Sep 8, 2011 | General, Life |
Today's post is a series of random thoughts. Because I had a lot of random thoughts today and no way to connect them.
1. My stylist keeps vampire hours. I thought of this last night when I was waiting to get my hair done at 6:30PM.
2. Women who average up to 15 alcoholic drinks a week are healthier and live longer than their peers. Courtesy of CNN. Where's my wine….?
3. There will always be people who think they are God's gift to (fill in the blank) and don't mind telling you about it on a regular basis. Unfortunately.
4. Know-it-all's are irritating.
5. I still think we need the post office. How will I mail my packages to contest winners if the post office goes out of business?! The PO reaches more places than either UPS or FedEx — and cheaper too.
6. I have a really cool workshop to attend this weekend! RT Magazine people coming to teach us how to talk to the media. Awe. Some.
7. Is Kim Kardashian's butt really that big? Really? Because that is HUGE.
8. I love arrogant Italian heroes. Lorenzo, my current hero, is swaggering across the page in full motorcycle leathers. Sexy.
9. I despise election season. Despise. No one comes out of these things with any dignity.
10. Is that really another deadline staring me in the face? Because I thought I just finished one.
11. Did I mention that I'll be writing more books for Harlequin Presents? Because I will. New contract, new books to write.
12. Am I the only one who thinks that Bucky Larson movie looks dumb?
13. I bought my husband an e-book that he wanted. And then the next day, the hardback showed up. Because I forgot I'd preordered it. 😕
14. My cats are crazy. But I think all cats are crazy.
15. Can't wait for the season premieres of The Big Bang Theory, Glee, and Castle!
16. OMG, it's September! Birthday and anniversary this month. And yes, I refuse to tell you which number for both. 😯
What kind of random thoughts are pinging around in your head today?
Aug 29, 2011 | Blogging, Shopping
I'm talking bargain shopping over at Tote Bags N Blogs today! Stop by and share your bargain finds with us!
Aug 22, 2011 | Books |
Just in case you missed it, I now have a book page for my November Modern! Is this cover gorgeous, or what?
And here's the back copy:
Public Duty
The news that wild socialite Veronica St. Germaine has cleaned up her act and stepped into her father’s shoes as ruler of a Mediterranean principality creates a tabloid frenzy! But it’s not just the paparazzi that are out for blood…
Private Scandal
Duty demands that bodyguard Rajesh Vala must protect Veronica—whatever the cost… But Veronica has always rebelled against commands, and she isn’t making Raj’s job easy!
He calls it ‘safeguarding’. She calls it being held captive at his beach house. Both realise that the attraction between them is inconvenient…
Veronica is nothing if not forbidden!
For more info, including an excerpt in which Veronica assumes Raj is a gigolo, click here. This is a really, really sexy book! Hope you enjoy! I have no information for when it will be available in North America, but it will most likely be in the summer. 🙂
Aug 18, 2011 | General, Issues, Rants |
Inspired by my friend Jean, who writes the most wonderfully witty posts about Southern manners from time to time, I've decided to write about some things that have been bugging me lately. I've noticed a disturbing lack of social nicety lately, and I think remembering a few manners might help.
Yes, writing is often a solitary pursuit. It's creative and, according to one article, requires the kind of high level concentration that a master chess match might demand. Writing also attracts a lot of introverts, as we are people who would rather play with our imaginary friends than have to talk to our real friends sometimes.
That said, if you are writing in hopes of being published (or if you are published), this is also a business. A BUSINESS. And there are certain ways one behaves in public and when conducting business. It's called manners. You need manners. They don't have to be my Southern manners, but you should have some knowledge at least of business etiquette and how to behave. That said, I give you my top tips for how to behave:
1. Be nice to EVERYONE. No, not just to those people who you think can do something for you. Everyone. I've seen this one a lot, folks, and it isn't pretty. It's not nice to exclude people just because you think they can do you no favors. How do you know that person won't be the bestseller someday? Not only that, but it's just rude to treat people differently because maybe they aren't published and you are. Never make the mistake of thinking someone isn't worth knowing because you can't perceive they have anything to offer you. They do. Everyone does. Take the time to be nice to everyone, and you may learn something.
2. Don't boast. This one fries my bacon. Maybe it's because I'm Southern and I've been raised to think boasting about oneself is impolite. Of course I think you should crow to the rooftops about your contest finals and bestseller list placements! Of course you should celebrate and be happy! I do it too, even though I am often uncomfortable saying, “Lookie here, my book is a bestseller!” But that's a fine achievement and worthy of some snoopy dancing. Heaven knows we get beat up enough in our writing lives not to rejoice a bit when we have the chance. But if you find yourself saying on a daily basis about how fabulous your CPs or editor think you are, or claiming that you are the most innovative thing to come down the pike since Nora Roberts, or constantly needing to one-up your fellow writers with pronouncements about your fabulosity, then you need to step back and remember that nobody likes a braggart. We love to celebrate when someone gets good news, but crow all the time about everything you do and people will start to cringe whenever they see your posts/tweets/blogs, etc. You don't want that. It's hard to be happy for someone who so desperately needs attention that he or she can't shut up about themselves for one damn minute. You might think you're at the center of a stage, clearly the most important person around, but you are deluded. I'm telling you this to do you a favor. You are not super special. Thinking you are will get you in trouble eventually. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday. Count on it. Remember that a little humility goes a long way.
3. Don't trash talk about your fellow authors. This one continually amazes me. There's a difference between a critical review (which I am not comfortable doing as an author, but others are and that's fine) and trashing someone because you don't like their book. Never get caught up in this. The internet has a long memory.
4. You should already know this one, but don't argue with reviewers. Ever. If someone hated your book, even if they said mean things, the only appropriate response is either no response or a thank you if you feel inclined to give one. I usually go with no response.
5. You will get asked to do things. Give an answer one way or the other, but don't leave anyone hanging. We often want to do everything we are asked to do, but the truth is we can't. Not if we expect to meet our deadlines and have time with our families. Pick and choose the things you do, and don't be afraid to say no when you don't have time. But always, always do it politely.
6. This applies to the published people — now that you are published, don't make the mistake of thinking you know everything. You probably don't. The newer you are, the more you have to learn. I'm still learning. I can tell you what I know based on my experience – and I do have strong opinions about some things – but I'm not by any means the oracle on the subject. And I don't think I am either. There is no single way to do things.
7. Don't make absolute statements. This kind of goes with making the mistake of thinking you know everything. But telling people things like, “You don't need an agent for category,” or “You absolutely need an agent for single title,” or “Self-publishing is the only way to go,” or “One should never, ever change POV character mid-scene” is really a bit silly. And arrogant. Who died and made you boss? Everyone's experience is different. Now, if you want to say, “I decided I needed an agent for single title because I don't feel capable of negotiating (or want to negotiate) those contracts” or “I personally don't like to change POV characters mid-scene because I think, for me as a reader and/or writer, it's jarring,” then that makes perfect sense. That's your experience.
Okay, this post is getting long enough now, but you can tell I've been thinking a lot about this stuff lately. An unpublished writer told me once that an author who had been snotty to her in her RWA chapter didn't realize that she'd not only lost the writer's respect, but she'd lost her as a reader. This writer will never, ever pick up that author's books. Is it worth losing a potential reader (not to mention a potential friend!) just because you think there's nothing this person can do for you or that they are somehow beneath you? Be nice. It's all you have in the end.
Any bad behavior you'd like to add? Anything that fries your bacon? Any experience you'd like to relate? Any tips you'd give that I left off?
Aug 4, 2011 | Writing |
Unless you've been living in a cave, you probably know that Mills & Boon is holding the New Voices competition again. It's a great opportunity to get your work in front of eager editors and possibly win a publishing contract. It's also damn scary. Some of you may remember the first Mills & Boon contest — it was called Instant Seduction, and it was held in 2008. It wasn't quite the same format as New Voices. Basically, you submitted your work to the editors directly and they decided the winner and 2 runners up. All three chapters and synopses were then put on the I Heart Presents blog for public consumption.
As I was the lucky winner of that first competition, I can tell you that I was terrified when the moment came to reveal my work to the public. Everyone was nice to me, but I did see much later where a couple of people said nasty things about my first published book (which grew out of that chapter) and how they didn't understand how I won the competition. Probably, these were people who followed the comp and either entered it themselves and got nowhere, or didn't enter for various reasons but felt if they had, they would have won. Some people might have been readers only, though it's perhaps less likely they would follow a writing competition. (Though anything is possible.)
I'm telling you this today not because I'm complaining (I'm really over those comments after writing more than 10 books for Harlequin now), but because I know that many of you are terrified of encountering a nasty person if you enter the contest and have your work available to the public.
Basically, the truth is this: when you stick your work out there for the public to see, not everyone is going to be nice. That's hard to take when you're so full of hopes and dreams, and when you're sticking your work out there for the first time for strangers to pick apart. And they will pick it apart. Someone (maybe more than one) is going to hide behind the anonymity of their computer and say nasty things about your hard work. I can guarantee it.
This is a terrifying prospect, I realize! But you absolutely can't let that stop you from putting your work out there if you really want to take advantage of this opportunity. Never let ONE person stop you. If you win the contest, or even if you don't but you sell something later or somewhere else, I can promise you there will be people who don't like what you write. It can absolutely be soul destroying to have your work torn apart by strangers. It feels like they are saying evil things about you personally.
In some cases, they are. But in many cases, it's simply a reader's response to the work and not directed at you personally. It's still hard to take, believe me. I try not to read the negative reviews, but I have to admit that some of them have crept past my personal filters. If you want to see what I mean, just go read some Amazon reviews sometime. Or Goodreads. If you read mine, you will see where one person thought I must be a man or a computer. One person completely missed where I explained something in the book and went on to gripe about how it was never explained. It was, and he or she is the only one to say it wasn't thus far.
On Goodreads, some kind soul has put me on a To Avoid list. Makes me want to say, “But what did I ever do to you? I'm nice, I swear! People like me!” But, though it stings, that's probably not a personal criticism so much as a preference not to read the kind of stories I write (dark, heavy, intense alpha males). People are not obligated to like you, or even to care about your feelings when they are plunking down their hard earned dollars for your book. They can say what they will, and while I wish they were nicer about it, I have to accept that they don't have to be.
When you put your work on the New Voices site, you'll be hoping for the best and fearing the worst. And while no one is paying money to read what you've written (yet), they will still say whatever they feel like saying. You just have to get beyond it. If you start to read a comment, and it's negative, skim it or stop reading. Or get a friend to read the comments for you. If you're pretty sure you can handle whatever someone is saying, then read away.
But never, ever argue. Even when they are wrong (factually, as opinions aren't wrong), you're the one who'll look bad for arguing. You simply must get used to this now, because as a published author, you're going to have to be professional about reviews. You have to accept whatever people say and you have to do it without disintegrating publicly. The best policy, for me, is NOT to look. Because I am sensitive and I am hurt when someone complains about my book. I try to realize that most of them aren't criticizing me personally, but it can still be hard to take. Therefore, not looking is the best policy for me.
I've told you all this today so you will be brave when it comes to New Voices! Don't let the fear of that one person who hates your work or tells everyone to avoid you stop you from taking this chance. Take it with hope, optimism, and pride — because you were brave enough to put your work out there for others to see. It's a training ground, friends. When you are published, you'll get all kinds of comments. Some are great and make you bounce. Some are bad and hurt your feelings. Some are downright ugly and make you want to break things.
It's like anything in life. Not everything you do is going to succeed. But if you don't at least try, you'll never succeed. That is guaranteed. Best of luck to all you entrants! Be brave, do your best, and never, ever be ashamed of your work.
