Jessica Nelson's Blog, page 11

I've Been a Bad Girl

I missed my Wednesday posting! Of course, that's not the end of the world for anyone but I still felt guilty.

Not only that, but I also need to confirm what the writers who read my book all ready know: I head hop.

I head hop, and the editors were okay with it. How is this possible? Well...it's been my experience so far (and subject to change) that editors don't care about all the same "rules" writers do. Head hopping seems to be something writers obsess about but in reality, when it's done well, neither readers or editors notice. When it's not done well, then a scene may be confusing, etc. (disclaimer: I am not claiming to be a good head hopper, just that I do it).

In a few weeks, I'm going to hold a Godiva contest. *grin* That's right, Godiva to the person who can find a certain spot in my book...I'll post the rules later. If you haven't read Love On The Range, I'm doing a GoodReads giveaway this week (did I mention I adore GoodReads?) or else you can always buy it here. :)

Also in the news, Amazon bought Avalon Books! Verrrry interesting.

Summer is starting. Any interesting news in your neighborhood? Do you notice head hopping in books?

Learning From Reviews

I'll be honest.

I've really enjoyed reading reviews on my debut Love On The Range. Many authors don't read reviews and I'm sure someday I won't either. But because this book was written so long ago, and been through so many revisions, I feel very objective toward it now.

Reviews from friends and fellow bloggers are amazing to read. Thank you to everyone who posted one for me!! It was much appreciated. Reviews from people I don't know are exciting. Someone I don't know read my book and cared enough to write about it and/or rate it.

Wow!

So I read these reviews and I learn. What worked for people, what didn't. Some reviews touched on things I knew I wouldn't be able to change in the future with my books, though I might refine my way of writing it. Other reviews hit on things that I know I'll be keeping in mind for future books: Things like pacing and head hopping (yes, I'm a natural head hopper and am working at curbing that tendency *cringe*).

Reviews are like critiques...except I can never revise this manuscript. Good thing I have lots of other stories brewing!

If you're published, have there been any reviews that struck a chord with you? If unpublished, what has been your latest helpful critique? And if you're a reader only, did you think about the author reading your review? Have you ever left one on a public site?

Sweet Summer

Summer is almost here, and I can hardly wait! No more six o'clock alarm blasting me from my comfy bed. :-) I plan to finish the WIP I've been playing with for five months and submit it to LIH. Maybe in the fall I'll have another contract? I'm also thinking of going to the American Christian Fiction Writer's conference this year too.

What are your summer plans? What do you look forward to in summer?

Rolling in the Royalties

In case you don't all ready know...most authors don't roll in much. I'm blessed that my fellow authors established a loop where newbie authors like me can ask questions and get great answers from more veteran writers. Royalties seems to be something that comes up every so often.

It sounds like I'll be paid twice a year, and that the second royalty check will have more in it. But no one really knows for sure. There are bunches of factors involved with how much I'll earn, like what month the book released in relation to when the royalties are calculated, if the book made it into the book club (in my case), and how much the publisher holds back in reserves. It's pretty fascinating and a little scary.

Here are some good links.

Agent Rachelle Gardner gets detailed about royalty rates

Author Rebecca Brandewyne on royalties

Sabrina Jeffries' Money Chart

Brenda Hiatt's amazing list of average advances

How much do you hope you'll make someday when you sell your book? If you're a reader only, were you aware how little authors make? Or how much?

Post-Publication: The LowDown

So it's over.

My book (that huge cover on the right sidebar) is officially off the shelves. There's so much to share that I think it might take a couple of blog posts.

First thing: Love On The Range is a category romance, published by Harlequin, who puts out different sets of book every month. It's a book club thing. That's why mine is off the shelves. Its month was April.

Secondly: Now that the book is off the shelves, it feels like a dream that happened. I feel like I'm starting over.

Thirdly: Reviews are both nail-biting and exhilarating, especially when they're from someone you don't know.

Fourth: AuthorCentral is a cool Amazon site that logs your sales. It shares all sorts of info, like where your book has been selling in the US (with a map and everything).

So whew. April was awesome and tiring. How was your April? Do you read category romances? Did you know about AuthorCentral?

Welcome Jeanette Levellie, Humorous Devotional Author (Giveaway!!)

Two Scoops of Grace With Chuckles On Top
What do drive-by diaper stores and God have in common? When is blabbing an acceptable habit? Why should you beware of moths and sligs? In her entertaining, uplifting style, award-winning author and humorist Jeanette Levellie weaves 72 amusing stories with affirming Biblical truths. These soul-nourishing examples of God’s favor and grace will help you:
•Laugh when you find cow patties in your field instead of daisies
•Discover the bottomless heart of God
•Grow in your acceptance of yourself and others

Welcome a vacation from stress as you discover the sweetness of Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top.

You can buy the book here.


A spunky pastor’s wife of thirty-plus years, Jeanette Levellie authors a bi-weekly humor/inspirational column, God is Bigger, a popular feature in the Paris Beacon News since 2001. She has published stories in Guideposts anthologies, stories in Love is a Verb Devotional with Gary Chapman, articles in Christian and secular magazines, greeting card verses, and poems for calendars. She is also a prolific speaker for both Christian and secular groups, and loves to make people laugh while sharing her love for God and life.

Jeanette is the mother of two grown children, three grandchildren, and servant to four cats. She lives in Paris (not the French one), IL. with her husband, Kevin. Her hobbies include dining out, talking baby talk to her cats, avoiding housework, reading, and watching old classic movies.

Visit Jeanette on her blog, On Wings of Mirth and Worth, at www.jeanettelevellie.com.

My Review

I've been reading Jeanette's blog posts for years now. I've always loved her honesty but also her encouraging heart. While I don't normally read devotionals, when I opened her book, here's what I found: A Bull and a Realization.
This first chapter devotion was so funny and yet so true. I could completely relate in more ways than one. I also think the 20 yr old Jeanette was probably a very fun person (kind of like the Jeanette I know now.) Anyway, while devotionals aren't normally my thing, funny stories that point to spiritual truths are. I love the conversational, easy style of Jeanette's devotionals as well as the depth to them.
Need a devotional for 2012? This one seems perfect. :-)

Jeanette’s Giveaways

You can win one of ten free downloads of my debut humor devotional, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top for your eReader. Here are the very simple rules:

For each share of this post link on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog, you will receive one entry.

For each like on Jeanette’s Author Page or my Two Scoops Book Page on Facebook, or follow on my Twitter page or this blog, you will receive one entry. If you already like and/or follow me, mention that and I will count it.

Please send me ONE comment at the end of this post to tell me how many times you shared, liked, or followed, so I can give you the correct amount of entries. I reserve the right to verify all information given me, and disqualify anyone from the drawing who falsifies information. (Do not leave comments here to be entered, you MUST go to Jeanette’s blog post for the giveaway.)

Contest starts today and ends midnight, May 10, 2012. Jeanette will announce the winners in a blog post Sunday, May 13, 2012.

….and a $100 Gift Card Drawing~~~WOWZA!!!

After you have read/reviewed Two Scoops, check out my blog at www.jeanettelevellie.com for a contest to win a $100 gift card by answering ten easy questions about the book! After I receive your entry, your name will go into the hat for a $100 gift card to one of the following places (your choice): Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD, Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A, Wal-Mart, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, or Ruby Tuesday. This giveaway will run until August 10, 2012 so there is PLENTY of time for you to enter!

The author sent me the above book for review purposes. She will allow me to keep the book. I have no other connection to and have received no other compensation from Jeanette Levellie. The entire blog tour can be found here.

Interview with Debut Author Katy Lee

(Please forgive the format, I'm trying to figure out blogger's new thing) Hi, Jessica, and Jessica’s readers! I am really excited to be hanging out with you today in Jessica’s virtual home. Thank you for having me! Katy Lee writes higher purpose stories in high speed worlds. As an inspirational author, speaker, home-schooling mom, and children’s ministry director, she has dedicated her life to sharing tales of love, from the greatest love story ever told to those sweet romantic stories of falling in love. Her fresh and unique voice brings a fast-paced and modern feel to her romances that are sure to resonate with readers long after the last page. Her debut novel Real Virtue is a finalist in many writing contests, and took second place in the 2011 Georgia Maggie Award of Excellence. Katy lives in Connecticut with her husband, three children, and two cats. 1. How many manuscripts have you written, and did the one that sold feel different? How many years have you been writing? I’m going to answer these two questions together because they kind of follow each other. I started writing in the fifth grade. I can remember the thrill I got from researching for that story. I set it on the coast of California—I’d never been to California, and this is before Internet. I had to rely on Encyclopedias and reference books from the libraries, many of which weren’t allowed to be checked out, so I spent many hours, practically living at the library before I was satisfied that I had enough info. But even with all that info, I struggled with writing because my stories were always filled with huge info dumps. I guess I wanted to show the reader all the research I did. Except, the pages of my stories were filled with all these details, and the story lacked feeling. Which leads me to your question about how Real Virtue, the book that finally sold, felt different than all the others. I put more emphasis on the heart of the story rather than the research. I wrote the feelings first. I focused on the characters and their plights, then folded in details that my characters would notice while in their POV. (Point of view) I learned that I didn’t have to set a scene with all these details unless these details were important to my character or my character was noticing them. And I also learned that my hero will notice a scene differently than my heroine. For example, he would never say, “Sweetheart, I love your magenta silk wrap blouse.” It just wouldn’t feel natural. So, it was the first time I put the characters first and let them tell me their story and why they hurt or what they loved most in their own words and actions. And the end result: When my beta readers read Real Virtue the first time and called me crying I knew I finally did it. 3)Tell us a little about the events leading up to your first sale. The events that led up to selling Real Virtue were contests. RV came in third place in the Faith, Hope and Love’s Touched by Love Contest and second in the Georgia’s RWA Maggie Award of Excellence. That was the affirmation I needed to send my manuscript off. My acceptance letter from my publisher said I had a talent for world-building. (That’s my love for research shining through) But the letter also said I created fascinating characters that broke the mold. 4) What is your biggest piece of advice to writers wanting to get published?My advice to unpublished writers: Don’t be afraid to break the mold. Write from your heart, from your characters’ hearts. Don’t just research details and setting, research your characters as well. Thank you so much for inviting me to hang out with you today! I love comments, and I would also like to stay connected with you all, so please check out my website at www.KatyLeeBooks.com. You’ll see links for Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads, where we can stay in touch. Real Virtue is available in ebook now, (Paperback in the fall) at www.Amazon.com and www.BN.com. I would love to hear what you think of Mel and Jeremy’s story! And now, here is a bit about my romantic-suspense, Real Virtue: In a virtual reality game where she can fly, someone’s aiming to take her down. Mel Mesini is a New York City restaurateur and an avid, virtual reality world traveler. But her successful life—both online and in reality—takes a swerve the night her father is seriously injured in a hit-and-run. To make matters worse, Officer Jeremy Stiles, the man who had once cut her deep with his harsh, rejecting words, is heading the investigation. When Jeremy realizes Mel is the actual target, his plan is to protect her—whether she wants him to or not. What he wants is answers, especially about this online game she plays. Is it a harmless pastime as she says? Or is she using it to cover something up? As a faceless predator destroys the things that matter to her, Jeremy knows he’s running out of time before she loses the one thing that matters most—her real life. Thank you so much for joining us, Katy Lee! Katy talks about breaking the mold. How are you doing this in your writing? Your life?

Next Debutante Up to Bat: The Lovely Keli Gwyn

I met sweet Keli Gwyn when I first started blogging. She was the first person who ever interviewed me about writing.
Keli Gwyn writes stories that transport readers to the 1800s, where she brings historic towns to life, peoples them with colorful characters, and adds a hint of humor. A California native, she lives in a Gold Rush-era town at the foot of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. When she emerges from her fictional world, she enjoys strolling past the stately Victorian houses in her hometown, drooling her way through the Coach factory outlet store, and fueling her creativity with frequent trips to Taco Bell.


Not only that, but she is a creative and generous person who sends out hand-written notes, gifts and has a real flair for scrapbooks. I won a First Sale scrapbook which I'm still working on, but it's incredible!
Keli's book sold last year and will be releasing in June. You can pre-order A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California HERE.
Publication can happen to you!

Here she is:

1. How many manuscripts have you written, and did the one that sold feel different?

I’ve completed six historical romance manuscripts and part of a contemporary. The latter is a sorry excuse of a story that proved my “old” voice lends itself to the historicals that were my first love. I get a kick out of using words like addlepated, gewgaws, and smitten.

After I’d been writing for two years and had five completed manuscripts, I spent a year studying craft. Armed with my newfound knowledge, I took a look at my stories to see which of them showed the most promise. I loved them all, but Miles and Elenora told me theirs was the story I should pick, and I listened. I’d rewritten it once, but I knew it needed more work, so I got busy.

That rewrite proved my characters were right. Miles and Ellie’s story won several contests, earned me requests from some editors and agents, and led to my offer of representation from Rachelle Gardner. I love the story and the characters and hope readers do, too.

2. How many years have you been writing?

I’d dreamed of being a writer since I was seven, but it wasn’t until 40 years later that I dusted off that dream. In January 2006 I plopped myself down in front of my computer, full of ideas but knowing next to nothing about fiction writing. My degree is in mass communication/journalism, but creative writing is much different, as I soon learned.

3. Tell us a little about the events leading up to your first sale.

I’d love to tell you I accepted Rachelle’s offer of representation and that she sold my story right away, but I still had more to learn. Rachelle made her offer on the eve of Christmas Eve in 2009. Talk about an amazing Christmas present! I soared in the stratosphere for six glorious weeks.

And then reality returned. Rachelle called to prepare me for my first set of Revision Notes and the shocking news they contained. While she loved the beginning of the story, I’d let out the tension a quarter of the way into it. In order to fix the story, I needed to delete the final three-quarters and start over.

I spent six months rewriting the story and sent it to my critique partners, who told me the beginning and end were good but the middle was slow. Two more months of work netted me a new middle that no longer sagged. I sent the story to Rachelle and held my breath. To my surprise and delight, she said she liked it and was ready to submit it, which she did. Six weeks later we had two offers, and I got a contract for Christmas.

4. What is your biggest piece of advice to writers wanting to get published?

If I were to offer a new writer advice, I’d say three things.

• Have fun writing your first story. There will be time to learn the rules later. A realistic goal when you’re getting starting is to reach The End.
• Realize that it takes time to learn craft. Just as a doctor spends years before practicing medicine, writers need to learn how to craft a marketable story.
• Be willing to rewrite and revise. First drafts are called rough drafts for a reason. In many cases they aren’t pretty, but with work, we can transform them into beautiful stories readers will enjoy.

Encouraging advice! Keli mentioned she started writing in 2006, just as I did. And now we both have our debuts releasing within months of each other. Do you remember when you started writing for publication? How long has it been? How long do you think it will take to see your book published? And if you don't know, since Keli loves unique words, what kind of words do you like to play with?

You Can Be Published! Interview with Katie Ganshert

Today we have debut author Katie Ganshert. I met her a few years ago while we were both querying. She is awesome and dynamic and has a huge heart for God/love. Thanks for joining us today, Katie!
1.How many manuscripts have you written and did the one that sold feel different? I've written six. The one that sold was my third manuscript and it definitely felt different. It was the first manuscript I wrote after I read a whole bunch of craft books. I felt so much more knowledgeable about story telling and the craft of writing as I wrote that one.

2. How many years have you been writing?
Well, I've written stories ever since I could pick up a pencil. But somewhere in my teen years, I stopped. I didn't come back to it until I went to Nairobi, Kenya six and a half years ago. I came home with a story exploding inside me, so I wrote my very first novel.

3. Tell us a little about the events leading up to your first sale.
My manuscript was going to pub board. That's all I knew. My editor liked it. The editorial team at Waterbrook liked it. Now it was a matter of waiting to see if it would pass pub board or not pass. I didn't know I'd have to wait so long. Seven months after hearing it was going to pub board, I got an email from my agent saying it made it through, but it still had one more level of approval before a book deal would come. A week later, I got the phone call from my agent, only I couldn't answer because I was teaching a room full of 5th graders at the time. So I listened to her message (that this was the phone call I'd been waiting for) and tried really hard not to jump and scream and freak out my students. (For the record, it's important to know that Katie really would jump and scream. She's fun like that!)


4. What is your biggest piece of advice to writers wanting to get published?
Persevere! Rejections are inevitable. Waiting is inevitable. Persevere! See it as part of the process. If you're passionate about writing stories and you want to share those stories, then keep at it. Keep writing. Keep studying the craft. And keep believing God has a plan and a purpose for the words He's given you.


You can pre-order Katie's book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble (or anywhere else, really).


Katie mentioned being in committee for a long time. Are you prepared for the waiting that comes with getting published? Where are you waiting right now? What do you do while waiting in life?

Interview With Naomi Rawlings, Debut Author

Today is the first day of the month of debuts! I'm excited to host debut authors, some of who I began blogging with years ago. The great thing is that no matter where you're at right now, it's important to know your path can change if you keep moving forward.

Not only is my first book out in April, but so isNaomi Rawlings's! She very kindly agreed to be my guest today.
1. How many manuscripts have you written and did the one that sold feel different? To date, I've written five complete manuscripts. And yes, the one that sold, Sanctuary for a Lady, felt completely different. I'd been working with a critique group, and the critiques improved my writing 110%. Plus I'd worked really hard on the plot, thinking up a twist that I hadn't seen done before and cementing it into my character's struggles in a riveting way. In the back of my mind, I had the feeling that if Sanctuary for a Lady didn't sell, I'd probably be done writing. Because I knew this novel was as good as anything else I'd be able to write.

2. How many years have you been writing? Three and a half as of today. Two and a half when my novel sold. I started writing in August of 2008.

3.Tell us a little about the events leading up to your first sale.
I'd had some signs that I was close to being published. I was finaling in contests and getting comments from published writers like "you'll get a contract soon." Plus I'd had a request for my full manuscript from the publisher I'd been targeting, Love Inspired Historical. I didn't want to drive myself crazy with wondering, so I told myself I wouldn't hear back from the publisher until the middle of July, if not longer. At the beginning of June, I went away on an anniversary trip with my husband. You can imagine my surprise when I returned home to find I'd missed a phone call from the editor who wanted to buy my novel!

4.What is your biggest piece of advice to writers wanting to get published?
Work hard and don't settle for anything less than your best. There are so many talented writers out there, and I think the thing that makes the biggest difference is not giving up or settling. It takes hard work to find that interesting twist in your story, hard work to write that setting in a new way, or come up with that original cowboy when so many cowboys already populate the shelves of bookstores. I finaled in the Genesis Contest for unpublished writers last year. There were over 70 entries in my category, and I was one of the top three. Do you know how many revisions I gave my opening? Probably 15. Maybe more. I worked and worked and worked until I had an opening scene that grabbed readers. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it.

Thank you so much for this wonderful interview, Naomi!
Her debut, Sanctuary For A Lady, can be found on Amazon, Walmart, and anywhere else books are sold.

How many revisions has your opening had? What is your fave opening ever? Do you have any questions for Naomi?