Sourcebooks has set up a blog tour for LOVE'S SWEET REVENGE, Book 3 in my Outlaw Hearts Series! Follow along and leave a comment at each stop.
A Blog About “Finishing The Book”
Have you ever felt like someone just ran over you with a semi, then pulled your brains out through your ears? That’s how it feels after a two-month marathon of writing and finishing a 622-page historical novel. You’ve heard those stories about people who, in matters of emergency and desperation, get a surge of adrenaline that helps them pick up a whole car to get someone out from under it. I think that’s what happens to a writer when she has a short deadline but a long book to write to meet that deadline.
The Joys And Perils of Writing Series-Type Stories
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Sorry I don’t blog more often, but I am currently writing book #4 to my OUTLAW series and I have a tight deadline, so I’m really busy writing. The book is called THE LAST OUTLAW and will be my last book involving Jake and Randy Harkner and the Harkner clan, which makes me cry every time I think about it. I will probably write another story involving the Harkners, but it will be about Jake’s grandsons, which means Jake is no longer in their lives, at least not physically. It will take me a long time to be able to write it because I can’t bear the thought of Jake Harkner no longer living. It’s just too hard to consider right now because I have fallen head over heels for this man and I absolutely adore writing about him.
COMMON “SCENTS”
I recently purchased a diffuser that sprays a soft cloud of scented water into the air, as well as one of those warmers that melts scented wax. Both are lovely and do a good job of filling my house with wonderful aromas. That got me thinking about how certain smells awaken memories and can even be used in our writing.
The Last Page
Previously I wrote about the love/hate relationship a writer has with “Page One.” Well, just as challenging is “The Last Page.” My Midi-Michigan Romance Writers group holds a contest every year called “I Will Write A Book.” Those who enter pay $5 to get into a drawing for all the money, and to qualify, the entrant must finish a book within that year by November. This year (2016) I’ve entered two books. Just finished the first one, a new Indian romance – and am now working on the second one, which is book #4 to my Outlaw Series. As proof of finishing the book, we have to send in “The Last Page.”
Page One
Horrors! When we write a book, we have no choice but to start with “Page One.” Yes, it’s that annoying, intimidating, proverbial Page One that can bring a writer to his or her knees. We sit and stare at that blank piece of paper (or the pretend piece of paper on our computer screen), and we realize that what we put on that very first page is what the reader will see when he or she takes a look at the book – that very first page that they use to decide if they want to buy the book – that very first page that either hooks a reader, or causes them to put the book back on the shelf – or to not “click” order the book on-line.
What Goes Around, Comes Around
The Beauty of a Back List
I've been writing for 35 years, so I’m pretty old-school when it comes to the publishing world. When e-books were first introduced, I couldn’t believe they would ever be successful. After all, who would rather read a book on some kind of device as opposed to having the real thing in their hands?
The Long Haul
I'm sure you've heard the trucking term “long haul,” or the phrase “I’m in it for the long haul.” Maybe “It’s been a long haul.” For anyone who writes, “the long haul” perfectly fits your chosen profession – or even as a hobby, if you see it that way. You’d better be in it for “the long haul,” because that’s what it will be if your goal is a long-term career in writing.
When Fiction Becomes Our Reality
In the Shadow of the Mountains
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBook | Kobo BooksGenre: Historical Western Romance
Release January 19, 2016
Published by: Diversion Books
Length: 673 Pages
Bold, headstrong, and passionate, the indomitable Kirklands struggled to survive in a treacherous, hostile land. From penniless settlers to wealthy mine owners to Denver's regal first family, together—and separately—they pursued their dazzling dreams of love and glory. From the era of the covered wagon to the rise of the western railroad, from the gold rush years through the golden age of the American West, IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAINS is the breathtaking saga of a remarkable family who endured tragedy and hardship to build a glorious mountain empire.
Are Our Books Ever Good Enough?
I just finished the edits to my September book LOVE’S SWEET REVENGE. One thing I advise other writers is that before sending a book in to your publisher, if there is anything about it that bothers you, fix it first. Ninety-nine per cent of the time it’s that very part of the book that bothers you that will come back to you with editor comments and/or requests for changes. It’s usually nothing major, but you still want to kick yourself in the butt for not addressing your concern before letting your editor read the book. Well, I didn’t follow my own rule, and a couple of places in the book that nudged at me as not quite right are exactly the places where my editor made comments and requests for a few changes.
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