Jae's Blog, page 46
December 24, 2012
Book giveaway
To celebrate Christmas and our first year in the publishing business, my publisher is giving away two signed paperback copies of my novel Something in the Wine.
Anyone can participate in the drawing, no matter where in the world you live. Just head over to Ylva Publishing’s blog and leave a comment and we’ll enter you in the drawing.
Merry Christmas to all my readers!
Jae
Filed under: Something in the Wine, Ylva Publishing
December 1, 2012
Writing Time in November
Wow, it’s December already. Just three more weeks until Christmas. Can you believe it?
I didn’t get much writing done this month, but I blogged about writing on my publisher’s blog. We prepared a few interesting blog posts about writing that will be posted this month, so if you are a writer, you might want to subscribe to Ylva Publishing’s blog.
I also spent about ten hours translating fiction from German to English.
So let’s take a look at the numbers for November:
Writing
Beta reading
January
47 hours
5 hours
February
31 hours
2 hours
March
36 hours
3 hours
April
12 hours
31 hours
May
51 hours
15 hours
June
36 hours
4 hours
July
51 hours
2 hours
August
5 hours
13 hours
September
50 hours
12 hours
October
53 hours
12 hours
November
3 hours
7 hours
TOTAL
375 hours
106 hours
I will start revising and rewriting my novel Backwards to Oregon today, so check back for December’s writing hours next month.
Oh, by the way, Ylva is giving away free copies of some of our books on every Sunday in Advent, and we’ll be giving away a signed copy of my book, Something in the Wine, on December 24. Check out the blog tomorrow for the first giveaway.
Filed under: Jae's writing process, Ylva Publishing
November 21, 2012
The Next Big Thing Blog Hop
I’ve been tagged by fellow author Q. Kelly for the 22nd week of The Next Big Thing Blog Hop.
The idea is to hop from blog to blog to discover exciting books we might not have heard about or that are still works in progress. Each author will answer the same ten questions, then list authors who will answer the questions on their blogs next Wednesday.
So let’s get started…
What is the working title of your book?
My book’s title is Something in the Wine. Since the novel has already been published, it’s not a working title. By the way, the title is an allusion to the stupid rumor that there must be something in the water turning people gay.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I don’t know where the idea came from. Like so many novels, it all started with a “what if” question: What if two women who are very different from each other are set up on a blind date? What if they both went into the blind date with false assumptions because someone played a practical joke on them?
What genre does your book fall under?
Something in the Wine is a contemporary lesbian romance.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
She’s a few years older than Annie, but I could still see Stephanie March playing Annie—including the horn-rimmed glasses she wore in Law & Order: SVU. Drew is more difficult, since she’s built a bit “sturdier” than most of Hollywood actresses.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When her brother Jake sets up straight accountant Annie Prideaux on a blind date with lesbian winemaker Drew, they decide to turn the tables on him by pretending to fall in love.
What is the longer synopsis of your book?
All her life, Annie Prideaux has suffered through her brother’s constant practical jokes only he thinks are funny. But Jake’s last joke is one too many, she decides when he sets her up on a blind date with his friend Drew Corbin—neglecting to tell his straight sister one tiny detail: her date is not a man, but a lesbian.
Annie and Drew decide it’s time to turn the tables on Jake by pretending to fall in love with each other.
At first glance, they have nothing in common. Disillusioned with love, Annie focuses on books, her cat, and her work as an accountant while Drew, more confident and outgoing, owns a dog and spends most of her time working in her beloved vineyard.
Only their common goal to take revenge on Jake unites them. But what starts as a table-turning game soon turns Annie’s and Drew’s lives upside down as the lines between pretending and reality begin to blur.
Something in the Wine is a story about love, friendship, and coming to terms with what it means to be yourself.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It has been published by Ylva Publishing as an e-book (e.g., at Amazon or Smashwords) and as a paperback.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I completed the first draft in four months; then it took me eight months to rewrite, revise, and edit the manuscript before sending it off to the publisher.
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
As in many of my other novels, what fascinates me most is to take two characters who bring different personality traits, family histories, and lifestyles to the table and then have them form a friendship and finally fall in love. In the process of forming a friendship and then a relationship, they add something to the other’s life and help each other reach their full potential and see themselves in a different light.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Something in the Wine is a story about a thirty-year-old woman who thinks she knows where her life is going. She’s set in her ways and doesn’t like change. But when she falls in love with a woman—and a woman who’s her exact opposite—she is faced with a decision that will change the direction of her life and how she sees herself.
I think most of us have been in situations like that when you’re at one of life’s crossroads and whatever you decide will have a huge impact on your life.
Next Wednesday check out these authors’ blogs to find out about their Next Big Thing.
If you are an author and you want to participate in the blog hop, please contact Alison Grey (Alison-Grey AT web.de) or Barrett (barrett.writes AT gmail.com)
Filed under: Interview, Something in the Wine Tagged: interview, Something in the WIne
November 14, 2012
Something in the Wine available in print!
My newest novel, Something in the Wine, is now available in print. As much as I love the convenience of e-books, for me as an author it’s always special to hold the printed book in my hands. And since Something in the Wine is the first novel I publish with Ylva Publishing, it’s even more special.
You can order the print version at Amazon.com.
It will soon also be available through Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.co.uk, Adlibris, The Book Depository, the Espresso Book Machine, and many other retailers.
Filed under: News, Something in the Wine, Ylva Publishing Tagged: Something in the WIne
November 12, 2012
Republishing my novels
A few readers contacted me, wondering why they can no longer find my novels on Amazon.com or other retail sites.
Most of you probably already know that after the passing of Roxanne Jones, L-Book ePublisher went out of business. That means that all of the books published with L-Book are no longer available.
I am now in the process of rewriting and revising all of my novels and will republish them with Ylva Publishing.
The first one, Backwards to Oregon, will be published in spring 2013. Second Nature will come out in summer 2013, and my new novel, True Nature, will probably be published in fall 2013. My other novels, Conflict of Interest, Hidden Truths and Next of Kin, will follow in 2014.
I know that’s a long time to wait for them to be available again, but I would rather take the time to revise and improve them than just republish them quickly.
I hope my readers will understand.
Thank you.
Jae
Filed under: News, Ylva Publishing
October 31, 2012
Writing time in October
October was an eventful month. I published two new books, one novel and one novella, with my new publisher, Ylva Publishing.
I started to mentor a writer in the GCLS mentoring program, and I counted that toward my beta reading time.
I also spent a lot of time on the train, which translated into a lot of writing time 
So here are the numbers for October:
Writing
Beta reading
January
47 hours
5 hours
February
31 hours
2 hours
March
36 hours
3 hours
April
12 hours
31 hours
May
51 hours
15 hours
June
36 hours
4 hours
July
51 hours
2 hours
August
5 hours
13 hours
September
50 hours
12 hours
October
53 hours
12 hours
TOTAL
372 hours
99 hours
Check back for November’s writing hours next month.
Filed under: Jae's writing process
October 29, 2012
My new novel is out!
I’m happy to announce that my new book, Something in the Wine, has just been released.
It’s a traditional romance and the first novel-length book I’m publishing with Ylva Publishing, a publisher of women’s fiction who specializes in German and English lesbian fiction.
It’s available as a DRM-free e-book from Amazon and Smashwords and will be released as a paperback in December.
Here’s the backcover description:
All her life, Annie Prideaux has suffered through her brother’s constant practical jokes only he thinks are funny. But Jake’s last joke is one too many, she decides when he sets her up on a blind date with his friend Drew Corbin—neglecting to tell his straight sister one tiny detail: her date is not a man, but a lesbian.
Annie and Drew decide it’s time to turn the tables on Jake by pretending to fall in love with each other.
At first glance, they have nothing in common. Disillusioned with love, Annie focuses on books, her cat, and her work as an accountant while Drew, more confident and outgoing, owns a dog and spends most of her time working in her beloved vineyard.
Only their common goal to take revenge on Jake unites them. But what starts as a table-turning game soon turns Annie’s and Drew’s lives upside down as the lines between pretending and reality begin to blur.
Something in the Wine is a story about love, friendship, and coming to terms with what it means to be yourself.
I blogged about the novel and how I came up with the story idea on Ylva Publishing’s blog. Check it out.
Filed under: News, Something in the Wine, Ylva Publishing Tagged: Jae, lesbian romance, Something in the WIne
October 25, 2012
Call for submissions: Valentine’s Day anthology
My n
ew publisher, Ylva Publishing, is seeking romantic short stories for our first Valentine’s Day anthology. The anthology will be published as an e-book in February 2013.
All submissions must have romance between women as the main theme. The stories can be romantic, humorous, or erotic.
We’re accepting only short stories that haven’t been previously published.
Word count:
We are looking for stories between 4,000 and 8,000 words in length.
Payment:
Writers whose stories are selected for the anthology will receive a one-time payment of $40 (via PayPal) plus a free e-book of the anthology in each format (epub, mobi, pdf).
Deadline:
The deadline to receive submissions is December 15, 2012.
Submissions:
Electronic submissions only. Please send your story as an e-mail attachment (.doc, .docx, or .rtf) to info@ylva-verlag.de. Put “Valentine’s Day Anthology” in the subject line of your e-mail. In the body of your e-mail, please include your name, the title and word count of your story, and a two-or-three-sentence summary of your story.
It will take our editors about two weeks to review your submission; then we’ll get back to you.
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
Ylva Publishing is a publisher of women’s literature, focusing on lesbian fiction. We’re constantly seeking new, talented authors. We invite submissions of believable romances, mysteries, fantasy, and well-researched historical novels, novellas, and short stories.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For queries/submissions: info@ylva-verlag.de
Website: http://www.ylva-publishing.com
Filed under: Ylva Publishing Tagged: anthology, call for submissions, Valentine's Day, Ylva publishing
October 21, 2012
New beginnings
I had hoped to make the announcement that I am embarking on a new adventure with a lighter heart. Unfortunately, a lot has happened in the last few weeks. Six months ago, Roxanne Jones, CEO of L-Book ePublisher, and I planned on making this announcement together. But sadly, Roxanne passed away on September 26.
As of October 2012, I will no longer be publishing with L-Book. My older novels will still be available from L-Book for now, but my new books, starting with Manhattan Moon (available now) and Something in the Wine (in November), will be published with Ylva Publishing, a German publisher who publishes books in German and English.
My decision to leave L-Book has nothing to do with Roxanne’s death. I decided to switch publishers long before September, and while Roxanne was sad to see me go, she accepted my decision and was supportive from the start.
I’m not jumping ship because I was unhappy with the royalties, the staff, or anything else at L-Book or because I stopped believing in L-Book now that Roxanne is no longer at the helm.
I received a fair contract with fair royalty rates, I worked with competent and experienced editors and proofreaders, and I had a say in the creation of my covers. Communications with the publishing team and my fellow authors at L-Book have always been open and friendly. Even now that Roxanne is no longer there to guide the day-to-day operations at L-Book, I don’t see any of that changing.
So why am I switching publishers now?
At the beginning of this year, a friend of mine established her own publishing company. You might have read my interview with her that I posted in May.
At the time I did that interview with her, I had no intention of switching publishers, but I followed the progress of her new endeavor with interest. She kept me up to date on all the new developments, and we exchanged ideas and brainstormed possibilities for her new publishing house. The conversations with her really reinforced my passion for writing and for publishing quality fiction. My friend and new publisher shares my attitudes about how publishing should be done: focus on quality over quantity, involve the authors as much as possible in every step of the process, and build a strong team to publish the best books you possibly can. Her company’s logo, a wolf, represents that kind of team (“pack”) thinking.
And then, one day, she playfully said, “You know, if you ever want to publish a book with me…” I don’t think she expected me to jump at the chance. She knew I was happy with L-Book and that I’m loyal once I made a commitment and don’t switch publishers at the drop of a hat.
Still, her offer made me think about what I want for my writing future. Joining Ylva Publishing gives me a chance to be even more involved in the publishing process, without having to go down the lonely self-publishing road. As much as I admire some self-published authors, I know that is not for me. Writing can be a lonely endeavor, so I don’t want publishing to be a solitary activity too.
And Ylva offers me something L-Book can’t give me. Ylva has a very versatile publishing concept. They will publish e-books and paperbacks, not just in English, but in German, my native language, too. So all my stories—may it be novels or short stories, e-book or paperback, English or German—can have one home.
It was a difficult decision to make, but I feel it was the right step at the right time for me.
I want to thank the L-Book team for their support during the last few years. I wish L-Book and its authors all the best for the future.
If you want to take a look at my new publisher, please visit Ylva’s English website.
Or click here for the German website.
So far, the list of published works is short, but I expect it will continue to grow quickly, so check back regularly and join us on this new, exciting journey.
Filed under: L-Book, News, Ylva Publishing Tagged: L-Book, Manhattan Moon, Something in the WIne, Ylva publishing
October 4, 2012
Writing hours in September
September has been more productive than the month before.
I spent a lot of time on the train, which meant a lot of writing time.
I worked on turning the German version of my short story, Manhattan Moon, into a novella. I finally finished the project two days ago. It ended up around 30,000 words.
Writing
Beta reading
January
47 hours
5 hours
February
31 hours
2 hours
March
36 hours
3 hours
April
12 hours
31 hours
May
51 hours
15 hours
June
36 hours
4 hours
July
51 hours
2 hours
August
5 hours
13 hours
September
50 hours
12 hours
TOTAL
319 hours
87 hours
In October, I will be working on translating the novella into English. Check back next month, when I will post my writing hours again.
Filed under: Jae's writing process Tagged: writing process, writing time
