The Contract is Signed and in the Mail

I started this blog in 2009, and when I did I had not completed my first novel. Believe me, I often wondered about blogging before I'd even written the book. My mantra at that time was "write the book"! Finally, in February of 2012 I completed my first book. I blogged about that too, and took a picture of it in the manila envelope as it went off on its journey to New York City without me. And yes, I then began to write the second book.

That first book was rejected, but at almost this time last year (late June of 2012) I had completed the proposal for the second book and joined Harlequin's "Speed date online pitch". I was fortune enough to receive a request for synopsis from that pitch, followed by a request for the partial, followed by the request for the full manuscript in early October. And yes, this time I'd finished the book in four months. Proof of Grace kind of fell off my fingers. Then again, I had time on my hands that summer. But more importantly, I'd learned how to write a book from beginning to end.

On the way, I met other fabulous authors who were on the same path. We became Facebook and Twitter friends, and we supported one another. There are lots of wonderful authors out there in the blogosphere. Many of the authors I met last year are now published, and I got to watch their journey too.

As for Proof of Grace, it made it all the way up to acquisition where it was eventually rejected with a rather nice personalized rejection from the editors. Still. Sniffle.

Oh by the way, by then I had begun my third book.

While I continued to write my third book I shopped for a home for "Proof". This month, I received an offer of contract. Proof of Grace will have a new title, unknown at this time, but it now has a home. A home with a great publisher I'm sure will appreciate and love it as much as I do.

And as for me, I'm on another leg of the journey.

Write. Query. Submit. Repeat.

I'm excited today to welcome author Liz Flaherty to the blog. Liz, you are published with both Carina Press and your recent release is with Harbourlight Books. Would you give us a blurb of your latest release?

Early McGrath didn’t want freedom from her thirty-year marriage to Nash, but when it was forced upon her, she did the only thing she knew to do—she went home to the Ridge to reinvent herself.

Only what is someone who’s taken care of people her whole life supposed to do when no one needs her anymore? Even as the threads of her life unravel, she finds new ones— reconnecting with the church of her childhood, building the quilt shop that has been a long-time dream, and forging a new friendship with her former husband.

The definition of freedom changes when it’s combined with faith. Can Early and Nash find a Soft Place to Fall?

I love that cozy-looking cover. Please tell me a little bit about your journey to publication.

Well, it was bumpy and it took a really long time. My first book was a Kensington Precious Gems in 1998. It took four years to sell another book to a small publisher—one that promptly sold and the new owner didn’t want the book. Another year, another small publisher, who published the book but was…well, less than honest. Got the rights back. Sold the book again. The publisher closed its doors. Eventually, I sold a book to The Wild Rose Press and they also bought my poor, unwanted second book, Because of Joe. I’ve since published with Silhouette Special Edition, Carina, and Harbourlight.

How long have you been submitting your work to editors and/or agents?

Since the mid-1990s. I’m not sure what year. I’ve worked with three different agents, all of whom worked very hard to sell my books, but things just didn’t click. I’m without one now, and only time will tell whether I’m being smart about that or not.

How many years have you been writing?

Since I was in fifth grade, which is a really long time. For publication, since the 1980s, which I wrote a newspaper column. That was fun!

Do you have any advice for authors as yet unpublished?

I just answered that today on another interview, and I’m going to quote myself: Have a great time. Write every day. Don’t give up. Unless you’re not having that great time, then do give up.

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received? Muriel Jensen sent me a letter once, and at the bottom of it, she wrote, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” I kept that note until the ink had faded so much you couldn’t read it anymore.

What are you working on now?

Steven’s story. If you remember him from One More Summer, you’re probably not surprised I’m writing the story. You’re probably also not surprised that it’s difficult!

Where can we find you on the web?

http://lizflaherty.com or http://wordwranglers.blogspot.com/ or, once a month, at an exciting new blog http://contemporaryromancecafe.com/

Thank you, Liz!

Thanks for having me, Maria!

Welcome Entangled Publishing Debut Author Jan Meredith

Welcome, Jan. You are about to be published by Entangled. I’d love to hear about your journey. What is the name of your release and give us a blurb if you will?

Hi, Maria. Thank you so much for hosting me here at Romancing the Writer. This is my first blog interview and I’m a little nervous, and when I’m nervous, I tend to rattle on!

I’m so excited to have signed with Entangled Publishing, and confident that Playing Doctor has found a happy home.

An out of town wedding, a chance encounter with a sexy stranger…it’s just what the doctor ordered. When a fellow RN jokingly predicts that Beth Roberts will meet a tall, ripped, and totally lick-o-luscious stranger who will fulfill her deepest desires, it was supposed to be from across a crowded room, not giving CPR to a wedding guest. A former victim of domestic violence, Beth has no desire to become involved with another man, but who could have predicted the ponytailed doctor with the mischievous smile would break through her defenses?

Dr. Gabriel North, a former pulmonologist, blamed himself when his wife died from a pulmonary embolus. After two years of battling guilt, he’s decided to move on and begin a new life with a new job in a new town. When he sees Beth at his friend’s wedding, his attraction is swift and strong, and he wastes no time in pressing his advantage. Gaining her respect as a physician is easy, but getting her to trust the man is going to take more than medical school has prepared him for.

How long have you been submitting your work to editors and/or agents?

Oh, gosh. This is telling my age!

I began writing in the late 80’s with a wonderful agent and still have two manuscripts with her suggestions scribbled all over the pages, but between family obligations and work, I never found the time to revise them and submit them to a publisher. Maybe one day I’ll drag them out, dust them off, and take another look.

Playing Doctor is the third book I’ve written, but the only book I’ve submitted to a publisher, the first time in March of 2012 after winning an editors pitch with Harlequin Mills & Boon Medical Romance. It was also my first rejection, but with the most awesome two-page feedback letter from the editor. I took that advice and revised the book. Took some writing workshops and revised some more, submitted it to an agent and got my second rejection.

Two months later, I took a breath and submitted a partial of the manuscript to three different publishers. Much to my surprise, within a week, editors from all three houses asked to see the full manuscript. I couldn’t believe it, especially as one of the editors was Heather Howland, from Entangled Publishing. I immediately set to work on finishing my book.

In the end, I submitted Playing Doctor a total of seven times—six to publishers and once to an agent— with two rejections, two request for a partial, four requests for full manuscripts, one withdrawal before decision, and two offers for contracts, both at the same time. All of this happened between March of 2012 and March of 1013. It’s been an exciting year!

Entangled is a new publisher, and we’ve heard so many great things about them. How did you wind up submitting to them? Was it slush pile, via an online pitch, or ….?

A while back while researching potential publishers for submissions, I read an intriguing article about a group of “industry-savvy authors” who decided to start their own publishing company where authors were their priority. I was very impressed with their business model and when they announced their plan to launch the Brazen imprint, I decided to give it a shot.

I submitted the first three chapters of Playing Doctor to Heather Howland in May of 2012. Within a week, she emailed me and asked to see the completed manuscript. I’m a chronic self editor, and so it took me a while to get the story just the way I wanted it. In October, with the book still unfinished, I signed up with the Entangled Boot Camp with Savvy Authors and worked with Heather and her wonderful assistants, Tahra and Sue, and went on to do Smackdown during NaNoWriMo.

I was determined to finish my story, achieve my word count, and submit it to Heather for the Brazen imprint, but my characters kept telling me they were happy where they were. In the end, I submitted to the Ever After imprint, which is the longer of their two novella imprints. It was forwarded back to Heather Howland. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was when I got the email telling me she wanted to take my book to acquisitions, and then another email a week later offering me a contract. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Entangled family. Anyone interested in learning more about them can do so through this link.

You mentioned participating in the Harlequin Board’s fast track pitches. Do you recommend those to a new writer? And if so, why?

Yes, I did two pitches with Harlequin. The first was for their Mills & Boon Medical line which required a two paragraph blurb for the editors to view. Thirty-nine entered and six were chosen to pitch. The second was the Harlequin Blaze pitch in November. Thirty-four entered and eleven were chosen to submit either a partial or a full. I submitted my partial in November, but withdrew it in March before hearing back from the editor after accepting the contract from Entangled.

Would I recommend them to a new writer? Absolutely. Each time a new writer participates in a pitch—with any publisher—it’s a learning experience, an opportunity to hone your craft, to get constructive feedback from an editor, as well as feedback and support from the forums.

Do you have any advice for authors as yet unpublished?

Write! Even if it’s only one page a day. You can’t edit, submit, or sell what isn’t written.

Read! When you find a book that pulls you in, grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go even after the last page is turned…read it again, this time as a writer. Ask yourself, what was it about this book that hooked you, pulled you in and kept you there, made you keep thinking about it after you finished it? What do you tell your friends when you recommend they read it? That’s the kind of book you want to write.

Learn! Take workshops. I love Savvy Authors and their workshops. I’ve learned so much from them and the interaction with the instructors and the other writers in the classes. And if you only take one, make it Jill Nelson’s workshop, Rivet Your Readers With Deep Point Of View. The difference it made in the way my story read was amazing. If you can’t take the class, at least get her book, as the class comes directly from the book.

Share! Get a critique partner (or five!) who also writes in the genre you write in. (Your friends will read your book, and they will OMG, LOVE IT! but will be unwilling to give you honest feedback for fear of hurting your feelings.)You know your story, the characters, their past and what’s made them the way they are today and where you want them to go in your story. But have you got it all on paper? Another pair of knowledgeable eyes will find the holes, pick up on the confusing spots, make suggestions and corrections that you had no idea were needed. You’ll be amazed at how much better your book will be afterward. Learn to take criticism gracefully and for what it is…the opportunity to make your book the best it can be.

Be cautious! Research the publishers you submit to. Talk to other authors who are published with them. Know the market and please know the difference between 40% of net v/s 40% of cover price when looking at the royalties.

What are you working on now?

The secondary characters in Playing Doctor have demanded a story of their own. Educating Eve is a friends to lovers romance about Ian Montgomery, a Navy SEAL, and Eve Winters, a life style/advice columnist.

All Ian Montgomery, Navy SEAL, wants is to get through his brother’s wedding and enjoy the peace and quiet of home while his injuries heal. The last thing he needs is his pain in ass nemesis from his childhood, who just happens to be the sister of the bride, invading his space while her home is undergoing repairs for water damage. As kids, she was the annoying little sister he’d never had, or wanted, constantly begging him to “show me how.” But little Eve has grown up, and rather nicely, too, and her latest request for his tutoring services are anything but childish.

When Eve Winters found herself coerced into writing a life style/advice column, she thought, meh, piece of cake! That was before the sex questions began to pour in. Her past relationships have been less than satisfying, leaving her wondering what all the fuss is about. How’s a girl supposed to give advice on something she’s clueless about? What she needs is a lesson on the smexy, and there’s only one man she trusts enough to do the job.

I’m also working on the story for a Beauty and the Beast trope about a cage fighter/restaurant owner and an old money socialite with a family determined to match her up with an acceptable mate, as well as two other stand alone books.

Will you be attending the RWA Nationals?

Yes, if all goes well, I’ll be at the RWA Nationals.

Where can we find you on the web?

Please excuse my poor blog as it’s a bit drab at the moment. At some point, my publicist will hopefully step in and give it a face-lift. However, I’m still happy to welcome one and all to stop by and take a look at the sneak peeks posted of Playing Doctor, as well as other works in progress.

https://www.facebook.com/jan.meredith.121

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jan-Meredith-Author/180907778724775

http://janmeredith-rn.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/JanMeredith21

Thank you for a lovely visit, and, happy reading to one and all!

Thank you for visiting, Jan!

Welcome SYTYCW Contestant - Me, Myself and I

Hey, welcome Maria. It’s good to have you here today.

Overall, how would you rate your experience with So You think You Can Write Global 2012?

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would rate it a 7 because I like the beat, and I can dance to it. Okay, more like a 5 and I will elaborate later.

We were required to upload the first chapter as our entry in SYTYCW. Is that chapter still in its original form or has it gone through more revisions?

Geez Maria, I knew you were going to ask me that question. Call me psychic, but I think we’re on the same wavelength.

Okay well, so here it is. The ugly truth: I can’t say that chapter is in it’s original form, no. Not anymore.

How about the rest of the book? Is it finished? Going through more revisions?

Here we go. You don’t quit, do you? All right, it’s time for the whole truth. So here’s what happened:

In my defense, we were told that the manuscript did not have to be completed. As long as it was completed by the time of voting. I had a manuscript, but it needed tweaking to meet some of the rigid guidelines for this particular category line. So I set about to make these changes.

And then in one horrible moment, I lost most of the changes that I had made and could not recover them. The file was corrupt. Bill Gates wasn’t taking my calls and I felt as though I were running out of time to put it all together.

It’s a terrible sinking feeling that I think every author has experienced at least once. Save your work under multiple file names. Don’t be like me. You don’t want to be like me.

How long have you been writing?

Once my dreams of rocknroll stardom and induction into that hall of fame did not pan out, I thought I’d try writing. Like most writers, I’ve been a hard core reader from grade school. But then I had children. So other than having some fun writing articles for my children’s preschool coop newsletter, my words were mostly silent for about a decade.

In 2004 I remember sitting in a room with a bunch of other people who were all going to build their real estate empire (a story for another time) when suddenly a still voice inside of me (and actually the guy behind the podium, but he meant it in another way) said, “Just do it.”

I had the bright idea that I would write a novel – and so I came home and had no idea how to do that. So I wrote short stories instead – one of them won Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest 2010 Awards – I loved writing again,but I couldn’t seem to get through an entire novel.

The prospect was overwhelming. I would get to about 18,000 words and fizzle out. Then I’d start something else. Some of my friends and I started a little writer’s group and they challenged me to just finish something. So in 2010 I started my first novel and though it took me fourteen months to finish I did it. Just like Nike says. I would say I learned more in that single process than I did from all the writing courses I’ve taken over the years.

Have you ever entered a contest like this one before?

Not like this – I’ve entered other contests before. Warning: this is a contest on steroids.

What are your thoughts about the promotional aspect of the contest?

I didn’t much care for it – I’m the type of person who doesn’t want to bombard my friends with emails and beg for their votes. But as luck would have it, I stopped doing that once I lost my entry.

If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently, if anything?

I would not lose my entry!

What are you working on now?

I’ve just submitted my first single title romance to Carina Press, and I’m very excited about my WIP, another single title contemporary. I’m in that delicious “first love” stage.

Where can we find you on the Web?

Facebook: Maria Font Buscher

Twitter:@mariabuscher

Writers Writing Out Loud

Welcome SYTYCW Finalist Author Lisa Medley

Today I'm happy to visit with newly published author Lisa Medley. Yes, you read that right. Yet another author published from exposure with the So You Think You Can Write Global 2012 Contest. Squeeeee!

Welcome, Lisa. Overall, how would you rate your experience with So You think You Can Write Global 2012?

I thought it was great. I really had no idea what to expect. The camaraderie and cheerleading was awesome. The WAITING…not so awesome. But that’s just me. I’m not the patient sort. I loved the interactive aspect of the contest. It made it so fun.

We were required to upload the first chapter as our entry in SYTYCW. Is that chapter still in its original form or has it gone through more revisions?

It’s still mostly intact. I took a hard look at my LY words throughout the book and cut them down from 1395 to 800. That definitely helped with the showing and not telling aspect of my writing. Still picking and poking at the book however.

How about the rest of the book? Is it finished? Going through more revisions?

It was finished when I entered the contest. In fact, I finished book two in the series mid January. Book three has been trying to start, but I keep pushing it off because I know I’ll have a million revisions to make soon. I’ve had a half dozen readers on both books and gotten back some good suggestions.

Any thoughts on submitting your entry to another publisher or agent?

I planned to do just that. I registered for the RT CON in Kansas City back in October. My plan was to pitch, pitch, pitch! I had pitched it to two agents back in July but that was it so far. I’d written it with Harlequin in mind because I think they are the most new author friendly publisher.

How long have you been writing?

I wrote a newspaper column through high school and off and on through the years at other local newspapers but no fiction. My first attempt at mainstream fiction fizzled at 13,000 words. My second attempt at a vampire romance sputtered out around 30K. When my paranormal-loving BFF read it, she asked the question which got me on the right track: What makes this different? Uh, nothing. Same old thing. That’s when I got serious about finding a different world and beastie to write about and the Reaper Series was born.

Have you ever entered a contest like this one before?

I had entered a couple of regional contests but with no luck. I saw the SYTYCW contest last year. But this is my first novel and it wasn’t finished then. I tucked it away in the back of my mind for 2012. When I saw it was happening, I took the plunge.

What are your thoughts about the promotional aspect of the contest?

Personally, I loved the social media aspect. I like helping/promoting others. I already had a family blog, a fairly new author blog, about 300 Facebook friends on my main page and a new Facebook author page with only about 20 fans. My Twitter account was pitiful. I had a whopping 45 followers when the contest started. By the end, I had more than 300 and today more than 500. I keep working to reach out and build my tribe by building up others. I have a strong support system of friends which really came out of the woodwork. I still don’t know if I made the Top 28 by votes or wildcard. It would be interesting to find out!

If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently, if anything?

I would try to stress out a little less about it all. I had no idea how stressful it would be. It was work! But I definitely recommend it to anyone trying to break through the slush pile. My writer friends thought I was brave for entering but really…what did I have to lose? Absolutely nothing! Look at how many cool friends I made and what happened next!

What are you working on now?

Well, as fate would have it, I got THE CALL from Harlequin Digital First on January 30. You can read the long version here if you’d like here. I didn’t know it but Editor, Mary-Theresa Hussey from the SYTYCW contest forwarded my entry after I was officially rejected by Harlequin Nocturne. Mary-Theresa thought it was better suited for urban fantasy and perhaps the new Harlequin Digital First series. I’m glad I didn’t know it was under consideration, or I would have continued to fret!

I got the call, a contract and an option on book two. I was assigned a fantastic editor two weeks ago and will be receiving my first round of edits THIS WEEK! It’s very exciting! I’m so blessed to have had Mary-Theresa working behind the scenes for me. You never know who your angels are so treat everyone like they might be yours!

Where can we find you on the Web?

Dear Lord, I’m everywhere, ha!

Author blog: http://lisamedley.wordpress.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisamedleyauthor Twitter: @lisamedley Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/medley3/ Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7100819-lisa-medley

Thank you for being here today, Lisa! I can't wait to read your book.

Beautiful Mess

It seems that some people are given much more trouble and struggle, while others seem to skate by unscathed. The world is such a difficult place; it’s hard to believe, though, that one person could be hit with so much at one time. If you’re looking for fairness, don’t ask Life.

The question comes to mind: isn’t life just a series of small triumphs? Most of us are used to examining an entire life, like that of someone hugely successful in both their private and professional life, and the huge obstacles/challenges they somehow overcame. These are the people that we celebrate, emulate, give awards to, write books and make movies about – the “beautiful people”. Not always physically beautiful, but certainly larger than life.

These are the people we reward. Most often, they are goal-oriented people, who are good at motivating others. They want you to circle your wagon around them and desire to be just like them. They want you to buy their book and find out “how they did it” so you can do it, too. And when you still can’t figure out how to be just like them, they’ll want you to buy the sequel to their book and try again.

But most people live ordinary lives. We have some triumphs, more than likely outweighed by our failures, however small. We’ve had our moments in the sun, mostly when we were young. We’ve had little triumphs a long the way – if we’re lucky, we’ve loved deeply, married well and given birth to healthy babies.

Which brings me to another thing. Once you have children, they tend to be viewed as an extension of your own accomplishments. I do not believe it should be so, but unfortunately it is. If you have trouble with your children you’ve done something wrong, apparently. If your children are wonderful, you’ve done something right. Of course, we’ve been a huge influence on our children. But unless we’ve home schooled them and lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere with no other human contact, we haven’t been the only one. Is it fair to judge a life by someone else’s choices?

Yes, life is messy. We pick ourselves up and we go on. We work, we play, we laugh and we make love. We go on vacation, and we come back to a pile of bills to pay; we look for work and we don’t find it. We rail against the elected officials, but when election time comes around we are too busy to vote. We make decisions and live to regret them. We ask for second chances, and sometimes we get them.

You have to admit, though, it’s a beautiful mess.

Welcome SYTYCW Contestant Amber Autry

Help me welcome Harlequin Community Board regular and SYTYCW contestant Amber Autry. Thanks for being here today, Amber. Overall, how would you rate your experience with So You think You Can Write Global 2012?

Overall, it was a great experience. I loved finding a lot of new writers on twitter, and the learning process is priceless. I didn’t like the fact that no comments could be made on chapters. In 2011, I entered the New Voices contest, and the comments left by others helped my chapter grow to new lengths.

We were required to upload the first chapter as our entry in SYTYCW. Is that chapter still in its original form or has it gone through more revisions?

At this time, the chapter is still in the same form, but I intend to give it another look over (I’ve already revised it 20 million times) to see if I can extend it and make a bigger novel out of it. I realized I was trying to fit a Women’s Fiction into a romance and it was causing the novel to lack. Because of this, I have a lot of rethinking to do. I know nothing about the Women’s Fiction market. Good thing this was what I considered my “learning novel”. It makes the sting a lot less hurtful.

How about the rest of the book? Is it finished? Going through more revisions?

The book is finished, but the second half is in very first draft mode. Again, as my learning novel, I made many, many newbie mistakes, and it seems the revisions are a never ending process with this novel.

Any thoughts on submitting your entry to another publisher or agent?

Since I discovered it’s a Women’s Fiction, I have less options with Harlequin for this novel. They do have a Women’s Fiction line, but the word length is 100k. That means I will have to double the word count to fit there. I’m looking into an Agent who I may want to represent me during the rest of my writing ventures.

How long have you been writing?

Depends on where you want me to start. I first wrote stuff for my churches drama club when I was 12 years old. Plays, songs, and whatever else I could come up with, but all that was lost in my later teenage years and I didn’t start writing seriously until I was 20 years old. Almost 7 years later, I’m getting even more serious. I procrastinated way too much, and it’s time for me to take the next step in my writing career. I hope to get a call story this year.

Have you ever entered a contest like this one before?

The only other time I entered a contest like this was in 2011 when Harlequin had their New Voices and SYTYCW contests separate. I did like New Voices better.

What are your thoughts about the promotional aspect of the contest?

I stink at this part. I felt as if I were bugging everyone. I’m sure many people turned the option to see me in their newsfeed on Facebook off. I shared, at the very least, once an hour for days. GRR… I’m sure there’s a better way to do things, and if I do this contest again, I’ll find those better ways.

And then tell me about them, LOL! I had the same problem. If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently, if anything?

First would be the way I marketed my chapter. I think I turned more people off than on by how often I shared my chapter. I will also listen to others advice (I was told a couple times that my story sounded more like a women’s fiction) before moving on with something. I don’t know why I resisted (maybe because I love Romance so much), but it took me a bit to realize I was trying to mold my manuscript into something it wasn’t.

It sounds like you have grown as a writer by leaps and bounds. What are you working on now?

In January, Harlequin had a pitch contest for Intrigue. The manuscript didn’t need to be started or finished. I had an idea that bloomed from a dream and decided to pull it out and give it a shot. “The Baby Heist” is about a woman trying to protect her unborn child from a stalker. The hero is a suspect at first. She requested a full. I was ecstatic. So, I wrote about half of it and she emailed me asking me to send whatever I had. Ultimately, it was rejected. I gave myself the day of the rejection to sulk, then I jumped back on the pitching horse and got 2 agent requests and 1 publisher request during #pitmad. I also went to a writers conference and met with an agent who also wants to see more. I’ll be sending those partials out, and hopefully good news comes from them. Moral of this story, keep on writing. Go for that dream. You will make it.

Where can we find you on the Web?

I have a website under construction so please excuse the content. www.amberautry.com My blog, twitter, and Facebook page are all on my website if you want to find me in those social media outlets. My personal Facebook is: https://www.facebook.com/ambernautry

Thanks for being here today Amber, and I look forward to your "call story" sometime this year!