Animated Book Covers!
I got my first animated book cover in… Swansong! From Morgan Wright, in England. She sent 3 versions…. and darned if I can decide which I like best!! Star Fall: Star Drift: Subtle: … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Business & Craft of Writing
Copyrighting a group of unpublished works
This went live at the Copyright Office this morning: You can now file a group registration for up to 10 unpublished literary works. I just filed for a group registration this morning. The process is almost exactly the same as … Continue reading →
Breaking a Record
I’m just blogging this because I like to celebrate the little achievements 🙂 My previous record for Kindle Unlimited page reads in a day was 1,249 on 11/20/18…. as of right now, just after noon today, I have 1,465 page … Continue reading →
I’m a Featured Author!
I had used Premium Indie Reads to promote my books… and they picked me to be a Featured Author on their website! OMG, I am so excited and thrilled! Click here to go read it… there’s a whole interview that … Continue reading →
My Audiobook Venture, Part 5: Credits, Dedication, etc.
Once we got the basics established, character voices, etc., Jay’s been busy finishing up a previous project. He got that out of the way this weekend, and now ready to go on Truck Stop. Yesterday he surprised me by sending … Continue reading →
My Audiobook Venture, Part 4: Character Voices
Before starting with any narration, Jay did a read-through of the full book. Then he narrated some dialogue for each of the major characters, plus a couple not so major but who were crucial to the plot so we wanted their … Continue reading →
My Audiobook Venture, Part 3: After the contract is signed
So last night I offered the contract to Jay Dyess to produce my audiobook through ACX, and he accepted, but wanted some tweaking of the deadline dates, which was fine. However, apparently you can’t edit the contract once it’s accepted … Continue reading →
My Audiobook Venture, Part 2: Choosing an Audiobook Narrator
Choosing an Audiobook Narrator One of the ACX narrators who sent an audition for Truck Stop was Jay Dyess. The instant I heard him speaking, I forgot to be embarrassed and feel awkward about hearing my book read aloud; he … Continue reading →
My Audiobook Venture, Part 1: Getting Started
Over the past year, I’ve become increasingly interested in audiobooks. I’ve been following threads on it in the various RWA loops as well as on Twitter, and at RWA National Conference this summer I went to workshops and one panel, … Continue reading →
Audiobook… taking the plunge!
I’ve been following several indie authors who’ve been reporting their progress with producing audiobooks in the RWA member loops. Then when I went to RWA National Conference, there were several audiobook publishers present as well as some workshops on audiobooks, … Continue reading →
A Great Time at Romance Writers of America National Conference
So… OMG. There is so much to say, I don’t even begin to know where to start! This was a FABULOUS conference and I had the time of my life… in great part to my SecondLife roleplay mom and writing … Continue reading →
When Disaster Strikes
Remember that full manuscript I had out to an agent? Well, she sent back a rejection, the main reason for which made no sense at all. Anyway, it sent me into a total tailspin. Yes, I do know rejections are … Continue reading →
Frivolous Lawsuit Damage (a Cockygate issue)
One of the big problems surrounding #cockygate…. and I’m sure something that is powerfully motivating Faleena Hopkins, is the costs of her victims to mount a legal defense. Most people are going to back down with the threat of a … Continue reading →
Interview with Kevin Kneupper re “Cocky” trademark
There was a Podcast interview with Kevin Kneupper with Paul Sating, on the issue of the “Cocky” trademark. So, having been a career medical transcriptionist a great deal of my adult life, and finding so much information in that I wanted … Continue reading →
Cockygate: Unfolding Events (latest update June 1st… WE WON!)
There are places you can find very detailed explanations of what has occurred. I’ll post a few links but the short version of the *primary* issue is that a romance author, Faleena Hopkins, has been granted a trademark for the … Continue reading →
It’s QUERY time!!!
Today I’m sending out query letters to literary agents, starting out with Wishes in a Bottle since I’m so close to finishing that 3-book series. I’m a nervous wreck. I’m checking and double checking, and double checking my double checking … Continue reading →
Crossing Romance Subgenres vs Querying Literary Agents
I’m in a quandary, and reaching out for advice. I know a blog post isn’t necessarily the best place (I’m also asking in other venues), but I’m putting this here in case an industry professional should cruise by and feel … Continue reading →
WordPerfect, Word and Scrivener
My default word processing program for years has been WordPerfect. I’m talking decades that I clung stubbornly to WordPerfect because I HATE Word which is hideously user UNfriendly. Then a few months ago, I discovered Scrivener, and WOW!!! I moved … Continue reading →
Fantasy Romance vs Paranormal Romance
I’ve been struggling with this subgenre distinction for my current work in progress, When Darkness Falls, which has vampires, djinn and shapeshifter and other paranormal species, set in a medieval desert city in an Arabian Nights type setting. Tricky. This … Continue reading →
Launch of My Debut Monthly Newsletter!
Everyone™ says even at this early stage of my writing career, I need an author newsletter. So to all of you out there… I listened!! YES! She can be taught! I’ve been taking Jessie Clever’s Getting Results from Your Author Newsletter. … Continue reading →
Literary Agents who no longer send rejections
In researching literary agents to submit to, I’ve noticed something very disturbing. A large number of them state that they will respond if they are interested in your query. If you don’t hear from them, they’re not interested. So um. … Continue reading →
Backing Up Your Writing
There’s just no way you don’t want to back up regularly… everything, yes, but your writing even more so. This is a part of you, your blood and sweat and tears, your baby, your creation. To me just the thought … Continue reading →
The Beta Reader Process
Okay, Jenna Moreci is my goddess of the Beta Reader process! Â She has a series of youtube vlogs on beta readers. Â It’s from these that I’m basing my own beta reader process as I get started. Here’s a comprehensive list … Continue reading →
Synopsis Length… the vexed question
Back in the days of paper submissions, every publisher and agency had specific requirements laid out, i.e., query letter, first 10 pages, 5-page synopsis and SASE. Or whatever. In these days of email or webform submissions, I did a spot-check … Continue reading →
A rejection letter to cherish
Rejection letters are no fun, even if they’re nice. It’s depressing. But I got one from an agent, querying for my very first book, Truck Stop, back in 2000, that said: “There’s no question of your ability. I think you … Continue reading →