Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog, page 100

A Very Long Post About How I Write, Revise/Edit, Publish, Etc My Books

A couple questions came into my FAQ page, and I thought some of you might be interested in the answers so I decided to make a post on it.  If the topic doesn’t interest you, feel free to ignore.  :D

1.  How long does it take me to write a first draft?

It depends on the book.  Some books are easier to write than others because the characters in some books let me know what to write next.  Other characters seem silent at times, so I have to take breaks and work on something else while I’m waiting for them to get back to me.

For example, Her Counterfeit Husband was easy.  It took me about two months to write the first draft.  I averaged 1000-1500 words a day.  The first draft’s total word count was about 74,000 words.  (As I’m editing, close to 2000 words have been removed, which is normal for me.)  I had set the word count goal to 1000 words a day, but the characters were so easy to work with that the story pretty much wrote itself.  I love it when that happens.  :D

However, I just finished Bound by Honor, Bound by Love (which I started late last year).  I believe it took nine months to finish (get this) 52,000 words.  I know.  74,000 in two months versus 52,000 words in nine months.  I don’t get why Bound by Honor, Bound by Love was so difficult, except maybe my total word count goal for the book (65,000) was forcing me to try to get more into the book than was meant to be there.  As soon as I lowered the word count goal to 50,000 (in June), the book took off and finally wrote itself.  Lesson learned: don’t force a book or the characters in it into a box.  You see, one of the subplots was supposed to be that Onawa was supposed to be tempted to leave Citlali for his brother.  There was even supposed to be a kiss between her and the brother.  However, as the story progressed, Onawa was not tempted at all, so I couldn’t force her into that subplot.  This threw me off track in the book, and it cut my word count down 15,000 words.  I had a buffalo hunt planned and everything during all of this drama, but since Onawa said, “No way, Ruth,” I couldn’t use the hunt either.  A lot of stuff depends on the characters, and if they aren’t willing to play along, it’s no use.

The longest time it’s ever taken me to write a book was 1.5 years, and that was Return of the Aliens.  For one, it wasn’t romance, so it was new territory.  Two, I did a good year’s worth of research while writing it, and that probably amounted to 4-5 hours a week.  Then I had to map out how I was going to connect all the dots between the multitude of subplots I had weaving throughout the main plot, which was Autumn’s desire to find to her sister.  This book had Biblical prophecy mixed in with a variety of conspiracy theories, and while it is one of my favorites, it was also the most intense book I’ve ever written.

My average length of time to write a romance is 2-3 months.

2.  How many edits/revisions do you do?

Early on, I did way more than now.   Most of it was adding things to enhance the plot.  Like in Falling In Love With Her Husband and An Inconvenient Marriage, I probably added 20,000 – 30,000 words to flush them out better.  Falling In Love With Her Husband was actually a combination of Todd’s Bride and Ann’s Groom, and since I didn’t like having the two books separated, I brought them together, added some scenes and deleted others.  I went through five revisions of the entire book before I was happy with it.  I went through two full revisions for An Inconvenient Marriage.  I did go through three full revisions of The Cold Wife and Romancing Adrienne (which was originally titled Winning the Heart of Adrienne).  Those were my first romances, and I was going through the stage of figuring out what worked and what didn’t and if I wanted sex in my books or not.

Diversion from the post: Early on, I got a little more preachy than I do now as well, but that was also part of the process.  I was deciding between the Inspirational Romance market and the Mainstream Romance market.  I did a ton of reading in both venues to figure out which type interested me the most and finally decided on Christian-based Mainstream Romances.  So I decided for the middle because I couldn’t leave out my faith (which is why historical westerns are awesome–the historical US was Christian based), but I also thought sex between the husband and wife enhanced the romance by showing the tenderness and development of the love between them.  Without the sex, I can’t properly show it, and that’s why I use it.  It’s also why I chose to self-publish.  I didn’t settle for self-publishing.  Looking back, I can see how God led me down this path.  And I should give a huge shout-out to Carolyn Davidson (who writes for Harlequin) for being my inspiration.  She writes books like I do (mainstream Christian-based romances).  :D

Back to the post: These days, I typically don’t need to do revisions for my books.  I did with my first Regency (The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife).  I made four revisions of that one, and it was very grueling.  But that is rare.  These days, once I get the first draft, I just polish it up.

Editors: The reason why I stay sane during the editing process.

If I didn’t have editors, I’d go crazy because once I finish my second draft, I don’t want to read my book for a very long time.  LOL  Why?  Because I already know what happens; there’s no surprises.

Once I do my initial read through (which takes about one month), I send it to an editor.  I have two main people I go to for edits.  One is an ex-high school English teacher.  The other is one who is establishing her LLC for her editing services as we speak.  In addition to this, I have two proofreaders who also serve as beta readers.  I used to have more, but I ran into one whose husband turned psycho on me and have backed off from allowing “just anyone” to beta read my work.  So I have a very closed group of people I trust with my work.  I’ve learned the hard way that you have to be careful.

3.  Who makes my covers?

In the past, I’ve used Joleene Naylor, Stephannie Beman, Dara England, and Bonnie Steffans (a generous reader who designed the covers for Isaac’s Decision, Restoring Hope and Brave Beginnings; she did do the original for Bound by Honor, Bound by Love, but I changed the plot enough where it required a different cover and did the new one myself).  Joleene Naylor did my four fantasy covers, but when iUniverse (a vanity press) decided to put those original versions up in ebooks, I removed the ones with Joleene’s covers because I didn’t want to confuse Amazon.  After two copyright violations in the past, I try to be careful.  Dara England did the covers for Shotgun Groom, To Have and To Hold, and Her Heart’s Desire.  Stephannie Beman did a couple of covers I ended up not using and the header on this blog.  I LOVE my header, btw.

I have made all my other covers.   I use GIMP for ebook covers and BookCoverPro for paperback covers.

4. Breakdown of my writing-revision/editing-publishing process.

Step One: Cover

I usually do a cover before I write the book because it motivates me to see the cover while I’m working on it.  For some reason, the book isn’t “real” until I get the cover.  The reason why I love to make my covers is so that I can modify anything if I need to.

Step Two: Write the book

Usually, this is 2-3 months.  I used to never change anything until I finished it.  For the last two books, I’ve stopped writing to adjust the book to where it needs to be to save myself time in the second draft stage.  This is part of what held me up on finishing Bound by Honor, Bound by Love was going back and tweaking things over the nine months I was working on it.  So these days, revisions happen during the writing stage.

Step Three: Editing 

I do the initial edit when I make the second draft.  This can take a month or a little more. Then I hand it to one of my editors.  This takes a week or two to get back to me.  Then I go through it again, and depending on what the editor says, it can take a week to two to go through it.  Then I hand it off to proofreader/beta reader #1 and then #2.  This part is the quickest.  Then I do light touch ups and publish it.

Step Four: Publish

This take a full day, believe it or not.  Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords requires their own formatting.  CreateSpace to make paperbacks is usually delayed, but takes a while to do, too.  I’ve finally gotten to the point where I only need one round of proofs from CreateSpace to approve the book, except if I have a typo or glaring error in the cover.  Then it’s two.  But with Amazon Kindle, B&N PubIt, and Smashwords, formatting takes about five hours, and uploading about another two hours.  Part of it is checking the formatting on the site.  So yes, it is a full day, and I’m exhausted when it’s done.

Step Five: Register My Copyright

This is the most important thing I do in the whole process, and I do this immediately after I publish the book.  That way if any legal issues pop up, I’m protected, and I have a great copyright lawyer who works with me.  If anyone lives in the Omaha area and needs a good copyright lawyer, let me know and I’ll give you his information.  His card is right with my driver’s license, so I always know where it is.

Step Six: Announce the Book is Out

I do this when it’s live on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.  I announce it on this blog, my newsletter, Twitter, and Facebook (my main page and my author page).  I don’t keep an email list because in the past, I ran into a couple of people who no longer wanted to be on it but were too afraid to hurt my feelings and let me know.  I opted for the newsletter blog where people can follow or unfollow my once-a-month posts as they wish.  It makes life easier for them.  I only do this once for Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords (when I get those links).  I don’t do it again.  I will put the link up on this blog and the front page of my website for a while in case anyone missed my announcement.  Other than that, I go back to my usual posts.

***

I’m sure that’s more than anyone wanted to know, but when I get started on writing and publishing, I tend to ramble.  

Stuff on My Mind: Cover for Forever Yours (Light Modification) and Still Editing

Thanks for all the feedback.  :D  I stayed with the original cover but modified where I put my name and added that it was Dave and Mary’s book.

Regarding the edits:

As I’m going through the book, I realize the heroine is one of those women who needs a man to rescue them.  I kept thinking she would stop being that way at some point in the book, but she never did.  So for anyone who likes kick-butt women, she won’t be your cup of tea.  And yes, I really do know women who are just like the heroine in this book, and one is a really good friend.  I love Anna.  She is who she is.  I had no trouble writing her because her personality came through on the first page of the book.  However, I am nothing like her.  LOL  For those of you who read An Inconvenient Marriage, I’m the Sue Lewis of the world, except I don’t like to ride horses.  More power to anyone who does.  I rode a couple horses, never liked it, and almost fell off of one when it darted off (without my command).   Anyway, the last adventure when I almost fell and broke some bones was the last time I ever got on a horse.  Okay, another honest moment.  I don’t have Sue’s startlingly awesome looks either.  But personality-wise, yep.  I’m pretty much the complete opposite of Anna.

I don’t know if anyone else has noticed it, but it seems that the two personalities (Anna and Sue) tend to attract each other.  You have your Type A personality (me) and a Type B personality (the majority of close friends I’ve ever had, including my husband).  I even get along best with my Type B personality kids, and my husband gets along better with the Type A kids.  Being a psychology major (got a degree I have yet to use), personality types fascinate me.

And being a Type A, I would be whacking Citlali over the head with my purse to knock some sense into him if I was Onawa, but Onawa’s a Type B so she doesn’t, though I will say she comes to the point where she says “enough is enough”.   Speaking of Onawa’s book…

Which brings me to an important point:

I don’t always agree with my characters.  Something they do stuff that makes little sense to me at the time when I’m writing, but I’ve learned to trust my instinct and let the characters do what they want and be who they want to be.  The book always turn out better when I do.  So characters (much like kids) have a mind of their own, and there’s no use in forcing them to be who they want to be.

Hmm…  I was just thinking of how strange it is that I wrote about two Type A’s that managed very well together: Jake Mitchell and Sue Lewis from An Inconvenient Marriage.  I don’t often mix characters that way–one is usually a Type A and the other a Type B (out of instinct), but hey, if it works, go with it, right?  :D

Interview With Lord Edon and His Mother (Hero in A Most Unsuitable Husband and His Poor Mother Who Suffers Daily From What The Tittletattle Will Report Next)

This interview is based on the scene I posted a couple days ago.

Ruth: Fortunately, Lord Edon and his mother have agreed to come in for an interview.

Lord Edon: About that.  I want you to remove that part in the scene about me reading Shakespeare.

Ruth: But it’s the truth.

Lord Edon: Maybe, but no one needs to know it.

Ruth: Even your mother?

Lord Edon: Especially my mother.

Ruth: Why?

Lord Edon: Seriously?  You have to ask me that?  You’re the one who gave me such a rakish reputation in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife and Her Counterfeit Husband.  Granted, I had no actual dialogue in Her Counterfeit Husband, but I believe my reputation speaks volumes about the kind of guy I am.

Ruth: Well, yes.  It’s true that you are notorious.

Lord Edon: Yes, I frighten young virgins everywhere and terrify their fathers even more.  Sometimes I wonder if the fathers are afraid for their daughters or that I might win all their money in a game.  Not that I try to win.  For the life of me, I can’t lose, no matter how bad of a hand I think I got.

Ruth: The curse of being lucky.

Lord Edon: I have been up to now.  What with you exposing my secrets and all, I might as well hang myself.

Ruth: Oh, stop being dramatic.

Lord Edon: If you were in my shoes, you wouldn’t be so quick to judge.

Ruth: You can’t be a bachelor forever.  The sooner you face up to it, the better off you’ll be.  Besides, you knew your book was coming when I introduced you in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.  You were so adorable with the way you skirted around Lord Roderick’s questions about pleasing his wife in bed.

Lord Edon: I skirted nothing.  I just knew a book would be better.  It even had drawings and if anyone needed help, it was him.  I figured since he loves maps so much, the drawings would help him understand the female body better.

Ruth: Maybe it would have helped you, too, if you took the time to have read it before giving it to him.

Lord Edon: *gasp* What are you implying?

Ruth: I think we both know what–

Lord Edon: You know what?  It doesn’t even matter what you think.  Who are you anyway?  You’re just a writer.  You’re not a duchess or countess or even the daughter of a titled gentleman.  If you were anyone important, others would have heard about you.  Even Lord Roderick who is totally lame when it comes to knowing anyone outside of politics doesn’t know who you are.  I mean, you’re not even in the Tittletattle.  Show up in a scandalsheet, and I might pay attention to what you have to say.

Ruth: Funny as you’re trying to be, I’ll have everyone reading this know that you pay someone to submit false things about you to the Tittletattle.

Lord Edon: You wouldn’t!

Ruth: I just did.

Lord Edon: That’s it.  The gloves are off.  I’m not sitting still for the way you’re ruining my reputation as a rake!

Ruth: Oh yeah? Bring it.

Lord Edon: Don’t think I won’t!

Ruth: And while you’re at it, be sure to say hi to your mother.  I decided to bring her to the interview.

Rhonda (Lord Edon’s mother): Ruth, please tell me you’re going to finally marry my son to a good, respectable lady.

Ruth: I can, but I need your help.

Rhonda: I’ll do anything it takes.

Lord Edon: What in the world happened to you, Mother?  Did some hideous creature throw up on your clothes?

Rhonda: When I’m not in the book, I can dress any way I want to.

Lord Edon: You mean you’re not being forced to wear that awful thing?  Someone isn’t standing behind you with a gun to your head?

Rhonda:  I could ask the same about your hair, spike boy.  And aren’t you supposed to be a blond?

Lord Edon: Point taken.  I won’t insult the clothes you wear when you’re not in the book.  Besides, I like being a brunette.  Everyone knows they’re sexier.

Rhonda: *closes her eyes and shakes her head* Ethan, you must stop worrying about the “s” word and focus on getting married so you can have an heir.

Lord Edon: I hate to break this to you, but doing what you want requires me to think of about sex.

Rhonda: You see what I have to deal with?  There’s no stopping him.  Ethan, even if that’s true–

Lord Edon: It is true.  Babies aren’t born any other way.

Rhoda: *sighs* Even though that’s true, you aren’t supposed to enjoy it.  Or at least, you wouldn’t dare mention it in my presence.

Ruth: Are you saying he mentions enjoying the “s” word now when you’re around?

Rhoda: No, he doesn’t, thank God.

Ruth: Well, you have no need to worry him enjoying it at all because–

Lord Edon: Don’t you have another character you can suffer?  Whatever happened to Dave Larson?  Aren’t you going to write another book about him?  One in which he gets impotent?

Rhoda: Ethan!

Lord Edon: Oh, Mother.  It slipped out.  I didn’t mean to say it in front of you. *whispers to everyone but his mother “I’m fully capable of doing it.  I’m not impotent, so don’t think that’s what Ruth plans to do with me”*

Rhoda: *sighs* I don’t even want to know what Ethan said, so no one tell me.  Ethan, you will get married.  If I have to cause a scene in public to force  your hand, I’m going to see to it that you’re married.  Even if I have to drag the poor lady down the aisle of the church–

Ruth: It won’t come to that, though there will have to be some public situation that forces his hand.  

Rhoda: Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.  That boy needs to settle down.  If I see one more of his indiscretions mentioned in the Tittletattle, it’ll be the death of me.

Ruth: Don’t worry.  Just send him to the next ball, and I’ll tell you what to do.  You’ll have a good, respectable lady to marry before the end of the night.

Rhoda: What a relief.

Lord Edon: I’d like to go on record as saying that females are the most meddlesome creatures known to man.

Janet Syas Nitsick Announces the Winners for Her Giveaway and Some Cover Ideas for Forever Yours

Congratulations to Lorna Faith and Crystal Young who won a copy of Janet Syas Nitsick’s new historical romance, Lockets and Lanterns, and either a copy of Eye of the Beholder or Shotgun Groom (by me).  Please go to Janet Syas Nitsick’s post for more information.  :D

As for the covers, I have two new ideas.  I’ll add the original cover here as well.  Anyone have any thoughts on one that looks better than the other?  I can’t show Mary’s face because she’s plain, and though I hate to say it, plain heroines don’t appeal to people who are browsing books.  So I had to make it so that you couldn’t tell the models I used were attractive.  That’s not to say that Mary is ugly, but being plain, she just wouldn’t catch someone’s eye.

Cover 1

Cover 2

Cover 3

Updates: My Ebooks at Libraries And A Prelude to Her Counterfeit Husband (Maybe)

My ebooks will be showing up in more libraries (via Smashwords)

Today I checked out the site update page on Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/about/beta).  I’ve decided to give away all of my ebooks to libraries doing business with Smashwords.  What does this mean?  Basically, I want to make it as easy as possible for libraries to get my ebooks so that people have the opportunity to borrow it on their eReading devices.  As time goes on, more and more ebooks will be getting into library systems.  If the libraries don’t have to pay for my ebooks, they will be more willing to offer my ebooks to anyone who wants to check them out.

As a quick disclaimer, I don’t even have a library card, so I don’t check out books (paperback or ebooks) from a library.  I don’t know how the system works.  What I know is that a lot of people do go through libraries to find books.  In my opinion, this is a great way to help anyone reading this blog get easier access to my ebooks.  However, I have no control over which libraries will pick up my ebooks.  I don’t know which libraries are doing business with Smashwords either.  But I do know this is an expanding venture, which means that more and more libraries are going to be working with Smashwords in the future.

Please don’t ask me if my ebooks are at your library.  I have no idea.  My recommendation is if you would like to see my ebooks at your library, please talk to your librarian.  Since libraries can get my ebooks for free, you should have an easier time convincing your librarian to pick up my ebooks.  However, this might take some time and some kinks might have to be worked out as Smashwords distributes ebooks to libraries, so please be patient if you can’t get my ebooks at your library yet.  :D

A “Book Trailer” Prelude to Her Counterfeit Husband (Maybe)

I’m currently looking into doing a prelude trailer to introduce Her Counterfeit Husband.  There’s a backstory to the heroine’s life that I explained in the book, but I thought I’d try a trailer giving her backstory and ending it with the night she finds the hero beaten and left for dead in the forest.  It’s meant to be a cliffhanger so you’ll want to read the book.  :D  I’ve never done a trailer like this before, so I have no idea if it’ll work or not.  I’m currently sorting through pictures on www.dreamstime.com and seeing if there are any suitable videos.

I don’t want to do the same-old book trailer like I’ve done in the past.  Honestly, I think they’re boring.  But if I added something different and outside of the book, that might be interesting.  I could actually do trailers to add to books instead of just explaining what the book is about.

As I said, though, since I’ve never attempted this, it might turn out to totally suck, and if that’s the case, I won’t post it for the world to see.

Lord Edon and His Mother (Or “How To Drive Your Mother Crazy In One Scene or Less”): An Excerpt from A Most Unsuitable Husband

I thought I’d take a brief time out from editing to share one of my favorite scenes that I’m working on in A Most Unsuitable Husband.  This book will be a comedy, and the scene between Lord Edon (Ethan) and his mother helps to set the stage for it.  While I love writing dramas, I also enjoy a good comedy from time to time.  :D

I hope to do an interview with Ethan and his mother soon.  *fingers crossed they’ll cooperate with me*

As a side note: on the timeline in the Regency Collection, A Most Unsuitable Husband takes place before Her Counterfeit Husband.  You know me.  I have trouble writing books in chronological order.  However, what happens in Her Counterfeit Husband has no bearing on this book.

So currently, this is the order of the Regencies:  The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife, A Most Unsuitable Husband, and Her Counterfeit Husband.  The Reluctant Wife would be after Her Counterfeit Husband, and A Hasty Marriage falls somewhere after that.  (A Hasty Marriage is going to be Lord Clement — aka Perry — from The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife).  I’m sure I’ll come up with more books as I go along.

***

 “When are you going to find a respectable young lady to marry?”

Ethan looked up from his book in time to see his very unhappy mother enter his library.  He slammed the book shut and slid it under his chair before she realized he’d been reading Shakespeare.

She glanced at where he put the book and made the sign of the cross.  “You’ll be the death of me yet.  I don’t even want to know what you’re reading.  If only you’d read one of the books your father invested money in.” She gave a mournful sigh and scanned the many books lining the shelves.

“Mother, please.  You know I find history and the like boring.” He grimaced.  Truly, he did.  History, biography, politics…  They only served one purpose: to put a gentleman to sleep.

She set her plump frame in the chair across from him and wrung her hands.  “You were in the Tittletattle again.”

His ears perked up at the mention of the scandalsheets.  “I was?”

“Don’t act so pleased.”

He stopped smiling and gave her a solemn nod.  “You’re right.  I have behaved abhorrently.” After a pause, he added, “What did I get caught doing?”

She let out a cry and pressed her hand to her forehead.

“Oh come now, Mother.  It couldn’t have been that bad.”

“It’s got to be one of the worst things you’ve done yet.  Prostitutes and your own mistresses are one thing, but you were caught with Lord Hedwrett’s mistress…and in broad daylight where everyone could see you!”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“No?”

“No.  It was twilight.”

She let out a cry and pulled out a handkerchief.  “Why can’t you settle down with a good, respectable lady?  Why must you insist on dallying with such…such…women?”

His brown eyes grew wide.  “I’ve never heard you talk this way.”

“I’m sorry, Ethan, but you bring out the worst in me.  When your father died, I promised him that I would make sure you found a good lady to pass on the title to your son.  Only, there is no good lady and no son.” She gave him a hesitant look.  “At least no legitimate son.  Are there illegitimate sons?”

“No.  I don’t think so.  At least no one’s mentioned it.”

“Please, please marry a good lady this Season.”

He ruffled his blond hair and groaned.  “I’ve been trying.”

“Not hard enough.”

“I’ve been going to each Season for four years.”

“And with each passing year, it’s getting harder and harder to convince a proper lady that you’re worth marrying.  As much as ladies desire a titled gentleman, they still have their limits.”

Crossing his slender legs, he leaned back in the chair and watched her as she agonized over his future.  He knew she meant well, but the responsibility of the title never appealed to him.  How he wished he could hand it to his cousin who could then take over the estate so he could live a quiet life—out of the limelight—in his cottage.  What more did a gentleman really need than the solitude of good books and the peacefulness of nature?  No, instead, he was expected to run from one social event to another and frequent White’s.  At least in the winter, he could return to Kestrel.  But no.  It was time to be in London and do the whole running to and fro thing all over again.

Inspired, he straightened.  “I have a wonderful idea!”

Though she seemed hesitant, she asked, “You do?”

“Let’s give my title to Clarence.  You know he’ll do well with it!”

“Not this again.”

“But why not?”

“It’s not as easy as you seem to think it is to hand over your title to him, and if it were, I forbid it.  You make much too light of it.  It’s an honor to have one, and you can do more with it than you can without.”

He sunk back into the chair.  He knew she was going to say that.  She always said that.  No matter what vile thing he pulled, she clung to her obsession with him passing on the title to one of his future sons.  Little did she realize, he’d never had them, whether legitimate or not.

“There’s a ball tomorrow night,” she began, and he groaned.  “Now don’t act that way, Ethan.  I want you to put on your best clothes and be charming to the ladies.” She paused for a moment.  “Not too charming, of course.  I don’t want you to lure an innocent out to the gardens.  Granted, a scandal would secure a marriage, but you’ve lived so recklessly, my heart can’t take that kind of betrothal.  What we need is an honorable engagement to an honorable lady.”

This wasn’t the first time she’d made such a declaration, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last.  But either way, it wouldn’t happen.  He was very careful to avoid anything that might mean he had to marry a lady.  No one insisted on marriage if the lady in question was a mistress or a lady of ill repute.  They were, by far, the safer bet if he felt inclined to talk to a member of the fairer sex.

“I’ll attend the ball,” he said because he knew it would make her happy.  Never mind the fact that she’d be disappointed tomorrow evening when there was no lady who would be a possible daughter-in-law.  Just the hope alone would have to suffice.

Relaxing, she smiled.  “Thank you.  Maybe this Season will be the one!”

Maybe it would be the Season where she would give up her nonsense of him finding a wife.

Standing up, she motioned to the book under his chair.  “I’ll let you return to,” she sighed, “your reading.”

His eyebrow arched as he watched her leave.  Once she shut the door, he picked up the book of Shakespeare’s plays and resumed reading it.  He could only imagine the talk of the ton if anyone found out he was reading something so noble.  Such a thing wouldn’t be good for his stellar reputation as a rake.

Cover Ideas and What I’m Thinking of Working On

I should give a very quick warning that my editing schedule isn’t going as smoothly as I was hoping.  It’s August now, which means the kids are bouncing off the walls, and I’ve been doing everything I can think of to keep them happy.  For the last two summers, that meant taking them to the park where I’d work on my stories.  However, it’s been up in the high 90s and low 100s most of the time.  That means we’ve been hitting the pool almost every day, and at the pool, all I can do is sit in the shallow area and read a paperback book.  (I choose paperbacks because I don’t care if I get a paperback wet, but I’d care if my Kindle or Nook did.)  While it’s been fun, it hasn’t been a productive use of my time.  When we’re not at the pool, it’s been the zoo (which I do love; the Omaha zoo is an amazing experience), the Strategic Air Command Museum, Fontenelle Forest, or the Wildlife Safari.  So even though I’ve been in the area, I feel like I’ve been on vacation every day.  This isn’t bad.  I’ve been having a lot of fun with the kids, but when I get home, I don’t usually feel like editing.  So I’ve made unbelievably little progress compared to what I’m used to.

I state all of this because I might end up pushing back the publishing dates of Her Counterfeit Husband and Bound by Honor, Bound by Love.  I still want to make my books they can be, and if it takes longer for me to do it because my kids need stuff to do, then that’s how it ends up.  I’ll keep everyone updated as the month progresses.  Once August 20th comes, it’ll be back to school for everyone, and I can get into a routine again.

Possible Cover for a Future Regency Book

I have been working on potential covers for my next Regency.  The Reluctant Wife is a tentative title.  Anyway, I’d like your opinion on which position works best for the heroine (fan facing to the left or right) and which background (red or blue) fits better.  I’m not going to write this one yet because the plot isn’t firmly established.  Like Lord Clement’s book, I need time to think about it before I start it.

Here are the covers:

Cover 1

Cover 2

Cover 3

Cover 4

I’ve tried her outside, but none of the outdoor pictures worked.  I finally found two that were indoor images that fit the time period I’m writing in.

Also For Dave and Mary’s Third Book

In addition to working on the cover for The Reluctant Wife (tentative title), I also want to see what I can do about the cover of Dave and Mary’s third book.  This is what I have now:

While it’s not bad, I’m wondering if I can get something more like the kind of stuff I’ve been doing (Mitch’s Win and Wagon Trail Bride since I really like those covers).  So I’ll be browsing around www.dreamstime.com, www.shutterstock.com, www.photos.com, and istock.com when I’m unable to focus on edits to see what I can come up with.  :D

What I’m Thinking of Writing Next

I’ve gotten a couple of questions from people who want to know what I’m thinking of writing in addition A Most Unsuitable Husband.  At the moment, Wagon Trail Bride and Forever Yours are looking like the two I’ll work on next.  No promises though. 

The First Draft of Bound by Honor, Bound by Love is Done!

I just finished it!  I was so excited I had to share the good news.  I’ve been at the computer all day writing, and between interruptions from the kids (who are bored) and cooking food, I finally did it.  There were times when I doubted I could get it done this year.  The characters would give me nothing to write for weeks on end, but as soon as I lowered the word count goal, the writing became easy.  Who knew the problem was placing a word count goal on the book?  LOL

Anyway, I am at chapter 13 (out of 25 chapters) with Her Counterfeit Husband.  I would have finished by now if I hadn’t been working on Bound by Honor, Bound by Love.  But it’s no big deal.  Now I can work on going through the initial of both books.  :D

What is Love?

I might write romances.  I love it.  I get to “fall in love” on a regular basis.  The thrill of that first moment when you realize you are with the person meant for you is one of things that makes writing romances so much fun.  I really enjoy that “falling in love” process.

But as I’m sitting here at my laptop, finishing up Bound by Honor, Bound by Love, I look around my living room and see children who are occasionally fighting but being good for the most part.  My husband is upstairs reading a book.  It’s not exactly the picture we’re given of love in romance novels.  In romance novels, the couple strives to be together and there are all those exciting emotions.

Real life can’t sustain a romance novel type of love.  Real life had you up in the clouds during the days when you first find that person and are falling in love.  But then the day-to-day tasks of life set in, and you find that love isn’t all about fireworks and endless hours together.  In fact, if I were to spend all day with my husband, I’d go nuts.  (Same is true for him.)

The truth is while your spouse completes you, you still need to have your own identity.  And this isn’t a bad thing.  It makes you a more rounded person.  I am not just a wife.  I am a mother, a writer, a friend, an Omaha-zoo and Mahoney State Park enthusiast, among other things.  My point is that there are times when we need things separate from our spouse.

But that doesn’t lessen the importance of love, and it doesn’t mean I love my husband any less.  It’s all about moderation in anything.  You can’t spend all your time on only one thing or else you aren’t a well-balanced person.  Make sense?

So what is love?  Honestly, I am convinced love is a choice.  It’s a decision.  Feelings are so fleeting and unreliable.  I mean, one minute, I want to kiss my husband because he did the laundry without me asking, and the next, I want to knock him upside the head for not cleaning up the juice he spilled on the counter (which, for anyone who’s had to deal with ants, knows this is important if you don’t want more of those pests).

The more I think about it, making decisions based on emotions is horrible.  It’s too easy to get swept up in the moment.  Later on, you think, “Good grief.  What was I thinking?” This can be anything from an inexpensive toy for the kid or an expensive item for your husband (because they were just so darn cute at the time and so happy, which made you happy, so you couldn’t say no).  That’s just one example which isn’t that serious.  A more serious example would be “I don’t feel appreciated.  But there’s this guy who makes me feel like a queen, so I think I’ll leave my husband and kids to be with him.” I’ve heard more scenarios play out like this than I care to admit.  Why did it happen?  Probably because the person who left had this notion that love should be all fluff (ex. candy and roses) every day of the year.

Love isn’t all rose and candy.  It can be hard.  Love is treating others the way you’d want them to treat you, even when they don’t return the favor.  It’s not all that exciting.  In fact, it can see ho-hum most of the time because you’re going from day-to-day not really thinking about it.  But when you end up in severe pain because of a kidney stone that’s passing and your husband takes you to the emergency room and then takes care of the kids so you can rest, that’s where love truly matters.  It’s not the candy and roses and other thrills.

It’s in growing old together, when looks fade and you’re no longer the beauty you once were (believe me, it’s not fun to compare myself to how I was when I first got married because I’m not the Hollywood version of beauty anymore).  Love is about being who you truly are with the other person and knowing that they’ve accepted you, good traits and bad.  No one is perfect.  Romance novels often require us to be perfect or for the other person to be perfect, but that’s because in the “falling in love” stage, you and the other person are “perfect”.  I admit that I have made up some pretty perfect characters, but I also realize that romance novels are fiction.  They are not a mirror of reality.  Who wants to read a book where the hero and heroine are sitting around the house and trying to decide if they take the kids out for a walk, shop for clothes since school is quickly approaching, or just hang out in the house today?  Because this is my life on a regular basis.  It’d make for a horrible romance novel.

I still love romance novels and all the thrills in them.  Sure, it’s not the same as real life, but I write and read fiction to be entertained.  I like the escape.  I placing myself in the character’s shoes and living out their adventure.  It’s fun.  But for the critics who complain about romance novels because it’s not realistic, all I can say is, “So what?”  It doesn’t have to be.  My life would make a very boring novel.  But one of characters would have an exciting tale to tell, so I tell theirs instead.  :D

Updates

Her Counterfeit Husband

I now have an estimated publishing date around August 15 to 25.  :D

I’m still in the editing process.  Actually, I’m still getting it ready for the editor and my proofreaders.  Fortunately, they have blocked out priority time for me so when I’m done, they’ll get right on it.  I have an awesome group of people to work with.  :D

I’m getting about one chapter a day done, which is slower than what I usually do, but the reason it’s been slow going is because I’ve been finishing up Bound by Honor, Bound by Love.  And speaking of that…

Bound by Honor, Bound by Love

At the moment, I am about five scenes away from being done.  With any luck, this weekend, I’ll get to announce that I’m done with the first draft!  Then I can move it through the process of getting it ready for the editor and proofreaders.

I think it’s safe to estimate the publishing date for this book around the end of August to early September.

A Most Unsuitable Husband

As soon as I finish with Bound by Honor, Bound by Love (which is taking all of my writing time at the moment), I plan to make 1000 words a day my goal for this book.  At the moment, Lord Edon’s mother is in front of everyone at the ball claiming that her son and Lady Catherine have a secret engagement.  This is not true, of course, but the poor mother’s desperate to see her son married to a respectable lady and is willing to stoop to anything to secure it.  I should post the scene in the book where she’s hassling Lord Edon about getting married.  I’ll look into doing that this week.  With any luck, the two will be willing to come in for an interview.

As much as I tried to get an interview with the characters from Her Counterfeit Husband, no one was willing to do it.  That’s why I never did one with them.  While the characters were very cooperative when I wrote the book, they weren’t cooperative when it came to interviews.  *sigh*

(I know these are characters, but when I write them out, they come alive and have personalities of their own and I can’t force them to do anything they don’t want to do.  This is true in the book and on my blog.  So yes, these characters do become “real” people.  :D)

I’m Putting Mitch’s Win On Hold

You know how it is when you get excited about a project, start it, have to stop because you need to do something else, and when you come back to it, you lose interest?  That’s where I’m at with this book.  This book has potential.  Amazing potential, but if I force it, it’ll suck.  This book can be one of my best ones if I set it aside and wait for the interest to come back.

So I’ll be taking if off the “Works In Progress” list on the right side of this blog.

Not Sure What I’ll Work On Next

I’m going to give myself a couple of weeks while I work on Her Counterfeit Husband and Bound by Honor, Bound by Love to think about what other book or two books I’d like to work on while I write A Most Unsuitable Husband.  I’m going to give my mind a break and see what comes to me.  So at the moment, A Most Unsuitable Husband will be the only one I’ll have up, in addition to finishing Bound by Honor, Bound by Love.

I just rehashed all of this on my newsletter blog, so if you read this post, there’s no need to go over there.  :D