Heather B. Moore's Blog, page 19
September 29, 2010
My Publishing Journey--Part 1
Disclaimer: My blog has become boring. About a year ago, I was inspired by Annette Lyon when she posted her writing journey on her blog, one excerpt a week. I've thought about doing the same thing, but I've been slow to the punch. Each Wednesday, I'll post a new installment.
My Publishing Journey
Part 1:
What's follows is a true story, mostly true, okay, 99.9% true.
Many of my author-friends grew up wanting to be writers. That was never really the case for me. I loved books. I read voraciously, and I probably wanted to just be a character in a book, more than the person actually writing it.
Many of my author-friends had mentors, teachers, parents or friends who encouraged them, told them to reach for the stars. That wasn't the case with me. I got good grades in English and my love of reading propelled me to consider majoring in English in college.
But then I failed my AP English exam because of a low grade on the essay portion. I decided it was a sign and changed my major.
I cruised through college, as much as that is possible, and even added in a minor (Business Management) to my major (Fashion Merchandising). I decided that I'd work in retail and become a store manager of some fantastic boutique somewhere, perhaps even design a clothing line some day.
Along the way, I got married and soon after graduating from college, had a baby boy. For those of you who work in retail while raising a family, I salute you. Weekends + nights + holidays = Hard!
I became a stay-at-home mom, but life was suddenly very very frugal. You know those annoying sales people who call you on the phone and offer a free carpet cleaning if you'll agree to listen to a short demonstration on vacuums? That was me. My biggest paycheck was $12.
Have you ever bought a "hand-crafted" stuffed bear from an exclusive catalog? Have you ever wondered who did the hand-crafting? That was me. My biggest paycheck was $30, after the bear was sent back TWICE for correction. Those embroidered noses are impossible!
I thought to myself: HELLO? I'm a college graduate and I turned down a job offer for $45k to make stuffed bears on my kitchen table?
Although I swear my mother tortured me into piano growing up, I realized that I was quite good at it. I decided to teach piano. We moved 6 months later, and I lost all of my students.
Things were looking up in our next home. My husband's job paid a little more, and I was able to buy the brand-name cereal (when it was on sale). We bought a used couch to replace the plastic lawn chairs and splurged $400 on a dining table. Child #2 came along. Reading became my sanity. To settle with a book at night after a long day of kids-everywhere was heaven.
Fast forward another move, another house, and another kid. We were back in Utah now. I visited the library regularly with my kids and checked out book after book. My sister-in-law gave me a book by Richard Paul Evans to read. He is a Utah author, I discovered, and had made a huge name for himself nationally. Was that even possible, I wondered? My vision of authors was Mary Higgins Clark with her diamonds and pearls and NY accent. I read Evan's book and came away with several things. First, there was no suspense, twists and turns, historical research, or literary descriptions. It was just a good story. And he was a NY Times Bestseller.
Imagine that!
The seed was planted. If Evan's could do it, maybe I could too. Looking back, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And little did I know, but Richard Paul Evans would actually become an important part of my career, a good friend, and I'd eventually share his same agent.
But I do remember sitting down to write those first few pages of a novel. It was love at first paragraph.
My Publishing Journey
Part 1:
What's follows is a true story, mostly true, okay, 99.9% true.
Many of my author-friends grew up wanting to be writers. That was never really the case for me. I loved books. I read voraciously, and I probably wanted to just be a character in a book, more than the person actually writing it.
Many of my author-friends had mentors, teachers, parents or friends who encouraged them, told them to reach for the stars. That wasn't the case with me. I got good grades in English and my love of reading propelled me to consider majoring in English in college.
But then I failed my AP English exam because of a low grade on the essay portion. I decided it was a sign and changed my major.
I cruised through college, as much as that is possible, and even added in a minor (Business Management) to my major (Fashion Merchandising). I decided that I'd work in retail and become a store manager of some fantastic boutique somewhere, perhaps even design a clothing line some day.
Along the way, I got married and soon after graduating from college, had a baby boy. For those of you who work in retail while raising a family, I salute you. Weekends + nights + holidays = Hard!
I became a stay-at-home mom, but life was suddenly very very frugal. You know those annoying sales people who call you on the phone and offer a free carpet cleaning if you'll agree to listen to a short demonstration on vacuums? That was me. My biggest paycheck was $12.
Have you ever bought a "hand-crafted" stuffed bear from an exclusive catalog? Have you ever wondered who did the hand-crafting? That was me. My biggest paycheck was $30, after the bear was sent back TWICE for correction. Those embroidered noses are impossible!
I thought to myself: HELLO? I'm a college graduate and I turned down a job offer for $45k to make stuffed bears on my kitchen table?
Although I swear my mother tortured me into piano growing up, I realized that I was quite good at it. I decided to teach piano. We moved 6 months later, and I lost all of my students.
Things were looking up in our next home. My husband's job paid a little more, and I was able to buy the brand-name cereal (when it was on sale). We bought a used couch to replace the plastic lawn chairs and splurged $400 on a dining table. Child #2 came along. Reading became my sanity. To settle with a book at night after a long day of kids-everywhere was heaven.
Fast forward another move, another house, and another kid. We were back in Utah now. I visited the library regularly with my kids and checked out book after book. My sister-in-law gave me a book by Richard Paul Evans to read. He is a Utah author, I discovered, and had made a huge name for himself nationally. Was that even possible, I wondered? My vision of authors was Mary Higgins Clark with her diamonds and pearls and NY accent. I read Evan's book and came away with several things. First, there was no suspense, twists and turns, historical research, or literary descriptions. It was just a good story. And he was a NY Times Bestseller.
Imagine that!
The seed was planted. If Evan's could do it, maybe I could too. Looking back, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And little did I know, but Richard Paul Evans would actually become an important part of my career, a good friend, and I'd eventually share his same agent.
But I do remember sitting down to write those first few pages of a novel. It was love at first paragraph.
September 21, 2010
Winners of Book Giveaway & Updates
Contest Winners:
Krista: KEY LIME PIE by Josi Kilpack
Andrea: CHOCOLATE NEVER FAILETH by Annette Lyon
Taffy: THE FOURTH NEPHITE by Jeffrey Savage
Email your address to heather at hbmoore dot com and let me know if you want them personalized by the author.
WRITING UPDATE:
I've been working on a new Book of Mormon novel that I've titled Daughters of Jared for now. (I'm keeping the running word count on my sidebar.)
Here is part of my pitch letter to my publisher. The committee has given me the green l...
Krista: KEY LIME PIE by Josi Kilpack
Andrea: CHOCOLATE NEVER FAILETH by Annette Lyon
Taffy: THE FOURTH NEPHITE by Jeffrey Savage
Email your address to heather at hbmoore dot com and let me know if you want them personalized by the author.
WRITING UPDATE:
I've been working on a new Book of Mormon novel that I've titled Daughters of Jared for now. (I'm keeping the running word count on my sidebar.)
Here is part of my pitch letter to my publisher. The committee has given me the green l...
September 13, 2010
Pre-Conference BOOK GIVEAWAY
I'm SUPER excited about some great books I've been reading and want everyone to know about them. So, I'm hosting an ALMA THE YOUNGER "shout-out".
Rules to be entered:
Post a review/tweet/blog/facebook on something positive about ALMA THE YOUNGER in THREE (3) different places. Some of you have already posted reviews, so that's 1 down, and the rest should be easy. You can post the same review on different sites. Just let me know in the comments that you want to be entered into the drawing.
Possib...
Rules to be entered:
Post a review/tweet/blog/facebook on something positive about ALMA THE YOUNGER in THREE (3) different places. Some of you have already posted reviews, so that's 1 down, and the rest should be easy. You can post the same review on different sites. Just let me know in the comments that you want to be entered into the drawing.
Possib...
September 10, 2010
Upcoming Conferences & Signings
Upcoming Conferences & Signings:
Sept 17-18, 2010 - League of Utah Writers Conference
Hampton Inn & Suites on Admiral Byrd Road in SLC, Utah. I'll be teaching the Friday intensive workshop with my Precision Editing Group Senior Editors--Lu Ann Staheli, Annette Lyon, Josi Kilpack, and Julie Wright. Topic: "From Plotting to Final Draft: Getting Your Manuscript to Compete". NY Times Bestselling author John Gilstrap is Keynote Speaker. Registration and updates here
Sept 25, 2010 - Celebrating...
Sept 17-18, 2010 - League of Utah Writers Conference
Hampton Inn & Suites on Admiral Byrd Road in SLC, Utah. I'll be teaching the Friday intensive workshop with my Precision Editing Group Senior Editors--Lu Ann Staheli, Annette Lyon, Josi Kilpack, and Julie Wright. Topic: "From Plotting to Final Draft: Getting Your Manuscript to Compete". NY Times Bestselling author John Gilstrap is Keynote Speaker. Registration and updates here
Sept 25, 2010 - Celebrating...
August 31, 2010
If "Alma the Younger" had a song
I think this song by Aaron Shust perfectly portrays the character of Alma the Younger. What do you think?
You can listen on You Tube HERE, or read the lyrics below:
Lyrics from When Everything is Beautiful by Aaron Shust.
verse 1:
take my ashes take my dirt, and clay
take my pride and strip it off, away
take my mourning take my doubt, and fear
say the words i long to hear
chorus:
though your sins were as scarlet
they will be as white as snow
though they were red,
red as crimson
they will be like wool
when ...
You can listen on You Tube HERE, or read the lyrics below:
Lyrics from When Everything is Beautiful by Aaron Shust.
verse 1:
take my ashes take my dirt, and clay
take my pride and strip it off, away
take my mourning take my doubt, and fear
say the words i long to hear
chorus:
though your sins were as scarlet
they will be as white as snow
though they were red,
red as crimson
they will be like wool
when ...
August 25, 2010
BYU Display of Authors
During BYU Education Week, the L. Tom Perry Special Collections opened a display titled "Literary Worlds: Illumination of the Mind." The display highlights 24 poets and novelists in various stages of their careers and writing processes. Manuscripts, letters, drawings, and various artifacts are on display, all of them fascinating.
I'm excited to be one of the featured novelists, along with many others, from Victorian to modern-day. My Alma the Younger novel is featured and the visitors can see ...
August 20, 2010
Ammon--Officially Submitted!
AMMON is officially turned in! After some major computer woes that slowed me down, I was able to get through the final edits and I sent it to my publisher on Aug 17. Below, I included the cover letter I sent along with it . . .
Dear [Editor:],
I'm pleased to submit my new historical novel based on the life of Ammon, a Nephite missionary who turns down his birthright as a king to serve and teach the Lamanites the gospel.
In approximately 94 BC, Ammon travels with his three brothers and several oth...
Dear [Editor:],
I'm pleased to submit my new historical novel based on the life of Ammon, a Nephite missionary who turns down his birthright as a king to serve and teach the Lamanites the gospel.
In approximately 94 BC, Ammon travels with his three brothers and several oth...
August 9, 2010
My Alpha Readers
Most of you know what Alpha Readers are. They're those pesky people who either a)beg to read your manuscript in advance so they can offer sage advice, or b) I beg to read my manuscript so that I have a better chance of getting it accepted and (hopefully) breezing through the editing stage with my publisher.
Last month I completed the first draft of AMMON. The first thing I did was take a couple of days off (writers like Allyson Condie take an entire month away from the manuscript).
When I can'...
Last month I completed the first draft of AMMON. The first thing I did was take a couple of days off (writers like Allyson Condie take an entire month away from the manuscript).
When I can'...
July 12, 2010
Sample Chapter of ALMA THE YOUNGER & Updates
I've exceeded the first draft goal of AMMON, which was 80,000 words. AMMON is now 90,000 words (345 pages), and the story is still going. I see about 20-30 more pages to wrap-up. Then I'll go back and hopefully be able to tighten some. I've been posting the progress updates on the sidebar. I'm really excited about how AMMON is turning out. When I was about 65 pages into it I thought--this is sounding too lighthearted. It's no longer light-hearted, but it's much lighter than ALMA THE YOUNGER. ...
July 9, 2010
My books aren't for kids
Well, I do have some younger fans around 11 or 12. I even had a 10 year old tell me she enjoyed my books. But in general, I haven't written my historical novels to children. Just because they are LDS novels, and very "clean", doesn't mean I'd advise children to read them. There are certainly adult themes. Themes . . . say found in the Book of Mormon . . . if you know what I mean.
Sometimes when reading scriptures with my kids, I've glossed over parts because of my kids' sensitive natures. They...
Sometimes when reading scriptures with my kids, I've glossed over parts because of my kids' sensitive natures. They...
