Summer Devon's Blog, page 3
August 5, 2014
it's read-a-romance month!
I'm over here, http://www.readaromancemonth.com/2014..., celebrating historical m/m romance.
July 9, 2014
A new book! and a contest! and dirty words!
The second (really the third) solitary shifter book is out now!Revealing the Beast
CELEBRATION TIME! Yes!
It has a nice review here:
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
AND here
http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.co...
AND here:
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2014...
AND you can win a copy here:
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2014...
AND this book, the basis of the alternative world, is only 99 cents until the 14th. Predator's Passion
and to round up the celebration, here is a lovely bunch of antique filthy words here. Lots of naked people at that site. Yummy naked people.
http://cupoporn.blogspot.com/2014/07/...
CELEBRATION TIME! Yes!
It has a nice review here:
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.co...
AND here
http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.co...
AND here:
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2014...
AND you can win a copy here:
http://www.prismbookalliance.com/2014...
AND this book, the basis of the alternative world, is only 99 cents until the 14th. Predator's Passion
and to round up the celebration, here is a lovely bunch of antique filthy words here. Lots of naked people at that site. Yummy naked people.
http://cupoporn.blogspot.com/2014/07/...
June 15, 2014
So about goodreads and indignation
Here's a review:
redacted
Whoa, calm down. I get being offended by something other people don't understand. I mean that an article about the topic about the genuine sorrow of butthurt would create butthurt.]
I get that the reviewer is allowed to have an opinion--but why can't J the Punkin [name changed to protect me.]? Is it because he's [a few names removed.] on the thread attached to the review? Is that why he gets in trouble for commenting?
The reviewer is making his comments on a book on that book's thread. So why is that any better -- or less worthy of scorn--than J's comments? Because goodreads is set up that way?
People seem very possessive of review threads, as if they are building a house and anyone who disagrees with them are unwanted visitors. It's a personal space.
If someone finds something in a review objectionable, should he start a new thread? Keep it to himself? Why should he keep quiet except to avoid trouble--and is that reason enough? Or should he just say what he wants and move along and not engage?
I seriously don't know how to approach things I suspect are hurtful on goodreads--laughing at an author (not a book) sometimes goes way, way too far but I'm not going to win friends or influence people if I say something. I'll get the focus turned on me.
On the other hand, I know it hurts.
All the "well, he put the work out there, he should live with it" justifications in the world do not erase that fact: It. Hurts. Pain is real. Perhaps it's butthurty hurt, but there's actual pain.
Do I click past? Do I say something because I know the author is probably reading the reviews (particularly a new author) and it's probably comforting to see someone acknowledge your reality?
Yes, as author you grow used to it and the stomach-churning response to awful reviews eventually turns into a few minutes of ick.
Eventually.
But at first the whole thing can feel fairly devastating, and maybe some kind of support would ease that. If I can't change a reader's mind about writing reviews that are mockery--and god knows I won't--should I dive in to say something anyway? should I do it the way Jason does?
I don't, ever, because I'm an author and no one wants to see authors babbling about this stuff on reviews--even if it's not their book. I get that. But sometimes, I can just feel the pain and I'm not sure a non-author would.
Maybe not that review but some others. . . is saying "hey, you're being mean and hurting someone for no good reason" Is it worth hurting my own sales?
A private note is probably called for, I suppose. I wonder if Hallmark has a card for that.
The basic message I see on author loops is always the same:
"Your work got torn to shreds and you were called a hack. You'll get past this to write again. In the meantime, stay the hell off goodreads and keep your mouth shut."
Some comfort....no actually, it really is.
edited to add: I've read this a few times now, mostly trying to get all the names out along with anything remotely tetchy/mean out, although I might have added some of that because now I wonder why people paid any attention to it. Nothing remotely new in there. "Authors are people." with the follow up of "Okay but maybe it's best to move along, authors." I was sad when I wrote it so there's real emotion in it, but so what. My posts about about chickens...those are worth reposts.
June 8, 2014
I'm writing another solitary shapeshifter book
This story involves a truly solitary man. If he spends any time at all around groups of people, the urge to rend and kill becomes a nuisance.
I'm trying to decide if it's more like the hunger of a hard-core dieter standing around a bakery or the hard-wired brain struggle of a labrador retriever feels when he spots a tennis ball he's not allowed to play with.
I bought a picture from istock (mostly because I was going to run out of credits there) and now I understand people who use photos as inspiration. No rippling muscles or giant peen happening in this picture, in fact, the guy isn't gorgeous. But it's helping me to get things right.
Okay back to work on another story--a Bonnie and Summer historical. It's set in Paris, and Bonnie has written some great atmosphere.
I'm trying to decide if it's more like the hunger of a hard-core dieter standing around a bakery or the hard-wired brain struggle of a labrador retriever feels when he spots a tennis ball he's not allowed to play with.
I bought a picture from istock (mostly because I was going to run out of credits there) and now I understand people who use photos as inspiration. No rippling muscles or giant peen happening in this picture, in fact, the guy isn't gorgeous. But it's helping me to get things right.
Okay back to work on another story--a Bonnie and Summer historical. It's set in Paris, and Bonnie has written some great atmosphere.
May 21, 2014
the annual M/M Writeathon
I wrote mine in three days and it was more fun writing than I've had in months.
here's a bit of it--unedited:
The prompt is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Dear Author,
I am getting really tired of the waiting. No one told me that waiting to die would be quite this boring. So to pass the time, I wrote a letter to my sister, but somehow my letter got to the wrong person. Who do I end up writing? Did I really commit the murder I will hang for? Can whoever my mysterious pen pal is get me out of the mess?
Fantasy or pseudo-regency preferred, where same sex relationships are normal, no PWP,
HEA or HFN ending please
Sincerely,
Xelly
Photo description: A man in his early twenties looks scruffy in a blood-stained shirt covered by a dusty leather coat. His handsome face wears a slight smirk which is odd, considering the very large noose around his neck.
Genre: Victorian/Historical
THE SCENT OF HOPE
Summer Devon
“And do you regret your actions that have brought you so low?” The elderly gent wore a fixed smile as he examined Dez. “I do not speak of the crimes of which you are accused. I mean all the sad conditions of your life.”
Dez sat at the edge of the metal platform that functioned as a bed and wiggled his perpetually cold toes. Hell, yes. I regret getting so drunk I was caught almost at once. “Yes, Father.”
The vicar leaned far back on the wooden chair he’d brought into the cell. Poor man probably wished he hadn’t settled so close to the prisoner. Dez got a bucket of water every couple of days and he didn’t waste more than a few drops on cleaning his stinking self and he hadn’t had a change of clothing for …too long.
But Dez had underestimated the old man who’d been shifting about on his chair for another purpose: to pull some crumpled blank pages and a pencil from inside his fusty black jacket. “Do you have someone to whom you can write, and beg forgiveness?” the vicar asked. “Can you write?”
Writing? Dez considered the notion.
Messing about with pencil and paper seemed more interesting than sitting and watching the rats chew on his dinner. His first week in prison, he’d tried to tame a rat—that seemed a standard way a convict might entertain himself. The creature bit him. After that, Dez decided to ignore his fellow inmates.
“Yes, Father. I’ll write a letter. Good idea.”
If the vicar gave him paper, he’d figure out what to do with it later on.
But then his plans to make salacious drawings were destroyed with the vicar’s next words. “I shall carry these pages from this place and send them. No official eyes will see what you’ve written.”
A generous offer, although perhaps the man of God was lying like the devil. Dez considered writing to Bill and ask he bring some tobacco and the ten shillings he owed Dez, but he supposed his friend would ignore any pleas.
No one he knew had tried to come to his rescue…and wasn’t that a lowering thought.
The vicar said, “Do you have a mother? Father? No? A sister? No one?”
“A sister,” Dez said. “But she wouldn’t want to hear from me.”
“Write to her. Do you have anything better to do with your time?”
Dez laughed for the first time in days. He liked this old crow of a man. “I’ll cancel my luncheon appointment with her majesty immediately.” He took the papers and pencil and got to work.
here's a bit of it--unedited:
The prompt is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Dear Author,
I am getting really tired of the waiting. No one told me that waiting to die would be quite this boring. So to pass the time, I wrote a letter to my sister, but somehow my letter got to the wrong person. Who do I end up writing? Did I really commit the murder I will hang for? Can whoever my mysterious pen pal is get me out of the mess?
Fantasy or pseudo-regency preferred, where same sex relationships are normal, no PWP,
HEA or HFN ending please
Sincerely,
Xelly
Photo description: A man in his early twenties looks scruffy in a blood-stained shirt covered by a dusty leather coat. His handsome face wears a slight smirk which is odd, considering the very large noose around his neck.
Genre: Victorian/Historical
THE SCENT OF HOPE
Summer Devon
“And do you regret your actions that have brought you so low?” The elderly gent wore a fixed smile as he examined Dez. “I do not speak of the crimes of which you are accused. I mean all the sad conditions of your life.”
Dez sat at the edge of the metal platform that functioned as a bed and wiggled his perpetually cold toes. Hell, yes. I regret getting so drunk I was caught almost at once. “Yes, Father.”
The vicar leaned far back on the wooden chair he’d brought into the cell. Poor man probably wished he hadn’t settled so close to the prisoner. Dez got a bucket of water every couple of days and he didn’t waste more than a few drops on cleaning his stinking self and he hadn’t had a change of clothing for …too long.
But Dez had underestimated the old man who’d been shifting about on his chair for another purpose: to pull some crumpled blank pages and a pencil from inside his fusty black jacket. “Do you have someone to whom you can write, and beg forgiveness?” the vicar asked. “Can you write?”
Writing? Dez considered the notion.
Messing about with pencil and paper seemed more interesting than sitting and watching the rats chew on his dinner. His first week in prison, he’d tried to tame a rat—that seemed a standard way a convict might entertain himself. The creature bit him. After that, Dez decided to ignore his fellow inmates.
“Yes, Father. I’ll write a letter. Good idea.”
If the vicar gave him paper, he’d figure out what to do with it later on.
But then his plans to make salacious drawings were destroyed with the vicar’s next words. “I shall carry these pages from this place and send them. No official eyes will see what you’ve written.”
A generous offer, although perhaps the man of God was lying like the devil. Dez considered writing to Bill and ask he bring some tobacco and the ten shillings he owed Dez, but he supposed his friend would ignore any pleas.
No one he knew had tried to come to his rescue…and wasn’t that a lowering thought.
The vicar said, “Do you have a mother? Father? No? A sister? No one?”
“A sister,” Dez said. “But she wouldn’t want to hear from me.”
“Write to her. Do you have anything better to do with your time?”
Dez laughed for the first time in days. He liked this old crow of a man. “I’ll cancel my luncheon appointment with her majesty immediately.” He took the papers and pencil and got to work.
March 20, 2014
Got another contract coming
GLOAT WARNING.
I love it when I sell a book. It's even more fun when the editor is enthusiastic.
from the editor...
"Once again, I’m sorry to have been so slow about this. I would, however, very much like to offer a contract for it. So if you would like to accept the contract, that would be great! :-)
.....
Thank you for sending this to me! I really enjoyed it, and loved the characters of Josh and Grady."
Oh boy! It should be fun. I enjoyed writing this one.
I love it when I sell a book. It's even more fun when the editor is enthusiastic.
from the editor...
"Once again, I’m sorry to have been so slow about this. I would, however, very much like to offer a contract for it. So if you would like to accept the contract, that would be great! :-)
.....
Thank you for sending this to me! I really enjoyed it, and loved the characters of Josh and Grady."
Oh boy! It should be fun. I enjoyed writing this one.
March 1, 2014
Ten years of parties
Pick a year, any year of the last ten and I'll have had a similar conversation a few times that year, most often talking to another writer.
At a party:
This one writes poetry. I write romance.
She says in a friendly, pleasant way, "I suppose it's kind of easy because it's formulaic."
I've heard those words often enough before: easy and formulaic.
She seems interested, so I have an answer. I'd say yes, there are expectations--but I'd call it a structure rather than formula and there's structure in most stories. Yes, the genre is about romance-- but hey relationships and growth and change--isn't that interesting and the focus of many, many novels? Yes, it usually includes an HEA but then again most genres have some kind of framework. Mysteries=crime committed, end includes exposing perpetrator yada yada yada. Even with poetry...You expect a particular pattern. Right?
About that claim of easy? I don't bother with that one. I think we've got that one covered when we both talk about finding particular words that strike chords.
Okay, she's cool. We talk some more. She says she doesn't "do" romance. Does she do Austen? Does she do these popular titles. Yes, yes, she does. Yay! We have talked. We are good.
I go looking for wine, she goes to find a friend. We meet again. She introduces me to her friend as Kate who writes sexy bodice rippers.
Hey, it's cool. I sure didn't lie awake grinding my teeth--I rarely do about this topic. I'm not on a rant for once. It's not even one of those comments followed by *SMH* or *sigh*. It's life. I don't mind this stuff because it's not even personal. Unless you get sneering or dismissive with your attitude--more than just using those easy, formulaic words about romance--I'm not going to get pissed off. She didn't really sneer. People usually don't, not to my face.
But it does get a teeny tiny bit old.
I publish this as a public service, a warning:
If you ever DO meet a romance writer who's having a bad day, or drunk too much wine, or gotten a bad review....and you mention formulaic or bodices or what-have-you AND she decks you, it's probably because she's heard practically nothing else when she mentions what she writes.
Generally speaking, I think the "my books are my beloved children" thing is creepy. But in a sense, I get that kind of possessiveness about my genre, just like I do about my kids. I can whine about my kids, but if you complain about them? Oh no. No. Way.
This is how I feel about romance to a less intense (read: vicious) degree. I'm allowed to sneer and mock my genre. People who don't write it or read it? Not really interested.
[from my other blog]
At a party:
This one writes poetry. I write romance.
She says in a friendly, pleasant way, "I suppose it's kind of easy because it's formulaic."
I've heard those words often enough before: easy and formulaic.
She seems interested, so I have an answer. I'd say yes, there are expectations--but I'd call it a structure rather than formula and there's structure in most stories. Yes, the genre is about romance-- but hey relationships and growth and change--isn't that interesting and the focus of many, many novels? Yes, it usually includes an HEA but then again most genres have some kind of framework. Mysteries=crime committed, end includes exposing perpetrator yada yada yada. Even with poetry...You expect a particular pattern. Right?
About that claim of easy? I don't bother with that one. I think we've got that one covered when we both talk about finding particular words that strike chords.
Okay, she's cool. We talk some more. She says she doesn't "do" romance. Does she do Austen? Does she do these popular titles. Yes, yes, she does. Yay! We have talked. We are good.
I go looking for wine, she goes to find a friend. We meet again. She introduces me to her friend as Kate who writes sexy bodice rippers.
Hey, it's cool. I sure didn't lie awake grinding my teeth--I rarely do about this topic. I'm not on a rant for once. It's not even one of those comments followed by *SMH* or *sigh*. It's life. I don't mind this stuff because it's not even personal. Unless you get sneering or dismissive with your attitude--more than just using those easy, formulaic words about romance--I'm not going to get pissed off. She didn't really sneer. People usually don't, not to my face.
But it does get a teeny tiny bit old.
I publish this as a public service, a warning:
If you ever DO meet a romance writer who's having a bad day, or drunk too much wine, or gotten a bad review....and you mention formulaic or bodices or what-have-you AND she decks you, it's probably because she's heard practically nothing else when she mentions what she writes.
Generally speaking, I think the "my books are my beloved children" thing is creepy. But in a sense, I get that kind of possessiveness about my genre, just like I do about my kids. I can whine about my kids, but if you complain about them? Oh no. No. Way.
This is how I feel about romance to a less intense (read: vicious) degree. I'm allowed to sneer and mock my genre. People who don't write it or read it? Not really interested.
[from my other blog]
February 8, 2014
Rip Off
(from my other blog. If you're interested, there are links over there)
A while back, someone stole one of my books and claimed it as their own. They took the whole thing and didn't change a word. They simply put their name on my book and published it. I didn't have a lot of trouble proving plagiarism and that other, stolen version was gone within days.
But now someone I know is having a less clear experience. Perhaps the person who took from her made enough changes that my friend won't be able to make the formal charge of plagiarism? For someone to be formally labeled a plagiarist, they have to steal your very words. Not just your ideas.
That particular formal charge going to take some work. Someone else will have to do a line-by-line. I'm not going to make comparisons. I have Roberts's books but I haven't bought the possibly-plagiarizing copy and I'm not likely to. I've seen enough to know I don't want to give her money.
But let's just take a quick look:
Wendy Roberts has a Ghost Dusters series, and her first book came out in 2007. They're mysteries and the main character is crime scene cleaner. She can see and hear ghosts, has an employee who's an ex-cop. Her brother is dead. She helps ghosts by solving their murders.
JB Lynn now has a Spring Cleaning series. Her first book came out last month. They're mysteries and the main character is a crime scene cleaner. She can see and hear ghosts, has a employee who's an ex-cop. Her brother is dead. She helps ghosts by solving their murders.
Okay, there are plenty of differences. Roberts's book is in third person. Lynn's is in first.
But......
Use that free glimpse to take a look at the very first scene of Robert's book (the one published in 2007). It opens with the heroine cleaning up a death scene and the dead guy's ghost is whining at her. She cleans the scene, helps the ghost move along, then goes to a birthday party.
And how about Lynn's book? The one out last month? The book opens with the woman cleaning up death scene. Dead guy's ghost is whining at her. She cleans the scene, doesn't help the ghost, but. . . then she goes to a birthday party.
There's a line in Lynn's book in the first chapter. "at heart, I'm a pretty lazy person.."
Uh...
A while back, someone stole one of my books and claimed it as their own. They took the whole thing and didn't change a word. They simply put their name on my book and published it. I didn't have a lot of trouble proving plagiarism and that other, stolen version was gone within days.
But now someone I know is having a less clear experience. Perhaps the person who took from her made enough changes that my friend won't be able to make the formal charge of plagiarism? For someone to be formally labeled a plagiarist, they have to steal your very words. Not just your ideas.
That particular formal charge going to take some work. Someone else will have to do a line-by-line. I'm not going to make comparisons. I have Roberts's books but I haven't bought the possibly-plagiarizing copy and I'm not likely to. I've seen enough to know I don't want to give her money.
But let's just take a quick look:
Wendy Roberts has a Ghost Dusters series, and her first book came out in 2007. They're mysteries and the main character is crime scene cleaner. She can see and hear ghosts, has an employee who's an ex-cop. Her brother is dead. She helps ghosts by solving their murders.
JB Lynn now has a Spring Cleaning series. Her first book came out last month. They're mysteries and the main character is a crime scene cleaner. She can see and hear ghosts, has a employee who's an ex-cop. Her brother is dead. She helps ghosts by solving their murders.
Okay, there are plenty of differences. Roberts's book is in third person. Lynn's is in first.
But......
Use that free glimpse to take a look at the very first scene of Robert's book (the one published in 2007). It opens with the heroine cleaning up a death scene and the dead guy's ghost is whining at her. She cleans the scene, helps the ghost move along, then goes to a birthday party.
And how about Lynn's book? The one out last month? The book opens with the woman cleaning up death scene. Dead guy's ghost is whining at her. She cleans the scene, doesn't help the ghost, but. . . then she goes to a birthday party.
There's a line in Lynn's book in the first chapter. "at heart, I'm a pretty lazy person.."
Uh...
January 24, 2014
Pretty pretty
My new website is a thing of beauty.
http://summerdevon.com
Seriously, go look. And if you disagree, leave me a message the reasons you hate it. You'll be wrong, of course, but I'll be polite because I'm in a good mood for once. Because the page is LIVE.
There have been many cries of Yaaahhhs! Gaga!!
[and that's a meme that could go away anytime it wants.]
Actually go on and look and if you leave a message about problems you find with the page, I'd be grateful. I'd be so grateful, I'd give you a book.
http://summerdevon.com
Seriously, go look. And if you disagree, leave me a message the reasons you hate it. You'll be wrong, of course, but I'll be polite because I'm in a good mood for once. Because the page is LIVE.
There have been many cries of Yaaahhhs! Gaga!!
[and that's a meme that could go away anytime it wants.]
Actually go on and look and if you leave a message about problems you find with the page, I'd be grateful. I'd be so grateful, I'd give you a book.
December 31, 2013
New m/m Summer/Bonnie book out today!
is out today! here's a review: http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com...
I really like the heroes of this story (and enjoying the characters, more than anything else, makes a book fun to write).
