Quick Quick

Good Morning. Painting is almost done on the old house. Yay! Finally got a decent ladder so I can finish painting the top of the hallway ceiling. I finished with the dining room, kitchen, and downstairs last Wednesday. Only have the two bathrooms, and the floors left to do. THEN we work on the outside. But that should be a breeze. (I say that now knocking on lots of wood. Learned my lesson there.)

Anyway, last Thursday, because I needed a post for my Robynne Rand blog and didn't have one, I decided Wednesday night to get all my short stories together and put them in one volume. (Yeah, I know, how nuts was that after painting all day. I guess I was having a good day, knock on wood.) Well, I put them together, formatted them, and published them.

There are six stories in all, dealing with love. Technically, broken love. I should warn you, these are heavy duty, almost raw if you will, with adult themes and language. Not for the faint of heart.

Three were previously published in the Literary Lab anthologies (of which I am so grateful to Davin, Scott, and Michelle for the opportunity to show my work in short form).

The total of words in this volume is 12,873. Like I said,
A collection of very short stories. Here's the link.

The second quick thing I want to say, is for those of you following the Anne Gallagher Regency Writer blog, is that I've put up a quick scene when Rory meets Rosamund for the first time. You can find that here. I don't know how, but in the last week I've scored over 8500 words on that. I think it's because the story is totally new, I'm still in love with it, and I'm actually following an outline.


If you haven't guessed, yeah, I really take this writing thing seriously. I had a mini revelation of sorts the other day. I LOVE what I do. I LOVE being a writer. I guess I've wanted to be one all my life and now that I am one, I don't think I've ever been happier.

So for all you who love what you do, keep it up. There's nothing better than getting words on paper.

Tell me -- How much do you love being a writer? Is there anything you don't like about it?

Jinxed

Good morning. Today I'd like to discuss something I thought was only an old wives tale, but let me share with you my story and see what you think.

When the Monster was a baby she was sick all the time. From ear infections, to sinus infections, a bout with pneumonia, several with bronchitis, the kid was always running a fever for one reason for another. Now, we lived in Rhode Island at the time and naturally I kept in touch with my extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles and what not. Several times we had to cancel plans to go to a family gathering because Monster was either sick, or I was afraid she would get sick. Everyone was always concerned. Including me.

It seemed to me that whenever she was actually doing well, someone would invariably ask, "How's the Monster doing?" And I would always respond, "She's much better, thank you." And right after I said that, she would get sick again. I swear to God, I felt like I was jinxing myself, and I got so paranoid that whenever anyone would ask how she was, I would reply, "I can't tell you. Everytime I say how she is, she gets sick again, so I'm not going to say." (My family thought I was nuts.) But it worked. (I guess, at least that's how I thought of it. Come to find out, she was allergic to something in milk and once I switched her to organic milk, she was fine. If she gets sick now, I'll know it's really me...)

Anyway, I thought the jinxing was over. Ha!

You all know I've been working on the old house trying to get it ready to sell. It's been tough going because a few weeks ago, I shared with you how I've never felt better. Jinxed again. Since I've said that, I've felt really shitty.

Someone asked me last week how the painting was going. I said, "Really good. Moving right along." And it was, until I fell off the ladder. Not once, but twice.

I released my latest book, A ROMANTIC REGENCY COLLECTION. Now with this book, I didn't really promote it at all. One announcement on my Anne Gallagher blog, one announcement here, one day of sporadic Tweets, that was it. And it was selling really well. (Well, really well for me. I don't expect much with no fanfare, but it was having really good sales. Exceptionally good sales.) Until someone asked me how it was going. I said, "Fantastic!" Okay, jinxed again. That next day sales fell off markedly.

Can I really not talk about good things happening to me? I don't get it. I mean, it's not like I'm bragging or anything like that. I just want to share with my friends that things are going well for a change. But then when  I do, it all falls apart.

Is it just me or does this happen to you? Do you believe in jinxes? And if it is an old wives tale, does someone know how to countermand it? Do I spit while turning in a circle, or throw salt over my cat's left shoulder?

A Romantic Regency Collection

I don't know if you've heard or not, but I published another book last week. A ROMANTIC REGENCY COLLECTION.

 Here's the blurb...

In this Romantic Regency Collection, Anne Gallagher takes the novellas you love and puts them together in one volume. With added content to enhance the stories you already know, she’s also included another short novella LADY CADORET’S LONGING, written exclusively for this collection.

A WIFE FOR WINSBARREN – A bumbling Viscount searches for a wife and a friend convinces him to place an ad in the newspaper to find one. Now with added chapters to include more of Rowena’s story.

LOVE FINDS LORD DAVINGDALE – Lord Davingdale wants nothing to do with women until he meets the enigmatic Miss Ophelia Trent. This short novella was written as the companion piece to A HUSBAND FOR MISS TRENT. Now for the first time, the two have been combined to give you both points of view in the same story.

ROMANCING LADY RYDER – Lord Greenleigh is not what he appears to be in Society. His other life – as a spy for the Foreign Office. When he meets the lovely Lady Ryder, will she spill all his secrets?

LADY CADORET’S LONGING – Lady Dorcas Cadoret, secretly engaged these five years to her childhood sweetheart, is overwhelmed with grief when Peter is killed in action two weeks before his commission is over. His brother, Daniel, is very kind, and rumors abound there is more to his attention than just being her guardian angel.

            As they share a forbidden kiss, Dorcas thinks it is Peter’s lips upon hers and Daniel is overwrought by feelings he should not be having about his late brother’s fiancée. Can Dorcas find a way to love Daniel for himself or will Peter’s memory haunt Daniel and Dorcas forever?

Here's the link to Amazon.


******

In other news, I'm still working on the house. The ceiling downstairs that was supposed to be so easy (just slap up the paint) has had to be stripped of the 'popcorn', then sanded, then primed, and now painted. Add to that nightmare, the heating ducts running across it as well...well, let's just say Anne's not a happy camper.

HOWEVER, I have managed to begin working on two stories. THE EARL'S ENGAGEMENT, another Regency (and if you want to read about that title, please take a gander at my Anne Gallagher blog).

AND I also banged out 2700 words on another romantic women's fiction. I don't have a title yet, so I'm calling it "Kate". It's been roaming around in my head for a long time. I had written about 20k on it but it started with Kate attending her mother's funeral. Then I found out, that being at a funeral for an opening was a no-no, so she's not at the funeral anymore. They also say not to start with backstory, but I'm not working for a traditional publisher so I can do whatever I want. We'll see if I change it around once I get more to it. I need more chapters before I can make a decision on where to start.

And that's about it. Other than falling off the ladder a few times, I'm pretty good. I just wish this house would be done. I only have a few hours a day to paint and clean and junk, and no one to help me so it's slow going. I'm really excited about these new stories and can't really do anything about them just quite yet. argh!

So tell me, what are you guys up to? Now it's officially Oct. 1 have we started thinking about Christmas yet, or are we waiting a little while longer?

My One Year Anniversary

Good morning. On September 28 I will have been published for one year. It has been an amazing journey that's for sure. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it would work out as well as it has. Never did I think I would learn so much.

This last year has also been filled with personal triumphs as well. My illness took a turn for the better so I've been able to accomplish so much more "outside" in the fresh air. We bought a new house. I got rid of my ex (which had a lot to do with feeling better). My daughter is now in private school.

I have lots to be thankful for. But most of all, I am thankful for you, my wonderful blog friends. Without you, I don't know where I would be now. Your support and encouragement has enabled me to accomplish my dream of being published. Without you, I would probably still be sitting on my first manuscript wondering what I'm doing wrong.

Like I said, I've learned a lot.

Tell me -- What have you learned in the last year?

PS -- Does anyone else hate the new Blogger changes? I can't find anything!!!

Shipwrecks and Boatbuilders

Today is one I have been waiting to share with you all for a long time. Bridget Chicoine is finally published. Yay!

Bridget and I have been "friends" for a couple of years and I had the great joy of meeting her in person this summer. She's beautiful, delightful, and oh-so-very-smart. OH-SO-VERY-SMART. I've also had the honor of being asked to read her book and that, my friends is something you don't want to ever say no to.

UNCHARTED: Story for a Shipwright is out now, published by Rhemalda Publishing. Here's my review.

What would you do if everything you’ve ever known in your life is taken away and the only thing that remains is a fantastical heart-wrenching story to show for it?

UNCHARTED: Story for a Shipwright is one of those books that you will think about for a long time afterward. J.B. Chicoine’s exciting debut novel about a boat builder in Maine who meets an exceptional woman will leave you breathless as you turn the pages.

Chicoine’s writing is superb, with lyrical prose that envelops you like morning fog, silently creeping into your soul and as it lifts, you find yourself engulfed in a love story so simple yet so profound you can’t put it down. The places Chicoine transports the reader – spear fishing on a tropical island, ocean breezes wafting through the warmth of the dazzling summer sun or that same summer sun in a dusty dry Kansas cornfield – across not only continents, but also time as well to an incredible extraordinary story of survivors of a shipwreck. Chicoine certainly outdid herself creating this novel.

The characters are all three-dimensional, each having their own intriguing back-story, which blends seamlessly with Marlena and Sam’s interactions. The dysfunctional family dynamic is written brilliantly – the tension and anxiety carefully balanced with dry humor and underlying respect. There are no cardboard caricatures in this novel.

Part haunting love-story, part historical high seas adventure, this story about an ordinary man who meets a most uncommon woman will stay with you for a long time. If you don’t read anything else this year – read this book.

That is the review I posted on Goodreads and Amazon, but truthfully I just wanted to write --

OMG OMG OMG YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!

Yeah, I'm not kidding, it's that good. And I'm not saying that just because she's a friend of mine. This book HAUNTED me, still does as a matter of fact. Between the story itself, which was phenomenal, and the writing, which was gorgeous, just color me jealous. I wish I had her talent.

Now, because of our friendship, Bridget's graciously offered to answer a few questions for me...

How did you come up with the idea for a story about a shipwreck within a story about a boatbuilder?

Well, I guess it all started way back when I was a little kid—you see, I had a crush on Gilligan. You can read all the sordid details on a blog post I wrote not too long ago. 

 http://jbchicoineliteraryworkinprogress.blogspot.com/2012/08/i-had-crush-on-gilligan.html  

You're an accomplished watercolorist. Are the two (writing and painting) exclusive of each other or are they companion to each other?

Um…I’ve painted scenes and images inspired by my stories—like Marlena, on the cover of Uncharted—and I’ve written stories based upon a few random paintings, but one is not contingent upon the other. It’s just that I need a creative outlet for good mental health, so I’m either painting or writing most of the time. If I can combine the two, I feel doubly productive, which I like.

Is it harder to write or paint?

Writing is definitely harder! Way harder. I can pick an image, begin painting and be done with it in a week’s time. When it’s complete,it’s easy to set it aside and move on, even though I know it’s not perfect. And putting it out there for feedback is easier—that is, it takes little time or commitment for someone to offer their opinion. Writing—especially a novel—requires a huge amount of emotional resources and is a much longer and more involved process. And it’s much different to flash a painting in front of someone and ask, “Whaddaya think?” as opposed to passing a manuscript to a reader, saying, “This is going to suck up the better part of several days and there’s a chance that you make not like it at all and feel quite annoyed with me afterward.” 

What is the most surprising thing you discovered about yourself during the publication process?

 I’ve discovered that I’m a very private person and that the internet is a very precarious place. I mean, I knew that going in, but the lure of easily accessible research was irresistible and made me lower my guard. I kind of laugh about it now, but I had a situation come up that freaked me out a little back when it happened.

You see, in the process of researching a particular sailing vessel, I came across a real live shipwright’s Website. After inquiring about the particular sailboat project that interested me and explaining about my writing, we corresponded several times over the course of a couple months. By then, I had completed my first draft and thought, ‘Gee, wouldn’t it be great to have an actual shipwright for a beta-reader?’ I mean, I hated to think of some poor boat builder reading my novel and hurling it across the room in frustration over some implausible passage.

Alas, I had never asked anyone outside of my family and friends to read my story, and my request seemed rather presumptuous. I imagined this particular shipwright was not unlike my main character Sam—very, very busy. I thought he might be more inclined to oblige me if I showed a little interest in his work and background, justifying all that as further research, and I was genuinely intrigued. Much of what he shared was in fact very interesting and insightful. Unfortunately, by the time I mustered up the courage to ask if he would read my novel, he apparently misinterpreted my interest…

‘Yes!’ he wrote back, he’d ‘love to read it!’ Myheart raced with excitement.

Then I read the next line ….—did he just write what I think he wrote? … Oh nuts!

Just the same, his proposition was rather poetic. Nicely written—a few too many modifiers, but pretty good for a shipwright. Perhaps he was just trying to impress me with some literary ability of his own… but that thing about making love in the oakum and shavings …. Yikes!

It was all very embarrassing. He did not read my novel.

However, I learned a big lesson: Keep my guard up and just be direct. It may feel like shameless self-promotion, but better that than something else.

Well, I'm all for shameless promotion so you can find Bridget in all these places.


Writing blog: http://jbchicoineliteraryworkinprogress.blogspot.com/
Art blog: http://jbchicoine.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jbchicoine.com
Marlena: http://jbchicoine.com/marlena.htm
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Uncharted-J-B-Chicoine/dp/1936850664/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346626387&sr=1-1
Rhemalda: http://shop.rhemalda.com/FIC000000/uncharted.html


Thanks for stopping by. And make sure you put this book in your TBR pile. You won't be disappointed.

Finding Me

As most of you know I moved over the summer. I won't bore you with the details. I've also been painting and repairing the old house (s-l-o-w going), and finding new places for the junk I've collected over the years. In doing that, I've also begun putting stuff in the "holding room" for a yard sale. It seems I have a lot of stuff.

Well, in looking through all my boxes, I found several that contained my old writing. (When I say old, I'm talking like 1975.) Yes, I was writing in 1975. Of course I was a teenager and dinosaurs roamed the earth, but still it's writing even if it is written on papyrus.

And it's bad. All of it is so very very bad. Flimsy plots, atrocious puncutation, illegible script (I wrote longhand for most of it) and just a lack of (I don't even know what word to use here) ...story.

But, there is one thing I learned, or rather RE-learned when I found all that stuff that was astounding to me

I have always wanted to be a writer. Always. And because of that, I have always written. Always.

And now I am a published author. (By my own hand, but still, I'm published.) Funny how your dreams sneak up on you when you're not looking. Although, this dream was 37 years in the making so I'm not sure it snuck up on me. But, it reaffirms my tenacity. And patience that dreams do come true.

Now if I could only get Tom Selleck to fall in love with me....

Tell me -- how long have you been writing?

The Image of a Writer's Life

Good Morning. Sorry I skipped out last week, but I've been super crazy nuts busy getting the old house painted. Still not done, I need more paint, but there's also wood to haul, a shed to clean, a bathroom to gut, and the downstairs I have yet to decide what to do with (graffiti would be an improvement).

All that being said, I wonder how big name authors spend their days -- writing in their air conditioned offices with a plethora of researchers, housekeepers, maids all catering to their every whim. Let's not forget they all have wonderful Scottish nannies to take care of the kids, and their spouses are marvels in the kitchen so they don't have to scrape together another round of mac and cheese and hot dogs.

I know most big name authors have schedules, and probably more than a few of them have maids and/or some kind of outside help, but I keep remembering Danielle Steele's appearance on Merv Griffin (remember him?) way back in the late 70's early 80's. She wore pearls and a long flowing chiffon something, could have been a gown for all I know, she kept playing with the scarf, flipping it between her fingers. She reminded me of Elizabeth Taylor. And then Merv did an expose on her house. California big, with a pool, and a view. Back then, she and Jackie Collins were big name authors. And I guess somehow, that's what stuck in my head. Glamorous, elegant, rich.

This image people have of writers is so not how it really is. Well, at least it's not for me. Like I have all this time to just write every day. Yeah, like that's possible when the kid is sick, the dogs pooped all over the carpet, the cat knocked down five of my african violets off the shelf, and my mother has been bitching the grass needs to be cut. Add the fact we're going back to school in less than a week, I'm dealing with financial bullshit from the ex, and it's raining -- AGAIN.

I know I'm whining. You know I'm whining. I think we're all entitled to it once and awhile.

The reason I bring this up at all is -- I had an outside interview last week. Our new house is in a golf community and they have a monthly newsletter. The woman who writes the letter is a friend of my mother's. Well, when she found out we lived here now, she called me and wanted to know what I was doing. When she met me five years ago, I was a caterer. When I told her I was now a writer she said, "How unusual."

What does that mean exactly?

Are we, as writers, unusual? Are the five million of us currently writing books weird, or kooky, or out of the ordinary? Sure we're introverts, sure we have our little rituals before we tackle those revisions, sure we don't speak to people between the hours of 8-1. Sure we eavesdrop on stranger's conversations, have a penchant for back booths and corner tables in coffee houses, and we might even push the bounds of research occasionally and have the Secret Service show up at our door. But does that really make us unusual?

I explained to Judith I wrote in a niche market, Regency romance, and that I had two novels and several short stories out, and I had also just published my first contemporary romance. She oohed and ahhed in all the right places, and then she asked, "So are you going back to catering anytime soon?"

Why do people automatically assume you won't be able to hack it as a writer? Why do people automatically assume you need to have a "job" because you also write? Back in the day, I was a waitress who wrote. Or a housekeeper who wrote. Or a chef who wrote. Now, I'm a writer. That's it. Just a writer.

The Image of a Writer's Life isn't glamorous. Well, at least not this writer. But I'll take a two hour nap after weed wacking, just so I don't ever have to go back to the "real world" again. I'll put up with disappointing reviews, and writer envy, and not meeting my word count, just so I can stay home. Perhaps agoraphobia is the culprit. Perhaps it's just my way of being the black sheep. Just a little unusual. It doesn't matter. I am who I am, and I'm a writer.

I wonder if Nora Roberts cuts her own grass?

Tell me -- what kind of reaction do you get when you tell people you're a writer?