Eliza David's Blog, page 24
September 29, 2015
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Wonderment: Three Things I Learned at My First Writers Conference
Now that I (think I’ve) found my writing style and voice, produced five books, and made a considerable amount of author buddies online, I decided that it was time for me to take it to the next level: Conferences!
Yes, the hustle and bustle of conference life in something I’ve dealt with in the past, but there is an element of excitement about attending a conference that’s not mandated by my day job. This weekend, I attended the fourth annual Chicago Writers Conference, nestled across the street from one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever set foot in: the Harold Washington Library Center. I thought that was humorously appropriate.
I was nervous, excited, curious, and naïve. Above all, I was determined. I’d invested almost three hundred dollars to be there and I wanted to get my money’s worth. I also wanted something blog-worthy to report back to you and, alas, I succeeded. I learned a lot about the craft of writing and the tools needed to become a successful author…but if I had to choose three of the most noteworthy lessons I learned during my weekend among some of Chicago’s finest budding literary talents, here goes:
1) Laurie Scheer was right: she is a media goddess!
My first session on Saturday morning was entitled How To Pitch. It was rather timely, as I had spent an extra $20 just to have eight minutes alone with an agent during CWC’s PitchFest (which was held on the next day – more on that later). So, there I was: Venti Starbucks Dark Roast Black in hand, composition notebook and pen in lap, and cute leopard print flats on feet. I was armed and ready – and so was the speaker, Laurie Scheer. A former veep of programming for the WE Network and an all-around industry know-it-all, Laurie shared her vast wealth of knowledge to my hungry self. She assured me that my platform was out there but I needed to find it. She issued a list of pre-pitch questions: Why should your idea be published? Why publish your idea NOW? Do you have wonderment in your idea that separates you from the pack?
Wonderment. I’d never considered the idea of an older woman/younger man carrying on as wonderment when I published The Cougarette. However, after hearing Laurie expand on that concept, I began to find the uniqueness of my own writing style and voice. No doubt, Laurie has a keen sense of giving you the straight-no-chaser when it comes to the writing industry and its entertainment counterparts. She was giving away no rose-colored glasses in her sessions!
Conversely, she inspired me to give my all during my pitch my and to believe in the wonderment of my creation. She even inspired me to go after a few impromptu pitches of my own throughout the weekend. I purchased her book, The Writer’s Advantage (highly recommended), at the book booth after the session and I attended two additional sessions headlined by her. (I even got an autograph AND she followed me on Twitter. I win.)
2) The Elevator Pitch is Dead.
During the Meet the Publishers session later that morning, I kept thinking about my pitch. I had already made up my mind that I was going to tackle at least one of those publishers after the session and give away my first business card. I had bought a box of cards and they were burning a hole in my pretty red CWC tote. You read that correctly: an entire box, y’all. Mama was on a mission!
As I took notes like a good student, one of the publishers said something that really made me sit upright: “If you ever want to turn off an agent or publisher, tell them that your book is a mix between two other popular books.”
I thought about my one-liner elevator pitch (as opposed to my 90-second pitch) and flipped to my folder to find the Post-It I wrote it on:
“My book is The Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce meets How Stella Got Her Groove Back”
Whoops!
I furiously scratched it out, scared that one of the all-mighty publishers would see it and shun me forever. As I scribbled it away (no matter how true it was…because it is true!), she went on to say that the old school Mad Men-style elevator pitch is dead in the world of publishing. She suggested that an alternative would be: “This book is for fans of…”
That sounded smoother, I suppose – but I didn’t want to chance delivering it. I mean, I’m a salesperson by trade, I majored in Marketing, and I’ve got a pretty slick mouth, but I also embrace my limitations in life – especially when it comes to talking about my favorite authors that I tend to go a little too hard in the paint for:
Me: “This book is for fans of Candace Bushnell.”
Potential Agent: “I hate Candace Bushnell.”
Me, confused: “Okay…but she wrote Sex and the City. Have you read Four Blondes? Or her latest, Killing Monica? They’re both really good…”
Yep. Nope. I know me. Fuck that. I stuck with my 90-second pitch and found that…
3) Pitching is not THAT scary.
PitchFest was the following Sunday and to say that the atmosphere in the UIC Conference Center was abuzz is an understatement. When I arrived that mid-morning, people were talking to themselves, wiping away tears, smiling as if they’d won a million bucks, and shaking like leaves in a Windy City breeze. By ten, at least a hundred pitches had been spouted from the mouths of eager writers to the ears of seeking agents. My pitch wasn’t until 1:36 so I had time to breathe and observe others. It was intriguing to wonder if the other writers were as scared as I was. Most of them certainly looked like it. By the time I lined up for my pitch, I had already spit game at a publisher and another agent. Surely I was ready for this prescheduled pitch that I prepped for over the past two weeks, right?
But what happened once I walked into the room for my eight-minute pitch was a completely different feeling. The agent I met with was so warm and inviting. She asked me how my day went and if I was enjoying the conference – small talk to set my mind at ease. It helped me deliver my pitch in a smooth manner and she ended our exchange by asking for the first fifty pages of my project as well as the first three chapters of my second (as I had learned in the How To Pitch session with the great Laurie Scheer: ‘Never come to a pitch with only one idea. Come with two or three – even if you haven’t done anything with them yet.’) I’m not sure if it will lead to anything, although I hope it does. I will say that as soon as I left the room, I felt a wave of accomplishment wash over me. I had survived my first PitchFest ever and I didn’t need to be a fraction as scared as I was.
My first writing conference was an overall success. CWC ran smoothly and made a conference virgin feel safe, able, and determined. No doubt I’ll be back next year and this time – I’ll pitch twice (but let’s hope I won’t have to pitch at all!)
September 28, 2015
Wonderment: Three Things I Learned at My First Writers Conference
Yes, the hustle and bustle of conference life in something I’ve dealt with in the past, but there is an element of excitement about attending a conference that’s not mandated by my day job. This weekend, I attended the fourth annual Chicago Writers Conference, nestled across the street from one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever set foot in: the Harold Washington Library Center. I thought that was humorously appropriate.
I was nervous, excited, curious, and naïve. Above all, I was determined. I’d invested almost three hundred dollars to be there and I wanted to get my money’s worth. I also wanted something blog-worthy to report back to you and, alas, I succeeded. I learned a lot about the craft of writing and the tools needed to become a successful author…but if I had to choose three of the most noteworthy lessons I learned during my weekend among some of Chicago’s finest budding literary talents, here goes:
1) Laurie Scheer was right: she is a media goddess!
My first session on Saturday morning was entitled How To Pitch. It was rather timely, as I had spent an extra $20 just to have eight minutes alone with an agent during CWC’s PitchFest (which was held on the next day – more on that later). So, there I was: Venti Starbucks Dark Roast Black in hand, composition notebook and pen in lap, and cute leopard print flats on feet. I was armed and ready – and so was the speaker, Laurie Scheer. A former veep of programming for the WE Network and an all-around industry know-it-all, Laurie shared her vast wealth of knowledge to my hungry self. She assured me that my platform was out there but I needed to find it. She issued a list of pre-pitch questions: Why should your idea be published? Why publish your idea NOW? Do you have wonderment in your idea that separates you from the pack?
Wonderment. I’d never considered the idea of an older woman/younger man carrying on as wonderment when I published The Cougarette. However, after hearing Laurie expand on that concept, I began to find the uniqueness of my own writing style and voice. No doubt, Laurie has a keen sense of giving you the straight-no-chaser when it comes to the writing industry and its entertainment counterparts. She was giving away no rose-colored glasses in her sessions!
Conversely, she inspired me to give my all during my pitch my and to believe in the wonderment of my creation. She even inspired me to go after a few impromptu pitches of my own throughout the weekend. I purchased her book, The Writer’s Advantage (highly recommended), at the book booth after the session and I attended two additional sessions headlined by her. (I even got an autograph AND she followed me on Twitter. I win.)
2) The Elevator Pitch is Dead.
During the Meet the Publishers session later that morning, I kept thinking about my pitch. I had already made up my mind that I was going to tackle at least one of those publishers after the session and give away my first business card. I had bought a box of cards and they were burning a hole in my pretty red CWC tote. You read that correctly: an entire box, y’all. Mama was on a mission!
As I took notes like a good student, one of the publishers said something that really made me sit upright: “If you ever want to turn off an agent or publisher, tell them that your book is a mix between two other popular books.”
I thought about my one-liner elevator pitch (as opposed to my 90-second pitch) and flipped to my folder to find the Post-It I wrote it on:
“My book is The Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce meets How Stella Got Her Groove Back”
Whoops!
I furiously scratched it out, scared that one of the all-mighty publishers would see it and shun me forever. As I scribbled it away (no matter how true it was…because it is true!), she went on to say that the old school Mad Men-style elevator pitch is dead in the world of publishing. She suggested that an alternative would be: “This book is for fans of…”
That sounded smoother, I suppose – but I didn’t want to chance delivering it. I mean, I’m a salesperson by trade, I majored in Marketing, and I’ve got a pretty slick mouth, but I also embrace my limitations in life – especially when it comes to talking about my favorite authors that I tend to go a little too hard in the paint for:
Me: “This book is for fans of Candace Bushnell.”
Potential Agent: “I hate Candace Bushnell.”
Me, confused: “Okay…but she wrote Sex and the City. Have you read Four Blondes? Or her latest, Killing Monica? They’re both really good…”
Yep. Nope. I know me. Fuck that. I stuck with my 90-second pitch and found that…
3) Pitching is not THAT scary.
PitchFest was the following Sunday and to say that the atmosphere in the UIC Conference Center was abuzz is an understatement. When I arrived that mid-morning, people were talking to themselves, wiping away tears, smiling as if they’d one a million bucks, and shaking like leaves in a Windy City breeze. By ten, at least a hundred pitches had been spouted from the mouths of eager writers to the ears of seeking agents. My pitch wasn’t until 1:36 so I had time to breathe and observe others. It was intriguing to wonder if the other writers were as scared as I was. Most of them certainly looked like it. By the time I lined up for my pitch, I had already spit game at a publisher and another agent. Surely I was ready for this prescheduled pitch that I prepped for over the past two weeks, right?
But what happened once I walked into the room for my eight-minute pitch was a completely different feeling. The agent I met with was so warm and inviting. She asked me how my day went and if I was enjoying the conference – small talk to set my mind at ease. It helped me deliver my pitch in a smooth manner and she ended our exchange by asking for the first fifty pages of my project as well as the first three chapters of my second (as I had learned in the How To Pitch session with the great Laurie Scheer: ‘Never come to a pitch with only one idea. Come with two or three – even if you haven’t done anything with them yet.’) I’m not sure if it will lead to anything, although I hope it does. I will say that as soon as I left the room, I felt a wave of accomplishment wash over me. I had survived my first PitchFest ever and I didn’t need to be a fraction as scared as I was.
My first writing conference was an overall success. CWC ran smoothly and made a conference virgin feel safe, able, and determined. No doubt I’ll be back next year and this time – I’ll pitch twice (but let’s hope I won’t have to pitch at all!)
September 10, 2015
Diversity in Fiction: Black Girl Moan – Women of Color and Sexuality in Popular Fiction
It is an intriguing responsibility to write erotic romance in this post-Fifty Shades era. Your readers value you as an expert in the art of writing sex in all of its beautiful forms: straight, BDSM, gay, lesbian, group, etc. They expect to salivate as they read about ‘pulsating centers’ and ‘throbbing manhoods’ (FYI: both of these terms combined will be the title of my personal memoir. Original, right?). They crave descriptions of beautiful bodies, writhing and sweating on top of one another. They devour your words in anticipation of a ‘happily ever after’ between two characters who happen to be very good at banging each other’s brains out.
When you add the element of race or ethnicity to a love scene, the weight seems heftier. The stakes, higher. At least that’s how I felt when I wrote the first book of my series, The Cougarette, during NaNoWriMo 2014. In detailing the affair between fortysomething CeeCee Banks and her younger lover Jay Weston, I never shied away from their Blackness. My main motivation behind self-publishing the series without initially considering traditional publishers was because I wanted CeeCee and Jay to remain Black. It was important to me that my readers experienced something they may not have been privy to in other reads: a Black woman engaging in sexual behavior and not being maligned because of it.
African American writers have taken control of the sexual narrative and produced some of the greatest novels of the twentieth century – most of which cast a Black woman as its’ central character. From Janie Crawford ( Their Eyes Were Watching God) to Zoe Reynard ( Addicted), the sexual nature of Black women in fiction has been portrayed in a variety of aspects that go beyond the media’s stereotypical image of the wanton sex freak. Don’t get me wrong: being a wanton sex freak surely has its advantages. In my opinion, however, there is more fullness to the essence of the Black woman than a big butt and a smile.
One of my favorite literary characters is Sula Peace, the namesake of the classic Toni Morrison novel Sula. Sula was eccentric, cunning, and unapologetically sexual. She defied the status quo, a life her sister Nel fully embraced. Since I’m certain that you will drop everything and buy Sula as soon as you finish reading my piece, I won’t give away the book. What I will say is that I adored the cognizant portrayal of Sula because of Morrison’s innate ability to draw out the character’s sensuality. Yet, as the reader, you don’t end the book hating Sula because of it. She was imperfect (conniving, even) and did bad things, but you understood her prowess. You appreciated her sexual freedom. Like many of Morrison’s works, it is a novel I go back to time and again – if only to make myself a better writer by absorbing her words.
I am currently in the middle of writing the fifth and final book of my series. My main character CeeCee and her many romantic missteps are coming to a head. As much as her life frustrates me at times, I strive to avoid victimizing her when I build her story. No woman – regardless of race, fictional or otherwise – should apologize for being horny. There should be no ‘I’m Sorry’ for aching for the touch of another person. When it comes to sensual characters, boundaries must be broken. Systematic sexuality must be shattered. From Zora to Zane, giving a voice to the oft-silenced erotic woman of color remains a work in progress. I hope that my scribbles are even a small contribution to the mission of making Black girls moan.
August 25, 2015
RELEASE WEEK EVENTS!
So, the week is finally here! Girls' Night In: A Collection of Short Stories based on The Cougarette Series drops on Friday (click HERE to preorder if you haven't already!) and I have a slew of events in line to celebrate it!
Check it out!
Monday 8/24 – Live Interview with T.A.Woods (http://t.co/n84HcwKIAI)
Tuesday 8/5 – 7pm Book Boyfriend Hangover Blog Takeover
(https://www.facebook.com/bookboyfrien...)
Wednesday 8/26 – 4PM: Cree Storm Event Takeover (https://www.facebook.com/events/95581...)
Weds 8/26 – 6pm: Anything But Vanilla Blog Takeover
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/38987...)
Thurs 8/27 – 7pm: The Naughty Librarians Blog Takeover
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Na...)
Friday 8/28 – 11am – 10pm: GNI Release Party
(https://www.facebook.com/events/16315...)
Sat. 8/29 – 9am: Bound Event Takeover
(https://www.facebook.com/events/85795...)
See you there!
August 21, 2015
Interview with Cassandra Caprio (IG: @thebookishcrypt)
August 19, 2015
August 14, 2015
Adult Education
And a lot of dedication/
But you want a little night school/
Maybe some of it will rub off on you/"
~Hall and Oates, Adult Education
My next release Girls' Night In: A Collection of Short Stories based on The Cougarette Series - or GNI, for short (because that title is a lot) - is finished and slated for release on August 28th (you can preorder HERE).
And I couldn't be happier.
In fact, I haven't been this happy to end a book in my very short writing career. GNI was not only my first foray into short stories, but it was my first time trying my hand at erotica. The whole process made me nervous, I'll be honest. I walked into this book a relative novice into the world of sensual writing. Now, I make no qualms - the previous four books of the Cougarette Series do contain a little bit of sex. What sets GNI apart from the rest of the series is the major emphasis on female sensuality.
GNI opens with CeeCee's friends gathering at her condo to have as the title suggests: an evening in with bottles of wine and tons of girl talk. And yeah, that girl talk gets a little...suggestive. It's meant to turn you on, no doubt. But my bigger mission with GNI was to blow the lid off of misconceptions about women and sensuality. I wanted to show women enjoying themselves for themselves, not for the sake of a man's (or another woman's, in some cases) orgasm. It was important to me that that came through clearly. According to my recent advance readers, I've accomplished just that. (Excuse me while I do my CeeCee Banks Happy Dance...)
Another benefit I gained from writing GNI was an opportunity to fine-tune my carnal writing, because let me be the first to tell you in case you didn't know: writing sex is not an easy task. I'm sure that most of my readers have picked up a romantic and/or erotic novel before reading a Cougarette book. I'm also sure that they've read some pretty bad love scenes. Lord knows I have!
But after having written a love scene or two myself, I can appreciate the forethought that goes into scripting sex. It's easy to write boring sex - insanely easy! What I've learned is to implement as many of the five senses as possible. I was able to tap into those unique factors by asking myself some questions like:
1) What does the character's sexual partner's neck smell like?
2) Is the room they are in able to reverberate the sounds of the lovemaking?
3) Are either one of the characters a 'talker' in bed?
4) The sheets - are they silk? Cotton? Are sheets a factor in the scene? What does the surface (sheets or nah) feel like rubbing against the character's skin?
5) What muscles are moving during the act? Vividly describe that.
Many more questions came to me as I wrote all five short stories and I found them helpful. I know this because my advance readers felt as if they were there. Right there in the bedroom, hotel suite, or private nightclub with the characters.
And that's the point.
Finishing GNI felt like graduation because I learned so much about describing one of the oldest human functions in civilization without making it feel like it was mechanical. I interviewed people that gave me insight into sexual activities with which I had no experience. Also, I learned a lot about myself as an author and my own writing style.
I learned that I liked writing about sex and that I shouldn't be ashamed of it.
The illustrious words of Erica Jong sum me up best:
"I write lustily and humorously. It isn't calculated; it's the way I think. I've invented a writing style that expresses who I am."
That's exactly how I felt after I wrote GNI. I stepped into who I am as a writer and it felt good.
Actually, it felt...sexy. ;)
(c)Eliza David, 2015
Don't forget to add Girls' Night In: A Collection of Short Stories based on The Cougarette Series to your Want To Read lists!
April 24, 2015
Release Week*! (*Or The “BUY MY BOOK, PLEASE!” Online Campaign)
Seven little days. Wow. I’m pretty stoked about it.
(Notice the lack of exclamation points that I am fighting the will to type.)
One of the reasons that this book is special to me is that it’s a very emotional read for every character involved (except Laney, because lesbians always have their shit together). Of course, the central focus remains to be CeeCee and Jay and how their union fares after their move to the concrete jungle.
Throughout CTM, you will witness a very specific shift not only in CeeCee’s relationship with Jay – but within CeeCee herself. This latest change in her life will be more chaotic than her divorce. CTM is going to navigate the reader through the ups and downs of CeeCee’s new life in the Big Apple.
As I’ve stated in previous blog entries, this was a tough book to write. I sat with some chapters for days, afraid to write them but eager to get the words out on paper all the same. I spent a lot of time fighting my characters in my head because they refused to behave. REFUSED, I tell you! I’ve found that by Book Three, I have zero control over these imaginary people. In contrast, The Cougarette was easier to write because the characters were newborns.
By the time I wrote CTM, they had become toddlers. Threenagers. Spoiled fucking brats.
So, when you read CTM, don’t blame me for any visceral reactions you may experience. If your favorite character (*sets eyes on #TeamJay*) does something you don’t like, understand that my hand was forced before you threaten my life via social media. My ARC readers already have hits out on me, I’m certain of that.
If you aren’t too busy reading CTM on your e-reader next Saturday, May 2nd, please join me and a bunch of naughty author buddies of mine at the Online Release Party, starting at 4pm CT. It’ll be a great time and, of course, we’ll all be giving away free stuff. Everyone likes free stuff, right?
Plus, you’ll need a break from devouring CTM – because once you hit the end of Chapter Nine…you won’t put it down. See you there!
April 19, 2015
The Advantages of Self Torture
So you know what that means: Almost time to start Book Four.
But not so fast!
I promised myself that I would get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight before I'd start writing. And yeah - it's beginning to irk me a little.
The good thing is that I don't have much to lose and the plot, synopsis, and title are all confirmed. It's pretty solid and I hope that it's a smooth followup to the emotionally draining Cougarette Takes Manhattan.
The bad thing is that the little I have to lose has been married to my ass and other choice body parts for over a year. In 2013, I got down to Baby #1 pre-pregnancy weight - and any woman with children understands that is no small feat. Today, I am nine pounds from Baby #2 weight. If I attempted Baby #1 weight, you'd be waiting on this book for a while.
In any case, I am committed to this self-imposed hell of a writing break. I know - I've made these promises before but I am for real this time. I just keep reminding myself that this is a two-fold win for me: I lose some vanity weight and I get to write Book Four.
Wish me luck...because Book Four is going to change the game for CeeCee and Company.
