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.99c Book Bundles

For a limited time Heart of Design and Art of Affection  are available as part of a box set. Only .99c will get you some steamy romance stories from Crimson Romance. Don’t miss out on your box set.

California Kisses: 10 Golden State Romances

Amazon

We’ve packed this bundle full of mountains, beaches, Hollywood glamour, sunshine, and wine, delivering romance the way only California can. Join these ten couples as they explore love in the state known for its golden dreams.

 

Works of Passion: 8 Artistic Romances

Amazon

A picture paints a thousand emotions in these eight tales of colorful romance. Don’t miss a stroke of these wonderful stories of inspiration and passion.

It’s Entertainment – My Writing Life

In the past few years, since I began producing novels, I’ve had many interviews and answered multiple questions about inspiration, the logistics of writing, dealing with writer’s block, research, character development, and in-depth questions about specific novels. One question I’ve never been asked is-why do you write? What do I hope to accomplish in my writing life? What do I want to convey to the reader? Do I want you to learn something new, or bring a societal issue to the forefront? Back in the old days when I wrote policy papers and newsletter articles for a medical association those were exactly my goals. Now, as a fiction writer my number one goal is to entertain my audience.

The thing I love about a good book is its ability to transport me somewhere else — either geographically, or historically. My goal in writing my own novels it to provide a break for my reader from the harsh realities of real life. Let’s face it, there are so many concerns pressing down on us. In our own lives we might be dealing with illness, job insecurity, struggling to pay the bills, difficulties raising children, the list is endless. Outside of our private concerns, we are bombarded with the state of the world-terrorism, mass shootings, racial upheaval, and market fluctuations turning a hard-earned 401k into a 201K overnight. All coming at us from a sensationalist industry following the motto, “if it bleeds, it leads.” My family jokes about the 24-hour news network CNN, calling it Constantly Negative News. If I can carry my audience away from the world for a few hours, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.

Many would argue this goal is superficial, and writing should be about more than entertainment. Perhaps they would be right. Don’t get me wrong. I address serious nonfictional matters in my novels ranging from cancer (Planning for Love), to war injuries and survivor guilt (Second Chance Christmas), abusive relationships, divorce, and single parenthood (Heart of Design, Art of Affection). I even thought I created my own medical condition, only to find out that Mirror Touch Synesthesia is an actual syndrome and is probably as difficult to live with as my character portrayed it in Poplar Place. These matters are researched and respectfully handled and may bring new knowledge to my readers. I’m always grateful to readers who provide constructive feedback, both positive and negative, about these issues in the storylines. However, my first question I want answered is whether you loved it or hated it-did it entertain you? Did you find the humor, feel the struggle, get angry at a character, or stay up late to find out what happens next? If the answer is yes, then I’ve achieved what I set out to do.

I gauge television shows with what I call my anticipation and disappointment meter. You know what I’m talking about-the show that’s so appealing you anticipate it from week to week, and are sorely disappointed when the credits roll, because you could watch it for hours more. Those addicted to Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey probably know what I’m talking about. I take great pride when a reader tells me they were sorry when the story ended and beg for the next installment. It means I distracted them from their own concerns for a short period. As someone who dealt with postpartum depression, and rediscovered laughter through Stephanie Plum novels, I know the value of being pulled up from the depths of despair through a book. Perhaps one day I can do that for another. That’s why I write.

RONE Finalist & Writer’s Beware Article

I honored to announce that Planning for Love  is a 2016 RONE Award Finalist in the Chick-Lit category. The RONE awards are one of the most prestigious and assuredly the most comprehensive Indie Awards in the publishing world and are distributed by InD’tale Magazine. Award winners can be found on page 54 in the June InD’tale Magazine.

Additionally, in this month’s magazine you will find my latest article, Writer’s Beware, highlighting the recent signing scams that seem to be on the rise in the Romance industry. Some of the swindles have been due to poor money managment or incompetence, others seem to be perpetrated   by outright fraudsters who have no plans to actually hold the signing and only seek to take your money and run. I encourage all old and new authors to read the article and become aware of the Signing Scam minefields out there.

Virginia Festival of the Book

Upcoming Event – Mark Your Calendar

I’m pleased to announce I will be participating in a panel session at the 2016 Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, VA on Saturday, March 19. The panel session,  Series Writing: For Women by Women, also includes Virginia authors Betsy Ashton, Tracey Livesay and Avery Flynn. The panel will be moderated by the hilariously funny author of Magic Fishing Panties, Kimberly Dalferes. (Book signing will take place following the panel session.)

From best-seller lists to box office hits, series are all the rage. Though series writing is nothing new to the publishing industry, in the past decade we’ve seen an unprecedented resurgence of series in all genres of writing and publishers are continually searching for the next big hit. The panelists and moderator bring together five female Virginia authors who write romance and women’s fiction series that speak to a diverse class of readers. The author’s series’ provide main characters with ages spanning from mid-twenties to the twilight years. Moreover, the authors also bring diversity in their writing through multi-racial and multi-cultural relationships and their storylines deal with the issues that we as an ever diversifying nation face now and in the future.

The Festival of the Book is a five day conference put on by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. The days are filled with author readings, panel sessions, book signings, industry discussions and workshops. It is one of the largest events in the Mid-Atlantic region bringing in upwards of 20,000 participants, including readers, authors and industry professionals. There is no charge to attend most of the sessions. However, there are some specialty luncheons, dinners and receptions which participants can pay to attend.

If you live in the region I highly recommend you put this event on your calendar. You won’t be disappointed! Visit The Virginia Festival of the Book Website for more information.

Query Letter for Agents & Publishers

(Originally posted on Savvy Author’s Blog 2013)

So, you’re an author. You’ve written your fiction novel and you’ve edited and refined it to shiny perfection. What? You’re not finished with your novel? It’s still in draft form and you haven’t had someone else proof it? Stop! You aren’t ready to go shopping for an agent or publisher, go back to your manuscript, finish and polish it before going any further.

The Query Letter

If you have indeed finished your novel and polished it, then you are at the beginning of an exciting and sometimes devastating road. However, there are still a few documents you’ll need to prepare before beginning your search. Chief among them is the dreaded Query Letter. First and foremost, the query letter should be a professional document in a readable font. This isn’t the time for a fancy princess script font. Agents looking for new authors receive hundreds of query letters a week, and they don’t want a cutesy letter you’d send to Grandma, or you’re life’s story. The letter should be one page and generally contains four paragraphs – The Hook, A Mini-synopsis, Manuscript Info, and a Short Bio.

The Hook – Writing a hook can be a tricky business. The hook is basically an enticing 1-2 sentence attention grabber. That’s it. It shouldn’t sound like an intro to a textbook. Run your hook by a critique partner. They’ll see it from a different perspective and may hit on the key to making you’re hook stand out.

The Mini-synopsis – This is where the manuscript needs to shine. Use this paragraph to show an agent why you’re book is special and different from others. Provide quick, attention-grabbing sentences about your characters and the turmoil you create in their life. Think back of the book blurb. Leave the agent wanting to hear more about your fabulous novel. Make sure to provide the title of your book in this paragraph. Italicize the title.

Manuscript Info – This should be a brief paragraph and contain the following: word count, genre, target audience, and comparable writers. Don’t forget to research the genre you’re claiming to write. If you write romance, your word count should be between 60-80K. An agent will pass on a romance novel that’s coming in at 130K words. You’ve either written too much and need to cut, cut, cut, or it should be broken up into a series.

Short Bio – The bio paragraph should be easy because it’s about you. If you have any writing experience, articles for magazines or journals, short stories, a popular blog, etc., put that information here. If your story is about a lawyer and you are one, write that here. If you’re new and unpublished, but have joined some writing organizations, put that down. If you are a new writer and have little to say, that’s fine too. It gives you more space to for your all-important mini-synopsis.

Finally, provide a closer sentence or two thanking the agent for their time, and to tell them what you’ve attached to the e-mail or included in the envelope – e.g. synopsis, first three chapters, blurb, etc.

If you met the agent or publisher at a conference or local workshop, be sure to add that to your query letter to jog their memory. To find out more about preparing each of these paragraphs, I suggest searching the web. There are dozens of query letter samples to get you started.

Other Documentation

Agents or Publishers may request other documents beyond the query letter, such as; synopsis, one page summary, and first three chapters. Be sure to carefully read each agent/publisher’s website and query submission guidelines. If you don’t follow the guidelines, it can lead to an automatic rejection. Don’t submit a 5 page synopsis when only a twofer was requested. Don’t query an agent with your children’s book if she only represents crime and mystery fiction. Not only are you wasting their time, you’re wasting yours.

Synopsis – Many agents/publishers will request a synopsis to go along with the query letter. If the agent doesn’t define how long the synopsis should be, keep it to 2-3 single-spaced pages. Make sure to number the pages and have the title of the book and your name in the header. The entire synopsis should only include the names of 3-5 characters. When naming the characters, use all caps. Do this throughout the synopsis. A synopsis should be written in third person, even if your novel is written in first person. It should be in present tense. Do not introduce too many characters in the synopsis. You can refer to side characters by their jobs or role in the book to keep the synopsis concise. Always, always, ALWAYS include the ending of the book. If the main character dies, say that. If your heroine marries the hero and they live happily ever after, write it down. An agent is looking for the ending. If you leave a cliffhanger, she may cliff hang your synopsis in the trash.

One page blurb/summary – I have seen some agents ask for a one-page blurb or summary. Unless they define it differently, assume a summary could be akin to a long blurb, similar to something you’d find on the inside of a book jacket. Make it exciting. Write in third person. Write character names in all caps. Be sure your name, book title, contact information, and word count is at the top of the summary page.

First Three Chapters – This is self-explanatory. Your manuscript should be typed in a readable 12 pt. font and double spaced. Times New Roman is generally the preferred font. Create a Title Page. This should include your name, contact info, total word count and genre in the upper left or right hand corner. In the middle of the page, center the title. Be sure to number your pages. Do not number the Title Page. In the header of each page, not the title page, list the title and your name.

Search the web for examples of all these documents to help set you on your way. Don’t forget to proof, proof, proof your query letter and all the accompanying documents, just as you would a resume. Additionally, proof the e-mail. A careless typo in the subject line may have an agent automatically deleting or sending a form rejection.

Finding Agents to Query

Now that you’ve polished your documentation, where do you find an agent/publisher? If you’ve met one at a conference or writer’s workshop, and they showed any interest, be sure to follow up with a query promptly. Otherwise, if you’re heading out into the harsh world of cold-querying, I recommend starting with the website Preditors & Editors. It’s a comprehensive website for finding all things publishing. You’ll find information about agents, publishers, contests, conventions, and more. Preditors & Editors also provides information about sketchy agents you should avoid. I also suggest searching for an article called Thumbs Down Agency List, to find out about poor agency practices and what to watch out for.

Researching and querying agents is a time-consuming business. Be sure to tailor your query letter to each agent and format your documents to their exact specifications. Some agents prefer everything in the body of the e-mail, whereas others will accept attachments. Also be sure to save attachments in the proper formats. For instance, some agents prefer Rich Text Format rather than Word documents.

Final Thoughts

An agent may not be for everyone. If you’ve successfully launched your self-published books, or you’re working with a small e-publisher and your sales have done well, more power to you. However, if you’re dying to get a physical book on the Barnes and Noble shelf or wish to be published with one of the major book publishers, such as Random House, you’ll need an agent. Major publishers, and even some medium-sized publishers, won’t accept submissions from unagented authors. Remember, agents make contacts with all sorts of editors in the publishing business. An editor may review your manuscript if it’s submitted by an agent they know and trust, but circular file a manuscript submitted by an unknown writer.

Finally, a word to the wise, rejection comes with the territory. As a writer, you will face rejection from agents, publishers, and readers. It’s not pretty and it never feels good. The publishing industry is a dog-eat-dog world, and writers are a dime a dozen. If you can’t handle the rejection, find another career.

Upcoming Public Appearances

Saturday, June 25 ~ 6-9 p.m. BadWolf Brewery, Manassas, VA – Book Signing


March 12, 2016 ~ Book signing at McKay Used Books from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

March 19, 2016 ~ Series Writing For Women By Women panel session at the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, VA. Visit the Festival website for times and location.

April 30 – May 1, 2016 ~  Richmond Readers Rehab     EVENT CANCELLED

April 30~  Noon – 3:00 p.m. RVA Romance Readers

Book signing ~ Chesterfield Library, 9501 Lori Rd, Chesterfield, Virginia 23832

More information coming soon