Just a Quick Post

Hey everyone. How's it going? I thought I'd swing by and give you an update on what I've been doing.

It's been a gnarly couple of months, that's for sure. I managed to get 90% of the yard finished before the weather became too awful. My brother surprised my mother on Mother's Day and came down for a week and he helped me with my fence. (Truthfully, I think he just wanted to play with my father's John Deere tractor.)

I also stripped two bedrooms worth of wallpaper, painted ceilings and walls, not to mention stripping dressers and assorted furniture and restaining them. Let's not discuss the yard sale stuff that I keep adding to (But if I keep adding I'll never have the yard sale so I've got to stop at some point.) Then there's the old house that's just a time sucking nightmare. But it's on the market now, so if you know someone who wants to move to Winston, I've got a cute little house for sale. 3 bedrooms, big rumpus room, nice 1/2 acre fenced in back yard. (I'll send you the specs and pics if you want. email me at piedmontwriter at gmail)

Anyway, in April, Monster's school had a fund raising auction and the secretary decided that I should put my books as one of the prizes. I didn't think that was worth much, so I said, "Well, how about if I use their name in my next book?" and that was a good idea. But after I thought about it, I decided that if they really wanted to spend some money, (It was a fund raiser after all) I'd just write a story about them. And that was how it went down in the auction. The prize I donated was that if you won, I would write a Regency novella about YOU (or a person of your choosing). It was supposed to be a love story. Because after all, I am a romance writer.

However, it didn't work out that way. One of the teachers won and then gave it to her assistant. There's been a whole lot of back and forth with this story line, but I think I've worked it out and what I've come up with will be a fun little exercise in past lives and history lessons. At least, that's what I'm hoping for. We'll see how it ends up. (If you want to know more, there's a tab under my header called A Not So Secret Project on my Anne Gallagher blog.)

Also, in case you didn't know, or I didn't tell you (which I know I didn't) THE LADY'S MASQUERADE is

out across all venues in e-version. I've also been working on the paperback copy, and after one more run-through it should be ready to go sometime this week. What you may also want to know about this book is that I'll be holding a give-away on Goodreads for it during the month of June. Well, that's the plan anyway. So check over there if you'd like a copy. I'm giving away 3.

I'm also going through all my other books to get them ready for paperback. Yes, they were already out once, but after making so many changes I needed to revise them. I also revised all my e-versions so they're totally up-to-date. That's the nice thing about self-publishing. I can always change what I don't like.

I've also been outlining my next books like a crazy person. I've never outlined before, well, precisely outlined like a synopsis, so it's been fun. I have no idea if I'm going to use them, but it's been a fun exercise. I've also developed a few more little short stories for my Robynne Rand personna, but haven't sat down to write anything yet. I don't really have the time just yet. Although, not having written for 5 months, the itch is definitely starting to grow.

So that's it. That's where I am and what I've been doing. Not really all that exciting, but that's fine for me.

Tell me -- What have you been up to?

Anne Gallagher (c) 2013

The Next Big Thing

Good Morning. I was tagged by two different people for this -- Yvonne Osborne and Bridget Chicoine. Although I should clarify that Bridget tagged Robynne Rand, and for those of you who want to know what she's up to, you can find that post here. (How much fun is it being a split personality? I get to talk about myself in 3rd person.)

Okay, so here we go.


What is the title of your next book?

THE LADY'S MASQUERADE. It should be out in the next few weeks.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

My brain. lol Thank you, Monster. Actually, one day, a REALLY long time ago, I was trying to take a nap. However, I kept hearing these two people talking. The more I focused on them, I saw them sitting in a gazebo. A young girl and a handsome man. Only he was pretending to be someone else. And the story was born. Mind you, this was about 8 years ago, and the whole concept of the story has changed except for the part that someone was pretending to be someone else.


What genre does your book fall under?

Regency romance, Historical romance, sweet romance. I try to hit them all.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your caracters in a movie rendition?

You can find those here. www.pinterest.com/RegencyAnne  Did I mention I was on Pinterest now.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Hmmmm. I hate these. When Lady Penelope Leighton masquerades as a traveling companion, she doesn't expect to fall in love with a lowly steward and when he asks for her hand, she must decide whether to give up her life in the aristocracy or follow her heart.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Self-published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft?

Ha! Almost 7 years. I started it way back in 2005. Monster and I were living at the beach house and during her naps I wrote it out on paper. I didn't have a computer back then. I know, huh. I had it almost finished when we moved to NC in 2007. I got my first computer in 2008 and transcribed everything. In 2009 a friend suggested I get on the blogs so I did, and found out I had to revise the thing. I started those revisions in 2010. But then I was writing other things and just put Masquerade away for a while. Once I decided on the Reluctant Grooms series, and kept adding more characters, and more intrigue, Masquerade just wasn't the book it once was. So over the course of the last few months, I revised the snot out of it and hopefully, it will meet with the approval of my critters.

And just for fun, the original manuscript that I transposed, finished at a whopping 145,000 words. I can happily say, it is now at a mere 80K.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I don't know. Mine I suppose. I haven't read anything in my genre lately that doesn't have sex in it. Mine don't, so I have no idea. Jane Austen, maybe. lol

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My Monster. Way back when, I was on a limited income. I was working as a housekeeper, and knew (although I was making good money) it would never be enough. I needed to supplement my income, so I figured I could write a book. I mean, besides restauranting, it was the only other thing I knew how to do.

What else about the book might pique the readers insterest?

It's a mystery. Or has a mystery element. Someone is trying to kill Lady Penny's father and the fiend turned his sights on her. So William and his friends try to figure out who it is. And because this is the first book in the series, this is where we find out how Lady Olivia has manipulated the aristocracy. I delve into a lot of her secrets in this first book, and hopefully, by the end of the series, it will all tie in together nicely.

So that's my Next Big Thing. And like I said, you can find out what I'm doing with a contemporary romantic women's fiction over at The Other Side of Providence.

PS If anyone would like an ARC of this for review, I'm all in. Give me shout on my email piedmontwriter at gmail dot com

Anne Gallagher (c) 2013

Stumbling Blocks

Before we start, I'd just like to say this is my 501st post. I know it may not seem like much to some, and there are people with thousands of posts, but the number impresses me just the same. I've done this 500 times. Whew.

Anyway, I got this interesting little blurb from one of my critique partners last week. She said,

I'm so glad Penny and Will got to love each other from the beginning of this book. They didn't have to overcome their fear to find their way to each other, or stumble through so many personal obstacles. It's a refreshing change.

She was talking about THE LADY'S MASQUERADE and Penny and Will are the main characters.

I never thought about it quite like this before. Usually my books are character driven, and the obstacles they stumble through are interior. My characters are loaded with angst and just can't make up their minds whether or not to love the person I've put in front of them.

MASQUERADE is plot driven. That Penny and Will find their love almost from the beginning of the book was a no brainer for me. It was my first book and I didn't know any better. I had no clue how to write a story, or what it needed. That they loved each other at almost first sight seemed a good way to start.

What they have to overcome to finally be together is in the plot. Murder attempts, jealousy, misunderstandings, and an overprotective daddy. Hmmm...

Tell me -- Do you find yourself writing more character driven or plot driven books? If you write love stories, are your characters afraid of love, and their angst, or do they just jump in and see what happens?

Good News, Good News, Good News, and Bad News

Good Morning. As you can see from the title of this post, I am overwhelmed by Good News this week.

Good News #1. As some of you may know, I've been toying with the idea of putting my books out to paperback version. Well, I've made my decision. THE DUKE'S DIVORCE is almost ready. I uploaded my files and received the proof copy last week. Let me tell you right now, there is nothing, absolutely nothing in this world like holding a copy of your book in your hands. I've still got a few tweaks to make, but it should be out, by the end of March.

Good News #2. Also, I've been accepted into the third Anthology presented by The Literary Lab. VARIATIONS ON A THEME will be out in publication around March 19, from what I understand. My short story Reversal of Fortune will be included with some stellar writers and to say I'm humbled is an understatement. I hope you'll look for it.

Good News #3. Well, in light of the fact I'm now putting out paperback versions of my books, I will be holding a give-away. I'm also in the process of getting THE LADY'S FATE converted, and if I get my act together and finish the rewrites, THE LADY'S MASQUERADE will soon be joining them. So look for that party to come floating by sometime around my birthday, which is EARTH DAY. (All caps, so you don't forget.)

Now, for the Bad News. Some of you know that my father hasn't been doing well. He's been to all the doctors and had all the tests, but they can't seem to figure out what's wrong with him. It's pure speculation on everyone's part at this stage. However, he's now starting to fall down. Once in the parking lot at the Tractor Supply Store, once outside the garage at home, where he twisted his ankle, and once in the basement. Believe me, we're all pretty scared at this point. He refuses a walker, can't stand to use his cane, and is just slowly melting into madness because he can't wrap his mind around the idea he's not as young as he used to be.

Needless to say, I've been over there more in the last week than I was at my own house (As I'm sure you could tell from my lack of commenting and blog post last Friday). Decisions have to be made and as I am the oldest, the only daughter, and the only child living near them, I get to sit in on that process. Because of these latest incidents, they've decided to look for another house, on one level. (About freaking time I say.) However, in order to put theirs on the market, the changes they wanted to make slowly over time, have now been amped up, and guess who's been relegated to the gardens and the painting and the fixing of broken things, wallpapering the front hall and the cleaning out of various closets. Yup, you guessed it.

So, in light of that fact, and the fact I'm trying to get my books finished before The Monster gets out of school, I will no longer be around much here on the blogs anymore.  As you all know, when life gets tough, something has to give and unfortunately, my dearest friends, that means you. I've been round and round this issue, thinking I might be able to post on Monday so you wouldn't forget me, or just say I'm taking a hiatus and come back, but at this stage of the game, my time constraints are really up in the air, literally, depending on the weather. When it's nice, I have to make hay while the sun shines, and gardening and painting is better done in nice weather.  (Gee, for a writer you would think I would limit my use of cliches.)

Also, as some of you know, I've been generous with my time in the past with critiques for queries, and manuscripts, but at this time, I'm sorry to say, I can no longer help you. Perhaps when all the craziness dies down I'll be able to take on some projects, but for now, I have to let them go.

So there we have it. You may see my little pixelated face roaming around from time to time, but it's going to be hit or miss.  The only thing I can say for certain is that I will be here on my birthday, April 22, EARTH DAY, because I will be celebrating a milestone (50, egads where did the time go?) and I can't think of any place I'd rather be than with you to help me.

I wish you all the good fortune you deserve in your writing endeavors whether an agent or a publishing contract or a million sales in your indie-pubbed adventure. I know I'm not leaving for good, but damn, it sure feels like it.

I'll see you when I do.