These days, it seems that all we hear about are series. Series. Series. And I love a good series, I really do, I follow more than I probably should, given the time I have to read. I love revisiting a favorite world and group of people. But what about those books that stand alone? Romances that tell a story fully in one book? (And yes, I know unless we're talking about an on-going serial, each book in a series should be able to be read as a stand alone, but I'm using that term here for a non-series book.)
Some of my favorite books are single title, stand alone romances. Non-series romances. They don't contain tons of extra characters the reader can tell are there just to set them up for their own story. They focus on the current characters and tell their story. Period.
If you listen to the "experts" (and as a romance author, I do) we should be only writing series, as quickly as we can. Don't bother writing any books that can't be connected to other books in the same world/small town/group of friends/band of brothers/etc.
But to me, it's sad to think that if LaVyrle Spencer had been given that advice there would be no MORNING GLORY. We'd have nothing by Jennifer Crusie or many of the books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and so many other great romance authors. How many wonderful romances might never be written now? Yeah, series are great but can't the romance market support those books that aren't as well?
I have written both series and non-series books. As we stand on the cusp of 2015, I'm sitting here trying to make my goals for the coming year. I have my royal romance series I will be continuing, but I need a new project. I want a new project. But are the experts right? Would I be wasting my time writing a single title romance with a plus-sized heroine coming home to heal after a bad relationship and the tattooed hero she was always a little bit afraid of back in high school - a don't-judge-a-book-by-it's-cover book that's been calling to me for a couple of years now?
Yeah, I know I could come up with friends who could have their own stories later on, but then, as the author, I have to be planning those from the beginning. I have to start thinking release schedules for future books and weaving in those secondary characters so they don't feel like they are there merely as a set-up, and I maybe I don't want to do that with this story.
But of course, I want to sell books. I want to write books the readers want to buy, and create characters the readers will fall in love with. Writing is my business and the reality of that business is that my practical side has to choose my projects with the bottom line in mind, while my creative side cries out to write the stories that call to me.
This is where I am now. Do I keep writing my current series and when I'm ready for a new project, start one of the other group-of-friends/band-of-brothers series I have planned out? Do I just suck it up and go with the current wisdom and just forget about that other book?
So what do you think? Are stand alone romances dead?
Natasha
The Cottage Next Door
Her Royal Masquerade
Her Royal Bodyguard
Her Royal Rendezvous
www.natashamoore.com
Showing posts with label writing advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing advice. Show all posts
My advice? Get your butt in that chair...
This week's theme here at Fierce Romance is "Advice for Beginner Writers". That topic, for me, can be answered easily, yet with some difficulty, too. What it boils down to--and it's advice I need to take to heart myself sometimes--is to write, write, write, and to do it every day. Treat your desire to be published (or stay published) like it's a job. Have a plan of attack, or a daily/weekly goal if that's what works for you. I'm the best at just fluffing off when I don't know the direction I want to go in my WIP (work in progress). As a pantser, I need to recognize that in myself and listen to these words of wisdom I've heard for years: BUTT IN CHAIR.
Nothing else will solve your dilemma of what-the-hell-do-I-do-now better than just sitting in your chair and figuring it out. Maybe you do that with pen and paper, making notes, scribbling down ideas and thoughts. Or maybe you listen to music, play a game of solitaire, or do what works for me -- brainstorm with other author friends. I love tossing ideas back and forth like that. Great ideas have been born and lots of problems have been solved that way for me.
The trick is to do what works for you. But just DO IT. Books don't write themselves. Crap typed on the computer can be fixed, but a blank page? Not so much. Get something, anything, down and work on it, over and over if you have to. One foot in front of the other, one word on the screen at a time, and you'll make progress. Promise.
Off to take my own advice and get busy on today's word count. Hope everyone is have a great summer so far -- Stay cool!!
Kristin
www.kristindaniels.com
www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels
http://twitter.com/Krisin_Daniels
Nothing else will solve your dilemma of what-the-hell-do-I-do-now better than just sitting in your chair and figuring it out. Maybe you do that with pen and paper, making notes, scribbling down ideas and thoughts. Or maybe you listen to music, play a game of solitaire, or do what works for me -- brainstorm with other author friends. I love tossing ideas back and forth like that. Great ideas have been born and lots of problems have been solved that way for me.
The trick is to do what works for you. But just DO IT. Books don't write themselves. Crap typed on the computer can be fixed, but a blank page? Not so much. Get something, anything, down and work on it, over and over if you have to. One foot in front of the other, one word on the screen at a time, and you'll make progress. Promise.
Off to take my own advice and get busy on today's word count. Hope everyone is have a great summer so far -- Stay cool!!
Kristin
www.kristindaniels.com
www.facebook.com/authorkristindaniels
http://twitter.com/Krisin_Daniels
Author of Erotic Romance. Lover of dark chocolate and red wine. Fighter of Breast Cancer. If I'm not writing, I'm reading, or enjoying a little time with my family.
What is Fresh?
Most writers love listening to editors or agents speak at conferences, or reading their interviews. When asked what they’re looking for in terms of stories, they’ll often say something fresh. What does fresh mean in their eyes? They’re not talking about flirtatiousness or cool air. :) In my opinion, they’re talking about something they haven’t read a hundred times before, or even ten times before. They want uniqueness and originality in both the story line and the writing style. What that means for us is... trash those clichés of all types. Not just things like “avoid like the plague” but also uninventive descriptions of kisses or anything that is similar to what we’ve read in the past. If it makes you think blah, blah, blah... it's out.
How can you make your writing fresh? Read a lot and write a lot. When you read, you will sometimes come across passages, sentences or descriptions that sound bland and boring to you, maybe because you’ve read something similar before. That means it isn’t fresh. When you read something fresh, you think wow, I wish I’d written that. How vivid and original that is.
The more you write, the more experience you acquire and the fresher your writing becomes. Often the first things we write are not incredibly fresh. We are, after all, learning how to write from the ground up.
If you judge unpublished writing contests, you will often see passages that are not fresh enough. Use this experience to learn what is fresh and what isn’t.
Story lines that are the “same ole same ole” are also not fresh. If type of story has been done a million times, like vampires or regular Regency romance, then you need a completely new, inventive spin on the tried and true. Unique hooks and high concepts that quickly catch an editor’s attention are usually fresh. Think of “fresh” as new. Something you haven’t read before.
What would you consider “fresh?” Or have you read any fresh stories recently?
Nicole
Nicole North writes hot erotic romance for Red Sage, Carina Press/Harlequin and Ellora's Cave. Books include: DEVIL IN A KILT in SECRETS VOLUME 27 UNTAMED PLEASURES,KILTED LOVER, BEAST IN A KILT (the second in the kilted shapeshifter series) SECRETS VOLUME 29 INDULGE YOUR FANTASIES anthology. SCOUNDREL IN A KILT in SECRETS VOLUME 30 DESIRES UNLEASHED anthology, LAIRD OF DARKNESS, STORM OF PASSION, and BLADE OF THE WOLF.
To learn more please visit www.nicolenorth.com
Recapturing the Muse!
Recapturing the Muse
Here was an interesting exercise we did in writing with my local romance writer’s chapter this past weekend. Each member brought in a sack of six items and then we passed them around. We had fifteen minutes to write a story, then share with the group. After we finished this, we had time enough to write a new story, swapping our goodies with another member. Ironically, we all had an easier time coming up with the first story. It was as if our minds were still hooked on the earlier story, and we had to shift gears too quickly to come up with a new story.
How else can you encourage your muse to jump into a creative writing exercise?
Begin a sentence: The cop pulled over the pickup, expecting to give a warning for a blinking taillight, but as he approached the back, the odor from the bed of the truck nearly knocked him off his feet.
Now, everyone can come up with a story, and as vast as writers’ backgrounds are, you can be sure everyone will create a unique tale.
Or start out with a prompt: If I had a million dollars, I would…
Or take a well-known fairytale and have everyone turn it into something different, different ending, maybe the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella has ulterior motives, maybe it’s set on Mars…
Writing exercises like this can help stimulate your muse. Brainstorming can too. With others or on your own, come up with twenty ways to solve a problem, or create a motivation, or a goal for your characters. By digging deeper, we can come up with twists and turns we might not have thought of initially.
So if your stuck, get creative! Recapture your muse!
Here was an interesting exercise we did in writing with my local romance writer’s chapter this past weekend. Each member brought in a sack of six items and then we passed them around. We had fifteen minutes to write a story, then share with the group. After we finished this, we had time enough to write a new story, swapping our goodies with another member. Ironically, we all had an easier time coming up with the first story. It was as if our minds were still hooked on the earlier story, and we had to shift gears too quickly to come up with a new story.
How else can you encourage your muse to jump into a creative writing exercise?
Begin a sentence: The cop pulled over the pickup, expecting to give a warning for a blinking taillight, but as he approached the back, the odor from the bed of the truck nearly knocked him off his feet.
Now, everyone can come up with a story, and as vast as writers’ backgrounds are, you can be sure everyone will create a unique tale.
Or start out with a prompt: If I had a million dollars, I would…
Or take a well-known fairytale and have everyone turn it into something different, different ending, maybe the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella has ulterior motives, maybe it’s set on Mars…
Writing exercises like this can help stimulate your muse. Brainstorming can too. With others or on your own, come up with twenty ways to solve a problem, or create a motivation, or a goal for your characters. By digging deeper, we can come up with twists and turns we might not have thought of initially.
So if your stuck, get creative! Recapture your muse!
Terry Spear
http://www.terryspear.com/
Award-winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historical romantic suspense, Terry Spear also writes true stories for adult and young adult audiences. She’s a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has an MBA from Monmouth College. She also creates award-winning teddy bears, Wilde & Woolly Bears, to include personalized bears designed to commemorate authors’ books. When she’s not writing or making bears, she’s teaching online writing courses. Originally from California, she’s lived in eight states and now resides in the heart of Texas. She is the author of Heart of the Wolf, Don’t Cry Wolf, Winning the Highlander’s Heart, Deadly Liaisons, Relative Danger, The Vampire…In My Dreams (young adult), Deidre’s Secret (young adult) and numerous articles and short stories for magazines.
I Got THE CALL!!!
I always love to hear stories of how an author got their first call. Most have written for years, love to read, loved to tell stories since they were small, but getting THE CALL is always unique.
For me, I received my first call for two books, The Vampire…In My Dreams and Ghostly Liaisons from Medallion Press. The way it happened was I was dying in bed with the worst flu that had hit me in a very long time. Fevers, chills, truly felt I couldn’t live another day. And then I got THE CALL. Forget the fevers, the chills, feeling like I was going to die any moment. I had to tell my family, and then I had to tell the world, via the Internet. I spent hours on the Internet, then finally went back to bed, contract fairies floating in my head.
Medallion Press closed the Young Adult line in September, the month before Ghostly Liaisons, my first book was to be released.
That’s okay. Because then I had the chance to receive THE CALL again. I kept sending out manuscripts, getting rejections, and sending out again. And it happened. It was similar to the first time…
“Is this book still available for sale?”
“Yes!”
Only this time the purchasing editor said she hadn’t finished reading it. But so far she loved it. “Was my werewolf world unique?”
Luckily, I had read several other werewolf novels and watched werewolf movies over the years and none of them had done what I had. Of course, I paused before I said yes. What if the editor didn’t want unique? Was it too different from other author’s works? Unique is great, but being too different, can be a problem. So, what did I say?
“Yes!”
Great, but she had to finish reading it. Talk about cliff hangers. She would get back with me in a few days. A few days passed, a few more. She called. She loved it. But it still wasn’t THE CALL. She had to pitch it before a board. Another week passed, and then a few days after that, it came.
“We want it!” she said.
I didn’t respond instantly. I kept waiting for the—but--
Nope, no “buts.” They wanted it! So HEART OF THE WOLF will be out April 1, 2008 and that’s no April Fools!!!
It received a terrific Publisher’s Weekly Review and the day after that my editor called and said, “I love Don’t Cry Wolf. I haven’t finished reading it, but if the end is as good as the rest, I’m pitching it to my Publisher next week.”
This time I was a little more reassured the news would be good, but until it’s really a done deal…it’s not a done deal.
And once again, I got THE CALL. Don’t Cry Wolf will come out in Spring, 2009!!!
This is what we work so hard for after writing and writing and writing, revising and revising some more, and suffering the interminable rejections, and finally there comes a day when we receive—THE CALL!
Don’t let those doubts get you down. Keep writing, revising, and submitting, and you can one day share with us your story of how you received THE CALL.
Terry Spearhttp://www.terryspear.com/, Heart of the Wolf, Don’t Cry Wolf, Winning the Highlander’s Heart, The Vampire…In My Dreams
For me, I received my first call for two books, The Vampire…In My Dreams and Ghostly Liaisons from Medallion Press. The way it happened was I was dying in bed with the worst flu that had hit me in a very long time. Fevers, chills, truly felt I couldn’t live another day. And then I got THE CALL. Forget the fevers, the chills, feeling like I was going to die any moment. I had to tell my family, and then I had to tell the world, via the Internet. I spent hours on the Internet, then finally went back to bed, contract fairies floating in my head.
Medallion Press closed the Young Adult line in September, the month before Ghostly Liaisons, my first book was to be released.
That’s okay. Because then I had the chance to receive THE CALL again. I kept sending out manuscripts, getting rejections, and sending out again. And it happened. It was similar to the first time…
“Is this book still available for sale?”
“Yes!”
Only this time the purchasing editor said she hadn’t finished reading it. But so far she loved it. “Was my werewolf world unique?”
Luckily, I had read several other werewolf novels and watched werewolf movies over the years and none of them had done what I had. Of course, I paused before I said yes. What if the editor didn’t want unique? Was it too different from other author’s works? Unique is great, but being too different, can be a problem. So, what did I say?
“Yes!”
Great, but she had to finish reading it. Talk about cliff hangers. She would get back with me in a few days. A few days passed, a few more. She called. She loved it. But it still wasn’t THE CALL. She had to pitch it before a board. Another week passed, and then a few days after that, it came.
“We want it!” she said.
I didn’t respond instantly. I kept waiting for the—but--
Nope, no “buts.” They wanted it! So HEART OF THE WOLF will be out April 1, 2008 and that’s no April Fools!!!
It received a terrific Publisher’s Weekly Review and the day after that my editor called and said, “I love Don’t Cry Wolf. I haven’t finished reading it, but if the end is as good as the rest, I’m pitching it to my Publisher next week.”
This time I was a little more reassured the news would be good, but until it’s really a done deal…it’s not a done deal.
And once again, I got THE CALL. Don’t Cry Wolf will come out in Spring, 2009!!!
This is what we work so hard for after writing and writing and writing, revising and revising some more, and suffering the interminable rejections, and finally there comes a day when we receive—THE CALL!
Don’t let those doubts get you down. Keep writing, revising, and submitting, and you can one day share with us your story of how you received THE CALL.
Terry Spearhttp://www.terryspear.com/, Heart of the Wolf, Don’t Cry Wolf, Winning the Highlander’s Heart, The Vampire…In My Dreams
Award-winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historical romantic suspense, Terry Spear also writes true stories for adult and young adult audiences. She’s a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has an MBA from Monmouth College. She also creates award-winning teddy bears, Wilde & Woolly Bears, to include personalized bears designed to commemorate authors’ books. When she’s not writing or making bears, she’s teaching online writing courses. Originally from California, she’s lived in eight states and now resides in the heart of Texas. She is the author of Heart of the Wolf, Don’t Cry Wolf, Winning the Highlander’s Heart, Deadly Liaisons, Relative Danger, The Vampire…In My Dreams (young adult), Deidre’s Secret (young adult) and numerous articles and short stories for magazines.
USA Today National Bestselling author, Joy Nash
I'm privileged to announce USA Today National Bestselling author, Joy Nash, shared a little about herself with our readers—and what a success story. Learn how she did it!
She is the award-winning author of historical, paranormal, and contemporary romance fiction with Celtic, magic, fantasy, futuristic, romantic and sensual themes. My first chance to read one of her books was during a Romance Writers of America contest, Celtic Fire, and I was hooked. Now, all her books have a special place in my heart and truly are keepers. Her new book, Deep Magic, is now available everywhere! Read the excerpt of the second book in Joy's Druids of Avalon series, and order it online today!
Thanks so much, Joy, for taking the time to share with us today.
1. Can you tell us a little about your latest release?
Certainly!My latest book, Deep Magic, was released on Jan 2, 2008. Deep Magic is the second book in my Druids of Avalon series, which has been compared by reviewers to Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon and Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy. The Druids of Avalon series follows the lives of the Druid ancestors of King Arthur, as they struggle to pave the path for the great future king. Deep Magic, in which I tell my own version of how the great sword Excalibur was forged, follows the first book in the Druids series, The Grail King.
DEEP MAGIC... After generations of persecution, Britain's Druids have returned to Avalon, conjuring a magical mist to shield their illegal haven from Roman eyes. When a rogue Roman sorcerer threatens the isle's secrecy, Gwendolyn, the chosen successor to Avalon's Guardian, turns to forbidden Deep Magic in an effort to save the Druids from discovery. Crucial to her plans is Marcus Aquila, the handsome Roman blacksmith who once saved her life. But Gwen, a shapeshifter, cannot fully control the wolf that hides in her soul. The beast threatens the tentative love she and Marcus have forged. And what of the sword of Deep Magic they’ve created together...will it be Avalon's salvation...or its downfall?
You can read an excerpt of Deep Magic on my website, http://www.joynash.com/. Or you can listen to a podcast of me reading a different excerpt on Dorchester Publishing's website http://www.dorchesterpub.com/ !
2. What's coming up next?
Right now I'm hard at work finishing the urban fantasy Immortals: The Crossing. The Immortals series is a multi-author series I've co-authored with Jennifer Ashley and Robin Popp. The first round of Immortals books were released in 2007 – and all four titles became USA Today Bestsellers! Now four new Immortals books -- three full length novels and an anthology (with one full length book and one novella from each Immortals author) will be released beginning September 2008. Immortals: The Crossing (Oct 08), features the Sidhe demigod Mac, a very popular secondary character from my first Immortals book, Immortals: The Awakening. To keep up on Immortals happening, visit http://www.immortals-series.com/
3. Share with us how you felt when you learned you made the USA Today National Bestselling list.
The Awakening is the third book in the Immortals series. After Jennifer's The Calling and Robin's The Darkening each hit the USA Today list, I was on pins and needles waiting for my sales figures. I really didn't want to let the team down by tanking! Especially with JK Rowling taking up about twenty bestseller slots with her seven Harry Potter books in various incarnations. Luckily, The Awakening came through for us, as did Jennifer's finale, The Gathering. I was ecstatic, of course, and probably just as relieved.
4. Have you used a critique group? What are the benefits?
Yes, I've been in a critique group since I joined RWA in 2001. After a few false starts, I teamed up with two wonderful authors, Donna Birdsell and Anita Nolan. None of us were published when we began critiquing. Donna is now multi-published, with books from Berkley Sensation and Harlequin NEXT. Anita is now pursuing publication for middle grade readers, and has published educational short historical fiction as part of a middle grade history textbook series. I highly recommend critique partners. They keep you honest! They will tell you if some plot point's not working, and they'll catch all kinds of inconsistencies you've missed, even after your fifteenth read through. Often, authors are just too close to their own work to be able to see the story objectively, through a reader's eye.
5. What is your writing space like? Do you write at a desk? Somewhere else? Listen to music? Have to have no distractions?
If I had to write at a desk, I wouldn't have finished my first book! I write on a laptop computer, while sitting on the living room couch (you know, the one in the room near the front door that no one ever uses). Often, my dog is curled up at the end of the couch. The coffee table is my desk, supporting my feet and all the notes I've written to myself. I never listen to music while writing – I find it distracting. When I first started, I needed absolute silence (and preferably an empty house), but now I can filter out most background noise, like the TV in the family room, and the normal noise generated by three teens/preteens. But I do have a set of noise-cancelling headphones, and I'm not afraid to use them!
6. What is the message you'd like to share with your readers?
That there will always be real life heroes—men and women who face external foes, and their own weaknesses, with honor and optimism. They may not be fighting to save the world, like the heroes in a novel, but they are fighting for a piece of their own world. For their marriage and family, or for a child's future, for the good of their community or country, or to defeat an illness, or to just do their job honestly and as well as they can. And that love is always a part of that struggle. The heroes in books may be larger than life, but the inspiration for those characters are everywhere around us.
7. Do you feel contests helped you in making it where you are today? Why or why not?
Yes, I definitely do. I first entered contests in order to get honest critiques – and mostly that was worthwhile, especially the painful critiques from knowledgeable judges who ruthlessly pointed out my weaknesses. Of course, there were a few downers – here and there I encountered a less-than-tactful judges whose subjective comments made my blood pressure skyrocket! The first manuscript I sent out on the contest circuit had fair results, especially after a good number of rewrites. It was the second manuscript, however, that hit paydirt. Celtic Fire did extremely well in contests in 2003/2004. I was somewhat of a contest slut....ahem diva...but the effort paid off – Celtic Fire became a 2004 Golden Heart finalist. As a result, I had numerous requests from publishers, and the manuscript ended up selling to Dorchester. I used to joke that if all the judges that ever read the first chapters of Celtic Fire in a contest actually went out and bought it, that the book would hit the NY Times list!
8. When did you start writing and what gets you through the rough times, if any?
I always fooled around with writing a book, but I really started writing seriously in 2001. It was one of those silver lining things. In autumn of 2000, I came down with a flu that never went away – it turned into a case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that took almost four years to completely heal. The first year was particularly bad. I struggled to take care of my three young children, and had no energy for anything else that involved moving around. Funny thing about CFS is, you're extremely fatigued, but it's also hard to sleep. So I read a lot of books, and eventually started writing my own, mostly to get my mind off of worrying if I was every going to be able to walk a mile without needed to lie down for three hours afterward. So actually, it's the writing that gets me through the rough times. Writing is fun. I never get tired of it, though I do sometimes get distracted by all the other things in my life. My trick is to write in the morning, first thing after the kids leave for school. If I put it off, sometimes my pages don't get done.
9. What was your happiest moment as far as writing goes?
I probably screamed the loudest when I learned Celtic Fire was a Golden Heart Finalist. Selling Celtic Fire to Dorchester was also a high point. But I'd have to say that Immortals: The Awakening hitting the USA Today list has been my biggest thrill.
10. What advice can you give to readers?
The same advice I give my children – concentrate on creating and spreading goodwill, and break the karma of the bad by not passing it along to the next person when it hits you.
Wow, Joy, this is an incredible story. I’ve never heard of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but what a journey! And to think that horrible flu was the beginning of a successful line of books that capture the reader’s heart. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us!! And anyone who has a yearning to read the kind of stories that will keep you hooked to the page until the very end, check out Joy’s work. I’m sold!
Terry Spear
http://www.terryspear.com/
Sold!!! Don't Cry Wolf, sequel to Heart of the Wolf
She is the award-winning author of historical, paranormal, and contemporary romance fiction with Celtic, magic, fantasy, futuristic, romantic and sensual themes. My first chance to read one of her books was during a Romance Writers of America contest, Celtic Fire, and I was hooked. Now, all her books have a special place in my heart and truly are keepers. Her new book, Deep Magic, is now available everywhere! Read the excerpt of the second book in Joy's Druids of Avalon series, and order it online today!
Thanks so much, Joy, for taking the time to share with us today.
1. Can you tell us a little about your latest release?
Certainly!
DEEP MAGIC... After generations of persecution, Britain's Druids have returned to Avalon, conjuring a magical mist to shield their illegal haven from Roman eyes. When a rogue Roman sorcerer threatens the isle's secrecy, Gwendolyn, the chosen successor to Avalon's Guardian, turns to forbidden Deep Magic in an effort to save the Druids from discovery. Crucial to her plans is Marcus Aquila, the handsome Roman blacksmith who once saved her life. But Gwen, a shapeshifter, cannot fully control the wolf that hides in her soul. The beast threatens the tentative love she and Marcus have forged. And what of the sword of Deep Magic they’ve created together...will it be Avalon's salvation...or its downfall?
You can read an excerpt of Deep Magic on my website, http://www.joynash.com/. Or you can listen to a podcast of me reading a different excerpt on Dorchester Publishing's website http://www.dorchesterpub.com/ !
2. What's coming up next?
Right now I'm hard at work finishing the urban fantasy Immortals: The Crossing. The Immortals series is a multi-author series I've co-authored with Jennifer Ashley and Robin Popp. The first round of Immortals books were released in 2007 – and all four titles became USA Today Bestsellers! Now four new Immortals books -- three full length novels and an anthology (with one full length book and one novella from each Immortals author) will be released beginning September 2008. Immortals: The Crossing (Oct 08), features the Sidhe demigod Mac, a very popular secondary character from my first Immortals book, Immortals: The Awakening. To keep up on Immortals happening, visit http://www.immortals-series.com/
3. Share with us how you felt when you learned you made the USA Today National Bestselling list.
The Awakening is the third book in the Immortals series. After Jennifer's The Calling and Robin's The Darkening each hit the USA Today list, I was on pins and needles waiting for my sales figures. I really didn't want to let the team down by tanking! Especially with JK Rowling taking up about twenty bestseller slots with her seven Harry Potter books in various incarnations
4. Have you used a critique group? What are the benefits?
Yes, I've been in a critique group since I joined RWA in 2001. After a few false starts, I teamed up with two wonderful authors, Donna Birdsell and Anita Nolan. None of us were published when we began critiquing. Donna is now multi-published, with books from Berkley Sensation and Harlequin NEXT. Anita is now pursuing publication for middle grade readers, and has published educational short historical fiction as part of a middle grade history textbook series. I highly recommend critique partners. They keep you honest! They will tell you if some plot point's not working, and they'll catch all kinds of inconsistencies you've missed, even after your fifteenth read through. Often, authors are just too close to their own work to be able to see the story objectively, through a reader's eye.
5. What is your writing space like? Do you write at a desk? Somewhere else? Listen to music? Have to have no distractions?
If I had to write at a desk, I wouldn't have finished my first book! I write on a laptop computer, while sitting on the living room couch (you know, the one in the room near the front door that no one ever uses). Often, my dog is curled up at the end of the couch. The coffee table is my desk, supporting my feet and all the notes I've written to myself. I never listen to music while writing – I find it distracting. When I first started, I needed absolute silence (and preferably an empty house), but now I can filter out most background noise, like the TV in the family room, and the normal noise generated by three teens/preteens. But I do have a set of noise-cancelling headphones, and I'm not afraid to use them!
6. What is the message you'd like to share with your readers?
That there will always be real life heroes—men and women who face external foes, and their own weaknesses, with honor and optimism. They may not be fighting to save the world, like the heroes in a novel, but they are fighting for a piece of their own world. For their marriage and family, or for a child's future, for the good of their community or country, or to defeat an illness, or to just do their job honestly and as well as they can. And that love is always a part of that struggle. The heroes in books may be larger than life, but the inspiration for those characters are everywhere around us.
7. Do you feel contests helped you in making it where you are today? Why or why not?
Yes, I definitely do. I first entered contests in order to get honest critiques – and mostly that was worthwhile, especially the painful critiques from knowledgeable judges who ruthlessly pointed out my weaknesses. Of course, there were a few downers – here and there I encountered a less-than-tactful judges whose subjective comments made my blood pressure skyrocket! The first manuscript I sent out on the contest circuit had fair results, especially after a good number of rewrites. It was the second manuscript, however, that hit paydirt. Celtic Fire did extremely well in contests in 2003/2004. I was somewhat of a contest slut....ahem diva...but the effort paid off – Celtic Fire became a 2004 Golden Heart finalist. As a result, I had numerous requests from publishers, and the manuscript ended up selling to Dorchester. I used to joke that if all the judges that ever read the first chapters of Celtic Fire in a contest actually went out and bought it, that the book would hit the NY Times list!
8. When did you start writing and what gets you through the rough times, if any?
I always fooled around with writing a book, but I really started writing seriously in 2001. It was one of those silver lining things. In autumn of 2000, I came down with a flu that never went away – it turned into a case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that took almost four years to completely heal. The first year was particularly bad. I struggled to take care of my three young children, and had no energy for anything else that involved moving around. Funny thing about CFS is, you're extremely fatigued, but it's also hard to sleep. So I read a lot of books, and eventually started writing my own, mostly to get my mind off of worrying if I was every going to be able to walk a mile without needed to lie down for three hours afterward. So actually, it's the writing that gets me through the rough times. Writing is fun. I never get tired of it, though I do sometimes get distracted by all the other things in my life. My trick is to write in the morning, first thing after the kids leave for school. If I put it off, sometimes my pages don't get done.
9. What was your happiest moment as far as writing goes?
I probably screamed the loudest when I learned Celtic Fire was a Golden Heart Finalist. Selling Celtic Fire to Dorchester was also a high point. But I'd have to say that Immortals: The Awakening hitting the USA Today list has been my biggest thrill.
10. What advice can you give to readers?
The same advice I give my children – concentrate on creating and spreading goodwill, and break the karma of the bad by not passing it along to the next person when it hits you.
Wow, Joy, this is an incredible story. I’ve never heard of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but what a journey! And to think that horrible flu was the beginning of a successful line of books that capture the reader’s heart. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us!! And anyone who has a yearning to read the kind of stories that will keep you hooked to the page until the very end, check out Joy’s work. I’m sold!
Terry Spear
http://www.terryspear.com/
Sold!!! Don't Cry Wolf, sequel to Heart of the Wolf
Award-winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historical romantic suspense, Terry Spear also writes true stories for adult and young adult audiences. She’s a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has an MBA from Monmouth College. She also creates award-winning teddy bears, Wilde & Woolly Bears, to include personalized bears designed to commemorate authors’ books. When she’s not writing or making bears, she’s teaching online writing courses. Originally from California, she’s lived in eight states and now resides in the heart of Texas. She is the author of Heart of the Wolf, Don’t Cry Wolf, Winning the Highlander’s Heart, Deadly Liaisons, Relative Danger, The Vampire…In My Dreams (young adult), Deidre’s Secret (young adult) and numerous articles and short stories for magazines.
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