August 16, 2008
I’ve shifted Romance Writers on the Journey from this location to a new one, which is romancewritersonthejourney.wordpress.com. I wanted a URL that is easier to remember.
If you made it here, you’re not lost. Just click the link above to go to the new location.
The original articles will remain archived here, but future articles will appear at the new site.
Thanks for visiting.
August 14, 2008
Denise Meinstad, a 2008 Golden Heart® inspirational finalist, would love to see the world. Although she hasn’t been able to head for anticipated European destinations, she has seen much of the United States thanks to Romance Writers of America®, having attended the past sixteen RWA® national conferences.
By day Denise works for a government agency where she’s sworn to secrecy, but by night she unlocks her creativity and writes emotionally charged romances.
Denise lives on six wooded acres in Minnesota with her husband and her cat, Mocha. This time of year she loves to sit outside gently swaying in her porch swing as she gazes upon her flower garden and plots her next scene.
I invite you to learn more about this fun, friendly woman who is perseverance personified. Denise began writing romances forty years ago and has been actively pursuing publication for nearly two decades.
Because Denise loves flowers, everyone who leaves a comment for her on August 14th will be entered in the drawing for a box of Fun ‘n Flowers note cards. See photo at the end of the post.
I started writing romances at about sixteen, and I suppose it came about naturally because I loved watching romance on television and listening to rock music like the Beach Boys. I like mystery and romance together because it makes for a more complex plot. It gives you the opportunity to get even closer to the characters because they are emotionally involved as well as wrapped up in their situation. I used to love reading thick books because if I became attached to the characters, I didn’t want to let them go.
I began working on This Time Forever again as I really loved that story and my writing has greatly improved since I first wrote it. I made some changes in the plot and started submitting it to my critique group—who, by the way, are my toughest critics, but also my greatest supporters.
To date I haven’t heard anything as a result of the judge’s request, but I plan to start submitting to agents, beginning with the two requests I received from agents I met at the RWA conference.
I really wanted to write romances that focused more on the emotional relationship than the physical attraction between my characters. Don’t get me wrong. There is lots of sexual tension between my hero and heroine. There just aren’t any graphic descriptions. I could never write a romance where the hero and heroine fall in love without any sexual attraction. The challenge lies in getting it right without getting graphic—making the hero so irresistible that you skim the pages to find the good part where he (finally!) kisses her.
Faith has always played a part in my life, and when the inspirational market began to take off I knew that was where I belonged. My characters are (flawed, but) good people who have bad things happen to them. Their faith and determination not to fail keeps them going until they triumph.
I’ve been a member of RWA and Midwest Fiction Writers since October 1990. I belong to Midwest Fiction Writers and Northern Lights Writers. I attend the Northern Lights meetings as they are held at the local library, only fifteen minutes from my house. Our chapter is tiny (twelve members,) but we love the intimacy of a small group, and we are all very supportive of each other.
The night of the Golden Heart awards ceremony, my Northern Lights chapter mates got together for a party to cheer me on and watch the results of the winners on the Internet. I couldn’t ask for a better group! However, I still have a lot of very good friends at MFW and look forward to attending their Fall Harvest Workshop (featuring Donald Maas) in Minneapolis on September 27th. I also belong to Faith, Hope and Love and The Golden Network where I have met some really great people as well.
My writing partners, both members of Northern Lights, are Lori Ness (w/a Christine Arness) and LuAnn Nies. Lori and I have been critiquing together since 1994, and Lu joined us a couple years ago. They both have different writing strengths and give me good advice when I get off track. They are a dynamite team! Lori has published two books, and LuAnn has published one. I value their advice.
You have to trust and respect your critique partners, so I would advise anyone looking to form a critique group to look for people with whom they can develop a close relationship. I’ve been in other groups, but they didn’t last for one reason or another (lack of interest, clashing personalities, too much EGO).
I just attended my first Nationals, but you’ve been sixteen times. Amazing! Is there one conference that stands out? Did being a GH finalist this year make a difference?
Two conferences stand out—my first one in Chicago in 1992 and the one in Hawaii. My first conference was a book in itself (a comedy!) My husband and teenage daughter threw a fit when I said I wanted to go to Chicago for a weekend with my writing friends. Then I threw a fit because writing is important to me, and I never get to go anywhere by myself. You know the drill! They started to feel guilty and said I should go, so then I started to feel guilty and insisted they come with. Oh, no. They couldn’t possibly do that! It took them about one minute to reconsider, and from there the trip became a type of Griswold Family Adventure.
The Hawaii trip started out almost the same way. Steve said he had no interest in Hawaii and didn’t want to go. Hey—I was going if I had to hitchhike on a dolphin! When he realized I’d really go without him, he took about fifteen minutes to think it over. He planned the trip. We spent two weeks there on the cheap. (Yes, it is possible.) Steve is now a travel agent and talks about going back all the time.
Me (Keli Gwyn) with Denise in the middle and Kit Wilkinson, 2008 Golden Heart inspirational winner, on the right.
This year I spent less time at the conference than usual as I had so many fun functions to attend, (but I did buy the CD so I could still listen to the workshops.) However, the RWA national conference is the best weekend of the year! You meet up with friends from all over the country who want to talk about nothing but writing. It’s a really great time. I usually go through my conference schedule and workshop booklet ahead of time so I have the conference pretty well planned out before I get there. I used to come home with a suitcase full of books, but I have an entire room full of books that I haven’t yet read, so for the last couple years I’ve restrained myself (somewhat 
.)
The DHS is an exciting place to work, but most of what I deal with is SSI (Sensitive Security Information,) so it stays at work when I leave. I am a contractor, and my contract ends on September 30. For the first time in my life I will find myself unemployed. For some reason, it is almost as exciting as being a GH finalist. I’m taking the entire month of October to SLEEP, clean my house and start a new book. I can’t wait!!
I find that just about anything can inspire me—music, movies, magazines and newspaper articles, commercials. Mostly my stories come about through a kernel of an idea that starts to grow in my mind and soon becomes a complex novel.
I read, go to movies, travel and garden. I’d love to see the entire world, but for now I’d settle for Italy or the British Isles. In the summer, I love being outside in my porch swing in full view of my flower garden. I love driving trips across the Rocky Mountains and anywhere in California.
First, I get some sleep. When I get discouraged, it’s usually because I’m tired and my life is crazy. I keep trying to slow my life down, but it is a daily battle. But then I’m preaching to the choir! Writers seem to be the busiest people I know. If I get stuck or feel down about a rejection, my critique group is the best place to find a little sympathy and a lot of support. They know what I’m going through.
Writers need other writers, whether they meet online, at a conference or in a group setting. Your best advice and encouragement comes from others in your field.
Denise will drop by throughout the day to chat, so take advantage of the opportunity to leave a question or comment for her.
Everyone leaving a comment for Denise will be entered in a drawing. Each of the two winners will receive a set of sixteen Fun ‘n Flowers note cards.
If you don’t wish to participate, say so in your comment, and your request will be honored.
Visit her blog: Denise’s Diary
August 10, 2008
So far the road to publication has been a long one, but Theresa Ragan can honestly say she wouldn’t have it any other way. She believes in fate and destiny, and she knows the day will come when she’ll make a sale. Until then, she’s determined to enjoy the journey.
Theresa loves to read everything from Stephen King to Susan E. Philips. Just as her reading tastes span many genres, so does her writing. She’s written medieval time travels, long and short contemporaries, and romantic suspense.
She lives in Northern California with her husband of twenty-two years, their youngest daughter, one Chihuahua and one stray cat. Her two sons live in New York City, and her oldest daughter recently moved to San Diego.
I invite you to enjoy Theresa’s interview. Afterward, if you leave her a comment, you’ll be entered in a drawing for some nice prizes. At the end is a photo of the items I’m giving away.
When I was pregnant with my fourth child I read my first romance novel, A Knight in Shining Armor. The moment I read the last page I had an epiphany in that I knew immediately I wanted to write a novel of my own. Although I didn’t start writing the book until years later, I did begin researching the medieval time period that same week!
I would love to write in all three genres, but in all honesty, romantic comedies are my favorite to read and write since the words tend to flow from my fingers like water from a faucet. Romantic suspense flows more like syrup from a bottle. And it has been a while since I worked on a medieval time travel, but I love writing the fish-out-of-water books (i.e. placing a modern day character in another time period or vice versa.)
Ideas are everywhere! I have a passion for brainstorming stories because the ideas are never ending. I took a creative writing class a few years back, and we had ten minutes to write a story about a stick. A lot of moaning and groaning ensued from the other students while I typed a quick three pages . . . all about a stick. Ideas are everywhere (ooops, I said that already). Clear your mind and let the imagination take over.
What would you do if you were a secretary who finds a dead body in the copy room and everyone else has left for the day and there is a killer in the building? Or you’re a kid wandering around New York City for the first time looking for the mother who gave you up fifteen years ago? Or maybe you’re a housewife who just found a dead body in the neighbor’s basement freezer. If ideas don’t pop into your head, read the newspaper or go to the mall and watch the people around you.
Inspiration, IMO, comes from within. I truly believe love conquers all. Through my husband I have been given the gift to see that there are good, strong, sensitive, kind men out there who would give their lives for their children/family. My husbands unconditional love inspires me to write romance novels and to believe in the happily-ever-after.
Now that three of the four have flown the coop, I am ready to conquer the world! LOL. We’ve all heard of authors like Brenda Novak and Allison Brennan who have five kids at home and still manage to be prolific writers. That’s not me. I’m not that great at multi-tasking, but I can say that I am determined and disciplined.
I treat my writing as any professional would. I sit down and write every single day. I write between 3 and 12 pages daily (usually from 9 am to 3 pm). If I have fallen behind on my self-appointed deadlines, I write at night or on the weekends.
Wow, I feel as if I’m reading about someone else. Thanks! I was not aware of the stats. It took me four or five attempts to final in the Golden Heart the first time. It’s always exciting to wear the lavender ribbon at Nationals, especially the first time. I love my Golden Heart pins and, although I wouldn’t change a thing, I am looking forward to the day when I am no longer eligible to enter the Golden Heart. Only recently have I learned to enjoy the ride and take the time to savor my accomplishments along the way instead of always looking ahead.
Finaling in contests can give a writer (that would be me) a much-needed boost! Finaling in chapter contests used to go a long way to keep me motivated. I don’t enter contests very often anymore unless I have a new story I want to try out on readers. It’s a great way to get brutally honest feedback from three anonymous readers/writers.
The first time I found an agent was after I decided to stop spending so much time entering contests and use that time to write more books and polish my query letter instead. Right away I began to receive favorable responses and requests from agents. Medieval time travels were a tough sale at the time (at least mine were!)
After parting ways with my first agent, I finished my first romantic suspense and began to write single-title contemporaries. Then I began to query again, double finaled in the 2008 Golden Heart, and sent out query letters to two agents. I received requests for fulls from both and ultimately signed with Kevan Lyon of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. The only thing I plan to do differently is communicate on a regular basis. Other than that I need to write, write, write so my agent has something to sell!
I used to cringe when people would tell me I was close. I’ve had amazing critique partners over the years who are mostly all published now. I have gone through a number of stages, including a bitter, frustrated stage.
In 2007 I took a four-month break and put my energy into exercising instead, figuring I could control my weight but I couldn’t control my writing destiny. I was biking twenty miles a day, and I lost a few pounds. It was fun, but the writing called to me, and I realized I would never be able to stop the stories from popping into my head. That’s when I decided to just go with it . . . enjoy the ride and yet at the same time do everything in my power to make my dream come true (write and submit!)
I’ve taken the pressure off myself, and I’ve been having a great time ever since. If I write every day and continue to persevere, I know I will be published sooner rather than later. I refuse to give up, and I no longer cringe when friends tell me I’m close because I know they’re right!
Enjoy the journey. Love your children even when they suck up precious writing time. Hug your family members often. Give yourself a pat on the back when you final in a contest or finish a book. Celebrate your accomplishments and your writer friends’ accomplishments too. Write the stories that are calling to you. Write every day even if it’s one paragraph! Know the rules but break them whenever you feel the need. Always follow your instincts! Send your work to agents and editors. Never give up. Above all else, believe in yourself!!!! And use all the exclamations you need to get your point across! LOL.
Thank you for inviting me to your blog, Keli. I love reading about other writers, and I feel honored to be here.
It was great to have you here, Theresa. Leaving Nationals was hard, knowing I won’t see most of the women for a long time. But I look forward to seeing you at our Sacramento Valley Rose meetings where we get to hang out with some wonderful romance authors and writers.
Below: Theresa and me at the 2008 RWA awards ceremony. She’s the beautiful blonde.
Theresa will drop by throughout the day to chat, so take advantage of the opportunity to leave a question or comment for her.
Everyone leaving a comment for Theresa will be entered in a drawing. Each of the two winners will receive a set of note cards and a magnet that focus on making the most of every opportunity.
If you don’t wish to participate, say so in your comment, and your request will be honored.
Congrats to Anne Barton, winner of the first drawing and Caroline, winner of the second.
August 8, 2008
On March 25, 2008 I got a phone call that changed my life. No. It wasn’t the Publishers Clearing House telling me I’d won millions, or even the California lottery board informing me of a lesser prize. It was far better news. Terri Reed from Romance Writers of America® had called to tell me that two of the manuscripts I’d entered in the Golden Heart® were finalists. Was I shocked? Totally. Excited? You betcha.
Months before, when I submitted my four manuscripts to the GH, I told my husband the national conference would be held in San Francisco, which is only three hours from our hometown. I said that in the off chance I actually finaled, I’d love to go. Since the manuscript I’d entered the year before placed in the bottom half of the entries, I wasn’t holding out hope. My supportive husband said I should go if I was a finalist.
When I hung up that day in March, I danced around the house, sending our two cats running for cover. Since I was also singing at the top of my lungs, I understood their need for speed. My performance of the impromptu ditty set to the tune of “California, Here I Come” left much to be desired. Can’t recall the exact words I chose that day, but it was something about San Francisco and my upcoming visit. A songwriter, I’m not.
I sit here now in my sadly neglected office doing my best to ignore the chaos surrounding me. Conference has come and gone. Real life awaits. After four months living in The Land of Utter Disbelief, I now face piles of laundry, dishes and bills.
But I have many memories. Special ones I’ll treasure for years to come. I’d like to share a few.
• Meeting the other Golden Heart finalists was tops. What an amazing group of women they are. I’m honored to be one of the Pixie Chicks, as we call ourselves. Here are just a couple of the special women I got to know.
Here I am with two of my new friends. On the left I’m with one of the wittiest women I’ve ever met. Above I’m with Anne Barton, a classy lady who writes fresh, provocative regency romance.
• Kicking off the week at the Faith, Hope and Love chapter’s mini conference. This is the online RWA chapter for inspirational romance writers. We enjoyed several good speakers and an agent and editor panel. I met many wonderful inspirational writers as well as two of the other inspirational Golden Heart finalists. Denise Meinstad is in the middle; Kit Wilkinson is on the right. Both are warm, caring women, and I’m glad to know them.
• Attending the reception held by my local chapter, the Sacramento Valley Rose, where those awesome women totally surprised me. Both my chapter mate Theresa Ragan and I doubled finaled, and the “Roses” gave us each a beautiful pewter angel holding a heart with an engraved nameplate commemorating our accomplishment. I was moved to tears. I haven’t been a member very long and have only attended the last two meetings, and yet they treated me like royalty.
• Hanging out with other Golden Heart finalists at The Golden Network reception. This online chapter of RWA limits membership to those who’ve finaled in the GH. Members who go on to sell are “booted out.” An entertaining skit leads up to the booting out ceremony. I participated in the skit, assuming the role of editor #3. I stepped outside my comfort zone, put my Toastmaster skills to work, and had a blast.
• Going out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with a number of the Pixie Chicks. We proudly sported our new t-shirts. Thanks again, Kristina McMorris, for all you did to get them for us. We had to wait over an hour for our tables, so a group of us buzzed through Macy’s. Most wanted to see the shoes. Not me. My weakness is the handbag section. I wasn’t alone. Another Pixie actually wanted to buy a purse for the awards ceremony. I was happy to join her and give my opinions. She got a cute black evening bag.
• Surviving my first ever agent and editor appointments. Both of them offered helpful suggestions when it became clear that what I’d written was not a fit. I admire these publishing professionals who sit for hours on end listening to one pitch after another and are still supportive and encouraging.
• Drooling my way through the literacy signing, first as I helped with the set up and later as I visited my favorite authors. I must’ve licked my lips in anticipation because, I kid you not, they were chapped afterward. I was glad I’d taken my sturdy “True Romance” canvas tote bag, because I had to lug a huge stack of books back to my hotel, which was a ten minute walk uphill.
• Visiting the Borders store set up in the hotel. No matter how many books on craft I get, it seems I’m forever discovering new ones. This conference was no exception. I found five. I reminded myself that since I wasn’t flying, I could get all I wanted because I didn’t have to pay the airlines to ship them home. Rationalization? Maybe, but it eased the guilt.
• Talking with published authors in my genre who were incredibly generous and supportive. One I’d met online even invited me up to her room, listened as I gushed about her books and then asked about my manuscripts. So gracious. I left encouraged and appreciative.
• Walking into the Yerba Buena Ballroom for the Awards Ceremony with my friend Kathryn, who drove down to join me for the gala event. The room was buzzing with excitement as the finalists of the Golden Heart filed in, along with those up for the RITA®, the award for published romance authors. Because we were early, Kathryn and I got seats in the front row directly in front of the podium the award winners used. The noise level grew as the hour drew near and the rest of the guests were admitted.
At eight o’clock conversation ceased as the mistress of ceremonies, Suzanne Brockmann, took the stage. The Golden Heart winners were announced first. A different presenter took the stage for each category. She read each finalist’s name and book title as the same information appeared on four Jumbo-tron screens beneath her photo. We applauded for each finalist in turn. The envelope was delivered, the winner’s name was called, and a thrilled and shocked writer headed to the stage, her journey broadcast on the massive screens.
Tears filled my eyes when Carla Capshaw, last year’s inspirational winner seen in the photo to the left, read my name and those of my two manuscripts. I watched as my picture flashed on the screen twice. After four months of disbelief mingled with anticipation, the moment had arrived. It was real. No one made a mistake. I was truly a Golden Heart finalist who had just spent four of the most incredible months of her life as a minor celebrity.
As Carla took the envelope and tore it open, I waited, sure I’d picked the winner. Yup! I was right. Talented and humble Kit Wilkinson made her way to the front, the camera trained on her. She did us proud, representing our category with grace and style. Her speech was lovely, as was she. I couldn’t be happier for her. It’s her time, and I expect news of her first contract any day.
There are those who wonder why we finalists didn’t care who climbed the stairs that night and stood in the glare of the bright lights. Ask any one of us, and you’d likely hear the same answer. We all felt like winners just because we were finalists. RWA and our peers treated us like princesses of prose. Yes, those who took home a new Golden Heart necklace are thrilled, just as the rest of us are thrilled for them. But the win was icing on some pretty tasty cake, which we all shared.
And so ends an incredible chapter in my life. I didn’t leave my heart in San Francisco. Instead I returned home with it filled to overflowing with gratitude. I’m moving on, excited about writing my next story and about all the wonderful new friends I’ve made.
Did you attend Nationals? If so, I’d love to hear some of your highlights.
Please remember that on Word Press blogs, the comment link is at the top by the post title.
July 21, 2008
A 2004 and 2007 Golden Heart® winner, Florida native Carla Capshaw wanted to be a writer and world traveler since she was ten years old. A lover of passionate stories with compelling, nearly impossible conflicts, she’s found Inspirational Historical Romance to be the perfect vehicle to combine lush settings, vivid characters and a Christian worldview. Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historicals will publish her Roman-set debut novel in September 2009. Currently working on a sequel, Carla still lives in Florida but is always planning her next trip . . . and plotting her next story.
Carla will be giving away a copy of each of the two current Love Inspired Historical novels today, one to each of two people leaving a comment for her. Details below.
As yet, my novel doesn’t have an official title, but its working title is The Heart Beckons. Set in Ancient Rome, The Heart Beckons is about the beloved daughter of a wealthy, Roman citizen. Pelonia is orphaned and sold into slavery by her uncle when marauders kill her father on the road to Rome. While struggling to understand God’s plan for her life, she fights to regain her freedom and refuses to accept the ownership of her new master, Rome’s greatest gladiator champion, Caros Viriathos.
Retired from the ring three years before, Caros uses his expertise to train his own gladiators. Though the memories of the countless men he’s slain torment him, he’s trained in the ways of violence and knows little else. He’s grown rich off his efforts, and despite his profession’s lowly status, his reputation has provided him with the best of everything Rome has to offer–everything except inner peace.
When Caros buys Pelonia on a whim, he knows he should return the spirited beauty to her last remaining kin, but her faith in the Christian God intrigues him. As he and Pelonia fall deeply in love with one another, Caros longs to accept the forgiveness she says can be found in Christ, but he’s convinced there’s no hope for him.
Pelonia sees the gentle man behind Caros’ battle-scarred exterior. She’s convinced God has brought her to Caros to win the gladiator to Him, but once her influential relatives learn of her enslavement, Caros is forced to free her and risk losing the one woman whose love and faith have turned his life upside down and won him heart and soul.
When I look back, it seems to me I wanted to be a writer for most of my life. At age ten, I watched a television movie about Marco Polo. His travels and adventures fascinated me. I decided then that I wanted to write and travel. A few years later, I picked up (sneaked, actually ) my first Romance novel off my mother’s dresser and never looked back. I loved Historicals and still do. That first novel was Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss. It’s one of my favorites, if not my very favorite.
When I started writing my first novel in 2000, it was a natural fit for me to write Romance. Really, I never wanted to write anything else. I love that our genre promotes love, marriage, family and fidelity. I love how uplifted I feel after I’ve enjoyed a well earned happily ever after, and I wanted to give readers that same kind of joy. I consider all those years of reading my education in the genre. At first, I wrote Short Contemporaries, but it wasn’t until I started my first Historical that I knew I’d found my perfect fit.
When I started writing I’d read some Christian Romances, of course (Janet Oke and Francine Rivers among others,) but I wasn’t aware there was an Inspirational market. I know that probably sounds ridiculous, but I was just writing the stories that morphed in my head. I didn’t know anything about the business back then. Like most authors, I write my characters with bits of me in them, so even though my stories weren’t aimed at a Christian publisher, my characters were always Christians in their thoughts and deeds.
After I won the Golden Heart in 2004, my limited knowledge concerning the Romance market expanded rapidly. By that point, I knew I wanted to write Historicals, but the mainstream houses were looking for “hot” stories, which I knew I would never write. I was a bit discouraged and took some time off while I talked to the Lord about what to do next. It was then that one of my wonderful friends, Tammy Johnson at Writers At Play, saw Steeple Hill was starting a new Inspirational Historical line and sent the guidelines my way. I was so excited. I prayed about it and just kind of knew it would work out.
Well, to tell you the truth, I didn’t pick it. As I said in the previous question, I’d prayed about the Steeple Hill line and knew things would work out because, while I was praying, the Lord gave me the story. Actually, He gave it to me the day after I prayed while I was getting ready for work. lol It played out in my head like a movie. I’d always loved Ancient Rome but hadn’t ever thought of writing a story set there. But, like things usually do when He’s in control, everything just flowed. I wrote the synopsis in about an hour, and the first three chapters were the easiest I’ve ever written.
Hmmm . . . that’s an interesting question. In all honesty, both finals were a joy, and it really is the final that’s the honor. When you consider how much work goes into the GH entries, it’s doubtful there’s a ton of difference in the quality of the finalists’ writing. Winning is fun and just an added blessing, imho.
To answer your question, though, the first time was a bit of a blur. I’d only been in Romance Writers of America® for about a year. I knew the GH was a big contest, but I wasn’t truthfully aware of just how big. My manuscript, The Fox, had done well in other contests, so I was hopeful. When they called my name, it was validation of my writing. I thought for sure it was the first major step to being published.
The 2007 final was different because I’d grown as a writer. My manuscript was already under serious consideration at Steeple Hill, and though I was hopeful, I wasn’t so naïve as to think a GH win would be the magical fairy dust that would get me published. When they called my name, it was fun, but a little depressing, too. At the risk of sounding weird or ungrateful (which couldn’t be further from the truth,) no one wants to win a GH twice. You want to sell after the first one.
After my first GH win, I signed with the best agent in the world, Michelle Grajkowski at 3 Seas Literary. Once I wrote the partial for The Heart Beckons, I sent it to her for her opinion. Thankfully, she loved it! And being that she is the best agent in the world, she sent it directly to the acquiring editor at Steeple Hill that same day. Editor Melissa Endlich requested the full, which I didn’t have. Needless to say, I wrote as fast as I could. I entered the GH, but didn’t like the ending I submitted, so rewrote it and half the book. I sent Melissa the full I was finally OK with about two weeks before RWA® National in 2007.
A few weeks later, I met Melissa in Dallas. She was so nice and really seemed interested in the story. By that time, though, I didn’t take anything for granted. I just kept praying. My call didn’t actually come until four months later on November 15, 2007. My agent asked if I wanted to sell a book, and I said, “sure.” We talked for about an hour after that, but to be honest, I was too excited to remember much of what we said.
To be honest, I’ve sat through nearly everything–The Hero/Heroine’s Journey, How to Write the Break Out Novel, etc., but I don’t learn well by reading books on craft or listening to speakers, I learn by doing. What worked for me, besides praying, was to find critique partners I clicked with and to rely on my writer’s intuition.
I also used contests to hone my skills, but only because I was able to sort out the advice that worked for me and to discard the rest. If you’re in a place in your writing life where people can devastate you with criticism, contests might not be the best fit for you at the moment.
Also, visit writer’s blogs like The Seekers and Writers At Play. They’re full of great advice and inspiration from people who’ve been in the writing trenches and who enjoy sharing what they’ve learned.
I wish I had some profound words of wisdom here, but the truth is, I just committed myself to my goal of publication and when rejections came I prayed (whined 
to the Lord and kept going. That’s not to say I didn’t reevaluate and try new ideas occasionally. Sometimes things aren’t working, and it’s smart to try a new course. As trite as it sounds, the thing I’d say is to never give up.
Just keep writing. Write everyday. Practice, practice, practice. Develop what I call rhino skin so rejections and hard knocks can’t slay you. Find critique partners that “get you,” and shun anyone who makes you feel bad about your stories. Even the most wonderful, knowledgeable people can be poison to a writer if their advice doesn’t click with you or how you learn. Pray and let the Lord direct you. He knows what the future holds, so when He gives you a story, believe in it, write it and have faith it will do what He intends for it to do.
Carla will drop by throughout the day to chat, so take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about her, her thoughts on writing for Steeple Hill Love Inspired or her many travel destinations.
Everyone leaving a comment for Carla will be entered in a drawing for one of the current Love Inspired Historical titles. If you don’t wish to participate, just make a note of that in your comment, and your request will be honored
Congratulations to Vicki, winner of the first LIH novel, and Renee Ryan, winner of the second.
Carla loves to hear from other writers and readers.
Please sign-up for her newsletter or contact her at:
Website: www.carlacapshaw.com
MySpace : http://www.myspace.com/carlacapshaw
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1231127075&hiq=capshaw%2Ccarla
To find out more about Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired Historical collection visit: http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?cid=241.
Or chat about your favorite Steeple Hill authors and time periods at the Steeple Hill forum: http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/steeple-hill,
and join Carla’s buddy list at: http://community.eharlequin.com/users/carla-capshaw.
July 18, 2008
Just a quick note of thanks to the wonderful women (and one brave man) who have visited this blog and the talented, generous authors and writers who have been my guests. Because of you, the site made blog history.
On July 18, 2008 Romance Writers on the Journey appeared on the WordPress Growing Blogs list, ranking 78th out of 100 and proving, once again, that romance writers/readers are awesome people who make a difference.
July 17, 2008
C.J. Redwine fears goats, loves stilettos and frequently lets her imagination run away with her. She writes edgy urban fantasy with a side of comic relief. You can learn more about her at www.cjredwine.blogspot.com and read samples of her writing, which is full of imagination and the occasional stiletto but is noticeably lacking in goats.
Prepare to laugh, cry and marvel at C.J.’s talent as this amazing woman shares about herself, her writing and her hilarious and heart-tugging life experiences.
I’d love to say that two of you who leave comments for C.J. today will win gift certificates for a pair of Manolo Blahnik stilettos, but DH wouldn’t go for it. What I do have are two cotton drawstring shoe bags with embroidered stilettos on them, one zebra skin and the other leopard.
I love everything from Tolkien to Rowling to Roberts to Koontz. My tastes vary, but the one component that consistently draws me to a story is the exploration of the relationships between the characters. I don’t need the predominant element of a novel to be romance, and indeed I usually gravitate towards books where suspense and the supernatural are the driving force, but I love rooting for two characters to rise above the mayhem and murder (or vamps, or He Who Must Not Be Named) and figure out their own chemistry. I can’t imagine writing a novel without exploring the chemistry between my own characters even though the romance is never the sole focus of my writing.
I began work on my first manuscript when I was in high school. It was the story of a girl who falls asleep in the woods (Because you know girls do that sort of thing all the time!) and wakes up to find a bridge hovering between her and another world (Yes, yes, a truly original idea! I’m freaking brilliant!). I remember writing it by hand in a huge, three-subject yellow spiral notebook.
However, I don’t recall if there were any romantic components to that story.
My first true manuscript geared toward romance was Dying to Remember, my current Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist novel. I began work on Dying to Remember shortly after finishing a battle with cervical cancer at the age of thirty. Yes, there’s a long time span between high school and thirty, and I had a few false starts on novels (which are just as brilliantly original as the girl-who-finds-herself-magically-transported-to-another-world plot,) but in that time span I graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in English and a teaching credential; taught high school English, Writing, and U.S. History; got married; had three boys in four years (What?! I’m supposed to take this little pill at the SAME TIME each night? Good to know.); and felt every creative brain cell fizzle and die in the wake of four years of sleepless nights, diaper duty, and learning that being the mother of three young boys means constantly trying to just keep them alive (NO! You may not try to fly off the fence!), clothed (Is that MY two year old racing down the street wearing nothing but what God gave him?), and the house in one piece. (No, Mr. Fireman, I did NOT realize I should check my broiler for Hot Wheels before I turn on the oven. Why would I? Who parks Hot Wheels in an oven right next to the pilot light anyway? Oh. Boys. That’s right.)
After facing cancer, I realized that I was waiting for life to slow down so I could pursue my dream of writing a novel. Of course, we all know life doesn’t slow down until you die, and waiting for the perfect moment to appear is a waste of the gifts you’ve been given. I sat down and started writing Dying to Remember and haven’t looked back.
I’ve received some excellent advice regarding my writing but the two things that stand out the most are:
The story I’m writing now called Shadowing Fate is closest to my heart because it represents the culmination of some important events for me as a writer. For one, I’m changing genres from romantic suspense to urban fantasy, a much better fit for me because I can combine my love of edge-of-your-seat suspense with my fascination for the supernatural and the strange.
For another, this idea took five months just to conceptualize! That’s a long time for a Pantser! I really wanted to write something in the paranormal genre (I’ve since realized this idea is better suited for the urban fantasy label) that was totally different than anything else out there. No vamps, no witches, no wizards…. I went back to my education, dusted off an old, little-known Greek myth, and went from there.
And three (Heck yes, I just started that sentence with a conjunction! Want to make something of it?), I found my Voice, and it’s amazing how writing in My Voice makes all the difference.
Oh wow. I have to pick just one? I’m really bad at questions like these because I’m such an I’ll Have Cake AND Ice Cream sort of girl…but okay, I’ll give it a shot. I absolutely love getting a reaction from my readers. I love making people laugh in the middle of a scene while they are on pins and needles and then leaving them with a rush of adrenaline as the plot twists and they have to read “just one more” chapter. I know exactly who I am as a writer. I’m not out to change the world or open anyone’s eyes or land myself on Oprah’s much-abused couch. I want to deliver a powerful one-two punch of suspenseful, laugh-out-loud entertainment to my readers, and when I do it, I’m totally satisfied.
That’s another “What? Just one?” and since I already followed your rules on the previous question, I’m having my cake AND my ice cream on this one. ☺ I have to say finishing my first novel was definitely a high point. Never mind that it was 130k and needed some serious pruning. I’d done it. I’d taken the germ of an idea and turned it into a story that delivered on suspense, humor, and romance.
My second high point is finaling in the Golden Heart. For me, that was confirmation that I’m not crazy when I read my stuff and think, “Hey! This belongs on someone’s bookshelf!” (preferably Barnes & Nobles.)
I muster all of my considerable fortitude and resist the powerful allure of a box of Hot Tamales (which are of the devil) and instead, do one of the following:
I fuel my creativity in many ways but I would like to point out that none of those include the consumption of chocolate. I realize this flies in the face of every pre-conceived notion you’ve ever had about romance writers, but I think we’ve already established that I’m more of a fringe romance writer anyway, so I’m allowed to flaunt the rules.
And no, I don’t fuel it with Hot Tamales (which are of the devil). Those are for digging myself out of a pit of despair.
Music is huge for me. My iPod has almost 7,000 songs on it, plenty of which are soundtracks that I find instantly put me into the mood to write. I generally choose two or three albums to listen to per writing project because after the first few chapters, just hearing that music instantly transports me into the world of that novel. (Like Pavlov’s dogs, only with music – which, you have to admit, beats the living daylights out of dry “made with real lamb” chunks of hardened, smelly nutrition any day of the week.)
Don’t quit. Failure in this business is nothing more than an invitation to try something new. The beauty of being a writer is that the only one who can crush your dreams is you. You can query a different agent, try a new publisher, switch genres, find your Voice, revise, push your boundaries, write the thing you think might just be too big for you, join a critique group, network with others who understand the strange mix of art and business that is publishing, but for heaven’s sake, don’t quit. Keep writing.
Have a question for C.J.? Want to know more about her writing process, her manuscripts or her fear of goats? Leave a comment. She’ll be dropping by throughout the day to chat with you.
I’ll randomly select the names of two people posting comments today who will each receive the aforementioned poor substitute for a pair of MB stilettos, an embroidered shoe bag in leopard or zebra variety. (If you’d prefer not to be included in the drawing, please note that, and your request will be honored.)
The winner of the first drawing is Emily Dennis, who snagged the leopard bag. Avery Beck won the second drawing and gets the zebra one. Congrats to both of you!
Visit her blog, The Last Word: http://cjredwine.blogspot.com/
View her free Amazon short: Dying to Remember
Friend her at Facebook: CJ Redwine/Facebook
Friend her at My Space: CJ Redwine/My Space
July 17, 2008
Have you ever stood before a group of people to say a few words and felt your heart hammering against your ribs, your hands damp as a dreary day on the coast or your knees knocking like castanets? I have, far more times than I care to remember.
I’ve discovered a tool to help me survive—and thrive—in such situations. It could help you, too.
ACT – That’s the acronym for my three-step plan to reduce the fear of public speaking.
A: Assume an Alter Ego
C: Clothe Yourself with Confidence
T: Think About Them, Not You
Long before I learned to ACT, I landed a role in Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream—my one and only venture into drama. I was in sixth grade. Since I was the smallest girl in my class, I was picked to be Puck, the fairy.
The experience was so traumatic that I’ve blocked out most of it. What I do remember is standing on stage in my mother’s filmy nightgown and completely blanking on my lines. It was one of those mouth-moving, no-sound-coming-out moments of utter humiliation.
I didn’t know a thing back then about handling myself before an audience.
I had to learn to ACT.
And now let’s look at the first step.
A: Assume an Alter Ego
When I go to a writer’s conference these days, interview someone for an article or give a speech, I become another person. I leave Shy Keli at home. Instead I reach deep inside, pull out the best of myself and present that to the world. I call my alter ego Courageous Keli. She talks to people, carries herself well and has a good time.
You might be wondering how I make this shift. That’s step two.
C: Clothe Yourself with Confidence
I have certain clothes that make me look and feel my best. They’re what I wear when I want to bolster my confidence.
Another thing I do when I go to a conference or meeting is perform a ritual beforehand. As I put on my nametag, I think to myself: OK, you’re Courageous Keli now, and she can do this.
And then, I move on to step three.
T: Think About Them, Not You
I used to worry about what I was going to say to people.
And then I learned a technique that takes the focus off me.
Let the other person do the talking.
How?
Just ask someone a question about himself, and, viola, the conversation is underway. He’s happy because he’s talking about his favorite subject. You can relax because he’s not even thinking about you.
* * *
So there you have it: three steps for overcoming paralysis at the podium.
The next time you go to a writers conference, workshop or writers group and face the daunting task of addressing an audience, don’t panic. ACT!
I invite you to leave a comment and share your tips for dealing with fear of public speaking. (Note that the link is at the top of the post by the title.)
July 13, 2008
Three-time Golden Heart® finalist and Laurie winner, Kelly Gay, can finally say this is her year. With fifteen years of writing and several manuscripts under her belt, she thought 2005 was her year. After all, she’d signed with an agent, finaled in the Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart and won a Laurie; it would seem she was on her way to a sale. But it took three more years of writing, beating back self-doubt, not placing in a single contest, and parting ways (amicably) with her first agent for lightning to strike again.
In 2008, she landed a new agent, double-finaled in the Golden Heart, and sold her urban fantasy manuscript, The Better Part of Darkness, to Pocket Books in a two-book deal, all in the span of five amazing months. She’s still wondering if she fell down the rabbit hole . . .. If so, she’s setting up house in Wonderland permanently.
In actuality, Kelly lives in North Carolina with her husband, two children, two absurdly large cats and one normally (still absurdly) large Great Dane, and her beloved Alpha Smart.
Read on to learn more about Kelly and her amazing journey to publication. All those leaving a comment for her will be entered in a drawing for a Sees Candy gift card.
Kelly’s first novel with Pocket, The Better Part of Darkness, will be released summer 2009. It tells the story of Charlie Madigan, a divorced mother of one, who lives in a world where the beings of heaven and hell exist among us, and they aren’t the things of Sunday school lessons and Hallmark figurines. In the years since the revelation, they’ve become our co-workers, neighbors, and fellow citizens.
Charlie works for the ITF (Integration Task Force). It’s her job to see that the continued integration of our new “friends” goes smoothly and everyone obeys the law, but when a new off-world drug is released in Underground Atlanta, her daughter is targeted, and her ex-husband makes a fateful bargain to win her back, there’s nothing in heaven or earth (or hell for that matter) that Charlie won’t do to set things right.
When I got the final call from my agent (we went through “interest”, readings by other editors at Pocket, an offer, and then some negotiating before I got that final call), it was a very surreal moment. I got off the phone and just sat there, frozen, for a long time. But once it set in, an enormous weight lifted from my shoulders. All the hard work, 15 years of writing and wondering if I was on the right path—well, it was a giant validation. I cried, couldn’t stop laughing, and jumped around the house, and I’m still saying to myself even now, “I can’t believe I sold.”
I spent most of the day calling family and emailing friends and writing loops. That was the most fun I’ve ever had. It was especially cool to tell my writing friends; they understand the bumps and bruises along the road to publication, and their reactions (most of them knowing how long it took me to sell) were so awesome.
The book that sold to Pocket is an urban fantasy, but I have a few romantic comedies and paranormals that I wrote prior to TBPD (The Better Part of Darkness). I started writing romances because that’s one of the genres I love to read. I adore romantic comedies. I also gobble up anything paranormal. (Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter, Kresely Cole and Karen Marie Moning totally rock).
Colleen Lindsay at Fine Print Literary became my agent in February of 2008. During my daily blog surfing, I saw that a new agent had hung out her shingle. After visiting her blog and reading about her interests, I felt TBPD might be a good fit.
Colleen requested the full from an email query and a few sample pages, read it in under a week, and then sent me an email saying that she was interested in representing me. After speaking with her on the phone (I was so nervous!) and asking a ton of questions via email, I knew she was the right agent to represent my work. She’s down to earth, way smart, knows the industry, and she’s not afraid to go to bat for a client.
The best advice I’ve gotten and can pass along is simple and obvious, but I feel it’s the best bit of advice you have to take to heart if you’re going to make it in the business. Keep writing!
That’s it. There’s no magic formula. It really is all about sitting down and writing. Your writing will get better and better. You’ll turn out books. You’ll write in the face of rejection, in whatever obstacles are thrown in your path. Even if it’s God awful, like Nora Roberts says, you can fix a bad page, but you can’t fix a blank one.
TBPD is pretty close to my heart because I had Charlie’s story in the back of my mind for years. I kept wondering “what if’s”: What if our myths and traditions of heaven and hell were based on some obscure truth? What if the beings in them were nothing like we had imagined? And what if this woman, Charlie, works on the front lines, dealing with the integration of our societies, and suddenly she’s forced to make a terrible choice when it comes to her child?
Charlie is close to my heart because I’m a mom, too. I know the fierce nature of a mom protecting her young, and I can certainly relate to the nuclear explosion that I’d bring upon anyone or any thing that threatened my child and the fall-out that would follow. In Charlie’s story, however, it’s all amplified by supernatural beings and powers beyond her control.
A typical writing day usually involves comments in the margins like: “This is terrible.” “Fix this!” “Gah!” But I love writing, and I do it because I’m compelled, it seems, by forces beyond my control. There are stories in my head that demand to get out. They want their moment in the spotlight. They want an audience.
There is nothing like those moments when the words flow and the story takes on a life of its own. It’s a really cool feeling when you’re swept away by a story, when you get tears in your eyes or get ticked off by a character’s choice. There’s immense satisfaction in giving that kind of entertainment to others, to know that, for a little while, you were able to take them away from the daily grind and show them your world.
I fuel my creativity by reading, art, and movies. I love pre-Raphaelite painters. Their work is so romantic and beautiful; the mind can’t help but be inspired. And there’s nothing like an awesome book or movie to make me want to jump up and write something just as awesome.
Music helps me get into certain moods, but I can’t listen to it when I’m writing because I end up listening to the lyrics instead.
And if chocolate (as I look at my giant M&Ms dispenser on my desk) fueled my creativity, I’d be Stephen King and Steven Speilberg all wrapped up in one by now! Unfortunately, chocolate only adds to the pound-count not the page-count.
Again, for me at least, there is no better way to deal with rejection or doubt except to keep writing. Act any way you want. Cry, get angry, eat Godivas like they’re going out of style, but however you cope, you must continue with your writing. I’ve racked up hundreds of rejections over the past fifteen years. And the only way I’ve found that gets me through it is to react (usually a few minutes of sulking followed by a beer and pizza and then to continue writing.
Letting rejections get to you can stifle your drive and creativity. You have to develop a thick skin and realize that not everyone is going to like your work, even when you’re a New York Times bestselling author. You can’t please everyone. But until then, you hone your craft and learn from the “good” rejections.
Eventually you’ll get to a point where you’re writing material on par with published works. After that, it’s just a matter of finding the right person who gets you and loves your work. But still, you need to keep writing. That first “on par” manuscript may not be the one that actually sells.
After I hit ten years of writing, I told myself five more years. If I wasn’t published by then, that was it. I had to face the facts. I had to move on, finish my degree, focus on my family, and just be happy with all I’d been blessed with thus far. I mean, how long could I keep putting myself through one disappointment after another?
My five years was up last year. And when that moment came around, I quit writing for a few months. I started taking classes again to finish my degree. But, I couldn’t stop my creative mind or the habits I’d developed as a writer, a creator. It’s part of my make-up.
I finally came to the decision that I didn’t want to get to the end of my life and look back with regret or wonder what could have been. Even if I never sold a thing, I wanted to try until the very end or until the creative spark left me. Had I listened to my timeline, I would have missed my sale by a mere year.
So, if there’s any encouragement I can give other writers, it’s not to give up. Not if you’re a creator at heart. Not if you continue to think of stories, scenes, and bits of dialogue in the shower, riding in the car, or in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep. Listen to your calling. KEEP WRITING. KEEP SUBMITTING. It will happen.
Have a question for Kelly? Want to know more about her writing process, her stories or Pocket Books? Leave a comment. She’ll be dropping by throughout the day to chat with you.
Since chocolate is one of Kelly’s prime sources of creativity fueling, I’m holding a drawing for a $15 Sees Candy gift card, one dollar for each year Kelly held on waiting for that oh-so-sweet first sale. Each person who leaves a comment will be entered.
Congratulations to Lynn Raye Harris, winner of the drawing.
Her website: http://www.kellygay.net
Her blog: http://kellygay.blogspot.com/
July 11, 2008
Meet Sue Mason, an inspirational finalist in the Romance Writers of America® 2008 Golden Heart® contest. A mother of two with a part-time job, she juggles family responsibilities with researching her ancestry and writing, and yet she’s working on her fourth manuscript.
Read on to learn more about Sue, her writing and her life in Ontario, Canada.
Since Sue’s a self-professed Noraholic, anyone leaving a comment for Sue on July 11 will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Angels Fall by Nora Roberts.
I’ve always loved romance novels. But once I had my two children, I stopped reading for quite some time. As most mothers out there know, all you want to do with any spare time is SLEEP. But gradually once the kids had gained a bit more independence, I started reading again (or should I say, I managed to stay awake long enough to read. LOL.)
One day at a second hand store, I picked up a couple of used paperbacks, one of them by an author I had never read before: Nora Roberts! I LOVED it! And I confess I became a raving Noraholic! I read anything by her I could. Her books sparked the creative urge to start writing again—something I hadn’t done since my teens.
I think I started my first manuscript about eight years ago. It started out just as a series of scenes, which I eventually linked together (rather badly) into a book. It took over two years to complete. Needless to say, I knew nothing about writing at this point, so that manuscript will definitely stay under the bed.
I am now about two-thirds through my fourth manuscript, tentatively called Threads of a Tapestry. My third book, Wyndermere House, is a finalist in this year’s Golden Heart Contest for Inspirational Romance, which has been the highlight of my writing career so far.
As far as a writing background goes, I really have none, except a grade six teacher who told me I had talent and should write a book! Which I did as a teen, and got my first rejection!
I started reading quite a few inspirational romances from Harlequin’s Steeple Hill Love Inspired line—just out of curiosity—and I really enjoyed them. I discovered from different articles I’d read that the market was huge for inspirationals, so I decided to try one. I also really liked that idea of combining the search for a soul mate with a person’s faith journey. The overall messages in these books are wonderful and, as the title suggests, inspiring.
This is indeed a challenge. Sometimes I get so sidetracked by my other passion, my family genealogy search, that I forget to write. The genealogy does tie in to writing a bit though, because I take all my research and write it up in a non-fiction account of what I’ve found. I’m hoping to organize it all into one big family history book for generations to come.
So once I get a little burned out on the genealogy, I turn back to my writing. Mostly I find time to write in the afternoons before the kids get home from school and a little bit right after supper.
Yes to all of the above. I now have a critique partner and am enjoying the process of sharing my work with someone very much. Before I sent Wyndermere House to the Golden Heart contest, no one but me had read it at all. I realize now what a handicap that was and how valuable it is to have another opinion.
I am a member of the Toronto Romance Writers and try to attend as many meetings as possible. Though I don’t have a lot of spare time, I did help out with the chapter’s annual Golden Opportunity contest last year, which helped me get to know some of the people better. This year I am again helping to judge the contest.
As far as conferences go, I have only been to one so far. That was two years ago in Ottawa, Ontario (our nation’s capital,) and it was fantastic. It’s how I first met some Harlequin authors, a Harlequin editor and a New York agent. I was amazed and inspired. This fall I am planning on attending this conference again.
Like everyone else, sometimes I get a little discouraged by the rejections. But what I try to do is learn something from them, take that little nugget of knowledge and apply it to my work. This is a very subjective business, and the reality is that not everyone will like your writing. As a reader I understand this because I am quite picky in what I read. But the beauty of it all is that someone one day will love your work, if you persevere.
I would just say that if writing is indeed your passion, just keep at it. And keep trying to learn as you go along. Everything you learn will enhance your skill and one day, you, too, may become a published author.
For me, I’ve realized that even if my work is never published, that’s not the important issue. The writing is. And if I ever do get a hard copy of one of my books in my hand, that will be the icing on the cake.
Have a question for Sue? Want to know more about her writing process, her stories or her genealogy research? Leave a comment. She’ll be dropping by throughout the day.
Anyone leaving a comment for Sue on July 11 will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Angels Fall by Nora Roberts.
Congratulations to Maureen McGowan, winner of the drawing.
Susan Anne Mason
Her email address: sbmason@sympatico.ca
Her blog, Sue Mason’s Blog: http://www.suemasonsblog. com
