirected the focus of my writing energy.

This is the first year I have taken a sabbatical from entering contests. I love contests. They give me deadlines. They validate me as a writer. They provide useful feedback. Last year I was a Triple Finalist and winner of the Linda Howard Award of Excellence. I've experience lots of high moments with other contests as well. I love contests so much I decided to help my Southern Magic Romance Writers out by coordinating the Linda Howard Award of Excellence this year.

So why have I sworn off contests? Easy answer: they focus my energy only on the first three chapters of the book and, in some cases, the synopsis. And I have a different goal this year. I want to polish and hone three full manuscripts to the best of my abilities at this point.

I want to take what I've learned during the last two years and implement that knowledge. I want to revise my full manuscripts with my new writing eyes. Eyes that see things differently. Eyes that understand what is expected of the manuscript's promise. And eyes that are HONEST about the quality of the writing.

I also want to take two monthlong online courses that will require me to expend my energy in learning more about the business side of the publication industry and more about the craft of writing a complex novel.

My critique partner says I'm harder on myself than anyone else. She's right. I wouldn't be where I am as a writer and as a person if I didn't push myself to succeed. But I also strive to have a balanced life. A life that includes hanging out with people who aren't writers, spending time with the Physicist on the Veranda, and building my relationship with the College Kid as she transitions from home to the world.

So if I want that balance and I want to achieve all of my goals, I must say no to something that isn't necessary to my life as a writer. And as much as I crave the validation of a contest final, I know in my heart that my time is better spent shaping my novels into amazing stories and generating new stories and building strong bonds with my family.

Have your personal and professional goals changed? Why?

The Outside World Presses In

Writing is a solitary profession. Period. Yes, we can meet with our writing colleagues at meetings and gather at conferences, but for the most part we act alone. No one can write our books for us. No one can revise our first drafts for us. And no one can force us to query or submit even when we are filled with doubts about achieving our goals.

Published or unpublished, we all fight demons. For the published authors there are real deadlines. That's great. Puts a fire under one's bottom and presses that author to work.

But me? No one is waiting for me to meet any deadlines right now. So I have to set my own deadlines which, to be honest, have been shifting daily due to outside world pressure and different expectations of myself as a writer.

I'm working hard, but real life has pressed in and I've had to fight for my writing time. Occasionally, I have to surrender to the outside pressure because it's immediate and important and intrinsic to the well-being of my family. And every interruption to my schedule impacts my ability to get back in the chair and diligently pursue a publication career.

And then there are my own demons. Personal ones that every writer, published and unpublished, struggle with all the time. Am I good enough? Have I really got what it takes to write well and write much? Did I say no to an opportunity only to lose the one chance I might have had to be published? Did I start too late? Is the story I'm working on right now good enough? Am I wasting my time? Am I wasting my family's time? Will I ever get paid for sitting here at this computer for hours on end to generate stories and ideas and more?

Do I care about the answers to these questions? Of course I care. However, I live in a delusional, imaginary world so I propose my own answers to these questions all the time. I need to otherwise I might quit. And if I quit, I reject myself.

Here are my answers: I become a stronger writer every time I sit down to write. I am a self-motivated and self-disciplined person who has the drive to work hard and work smart. There's more than one way to get published and I'm not shy about looking down every avenue. I have a wealth of experience to draw from whenever I sit down to write a story. My current story will become better as I continue to revise it and mold it into shape. If I am happy doing what I am doing, the time I put into it doesn't matter. My family is proud of my endeavors and they support me just as I am proud of their endeavors and support them. I will get paid for generating these stories because I have a plan of action which I am actively pursuing every day.

How do you beat back the world pressing in? How do you fight the demons of doubt and despair?

Break Out the Bubbly & the Dark Chocolate: Celebrating Larynn Ford's Debut Novel IN MY WILDEST DREAMS

Debut Author Larynn Ford

Hi Everyone! I met Larynn Ford at a Southern Magic Romance Writer's chapter meeting. She's a lovely person and man has she moved fast into the realm of publication!! I couldn't wait to interview her about her debut release IN MY WILDEST DREAMS when I heard she'd signed a contract with Soul Mate Publishing. Her paranormal romance is the first book she's ever written and she's proof that everyone has a different journey toward publication. Please join me in welcoming Larynn to the Veranda! 

*pop*pour*sip*

Larynn, I'm so glad you're here to share your story toward publication. Tell me, how did you end up becoming a writer?

It was actually reading that led me to the idea of writing. A friend gave me her copy of Twilight to read on vacation. “You have got to read this. It is so good,” she said. Since I hadn’t read in a while, it took a bit but when I got into it, I couldn’t get enough. I craved paranormal and sought out as much as I could read. I’m following at least twelve different series now and somewhere along the way I thought how much fun it would be to create a fantasy world and bring my own characters to life. So began IN MY WILDEST DREAMS.

Wow! That's so wonderful that one person's book recommendation lead to sparking your desire to write. What is your favorite genre to write?

Paranormal romance.

Of course!! It's your inspiration. Are you a plotter or do you follow the muse?

Plotting can only get me so far (maybe I’m doing it wrong). For me, it’s the sudden, unexpected spark of an idea that gets the words flowing.

Everyone has a different process. From what I've learned, most writers think each book they write has a different process toward the end result. So after you're done writing, how do you relax? 

I sleep.

Sleeping is good. I love to sleep whenever I can. When you're not sleeping or writing, what do you read? What are your favorite genres? Who are your favorite authors?

I fell in love with paranormal romance in 2006 and enjoy reading Christine Feehan, Kerrilyn Sparks, Charlaine Harris, and Lindsay Sands to mention a few.

I adore all these authors. They're wonderful storytellers. Tell me, what is your current project?

IN MY WILDEST DREAMS, release day April 17.

 And afterward will you  have any new releases? (For later)

My current WIP is called RESCUED, a paranormal romance about a couple of P I’s (were-cougars) hired to investigate the disappearance of young people. Their findings lead them to discover a widespread operation to harvest and sell body parts. Along the way they discover fate has decided they are life mates and they must deal with their attraction while solving the case.

Oooohhhh, how cool!! I love the premise. Where do you get your ideas for your stories?

 Sometimes, I call on my own memories and say, “What if…” Sometimes a song lyric or in the case of RESCUED, the blue eyes and long, thick, blond lashes of the singer set a scene into motion and the story blossomed from there.

Stories I heard as a child or something as simple as a bridge on Highway 80 that haunts me every time I drive by and begs for its story to be written. Ideas are everywhere.

That's so true, Larynn. Ideas are everywhere. I'm glad you were able to turn your idea into a story. How long were you trying to get published before you got the “call?”

I wrote my first words on June 12, 2009 and signed my first contract on May 21, 2012.

Bam!! Super fast!! I'm so excited for you. How did you celebrate the new book contract?

I checked email before I left for work that morning and found the offer then. After I caught my breath, stopped the happy tears, and calmed down enough to drive, I went to work… with a permanent smile on my face.

A permanent smile sounds lovely. Do you have an agent?

I don’t at this point have an agent. I’m just getting my feet wet with the whole road to publication. I think I need to wade in little deeper before thinking about an agent. As I learn more about the business, I may change my mind…we’ll see.

Yes. There are pros and cons and each writer must make her/his decisions about their career accordingly. Good for you that you're adaptable. What is the most difficult part about writing for you?

Finding the time. I work a more than full time job and am wiped out by the time I get home so weekends and an occasional sprint at lunch are my most productive writing times.

I'm in awe of your dedication to writing given that you have a day job. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

The best advice I got was read, write, read, write. Sounds too simple and I was skeptical but reading really does answer many writing questions

Reading is my muse. All genres. Excellent advice. What encouragement can you give writers who face rejection? 

Never give up. Rejection only means the right person hasn’t read your work yet.

Never give and never surrender are my daily mantras. Thank you so much for popping over to the Veranda to celebrate your debut novel release IN MY WILDEST DREAMS. May all good things continue to come your way. And looking forward to the next book's release as well.

Larynn Ford's book IN MY WILDEST DREAMS can be purchased at the following sites:

SOUL MATE PUBLISHING

www.larynnford.com

Post Vacation-itis: Or Creatively Avoiding Revisions

I just returned from a lovely visit to White Rock, British Columbia where I spent a week shopping, watching movies, hanging out with my best friend since forever-ago, and giggling at nothing and everything.

Writing was not on the agenda. Other than the flight out to Seattle, I took a break from my usually strong writing schedule. And that's a good thing--I needed it in loads of ways. However, now that I'm home from my fantastic getaway, I am having trouble getting my brain out of creative home decorating and clothes shopping mode.

That's rare for me, but it does occur. Oh, I've thought about the current story I'm revising. I've discussed it with my CP on the phone. I've made a few notes. But I didn't open the document in question until yesterday. Then I looked at it and thought: ugh, it needs SO MUCH WORK before it is where I want it to be as a story.

Yah. Love my process. I go through many stages. The Thrill of First Draft Writing is often followed by the Avoidance Stage of Revision and then I go deep into the Rebellion Stage of Revision.

The Rebellion Stage of Revision is often accentuated with a "I just submitted a story again, and now I am Obsessively Compulsively having a Love-Hate Relationship with my email in-box." My mind is very distracted; filled with memories of lazy and fun days as well as wondering and worrying about the current submission's fate.

I go through a "why am I doing this to myself when I could be decorating the house or shopping for cute clothes or playing with my friends" stage. Usually I push out of it very quickly, but I had the joy of being "normal" for a week and it's hard to force myself to get back into the process of revising.

How will I combat this Rebellion Stage? The usual way. Creative Avoidance. I'll read my CP's pages and critique them first. I'll catch up on all my writing organization volunteer duties (which are minimal, but still require my attention). Then I'll rework my quarterly goals (it's that time again) as well as straighten out the office. Finally, I'll tiptoe back into the story I currently think is in serious need of a intravenous injection of life.

Baby steps. Yesterday I opened the document and peeked at it. Today I will start layering and incorporating some of the notes I made about the story's direction into the main document. Soon I'll be operating on my normal schedule. By the end of the week I expect I'll be finished the first three chapters and will send them off to my CP.

I set a deadline for everything. Sometimes the deadlines shift due to circumstances or other demands, but in general I meet them. Oh, this blog post? Yes. It's another way of creatively avoiding my revisions.

How do you bust through Revision Rebellion?