Ask the Author: C.H. Admirand
Answered Questions (6)
C.H. Admirand
I received the rights back to six of my Sourcebooks titles and decided to write them...my way--Sweet Versions! I'm delighted to be working with the fabulous Sue Grimshaw as my editor for this project. I've already finished the edits and revisions for the first two books: A Wedding in Apple Grove and One Day in Apple Grove and have them uploaded, ready for release in January 2020 and February 2020. GORGEOUS covers for this series by the totally fab, multi-talented author and graphic artist, Sahara Kelly.
BUT the good news doesn't stop there. In the midst of these revisions, I signed a contract to write a new 4 book Regency Historical series for Dragonblade Publishing: The Lords of Vice. Pinch me! Who'd have thought I'd have covers for the series already...but I do. They are GORGEOUS created by the fab artist Dar Albert! I'm so excited to be writing another book set in Regency England and am halfway through the first book: Mending the Duke's Pride, slated to be released in February 2020.
Then back to the third book in my Small Town USA series: Welcome Back to Apple Grove, which will release in March 2020. Meanwhile I'll let the Duke's story wait for a fresh perspective, which I will have after spending time in the contemporary town of Apple Grove, Ohio. Then it's edits, rewrites, and fiddling (I usually do three drafts) with Mending the Duke's Pride until it's perfect. Then off it goes to my new editor and publisher. I love saying that.
Whew! Then it's nose to the grindstone for books 2 to 4! I really LOVE my job *sigh*
BUT the good news doesn't stop there. In the midst of these revisions, I signed a contract to write a new 4 book Regency Historical series for Dragonblade Publishing: The Lords of Vice. Pinch me! Who'd have thought I'd have covers for the series already...but I do. They are GORGEOUS created by the fab artist Dar Albert! I'm so excited to be writing another book set in Regency England and am halfway through the first book: Mending the Duke's Pride, slated to be released in February 2020.
Then back to the third book in my Small Town USA series: Welcome Back to Apple Grove, which will release in March 2020. Meanwhile I'll let the Duke's story wait for a fresh perspective, which I will have after spending time in the contemporary town of Apple Grove, Ohio. Then it's edits, rewrites, and fiddling (I usually do three drafts) with Mending the Duke's Pride until it's perfect. Then off it goes to my new editor and publisher. I love saying that.
Whew! Then it's nose to the grindstone for books 2 to 4! I really LOVE my job *sigh*
C.H. Admirand
I'd love to go back in time to 1870s Colorado--where I've set my Irish Western Series--and 1815 Regency England--where I've set the first book in my Regency-era Historical The Three Vices: Patience and my new 4 book series The Lords of Vice for Dragonblade Publishing.
Of course since I write fiction and these are part of my fictional world, it would go without saying that I would have full access to 21st century amenities, i.e., running water and indoor plumbing while visiting. I would stop by the places I've written about and have seen so clearly in my head.
Of course since I write fiction and these are part of my fictional world, it would go without saying that I would have full access to 21st century amenities, i.e., running water and indoor plumbing while visiting. I would stop by the places I've written about and have seen so clearly in my head.
C.H. Admirand
I'd love to go back in time to 1870s Colorado--where I've set my Irish Western Series--and 1815 Regency England--where I've set the first book in my Regency-era Historical The Three Vices: Patience and my new 4 book series The Lords of Vice for Dragonblade Publishing.
Of course since I write fiction and these are part of my fictional world, it would go without saying that I would have full access to 21st century amenities, i.e., running water and indoor plumbing while visiting. I would stop by the places I've written about and have seen so clearly in my head.
Of course since I write fiction and these are part of my fictional world, it would go without saying that I would have full access to 21st century amenities, i.e., running water and indoor plumbing while visiting. I would stop by the places I've written about and have seen so clearly in my head.
C.H. Admirand
The cold granite slab at her back chilled her to the bone. The man held a wicked-looking blade high over her chanting in a language she didn’t understand. The voices joined in until the chanting reached a crescendo, and she knew this wasn’t a nightmare—she was their offering!
C.H. Admirand
NEVER GIVE UP! Seriously, you never know just how close you are to "receiving the call," or now-a-days "receiving the email."
Don't let nay-sayers talk you out of finishing that first book or digging deep for the courage to submit that first baby for publication.
Do your homework and research which publishers are currently looking for the genre you are writing. Make sure that you have gone over your ms with a fine-toothed comb--and then go over it again! If you don't have a critique group, find someone who will read your ms for you. You'd be surprised what typos and/or punctuation you may have missed that should be corrected before submitting. Don't give an editor a reason to reject you. Let your ms shine :)
If you are self-publishing, I'd recommend hiring a professional editor and/or proofreader, cover designer, and if you don't have the knack for it, someone to format your book. Don't give readers a reason to put your book down, let your book shine :)
Join a writer's group. I've been a member of RWA for 20 years and NINC for 7 years, and have belonged to numerous local chapters over the years. There are groups for all genres. An important thing to remember is to give back to those organizations. I've served as the NJRW Treasurer for 2 years, Assistant Conference Chair, Pan Liaison (twice), Golden Leaf Contest Coordinator, Book Fair Chair, and Editor/Agent Chair, and have volunteered at various writer's conferences over the years.
Be sure to listen to your gut and write the story that only you can tell. Your head might tell you it'll never sell, but your heart will agree with your gut and once that happens, your head will give in and your story will be amazing! And while you're waiting for that story to sell, get busy writing the next one!
Good luck!!!
Don't let nay-sayers talk you out of finishing that first book or digging deep for the courage to submit that first baby for publication.
Do your homework and research which publishers are currently looking for the genre you are writing. Make sure that you have gone over your ms with a fine-toothed comb--and then go over it again! If you don't have a critique group, find someone who will read your ms for you. You'd be surprised what typos and/or punctuation you may have missed that should be corrected before submitting. Don't give an editor a reason to reject you. Let your ms shine :)
If you are self-publishing, I'd recommend hiring a professional editor and/or proofreader, cover designer, and if you don't have the knack for it, someone to format your book. Don't give readers a reason to put your book down, let your book shine :)
Join a writer's group. I've been a member of RWA for 20 years and NINC for 7 years, and have belonged to numerous local chapters over the years. There are groups for all genres. An important thing to remember is to give back to those organizations. I've served as the NJRW Treasurer for 2 years, Assistant Conference Chair, Pan Liaison (twice), Golden Leaf Contest Coordinator, Book Fair Chair, and Editor/Agent Chair, and have volunteered at various writer's conferences over the years.
Be sure to listen to your gut and write the story that only you can tell. Your head might tell you it'll never sell, but your heart will agree with your gut and once that happens, your head will give in and your story will be amazing! And while you're waiting for that story to sell, get busy writing the next one!
Good luck!!!
C.H. Admirand
I started writing for publication over 20 years ago and have always had the gift of words, plot lines, and characters arguing in my head.
Life is filled with ups and downs: happiness, sadness, joyous moments, and devastating ones. I guess I'd never really thought about how I handled these moments and balanced out my family life and my writing life. I just did.
I've always put my family first, and with my mom's health rapidly declining, and our daughter about to deliver, I knew I wouldn't be able to meet the deadlines of the new contract I'd received. I had to cancel the contract and return the advance.
Two weeks later our second grandbaby was born, and 7 days later my Mom died and everything stopped making sense. My Dad died 16 years ago, and I knew they would be together now, but there was this big hole in my life.
The words dried up, plot lines no longer made sense, characters stopped arguing in my head--and worst of all the constant music playing in my head stopped.
I struggled for a long time trying to make sense of what was happening, but in the midst of it all, there were final arrangements to be made, Mom's Eulogy to write, a lawsuit to deal with--her reverse mortgage company was suing my brother, sisters, and myself--and six months later when I'd done everything I had to do, my gift was gone.
First I'd tried ignoring the problem, meditating, praying, baking, cleaning, until I finally tried accepting the fact that my gift was gone. I signed off of social media because it was too painful to talk about.
For a while I kept busy editing, freshening up and reissuing some of my backlist. That took my mind off the real problem. That I'd somehow lost my gift. I wasn't sure if I'd neglected the nurturing of my gift, or if I'd done something horrible to deserve losing it. I was a mess...but my family was there for me, thank God. They have always been and will always be my rock.
Then one day, one of my fabulous writer friends sent me an email with a character's name. She said she usually knows right away who they are, what they look like, and what story they want her to tell...but this time it was just the name. And then she said she realized, it wasn't her character to keep, it was for me. Humbled by her gift, something clicked inside of me as I thanked her, and the door that had abruptly shut on my creativity squeaked open a tiny crack.
I can't say that I'm back to normal sitting down and having the words just flow out of my heart, my head, and my soul...but they're there...just buried beneath years of living and dealing with the gift of life.
I guess dealing with writer's block is different for everyone. For some the answer could be found on the pages of a "how-to" book, for others it might be sparked by something another author has to say during a workshop. For myself, it has been like the song that just started playing in my head: The Long and Winding Road. Fingers crossed I can get back to my wips and start writing again without the constant worry that I'll do or say something that will chase my gift away forever.
Thank goodness, I have my family--my rock--and because of the gift of a character's name--Tom McNally--I have the gift of hope. Thank you, Carolyn Brown. You are my hero!!
Life is filled with ups and downs: happiness, sadness, joyous moments, and devastating ones. I guess I'd never really thought about how I handled these moments and balanced out my family life and my writing life. I just did.
I've always put my family first, and with my mom's health rapidly declining, and our daughter about to deliver, I knew I wouldn't be able to meet the deadlines of the new contract I'd received. I had to cancel the contract and return the advance.
Two weeks later our second grandbaby was born, and 7 days later my Mom died and everything stopped making sense. My Dad died 16 years ago, and I knew they would be together now, but there was this big hole in my life.
The words dried up, plot lines no longer made sense, characters stopped arguing in my head--and worst of all the constant music playing in my head stopped.
I struggled for a long time trying to make sense of what was happening, but in the midst of it all, there were final arrangements to be made, Mom's Eulogy to write, a lawsuit to deal with--her reverse mortgage company was suing my brother, sisters, and myself--and six months later when I'd done everything I had to do, my gift was gone.
First I'd tried ignoring the problem, meditating, praying, baking, cleaning, until I finally tried accepting the fact that my gift was gone. I signed off of social media because it was too painful to talk about.
For a while I kept busy editing, freshening up and reissuing some of my backlist. That took my mind off the real problem. That I'd somehow lost my gift. I wasn't sure if I'd neglected the nurturing of my gift, or if I'd done something horrible to deserve losing it. I was a mess...but my family was there for me, thank God. They have always been and will always be my rock.
Then one day, one of my fabulous writer friends sent me an email with a character's name. She said she usually knows right away who they are, what they look like, and what story they want her to tell...but this time it was just the name. And then she said she realized, it wasn't her character to keep, it was for me. Humbled by her gift, something clicked inside of me as I thanked her, and the door that had abruptly shut on my creativity squeaked open a tiny crack.
I can't say that I'm back to normal sitting down and having the words just flow out of my heart, my head, and my soul...but they're there...just buried beneath years of living and dealing with the gift of life.
I guess dealing with writer's block is different for everyone. For some the answer could be found on the pages of a "how-to" book, for others it might be sparked by something another author has to say during a workshop. For myself, it has been like the song that just started playing in my head: The Long and Winding Road. Fingers crossed I can get back to my wips and start writing again without the constant worry that I'll do or say something that will chase my gift away forever.
Thank goodness, I have my family--my rock--and because of the gift of a character's name--Tom McNally--I have the gift of hope. Thank you, Carolyn Brown. You are my hero!!
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