Piedmont Writer

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2012-02-17T06:08:00.032-05:00

On Today's Menu -- Liver and Onions, Beer, and Cole Slaw

Sounds really appetizing doesn't it. Well, that's kind of how I feel right now. All bloated and fat and just a disgusting mess. Not because of anything I ate, but just from the general let-down from getting the last two books out before Valentine's Day.

I gave myself the publishing date for Valentine's Day, way back in December when I knew it wouldn't be done for Christmas, and as the day loomed overhead, it was absolutely ball breaking to finish it. My timelines were off in the ms., (I write an overlapping series), I had just created another story with another hero who had to be enmeshed with this one, my ending wasn't going the way I wanted it to, and ugh, Christmas happened.

So for the whole of January I was rushed, and writing, and revising, and editing, and then off to the beta's and critters, and then I had to let it sit for at least a week, and then formatting and uploading and whew, I can finally breathe.

But then comes the crash and burn. All that stress, and then, I've got nothing to do. Nowhere to be. Nothing to write. And I kind of just lost myself.

I know some of you may know what I'm talking about. Actually most of you may know what I'm talking about. The rush, the excitement, the finishing up of a how-long-have-I-been-writing-this project, and then it's all done. And then what?

For me it was sleep. Then laundry. Then a good scrub down in the kitchen. You might have thought I would at least have gotten a nice dinner out of it. Not. I think I ended up with fish sticks and french fries.

And now I think I'm finally returning back to normal. I even managed to get three blog posts in this week.

So what do you do when you finish a big project? Do you celebrate, or do you vegetate?

Happy weekend!

Pen Name Revisited

2012-02-15T06:47:00.004-05:00

Well, if you were here on Monday, you saw that I'm thinking about a pen name for my women's fiction books. Robynne Rand was the clear winner, with all the rest coming in a close second. I didn't realize Ann Coulter was who she was, so that name is definitely out of the running. (Although I wonder who would get more publicity out of that kind of book??)

Anyhoo, Anne R. Allen brought up a really interesting point -- about how I've already spent so much time building up my author name as my brand, and with my covers, and how long it's taken me to do this, then why would I want to start again from the bottom. And she's right.

However, here's my itch -- I know how I felt when I found out Lisa Kleypas (of Regency romance fame) wrote a contemporary romance, and used her own name. I wigged out. Yeah, I did. I don't know why, but I did. I did read her contemporary stuff, and truth to tell, I didn't like it all that much. It was a good book, I guess, (It was a long time ago, I really don't remember it all that well.) but I know it definitely wasn't her finest hour. I don't know if I was expecting something else, if it had to do with the publisher, the editor, or what, but I didn't like it. The sad thing is, I haven't read anything else by her.

Which isn't fair, but that's how I feel.

The same thing happened with Susan Wiggs. I loved her historicals. I hated her contemporaries.

Now these are just two authors that I know of. And I'm not saying it's a bad thing to want to branch out, hey, I'm all for it. It's just that once you brand yourself to a particular genre, you should keep the name that made you famous, and if you want to write something else, then you should change your name. I mean, what if Stephen King wrote romances under Stephen King? He'd probably get laughed at by some people. And other people wouldn't read it. Because it's not what he's known for. But I bet if he wrote under Stephanie Kingston, then nobody would know or even care.

Because I don't know about you, but I just read an authors' name and don't even wonder who they really are. I had absolutely no idea that Nora Roberts and J.D.Robb were the same person. Honest. That goes for a half dozen other authors too. They brand themselves and as far as I'm concerned, that's what they write under that particular name.

Which is where I'm waffling. I've made a successful branding of my name, Anne Gallagher, to my Regency romances, right? And for however many fans I have, that's what they expect of me. Regency romances that are exceedingly sweet, and predictable, with just enough twists and turns to make you really wonder if the hero and heroine are actually going to make it to their happily ever after.

Now suppose, I released a book about a rape victim, incest survivor, and a wife-beater? Do you think I'd lose some of my Regency fans? Especially if there were f-bombs and gruesome beatings, and full on rape scenes? (I mean, not that I am going to release that kind of book, I don't have it in me to even THINK about writing something like that.) But I mean, can you get my drift here?

So my question to you is -- Do you think that authors who brand themselves in one genre, should rebrand themselves in another? Or do you think it's possible to keep your same name and be successful in both?

I Need a Favor -- An Informal Poll

2012-02-13T06:06:00.001-05:00

Good Morning.

Now that I've gotten a grip on my Regency romances and have put two novels (+3 short stories) up, I'm taking a break from getting into the third Regency novel for the nonce. My brain is a little fried, and I need to sit back and contemplate where I'm going to go with it. I thought it would need just a little tweaking, but because of the novellas, it seems I've made another gross error in my timeline and need to rework a few things.

However, I also have two women's fiction/contemporary romances waiting in the wings for upload. Only problem is, I don't want to use my Anne Gallagher name to publish under. So I need a new pen name.

Here is a list I've compiled. Let me know which one you like better.

Trudi Gallagher

Trudi Hendricks

Trudi Rand

Robynne Rand

Robynne Colter

Robynne Hendricks

Anne Hendricks

Anne Colter

Or any combination thereof. Remember, my w.f./contemporaries are exceedingly contemporary, with cursing, mature adult themes, and even a hint of sex (a slightly opened door if you will but certainly not erotica). I wouldn't want Aunt Martha as a fan of my Regencies to think my contemporaries are just as sweet. Therefore, I don't want to lose that particular fan base by being too outre as Anne Gallagher, if you know what I mean.

Oh and THE DUKE'S DIVORCE

is published on Amazon. You can find it here.

and I even wrote another short story

LOVE FINDS LORD DAVINGDALE.

Which you can find here.

So what do you think about the pen names?

Paperback Writer

2012-02-06T06:01:00.088-05:00

Good Morning. No, this post isn't about the Beatles, but you can thank me later after the song has been in your head all day.

Today's post concerns the idea of putting my books into paperback form. I've been thinking about this for a long time. A LONG time. Probably since I was a kid and dreamed of becoming a famous author. There I was in braids and braces, holding MY book, accepting an award for writing the best durn book in the world. I think I was maybe 11, so Pulitzer wasn't in my vocabulary. Thinking back on it, the book probably had to do with horses (Misty of Chincoteague and The Black Stallion), and maybe a girl detective (Trixie Belden) who saved a town from the villainous villain. You get the drift.

Anyway, since I published to Kindle, the thrill ride has been amazing. I still get goose bumps every time I see the covers when I click to Amazon (about 8 gajllion times a day). Pulitzer is not in the picture, nor would I want it to be, I'm not that smaht, but something's been missing. And I finally figured out what it was.

The fact is, it's not a "real" book. I mean, sure, it's there, you can download it and read it, my name is on it so I know I wrote it, I even formed my own publishing company to do that. But I can't hold it in my hands. I can't smell it. I can't stick a bookmark in it, write in the margins, or kill a fly with it. I can't FEEL it. It's not tangible to me.

And so I've been scouring the internet looking up POD (print on demand) companies, looked at pricing, and royalties, distribution models, and percentage mark-downs. It's a lot to take in. Most companies are about the same. That's not the problem.

The problem is the consumer. When you can buy digital books for so much less, would you really spend the money on a paperback? I've seen prices from small publishers and self-publishers run the gamut from $9.99 to $15.95. (Most traditional publishers for the 5x8 mass market paperback are still hovering around $7.99 but that's with a 50K print run.) However, after looking at the POD models and how the companies do it, with the cost of paper, ink (not only for 273 pages but also the color covers), staff, electricity in the plant, all that, I can actually see how they would come up with the price they do to print one. Which is actually fair. (Working in a restaurant all those years really makes it easy to see the wholesale/retail mark-up.)

I guess the question I'm asking is, do people still buy "books"? Real books made out of paper. I mean, I wouldn't expect people who have the digital version to buy a paperback version too, that would be crazy, but I'm thinking of Aunt Martha who wants a nice Regency but without the sex, and maybe cousin Joyce who doesn't have an e-reader yet. If you're stuck in an airport, or dentist office, maybe a day at the beach. Do people still buy books as gifts? How much is too much for a paperback? (I know what I pay and how I read, so my opinion doesn't count.)

Tell me -- your opinion. I really want to know.

PS I have another novella coming out shortly. (Like within the next few days.)
You can read all about it here.

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2012-02-03T06:04:00.000-05:00

On the Menu Today -- Alex J. Cavanaugh CassaFire

Welcome to the Piedmont Grille today, Alex, it's so great to finally have you here.

I’m happy to be here!

Let's get right to the interview, shall we? First off, I want to know what you eat for breakfast, because as we all know, you are EVERYWHERE on the blogs. I see you leaving comments, and I think to myself, "Man, that guy gets around." How do you do it? Really? Is there a trick we don't know about? You blog, comment, guest post, I know you're getting ready for the CassaFire launch, not to mention write your next book, how do you do it all?

Ninja skills! Seriously though, one advantage I have is that I can blog from work. (Does my job rock or what?) I have so many amazing blogger buddies - how could I not keep up with them? And yes, I log between four and six hours a day online. Weekends are much less - I do get out and live a little!

Because you're so busy, do you actually have time to do anything else? I guess my question really is, how do you relax?

Hey, I’m a guy - I know how to chill! I play my guitar every night, which is the ultimate relaxation. I also play PC games and watch a lot of movies.

What would you say is the hardest part about writing a book for you? First draft? Revisions? Editing? Any or all of these or is it something else?

First Draft! It is so difficult for me to get my vision down on paper. I neither write nor type fast, and I’m always analyzing as I write, so it’s a long process.

I know you chose a small publisher and are very happy with Dancing Lemur Press. Did you query CassaStar to agents or decide to go with a small pub right from the go? And why?

I never queried agents. I started with a list of science fiction publishers and sent queries to them. After many rejections, I broadened my search and tried other publishers. Dancing Lemur Press offered a contract and I said yes!

What piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers? What do you wish someone had told you, or that you had learned early on to make the journey to publication less difficult?

Think outside the box is so overused, but it fits. Query everyone! Think of what other genres might describe your book as well.

Thanks so much for being here today.

CassaFire comes out on February 28 in print and eBook!

Preorders are currently available through Barnes and Noble.

CassaFire by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities.

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

Available February 28, 2012

Science fiction - space opera/adventure

Print ISBN 978-0-9827139-4-5, $15.95, 6x9 Trade paperback, 240 pages
EBook ISBN 978-0-9827139-6-9, $4.99, EBook available in all formats

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

You can visit the author’s site at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/ Book trailer available at http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6VINRGtyE.

When Lightning Strikes

2012-01-30T06:13:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

I got my crits back for THE DUKE'S DIVORCE and they weren't that bad. Like I said the other day, I've been working on my writing and self-editing skills over the course of the last few years, so everything is more or less really tight when I hand it off. I'm really proud of that about me. It also gives the critters less to have to correct.

However, during the course of the week I waited (yeah, only a week, how fab are my critters -- LOVE THEM!) I was restless. I was so used to writing every day, now I didn't have anything to write. I wrote up some blog posts, I took another look at THE LADY'S MASQUERADE but decided that needed too much work to get into before diving back into DIVORCE, so I put it away again.

I was itchy. I wanted to write something NEW. But I had nothing. No new characters, no new plot lines. Nothing "spoke" to me. So I figured, well I may as well enjoy the silence and clean my house.

No sooner had I switched off my brain, I was driving to the grocery store and BLAM, out of the blue, I had an idea. Not just any idea mind you, but a BRILLIANT idea! And not just an "idea" but the whole concept of the story, start to finish. And not just the beginning, middle, and end, but everything in between.

And so I began writing. And I couldn't stop. In a couple of hours I had about 3,000 words. It's just a short story, so I hope to have it finished by the end of the week, which means THE DUKE'S DIVORCE is going to have to wait.

Tell me -- Do you ever get caught up in a Shiny New Idea to the exclusion of everything else? Or do you jot notes down and put it away for later?

Oh, and on Friday I have the fabulous Alex J. Cavanaugh here at the Grille for an interview about his writing process for his new release CassaFire. Hope you'll stop by!

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2012-01-27T06:13:00.047-05:00

On Today's Menu -- Three books I loved that I think you should read too.

Michelle Davidson Argyle's TRUE COLORS

As a former private chef, I would use food to create my art. Pairing flavor with texture, color and aroma, my canvas was a testimony to my love of gastronomic delight. Michelle Davidson Argylle’s TRUE COLORS And Other Short Stories borrows from my kitchen. Her mastery of the English language is like indulging in the finest seven-course meal. The subtle word play, combined with deliberate description, made me long for a nice glass of wine to accompany every page. Every story adds a new flavor, a new dimension to taste, which compliment each other. There are no mistakes in this menu, and after reading each selection, you want to sit back and savor everything you’ve read before cleansing your palette and beginning the next course. Tart, tangy, sweet, savory, TRUE COLORS is a testimony of her love for the written word. I cannot wait for more from her literary kitchen.

Anne R. Allen's FOOD OF LOVE

What do an overweight Princess, an African-American Baptist minister, a nuclear bomb, UFOs, a pornographic movie producer, Mickey Mouse and Elvis have in common? They are all intertwined in Anne R. Allen’s new book – FOOD OF LOVE.

While the main plot revolves around someone trying to kill Princess Regina, the story is truly told in flashback diary scenes, which take us back to the 60’s counterculture and what happens to two foster sisters, one white, one black, growing up in Boston.

From the book: Andy Warhol had been right about one thing. Everybody wanted their fifteen minutes of fame. These days, everybody had to imagine they were in the middle of some movie. They couldn’t face the fact that some lives are ordinary. Not everybody gets to play Carnegie Hall.

In FOOD OF LOVE the characters are larger than life, so over the top that you couldn’t imagine them being real. However, Allen perfects the art of characterization so that their struggles with weight, with love, with acceptance, and forgiveness show us that we all share the same human commonalities, whether black, white, young, old, rich or poor. Even if you do live in star-studded fame and fortune, we all share the same desires and set-backs.

I loved this book, it was such a genre filled mix – romance, thriller, spy-capade – the only downfall, I couldn’t read it in one sitting. Allen’s snarky humor shines on every page, and her not-so-subtle pokes at Hollywood’s rich and famous made me laugh out loud, especially when Elvis leaves the building.

This is Allen’s first book that I’ve read, and with so many more out, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into all of them. FOOD OF LOVE is the first in a long line of successes for Anne R. Allen.

Les Edgerton's JUST LIKE THAT

This is a man's book. No doubt about it. A semi-autobiographical tale written in fiction form of his life and travels as a criminal. I couldn't put it down. I never thought I would root for a protagonist that was on the lowest edge of society, but I couldn't help feel for Jake. His antics with his friends, in and out of the pokey, were some of the best fun I've read in a long time. Edgerton's writing is raw, plain and simple, and if you can't look at the seedier side of life, pass this book by. However, what I found in reading is that even the lowliest of people have feelings. The emotional integrity with which Edgerton shows us that Jake is a PERSON, a son, a friend, a lover, bring two lessons that are easily defined. Most people are not who they appear to be, and everyone deserves a second chance. Les Edgerton has come a long way from his past and with this book, only Blue Skies are sure to be ahead of him.

I hope you'll all give any and all of these books a try.

Have a great weekend!

Help Me Please

2012-01-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

Okay, I don't know if I'm stupid or not, you all know I have trouble with the computer, but this problem is driving me absolutely nuts and I've been on Word Help for about an hour with no clear answer.

It seems for some reason, after I've gotten a document back from someone else (crit partners in this case) all my formatting for whatever doc. I'm working on automatically CHANGES to what they use.

I used to have a 0.5" indent for my paragraphs, now it's 48 px. What is that? I don't want it, don't care about it, I want my 0.5" back. It's what I know, what I've used, what I like.

I've tried to clear my formatting. It isn't working. I've tried going into the drop down menu, that doesn't seem to work either. I've gone into paragraphs, into tabs, used the ruler, nothing is working.

Can someone please tell me how to format my ^%$&#* manuscript to the way I used to have it? My margins are off, my ruler is off, my tabs are all screwed up. ARGH!

And why does my style automatically change to someone else's? I can't work on my new doc. because I can't get an indent to a paragraph.

And what is up with my ruler? It's out of whack. Question -- I recently changed out my old Dell 14" monitor to an 18.5 (which I think I seriously hate, could that be why I'm having all this trouble? doubt it, but worth the question.)

Also, what the hay-zoo do I have to do to completely CLEAR all the formatting and start all over again?

Does anybody have a clue? Can anybody help me before I drive myself completley insane.

Beating a Dead Horse

2012-01-25T06:08:00.001-05:00

A Wednesday post is rare these days, but I'm trying to swing for the fences. Spring training starts soon.

I've gotten my crits back on THE DUKE'S DIVORCE and I have to say they were pretty good. My writing has gotten tighter over the last few years, and I'm very proud of that. I've learned how to say what I mean, and mean what I say. Most times.

However, the one problem I'm still having is my tendency to explain certain points over and over to my readers, thinking they won't get it, or remember it. A key issue, the "smoking gun" if you will, that has to be explained again and again. Beating that dead horse for all it's worth. (Like I'm doing right now.)

Yes, we know that Robert had issues relating to his ex-fiance, but do we need to read about it five different times? Yes, we were told Fiona has received a box of jewelry from her father, but do we need to be retold twice more before it comes out to the forefront of the narrative.

I think my tendency to do this comes from needing to repeat what I say to The Monster, over and over. "Did you feed the cat? Pick up your socks. The stove is hot."

My question -- Do you feel that certain key points in your story need to be made again? Do you feel your readers won't remember? Or hear it the first time? Do you love your critique partners as much as I do?

It's About the Sex

2012-01-23T06:14:00.057-05:00

Good morning, yes, you read the title correctly, this post is about sex.

You know how I tend to go on and on about how I don't write sex, don't put it in my books, how I think it's just soft-core pornography, well...Well, I did it. I put sex in my books.

Okay, wait a second, before you start throwing nasty words at me like hypocrite, liar, smut girl, let me explain the reason why I put it in.

THE DUKE'S DIVORCE revolves around Robert, the duke, and Fiona, the Scottish lass. Without giving away too many spoilers, they have to get married. The caveat is, Robert will not bed her, and at the end of 6 months, Fiona will get an an annuity for her trouble and Robert will get his annulment.

However, this is the first book I've written where the H/H are married, so naturally, they SHOULD have sex. I mean that's what husbands and wives do. But because of the deal they made with each other to get out of the marriage, they can't.
Robert is not handling it too well because Fiona is a beautiful woman and she keeps getting more beautiful every day. Other men find her exceedingly attractive and Robert's jealousy is out of control. He throws himself at her on numerous occasions, and then backs off. Which leaves Fiona a little like "Hey, are we or aren't we." I mean they ARE married.

And then one night he does. He throws himself at her and they stick. Literally. Okay maybe that was too literal, but you get the idea. They have sex.

But here is where I think the line becomes blurred. I never show the sex. I slammed that door so fast it would make your hair stand back. Here is the actual sex scene from the book, and I want you to tell me if you think it's sex or not.

“Fiona, I love you with every essence of my being. I’ve been like a lunatic today thinking you found your happiness with someone else. Please, forgive me. I swear to you I will never doubt you again.” He kissed the tears that streamed down her face. “Oh my darling,” he whispered, before he kissed her again and brought them both to the bed.

Chapter Thirty

Fiona woke to the sound of snoring. Laying in the darkness with her husband’s arms wrapped around her naked body, Fiona smiled. Robert loved her. Her mind whirled at the thought of it. She would never get over hearing the words – I love you.

Okay, let's put aside the fact it's schmaltzy as hell. I told you last week, my friend thinks I'm old-fashioned. But if you read UP to the part where he throws her on the bed, I dare say you would swoon. Well, I swoon, but maybe it's just me.

And if you notice, I even threw in a Chapter break as well. Does that make me a prude? God, I hope not.

Truthfully, here's my logic. Someday the Monster is going to read this book, and I fear it will be sooner rather than later. If I HAD written sex I really didn't want to hear a bunch of giggling 10 year olds in another part of the house. Ewwwwww Your mother wrote THAT! Ewwwww. You know how they are when they see the word penis. Or breast. And I have absolutely no desire to explain what the word burgeoning means.

So my question to you, gentle readers is -- Do you think that's sex? Yes or no would be helpful in the comments.

(Semantics aside, I believe it's not. However, this is actually bothering me.)

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2012-01-20T06:33:00.035-05:00

On Today's Menu -- Champagne!

Last night at 8:07, I finally finished writing THE DUKE'S DIVORCE. YAY!!

It came in at 90,088 words. You have no idea how hard I've been working on this. 3,000 word count days, sometimes up at 4am because I just couldn't sleep, but it's done. It's done, it's done, it's done.

I had wanted to finish it before Christmas, but you know how that goes. I got side tracked with the S.N.I.
A HUSBAND FOR MISS TRENT which took from Thanksgiving until New Year's Day.

But now, I get to sleep for a week, send if off to beta readers and crit partners and see if I can get an AMEN! Of course, it will come back with redline all over it, I really got carried away with the new cool thing I learned called interiority, but for the most part, I think the writing is pretty solid. I like to edit as I write so I think what everyone will get is like the third or fourth draft, depending on how they edit.

Oh, and another bonus last night, A WIFE FOR WINSBARREN made it to #14,725
and was ranked #67 on the Kindle bestseller list. (Which doesn't really mean all that much yet, but hey, #1 is only 66 spots up, right?)

Thank you so much to everyone who supports me in this endeavor. It really means the world to me and I so totally can't do it without you.

So that's my news. Tell me tell me tell me, what's yours? I feel like I've been gone forever from the blogworld.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Am I Old Fashioned?

2012-01-16T06:13:00.006-05:00

Before we get to today's post, I've posted an interview I did with Lady Olivia, one of the *stars* of my Regency series. If you're a fan, please go on over to my Anne Gallagher blog. I know the duchess will be taking questions, so if there's anything you'd like to ask a member of the British aristocracy circa 1810, by all means, feel free.

***************************
Good morning.
I sent my book, THE LADY'S FATE, to an old friend a few weeks ago. She wrote me to tell me she loved it, but she also asked why I write such old-fasioned stuff. I thought she meant the genre, which is Regency. She didn't. She was talking about my prose style.

I write in tight third person, with one POV for the hero, and one POV for the heroine. That's what I used to read when I was a kid on the beach. That's what I'm used to. That's what I'm comfortable with.

Mr. Bailey (six words for a hat) recently had a post about his current WIP, and how he's writing in limited third POV for one character and omniscient for another, alternating chapters. Which I find very exciting.

When I wrote my first book, I used omniscient POV. I loved the way it turned out, using all the characters' thoughts. However, after a couple of crit partners came back and told me it would be better to stick with one or two, I decided it was the wise choice.

I do like the ease with which I can get into one particular character's head with third. I do like the manageablity of the manuscript when I'm only alternating between two characters POV instead of a whole boatload.

But I miss the fun of omniscient. I feel there's a lot missing from my books in not being able to really share what the other characters are thinking, Lady Olivia especially. (And for those of you who've read my work, I bet you would like to know what Lady Olivia is thinking as well.)

Tell me -- What POV do you like to write? Which do you like to read?

*image courtesy of cynfulfashion*

The Blog Has Been Fixed

2012-01-13T06:31:00.000-05:00

Hey all, just wanted to let you know, the problem with my comments has been fixed, whew. It seems Blogger wants to try out the new fandangled comment thread thing that Disquis (sp) is doing and decided to give me that, even though I didn't want it.

Unfortunately though, in order for me to read my comments in any way shape or form, I had to put in a pop-up window. I suppose it's not as bad as comment verification so there is that bright side.

Anyway, just thought I'd let you all know, it's not a bug, or martians, or viruses. It's just Blogger.

I'm not sure if I'll be posting on Monday next week, as it is a holiday and The Monster will be home. So I'll see you when I do.

Have a great weekend!

There's a Fly in My Soup

2012-01-12T06:17:00.003-05:00

A bug in my ointment. A burr under my saddle. Blogger is not letting me comment, or go to my comments or look at my comments, or yours. I know Denise (L'Aussie) pretty much lost her whole blog due to some malfunction, and I hope that is not happening here. But, just so you know, I won't be commenting on your, or my blog until I can be assured, I'm not going to blow up. I can still read everything you say in my Google Reader so please keep posting, but know I can't comment.

I'm also going to disable the comment thingy at the bottom of this post so you can't comment either, just in case it's some kind of bug. And I really don't want you to catch that.

And for some crazy reason, the Anne Gallagher blog works fine. So if I can't post here on Monday, I'll post from over there.

There's a Change in the Air

2012-01-09T06:14:00.005-05:00

Good morning. And no, I'm not talking about snow, or the lack thereof. I'm talking about the blogosphere, the blogoverse, blogging, whatever you want to call it.

I've been picking up on these little threads lately, these little discussions, sometimes rants, often times questions, about what the hay-zoo is going on here. I remember when I started blogging, we were all in this together -- to write the best book possible, land an agent, a contract, and be published.

Then somewhere along the line, the publishing world shifted, Amazon became a god, and we found ourselves in new territory. The imposed taboo of self-publishing was magically lifted and thousands of books began appearing on this thing called a Kindle. We didn't have to query anymore. We didn't have to suffer through the agony of rejection. If we put our book out there, someone would buy it.

And the blogosphere changed. We were no longer looking for ways to write better dialogue, or find out where a hyphen truly belongs, we were looking for information in how to format, to upload, to write cohesive 400 character cover copy. We shifted our focus to meet the new demand. To jump on the bandwagon. To make a gajillion dollars as promised by the new gods of Kindle -- Konrath, Hocking, et al.

We somehow turned the blogosphere into a side show, hawking our wares, asking, telling, begging, people to buy our books, to read our books, to please just look at our books. We became singular in our attention. It wasn't about "us being in this together" anymore, it was about me, me, me.

I am guilty of this as well.

And I hate every freaking minute of it. I loathe it with a passion. Which is why I try not to do it. It annoys me. And I know how much it annoys you.

But the problem is, how the hell are we supposed to sell our books if we don't publicize, market, promote. For most of us, this isn't some little "hobby" we do late at night when the kids are in bed. Sure, it may be the dream we've finally achieved, but it's also our "job" now. We're writers, who sell books, which makes us authors, who need to make money, to put food on the table, to pay the electric bill, to maybe make enough to finally get the damn car fixed.

There's a fine line some of us seem to be walking now in the blogosphere. We have to promote, yet we don't want to annoy. But what can we talk about these days? Can we go back to being the same bloggers we used to be? Can we really discuss the merits of a semi-colon without sounding like some lame asshat? Can we actually have a decent comment thread on the nuances of close third POV? or does it all now revolve around how many we sell, what our rank is, what royalty rate is best?

I want to go back to the way it used to be. I'm sick of being an author already. And it's only been three months. I want to go back to just being a writer. Who's really stuck in the last third of her book and can't decide whether to make her hero love the heroine or hate her guts. I want the blogs to be fun again, where I can learn something, where I can help someone. Where I don't have to be Anne Gallagher - Author of Regency Romances.

I just want to be the plain old Piedmont Writer.

photo courtesy of Jimmy Emerson, AL 2006

I'm Having Trouble

2012-01-09T06:10:00.000-05:00

Good morning. I'm having trouble these last few weeks getting back into blogging. I was on hiatus from before Thanksgiving until last week. I missed a lot in the blog world by doing that, but it did get me back into what I needed to do -- spend time with The Monster and my books before the holidays.

But now the holidays are over, and I'm looking at the the next 5 months until I can take my next hiatus. (Part of my publishing goal was to only "work" while The Monster was in school, and when she was out for the summer and on vacations, so was I.) I need to get back to the blogs and come up with something snappy, some witty repartee, some fantastic mind blowing chatter.

Problem is, I've got nothing to say.

I mean, sure, I could talk about my books, but that's boring. You don't want to hear about that.

I could probably go crazy and read a couple of craft books and discuss those, but hey, you can do that on your own. You don't need me.

There's also the idea that I could just talk about The Monster but this isn't a Mommy blog, it's supposed to be a writing blog.

I don't know when the shift in my world occured. I would have to say, probably last summer when I decided to officially self-publish. But in doing that, I became someone new. I lost who I was. I'm not Piedmont Writer anymore, I'm Anne Gallagher -- Author of Regency Romances.

And don't get me wrong, I like Anne Gallagher, I'm just not sure what to do about Piedmont Writer. I liked being a writer. There was fun in that. I got to create new characters, test my wings in writing styles, and POV's, use my brain to figure out how to make good dialogue. Now that I'm an author, it's all about the next book. Traditional published authors will tell you that too. To find and keep an audience.

I hate that. I really do. There's so much damn pressure.

My aunt used to tell me, If I can't say anything nice to or about someone, don't say anything at all. I'm going to modify that concept.

If I can't find anything relevant to say, I won't say anything at all.

I hate the idea of giving up this blog. I really do. I've met so many wonderful people, made so many great friends, formed such solid bonds with other writers. I did miss you all when I was on hiatus, very much, but I've seemed to have lost my voice somewhere. And I really don't know how to get it back.

I'm going to try and only post on Monday for awhile, and see how that works out. I don't really know what else to do.

Tell me -- What do you talk about when you have nothing to say?

Please Help

2012-01-05T08:34:00.003-05:00

I know I never post on Thursday but I do hope you'll all see this, and help out if you can.

Matt McNish from The QQQE had a blog post that caught my eye, and you can read it here. As a matter of fact, I encourage you to read it. It's about a friend of his, Candace Ganger from The Misadventures in Candyland. Now, I've never met her, never even been to her blog, but I've been in her shoes, not so very long ago, I might add. She wrote a post, which you can find here, and I really hope you'll read it. It broke my heart is 17 places, and she said she was going to take it down, but I hope she didn't.

She needs help. She didn't want to ask for it, but she has no choice. There are just some things a mother has to sacrifice for her family, and one of them is pride. There should be no shame in that. We are such a supportive blogging communtiy, I hope you'll be able to donate at least a dollar to this family. It would mean a lot, and help out so much.

She listed a Paypal account on her blog, but if you don't have an account please write her and ask her for address to send something through snail mail. I know she will appreciate it. When we have so much good fortune, it's easy to overlook those who are struggling.

Please do help. She's one of our own.

Quick Thank You Announcement

2012-01-04T06:06:00.007-05:00

I'm at the dentist today with The Monster so I'm not really here, but I just wanted to let you all know, I put up my latest novella A HUSBAND FOR MISS TRENT for FREE on Smashwords. Just my way of saying thank you for all your support throughout this crazy self-publishing adventure. (Amazon has yet to post it free so please don't go there or you'll have to pay for it. (And I don't want you to have to do that.)

When a surprising invitation arrives in the post, impoverished spinster Miss Ophelia Trent wants to turn it down. With no funds for a new gown or even slippers, she’s afraid of becoming the latest laughingstock in Society. With her mother’s gentle insistence, and a borrowed antique gown, Ophelia decides to take one last chance to find a suitable husband.

The ball to which she’s been invited is everything she could have dreamed, including a marriage proposal to the "perfect" man. However, she longs to see the stableman whose easy smile and soulful eyes have etched a mark on her lonely heart.

Should she stick with "perfect" or let her heart take a chance at finding true love?

I believe if you go here, it will bring you to the book. (I'm hoping the link works. I've been having a lot of trouble with links lately.)

And do you not think the guy on the cover is just dreamy? I'm so glad this book is done, because I used to spend hours just staring at him....

There's a Book Fair Today

2012-01-02T06:06:00.011-05:00

There's a book fair today, my friends, hosted by the lovely Susan Kaye Quinn who put together the whole shebang. Eisley Jacobs designed the fantastic banner above. (And if you look realllllly close, you can see my book, THE DUKE'S DIVORCE in the top row, 3rd from the left.)

Now, if you want, you can click here and scroll down to see what I'm up to. I've only got one book offered on the actual fair site, but if you click on the above link, you'll get to see the second novella that will be available very soon. (Like maybe by the end of the day soon.)

If you click here, you can see who all is at the book fair. And let me tell you, if Santa surprised you with an e-reader this Christmas, I would definitely take a look see because there are some wicked cool books.

(I am sort of a little disappointed with Santa, but hey, my birthday is on Earth Day, and an e-reader saves trees, so I may just have to become ecologically sound, right? Sounds good to me.)

Anyway, I really do hope you'll all stop by at the fair. If not for me, for all the other great indie authors out there.

2:30pm I'm sorry, my links don't seem to be working the right way. Stupid blog. I'm going to see what I can do.

2:36 pm I think I fixed the problem. Sorry about that.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T07:28:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope 2012 brings us all we wish for!

The Harbor at Sakonnet Point
Painting by Nancy Isherwood.

Auld Lang Syne II - I've Come A Long Way, Baby

2011-12-29T07:08:00.005-05:00

I wasn't going to post until Monday, after the holiday, but just for fun, I was skimming through my old posts to see what the last few New Year's were like, and well, here I am.

Three years ago I catered a wedding on New Year's Eve. I forgot all about that. My first last and only job in NC. It was icy raining, I had to drive UP a mountainside, and then back down. I did not like the people, they did not like me. The groomsmen were drunk as pigs, the bride was a demanding little bee-yotch, the father hit on me, and the only people I really talked to were the dogs. A far cry from my catering clientele in Rhode Island. (I'm not casting aspersions, I'm just saying it's different down here is all.)

I had also, during the course of that year, finished writing and querying MASQUERADE. Lots of interest, no takers. I'm still thinking it's all about the sex, or lack thereof. But you know, I still stand by that. I don't need to write sex to have a good book.

Two years ago, I was still writing THE LADY'S FATE but calling it MisMatched. I was also in the throes of trying to put together a YA (yeah, I know huh - I do still like that story and think it might be a good one to finish but not right now.) I thought about going on a diet, and you know what happened to that thought. I finished REMEMBERING YOU and queried that. I really thought I was going to land an agent with that one. And well, things happened to make me take a really hard look at my writing life.

Now last year at this time, I wrote a post (which you can find here) and after re-reading it, I thought WOW, that was really prolific. Now I'm not saying I'm a prolific writer by any means, but every once in a while I do have a moment. And that was mine. I built my fence. Thinking on it now, it's like a giant mandala, and I suppose that was the purpose of it all along. Only I didn't know that then.

This year, looking back, I have accomplished a lot. I'm very proud of me. Certain things, not so much, but for the most part I'm pretty happy with the decisions I've made. I've made mistakes, sure, who hasn't, there were probably a lot of things I should have done differently, but I made my choices and there we have it. No changing it now.

Looking ahead, I can only take it one day at a time. Because joy happens in life, and you have to be ready to accept it, and you know what else, so does shit. And somehow it all evens itself out.

It's not fun being a writer sometimes. It's a head game for the most part. It's also very lonely and isolating and if I didn't have you guys, I wouldn't be where I am today.

No, I'm not going to sing again, but I want to thank you all for being there for me. Being a writer is a tough job. Being a published author is even harder. You have to love it with your whole heart. Dreams really do come true, and it's within each and every one of you to make your own a reality.

So Happy New Year my friends. May you all find your heart's desire in 2012!

A Holiday Surprise

2011-12-23T08:18:00.003-05:00

I was recently asked to prepare a little holiday post for Sia McKye's blog "Over Coffee" and I am honored it's up today. It features my latest heroine, Miss Ophelia Trent. And in the version for Sia, I've only allowed 1200 words to capture her spirit, and only one man to capture her heart.

In the novella, (which will be out in January) Miss Trent finds there is something to be said for waiting until you're older before you marry.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Cheers

2011-12-21T05:56:00.001-05:00

Wishing you all the joy of the holiday season. I'll see you in January sometime.

Finding My Feet

2011-12-19T06:23:00.004-05:00

After last Friday's post, I feel a lot better about my new life as a published author. And it's all due to YOU. My blog friends. Listen now, as I break out into song, but please by all means hear Josh Grobin.

You lift me up....

Sorry, I'll stop now.

Anyway, in trying to deal with all those twisted emtions, stepping away from the blogs for awhile was a given. I had to. Besides the fact I was a dribbling sniveling mess, one of the reasons I decided to take a hiatus was because of all the pressure (real or imagined) that people expect you to blog about important stuff once you're published. That you "know" things other writers don't. That the wisdom you've gained should be shared with everybody else. And believe me, if I had it, I would have shared it. See, but the problem was, I ain't no smarter now than I was before September 29th. It's still the same incoherent babbling.

The other reason I needed to take a hiatus was because my father is not doing so well. He's had a few ups and downs over the last few years, but this last bout (since I published actually) has had him in and out of doctors offices and hospitals at least twice a week so it's been a lot of emotional upheaval in more ways than one. He's holding his own for the time being, has an appointment with another specialist after the holidays, so hopefully they can figure out what the f*ck is wrong with him. (He's had ALL the tests, ALL the scans, ALL the bloodwork, and no one can give him a definitive answer why he feels like shit all the time.) So I'm over there a lot. (My life with my parents has always been complicated and whether they support me in my book writing is neither here nor there. They're still my parents and I do love them dearly.)

The third reason I needed to step away for awhile is I needed to get on with the process of finishing the next novel in my series -- THE DUKE'S DIVORCE. Between The Monster and being at my parent's beck and call, it's been a little dodgy finding the time to really get the flow I'm looking for, but I can report, I am now at 68,736 words, so I'm 2/3 done.

Any published author will tell you, after the first book comes out, there's this INCREDIBLE mind numbing PRESSURE to produce another book, whether traditionally pubbed or indie. And I took the responsibility of placing it on myself. Let me just say, there were a few days where I thought I was really going to throw in the towel. Ask Bridget, she can attest to the upheaval with email I sent her. I thought I was going to explode.

But, I found out, I can only write a book so fast, or slow, they all come out one word at a time. And even then, sometimes for every 15 written, I have to delete 14. You know how it goes.

Anyway, what this rambly post means, is that, I guess I'm still on hiatus, but I've found my feet, so to speak. I can stand upright for now. I can breathe. I can tell you stuff, just because I can, because I know you'll listen and I don't have to impress you. I can just be me. I may not be around like I used to be, but I'm still here. I love you guys, I really do, and I wouldn't be where I am without each and every one of you.

You lift me up...

Sorry. I'll stop now, but you know what I mean. And sorry in advance for making that song stick in your head for the rest of the day.

What Happens to Us?

2011-12-16T08:12:00.004-05:00

I've been floating around the blogs the last few days and ran across an interesting thread from published authors that's really resonated with me. I was going to keep silent on it, but I've found, yeah, I need to say something.

It's an interesting phenomenon that happens to writers after they become published. Elana Johnson, Tahera Mafi, Michelle Davidson Argylle, and Jody Hedlund have all voiced their emotional upheaval. I felt the same thing after my book showed up on the Kindle. I was overwhelmed with how many books were bought, yet down-hearted that it wasn't enough. But what did I expect? I would sell a million copies overnight, that one of the agents who rejected me would call and say, "oh yes, I was so foolish to let you go, let me offer you a contract now", that I would become the next overnight sensation because I had finally self-published this "thing" that I'd been working on for two years.

I know there are differences between indie authors and traditional authors, but the feelings are basically the same. I take from Elana, lost and alone. I put my book out there and waited for the accolades, the kudo's the press, and nothing. I take from Tahera, that giddy feeling of going into a bookstore (although, I have to check my Kindle stats every 3 hours) and staring at the cover, feeling the pride, yet not wanting to be conceited about it. I take from Michelle the overwhelming jealousy over what someone else has. My own crazy insanity that another author got 57 reviews overnight and I only had three for two months.

I have done something no one else in my family ever did, but my family doesn't care. Not one note of congratulations, not one encouraging e-mail. NOT ONE. Like, who cares, it's just Anne, being Anne again, just another one of her hare-brained schemes to make money (I refer back to my catering business -- they all said I couldn't do that either.) This hurts so badly you can't imagine. My own family doesn't give a shit that my name is on a book. That it's being read by 182 people whom I've never met. If that doesn't make you a little emotional, then nothing will.

And so, after three months of watching and waiting for the "big break", I finally came to the conclusion, there's nothing any different about being a writer than there is about being a chef, or a cab driver, or a doctor, lawyer, Indian chief. When the next day dawns, you put on your pants, brush your teeth and go to work. I just happen to work from home, downstairs in my basement.

The expectations that life is going to change in some dramatic way after we are published are fed to us, by us, by other writers, in where we read about the debut author snagging that million dollar movie deal. We want to be JK, Stephanie, Kristen. We want it to be us. Desperately. (And if you say you don't, you're lying. Okay that's a blanket statement, so I take it back, but we all do think at least once, how fab it would be to be famous.) We want the awards, the fame, the hype, but when it doesn't come (to most of us) we're left feeling out of sorts in our own skin, and wonder who it was that we could blame for lying to us, who told us this was the way life was going to be when you get published.

And we find, it was only ourselves.

Yes, I do take pride in all I've accomplished, but what I need to remember is, I'm just a writer who wrote a book. Sure, I'll be jealous, and afraid, and excited, and overwhelmed by all these crazy emotions. The feelings of abandonment, despair, elation, joy, and trepidation are just the natural process of evolving from writer to published author. Kind of the same feelings after you've had a baby.

But what I've found through these last three months, is to just let it go, and get on with what I do best. Love my daughter, pen my next stories, and catch up with the laundry.

What else is there really?

Happy Birthday Monster Child

2011-12-02T06:16:00.001-05:00

Seven years ago today at 7:02 am, weighing in at 7 pounds 7 ounces, and 17 and a quarter inches, (don't know what it is with the 7's, hope they're lucky) my Monster was born (after 28 hours of labor I might add.)

She looked like a chipmunk, slept like an owl, and ate like a baby gorilla. I guess now I know where she gets her love of animals from. She was a lot of fun back then, I'd dress her up in her little outfits and we'd go to all sorts of places. We could never go anywhere without being accosted by at least 5 little old ladies who wanted to ooh and ahh over the most beautiful baby in the world. Kind of like a hot guy with a puppy on the beach, but not.

Evertime we went to my parents house, my father would make me take off her shoes and socks so he could kiss her toes. Yeah, I know, eewww, but hey, he's my father. My mother bought her all kinds of "princess" attire because, well, what else do you buy for a baby as beautiful as this?

During the last 7 years, I never thought my life would become what it has. There's been a lot of ups and downs, moves, changes in lifestyle, that I never thought I would ever do, but you know how it goes -- a baby changes everything. Truthfully, if she wasn't around, I think I would still be stuck in a restaurant somewhere spending my paychecks on shoes I would only wear once, dating the wrong kinds of men, and trying to keep up with Giada and The Barefoot Contessa. I can say without any doubt, I never would have written, or finished, any of my books, let alone published them.

The Monster has kept me grounded through all the joys and triumphs, bad times and uncertainty. For such a litle person, she's kept my head on straight, because it's not about ME anymore, it'a all about HER. And I don't even think I have to tell you how spoiled she is.

I can't tell you how much I am in love with her because that would take volumes. I thank God everyday for allowing me to have her in my life. She's smart, kind, a whizz at baseball, loves math (of all things), reads voraciously, (wonder where she got that from), forgets when I yell at her, writes me love notes all the time, and has an appetite the size of a grown gorilla. (The kid could eat macaroni and cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner.)

Happy Birthday Monster Baby! You've made all my dreams come true.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-21T06:23:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a very happy, safe, and fulfilling Thanksgiving holiday.

I also wanted to say, I'm going to be taking a hiatus. There're so many things I've been needing to get done, and I'm finding 24 hours in a day is just not enough. Something has to be set aside for the nonce, and I'm afraid, my darlings it's you. As I'm sure you've noticed in the last few weeks, I haven't been around to many of your blogs and I do apologize. It's not you, it's me. I just can't seem to find the time.

I'm hoping to get everything accomplished by mid-December, but one never knows how long this "stuff" will take. And if I don't see you before Christmas (which I sincerely hope not) I want to wish you all the best and brightest for the holiday season.

I will have posts up on my author web-site if you feel the need to stop by and see my shiny face. I only post on Monday over there.

So, I hope all your NaNo dreams come true. I pray you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. I wish the best holiday season for you and your family.

I'll talk to you all soon.

On The Grille -- Book Review House of Diamonds

2011-11-18T06:12:00.003-05:00

On Today's Menu -- Karen Jones Gowan & HOUSE OF DIAMONDS

I recently finished Karen's book HOUSE OF DIAMONDS, the follow-up to her UNCUT DIAMONDS. I probably should have read the first book first. I sort of kind of knew H of D was a sequel, but didn't really think about it until I got into it and realized I was missing part of the story.

As the book opens, Marci (the main character) is facing a sort of mid-life crisis: inasmuch as she is the mother of seven (yes 7!) children, her husband is away on business (yet when he's home, he's also a high ranking member of their church and therefore not around very much), her passion about her writing is forcing her to make choices about her life she's not quite comfortable with, and her house seems to be falling apart around her ears.

I felt for Marci. As a non-practicing member of any faith, I was struck by how much Marci relied on God to provide the answers to her questions. (She's a Mormon.) And when her sister's child is diagnosed with a brain tumor, that faith is sorely tested. (This part of the book made my heart bleed. As a mother, I felt the pain and anguish poor Cindy had to go through with Baby Jordan.)

Marci tells a tale of hardship, but also incredible hope that one day she will be able to work on her dream -- of becoming a writer. With 7 kids, and an almost non-existent husband, I felt her pain. As a woman, I could so understand her need for "me" time. As a writer, I could definitely feel her frustration that there was simply just not enough time in the day. Add to that, a memorable conversation in K-mart at Christmas with a snobby college professor (who I so wanted to smack upside the head), and poor Marcie's passion for writing is subsequently squashed. I felt so bad for her.

And let me just say, that not having read the first book, I was uncertain of why she picked HOUSE OF DIAMONDS for her title. I didn't get it, and looked for some measure of metaphor throughout. Not until the very last page did the title come into play and I thought it was very apt.

I liked this book. I could relate to Marci and her struggles. It almost felt autobiographical at times and that lent it an endearing quality. This book also gave a lot of insight in what it means to be a Mormon, (something I had absolutely no idea about, other than the fact they can't drink coffee) and how in times of great stress people of faith seek comfort.

I have a few questions for Karen --

Is this book autobiographical? In some aspects it must be, you seem to draw from personal experiences.

Both Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds are highly autobiographical, although details of certain instances have been tweaked for narrative flow and fictional purposes. During all those years of me (like Marcie) wanting so desperately to write and being unable to find the time, guess what I wrote? Pages and pages in my journals, and these are what I drew from in writing the two Diamond novels. If I wanted, I could continue the saga of the McGills as they pull up roots in central Illinois and move to San Jose, CA, and then to Utah where the children have come of age. Because it's all there in my head, my heart and my journals.

Is the story about Baby Jordan true? This really ripped my heart out.

This story is very much the truth, and my sister who Cindy is based on was good enough to send me copies of the journals she kept during this time. Descriptions of what the doctors were doing and even things that were said to her are taken directly from her journals. It was such an intense story on its own it required very little fictionalization.

And what about the "professor" and his cutting Marcie down in K-mart - that she would never be a real writer? Had someone said those awful things to you? (This read so "real" to me, I couldn't help feeling upset at his insensitivity.) And if so, how did you manage to put those feelings aside and write a book?

This did not actually happen, although there was an arrogant college professor who was a member of JAW, my writing group. The scene where Marcie presents her ideas about Stephen King and the professor's subsequent scoffing really did happen. I just exaggerated and made him even more of a jerk than he already was, because that is just oh so satisfying! But let me say that House of Diamonds is set in the 1980's and the entire writing/publishing world was much different back then. It was difficult for a woman to break in, especially one from a little Midwestern town. Back then women went to New York to be writers, because they often had to work in the industry, or know someone in the industry to get a book published. So even though he didn't say those words to me, it's the kind of sentiment that was often expressed about a wife and mother wanting to write, even a decade after the women's liberation movement.

Thanks so much, Karen for allowing me the privilege of reading HOUSE OF DIAMONDS.

You can find Karen's books here at Amazon
and here at B&N

Also, House of Diamonds is available at the new online bookstore CeleryTree.com in all formats.

And there's a 2 for 1 sale! Preorder print book House of Diamonds from the publisher's website and get Uncut Diamonds for free!

In Case You Didn't Hear

2011-11-17T06:05:00.007-05:00

My fabulous friend, J. Bridget Chicoine, has recently been signed with Rhemalda Publishing. UNCHARTED: Story for a Shipwright will hit the shelves next October, but let me tell you, I've had the honor of reading this book, and you need to put it on your TBR list right now. Bridget is a literary genius, and writer extraordinaire, and you will not want to miss this book.

I'm at Nicki's Today

2011-11-16T06:18:00.005-05:00

I'm over at Nicki Elson's today where we'll be dishing about writing, naturally, my overlapping series concept, and why I love a good corset.

It's going to be a good time.

Oh, and she did the magic with YouTube and found my most favoritest song in the whole world, so there's that too.

Hope you'll stop by!

Save a Turtle

2011-11-15T06:13:00.000-05:00

A couple of months ago, I ran a blog post "Write a Blog Post, Save a Dog". Unfortunately, I only found out about it on Friday and posted on Saturday so not too many people got word.

However, I found out about THIS early enough, so I all hope you'll help. It's about the slaughter of innocent ENDANGERED sea turtles in the British Virgin Islands.

Hi,

The British Virgin Islands has a Sea Turtle Hunting season December 1st through March 31st.
They are legally allowed to harvest Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles, both endangered animals.
Hawksbill turtles (must be 15+inches carapace length) and Green turtles (24 +inches carapace length) but these sizes still put them in the late juvenile / sub-adult age and the fact they do not have a size limit is even worse since those are the ones probably nesting here but live elsewhere.
There is a moratorium on loggerhead turtles, leatherback turtles, & all sea turtle eggs.

So I signed a petition to Ralph T. O'Neal, Premier of the British Virgin Islands, which says:

""Stop the legal harvesting of endangered sea turtles in the British Virgin Islands""

Will you sign the petition too? Click here to add your name:

http://signon.org/sign/end-sea-turtle-hunting?sources=s.fwd&r_by=1529140

Thanks!

Karl Pytlik

****

If we don't stop this, we might not have these great turtles anymore. And what will we tell our kids if we don't? It's just a click to sign your name. They're not asking for money, just a signature. C'mon, look at that face. How can you say no?

Thanks to Bish Denham for pointing this out to me.

A MUST READ BOOK!

2011-11-14T06:07:00.002-05:00

Good Morning. I was recently given a gift by the lovely Anne R. Allen of the book INDIE CHICKS an anthology of personal stories from Indie women writers.

If you are woman

A writer

A Mom

A survivor

If you are overwhelmed, prone to anxiety, unsure, or just have no clue how to manage writing and the stress of real life at the same time

This book is for you.

Twenty-five personal essays from women Indie Writers that will leave you laughing, crying, shaking your head, and saying, "Oh my God, that is so MY life."

Not only are there the personal essays, but sneak peeks into the latest books of the writers and where to find them on the interwebs. I put so many books on my TBR list just compiled from this anthology, my reading list will take me into 2014 I'm sure.

This book is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC and I can't rave about it enough.

Also, all proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen foundation for cancer research, so it's a win-win all the way around.

You can buy it here on Amazon.

****

In other news, I'm posting tomorrow on a special cause that won't cost you anything but a click of your mouse, so please, please, please stop by. Here's a hint... and with that face, you won't be able to say no.

****

And I'll be at Nicki's on Wednesday for another interview, and she found my favorite song in the whole world on You Tube, so I hope you'll swing by for that.

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2011-11-11T06:34:00.008-05:00

On Today's Menu -- BOOKS!

Traditional ones, indie ones, books that speak of rocks.
Short ones, long ones, books made with great Word.docs.

Today is THE day to help Jessica Bell's debut, STRING BRIDGE, hit
the bestseller list on Amazon, and receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free!

All you have to do is
purchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, and
then email the receipt to:

jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com

She will
then email you a link to download the album at no extra cost!

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

If you are
not familiar with String Bridge,
check out the book trailer:

Rave Reviews for String Bridge:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of my
veins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page,
yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones of
heavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just as
with any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet and
musician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and the
difficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout,
seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure that
allows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her world
begins to unravel … String Bridge is
a powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just a
hint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of Repulsion
Thrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writer
of great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficult
scenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holds
barred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to develop
character, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel.
I look forward to reading her
next novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen Jones
Gowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

Connect with Jessica:

String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell

Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/

Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell

Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com/

Please TWEET and/or FACEBOOK this post using #StringBridge!

ALSO Ali Cross and a few of her Ninja Crew have all released today.

There's a Twitter feed that's also happening at 11am (MST) at #DARKCARMA with great prizes and book give-aways so go join in the fun!

At the Grille -- R Mac Wheeler

2011-11-09T06:08:00.009-05:00

Good morning everyone. We're straying a bit from my usual posting. As you can see, my blog has been taken over by this giant. I've long wanted to do an interview with my absolutely fabulous crit partner Mac Wheeler, and after having gone round in a number of conversations, he finally consented.

Mac's a prolific writer, authoring over 19 books, and has finally gone the self-publishing route, putting his BLACK LAKE series out to Kindle. Filled with ogres, orcs, dragons, wizards, daemons and trolls, it's a character driven fantasy epic that enthralls and delights those who have a hankering for the "other" side of life.

1. How did you end up becoming a writer?

Sitting at a traffic light one day on my way to work, my door flung open and an ogre ripped me out of my car. I knew he was an ogre just like that. Ya can't miss the tusks and snout, let me tell ya. He dragged me along on this epic journey to secure peace for his warlock and witch friends. Oh, the stories I could tell ya about them dragons we came 'cross. We experienced many near-death events that changed me—in a dark way, let me tell ya. We became great friends after a time (wrapping up each other's knife wounds, wizard afflictions and such can bring two critters together like nothing else), and I decided to dedicate my life to erasing the unfair prejudice against ogres and their cousins (orcs, dwarves, elves, trolls, goblins and daemons). They aren't such bad folks. Just misunderstand. Just because them trolls think centipedes make a great snack….

2. What is your favorite genre to write?

Non-fiction—such things as brain surgery and rocket science. But since I don't know much attall about those things, I make up lies about my neighbors and their late night séances, my ogre and elf friends and such. Actually most what I right about is the bare butt truth, cross my heart. I just change the names to protect the guilty, as they say.

3. Are you a plotter or do you follow the muse?

As a former draftsman, I've used many different plotting devices, but I can't imagine why anyone would refer to themselves as a graphic printing apparatus. During a recent trip to Black Lake, I met a wizard who went by the name The Muse. Funny coincidence you would ask about him. He was a cranky, smelly troll though, and I wouldn't follow him out of a blizzard.

4. What do you read? Who are your favorite authors?

I read the back of the cereal box every morning. I have the intention of one day pulling the A section of the encyclopedia out and starting on a new world exploration. But that sounds like a lot of work. Tony the Tiger has interesting things to say.

5. Where do you get your ideas for your stories?

I like to stay up into the wee morn' hours and watch my drunken neighbor stagger into his house (if he gets started in the right direction—sometimes he doesn't, and ends up at Tom's house, but since his key doesn't fit Tom's door….) Most of my stories are naked truth. Cross my heart. My ogre friend and I experienced many a knee slapper crisscrossing the Range. Oh, let me tell you about this one ogre bar wench we met with the grandest pair of….

6. What is the most difficult part about writing for you?

Getting the right edge on my quill. Aggravating as all get out how quickly those things get rubbed to a stub and you have to start all over. I mean, really. Can't they develop a better method for getting ideas on parchment?

7. How long were you trying to get published before you decided to self-publish?

I woke up last Tuesday and said I just ought to do it. I grabbed up a handful of my scrolls and went down to the corner where this printer set up a shop a few years back. I told him what I wanted to do and he just glared at me. Well, I'll tell you that put a damper on my publishing plans, so I came home and opened a Kerr jar of brew and read the back of my cereal box for an hour until I calmed down.

8. What is the most surprising thing you discovered during the self-publishing process?

After a couple Kerr jars, the print on the back of the cereal box gets right fuzzy.

9. The Black Lake series consists of four books. Give me a little blurb on each.

There's volume one. Volume two. Volume three. And volume four. I gotta tell ya I went through a ton of quills.

Mac on Kindle

I'm On the Veranda Today

2011-11-07T06:05:00.006-05:00

Good Morning. Today I have the honor and priviledge of hanging out on the veranda with Christine Glover. She's going to interview me, a la Barbara Walters style. I've long admired Christine's interviews with other authors and I can't believe she's going to interview ME! I'm so excited. So I hope you'll stop by as we dish the dirt on writing, self-publishing, and other little tid-bits about the craft.

photo courtesy of FeatherStone Winery

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2011-11-04T06:07:00.006-04:00

On Today's menu -- Champagne! Let's celebrate!

First up, I just want to say how really blown away I was by the response I recieved last Friday on Tara's blog. I was really touched by all the warm feelings toward me and my books. You know it's hard sometimes to really grasp the scope of what I'm doing, trying to achieve, by self-publishing. It's hard also to accept the good wishes and pats on the back, even from total strangers. So to all of you, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I also want to thank all my new blogging friends. I've met so many wonderful and fascinating people on this writing journey, it's mind blowing. I've reached the elusive 300+ followers and I just don't know what to do with you all. Big group hug comes to mind. It's such a humbling experience to know 304 people stop by here and read what I have to say. You guys keep me so real and I thank you for that.

Also, just for fun, (and some really mad prompting from Tara) I am now on Twitter. I know, can you believe it. Never thought I'd see the day. But I Tweet. Albeit slowly, and not everyday, but I am there. See, it's right there on my sidebar so it must be true. As for FaceBook...that's a whole other ugly monster.

On the writing front, I'm deep into the middle of THE DUKE'S DIVORCE, book three in The Reluctant Grooms series. I so wanted to finish this by Thanksgiving, but I'll have to do some wicked mad writing to achieve that.

I also recently finished reformatting REMEMBERING YOU, (for those of you who remember Genna and Tony and Pete) and I'm hoping to get that bad boy out to Kindle shortly. One more quick line edit, just to make sure I've got all the nasties out, and I'll be good to go. A couple more days I think.

And, I'm also getting my act together to get THE LADY'S FATE out in paperback. I've got to do a little more research, and reformat, but I'm hoping to have paper soon.

And although I'm not doing an "official" blog tour, I will be stepping out from the Grille on a few occasions, next Monday as a matter of fact. I'll be sitting on the Veranda at Christine's where she will be conducting an interview with yours truly. She has some pretty snazzy Barabara Walter's type questions, I might add. So if you're not busy, mark it on your calenders and take a spin over. Also on the 16th, I'll be hanging at Nicki's for some more fun back in the 80's, so hope you'll stop by for that too.

Thanks again, so much for all your support. It really does mean the world to me.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Overlapping Series

2011-11-02T06:02:00.020-04:00

If you missed the post on my author blog on Monday, it was about how I got into writing a series. When I first began working on THE LADY'S MASQUERADE, it was suposed to be a simple love story between Penny and Will. As the story progressed, other characters naturally evolved and because they were Will's friends, I found myself with three other single male characters who had to find brides but didn't want to. Hence, The Reluctant Grooms Series was born.

However, because I'm a pantster, I began writing these books without rhyme or reason, doing the research into the era as I went along. The stories were supposed to be in succession, each man finding his bride a year after the other. At one point, however, I hit a giant snag. One of my characters had to be in London for the Parliamental session. I dove into my research and found, Parliament wasn't in session for that month. Nor, for the remainder of the year in fact.

I had three books begun, each with about 40K words each. And now, each of the these stories wouldn't work. I'm a stickler for accuracy in my facts, (I hate it when reading an historical and there's a mistake.) I didn't know what to do. I couldn't throw away all these books and start over. I needed to find a way to make them work.

And so I decided to make them wrap-around each other, or overlap, if you will. For those of you who remember THE LADY'S MASQUERADE, this is the story which began it all. We have William, Robert, Richard, and Ellis.

THE LADY'S MASQUERADE --

March 1810 -- September 1810.

William requires help finding out who is after Penny. Robert and Richard play significant roles. Ellis has two small scenes.

THE LADY'S FATE -

May 1810 -- June 1811

Robert plays a significant role for Ellis in helping him aquire the hand of Violet.

THE CAPTAIN'S LADY --

September 1810 -- February 1811

Robert and William help Richard fight for Amanda.

THE DUKE'S DIVORCE --

March 1811 -- July 1811

Ellis and William seem to be able to help Robert with his bride Fiona.

THE EARL'S ENIGMA --

May 1811 -- October 1811

I haven't quite figured out this story yet. Rory is still new to me. But he still overlaps with the others somewhat.

Now, writing the stories this way solved several problems at once; allowed me to combine characters and storylines from one book into another, kept me from having to do uncessary research (and therefore allowed me to write more), and kept all the characters fresh in my mind. They're all friends and friends lives do tend to overlap

However, the biggest drawback to writing a series in this way is keeping all the characters where they're supposed to be in all the other books. For example, at one point in THE LADY'S FATE, Violet is waiting to hear from Ellis. He explains, he was in Trilling for the nuptials of his brother William. Because in THE LADY'S MASQUERADE, Ellis does indeed show up for the wedding. In THE CAPTAIN'S LADY, Robert needs to be single as the villain mistakenly identifies him as his wife's new lover, and William needs to be married, because Penny and Amanda both need to be pregnant at the same time. And somewhere in THE EARL'S ENIGMA, all the characters from all the books need to be at the Prince Regent's grand party in June of 1811.

Yes, I have a lot of notes.

But I'm loving the way it's turning out.

Tell me -- Do you read series novels? Do they overlap or are they progressive?

Stay tuned next week when I discuss overlapping characters... especially these two.

The Great Debate....Prologues

2011-10-31T06:08:00.010-04:00

Happy Halloween Everyone. Today is kind of a mish-mashy post, but I will try and keep it together to form a cohesive essay.

Yesterday morning, while listening to "Flashback" on the radio, they played Elton John's Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. The Monster Child was with me and as we pulled up to my mother's house, I remained in the car. Funeral for a Friend was still playing and I wanted to hear the opening to Love Lies Bleeding so I would have a good song in my head for the rest of the day instead of the stupid deoderant commercial. The Monster ran down to the house, went in, and then came back out two minutes later very upset that I still sat in the car. "I'm going to be late," she yelled. Funeral for a Friend was just ending.

"No, you're not," I replied. "Here's what I've been waiting for." And the opening chords to Loves Lies Bleeding struck. I began singing the song, beating my fingers on the steering wheel, while she just rolled her eyes and ran back down the driveway.

And it got me thinking...

Back in the 70's, rock bands would have these long musical introductions. Some of them were good, some not so good, but you'd have to wait to get to the real "song". Think Lynard Skynard, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull. (I'll bet half of you have never even heard of these bands.)

Any-hoo, it got me thinking...

Those musical introductions were prologues. Depending on the composition, some evolved into the song lyrics, some were of a different nature altogether and didn't make any sense. (Perhaps the composer smoked a little too much gange and thought it would fit, I don't know.)

But it got me thinking...

About the great debate of prologues. Depending on how they're written, they either serve the book well by giving us a piece of the story we wouldn't find in the natural progression of the plot line, or is just something the author wanted to throw in just to keep us guessing.

I had a prologue in THE LADY'S MASQUERADE. It was one page, 263 words total. It was a snippet of the villain's character from his POV that allowed for a bit of intrigue before the story began. I always liked it, I thought it was wicked cool. But then, I took it out because I found while querying, prologues weren't in fashion anymore.

Having gotten back into revisions on MASQUERADE again, I think I'm going to put it back in, because up until page 256 out of 260, we don't see or hear from the villain. We don't know who he is until he makes his very short lived appearance. And you know what, not having to deal with an agent, editor, or publisher, I can do whatever I want.

Tell me -- Do you write prologues? Do they leave your readers guessing, or are they an intregral part of the plot that needs to be told, but not in the story?

And now for your viewing pleasure, as it is Halloween, some pictures I dug around for last weekend. Dressing up on Halloween was not one of my strong suits, but these pictures are proof that I did.

Halloween 1992. Me and Lawrence. My true soul self harking back to 1973 (incidentally the year Good-bye Yellow Brick Road was released).

Halloween 1998. Me and Jed. That, my friends, is a fake tattoo, but the boobs are real.

Have fun and be safe tonight!

Oh, and PS, on my author blog I discuss how I came up with my series if you'd like to take a peek.

Why I Chose to Self-Publish

2011-10-28T06:45:00.000-04:00

I'm over at Tara's blog today, spilling my guts about why I chose to self-publish. I hope you will all stop by. If not for me, then for Tara. She's such a cool cat, she writes in Polish and Russian, loves race cars, and knows her way around a throwing knife.

My Aversion to SemiColons

2011-10-26T06:04:00.006-04:00

Happy Wednesday Everyone. Back in the swing of things, as today is a writing post day, I decided to do a post about punctuation. Or more pointedly, semicolons.

Now, I don't know about you, but I don't use them. First of all, I don't know what they're for. According to Strunk and White

If two or more clauses grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction are to form a single complete sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon.

Yeah, okay.

Gallagher's romances are entertaining; they are full of love and desire.

(My own play on the example they give.)

It is, of course, equally correct to write each of these as two sentences, replacing the semicolons with periods.

Gallagher's romances are entertaining. They are full of love and desire.

Which is what I do. As I'm typing along in Word, sometimes, when I complete my sentence, my little green squiggly line will appear and then I will go to my Spelling & Grammar tool to see what I've done wrong. (God I love Word.) And it will say, "replace with semicolon". And I do not. I always separate the sentences.

According to THE MIRRIAM-WEBSTER CONCISE HANDBOOK FOR WRITERS

The semicolon is used in ways that are similar to those in which periods and commas are used. Because of these similarities, the semicolon is often thought of as either a weak period or a strong comma.

Now in this chapter, Mirriam and Webster throw out phrases like independent clauses, coordinating conjunctions, grammatical construction of the second illiptical clause, and my favorite, conjunctive adverb. In this chapter, there are ten rules to learn before you can use a semicolon.

My question -- Why?

Why would anyone want to torture themselves learning how to use a semicolon when most of us have enough trouble with a plain old comma?

Why would you want to use a weak period when a full stop will do? Or a strong comma? How many beats is a strong comma anyway? Two? Three? Enough to take a sip of coffee?

Tell me -- Do you use semicolons? Or am I the only one who doesn't? Any other punctuation you want to diss today?

PS In rereading my latest work in progress, I found not one, but two semicolins. My bad. But I still don't like them.

PPS I hope you'll swing by on Friday when I explain my reasons for self-publishing.

There's a Book Fair Today

2011-10-25T06:28:00.004-04:00

There's a book fair today hosted by M.A. Leslie, and I'm involved, at my new author website as well as 90 other authors which you will be able to find here at M. A. Leslie.

Please take a look-see, you might be able to find something you like. Genres are extremely well represented. The links at M.A. Leslie are up and running.

The Millionaire Matchmaker

2011-10-24T06:09:00.003-04:00

Good Morning My Darlings. Have you ever been fixed up? Have you ever had well meaning friends, business colleagues, your Aunt Grace say to you -- "I know the perfect man for you. You have just got to meet him!"

Ugh. Yes, I'm sure we've all been there. How'd it go? Did you take them up on the offer? If so, how'd it turn out?

I've been fixed up on many occasions. Always to disastrous results. Now, mind you, all parties involved knew what we were getting into. Sometimes it was a blind fix up, other times it involved double dating. Where, during some part of the night, I would drag my friend in the ladies room and ask, "How could you possibly think that man and I had something in common?"

Now, I don't doubt the sincerity of these people, they truly believe they know us better than we think we know ourselves and according to them we are so blind to know what we want, we'll take a look at someone who would not be on our radar at all.

Yeah. I know my own mind. I know what I'm looking for in a man. My list of prerequisites is pretty long.

The other night I was trolling through cable tv (the bane of my existance -- 92 channels and not a thing to watch) when I came upon the show The Millionaire Matchmaker. I had never seen it before, although had heard of it and decided to watch just to see how a millionaire went about finding a date.

Well, it's the usual tv trope, interview the guy, find out what he wants in a woman, interview the girls (notice that's plural), have a big meet-and-greet where the matchmaker introduces each man to about 15 girls the matchmaker thinks he'd like to meet, and see who he picks.

O.M.G. Can I just say this show is almost as bad as The Bachelor/ette series.

Now on this particular episode, one of the men was a real jerk. Wanted a woman who would basically give up her life and dreams and goals to fulfill his every desire. Yeah, I'm not kidding. He wanted a June Cleaver sort, although he wanted her to look exactly like Jessica Simpson. (his words, not mine.) So the matchmaker found him 15 women who fit his list (his list was longer than mine, and extremely detailed).

And it got me thinking. One of the things the matchmaker kept telling him was he had to let go of his list. He had to think outside the box because he probably wouldn't meet the "woman of his fantasies". And I agreed. This man wanted several things that to me, just weren't possible. But he insisted. He would not give up his list. He wanted a woman who --

had a 36 - 40D bust size (no bigger, no smaller)
would bear him twin girls (huh? how can you think that that's what you'd get?)
would give up whatever it was she was doing and live with him (her family, her life, her career)
was a great cook (like a professional chef kind of cook)
was a church going woman (which is important, however he demanded that she be of his faith only or convert)
had long blond hair (but not dyed)
had a devastating smile (but real teeth not teeth that had been worked on)
and the piece de resistance had an IQ that was not higher than his (I almost threw up in my mouth when he said that)

Guess what. He found one. Yup he did. I could not believe it. To me, this man was a narcisstic, egotistical a$$hole, the kind of man women fought in the 70's. Can I get an "Amen for Gloria Steinam" here? But somehow, he persevered through the matchmaker's discouragement and got exactly what he wanted.

Question -- When finding your significant other, were you fixed up? Did you have a list of prerequisites? Is he/she your ideal partner? Or did you just meet someone and "know" they were perfect for you?

Second question -- If anyone knows a guy who looks like Tom Selleck, has the tenderness of Denis Leary, is as smart as Tom Brokaw and the money of Warren Buffet, could you send him my way.

Brunch at the Piedmont Grille

2011-10-21T06:09:00.003-04:00

On Today's Menu -- Eggs Benedict, Fresh Fruit, Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, and Potato Pancakes.

I haven't had Potato Pancakes in awhile. With warm chunky home-made apple sauce. Yum!

Having never done a brunch before, I'm not sure what I'm doing today other than sharing my random thoughts about things that have happened to me lately in the writing world.

******

On October 9, I recieved a rejection letter from an agent I had sent a query to on April 11 for THE LADY'S FATE. It read in its entirety -- "Nope. Not for me."

Yes, that was all it said. AND, it wasn't even signed. I had to look again at the sender name in my inbox to find out who had been so rude. I've had better form rejections. For two seconds I wanted to write her back and ask her why did she even bother sending me a rejection. Within the six months I waited, the book went through 3 more revisions, two more beta readers, was published and is now making money. Yeah, I wanted to write her and say, "No, thank YOU for rejecting me." Glad I wasn't waiting with baited breath for her reply.

******

Recieved another rejections of sorts last week in my inbox. I've tried to keep up with old friends in other parts of the country, so I sent out a letter informing them of my latest news in the publishing world, gave them the links to my new website, sent off pictures of the covers, and one of The Monster from first grade.

I have recieved one reply. It read -- "Great to hear from you. Good luck." That was all. Haven't heard back from the other four yet. Now I realize I've not been the best correspondant, but I expected to get at least an acknowledgement. And "good luck" is, well, what is that? Sounds like "glad you finally got what you wanted but never want to hear from you again" to me.

******

Monster and I were in the car the other day when she asked why I had so many books in the box on the front seat. I explained that I had just bought them all from the library book sale (saving books, helping libraries).

"Are you going to read them all?" she asked.

"Of course," I said.

"Which one are you reading now?"

I picked up THE REMAINS OF THE DAY. "This one today. This one yesterday." I showed her WOMEN IN LOVE (D.H. Laurence). Then I picked up DANCING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE (Judy Croome)(Which had already been in the car). "This one two days ago." Then reached for THE BEND IN THE ROAD (Nicloas Sparks) "This one I just started, and this one is from last week." I picked up STRANGER IN MY ARMS (Lisa Kleypas)

I watched her face in the rearview mirror take it all in. Then she said,

"Doesn't your brain hurt?"

Gotta love The Monster.

Have a great weekend!

Now for the Plan...

2011-10-19T06:05:00.007-04:00

My heart is full. So full, it has burst at the seams. I cannot thank you all enough for coming to my new author website opening on Monday. It was so wonderful to see all your shining faces in the comments. I wish, how I wish, we could have all met in person. What fun it would have been.

I wanted to say, because people have asked, what my schedule is for the new blog. Truth to tell, I have no idea. I'd like to say once a week on Monday, but even that is tentative at this point. I have this blog too, which I will keep up on M-W-F.

I'm diving back into THE DUKE'S DIVORCE today. I got a great piece of advice from Mr. Bailey, and so have to incorporate that into what I've already written. (I swear that man is Hemingway reincarnated!) I'd like to get that out and published before Christmas. And I'm also trying to reformat REMEMBERING YOU for publication, hopefully before Thanksgiving. And then there is THE LADY'S MASQUERADE that's been waiting for my attention since last April. And my latest SECRETS ON THE BEACH which hit me upside the head the other morning at 4am.

I have a lot on my plate, I know. But isn't that what we, as writers, are supposed to do. Have a writing plan? Know what we are supposed to be writing, revising, drafting every year. Of course, barring any unforseen circumstances.

Truth to tell, I had a writing plan when I was still searching for an agent. But that went out the window with this whole self-publishing thing. I guess I should write another one. Probably be a good idea. Keep me on track and all that.

Tell me -- Do you have a writing plan? Do you know where you want to be next year in your writing career, five years from now, ten? How many books will you have written? Will you still be searching for an agent? Will you self-publish?

Part Two The New Website

2011-10-17T08:57:00.003-04:00

Sorry about all the craziness this early morning. I think I've got the problem solved. I hope.

If you would care to take a gander, here is the link (please God let this work)

http://annegallagherwriter.blogspot.com

If you find nothing there, please let me know.

Help

2011-10-17T08:18:00.002-04:00

Could someone please go here and tell me what you find?

http://annegallagherwriter.blogspot.com

I can't access my account properly. It's supposed to be my new website. If you find a girl sitting in a chaise with my name across the top could you leave a comment here. Or if you find a plain white background. I made a huge mistake this morning and now find I have two websites with the same url. Ugh!

And if anyone knows how to fix this problem it would be greatly appreciated.

Today's Post My New Website

2011-10-17T06:39:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties on my part, (because of my only having one cup of caffeine) I made a serious serious mistake in trying to get my new website up and running. I'm really sorry for this, and am crying now in my tea.

I wanted you all to see it, I'm so proud of it and can't get it to show. I'll be working to fix the problem, and hopefully by the end of the day, it will work.

Thanks for your kind understanding.

Pay It Forward Blogfest

2011-10-14T06:29:00.002-04:00

Today is not my usual venue, but this is something I've been thinking about for a long time and couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Alex and Matthew have come up with this great idea and I just had to participate.

Keeping it short and sweet, here are the three blogs I think everyone should read.

I Think; Therefore I Yam by Susan Swiderski. Every time I go there I learn something new. I am never disappointed with the font of information this woman has, from states, to shoes, to billboards. Her laws from the states, and weirdest news stories of the week are just a few highlights I enjoy. Go on over, you won't be disappointed.

Laws of Making by Deren Hansen. From the Hero's Journey, to the Virgin's Promise, Deren shows us how to break it all down, and write from the bottom up. A little philosophy thrown in for good measure, I love the way he makes me think about what I write.

R. Mac Wheeler. The best crit partner anyone could ever ask for. He knows more rules to writing and how to break them than anyone else I've ever met. Crits back from Mac make the St. Valentine's Day massacre look like a parade. So much redline, you might go blind. But well worth the horror. If you can get through one of Mac's crits without giving up writing all together, any New York editor will seem like the Easter Bunny in comparison.

So those are my picks to Pay It Forward.

Have a great weekend everyone, and don't forget about my big cocktail party on Monday.

The New Blog

2011-10-12T06:09:00.005-04:00

Well, as I'm sure you've all seen, I've added a couple of new things to this blog. Being sick last week made my eyes crazy and as I couldn't read on the computer, I decided to fool around. Pretty cool, huh?

I made all the changes I wanted to, getting up a header of pages instead of keeping them buried on my sidebar. Some of you may have noticed that THE LADY'S FATE is gone and in it's place REMEMBERING YOU. Yeah, I've been wanting to do that for a long time. I love that story and want it told. It makes me homesick when I read it though. I'm hoping to get it out within the next couple of weeks. It's done and ready, the only thing I'm balking at is the formatting. It's still in a messy word.doc and formatting to Kindle is going to be a nightmare. Not only do I have headings, I have sub-headings, in different font sizes. lol. Can I just say Extra-Strength Tylenol.

The plans for the unveiling of my new author/website blog cocktail party are all set for next Monday, October 17th. It's going to be held in an English garden so please dress appropriately. Sweaters and shawls would be just the thing to keep handy. I do hope you'll all stop by. And as it is an all day affair, the alcohol level will be low, champagne, I think, for the most part. No hard liquor. I am trying to be civilized after all. Here's a little sneak peek of the venue, just to entice you to come.

AND, not only is it the unveiling of the new blog, there is also a secret (well, several secrets actually) I'm keeping until then. So if that doesn't entice you to come, well, I don't know what else to do.

I'm not sure at this point if I have anything ready to post for this Friday. I've been working so hard on everything else, I'm kind of out of ideas, so maybe I'll take a break and relax. Try on my little black dress, see if it fits.

Hope to see you next Monday.

Love In The Time of Cholera

2011-10-10T06:08:00.002-04:00

Good Morning Everyone. I hope you are enjoying a beautiful autumn day where you are. As we are discussing love today, I'm afraid the title of this post has nothing to do with the book LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA. It is, I'm afraid, a misnomer.
(Although I have heard that book is fantastic.)

You see, I've been sick. Very sick, as a matter of fact, since last Monday. It is that time of year when the weather changes, and living in the foothills of the Piedmont, the temperature goes down at night, and then during the day it gets hot. However, when the breezes blow, they whisper cold.

And that is what I got. A cold. Only I never get the common cold, where one can function normally, albeit slowly. NOOOO, I get a cold, then a sinus infection, then an ear infection, then either bronchitis, or pneumonia.

I knew it was coming, I could feel it last Sunday night, that little tickle in the back of my throat. I immediately called my mother to make me a pot of chicken soup, which she did. But it didn't help. Monday morning, I woke to a scratchy throat, funny eyes, pain in the head, and an all-over funky disposition.

I hate being sick, I mean, really, who enjoys snots, aches and pains, and coughing til you puke. I hate it though because I can't do anything. And because of my inability to remain in bed, I push myself to do the things that need doing, therefore getting sicker.

Tuesday morning, barely able to move, I called the doctor, who thankfully had an opening at 11:30. I stumbled into her office, plead my case for a Z-pac, which she sympathetically bestowed upon me, and I made it back to my house and into my bed where I remained for the next four days.

I haven't been quite this sick in a very long time. My mother thought I had contracted the flu. I refused to believe that, but suffered through flu-like symptoms for 2 days. I could not move. I won't bore you with the details of my illness, but I will tell you, at least the flu is good for something. I lost eight pounds.

Now, The Monster was sick as well, though she only had a cold, so she pretty much had the run of the house while I was down. My mother took her for the first part of my malaise so I was left alone to fend for myself. I did nothing but remain in bed, too sick to even watch tv.

When The Monster came back, so did her father. He stayed with us while I was down, which was a blessing. I could at least be assured she was eating on a regular basis. However, he did not once offer to feed me. Or get me water, or Tylenol, or even do the dishes.

When I emerged from my sickroom on day four, only wanting to take a shower and crawl back under clean sheets, I found the kitchen a dumping ground for every single dish, pot, pan, and glass from the cupboards. I then made my way downstairs to the laundry room to put the dirty sheets in the washer and found a pile of clothes on the laundry room floor a mile high.

What is it about men and their inability to do anything when someone is sick? He said, "But I didn't want to mess up the laundry. You know how I shrank all your stuff the last time." Which was true, but no matter how you try, you can't shrink towels. And the dishes? "Well, you hate the way I load the dishwasher and I didn't want to piss you off on top of being sick." And I do hate the way he loads the dishwasher, but I think I might have let that one go as I was on my way back to bed.

What is it about men, that they do not seem to possess a compassionate bone in their body? Or is it just my particular man? Come to think on it though, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of any of my former men waiting on me when I was sick. Not one glass of water, not one Tylenol, not one hand brushed against my forehead.

And now, he's sick. Yes, I knew he would get it eventually. He's upstairs in the guest bed, fever, chills, coughing his lungs up. I've given him Tylenol, cough syrup, chicken soup, orange juice, water, cough drops (the good kind), checked his temp -- 101.9, gotten him another blanket, another pillow, a box of Kleenex.

Now I know why women are nurses.

Tell me -- Does your man help when you're down and out? Or do you get up and deal with the family because you know he won't? Is he a total baby when he's sick, or does he grab a couple of pills and head off to work?

PS I am feeling much better now, thank you very much. Getting ready for the cocktail party which I hope you will all attend. Details coming soon.

On The Grille -- Book Review South of Charm

2011-10-07T06:07:00.008-04:00

On Today's Menu -- SOUTH OF CHARM by Elliot Grace

I thought this book was about baseball. It wasn't. It was about human frailty, a ten-year-old's dreams, and unfathomable courage.

Danny Kaufman is a normal kid, with a baby sister, and a loving relationship with his parents until the day his mother finds a Playboy air freshener in his father's truck. On that day his whole life changes.

Watching this boy's life spiral out of control as his family negotiates the unfamiliar and terrifying waters of mental illness got to me. Stuck me right in the heart with an eight inch blade and twisted it until I couldn't stand it anymore. Truthfully, half-way through this book, I had to set it down. (And I never do that.) Danny's pain, along with his father's confusion over his wife's actions, and the stubborness of his mother's religious family tore me apart.

I found myself screaming at Danny's father to take his wife to a doctor. I wanted to slap his mother for torturing her children and husband and for not realizing and accepting that she needed help. I so wanted to take Danny and his sister Katie home with me and keep them safe, hug them and feed them, and just love on 'em enough to make the pain go away.

Of course, this is a book, so I couldn't. But such is the profundity of Elliot's writing. Beautiful, compact, and precise, it leaves no room for misinterpretation. My emotional response to these characters was such that I felt completely helpless. Tears coursed down my cheeks on more than one occasion. I cursed Elliot for writing this. (Sorry El. I really didn't mean it.)

SOUTH OF CHARM is an uncommon read, revealing facets of human endurance beyond the scope of my reality; that a child (children) would have to live in constant fear, that a family would have to live this way is beyond my ken. But such was the period that the book was set. Back then, diagnosis for the mentally ill were almost non-existant. And I must add that some of the actions in this book are hideous to read, and scary to contemplate. It's not for the faint of heart (even if you do read Stephen King on a regular basis.)

When all is finally revealed in the end, you do get a sense of closure for Danny and his family, yet the images Elliot penned will haunt me for a good many years to come. I felt for the characters, as if they were real people. Such is the gift of a master story-teller.

Questions for Elliot --

I have to ask if this is autobiographical in nature? Not to get you to tell any family secrets, but you write Danny's experiences with such first hand knowledge, it's hard to tell what's fact and fiction.

In every book we read, every dysfunctional plot or life altering mishap, the inspiration for that moment was borrowed from memory, an experience that eventually led to a story. Perhaps it was something simple, an oriole fluttering overhead, or the way your next door neighbor limps to the end of his drive in order to fetch the morning paper at the same time every day. Or maybe it was something that changed how we felt about this world we live in. In this case, I was able to hold young Danny's hand and guide him along his journey, having already experienced much of the same during my childhood. As a boy, I saw firsthand the debilitating affects of mental illness, and what it means to perhaps not forget, but to at least forgive. As for those baseball scenes in the story...the trophy still sits atop a shelf in my basement ;)

I know you have foster kids as well, did any of their experiences end up in the book?

Every child whom my wife and I have accepted into our home, brings with them a best-seller, their very own family trauma. Some have been open about their lives, expressing a need to share some of the horrors they've experienced. Others keep it bottled up, releasing snippets of pain through their grimaces at the dinner table, the remains of tear streaks, long dried, upon their cheeks every morning. For the most part, I'm forbidden to speak on their behalf, many of their cases still hinging on a judge's whim, and therefore was unable to include any of their stories in the book. I'll be closing out my tour with a blog post of one child in particular, however. The one I call The Girl. A young lady whose story will bring the perfect ending to this Charming Endeavor.

Lastly, is the cat real? Or is he simply metaphor?

As for that cat...at my first ever book signing, I found myself enjoying the many interpretations surrounding its occasional presence throughout the story. If memory serves, the majority of readers felt that this mystical feline was indeed a metaphor, representing the boy's guardian angel, or simply his imaginary friend, called upon when needed. Emails have been sent my way, not stating whether they enjoyed the book or not, but demanding more information about the tabby. I think it best to say that perhaps the cat represents something different to each of us. And to each of us, the cat's quite content being exactly that ;)

Thanks so much, Elliot, for the honor and privilege of reading SOUTH OF CHARM.

And what's a tour without prizes along the way...from Elliot...

At month's end, I'll be giving away signed copies of my book, "South of Charm," two $25.00 gift cards from Barnes & Noble, and upon it's highly anticipated release, Stephen King's new thriller, "11/22/63," due out on November 8th.

http://www.amazon.com/11-22-63-Stephen-King/dp/1451627289/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317259762&sr=1-3

and to win...

-All my current followers have already earned themselves 1 point.
-Any new followers I meet along the way will be awarded 1 point.
-All who comment on any of my blog stops in October will earn 2 points.
-Anyone who leaves reviews for "South of Charm" on either Amazon or GoodReads will earn 5 points.
-At months end, my most behaved foster child for that particular day will be choosing the winners, (trust me, that's a win/win for the entire family ;)

So good luck and thanks for stopping by.

Happy News

2011-10-05T06:06:00.004-04:00

Good Morning My Darlings. As you have been witness to my posts of late (in the wrong place, the wrong date, the wrong subject on the wrong day) it is safe to say I have been busy in the brain. Trying to get my book(s) ready for Kindle is like trying to thread the eye of a needle with a camel. (Look Linda, it's Wednesday and I have a camel reference, yay!)

Okay, maybe not impossible, but really really hard. For me. And I appreciate a certain someone's telling me it would be hard and I should probably find someone to do it for me, but being a stubborn wench, if you tell me I can't do something, then I absolutely have to try.

And as you saw from Monday's post, I made a few mistakes along the way, but like with everything else you try the first time, there's bound to be one or two. (I'm not going to tell you what my first souffle looked like, suffice it to say, over time I can kick a souffle's *ss!)

So anyway, this is just a little happy news I thought I would share with you. On Friday I have the honor and priviledge of doing a book review for Elliot Grace's SOUTH OF CHARM. He's got prizes and give-aways so you better stop by and see what's what. Fantastic book, and that's all I'm going to say.

My new author web-site/blog is almost ready to be unveiled. Waiting on two more thingy-things to come to fruition before it can be revealed. Also, I'm this >< close to launching my own book THE LADY'S FATE to Kindle so I hope you'll come by for that. And if I throw a major cocktail party you guys will come, right?

I also wanted to give a giant shout-out to all my new friends who've followed me on my side bar. I'm so thankful for your shiny happy faces. I've been crazed the last few months, which is why you probably haven't seen me on your blogs, but let me reassure you, once I get my book(s) out and I'm over this hump, I'll be by. (Look Linda, two camel references.) Your support means the world to me.

And for those of you who've been kind enough to present me with awards, thank you so much. I know I haven't done anything with them, but soon, I promise.

I'd also like to say, there are a few more changes coming to this blog in a few more weeks, so it'd be swell if you stuck around. I'm so busy lately, and with there only being 24 hours in a day, it's hard to get some things done in a timely manner.

So, anyway, that's all the news I have. I hope you'll stop by on Friday for Elliot.

Tips on Publishing to Kindle

2011-10-03T06:14:00.002-04:00

Good Morning. Some of you may have noticed I published a post on Saturday. Well, it wasn't supposed to happen like that. As I'm in the process of actually publishing to Kindle now, my brain is getting fried and the simplest tasks (like remembering a date, go bye-bye.) So before I forget all these, I'm going to share a few more tips with you on how to publish to Kindle.

Now these are after you've done all your formatting on your word.doc correctly, reviewed the manuscript, and are ready to upload to the Kindle process.

1) Be sure to read all the Kindle "Help" pages before you even start.

2) Make sure you have a "small" and a "large" cover. Your cover designer should already know this. You need the small one for the thumbnail print (where it says "upload your cover" (I believe this is step 9 on the first page). My small cover was around 250 x 350 pixels. The large should be at least 700 x 1200 pixels. (This is when you upload it for the book itself.)

3) Also, download the MobiPocket Creator and the Kindle Previewer (not Kindle for PC but the Previewer) before you begin the process. It will save you boatloads of time and aggravation. (They take a few minutes to do therefore should be done beforehand because once you get started on publishing the book, you really don't want to take time out to wait for downloads.) You can get the Kindle Previewer if you go to Amazon and plug that into their search engine. The page pops up and you have to scroll down to find it, but it's there. I believe you can get the MobiPocket Creator just by googling that.

Okay, and this next step was hard for me, I had to do it three times before I did it correctly so I suggest you pay attention. (Because I didn't read what I was supposed to read first.)

4) Before you can upload to the MobiPocket Creator you have to save your word.doc to HTML format. Click on File > Save > Web Page > (a box appears) click Web Page, Filtered. (A box will appear that says "Saving this material you may lose information." Ignore it and continue. Trust me. It will save you the panic. And three different uploads.) Now also make sure the name of the file is the title of the book. (Because I didn't and the whole thing got so messed up.) Click Save and it should appear in your files as an HTML doc.

When you upload to the MobiPocket, these steps are very straightforward and if you've done everything correctly, it should "Build" your book in record time. Also if you've already downloaded the Kindle Previewer, you can see what it will look like before you hit "Save and Publish". Don't get all freaked out if you don't see the page breaks, they don't show up. And the cover will be in black and white. If everything looks normal, you're good to go.

5) Also, another important thing to remember, when you're writing any of the information on Page 1, Title, Description, Contributors, etc. there are two little boxes in the bottom right hand corner of the page. One says Save as Draft, the other, Save and Publish. DO NOT TOUCH the Save and Publish key until you have filled everything out, looked at the book, and are really ready to go to page two. While you're writing your stuff, and filling out your fields, hit Save As Draft after every field. Especially the Description. I didn't realize you should because I blinked and it was all gone. Three times. Yeah, learn something from my mistakes. It'll save you a sleepless night and a migraine.

6)Make sure you take a good look at the Pricing and Royalty page. If I read it correctly, you can only get 70% on certain countries. Austria, Canada, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Kingdom (also check Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man), United States. *Belium, *France, *Monaco (***As of late October). You'll have to check off each of these countries separately. If you're only doing the 35% you can hit World Wide Territories. And also, that has to do with your price point. It's the difference between 99 cents and $2.99. If you hit World Wide Territories on a $2.99 book, you'll only get 35% royalties. (That's if I read it correctly.) Which is why you need to put in the single countries themselves for the 70% royalty rate. (Math is so not my strong suit so if anyone knows any different, please jump right in and let me know.)

7) Now this last thing should be a no brainer, but for me, it was late and I was crazed from doing all the downloads. When you find the field that says "Contributors" put your name there as author. I didn't and I got a nice letter informing me I had only listed the illustrators. So don't forget about you. (And by the way, they don't have a listing for "Cover Designer" so I used "Illustrator".)

And so, I think that's that for all my fumbles and bumbles along the way. I have some more tid-bits of information to share, but you'll have to wait for next time. Hope these help. And if anyone has any other input to share, PLEASE feel free to jump in in the comments. I am no expert.

The Bachelorette

2011-10-01T06:06:00.002-04:00

Good Morning. With my travails into the never-ending question about love, I'm going to share another secret with you. I watch The Bachelorette on tv. I know, I know. It's kind of nauseating sometimes, but I watch it to get character ideas. (Ha, yeah, if you believe that, I've got some bottom land for sale, cheap.)

No, really, I do. I always watch the beginning episode and pick out the guy I think the girl will eventually fall in love with. Just on first impressions. And then I skip the next few episodes until she gets to around 10 or 12 guys. That's when the real fun begins and they go to exotic locals.

On this last season, Ashley fell hard for a scoundrel, a rake, a big fat jerkface who broke her heart when he left the show. Now we all knew his reasoning behind it -- he thought he was going on the show for a different woman and he was disappointed with this girl and he couldn't fake affection -- but she didn't know any of that. He told her he missed his child back home and he couldn't stay there any longer.

And she fell hook, line and sinker for his BS. It made me cringe that he was such a low life scum bag to break her heart like that. I wanted to yell at the tv I was so mad. (And of course this is reality television so there are always moments like this.)

It took a week, but she got over it, and they went to Thailand. She and 11 other guys. Woo-hoo. She had a couple of good dates, and then lo and behold, Scumbag was brought to Thailand. And this time I really did scream at the tv. Because she wanted to see him. She wanted to see if he really was the true man of her dreams.

And he wasn't, thank the Goddess, but the guy she eventually picked, was not the guy I would have picked for her. Needless to say, I was disappointed in her choice, but you know, she's not me, and I'm not her, and we all have different ideas about who we eventually fall in love with.

Tell me -- Have you ever been in a relationship that all your friends told you was bad for you and you didn't listen? Have you ever loved a guy who was so out of your normal comfort zone your friends thought you were on crack?

On the Grille -- Book Review Three Daves

2011-09-30T06:09:00.006-04:00

On Today's Menu -- THREE DAVES by Nicki Elson

Friday's have been such a weird thing for me lately, and I feel badly that I didn't even post last Friday, but all that is about to change. Starting today and for the whole month of October, I will be doing book reviews here at the Piedmont Grille. I have some great guests planned and some surprises and give-aways so make it a point to stop by on Friday's, have a gnosh, and relax.

This first book review is a surprise for Nicki, because I didn't tell her, or even ask her if I could do one. I won a copy of THREE DAVES sometime at the beginning of the summer, and finally had time to read it out by the pool.

For anyone who wants a trip down memory lane to the 80's, this book is for you.

Sprinkled with euphemisms, music, fashion of the era, and a few well-placed Jane Austenisms, THREE DAVES is a good-time blast from the past with a romantic twist at the end that even I didn't see coming.

Nicki Elson takes us on a journey when rites of passage for girls were plagued with doubt, guilt, and Madonna hair. We follow the main character, Jennifer, through four years of college and three very different men named Dave.

Jennifer Whitney thinks she's the last American virgin in 1986, and embarks on a quest to rectify the situation without looking like a slut (her word). She meets David, (#1) a friend of a friend, who turns into her friend and then becomes her first sexual encounter.

Somehow along the way, Jen's tastes in music change as well as her taste in men. Enter Dave (#2) a beautiful bad boy, who's only thought is his next score (be it sex, drugs, or punk rock 'n roll).

Hastily dumping him when she realizes he's not the "Dave" for her, she meets Big D (#3) at a frat party. Big D is like a dream come true -- star athlete, 4.0 GPA, from the right side of the river -- "D" appears to be everything Jen's ever wanted.

Until Jen has an accident and all three Dave's show their true colors.

This book was so much fun, and it took me back to a past I thought I wanted to forget. Okay, Kajagoogoo anyone?

If you want a trip back to the 80's, this book is for you!

Available on Amazon.

E-Publishing Under Your Own Name or Having a Company

2011-09-28T06:15:00.000-04:00

Today I'd like to talk about a decision I made when I decided to e-publish. Now, most of you know Anne Gallagher is not my real name. For those of you who didn't know that, sorry. It's not something I talk about for very personal reasons. I decided a long time ago that I would build my "platform" if you will, on the name Anne Gallagher. I like that name, and has been in my family for several generations.

Having said all that, when I decided to self-publish, I went to the Kindle help pages whereupon I found out I had to provide my "publishers" information. WHO is publishing this book. I am one of those persnickety people who gets all weirded out by seeing a name on a cover and then reading the title page and finding out the two names don't match, I feel cheated. (I know I'm just weird.)

Having also decided to go with the automatic deposit, I had to have a bank account in that name. And because Anne Gallagher is not a real person, (well she is, if you Google her, there are about 10,000 of them in this country alone) I didn't want my money going to anyone else but me.

So I decided to publish under a company name. Shore Road Publishing. It's where I used to live. (see picture above) I really wanted Beach House Publishing because that was the name of my old catering company (Beach House Casual Catering) I wanted the same thing. But Beach House Publishing is already taken. So, can't. And variations on that theme also came up with someone else using it.

In having found a new name, I then decided to file that in the Register of Deeds office so no one else could use it in my county. It's for tax purposes. I wanted to keep my business separate from my real life. (If you decide to file one, I suggest Sole Proprietor.)

Hence the next step was in going to the bank and opening up a simple business account. Because I also have my checking account there, it was free. And like I said, SIMPLE. I just wanted the account for automatic deposit. If somewhere down the road it looks like I'll need to add more to it, I always have the option.

And because I am the sole proprietor of the business, I do not need a tax I.D. number, I can use my own SSN. Which is nice, one less thing I have to keep track of.

I also opened up a PO Box under the name of Shore Road Publishing so I can get mail there.

Now most people who self-publish aren't so anal when it comes to deciding HOW they're going to publish. They just use their own name and SSN, hit Save and Publish and be done with it. I'm going to tell you why I didn't do it that way.

The Monster Child.

As a single mother pushing 50, I have to think about her future. The best thing about self-publishing to Kindle is the "long tail". Meaning, these books will remain "in print" until I decide to take them down. There will never be just a single print run, there will never be 'no returns' to the publishing house (at least I hope not), they will always be there floating around in cyber space. Which means, hopefully, they will always be generating royalties.

Having made the decision to start my own "publishing company", somewhere down the road, I will incorporate and make The Monster a partner, the CEO of that company. So when I die, it will be hers. And she can do whatever she wants to do with it. The "long tail" if you will. Either keep it or not. I won't care, I'll be dead. And if she ever wanted to pursue a writing career, she could also publish under Shore Road Publishing.

So that's what I did, and why I did it. (This, of course is the simplified version.) Now, for some of you, this may not be the way to go. Only you and your accountant can decide what's best for your future, but in having set this up now, it's one less thing I have to worry about later.

If you decide to go with a company name, rather than your own name, here are the three easy steps.

1) File your company name with the Register of Deeds in your county (or town or city hall, states vary) If you are the Sole Proprietor, you do not need a tax I.D. number and can use your own SSN. Most Small Business Administration offices will have the one page paperwork, or town or city hall. Mine cost $14- to file it.

2) Open up a business bank account under the company name. (Again, you don't need a tax I.D. number, your SSN will be fine.) Like I said, mine was free because I also have my checking account there. I deposited $10- into the account just so it would have something in it.

3) Post Office Box is a really handy thing to have as well. For six months it costs $27-. They'll send you a reminder when you have to re-up.

So for $51- dollars, I have my own company again. I also don't have to worry about Amazon sending my money to someone who isn't me. I don't have to worry about the post office losing my mail. And I don't have to worry about The Monster's future. For now.

Tell me -- Have you thought about doing this? Even if you're going the regular publishing route? Do you like to keep your writing life and real life separate?

Men In Love

2011-09-26T06:07:00.004-04:00

Good Morning My Darlings. One of the greatest joys of being a writer is that I get to make stuff up. Go into my own little world and create characters, people if you will, put them in situations and see what they do, how they react. My favorite part of being a writer is creating a man who falls in love. I know how women do it, I am a woman, (last time I checked) and we're so e-mo-tion-al. Googly, giggly, giddy, starry-eyed, e-mo-tion-al wrecks. (Okay I'll admit, yes I am.) We primp, we preen, we wonder, we talk, we discuss, we lament with our girlfriends and an-a-lyze every single thing he says and does.

I must have read 10,000 romances over the course of my lifetime. Mainly historical. And all of them have had strong, macho heroes. They react to their situation instead of analyzing everything to death. Only when they realize they're going to lose the girl do they generally start thinking about what the problem is.

Which I think is why romance is the biggest selling genre. Men are men, women love them, even when they do stupid things. Men don't really show their emotional side and we know that about them. However, in reading romance, the author does tend to do that, and we eat it up like candy. What women do you know right now has said these words, "Oh I wish my husband, boyfriend, significant other, would just open up to me and tell me what he's feeling."

I must say, in my own stories I'm guilty of the same thing. My heroes go off all stalker and stomp around hitting things, when all they really want to do is cry. Only until they realize they're absolutely going to lose the woman of their dreams do they TELL her what's what.

Tell me -- Have you ever read a book where the man TELLS the woman how he's feeling, first, before he flies off the handle and beats things up? Do you think, we, as female writers can really get into the heads of men and show their emotional side, or are we second guessing ourselves?

Apologies to any men reading this. Please by all means jump in and discuss.

Adverbs

2011-09-21T06:10:00.005-04:00

I've been wracking my brain for a week to try and come up with a post for today. Actually I have 4 right now in draft mode, all waiting to make the cut. But someone said something to me the other day and it's been nagging at my craw so I thought I'd talk about it.

I'd asked a writer friend to take a look at the final proof for THE LADY'S FATE for me. Make sure everything was looking good. I thought I had written a pretty tight story, cleaned up all the typo's and punctuation and what not. Had all the details in all the right places. Was/am pretty proud of the way it turned out. So this reading was just kind of for my piece of mind.

Now this writer, an excellent "working" writer, gave me some pretty fantastic feedback, of which I was glad. She confirmed all my expectations that it wasn't a piece of doo-da, and even though it won't win a Pulitzer, expelled my doubts that I do indeed write a pretty good story.

BUT, she did say I had to watch my adverbs. I have too many -ly words. However, as she wasn't an avid reader of the historical romance genre, she didn't know if that was the style in which they were written.

And I've been thinking about this a lot. Do I really use too many adverbs, -ly words in my manuscript? And the resounding answer is yes. I do. And I'll tell you why.

I like them. They serve a purpose for me. Don't get me wrong, I mean they're not everywhere , but they are there.

For example -- He quickly bounded up the stairs. Okay, he's bounding, so we know what that means. You can only be bounding one way, and that is quickly, so we don't need to say quickly. Hence, delete quickly.

However, I also have -- She answered brightly. Can you see the expression on her face? I could have written -- She answered with a bright smile. But that's just way too long and brightly does the job in one word instead of four. To me, this is an either or choice. I choose brightly.

Now these are just examples, but you get my drift.

The other reason I use them, is because most readers aren't writers. They don't analyze every single sentence structure for mistakes. They're just reading a book, trying to escape their everyday lives. I mean, that's why I read. To escape.

There was a big hoo-hah a couple of years ago about Dan Brown and his writing style. Writers were dissing him, saying he writes like a hack. Well, you know what, I read Dan Brown on vacation and I thought he was a pretty good writer. You know why, because I was reading as a reader, not a writer. The story sucked me in and kept me reading (until the wee hours one night.) I wasn't analyzing his content, I was swept away with his words. I was in Paris, in Spain, on a plane, on a boat. I was trying to figure out who dunnit, right along with Robert Langdon.

Now I couldn't tell you how many adverbs he used, and quite frankly, I don't care. I just liked his book.

With the Big 6 crumbling, and authors and writers using more and more places to get their work seen and read, yeah, sure, some of it is going to suck. I mean, you have to KNOW the rules, before you break them, and we all don't have agents as gatekeepers. BUT, if you have a great plotline, engaging characters, and keep the pace moving forward, I don't think readers will care if you use a couple of adverbs.

And that's what it's all about really. Isn't it? Keeping the reader reading. So they will say, "Hey, I read this fantastic book the other day, you should read it."

Tell me -- How do you feel about adverbs? What rules do you break? Are there any you would like to break, but just can't because of the way you were taught to write?
(Maybe someday I'll tell you about my aversion to semi-colons.)

Returning to Broken Love

2011-09-19T06:16:00.005-04:00

Good Morning Everyone. I hope you had an enjoyable weekend. Please note, this is an unusually long post today. I have a lot of ground to cover.

So, today's topic is Returning to Broken Love. You might ask what Broken Love means -- I'm talking about getting back together with someone who's broken your heart. Devastated you.

I don't do it. Ever. Have never. Will never.

There's something about the physicality of a broken heart. Now I know that when someone breaks it, it doesn't really fall apart, but it sure does feel like it. And I'm not talking about high school broken hearts, I'm talking about real true adult broken hearts. (And I've never been married, so I can't speak for what happens in a divorce. This is from a single woman's point of view.)

When you think you've found the "one". You are giddy and in love and everyday is Heaven on earth, there is no other person in the world who means as much to you ever. There is the promise of something "more", of a lifetime together, perhaps. There are years invested, and friends and family, vacations, commitments.

And then, he does something so inconceivable that you just can't believe it. He breaks your heart.

Let me tell you about Richard. We were incredibly in love. He was a chef, I was a restaurant manager, we started dating and somewhere around the two year mark we built and opened a restaurant together, almost from the ground up. I helped with everything, from ordering to hiring, cooking, waitressing, building, picking out tile, redecorating. You name it, he cleared everything through me before he made the final decision. We had our first opening night and invited 100 of our closest friends and clients. It was magical. Things couldn't have been better.

We had our second opening night for the community at large. I was there already greeting guests, serving drinks, when he walked in with another woman. A woman I knew from town. A woman I had no idea he had been seeing on the side, while I had been slaving away helping him with the restaurant.

I literally heard my heart snap in half. After the initial shock, and the dead silence of having the customers watch me to see what I would do, (because it was a small town and everyone knew us as a couple) I walked out of the bar right then and never looked back. Sure he called, and tried to explain, and cried and begged me to come back, but I refused to even take his call. Two months later, the gossip killed him and he lost the business.

I was bereft for about 6 months. Really. I lost almost 30 pounds. I refused to see my friends. I was totally humiliated. I cried ALL the time. I lost a part of myself that I couldn't get back. I swore I would never fall in love again.

Cut to Nevada 10 years later. I started a relationship with Terrence, but I never let my heart get completely involved. I was very leery of the whole "love" thing. But then he was accused of a crime he didn't commit and he asked me to stand by his side, to support him. So I did. Our relationship changed after that. (I knew he didn't do it, and the judge ruled he didn't do it. It was a set-up.)

Sitting in a diner, having a turkey sandwich with my best friend, I realized I was in love with him. I denied it, of course, because I wasn't ever going to be in love again. But there it was. So I committed to him and the love. To make a long story short, 3 months later he told me he was in love with someone else. My best friend.

Yeah.

But she wasn't in love with him. They tried dating, it didn't last 6 months, and she married another guy. Of course he came begging back to me and I turned him on his ear.

The reason I'm discussing this topic today, is that my ex, Monster Child's father, has come back to North Carolina. I'm not going to get into the where-for's and why's about our break-up, it's just too ugly. But it did get me wondering why I won't get back with him.

People change, absolutely, and he has, for the most part, done a complete 180 from where it was that broke us up. But, throughout the last 8 years, he's broken my heart more times than I can count. I gave him chance after chance, because I did love him with all my heart and he is my daughter's father and I thought a family should really try.

The last two years without him around have been hard on The Monster. She loved her Daddy, and now he's back, she's over the moon. And I never wanted to take her away from him, but he was just so damned toxic. He was killing both of us, the three of us, so I made him go.

But now he's gotten his shit together and I'm happy for him. I like the fact he can come over to my house and we can have a civil conversation instead of screaming, or crying or throwing things. I have made peace with my ex. I have to get along with him, he is my daughter's father. I have forgiven him (for the most part) of all the things he's done to me. But I will never forgive him for breaking my heart.

He's asked, The Monster has begged, why he can't move back in. Why we can't be a real family again. How do I explain to my 6 yr. old about broken hearts. About losing trust and hearing lies and the damage it causes.

Once my heart is broken, it takes a long time to heal. And mine has so many scars on it right now, it's held together with super glue and duct tape. Now, I'm not saying I wouldn't fall in love ever again. That's a whole other blog post. What I'm saying is, I won't attempt to rekindle a dead fire. I won't ever get back together with a man who's broken my heart.

Tell me -- How about you? Would you, or have you, gotten back together with someone who broke your heart in a major way? Or is once it's over, it's over?

Brunch at the Piedmont Grille

2011-09-16T06:01:00.008-04:00

On Today's Menu -- Belgian French Toast, Peach & Blueberry Tart, Scrambled Eggs with Chives, Cream Cheese & Crispy Bacon, Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (Don't knock ice cream for breakfast until you try it.)

I don't know if I mentioned I would do Brunch on my new list of things for the restaurant or not. But I think it's warranted. I have some things to tell you.

I'm sorry I haven't been around the last few days. More to come on that later.

Also, very sorry about the missing link on Wednesday for the Step-by-Step Guide Mac did up for Amazon. I tried to fix it throughout the day, but it didn't work. Let me try it again right now and see what happens. If you go here, you'll find it. And if this doesn't work, well....I'll think of something.

And hey, thanks to all my new followers. I really appreciate you coming by and adding to the fun and madness here at Piedmont Writer.

Now, as most of you know, I decided some time ago that I would publish THE LADY'S FATE to Kindle in September. I thought when I announced last spring it would give me enough time to work through all the things I needed to work through, and then, boom, there it would be.

Okay, so I kind of put it off for awhile. Well, that's not true. I read the Kindle Help pages. I went to a couple of blogs and got some more information. I wrote up a post on formatting. I thought once I got the information in my brain it would make uploading all that much easier. You know, read the directions twice, THEN put the bike together.

Yeah, no, it doesn't work like that. I read directions until my eyes bled. I worked on formatting scrap manuscripts until they were all so crazy I had to completely delete ALL the formatting and start again from scratch. I have so many screaming emails in my inbox back and forth to Bridget who was walking me through the steps, I sometimes wonder why she remained my friend.

Let me tell you right now, if you have the money to have someone format your manuscript, spend it. I realize I gave the impression that it was kind of simple, but let me share with you from the deepest reaches of my heart, it's not. Not in any way shape or form. Not unless you really know how to click your buttons, find your drop down boxes, read directions in tech speak, and know how not to crash. And I haven't even gotten to the MobiPocket Creator yet.

Formatting a manuscript for Kindle is NOT easy. Not by a long stretch. It's difficult, it's time consuming, it's frustrating (especially when you don't know what the hay-zoo you're doing) and it causes pounding blinding headaches. Bridget offered time and again to do the formatting for me, and you know what, I refused.

Why not, you may ask, if she knows how to do it and I so obviously don't. Because I got it in my head that I would do it. Someone told me awhile ago, they thought it was too hard for me and that it would be so much easier for me to pay someone to do it. Well, you can't tell this east coast, type -A personality, Irish, Taurean she can't do something.

And so I'm still in formatting mode. Yup, formatting the manuscript mode. And I haven't even gotten to the Table of Contents yet. (Oh yeah, did I mention you need to make one of those, and not the easy kind that you just write, but you have to link to your formatting. No? Sorry, I'll get to that next week I think.)

Anyhow, this is just a friendly little piece of advice -- if you've got the cash, and a perfect manuscript, go for it. Upload to Kindle. If not, make sure you invest heavily in Tylenol, have a great friend to help you when you think you're having a heart attack, and have more patience than you ever thought you had.

I'm sure I'll laugh about all this when I actually see the book up for sale, but right now, no, I'm not laughing.

I promise to be in a better mood next week.

Have a great weekend!

How to Format for Kindle Part II

2011-09-14T08:02:00.008-04:00

Last week I set about to show you How To Format Your Manuscript for Kindle and Agents. I talked about the right formatting tricks on your computer to get your manuscript in professional order. This week, I'm giving you links. (Because quite frankly the task is so daunting I couldn't do it.)

Here is a link for a checklist posted by April L. Hamilton on what you need to do for uploading to Kindle.

Also, my friend and Primary Reader, J.Bridget Chicoine, has also posted two important posts on formatting, and I would like to highlight those as well. Anything that makes writing easier should be looked at.

The first post shows you, with simple step by step instructions, ways to improve how you navigate through your manuscript. In revisions I'm sure you'd all love to be able to find just exactly what you're looking for without going through tons of notes written on scrap paper (like I do).

The second post shows how you can format your scene headers, which then allows them to automatically appear in the correct order. (And let me tell you how many Chapter Fourteens I had for one manuscript.) **** This is a godsend, I suggest you memorize this, as at some point you will need to use this tool when you have to upload a hyperlinked table of contents.

Hope you take a moment and give these links a look- see.

Finding A Character

2011-09-12T06:03:00.005-04:00

Good Morning Everyone. If you were here on Friday, you read the beginning of a story I "found" at the beach. Today I would like to show you just exactly HOW I found it. And if you haven't read it yet, (and if you want, no pressure) go now and take a gander. I'll wait.

Okay. Are you back? Good.

Now, most of you who have been reading me for awhile know that I call my daughter, The Monster Child. What you may not know about my Darling Monster is that she can make friends with anyone. Including inanimate objects.

On vacation at the beach, she made friends with any child under 4 feet tall. The second week we were there, she made friends with one child in particular, Sophie.

Sophie was beautiful, with huge blue eyes, very petite, and with a gor-ge-ous man, (who wore no wedding ring) as her companion. I watched carefully as Monster and she built a sand castle, and then played in the water. I warned Monster about going out too far in the surf because Sophie was smaller than her. The man, her dad, watched them, and me, all morning. Under the guise of my sunglasses, cowboy hat, and long sleeved shirt, I watched him right back.

(The first week there I gave my body to the Sun Gods. I ulitmately paid for that in sun poisoning. Even with SPF 85.)

That first day with Sophie, I waited for "the wife" to appear. She did not. The second day, Gorgeous Man and Sophie appeared with friends, several other children, and assorted adults. I assumed that one of these friends was G-man's brother (I mean, you could tell, they looked alike). However, no woman who would seem to be his wife or any kind of significant other. Gorgeous Man engaged with them, but sat to the side, watching Sophie and my Monster play. I went down to the kids on several occasions but he did not. However, I knew he watched me.

For the remainder of the week, while our kids played together, we played "undercover staring". You know, he looked my way, I looked away, I looked his way, he looked away. I felt like I was in my 20's again. Like I said, he was GOR-GE-OUS. Tall, 50-ish, sooo tan, Marine type haircut, and Paul Newman eyes. Very, may I repeat, very drool worthy.

On our next to last day at the beach, my mother came down and sat under the umbrella with me. However, she was blocking my view of Gorgeous Man so I moved my chair and faced away from the water and more toward the sand. Of course, she made a point to ask why I wasn't watching the Monster. So I nodded to Gorgeous Man and said, "I have something else I want to stare at for awhile."

Oh. My. God. You should have heard the lecture I got. I won't bore you with the haranguing, but even at almost fifty years old, why can mothers make you feel like you're ten years old again. Suffice it to say, she thought I was out of my mind for wasting my time staring at a man I would never meet.

I tried to explain to her the point wasn't in meeting him, the point was in memorizing him. To which she stared at me open-mouthed like I had sprung horns and breathed fire.

I'm a romance writer. I write about men and women and situations and circumstances that relate to love, the finding it, the losing it and everything in between. I also don't get out much back home, so seeing a real honest to God, bona fide hunk-and-a-half on the beach wearing nothing but a pair of orange surf shorts... well, yeah, I'm gonna stare at him. Especially as he was my age. (If he'd been 30, I'd have passed. I'm not a Cougar.)

That night, somehow the topic of G-man came up at dinner and Mary, (my mother's friend with whom we stayed) asked me if I'd introduced myself. I said no. She asked why not. And I said, "I don't want to meet him. I just want to look at him." Again, why not. To which I replied, "Because if I speak to him and he's a toad, then everything I've thought about him all week will be for naught. I've built him up to be something he's probably not and meeting him would only crush the fantasy."

The next day on the beach, (our last day on the beach) I had several opportunities to actually speak with Gorgeous Man. Several opportunities, my friends. And I did not take one of them.

Now, back home, I wonder if I did the right thing. I think I missed an opportunity, an important opportunity for my writing. But then again, did I?

In not speaking to him, I had a character already in my mind. I made up a whole backstory about who he was, why he was without wife, his background, his job, his compulsion for packing every single thing he might need for a few hours on the beach, even his family. Did I do him justice as a "character"? I don't know. Only you can be the judge of that.

Tell me -- If you had found an opportunity like that, would you have taken the time to speak to him? Or would you, like me, just stare and make stuff up? Do you take your characters from whole cloth, or do you piece them together to make them fit?

Where Were You?

2011-09-11T06:37:00.000-04:00

It stuns me to think that 10 years have passed since that tragic day. A decade has gone by, and as I look back, I still can't begin to fathom what happened.

On that morning, I was attending my cousin's father's funeral. Not a happy day to start with to be sure. The service was sad, naturally, and as I drove back to my house to get ready for work, I was feeling nostalgic for times past. I remembered June's father with fondness, we had a running joke of sorts about a guy in a green truck.

Getting ready, I turned on the tv in the living room for noise, something I normally never do. I watched in horror as Matt Lauer related the events of the morning. I sank onto the couch wondering if this was an episode of Punk'd. I couldn't believe what I saw, couldn't imagine this was real. And then I watched the first tower fall. (I'm chilled now, thinking of it as I write this.)

I remember feeling panicked, as if the end of the world was beginning. What could I do? Where were my parents? My brothers? My best friend? As the hours progressed, and I heard of the other tragedies, I knew this was it. The end of the world as I knew it was upon me.

My boss (another cousin) called and asked what I was doing, where was I, I should have been at work already. I told him there was no way I was working, I had too many other things to do, namely pray. He said, (and I will never forget this because he screamed at me) "Get your ass in the car and get up here. What's happening in New York doesn't concern you, you're insignificant in the scope of what these bastards are trying to achieve."

So I went. Yes, I did. During the 30 minute drive I couldn't help notice there were no planes in the air. Rhode Island is small, and you can always see planes landing and departing no matter which part of the state you're in. It was eery to think that at any minute a bomb was going to fall out of the sky. (At the time I left the house, the media still had no clear focus on what had happened, other than terrorists had infiltrated the country.)

I worked, but as there were television moniters at the site, the clients we had weren't buying and I was home relatively early. By that time, both my parents were home, and we sat glued to the television set, while my mother tried frantically to find my youngest brother, a Captain in the Groton, Ct. Fire Department. Knowing my brother, I was sure he and his crew were either on their way, or in New York.

I'm not sure if I should be thankful or not that he wasn't. Groton is a Navy base and the Commander would not release them to go, just in case the "bastards" did something else. During that unbelievable day, no one was sure what was going to happen next. My brother deeply regrets he was not allowed to go to New York.

Looking back, I cannot help be overwhelmed with emotion. Who among us cannot? On that day, I may have been "insignificant" but the people who lost their lives were not. Every single one of those souls lost was significant to someone. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, children, grandparents. They were all SIGNIFICANT. The men and women who gave their lives to help save others were SIGNIFICANT.

September 11 was a turning point in our nation's history. In the hundreds of years since our country was founded, blood has been spilled. We have seen the ravages of war, both inside and out. But never have we been attacked in such a way as to damage the very fiber of our America. Our nation, one nation, under God, with liberty, and justice for all.

None of us should ever forget what happened that day. Our children should be taught the significance of those poor people. The significance in the strength of our nation. The significance of what it means to be American.

God Bless Us, Everyone.

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2011-09-09T06:13:00.000-04:00

On Today's Menu -- Flash in the Pan

This is part of the story I "found" at the beach. I will also be using this in Monday's post as part of a discussion. It's very long, so I hope you'll stick with it. However, it's 98% dialogue so it reads fast. But if not, I understand. And there are two swear words, but nothing vulgar.

******

Lanie dug her toes into the cool wet sand. Clicking the arms on her chair and reclining further, she enjoyed the ocean breeze wafting over her body. Clad only in a black and white maillot, she stretched lazily and watched her daughter, Camelia, try to tip the castle pail over without spilling any of the too-wet sand. Normally, Lanie would have gotten up and showed Cam which sand was best to use, how to tip the bucket correctly, to tap the top lightly and release it slowly, but she didn’t want to be Type-A Mommy here. No, this was their first day of vacation, and Lanie wanted to relax, to remember what it was like to be normal for a change. To just be.

She closed her eyes for a moment and yawned, then forced them open again. The last weeks tried to intrude on her thoughts, but she refused to indulge. She was here now, and besides, Cam was down by the shoreline building sand castles with another little girl who'd joined her, and it wouldn’t do for her to fall asleep, as much as she needed it, longed for it. The past three months had taken its toll and Lanie was exhausted. Combining that with the ride up from Charlotte, which had been a serious test of her driving skills, even with the stay-over at her brother’s house in Pennsylvania, had left Lanie a zombie. If given the opportunity for five minutes in the sun, Lanie knew she’d be asleep for hours, looking like a lobster by the afternoon even if she did slather on SPF 800. She took another deep breath of the salty, seaweed-laden air and let her mind go blank.

The Block Island ferry skimmed the surface of the sea in front of the furthest ocean breakwater. It’d be nice to take a day-trip, she thought, when a shadow fell across her lap.

“Hi, sorry to bother you, is that your little girl in the pink bathing suit?” a deep voice asked.

Lanie squinted through her sunglasses to make sure Cam was still there, and then up at a man clad only in florescent orange surf shorts. “Yes. Is the other yours?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to intrude, but I like to know who my kid plays with.”

“I know how you feel.” Lanie readjusted her chair to a sitting position and took another look at the stranger. Late forties, tan, broad shouldered, a baseball cap worn backwards over a military style haircut with a smile that revealed perfect teeth.

“Jack, Jack Tremont,” he said and thrust out his hand.

“Lanie Spezciak.” She shielded her eyes from the sun with one hand as she took his hand with the other. “Good to know you.” She liked his grip. Strong. Not afraid to shake it like a man, even though she was a woman.

“How old’s your girl?” He asked as he moved to her other side, leaving her face free from the sun’s glare. He flipped his ball cap around and she saw his eyes were Paul Newman blue.

“Six, going on fourteen,” she answered. “Yours?”

“Five, although she’s pretty good at being five for now, thank God.”

Lanie laughed. “Wait. Just wait until she watches her first episode of Hannah Montana. It’ll be all over then.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Seagulls screeched over the awkward silence that settled on them.

Considering their kids were playing together, Lanie felt the need to offer. “Would you care to pull up a chair, or are you waiting for someone.”

“No. I mean yes. I’d love to join you if you don’t mind. I’m kind of new at this beach vacation game and need all the help I can get.” He lowered his voice. “Sophie’s mother passed away almost two years ago from breast cancer, so I’m alone.”

“Oh God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to imply….”

“No, it’s okay. Although I don’t normally bring it up within the first two minutes of conversation. I’m just still not used to being mom and dad and sometimes, like now, in a new place, having a new experience, I like knowing there’s another mother around to make sure I don’t screw up.” He gave a self-deprecating chuckle and walked up the sand to get his things.

He pulled the small Radio Flyer wagon alongside her little area and began unloading. Lanie watched in disbelief as he took out a cooler, two sand chairs, a large stack of towels, a small beach bag, umbrella, assorted beach toys, and a battered quilt.

Lanie laughed as he dug the hole for the umbrella. “My God, you look like you’ve packed enough for three weeks.”

“Can’t help it. Didn’t know what I might need and I didn’t want to go back up to the house.” He glanced over at her minimalist setting of chair, bottle of Coppertone, and two towels. “You pack light. You staying there?” He pointed to the yellow house that abutted the beach.

“No. We’re up on the back side of Swamp Road. I haven’t gotten around to getting a stroller yet.” She nodded to a beach buggy at another blanket. “Where are you staying?”

“Lane Two. My brother’s place.” He placed the umbrella in the hole and opened the shade. “He’s not here yet. Sophie and I came up early, before the rest of the family arrives.” He opened one of the sand chairs, tucked a towel over the back, and plopped in it. “I thought it might be nice to settle in before the crazy starts, you know. You renting?”

“No. Staying at my best friend Margo’s house.” Lanie unscrewed the top of her water bottle and tried to stifle a big yawn.

“I’m sorry, am I boring you?” Jack asked.

“No, it’s not you, sorry. It was a hell of a drive up from Pennsylvania yesterday. We hit construction, and then in Connecticut I got lost trying out a new route. We didn’t get in until late and I’m just tired.”

“You from P.A.?” Jack dug into his cooler and brought out a Coke.

“No. Brockton, Mass., originally. I went to college here, U.R.I., with Margo. I live in Charlotte now, with my mother.” Lanie wondered why she had to clarify that. “Are you from Rhode Island?”

“Yeah, Bristol. We bought an old fixer-upper to be close to the water, but funnily enough, we never went to the beaches over there. We’ve always come down here.”

“There’s something about Narragansett,” Lanie said, “that precludes all the other shoreline in Rhode Island. I’ve always loved it down here.” She sighed wistfully, thoughts from her days at the university flowing through her mind at lightning speed.

“What do you do?”

Jack’s question brought her up short. What could she say without giving herself completely away without lying?

“I’m a writer. You?”

“Lawyer.”

Lanie smirked.

“What? It’s a noble profession.”

“For some people.” She thought of Dermot Handrigan and revulsion crowed in the pit of her stomach. That scum-bag had brought out the worst in Douglas, but she had gotten the last laugh. Dermot hadn’t been smiling the last time she’d seen him.

“I’ll have you know….” Jack’s chin jutted out. “I’m an environmental lawyer. I champion the weak and downtrodden spotted owls and piping plovers, and keep people from destroying beaches like this with billion dollar McMansions.” He looked over his shoulder at the three-story monstrosity that sat at the top of the bluff.

“You were probably the one who kept Margo from getting her permits,” Lanie said under her breath.

“Margo?”

“The woman I’m staying with. Margo Turner.” She remembered the fight Marg had to endure for years to rebuild after Hurricane Bob in the 90’s. Coastal Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and the Town of Narragansett, had poor Margo wondering if she would ever be able to claim her parents house again. After tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention revamped architectural, structural and sewer designs, Margo had finally been allowed to rebuild.

“Margo Turner? The Margo Turner? From MSNBC?”

Lanie glanced over at Jack. His mouth hung open. Margo’d always gotten that reaction.

“Yes. That Margo Turner.”

“No. I had nothing to do with her house,” Jack said as an afterthought. Then, “You’re really friends with Margo Turner?”

“Since college. We lived down here all through school.”

“Holy crap, I had no idea. She must keep a wicked low profile. I’ve never seen her and I’ve been coming down here for at least fifteen years.” Jack shook his head, as if missing the opportunity to meet Margo Turner was like missing the home run that bounced off the Green Monster at Fenway.

Lanie smiled. “You probably have seen her,” she qualified. “She doesn’t really look like she does on tv.”

“You mean she’s ugly without make-up.”

Lanie laughed. “Well, I wouldn’t say ugly, but she does resemble a middle-aged housewife. Pretty normal looking if you asked me.” Margo had always been beautiful, but when she hit her mid-thirties and her career had taken off, she stopped wearing make-up when she wasn’t on camera. Hardly anyone recognized her out on the street. Margo had told her it was like having a split personality.

Cam strolled up from the shore, the sand castle looking more like an ancient ruin. Sophie ran to her father.

“Mommy, will you come in the water now?” Cam asked. She placed her sandy hands on Lanie’s knees and leaned over her mother for a quick kiss.

“No, baby, not quite yet. I’m still a little tired from yesterday. You hungry?”

“No, I want to go swimming.” Cam’s face wore a pretty pout.

“I’m sorry, Luli.” Lanie used Camelia’s pet name to soften the blow. “In a little while, okay.”

“I’ll go in with them,” Jack said.

Cam turned to her new hero, a huge smile on her face. “You will?”

“Sure. If it’s okay with your mom.”

Lanie looked at Jack, then Cam. What could she say? “It’s fine. But no daredevil stuff, you hear? And no going past the hippo rock.”

“Thanks, Mommy.” Cam kissed her mother again, grabbed Sophie by the hand, and the two girls ran down to the water screeching.

“Hippo rock?” Jack asked.

“The rock that looks like a hippo.” Lanie pointed to a huge boulder in the middle of the small breakwater that lined the western tip of the beach. “She just learned how to swim underwater, but I don’t want her to dive too much, if you don’t mind. I have a fear of dry drowning.”

Jack looked perplexed, but said okay, then strolled to the two little girls waiting for him in knee-deep surf.

Lanie adjusted her chair one more notch to recline a little further and watched the children frolicking in the waves. Jack held their hands as they moved farther out into the water. The small beach was perfect for kids, with gentle waves until the tide changed when the water became somewhat choppy for those under a certain height and weight. But it was coming on low tide now and for the next several hours, the water would be calm.

Lanie closed her eyes and listened to the water lap at the shore. The sun, warm and penetrating, sank into her tired limbs, relaxing her like no massage ever had. She refused to worry about Camelia being in the hands of a virtual stranger. She refused to feel guilty about Douglas, or her mother. She was here, in the now, on the beach, eight-hundred and ninety-one miles away from everyone and everything she was responsible for. She couldn’t help it. She drifted off, the sounds of the ocean and the cries of a lone seagull lulling her into the void.

*******

Douglas called to her. Lanie looked down the hospital corridors, into every doorway, but she couldn’t find him. His voice became louder, more insistent. “Where are you, I need you.” Suddenly, Dermot Handrigan appeared in hospital scrubs, several papers in his hands. “You think you’re going to get away with this?” He screamed at her. “It won’t happen. I’ll make sure you never get a penny.”

Lanie woke with a start. Breathing heavily, she took off her sunglasses and rubbed her eyes. Just a dream, she said to herself. Just a dream.

“Hey, you okay?”

Lanie flinched, and turned to the voice at her left. Jack. She scanned the beach and found Cam and Sophie back among the castle ruins.

“Yeah, fine. Just a dream.” She fought to get her pounding heart to slow. Dermot Handrigan always did this to her, awake or dreaming. “How long was I out?” She replaced the sunglasses on her face, reached for her water bottle, and took a long drink.

“’Bout an hour. You said you were tired, so I thought I’d let you sleep.”

“Thanks, I think.” Lanie stretched and adjusted her chair to a sitting position. She glanced down at her chest, then pressed her fingers to her thighs. White under bright pink. Lanie hoped Margo had aloe gel back at the house.

“I was going to slather some lotion on you, but thought that might be a little too presumptuous.” Jack’s voice held the faintest hint of sexual undertone.

Lanie shot him a sideways glance. Could she have misheard him? She hoped so because she didn’t need complications from a vacation affair. Sure, getting laid might be nice, might even help her relax a little bit more, but a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am was not her style. And any kind of relationship, other than beach buddies, was simply out of the question.

“You sure you’re okay?” Jack asked. “Aside from the sunburn.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why? Was I snoring?”

Jack snorted. “Actually yeah, before you started talking.”

Oh, shit. She hated that about herself. Douglas had always slept in the guest room when she was on a deadline. Stress inadvertently made her a sleep talker.

“Uh, what did I say?” Lanie took another drink from her bottle and drained it.

“Something about Delmore?”

Lanie fussed with a towel that wasn’t cooperating as she tried to lay it over her legs. Tried to forget the image of Dermot Handrigan.

“Sounded like Delmore, Dermore,” Jack repeated. “I don’t know. Something like that.”

“Dermot.” She waved her hand in a circle. “Nobody important.” Lanie refused to take the bait.

“Sounded like you were afraid of him.”

There was no misunderstanding the concern in his voice. And like a lawyer, there was no way he was going to let it go.

“Dermot was a complete asshat to me when I was going through a rough time, that’s all. But it’s over and done with, and I don’t have to deal with him anymore. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, and I guess I’m not completely free of it yet. No big deal. Sorry if I scared you.” Her tone wasn’t polite, but she didn’t care. She didn’t owe Jack anymore explanation than that. She stared out over the ocean.

“You want to talk about it? Sometimes it helps to talk about it.”

Living in her microcosmic world, she had forgotten how nosy people could be, even if it was with the best of intentions.

“No, Jack. I’m good. But thanks.” She looked up at the sun, then around on the ground near her chair.

“Lose something?”

“No, I’m looking for a stick.”

“A stick. On the beach? What for?”

“To find out what time it is. Sundial. You know.”

Jack reached into his beach bag and pulled out a hefty gold watch. “It’s a little after twelve.”

“No wonder I’m hungry,” Lanie mumbled.

“You want a sandwich. I made some PB and J.”

Lanie smiled. “No, thanks. I think we should head back up to the house. I’m kind of fried, and I think we’ll take a little breather from the beach. No sense in overdoing it. We’ve got two more weeks of this and I should set the precedent today.”

Lanie stood up and called to Cam. “C’mon, Luli, time to go.”

Camelia stood up and faced her mother. “Now?”

“Yes, now. We’ve been down here since eight-thirty. We’ll go back to Margo’s for a few hours and come back down when the sun isn’t so hot. Besides, you must be starving.”

“Jack fed me.” Cam placed her hands on her hips.

Lanie looked at Jack.

“You were asleep and the girls were hungry,” he said sheepishly.

“Well, no matter,” she said to Cam. “I want to go back up and you’re coming with me. C’mon.”

Cam stomped up the beach, her hands now clenched into tight little fists.
“I want to stay here. Why do we have to go back to Margo’s?”

“Because I said so, that’s why. I need to get out of the sun for a little while. What’s the big deal? I said we could come back later. The ocean’ll still be here.”

Camelia cocked her head and stared at her mother. “Promise?”

“Yes, I promise. Now go say good-bye to Sophie.”

Camelia turned and ran off down the beach. Lanie wrapped one towel around her waist like a skirt, folded the other towel and placed it on the seat of the chair along with her empty water bottle, bottle of sunscreen, then folded the chair up.

“I hope it wasn’t something I said,” Jack said.

“No. I’m just hungry. And sunburned. And who knows, I might be able to get in another little siesta on the hammock if I can get Cam to watch some tv. I’m sure we’ll be back down later.” Lanie waited for Cam who seemed to be having some kind of great discussion with Sophie.

“What will I do without you?” Jack asked.

Lanie snapped her head around to stare at him. Douglas’s exact words for nearly seventeen years.

“I’m sure you’ll find another mommy to hang with,” Lanie replied.

“Yeah, but not one who snores.”

She couldn’t help smile. She yelled to Camelia to hurry up and remembering her manners, said to Jack, “Thanks again, for letting me sleep and watching Cam. I appreciate it.”

“Anytime.” He paused. “You sure you’ll be back later? I mean, for Sophie,” he added quickly. “You know, how little girls are. I think they’re already best friends. Wouldn’t do to promise and then renege. That’d be breach of contract.”

Camelia sidled up to her mother. Lanie gave Jack a cautious smile.

“Four o’clock,” she said, then turned and headed up the beach.

The End (so far)

Any questions -- comments -- critiques?

Please note, I do realize this weekend marks the 10th anniversary of September 11, and I will be posting Sunday.

How to Format Your Manuscript for Kindle or Agents

2011-09-07T06:01:00.040-04:00

Good Morning Everyone. Over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve gotten a ton of questions on how to reformat manuscripts for the Kindle. As I know most agents also read partial and full requests on their Kindle, this might be good for some of you as well. With the help of my critique partner, Mac Wheeler, I’ve tried to give step-by-step instructions, but if you have any questions, I’ll be around most of the day. And if anyone else has anything they’d like to add, please feel free in the comments.

And this if for Word docs only. If you use anything else, I’m sorry I can’t help you.

First up, you really need to be friends with your menus and toolbars. (And I know most of you are already familiar with yours, however, some of us who aren’t computer literate had no idea what a plethora of treasures could be found there. Believe me when I tell you, knowing what these do make life a whole lot easier.)

File Edit View Insert Format Tools Table Window Help

or if you're using Word 2007:

Home Insert Page Layout References Mailings Review View

Second, I absolutely can’t stress enough to try this on your ‘scrap’ files first.
I did at least four of mine before I tried it with a completed ms.
And please don’t panic. You can always undo any changes you make with

Click Edit > Undo.

Okay, here we go. You have to be in Print Version to do these changes.

View> Print Version

Word 2007: Views > Document Views > Print Layout

1) MARGINS Change margins to 1" all around, top bottom left side right side --

File>Page Set-up> In each box manually change the number to 1”> click on Portrait (not Landscape) picture> click OK

Word 2007: Page Layout > Page Set up > Margins > click Normal

2) PAGE NUMBERS Move page numbers to top right hand corner. (For agents, you will have a header anyway with your name and title – When reformatting for Kindle, you will remove the header and page numbers. Word doc. automatically gives you 0.5 header and footer when you remove the information stored there. Which is fine.)

3) PAGE BREAKS Insert page breaks TWO carriage returns after end of sentence (Kindle required)

Insert> Break> A little box appears. Click OK.

Word 2007: Insert > Pages > click Page Breaks (or simply: Ctrl + Enter)

Now, inserting a page break into an already existing document, you will find beginning on the next page there may be white space. What you have to do is delete that white space until the Chapter heading falls at the top of the page. Sometimes you may find that you’ve accidentally deleted the page break.

To check this go to View> Normal Layout. (Word 2007: View > Print Layout)

You will see if the page break is there or not. If not, Just re-insert the page break.

As an aside, if you have two carriage returns for a scene change or POV change that's fine, they will show up where they are supposed to. Page breaks are only for end of chapter stops.

4) TABS This is the biggest issue with Kindle formatting that I have found. Hopefully you never used the tab key to create paragraph indents (like me). If you did, you must remove all of these manual tabs. In HTML they are considered characters (like letters in the alphabet.) There is an easy way to do that in Replace All:

Ctrl + H > select the "more" button > position cursor on Find what > select Special button > click "Tab" > leave "Replace with" empty > click Replace All
We can now Reset Tabs with the RULER… View > Ruler
Word 2007: View > Show Hide > check the “Ruler” box )

Step 1: Select all text from very the first paragraph to the end of the document. To do that, “set your insertion point,” that is, click before the first word of first paragraph. Hold down Shift + Ctrl and press END—This selects to end of the document

Step 2: In the upper left hand corner of the ruler, there is a tiny box, with a tiny black line, click on the box until a downward point is shown. Now you drag the “First Line Indent,” which you find on your ruler, to the width you wish to set your paragraph indents.

Set the indent to half an inch.

Step 3: It’s best to now go to every line through your entire document that isn’t a full paragraph of text, which you want centered, like chapter headings and scene break characters (if used), and reset the tab to zero.

(And now, the easiest way to center is a keyboard shortcut
- Position your cursor on the line you want centered
- Hold down Ctrl and press the “E” key (Ctrl + E))

Now you have set automatic tabs throughout your document. Every time you hit ENTER for a new paragraph, the new paragraph is automatically indented.

5) JUSTIFICATION. Where the right side of the document falls in line to flat edges, which is what normal books do.

Format>Styles & Formatting AA> (The sidebar will come up) In the sidebar find Normal click Normal> (Another box will appear) Click Modify> click the picture of the justify all button> Click Automatically Update at the bottom> click ok

Unfortunately, you’ll have to go through your manuscript again to find the white space between words. You’ll need to delete the white space to allow the sentence structure to realign itself. As an aside, I use the backspace key to delete the white space, it seems to work better for me than delete.

6) Change spacing between sentences. I’m old school and still use two spaces between sentences. To change these, always do this when the document is completely finished. That way you won’t have to do it repeatedly.

Edit> Replace > A box appears In Find What hit the space bar two times > In Replace hit the space bar one time > click Replace All

As an aside, after this step, you’ll have to click on one of the little green lines that appear between your sentences to get rid of them. Click Tools > Spelling and Grammar > A box will appear click Ignore Rule > Close. That should fix it. Now if you add anything more to the doc. you’ll have to repeat this step.

7) Change the Font. I keep my font on Times New Roman because I don’t like any of the others for my historical romances. However, for my contemporaries I’m more inclined to use Sans Serif. It looks more modern.

Format > Styles & Formatting AA > (The sidebar will come up) In the sidebar find Normal click Normal > (Another box will appear) Click Modify > Click Format > (Another box will appear) Click Font > (Another box will appear) Click whichever font you want to use from the drop down menu – (remember to change the pt. type as well – I use Times New Roman regular 12 pt – If I wanted to change this I would use Serif regular 10 pt.) Click OK > the first box will reappear make sure Automatically Update is checked off > Click OK

8) Em-dash. I have also heard that the em-dash really messes with the Kindle format. I need to check this out. So, I have changed all mine to ellipses. I suppose you could use two hyphens to form an em-dash, however, in dialogue you can’t get the close quotation marks to align the right way, hence, ellipses. When I have more on this I will let you know.

9) Special Characters. I’ve always used the **** to separate scenes because I had no idea there were so many other characters to choose from. I am particularly fond of this one  .(Which does not show up from Word.) However, much to my consternation, Kindle cannot read them. (And obviously neither can Blogger.) So I suggest if you have anything other than **** or #### in your manuscript, remove them and reinsert these good old mainstays.

10) LINE SPACING Line spacing is 1.5 for Kindle ms. Even with agents who read on Kindle.

Format > Paragraph > Line Spacing - 1.5 click OK

**********

Doing all this to a ms. takes a lot of patience, and trial and error (for me). Just breathe, and remember before you throw your computer through the window, close the doc. down, and walk away.

Also, on your tool bar there is Help. Just type in what you need help with and the answer magically appears. Which is what I did quite a few times.

And you may ask, why all the steps? And I will tell you, because this is how I learned to do them. I'm sure there are many tasks that may be done at the same time, but I'm a chef by trade and sometimes you can't add all the ingredients together or you end up with a mess.

And that’s that. Whew. I know this seems like a lot of work, but once you try it and see the results, you’ll say, “Wow, this looks like a professional document.” I know I did.

Questions???

PS My Readability Statistics for this
Flesch Reading Ease 73.0
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 6.4.

Happy Labor Day

2011-09-05T06:12:00.008-04:00

Good Morning Darlings. As it is Labor Day and I'm sure none of you are about, as you are enjoying the weekends' festivities, (or getting ready for school) this will be a very short and very sweet post.

First up, thanks again, so much for all your lovely comments on my cover.

Second, thanks for all your lovely comments on my new menu at The Piedmont Grille.

Third, thanks to all of you who heard the pleading in my voice and helped out with the "Write a Post, Feed a Dog" Campaign. I'm not sure how many pounds we raised but I do know there were two different links going on. When I get more feedback on this issue, I'll let you know.

Fourth, I'm so happy to meet so many new friends at Karen G's Labor Day BBQ Bash. And if you haven't gone over and tried some of the fab food, or made some new friends, shame on you. Get on over there now, there's still time. (It's not just a BBQ, it's a blog hop to meet new readers and writers. I've met several interesting people I never would have found on my own. And I think it's safe to assume we all need new friends. Isn't that what blogging is all about?)

And lastly, but most importantly, I have been inundated with questions regarding how to format a manuscript for Kindle or agents (because most of them read partial and full requests on their Kindle). I've done up a post that will appear Wednesday the 7th of September. I hope you'll stop by.

Now go enjoy the rest of your Monday.

Write a Post, Help a Dog -- Today is the Deadline

2011-09-03T10:21:00.006-04:00

I never post on Saturday but I found this on The Eagle's Aerial Perspective blog this morning.

Pedigree is resurrecting its insanely successful Write a Post, Help a Dog program. In 2010, 391 bloggers wrote about the program and with each post, Pedigree donated 20 pounds of its Healthy Longevity dog food to shelter animals. In all, 7,820 pounds of food was donated to two shelters renowned for their care of senior dogs: Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco and Castaway Critters in Harrisburg, Pa.

How you can help in 2011

Simply spread the word about Write a Post, Help a Dog 2011 and once again Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of food for each blogger's post. Here's all you need to include in your post:

The Write a Post, Help a Dog program is aimed at raising awareness and food for the more than four million dogs that wind up in shelters and breed rescues each year.
For each blog post mentioning the Pedigree Foundation from now until midnight ET on September 3, Pedigree will donate 20 pounds of its new dry Pedigree recipe food for dogs -- its best recipe ever -- to a shelter, because every dog deserves leading nutrition.

The Pedigree Foundation -- a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit organization is committed to helping dogs by providing grants to shelters and rescues and encouraging dog adoption. This year the Foundation has already raised more than $376,570 against its goal of $1.5 million to carry out its work to fund grants that not only help shelters operate, but to further shelter innovations.
The Pedigree Foundation depends on charitable contributions from individuals to carry out its mission to help dogs find loving homes. In addition to writing a blog post, here's how you can help:

Donate online at http://pedigreefoundation.org/donate.aspx
Apply for a shelter grant from the Pedigree Foundation by completing a form at www.pedigreefoundation.org
Purchase Dogs Rule Gear at www.dogsrulegear.com where the proceeds go to the Pedigree Foundation to help loving dogs find a home. SPECIAL OFFER: Get 10 percent off Dogs Rule Gear by using the promo code BlogPaws10 from August 22 - September 30.

Now, the deadline for this is TONIGHT, and the link is at The Eagle's Aerial Perspective blog. So please go there, link up, copy and paste, or blog what you can to help this fabulous cause.

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2011-09-02T06:04:00.005-04:00

On the Menu Today -- Grilled Salmon, Ribeye Steak, Fried Zucchini, and Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

My last meal at the beach. I haven't had a grill for years, so I cooked a lot while I was there.

First up, I just want to say Thank You All, for coming by and commenting on my cover Wednesday. Your words of encouragement had me weeping all day. Honest. I was so scared to unveil it, scared no one would like it. It really means a lot to hear you say how beautiful it was. So Thanks.

Back to today's post, I know most of you aren't even around this weekend, being Labor Day and all, but I thought I'd ease back into my routine. Keep myself busy.

I'm going to try and treat The Piedmont Grille as a different kind of restaurant this year, matter of fact, like the one Richard and I used to own. Last year, I was kind of all over the place with my menu, not really focused on just exactly what I was trying to achieve. This year, I'd like to really concentrate on what's important. The food, the service, the atmosphere.

So, for your dining pleasure, here's a short list of some new things you'll find here at The Piedmont Grille.

Book Reviews -- I've never done them, however, I think it's a good idea. Just like when we added comedy night at the restaurant, it was different, we took a chance, and it added something extra to the atmosphere.

Author Interviews -- Never done one of these before either, but like Barbara Walters, I want to get answers to the questions no one else has asked before.

Flash in the Pan -- Small snippets of work from me, to hopefully keep you engaged in what I'm trying to achieve. Richard always had a small pan fire burning in the kitchen on any given night and on occasion the fire department would have to step in. I don't think my flashes will require the SCFD, but I hope to leave you with a little bit more than a charred taste in your mouth.

Brunch -- Which really should be on Sunday, but I don't post on that day. I also don't know what will be on the menu, so I guess it'll be a surprise.

Next week, I'll begin to post with my regular schedule again. Mondays are about love, considering I am a romance writer, Wednesdays are about writing, as that is what I proclaim I do, and Friday's we're here at the Grille with a whole new menu. Hope you'll stop by often.

Have a great holiday weekend!

My Cover is Here!

2011-08-31T06:05:00.012-04:00

One of the things I've been working on since I've been away is the cover art for THE LADY'S FATE. I've had an idea of what I wanted in mind for the last little while, and dabbled with it, looking for artwork, fonts, and whatnot. I spoke with a designer and she told me, it really wouldn't work. Well, not the way I wanted it to. So we went to plan B, I sent her my idea, along with a piece of artwork, and voila! Here is my new cover.

I am absolutely IN LOVE with this cover. When she first sent it to me I cried. Really. The power in the words, seeing my name on a cover for the first time, just had me weeping. I couldn't agree more that my first idea would not have worked. I liked it, but not like I like, scratch that, LOVE, this one.

Okay, enough about the cover, let me tell you about the designer. Her name is Melissa Williams and she is an absolute angel sent from Heaven. She listened patiently to my first idea and when she said, "I'm sorry, this really won't work." I wanted to cry. I really really wanted the idea to work. She gave me a list of reasons why, and reluctantly I had to agree with her.

She asked if I had thought about anything else, and I sent her option #2. I didn't really want to use it, because I wanted to try and stay away from the whole Regency themed romance covers. I didn't want heaving bosoms and bare chested men. I found this artwork, and although I thought it was suitable, I still wasn't 100% sure. I sent it off to Melissa and overnight, she sent it back to me, all done up.

Can I just say, OVERNIGHT, people.

This is her site, for those of you who may be interested in using her services.
Melissa Williams Cover Design. You'll find her prices are reasonable, and her covers are fantabulous! But the best thing of all, is she LISTENS to you when you tell her what you want. She also helps you decide what it is you want, even if you have no idea. So for those of you searching for a cover artist, stop by and give her a look-see. You won't be disappointed.

This is the logline for THE LADY'S FATE --

When Lady Violet Flowers becomes governess to the Marquess of Haverlane's daughter, her gentle care and affection for the little girl turn the curmudgeonly Marquess' eye in her direction. However, a woman from his past wants Haverlane and will do anything to get him. Will Fate intervene?

Tell me -- Do you think the cover and the logline are in sync? Do you like the cover? If not, why not?

I'm Back! Did You Miss Me?

2011-08-29T06:20:00.000-04:00

Good Morning, my darlings. I'm back from blog/vacation and let me just say I had a WONDERFUL time. I spent two weeks on the beach back home in Rhode Island and it did me a world of good. I cried when I left. I miss the beach. But not as much as I missed all of you! I guess we have to let something go before we realize how much it means to us.

That being said, since I've been back I've been working on several different projects, least of which, is getting THE LADY'S FATE ready for publication on Kindle. This endeavor has been filled with anxiety, joy, and trembling fingers as I try and get the formatting just right. It's a lot harder than I thought. Needless to say, I have a surprise for all of you on Wednesday so if you have a chance, please stop by.

I found a new story, one that was sprung from my time at the beach. My beta thinks it's coming along nicely. Also have been working on Robert's story -- THE DUKE'S DIVORCE, and dabbling with THE EARL'S ENQUIRY. Those will be spotlighted on my new author blog, which I will unveil in the coming weeks. (I'm still tweaking.)

All in all, it has been a fantastic vacation, although returning from RI we did cut it quite close to getting The Monster back to school in time. But she's back full time, and I'm in work mode once again. I don't know if you've noticed or not, but I had to make some changes on the blog, and I am surrounded by water now, which I love. I also have a few new ideas for Friday's at the Piedmont Grille; I changed the menu, so to speak, so I am rather excited about that. (Look Bridget, did you see my use of a semi-colon in that sentence!)

It's good to be back and let me just say again how much I missed you all!

Tell me -- What have you been up to? What have I missed?

Blogcation

2011-07-06T05:53:00.000-04:00

Good morning. I hope everyone had an enjoyable 4th of July holiday. Monster Child dragged me to the fireworks celebration at the recreational field. It was her first time seeing the bright lights, hearing the big booms. She loved it. Me? Okay, I did too. It was nice to see her so excited.

I know I said I wasn't going on vacation for another couple of weeks, but I've totally run out of things to say here on the blog so I've decided to go on blogcation. I'm sure you all have noticed my absence of late on your blogs, and it really isn't fair for you to come here when I don't reciprocate.

Besides, if I really want to get my books out on Amazon by September, I suppose it would behoove me to work on them, don't you. I've also been working on a new author-blog-website, that hopefully will be fully operational in a few more weeks. It's going to be Regency romance oriented, so I don't expect you all to follow me over there. It's more of an author thing really. But when it goes up, I wouldn't mind if you came over and took a look.

Monster Child goes back to school on August 9, (I know, can you believe how early this year) so hopefully I will be back in full bloggy mode then. (It's only a month.)

Stay safe, remember your sunscreen. I will miss you all. I hope you all have a great rest of the summer.

Prom

2011-06-29T08:34:00.003-04:00

Remember when Prom Season rolled around? If you weren't dating someone exclusively, you had a 50/50 shot you'd get asked to the Prom. Now, some women had nerves of steel and (remember I'm old and women's lib was just starting out when I was in high school) would ask a guy instead of waiting for him to ask her. I wasn't one of those girls.

Now all through high school I was in love with Ricky. (I think I still might be 40 years later.) We dated sporadically, he was All-American in football, wrestling, baseball. He didn't have time for a serious girlfriend. I respected that.

Junior year I waited nervously through April and May for him to ask me. I faithfully went to every one of his sports games during the year, helped him with his Lit thesis (he wasn't very good in English), and basically prayed nightly for him to ask me. He didn't. He asked Kathleen. To say I was disappointed was an understatement.

Senior year was a little different. As luck would have it, we went to a football party and ended up hooking up. (No, there was no sex involved.) We were "together" (although back in those days, if he didn't give you his school ring or his letter jacket, you really weren't). So, I waited patiently. Sometime around the last wrestling match Debbie made a play for him. And it stuck. She had his ring AND his jacket. To say I was devastated was an understatement.

(They've been married for 40 years now. But I'm still not over her underhandedness. EVERYONE knew I liked Ricky. A LOT. And I thought he liked me too. Guess I was wrong.)

You may be asking -- What in God's name does Prom have to do with ANYTHING? Well, ever since I made the announcement I'm going to self-publish, that's how I feel... like it's two weeks before the dance and I'm still without a date.

I've queried my brains out with my three books. Every agent, like a prospective date, and they've all turned me down. Sure, I've had one or two partials and even a full request, (Which is like dinner and a movie) but no one's said, "Sure, I'd love to take you to Prom."

Now back in the day, there was a group of girls who couldn't get dates and decided to chip in and rent a limo and all go together. That wasn't really done in those days. We looked on them with more than a little pity. Not that there was anything wrong with them, they just hadn't been asked. Let me tell you, looking back, if I knew then what I know now, I would have gone to Prom with them.

With this whole self-publishing thing, it seems I'm feeling those same feelings all over again. No date for the Prom -- do I want to scramble for a bad date, or do I want to go with the girls?

Do I want to keep scrambling to try and get an agent? Or do I want to go it alone and join a group of indie authors who seem to be having all the fun?

I've run through both sides of the spectrum, pro's and con's. I've gnashed my teeth, wrung my hands, spent many a sleepless night, pored over blogs and articles. Yes, I have decided to self-publish, but the knot in my stomach is bigger than any I had about Prom.

Tell me -- Is there a situation in your life where you feel like it's Prom all over again?

Heavens to Murgatroid!

2011-06-27T08:13:00.003-04:00

Well, Good Morning. Finally. I know I'm late with my post today. I'll bet you can't guess why. I'll tell you. I slept late. I slept until eight o'clock. Which I haven't done since -- I can't remember. And do you want to know why I slept until eight o'clock.

Monster Child slept in her own bed last night. For the first time. (Actually technically, it was the third time, but this was the first time she initiated it on her own.)

I made the decision of keeping her, first, in her bassinet in our bedroom, when I brought her home from the hospital. Breast feeding and all that. And then in our bed when she went through growth spurts, and then, well, she wouldn't go down in her crib and would scream bloody murder, and I just couldn't stand to listen to the poor thing so in our bed she came. When her father and I split up, naturally she wouldn't leave me, and I didn't bug her about it.

What precipitated the change of sleeping venue, you ask? I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's because her bedroom is finally finished. Sure it's always been inhabitable, bed, desk, chair, teddies (bears not pj's), dressers, tv/vcr (spoiled rotten), but I've never been happy with it. There's always been something wrong -- the curtains, the bookcase, the lamp, the chair. So last week I bought two (better) bookcases for her room, new curtains, rearranged the furniture and BAM! Her room, in my eyes, was finally done.

And I guess in hers as well.

I've read the child rearing books, I've had other parents turn their nose up at me for saying I raised Monster Child in a family bed, our doctor even questioned my choice. They all warned me about the possible outcomes, all bad, all negative. I don't think it's fostered anything other than a loving comfortable stable atmosphere at home. No matter how much we scream and yell (she soooo takes after my Type A personalilty and challenges me on EVERYTHING) there's always a giggle and snuggle in bed. I always know where she is, can hear her breathing. (When she was so sick for so long I would stay up all night and just listen to her breath. I had a lot of conversations with God on those nights.)

I knew it would only be a matter of time before SHE decided she would sleep in her own room. I have the patience of a saint (or so I've been told.) Last night, she went up to my room (with the DVD player) and I stayed downstairs to watch Masterpiece Mystery. I figured she fell asleep like she always does. At 10:30 she was still awake. It's summer now, I don't really care what time she goes to bed -- sort of.

She said, "I want you to put up my Princess tent on my bed. I'm going to sleep in my own room."

It's 10:30 on a Sunday night. I DO NOT want to fuss with the Princess tent. I'm tired, I have a lot to do on Monday. However, who am I to turn down spreading out in my own bed for the first time in six years. I snapped that tent together in record time, tucked her in, kissed her good-night, and jumped in my own glorious queen size bed all by myself. I sank blissfully into my pillows, not worrying about if she's cold, or moving an ankle or elbow, not wondering if one of us was going to fall out of bed.

Did I sleep the sleep I've been longing for? NO! I tossed and turned, had horrible, horrible nightmares, got up 3 times to check on her. She came in and woke me up at six a.m. I told her to go back to sleep, it was too early. That's MY usual time to get up. I laid there after she left and debated about getting up. Next thing I knew, the sun was streaming through the windows. I glanced at the clock and to my horror, it was eight a.m. I lost two hours to my Monday. Oh well.

Now I realize my Monday posts are supposed to be about love. I guess today's post is about unconditional love.

Tell me -- Have you bucked tradition where your kids are concerned? Have you done anything for them that other parents might raise an eyebrow over? Do you allow them things or freedoms that you didn't have as a child?

A Personal Choice

2011-06-22T07:33:00.000-04:00

Last week I proposed what The Ultimate Novel means to us, and it seems we were all thinking along the same lines. In describing our books, we all just want them to be read.

Anyway, I've been doing a lot, and I mean a LOT of thinking these last few weeks about the state of the publishing world. I know, most of you have been as well. It makes one's head spin. Well, mine anyway.

And I decided that I am definitely going to give e-publishing a try. I know, I vowed I would never e-pub, I vowed I wanted an agent and all the NY hooplah, but as an artist, I'm kind of feeling like I'm trussed up in a straight jacket.

Dancers dance. Singers sing. Actors act. Writers write. But I have no audience. I've been holed up in my little office writing away with no one to read what I've written except for my critters and betas. It's frustrating. I want to have an audience. Call me a narcissist if you must, but I want to share my writing with people who want to read a book about love and longing. I have these great stories (well, at least that's what my betas and critters tell me), but no one can read them.

And most of you are doing the same thing. You're writing books for an audience, but no one can read them. Yet, how can they read them if they aren't published? Even if I got an agent and a publishing contract tomorrow, the book still wouldn't come out until 2013. By that time, I'm sure you'd have forgotten all about Genna and Tony and Pete. Maybe you already have. And sure, I could put the whole thing up on my blog for free, but you know, writing is a job and I would like to get paid for it at some point. (Monster Child wants a pony.)

I still have several queries and a partial out on two different books, so I'm not officially in the e-pub club yet. If I did my calculations right, by the end of July everything should be in from agents. And I think if I play my cards right, maybe by September, I could have an e-book out there. I think there might be one or two of you who would drop $2.99 to find out what happened to Ellis and Violet, or Penny and Will? Wouldn't you? How about 99 cents for Genna and Tony?

So, that's what I've been thinking about. I know there's more to the whole e-pubbing phenomenon than just formatting and uploading, and I'm not especially computer literate, so I'm kind of scared. But I have to say, I really think my mind's made up. Even more so since I received a lovely rejection letter from an agent who wrote -- "This story does sound intriguing, however, I'm just not sure I can place it." (Can't place a single-title sweet Regency romance? Hello Harlequin -- Avon -- St. Martins. I've done my homework, how about you? Sounds like a brush-off to me.)

Tell me, have YOU given e-publishing some thought, or more thought than you used to?

Sexy Blue Toenails

2011-06-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Good morning. You might wonder what sexy blue toenails have to do with the topic of love. Well, I'll tell you.

Now, I was never a Christie Brinkley, Elle MacPhearson kind of girl but I had my own mojo when it came to being attractive. I was Rubenesque, Zoftig, pleasingly plump in all the right places. I had curves. I was also toned and had great muscle placement. I could turn a head or two in my day.

Hitting middle age has definitely shown me what gravity is all about. Trying not to be too pessimistic about what I look like these days, I try and remember the old adage -- what I lack in beauty, I make up in wisdom. Most days it doesn't matter what I look like. Although now it's summertime, I would like to get into a bathing suit that doesn't have triple digits for a size.

My one consolation, I've always had great feet. I've always painted my toenails a deep red in summer. What is it the make-up gurus say, "Show off your assets." While at the dollar store, Monster Child spied some nail polish and I consented. Her choice of colors were florescent chartreuse, navy blue with sparkles, and a pink that I did not care for. We got home and she happily painted her toes chartreuse and her fingers pink. (Matching her dress for church -- my mother was aghast.)

Any-hoo, she kept bugging me to paint my toes. My red was chipped and fading, so I decided, on a whim, to paint them the navy blue with sparkles as a lark. Why the hell not? It's not like the fashion police were going to arrest me.

They actually looked quite sexy, if I do say so. A couple of days later, I had to get gas and walked into the Hess station, not even aware what I looked like. Same old me, navy blue shorts, pink top, white Dr. Scholl's (the wooden ones from 25 years ago). The Pepsi driver was standing in my way, so I said "Excuse me," and tried to sidle by him. He looked me up and down, flicked me a weird expression, and looked down again at my feet. And then he smiled at me, I mean really smiled and said, "No, excuse me." And looked down again at my feet . Hmmm.

I suppose one can never really tell what another person will find attractive. It's said you make up your mind about someone within 3 seconds of seeing them. I wonder what he thought about my toes. (Then again, maybe I don't.)

Tell me -- What attracts you to another person? Is there one definable aspect you look at first? What grabs you in 3 seconds?

The Ultimate Novel

2011-06-15T06:04:00.005-04:00

Good Morning. Today I want to discuss The Ultimate Novel. The one book in the whole world that you would go through hell fire and back again for. The one that makes your heart race and keeps your fingers turning the pages. The one that you cannot put down, no matter how much the kids, the hubs, the dogs are screaming for dinner.

I'm talking about yours. Your book. The one that's kept you up well past bedtime going over that one niggly scene. The one that's fried your brain trying to find all the 'thats' and 'was' and 'just' and 'reallys'. The one that drove you to go to the optometrist for a new prescription because the dollar store cheapies just weren't cutting it anymore.

The Ultimate Novel that is either going to make, or break you.

I've written three. So far. I'm not broken, yet, but I'm also not made. It's been an ongoing battle to find the right words, to hone my craft, to distinguish between good writing and lazy writing. This writing thing I do keeps me up at night fine- tuning my scenes, my plot lines, my characters. It gives me ideas at the most inconvenient times, like a funeral, a graduation, Home Depot, and I'm usually without a piece of paper, so any scrap will do until I can get home and type away at the keyboard.

The Ulitmate Novel. I know when I let my beta readers finally read it, my stomach turns itself inside out a thousand times before I hear back from them. And you know, it's not about if the book is good or bad or needs work, it's about them reading it. It's about finally having an audience for something I've written.

That to me is what The Ultimate Novel is. It's not really about being published, or getting an agent, or even making the NY Times best seller list. It's about being read. It's about having someone tell me, "Hey, that was a pretty good book." It's about knowing that I touched someone else with something I've written. That alone is worth the hours struggling, writing, deleting, rewriting, editing, formatting.

What does The Ultimate Novel mean to you?

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

2011-06-13T06:43:00.000-04:00

Good Morning. Remember that old Bobby Darrin tune?

Somewhere beyond the sea,
somewhere waiting for me,
my lover stands on golden sands,
and watches the ships go sailing.

Okay, for those of you who have no clue, well, let's just say, it's an oldie but goodie. Like me.

This song has haunted me, haunted me I tell you, for years. This is my theme song. If a person could have such a thing, this would be mine.

Because it's Monday, and I'm talking about love today, this is my theme song for love. Somehow, I've gotten it stuck in my head, that my One and Only, Soul Mate, Other Half, Significant Other, is on a distant shore somewhere, waiting for me. Why he hasn't found me yet, I haven't a clue. I mean, am I supposed to look for him? Are we supposed to meet half-way? Don't know.

And literally, I've had this song in my head for decades. DEC-ADES people. I keep telling my mother I want to go to Ireland. She thinks it's so I can find the family tree and all that, but really, it's so I can cruise the beaches, or boat yards, and see if there's a sweet red-headed Irishman waiting for me. Yeah, I know, I am a little nuts.

Why I think he's on a distant shore is beyond me. I mean, really, he could be in Florida, or Oregon, maybe even Texas. I think it's the accent. Irish, Scottish, British. That's why I watch so much BBC telly.

Okay, enough soul baring for one day.

Tell me -- Do you have a theme song for love? Not "our song" or your wedding song, but a song that you feel best describes how you feel about love?

The Piedmont Grille is Now Closed

2011-06-10T06:11:00.000-04:00

Good Morning, my darlings. Sorry to say, the Piedmont Grille will be closed for the summer. Monster Child is getting out of school today, my mother and I discussed the plans for our upcoming vacation in July, and I have not one, not two, but three books to write over the summer. (Gotta love that pressure.)

I think with summer, we all take a break. I remember last year, there was hardly anyone around, with vacations, kids, and the unrelenting heat, I know I was hardly coherent when I was here. And then, sometime around the second week in September, it was like the swallows in Capistrano -- we all came back full force. And that was nice.

I will still be posting on Monday and Wednesday for awhile. I leave for Rhode Island on July 18 and won't return until the 30 (if you really wanted to know my itinerary) and then Monster Child returns to school on August 10, so you know the drill, shopping for the various resources. I have to say a hiatus does sound imminent. There will be no internet in RI and as it is a vacation, I think it would behoove me to be unconnected.

I have been trying to keep my posts regulated to a stricter schedule - Monday for Romance issues and Wednesday for Writing issues and I think that was working really well for me. I may still try and do that, although, who knows what my mind will come up with.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Friday's here at the Grille. But for the summer, I think it would be better for me to let them go. At least until September.

I hope you all have a great weekend. I'll see you on Monday.

George Clooney Does Not

2011-06-08T06:06:00.005-04:00

Good morning. Last night on Entertainment Tonight I found out that George Clooney does not do social networking. He is not on Twitter or FaceBook. Neither am I. Who knew I would have something in common with good old George. Besides our ages. (Although he is a lot better put together than me.)

It's only been recently that I've given a thought to Face Book. "They" say you need to be on it to sell your book. Really? I've heard people, writers, authors and readers alike, say how annoying it is to be bombarded with -- "Oh, look at me, I have a book, would you like to buy it? Tell your friends and family to buy it too." However, that's not the way I buy books. Nor the way I would really conduct my business dealings.

As for Twitter -- well, come on, that's a no brainer. You've been here, you've seen my posts. Do you really honestly think I could possibly get anything I want to say down to 140 characters? Not. Going. To. Happen.

But, I will share with you, I am on Linked In. I don't know why, probably because Francine asked me to be on her network. Which it actually is more of a business network rather than a social network. So I did. And then another friend linked, and I said, holy cow, how did you find me, and she said, Francine, and I just thought that was the coolest thing. So THEN, I found a whole bunch of other people who are on and I asked them to link to me and you know what, they did. I mean really, how cool is that. I'm on a business network.

Okay, here's the thing. I don't know what the hell it all means. I'm linked to them, they're linked to other peopple. There's some sort of group but I don't know what it is. I can leave messages and stuff, but I have no idea what to say. Now if we were at a network meeting, in person, that would be a whole other story. But you know, baby steps. Baby steps.

So, there you have it. I'm on Linked In in case you were interested. That's my one little bit of social media I do. Are you proud of me? I am sort of. Now, let me see if I can find someone who knows someone who knows George.

Question -- Do you really think FB and Tweeting and even Linked In, is going to help you sell your book? Or do you do it for the fun and social aspect of it?

Guest Post Today

2011-06-07T06:30:00.002-04:00

I'm guest posting today at The Las Vegas Writer. Natascha's asked me how I query so if you'd like to know, pop on over.

Love and Marriage

2011-06-06T06:12:00.006-04:00

Good Monday Morning. And because it's Monday and I now write about romance on Monday, I thought I'd give love and marriage a go. It seems I got hit with an S.N.I. (shiny new idea) last week and it pertains to our topic.

Now, all of the books I've written so far, the hero and heroine (or H/H) have found their way through love, to marriage. In this latest book, Robert, (our hero) finds himself at gunpoint (literally) and must marry Fiona (our heroine). The reason -- well, it's a compromising position that wasn't intended as such. Fiona was actually trying to keep Robert from killing himself (accidentally). Unfortunately, her father found out and well, let's just say that Laird Fionnghall Stewart was not a happy camper. Hence the shot-gun marriage.

Robert's intention is to have the marriage annulled after a time. And if that doesn't work, then he'll get a divorce. He's rich, he's a duke, he could do it. Now, being a romance, you KNOW that's not going to happen. We need a Happily Ever After. And I'll get it. After all, this is a book.

However, in real life, since my last birthday in April, I've been giving a lot of thought to marriage. I have never been married. In my 20's and 30's, I thought I had all the time in the world to find Prince Charming, Mr. Right, or The Soul Mate. Then when I hit my 40's, I was despairing of ever meeting THE ONE. It was easier to get struck by lightning in an airplane, than a woman in her 40's to get hitched. My biological clock was ticking, faster and faster and well, you can't make a baby by yourself. (Well, you can, but not without a trust fund.) When I met Monster Child's father, and without getting into it, I thought I found HIM. For all intents and purposes I THOUGHT he was a good man. And he was, still is, sort of. His family had a lot to do with our break-up. We had intended to get married before Monster Child was even conceived, but that didn't happen. (For reasons too numerous to mention.) And then again, after she was born, but well, it's a long story.

I don't know if this is a subconscious idea or not, but I truly don't think I was ever supposed to be married. Sure, I've fallen in love, I've been engaged four times. But the one question that always brought me crashing back to reality was -- Can I look at this person for the rest of my life over breakfast every morning? Yeah, that's it. Sounds stupid, but that's how I think. And my answer, every single time was no. So, I remain a spinster.

I envy those of you who have found your hero and have been married for EVER. I do long for that closeness, yearn for that synchronicity of familial bond. I miss having a man around the house. Even if he does watch football every single freaking Sunday from August to January. Even if he does leave wet towels on the bathroom floor, and never puts his dishes in the dishwasher.

I miss the shared smiles, the fleeting touches, the phone calls at noon, just to see what I'm up to. And well, truthfully, I miss the sex. Orgasms are a dime a dozen, but making love to a man you love is just truly mind-blowing. It transcends everything.

Yes, love and marriage are hard work. And I've never been afraid of that. What I was always afraid of was divorce. I never wanted that. And going back to the breakfast thing, if there was ever any question in my mind that it would come down to it, then why bother getting married in the first place.

Do I regret not being married? No. Do I want to be married? I don't know. I suppose if I met the right man, I wouldn't say no. I deserve to find a good man. I'm a good woman. I think I deserve a Happily Ever After.

Tell me -- Did you know you would be with your significant other for always? Do you believe in Happily Ever After? How hard is it really to make love and marriage work?

PS My guest post will appear on Natascha's blog The Las Vegas Writer, tomorrow, Tuesday if you want to swing by and take a look.

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2011-06-03T06:08:00.000-04:00

On Today's Menu -- Watermelon. That's it. Just Watermelon. It's too dang hot to eat anything else.

Okay, first up, as you all know, Blogger has been giving me fits. Fits, I tell you. And I just found out, not only can I not sign in, I have lost blogs I follow on my blog roll. I don't really keep track, because I follow so many of you, and a bunch of you are on hiatus -- BUT I got a letter from a friend the other night who said, "Where have you been? I see you all over everyone else's blogs comments, but you never come here anymore. Did I do something wrong, or offend you in any way?"

OMG. I had no idea. No, no one has offended me. I am not mad at anyone. It's stupid Blogger. I have no idea how many of you I obviously have not been around to lately, so please, please, please, if you haven't seen me in awhile, let me know in the comments and I will try and rectify the situation. (It seems I have to reenter you back into my blogroll. But you're already there.) Stupid Stupid Blogger!!!! And if I don't follow you and you've been following me for awhile, it may be because you don't have a link to your blog on your Friend Connect thingy. So leave me your blog address in the comments and I'll get on it. I follow everyone back.

Okay, second up, I got hit in the head with the opening to Robert's story the other night as I was going to bed. I memorized the first 3 sentences and actually remembered them the next day, wrote them down, and came away with 2600 words. Robert is the Duke of Cantin, for all of you who may be wondering, cousin to Ellis and William, and the Regency hero who I haven't been able to find a story for for the last 3 years. Everyone else has their story, even the new guy, Rory has a story, but poor Robert has been languishing. I thought for awhile to make him a spy, but since I've been rewriting MASQUERADE, I gave that story to William.

I've also put a little spin on this book -- Robert and Fiona (that's the heroine and a fiesty Scottish lass she is) get caught in a compromising position right from page one and have to get married. Their journey is all about finding their way to love (well, naturally, but being married and all, it's not going to be as easy as they think). Because Robert doesn't want to be married to her and intends on an annulment. And that means he can't have sex with her. And let me tell you, how much fun is this going to be to write. Because Fiona is gor-ge-ous and she's his wife, so he's allowed to sleep with her, but he won't. And then, and then, oh, I can't tell you anymore. You'll just have to wait for the excerpts.

And third up, I was asked to do a guest post on how I query. I don't know when it will be, but I will keep you posted.

And so that's all I have from the Grille today. Here's a little tip. Remember to change the water for your pets if they're outside. I found out the hard way, when it's 95 outside, the cold water in their bowl heats up to 95 in about 2 hours. Yeah, I didn't know that either. My poor babies. Such a bad Mommy.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Beta Crits

2011-06-01T06:03:00.000-04:00

Good Morning. I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. I was at my parents, naturally, dealing with the garden and the grass. I'm halfway finished with the garden, but now it's going to be in the high 90's until October, so it will stay half finished for now. Unless of course by some miracle it goes back down to the low 80's. Ha! We only have 3 seasons here in NC -- winter, monsoon, and hell.

Thanks for all your comments on the decision for Monster Child to go to summer camp. Alas, she is adamant. "Mommy, I will miss you too much to be away from you ALL DAY." Yeah, I can't fight that. And I mentioned to my mother I found cheap flights back to Rhode Island (non-stop 2 hours out of Charlotte for less than $200- each round trip) so I guess we're going home for 10 days in July. Can I tell you how excited I am. 10 days is not nearly long enough, but her friend has a house right on the water and has extended us an invitation, so who am I to say no? Yay! Pray for me that the plans go through.

Now, onto my post. (Finally, you say.)

Katie over at Creepy Query Girl, had a post about beta readers...what they are, what they do, why we need them. And of course, I don't think I've ever covered betas or critters before so thanks for the topic Katie.

Now, for some people, they send their WiP out to their betas to read while they write and make sure the story is moving along at the right pace, following the storyline/plot, the POV is on target. I don't do that. I don't generally let anyone read my work until I'm at the final editing stage of my last draft. I want to make sure it's done without mistakes, typo's, and crappy crap crap writing. I guess you could say I'm anal like that. Also, if someone is reading what I haven't finished and they suggest an improvement to the story, it throws me off. I lose my own plot and I go off on tangents. The story isn't mine anymore.

However, I use betas to read the completed work to see if they like it, if it gels, if there is something I missed (in the story, plot, character arcs). I use them for coherency and a general rating of the idea.

Critters are different. Critique partners, for me, are used to find the grammar, punctuation, POV gaffs, and any holes I may have in my plot. They question everything. Even something as innocuous as a word choice. I've been lucky that I've had critters who are so awesomely awesome covered in chocolate sauce I wish I could bottle it up and sell it. I also don't let them read my book until I am completely done with all the drafts. What they read is generally what I like to think of as my finished product. And for the most part, I've had very little to change when I get these manuscripts back. Which is nice for me. And for them, or so I've been told. They say they like to be able to read a finished product, therefore when something is amiss, it JUMPS out at them and they can pinpoint it, whereas, if they read it while it's still dirty, they just get bogged down by all the glare.

When I've been asked to beta read, unfortunately, I have to crit. When things jump out at me, I can't let them go. I've had the honor and privelege of reading some FANTABULOUS books over the last few years, and I'm still stymied why they're not out on book shelves across America. I love critting, (when I'm not involved in my own book) it allows me to think I'm paying it forward in some small way for all the help I've received over the last years. It's not easy sometimes, I hate saying something isn't working, but I hope I do it with grace and tact. And I always assure the writer that whatever I say is always a SUGGESTION, never an absolute. (unless it's a 'that'. I despise 'that'.)

And for those of you who I have read, I want you to be assured that I delete the manuscript you send me out of my files and email 60 days after I'm done with it. I don't think it's right to hold onto something that's not mine.

Tell me -- How do you use your betas and critters? Do you have them? If not, why not? Is there a difference to you in what they do? Do you allow them to read a dirty manuscript or do you give them a finished product? Do you allow them to read while you write, or do you wait until the end?

And I'm still having issues with Blogger. Yesterday I couldn't comment at ALL and I still can't sign in. I'm doing some things to hopefully rectify the situation, but if you don't see me, or I don't respond to your comments here (and I really want to) you'll know why.

At The Grille

2011-05-27T06:26:00.000-04:00

On Today's Menu -- Baby Grilled Pork Tenderloin sandwiches on Baguettes, New Red Potato Salad, Spinach Salad, and Sweet Iced Tea. Assorted Melon Slices for Dessert.

Don't I wish I could have that for lunch.

Thanks so much for all your enthusiasm for the last two little flash pieces I put up on the blog the last two weeks. Jim and Callie have been roaming around in my brain for the last couple of months, and I do have every intention of setting more of their story down, but I'm just not that into them yet. I made an outline, so I know where I'm going, and it's a pretty good plot about what happens when you find the 'right one' out of the clear blue. However, the twist is -- circumstances keep them apart. I'm not even sure if there will be a Happily Ever After with this. Women's fiction at its finest.

Question -- Has anyone else been having trouble logging onto Blogger? I can get into gmail, and I used to be able to jump from mail to blogger but now I can't. And so I sign out of mail, and go to Blogger to sign in and it says Page Not Found. So I have to jump to a post I have on my favorites bar (lucky it's there) and sign in from my post. I know a couple of you have had trouble with comments and you have to unsign in from stay signed in, but I never stay signed in. Is it just me?

The kitchen reno is complete. The painting is finished. YAY! However, my mother decided she wants to get the garden straightened out before the weather really gets nasty, and then I get to tile the buffet, and THEN, I get to paint the whole downstairs cave. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother, and would do anything for her, but I am just too old for this. Besides, I can't get any writing done. UGH!

School is out in 9 more days. I'd love to have Monster Child go to camp, even day camp, but I don't think it's fair for her to have to have a regimen during the summer. Last summer she stayed up until 10, and slept until 10, and I got some writing done. Having her at camp would free up my schedule so much, but I'm starting to feel soooo guilty. I do want to spend time with her, but it's just so hard not living at the beach anymore. There was always stuff to do. Clamming, swimming, searching for shells and crabs, exploring. Now the beach is 4 hours away. I'm starting to hate vacation.

And so ends another week here. Hope you all have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. I'll be working in the garden.

What Have You Done To Me Lately

2011-05-25T06:10:00.008-04:00

Good Morning. In our stories, we're supposed to present our characters challenges. We're supposed to block their path at every turn allowing them to fight to get their end result. This provides the internal and external conflicts. And if that doesn't work, I usually light something on fire.

So far in my books I have:

shot three people
whipped a slave (remember I write historical romance)
thrown a woman, eight months pregnant, down the stairs
beat a man senseless
stabbed someone
given someone a heart attack
brought two ex-lovers back
concealed identities
given someone post traumatic stress syndrome
stolen a baby

And you thought I just wrote romance...

Tell me -- What have you done to your characters lately?

Love Triangles

2011-05-23T06:08:00.002-04:00

Good Monday Morning. Today's post is about love triangles. I've been reading books these last weeks (because I jinxed myself when I said the kitchen reno was over -- it's not, and I just can't concentrate to write when I still have to finish painting).

Reading lots of my old historical faves, and most of them have love triangles. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, boy does something stupid and girl finds another boy, first boy apologizes to try and get girl back, but girl doesn't know which boy she really loves. Or something like that. You know the trope.

In my own books, I have the triangles. I love the triangles. I think the triangles are the coolest of the cool story plots because one never really knows who the girl will end up with until right at the very end. (Remember Genna and Tony and Pete? How much fun was that?)

I personally, have never been involved in a love triangle. Believe it or not. I'm a one man girl. Oh sure, I looked, but I never touched. But that's not to say that some of my smarmier boyfriends didn't. And they didn't last long after that. (Usually about 20 minutes after I found out.)

Tell me -- Do you write triangles? Do you like to use them in your stories or not? Have you ever been involved in a love triangle?

Flash in the Pan at the Piedmont Grille

2011-05-20T05:58:00.001-04:00

On Today's Menu -- Another little flash

Last week, I posted a piece of what I call 'flash fiction'. (Which I can't link to because the title is the same so if you want, you can scroll down.) I don't really know if that's what it is, I tend to make up my own rules -- this is my blog after all.

But because you liked it, and I hate to leave you all hanging, I decided to post another little blurby thing from this book. (Yes, it is a book, although not something I'm dedicating myself to really writing just yet.)

Rating PG (Although the content might be a little edgy for some)

*******

He sat at the bar, scraping the peel off his Bud bottle. The members of his crew had gone off in search of local delights, and if none were forthcoming, they’d mentioned they’d go to the cathouse across the railroad tracks. Danny’d asked him to go out of courtesy, he was the boss, but he was not particularly keen on the idea. He had nothing against the profession, or the girls, he just didn’t like to pay for what he had always gotten free.

Love had never entered into the equation. After Maria, he’d stopped believing in it. He didn’t need it, didn’t want it, his job wouldn’t allow it. He was on the road forty-eight weeks of the year, and he liked it that way. One-night stands were his specialty.

He didn’t know why he’d asked the girl at the pizza joint for a drink. The invitation had nothing to do with sex. He knew he wouldn’t sleep with her. He just wanted to talk to her for a reason he couldn’t name. He liked the look of her. Sun-drenched, beachy, she smelled like Coppertone. They were a day and half from the Pacific coast, but he could tell her tan wasn’t store-bought.

Long legged, brunette, with a rack that held more than a mouthful, she wasn’t especially his type. He liked his women, short, petite, blonde. But the girl had that East Coast accent and even if he didn’t know her, she seemed familiar. She lived in the places he had for a time, and that made her different. He was curious to know how she’d ended up here, in this God-forsaken place.

The bartender nodded in his direction. He shook his head no. Five came early in the morning and it was near on ten. He glanced at his watch – 9:52. Yeah, he’d call it a night. He and Stash had driven the better part of four-hundred miles that day and he was exhausted. Set-up at the site tomorrow would be a bitch. Supposed to be in the high 90’s, and if they didn’t find a coil of snakes drilling, it would be a first. He edged off the stool, sucked the last of his beer, and placed the empty bottle on the coaster. Fingering his money, he left three dollars on the bar for a tip.

“Hi,” she said. “Sorry I’m so late. Last minute order right when I was closing.”

On Re-Visioning Part III

2011-05-18T06:02:00.004-04:00

So here I am, trying to get as much done on the revisioning of MASQUERADE as I can before school gets out. I don't know if you remember, but I had to completely change the main characters. They still have their same names, but they've undergone a transformation -- like Clark Kent to Superman.

Penny used to be a bookish, sweet, shy young girl. Now she's intelligent, outspoken, and stubborn to a fault. William was just a happy-go-lucky guy, hanging out with his horses waiting for life to happen. Now he's a returning war hero, with wounds that go way deep.

I really didn't want to change them. It's actually taken me a long time to get a grip on the new aspects of their character. Like meeting someone you haven't seen in a really long time. You have to get to know them all over again.

Question -- If you haven't hung out with your characters for awhile, can you get right back into them, or do you flounder for a bit? How long does it take? Two pages? Two chapters? Do you like them more or less if you haven't seen them in awhile?

Les Edgerton Live

2011-05-17T05:09:00.003-04:00

Les Edgerton, author of HOOKED: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One and Never Lets Them Go (which you should read if you haven't already) is going to be on the airwaves Tuesday May 17th at 9:00am ET. That's today!!!

Go to http://www.womensradio.com/episodes/Your-Book-Is-Your-Hook%21-show--Les-Edgerton%2C-Bestseller-and-Writers-Coach.html
and take a listen.

I've got my caffeine ready.

Okay, here's the deal. You have to plug the address into your browser and when you get there find "episodes". Find Les Edgerton and hit that and then wait for it to start.

Sorry I can't link, the system won't let me.

Love at First Sight

2011-05-16T06:14:00.007-04:00

Good Morning My Darlings. I hope you've all had a fine weekend.

Today's question -- Do you believe in love at first sight? My answer -- a resounding yes.

I don't care what science says, I don't care how cynical people are (and let me tell you I am number one on the cynic patrol). However, I AM a romantic. And I do believe there is something to be said about looking across the room, seeing that look in another person's eyes and BLAM! There it is.

Oh sure, it may be lust. Many times, that's all it is. But there's something else underneath it. An infitismal reach into the subconscious that whispers "Could he (or she) be the ONE?" And sometimes it's fun trying to find out.

I have fallen in love at first sight twice in my life. The first with Bonezy. (You may remember him from last week.) I was bartending at the Fo'c'sle in Sakonnet Point, my second night actually, and he came in with his buddies. I was relatively new in town so when they caught sight of me I knew what they were thinking straight away -- Ah, fresh meat.

They gave me the usual razz, where're you from, how long have you been in town, are you a summer snob or what? I laughed with them, joked around, busted their balls, you know, the usual bar-time banter. But when Bonezy looked at me and smiled that first time, I mean really looked me in the eye and smiled, I fell. Splat. Right on the floor.

I knew we were meant to be together. And we were from that very night. And for five years after. But somehow the love didn't quite make it. Well, that's not true. I still loved him very much when I broke it off. I wanted more (marriage) and he couldn't give it to me. (For many many reasons, least of all being his mother, who hated my guts. Yeah, what is it about me and prospective mothers-in-law, they all despise me.) So we broke up. The last I heard, he's been with Franny since the late 90's. I hope he's happy.

The second time I fell in love at first sight was with Mike. Mike was a fiercesome creature -- ALL MAN. He was so Alpha male he could have been made out of stone. There was no soft side to Mike. Anywhere. Sure he was gorgeous, in that neanderthal kind of way, but he was too hard. Too unforgiving. He once shot his girlfriend's dog for getting into the chicken coop. (Now, I know the reasoning behind it so I forgive him, sort of.) We were each friends of friends and would run into each other socially, but I stayed very far away from him. He scared the shit out of me.

Cut to fifteen years later. We'd both gone our separate ways in life as well as in town. In the state of Rhode Island there was only one DMV office. I happened to be there one day, so were 9000 other people. I got up from the bench and there was Mike. BLAM! (What is it with me and men and the DMV?)

I looked in his eyes, he looked in mine and then he smiled at me as if he'd been waiting for me his whole life. (Remember the scene in THE HOLIDAY with Jude Law when he smiles at Cameron Diaz -- Yeah, it was just like that.) And I fell. Splat. Right on the floor. If he had asked me to run away with him right then, I would have. The hardness was gone. He'd matured. He had laugh lines at his eyes that crinkled. Whoever he had been, he no longer was. We talked for about 15 minutes. Catch up banter I'm sure. I don't remember. But what I do remember was wanting to touch him, needing to touch him. Just on the arm, the hand. My number was called. He kissed me good-bye. Just a quick peck.

I never saw him again.

I Googled him once, not too long ago. He's on My Space. Not that I know what that is, but I followed the e-trail. I didn't get far. He still lives in town. He has a son, but never married. You have no idea how badly I want to go back to RI and find him. Just to see. You know.

Tell me -- Have you ever fallen in love at first sight? Did it last? Or was it just a random encounter?

PS The adventure with the DMV guy is over. I took my mother last Monday and he didn't even look at me. Oh well.

Flash in the Pan at the Piedmont Grille

2011-05-13T13:30:00.002-04:00

On a side note before we begin, Blogger ate half of my comments from my last post. So I'm sorry. I did answer them, although they are now in the ether somewhere.

I've decided to do a little something different on Friday. I'm still at the Piedmont Grille (because as a former restauranteur you never really give up the food). However, I'm adding a little sizzle.

I'm sure you've seen a cooking show or two on cable, maybe Julia Child reruns on PBS. The chef is standing at the stove holding a fry pan over the burner and they pour liquid into the pan. All of a sudden - poof - it goes up in flames. Well, the liquid is alcohol and what they're doing is flashing the pan. They want the taste of the alcohol, but not the alcohol itself so they're burning it off. (I wish you could have seen me in my glory years -- veal marsala was my specialty.)

Anyway, I don't know much about flash fiction, but I thought it would be fun to do here. And as Friday's are sort of fumbling days for me on the blog, I figured a little flash wouldn't hurt. Not so much an excerpt, but just a little something. And maybe not every Friday, but something different once in awhile.

So here goes. This is something I've had simmering on the back burner for awhile. It's waiting for REMEMBERING YOU to come back.

*******

“Who are you, man?" She backed away from the counter and looked at him thinking he might be the next Jeffrey Daimer. She glanced out the windows of the restaurant. Not a soul around. "You’re like some kind of upchucked LSD trip. You know where I lived. You know where I went to college. You don’t seem like the kind of Injun to ever move in those kinds of circles. How do you know so much about me?”

"I don’t," he said. His deep voice held an amused tone. "It’s your overactive imagination. I went to Brown. I majored in Native American History. Does Massasoit ring a bell? I also had friends who lived in Montpelier. I spent a couple of years doing research for a BIA language project that didn’t happen. I moved up and down the east coast a lot.”

She heard the timer go off in the kitchen. She went back, wrapped his order, and placed the bags near the cash register.

"Well, still, it’s kind of a little creepy, isn’t it?" She asked. "I mean, how many people in this town would know where Sakonnet, Rhode Island is, huh? How many would even know where Rhode Island is? I rest my case.” She rang up his order. He handed her a twenty, and when she gave him the change she dropped it into his hand not wanting to touch him.

He smiled. “You want to get a drink when you get out of here?”

Was he serious? Sure, he was good looking, probably the best looking guy she'd seen in a while, but still, a girl had to be careful. “How do I know you’re not some kind of crazy ax murderer, or something.”

He took a business card out of his wallet and handed it to her.

Allied Drilling. Laredo, TX Jim Truck, Foreman cell 1888-977-9977# 132

“I’m at the Colt," he said. "If I’m not at the bar, I’m in Room 214.” He grabbed the bags off the counter and tipped his black Stetson.

She watched him go and let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

******

Have a great weekend!

What Sets You Apart

2011-05-11T06:19:00.006-04:00

Good Morning My Lovelies. Over the weekend, Ariel had this post about what sets your novel apart from all the 900 billion in your genre that are out there. What is it? Can you define it? Is it a hook? A plot device? Your characters? The voice?

I've thought about it. I write (for the most part) single title Regency romance. This genre has its own rules -- word length, secondary characters w/ and w/out their own plot lines, a longer story with a little something else going on besides the romance. Mystery has their own rules, as well as sci-fi, YA, category romance, literary and women's fiction. Not to mention the regular "writing rules" that are drilled into our head. (Once you know them, you can break them. The problem is knowing them.)

Ariel got me thinking about what makes my stories different from what's out there. Well, first of all, I don't write sex. I write sexual tension. Second, there's always a little mystery involved that has nothing to do with the romance. Something's going to happen, but we don't know what, usually not until the last chapter (which is the way it's supposed to be). I also have returning characters, most notably Lady Olivia. My favorite character, by far.

Tell me -- What sets you apart from all the rest of your genre? Is it your plot? Your characters? Your world building? (Please don't divulge any secrets. Just let me know why you chose your area.)

eMatchLoveHarmonySingles.com

2011-05-09T06:01:00.007-04:00

Good Morning My Darlings. Turning *ahem* older has gotten me thinking about the past. With men. As a romance writer I write about the Happily Ever After. In my real life, hasn't really happened - yet.

I have a confession to make. Don't laugh, well, okay, you can giggle if you want. I probably would too if I weren't so embarrassed.

I view the singles sites. You know, those from the mashed title of this post. Every so often I click on and just take a look to see who's out there searching for love online. Let me tell you -- there isn't much to look at.

I mean, sure, the last time I did I found 339 guys in my required age range 45-55, but there were only 2 who struck me as interesting enough for me to get to know any better. (Remember too, I'm a big believer at falling in love at first sight.) When I really plugged in and filled out all the extra requirements I got nothing. A big fat donut hole.

What does that mean I wonder? That I'm too picky, or that men really aren't interested in an *ahem* older woman with a 6 year old child. Possibly. I suppose if I was single, no kids, and met a guy with a 6 year old, that would be kind of strange. Talk about baggage. (Yeah, I know, refer me back to my other post)

I used to meet men all the time. I worked in restaurants for years, then I worked construction, then I worked in the auto industry. There were always men around. Tall men, short men, men who climbed on rocks, fat men, skinny men, even men with mis-matched socks.

But since I've moved down here, I haven't been able to meet one. Well, okay, the one man I actually did meet, is my neighbor. Chad. Nice enough guy I suppose. He's of the southern variety. Looks like one of the guys from ZZ Topp. Wears flannel, has a 4-wheeler, has a gun rack on the rear widnow of his 4x4 pick-up truck. He came over to the house the morning we moved in and talked to my father. Found out I was single.

Later that day, after my father left, he came over, drunk as a skunk and proceeded to ask me if I wanted to go for a ride with him on his 4-wheeler -- at sunset, up in the back woods. Uh, no. And he hasn't talked to me since. He did ask my daughter to his house for his son's birthday last summer (I didn't go) and he did cut my grass once when it got to be as tall as Kansas wheat. Thank you very much. (I bought him steaks for repayment. Had the Monster Child deliver them.) He knows we aren't compatible. I guess he was looking for something too.

I know what I'm looking for, but truly, I don't think he exists. My mother and I were chatting one day about my lack of a love life. "It's too bad you and Bonezy (yeah, that was his nickname) didn't work out," she said. And I thought about it. Yeah, it was too bad. But that was a long time ago. And he had a LOT of baggage. But you know what, he loved me. And I really loved him.

Do I regret not sticking with him through the long haul? No. I was 22, he was 30. We were together 5 years or so. I've changed over the years, and so has he. Would I like to meet him again? Yeah, sure. I think it would be a kick. Would I like to get back together with him. Nah. He's been with Franny for a decade now. I'm not a home-wrecker. And I never get back together with ex-boyfriends. EVER.

So just for fun, I cruise the singles sites. I don't talk to anyone, I don't IM or wink or whatever. I just look. Because I can. Although I would really like to see that guy from the DMV again. And guess what, my mother has to renew her license this week. Yay!

How much fun would it be to say ten years from now -- I met my husband at the DMV. Wishful thinking. But hey, I'm a romance writer. It's what I do.

Tell me -- How did you meet your significant other?

PS -- Sarah and Yvonne -- I posted my recipe for Spinach Pies and Calzones in my "Pages" section of the blog. Let me know if you make them and how they came out.

Friday's at the Piedmont Grille

2011-05-06T06:03:00.002-04:00

On Today's Menu -- Pizza, Spinach Pies, and lots and lots of beer. (Be warned, this post is not for the faint of heart.)

Boy Howdy, if I ever needed a drink, today would be the day. There is nothing I would like better at the end of this day than to settle down with a large pizza and a couple of spinach pies from "Twins" (Mineral Spring Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island) and a six-pack of Coors Lite bottles that have been sitting on ice all day. (Unfortunately, I'm 14 hours from Pawtucket and I haven't had a drink in 7 years.)

I knew the contractors would mess up again and let me tell you, if you thought my mother was pissed about the hole for the dishwasher, she's ready to scream now. They fixed all the stuff she told them about on Monday. But they really screwed up BIG this time. My father built a cabinet, with a tiled top that was supposed to be the centerpiece of the new kitchen. It's beautiful. The tiled top is removable and has a 1/4" bullnose edge that hangs over the cabinet. The contractor took the top off and fit the cabinet to the wall. He did not leave room for the 1/4" gap. Which means, when he fixes it, that whole corner will now stick out into the dining room. I thought my mother was going to cry. And that is something she does not EVER do.

In other news, (which is why I really need a drink) I found an agent who had just requested single title Regency romance on her blog. So I sent her mine. With my revamped query and first 10 pages, which she wanted. I got a rejection today. A form letter which basically stated -- I don't represent this genre. Can I just say, WTF??? Why do they post what they want and then say they don't want it. Is it because there's no sex, or no vampires? Tell me, just freakin' tell me, instead of lying to my face with a freaking form letter. (And the first ten pages have a killer first line, the inciting incident and the first of the internal and external conflicts, everything "they" say you're supposed to have.)

Can you tell I'm just a little crazy today?

I also have to cut the grass again. At both houses. Since the last time, my right knee has been giving me a lot of pain. I mean, really, a lot. Like I should probably go to the doctor because I think I really screwed something up. (I have to push mow the big hill because I can't use the lawn tractor.) Can I say again -- WTF???

Is it National Let's Kick Anne's Ass Week???

I'm sorry, I really am. I don't usually rant and rave on my blog, but I just had to get this off my chest. I haven't been writing, well I have, but it's not going as well as I like. I'm trying to fix MASQUERADE and what was supposed to be semi-easy is turning into a nightmare. I have no interest in any of my other stuff. I have no S.N.I.'s to take my mind off my old stuff. This writing thing is really starting to wear on me. Three years, three books and nothing. I know, I know, I've heard it all before, it takes time, the market sucks, agents are picky. But it's just so damn hard. It's wearing on me. It's eating at me. The rejections hurt more and more. My writing feels forced, and if I do manage to hit 1000 words I think they all suck toads. My confidence is gone, I have absolutely no desire, I just don't think I can do it anymore.

I don't know, maybe it's the pain in the knee (not sleeping that's how bad the pain is even with extra strength Tylenol), maybe it's because I put so much hope into the partial for REMEMBERING YOU, maybe it's the fact I know I'll have to fix all the holiday's the contractor left behind. I'm at a crossroads. Somewhere between a rock and a hard place.

I really don't want sympathy. I don't even want to be consoled. I don't know what I want, and that, my friends, I think is the hardest thing. I ALWAYS know what I want. (I really, really want a drink, but I can't have one.)

And you know, this is kind of lame after all that above, but really, truly, from the bottom of my heart,

Have a Happy Mother's Day.

I promise I'll be better on Monday.

Heather and Eels Experiment

2011-05-04T06:09:00.003-04:00

If you didn't get a chance to get over to The Literary Lab yesterday, they're having an experiment on voice and I'm one of the participants. It is totally cool, and a LOT of fun guessing whose work is whose. Take a gander. You won't be disappointed.

At The Lab

2011-05-03T12:39:00.003-04:00

If you are so inclined, The Literary Lab is performing an experiment today on voice and I am one of the participants. I thought I knew my friends' writing well. Shame on me. I am stumped. Take a look-see, it's a lot of fun.

Between a Rock

2011-05-02T06:02:00.005-04:00

Well, Good Morning. It has certainly been a crazy few weeks. Why does Spring Break have to come in spring? It has totally messed with me. I have not written a word on any WiP since April 15. Let me tell you, when "they" say 'write every day', boy howdy they aren't kidding. I am out of the loop, out of whack, and out of patience.

The kitchen reno at my mother's house is coming together, however, I have been wrangled to paint as well. Not part of the deal when I signed on to help her. I spent all day Saturday on a ladder. And again on Sunday. I also found out, the contractor didn't put the drain hole in the floor for the new dishwasher, they didn't finish the wall where the bench goes, and there's a big electrical box sticking out of the wall, it's supposed to be flush. When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy and let me tell you, Tony is going to get a few words first thing Monday morning.

I must apologize for my sporadic absence of late on the blogs, posting and commenting. Unfortunately it is spring and grass doesn't stop growing. Can I tell you how much I hate weed-wacking. It takes 3 days total to do my yard and my parents. I think if I ever did make any money from my writing, instead of a house cleaner, I think the first thing I'd do is get myself a lawn guy.

In other news, Gina Leigh Maxwell has a special post going on over at her blog today. She's been at school and just getting back into the blogosphere, so go on over and say hello.

And I'll be over with the gang at The Literary Lab this week. Mr. Bailey has come up with an experiment on voice -- if we as readers can tell our favorite authors just by some random writings. So stop by and check it out. I think it will be lots of fun. *sneaky laugh* See if you can guess which one is mine.

Question -- When you can't write (forced not voluntary hiatus) do you get cranky? Or do you just go with the flow?

The Wedding

2011-04-29T08:38:00.002-04:00

I was lucky enough this morning when I arose, to turn on the telly and found the beginning of the wedding of Katherine and William. I waited in breathless anticipation for her to emerge from the hotel and see what she wore. And I wasn't disappointed.

She was lovely. Is lovely. Stunning really, whey you think now, she's a Princess. I couldn't be happier for the both of them. More of a fairy tale than Charles and Diana I think, because Kate is a modern woman. She's gone through so much with Will already, breaking up, getting back together, the papparazzi, living together, and hey, meeting the Queen. That could really do a lesser woman in, I think.

As a writer of romance, and growing up with the Disney Princess model, I am over the moon, that a simple common girl, finally gets to marry the Prince of her dreams. Isn't that what we all want on our wedding day? Even though I've never been married, I'd still like to feel like a Princess if I ever did marry. I don't think that feeling ever goes away, no matter how old (or cynical) you are.

I admit, I cried. I always cry at weddings. Even if they are on the telly. I even cried when they sang God Save the Queen. I cried when they kissed on the balconey. And yay! They kissed twice.

For all his royal bearing, I think William was just the cutest thing on the balconey. I could see in his face how much he loves Kate. And Kate, although overwhelmed (I mean, who wouldn't be, she's a Princess now) she adores Will.

I wish them every happiness in the world. I hope they live a full and loving life filled with everything their hearts desire.

God save the Queen. God save William and Katherine.

Did anyone else watch? Did anyone else cry?

Fear and Creativity

2011-04-25T06:04:00.004-04:00

Good Morning. Today's post is short and sweet, cuz I've got nothing except this

In order to live a creative life
You have to give up the fear of being wrong.

Think about that.

* I don't know who said this. I was watching tv one day and hastily scribbled it down. The only other word I wrote on the piece of paper was "Wyndham". Any guesses who he is? I Googled it, but came up empty.

Happy Earth Day Everyone!!!!

2011-04-22T06:14:00.003-04:00

Good Morning My Darlings. Today is Earth Day. As a flower child of the 70's, when Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed a day to celebrate the Earth, (1970) and he decided to do it on my birthday, well, I thought I had died and gone to Heaven. One big giant party all for me.

Not so much, but I like the idea. When people ask me when my birthday is, I say Earth Day. Only a few people have ever known when that is. Usually I get, "Oh that's in April, isn't it?" Yeah, the BEST day in April.

And you know, I sort of take this as my responsibility to educate people about what they can do to help our planet. I'm warning you now, I am climbing high up on my soap box, and this is an unusually long post.

I watched a NOVA special on PBS the other night called POWER SURGE. All about the things we can do to help our dying (yes, DYING) planet come back from the brink. I've always been an environmentalist, a recycler, reuser, reducer. I drove my parents nuts when they started mandatory recycling in our community. I have more junk furniture in my house than I have room for, old wood in my backyard for my new shed (that I will build someday) and Monster Child has been taught where the stuff goes in the recycle bins in the kitchen. We go to the recycle dump once a month.

Any-hoo, this documentary talked about what we can do on a GLOBAL scale to reduce the use of carbon emissions that we, as people, pollute our planet with. Our environment is slowly succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning and some scientists have an estimate that by 2035, our world will not be what we are used to. Global warming will turn South Dakota into Florida and the ice caps will have completely melted. Can I just say that's only 24 years from now? How old will your children, or grandchildren be?

There is talk (and action) on a large scale, that solar power is the next big thing. Jimmy Carter had the right idea when he put solar panels on the White House. It's a shame Regan took them down. Bill Clinton had the right idea to invest in better gas mileage for our cars. It's a shame Bush didn't care.

But I do care. I have always cared. And you should too. In this tv show, one of the scientists said that EFFICIENCY is the biggest and best thing, that we, as single humans, can do to help our planet. If we, on a global scale, did things to conserve on our use of electricity usage, we could alleviate almost HALF of our 50 ton carbon footprint every year.

LET ME REITERATE THAT, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT. ONE SINGLE HUMAN BEING ON THIS PLANET EMITS 50 TONS OF CARBON FOOTPRINT PER YEAR BETWEEN THE ELECTRICITY WE CONSUME AND THE CARS WE DRIVE.

Now, I understand some of us like the convenience modern technology has afforded us. Hey, I couldn't live without my computer either. But there are ways, simple things, we can all do to help out. Here are just a few of my suggestions. (And I've been doing these things for YEARS. You might call me old-fashioned, or just plain crazy, but you know what, my daughter is only 6. She'll only be 30 in 2035. I'd hate to think she won't have trees for HER children to play in.)

Recycle

You know the bags your cereal comes in...it's made out of wax paper. After you recycle the cardboard box, you can use the cereal bags as freezer bags, (or any kind of bags really, they're very sturdy) or for covering your food in your microwave. (Did you know if you use plastic wrap in your microwave it emits a chemical that causes cancer. Wax paper doesn't.)

Plastic 2 liter soda bottles....If you poke holes in the bottom spikes (that the bottle stands on), and cut the top off, fill it with dirt, voila, instant plant container. I don't know how many of these I had on my deck last year. I planted tomatoes, squash, watermelon, daisies, pansies. And you can always see when they need water.

Frozen food containers. I have 187 houseplants that always need repotting. I have enough pots, what I never have is enough bottoms to hold the runaway water. Those little black plastic bowls and platters are fabulous. Also great for cat food, leftovers, and holders of junk drawer flotsom and jetsam.

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use the back sides of already used paper. Either cut it up in quarters and use it for notes, or reuse it to print out your manuscript.

Reduce

On every television(3) we have in the house, which is invariably also plugged into a vcr or dvd, I have a power strip. Everything gets plugged into that strip. When I am done with the tv, I shut the whole strip off. No electricity is being wasted. The same goes for my computer and all that hoo-ha. Power strip. Done with it, I shut the whole thing down. Kitchen counter crap, coffee maker, toaster, mixer, blender, whatever...power strip. I only use it for what, 20 minutes in the morning, why do I need to drain electricity for the rest of the 24 hours in a day. The lamps in the dining room are unplugged until I need them. Any plug I can find, that I don't need on a regular basis gets unplugged..

My heat is set on 66 in the winter. Yes, you heard me. And yes, sometimes it gets a little chilly. But you know what, we wear sweaters. And sometimes even hats. My electric bills are so cheap, I have had people say they couldn't believe how I did it. I also don't use the a/c. We sweat a lot in the summer, but with dark curtains and fans, and a pool (a wading pool for now) we do all right. My electric bill for the last two summers was on average $45-. Yeah. My mother's was almost $175-.

If you have a heat pump (most of us do here in the south) have it checked at least once a year for maintenence. When my heat guy came last year he found a big fat leak in one of the pipes. If he hadn't found it, my electric bill would have been astronomical.

Hang your laundry. I haven't dried laundry in over 25 years. I have a perfectly good (brand new, as a matter of fact) clothes dryer. I did an experiment when I first moved here. I only dried my clothes ONCE, in one month, when my electric bill was practically the same from month to month. Do you know how much it cost to dry ONE LOAD? Seven dollars. That's right. $7- to dry one load of laundry at my house. That's more than if I went to the laundrimat. In the winter, I have a wooden clothes rack and a hanging clothes rack and hang all my stuff in the playroom/office. In the summer, I have three lines.

Wash in cold water. If you spend a little extra on Tide cold water detergent, you get the same result if you washed in warm or hot with a less expensive detergent.

And for pity's sake, if you have a dishwasher, only run it when it's full. I used to have a client who used to wash her BREAKFAST dishes. ONLY. and then at lunch. her LUNCH dishes. ONLY. Same for dinner. She didn't want the dirty dishes sitting all day, didn't want to wash them by hand. I loathed going to this woman's house. Not only did she waste water, she wasted electricity.

And I know this last one is kind of gross, but you know what, it's all about conservation. We only flush the toilet after three number 1's. We do flush after #2. It's a habit from the beach, and sure you need to give an extra swish with the toilet cleaner, but think how many gallons of water you are saving. I for one, do not have the money right now to put in new toilets.

Low flow shower heads are all on sale this week and next at the big box stores. For $20- bucks you can save over $100- on your water bill every year (combine that with the toilets and wow). Do you remember when we didn't have to pay for water? I do. It was a LONG time ago.

I won't go on and on about how to save gas, you should all be doing errands in one big lump. Don't just go willy nilly. Do everything you have to on one day.

And for God's sake, get rid of all your dry cleaner clothes. Do you have any idea what chemicals are produced when you dry clean. I have only worn cotton or linen clothes since I was a kid. I IRON everything. And I know some of you think I'm out of my mind, but I don't care. I refuse to buy anything I can't wash and dry and iron.

ReUse

I'm the trash picking queen. If I see a piece of furntiture out on trash day, I'm there. If someone wants to give me a piece of furniture, I take it. I once made a greenhouse from old windows I found on the road. I've also decorated my office with old milk crates, orange boxes and wood from old kitchen cabinets. (I have BIG plans for the cabinets from my mother's kitchen reno this time.)

Can I just say GoodWill, the Salvation Army, church thrift stores. Donate what you don't want or can't use anymore. Give the kid's old clothes away to someone who could use them. Someone once gave me 6 garbage bags of clothes for Monster Child and I was sooooo grateful. Pay it forward.

As for old furniture, paint it or recover it. If it's ripped, sew it. Do you have any idea how much perfectly good furniture ends up in the land fills?

Buy those reusable grocery bags. Or use old beach bags. Or any kind of bags. Less plastic in the land fill for the seagulls to choke on.

I want to thank you all for getting to the end of this post. I don't climb on a bandwagon very often, but this topic is important to me. If we all just did a few of these things, we would be, not only doing something IMPORTANT, we could save quite a few bucks. And everyone loves the idea of having more cash in their pockets don't you?

This day for our Earth, isn't just one day, it's a lifestyle choice. Some changes may be easy, some may take a while to adjust to. But you know what, you're helping to reverse what we have already done. If we lose our planet, we all die.

Happy Earth Day everyone. Now go out and plant a tree. Or some flowers. Take a walk in nature and think about what would happen if it wasn't there anymore.