Samantha Combs's Blog, page 22

My Personal Path To Publication - Ressa Empbra

Today on the blog, I an showcasing one of my new friends from facebook, Ressa Empbra.  An aspiring author, hoping to be published soon, Ressa is a tireless promoter of her friend's books, novels, and short stories.  She also seems to have boundless amounts of energy, at least to me.  She always has something positive and uplifting to say and believe me, when you've been up until 3am editing or you have written yourself into a corner and can't find your way out, a friend like Ressa is more than invaluable.....she is priceless.  By her own admission, she thought she would be an editor, but never dreamed she would be a writer.  I loved reading about her experiences....so far, as I'm sure you will as well.  For someone who isn't yet published, she sure has some important things figured out! :-)  Check out her journey and see if you don't agree.



1. How long have you been writing?
I started writing one-year ago today; September 29, 2010.


2. Are you published and if so, how long have you been a published author? If not,
what's your plan?
As of yet, I am not published. The 'plan,' however, is to finish the writing, (of which I only have a couple more chapters to finish), editing, formatting, cover art, and anything else I can think of. Once those things are all checked off my To-Do-List, I'll hopefully have a finished product for sale on several popular online mediums.


3. Which route did you choose for becoming published, the traditional route, with an
agent, the "indie" route, going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self publish?
I originally had planned to get an agent and go the traditional route. Then I did more research and saw that for example, if a publishing house sells one of my books for $7.99, after it's all said and done, I would get a whopping .99 cents, to $1.99. That quickly decided me on the path to self-publishing.


4. How long did it take you to write your first novel?
I am proud to say, it took me exactly three months to write my first novel, the word count ending up at just over 153,000. Not bad for never having written so much as a poem or an essay.


5. How long did it take you to publish it?
Still working on that part. I'm hoping by the first of the year, it'll be ready and for sale.


6. How many times did it get rejected before it got published?
I did not get rejected since I never solicited my manuscript to anyone. And thank God, too, 'cause I probably would have given up. I wasn't at a very good place in my life, physically or emotionally, when I finished my first novel, while still considering going with an agent and all. I ended up starting a second, unrelated novel right away and since it's so different from my first, it helped lift my spirits. It also made me realize that I still need to do another rewrite on my first novel before I move forward with publishing it. I'm a firm believer in the saying 'everything happens for a reason.'


7. Describe your worst rejection letter.
N/A


8. Describe the best news you ever got in your writing life and how it felt.
I sent a partial manuscript to a lady who offered to do a review, based on labeling it a 'partial review.' When she finished it and sent me a link to her website, I was ecstatic!  My family thought I'd lost my mind as I could barely stop myself from bouncing off the walls! It was one of the best feelings of accomplishment I've ever had.


9. What's the worst piece of advice you ever got?
To stick within the word count that has been the 'norm' in the industry forever. The rules have all been broken and challenged over the last few years, and besides, I never played well with rules, anyway. That advice is what prompted me to cut way back on my first novel, and the reason I have to do yet another full rewrite on that novel. I took it from 153,000 words down to 123,000. Now it just doesn't 'read' right…


10. Now, tell us the best.
Write from your heart. Screw the rules. Keep it real. Write, write, and write some more.


11. What's the one thing you would want an aspiring writer to take away from your
personal path to publication?
Research is paramount to anything we endeavor to do in life. That said, you will get the best advice and feedback from others doing the same thing you're doing. We all must follow some guidelines, but many of them have and are continually changing.  Don't let your research mold you into a position that makes you uncomfortable, and makes you feel you can't back out of a decision if backing out becomes necessary.


12. Where can we read your blog?
http://ressaempbra.wordpress.com/ My Blog.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/206315... Facebook Group representing my current novel.
Buy your books? Not available yet.
Connect with you on facebook? http://www.facebook.com/RessaEmpbra Facebook Author Profile.
On Twitter? Don't have a Twitter account yet.
Your website? Currently under construction.

About Me:
Hey all, Ressa Empbra here. I have written two novels so far; one still waiting for another rewrite; another that's almost done and ready to market. I write under two pen names; Ressa Empbra, and L.M. Branham, as I do different genres and would like to keep them separate for my future readers.  I live in western Colorado with my awesome family where I am married to an amazing man who works way too hard, and always allows me all the writing time I need. Mama to three grown kids, who have all grown into wonderful, loving young adults. Owner of a very precious, one and a half year old English Springer Spaniel, who everyone adores. Lastly, I am a writer; one who hopes to see her aspirations and dreams of being
published and read, come to fruition in the very near future.


Blurb by Tanya Contois at http://speedyreader-allthingsbooks.bl...
"Caught in the Dragon Cove by L.M. Branham was a fantastic example of storytelling. From the very beginning I got lost in the story of Iax and Gemma. The fact that this was only a partial manuscript tells me that author L.M. Branham has a gift for storytelling and creating fantastical worlds where mythical creatures such as Dragon Shifters exist. I hope that I have the chance to review Caught in the Dragon Cove when the book is completed."


Wow.  I've never had that great a review from a partial work before.  Makes me as anxious to get the finished product as Tanya!  In the meantime, since Ressa is already a friend of mine, why not make her one of yours?  If she already is, make sure she knows how much you enjoyed her journey by commenting here.  And if she isn't your friend yet, trust me, she would love to be.  Connect with her on facebook or her blog and I promise you, you'll have a new friend you won't regret!

My Personal Path To Publication - Sarah Ballance

I'm quite excited by my guest on the blog today.  Please help me welcome the author of some very sexy and heart-stoppingly romantic books under the Nobel Romance imprint, Sarah Ballance!  Known for her two titles, Down In Flames and Run To You, Sarah is happy to promote the release of her third book, Unforgiven, the cover and blurb of which will appear at the end of this post.  New to writing for just the last few years, Sarah came to it nearly on a dare!  Told by someone she couldn't write a novel, of course she had to set out and prove that she could...and she is one of those gifted writers who was born to do it!  Her first manuscript was snatched up by Noble Romance (who knew a damn good thing when they saw one) and she has been producing for them ever since.  She has some insightful and hilarious things to say and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her journey.  I know you will too.  Read on, and get to know my exceptional friend Sarah Ballance!



1. How long have you been writing?About three years. I started my first novel in May 2008—not because I wanted to be an author, mind you, but because someone told me I should write a novel and I said I couldn't do it. When I thought about it later, it bothered me to have said "I can't." So I did.
2. Are you published and if so, how long have you been a published author? If not, what's your plan?I am a published author. This, too, happened by accident. By the time I finished my first novel, DOWN IN FLAMES, I'd scored an awesome crit partner.  I subbed the story just to keep from having to explain to her why I wasn't going to sub it (then justified this to myself with the thought that I'd have to get used to rejection). I was absolutely stunned when my first and only query led to a contract.
3. Which route did you choose for becoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the "indie" route, going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?I submitted directly to Noble Romance. They e-pub and move novel-length stories to print.
4. Why did you choose that particular route?As a brand new author on my first manuscript, I didn't think I was ready for an agent, nor was I ready for self-publishing. There was no way in the world I was going to try to attempt my own edits, nor did I want to deal with the business end and legalities of self-publishing. Today … I second that! LOL.
5. How long did it take you to write your first novel?Start to finish, about six months including my edits. 
6. How long did it take you to publish it?I submitted it in the fall of 2009 and it was released June 7, 2010
7. How many times did it get rejected before it got published?Not a single time. I know, right?
8. Tell us about worst rejection letter.I've never been rejected, unless you count a query declined by a NY house. They actually complimented my story and my synopsis, but they weren't interested in publishing it. I expected it, so not only was I not surprised, but it was actually a relief to move on and do something with the manuscript.
9. What was the best news you ever got in your writing life and how did it make you feel?I think my best moment was when my second story, RUN TO YOU, was accepted by Noble Romance. With my first submission, I had absolutely no expectation it would be picked up—I wasn't even nervous waiting for a response—and when it was contracted I figured it was a fluke. All my nerves went into that second submission, and when it, too, landed a contract I finally felt like, hey, I might be able to do this writing thing!
10. What's the worst piece of advice you ever got?Writing sex is the bane of my existence, but it seemed like everything I read suggested sex had to be explicit and often. I couldn't quite get there, but the sex in my first story is more graphic than which I'm comfortable. I'm still feeling my way through that aspect of my writing, but I don't see myself ever preferring to write explicit over sensual.
11. Now, tell us the best!Find a crit partner you trust—one who tell you like it is. No one likes to see their "baby" sliced and diced, but something a lot of new authors don't seem to understand is either a crit partner finds those problems in a critique, or one of two things generally happens. Either the manuscript will be rejected based on those mistakes and holes, or it will be published with them and readers will call an author out in a hurry! Personally, I'd rather take my criticism in private.
12. What's the one thing you would want an aspiring writer to take away from your personal path to publication?If you can look back on the first story you wrote and cringe a little, you're doing something right. You want to grow and learn and develop a voice, and when you can see improvements in your own work, you have—in one very important way—made it.
13. Where can we read your blog? Buy your books? Connect with you on facebook? On Twitter? Your website?Every week one of my blog subscribers wins their choice of a $5 gift certificate to Amazon.com or a $10 gift certificate to Noble Romance! To enter, all you have to do is subscribe to my blog by *email.* Full details are available here: http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/weekly-giveaways/ Website http://www.sarahballance.com/ Blog http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/ Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/SarahBallanceFB Fan http://www.facebook.com/sarah.ballance.author.newsFB Friend http://www.facebook.com/author.sarah.ballanceGoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4103362.Sarah_BallanceNoble Romance https://www.nobleromance.com/Authors/97/Sarah-BallanceAmazon http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003WKYEJI UNFORGIVEN:Riley Beckett's past just came back to haunt her … and this time, he's got a gun.
When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot dead on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: his former lover, Riley.   They didn't part ways on good terms, and they're not going to reconnect there, either—not when he's got a revolver pointed at her head and a finger on the trigger.
A year after Riley swore she and Gage were over, he returns in a hail of gunfire.  One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes and she knows how wrong she was to let him go, but now far more than their heated past stands in the way.  A twist of fate puts them in the cross hairs of a killer, leaving Riley with two slim options:  trust her greatest betrayer, or face a murderer on her own.
Noble Romance https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/325/UnforgivenAmazon http://www.amazon.com/Unforgiven-ebook/dp/B005NGKBN2/  I asked Sarah to tell us a little bit about her personal life and got back this fantastic snippet.  I am sharing it unedited.  She DOES write great!:
About the Author: Sarah lives a charmed life as the mother of six incredible home schooled children, all of whom are completely adorable when they're asleep. Her husband of many years (long, long years, he calls them) is the kind of guy who could teach those heroes from the books a thing or two about romance, not that he'd readily admit it. Completely supportive of her love for writing fiction, he's generously offered to help with any necessary research for "the good parts." She's never had to ask twice.Although the idea of writing romance and romantic suspense initially intimidated Sarah, it has morphed into a favorite pastime since her characters, unlike her kids, actually listen to her. Er, sometimes. 
I literally have nothing more to add!  Except this:  Sarah is great, comment here or make contact with her!  And buy her books!

My Personal Path To Publication - Meg Mims

On the blog today, I am showcasing another of the talented authors populating the growing house at Astraea Press.  Meg Mims is a romance and mystery author who came to the House by choosing independent publishing for the main reason you have already read about from other authors: she had a great manuscript that didn't fit in the narrow parameters traditional publishers seem to have for their guidelines.  Fortunately, independent publishers, like Astraea Press and so many other reputable small houses, don't restrict their creative guidelines, and brilliant, gifted authors like Meg, the other authors I have highlighted on this series, and even myself, have been lucky to  find these great houses and find a publishing home with them.  Meg Mims has been writing for a long time and she has earned the right to be published as well.  Her first novel, Double Crossing, has earned rave reviews, being called "vivid' and "an intriguing mystery".  You'll learn more about it at the end of this post.  Now, please read on to learn about Meg's personal journey to publication!



1. How long have you been writing?
I lovedwriting book reports in school, but my first fiction story was a Trixie Beldenknock-off before "fan fiction" existed, LOL. I was probably 12. My older sister(always a critic somewhere in your life!) said to "write my own story, withoriginal characters" since the plot was pretty good. With a dead body, I'msure. ;-D  In high school and college, Iturned to writing papers and learning how to research. So when I moved from"hobby" to "career" writing, around fifteen years ago, my focus changed. Idecided I would publish or die trying.
2. Are you published and if so, how long have you beena published author? If not, what's your plan?
I firstpublished a puzzle, "Number Know-How" in 1997 in the children's market, Jack& Jill magazine. More puzzles, a rebus, short stories followed, plusarticles about writing and illustrations for newsletters. The pay was prettyskimpy – plus novel publishing eluded me, as well as picture book publishing(talk about a *really* tough market!) I decided I needed to find out what the"roadblock" really was, and entered the Seton Hill University Writing PopularFiction program – which helped me identify my writing weaknesses and strengths.And getting my M.A. helped land me a non-fiction gig plus helped push me "overthe transom" into novel publishing! Well worth the time, tuition and effort.
3. Which route did you choose for becoming published,the traditional route, with an agent, the "indie" route, going directly to thepublishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?
I once had an agent, who failed to sell myromance (really a blended genre novel) – and I pretty much froze up in gettinganother book finished. She closed her agency, and I didn't pursue another outof fear of freezing my creativity. I chose going directly to the publishers,and was very pleased that Astraea Press offered a contract for Double Crossingless than a week after my submission! I'm still open to self-publishing, butthat's in the far future for now.
4. Why did you choose that particular route?
I was tiredof editorial letters that praised my writing skills but rejected my projectsbecause of "too hard a sell" or "not right for our lines." Small press "indie"publishing works for me because I'm still learning promotion, author platform,getting name recognition, etc.
5. How long did it take you to write your first novel?
Three years– and the first draft was almost 800,000 words! LOL. Second draft, half that.Third draft is around 325,000 words, but still needs a LOT of revisions.
6. How long did it take you to publish it?
Ihave not, but one day I hope to… depending on whether I can salvage a lot orhave to scrap it all and start over. If it's the latter, I'm not so sure.
7. How many times did it get rejected before it gotpublished?
DoubleCrossing was rejected by a few publishers due to either "not enoughromance/sex" or "not enough Inspirational elements." LOL – it fell "between"the two extremes. I spent more time trying to sell my mystery, so when DC soldfirst, that was a big surprise.
8. Tell us about worst rejection letter.
Oh, thescribbled note on a ripped piece of my manuscript's first page? By an agent,who clearly had not read the whole thing… SIGH. She must have used it forlining the bird cage.
9. What was the best news you ever got in your writinglife and how did it make you feel?
Like I said, I was *stunned* when DoubleCrossing sold before my mystery – and in less than a week after submission. AndI was tickled pink that the publisher and her editor both loved it.
10. What's the worst piece of advice you ever got?
"Putit in a drawer and start over." I knew my manuscript was far better than thatfate.
11. Now, tell us the best!
"NEVERgive up! Only those who quit will never publish." Ruth Ryan Langan
12. What's the one thing you would want an aspiringwriter to take away from your personal path to publication?
See #11. Andalso READ READ READ in the specific genre you are targeting, and then beforeyou start writing your book, switch to a completely new genre you haven't readmuch of while you're working. That helps to avoid "influence" and might boostyour creativity. But most importantly, *WRITE EVERY DAY* … that's the real"secret" to success.
13. Where can we read your blog? Buy your books?Connect with you on facebook? On Twitter? Your website?
Blogs– http://www.double-crossing.comand http://www.megmims.comFacebook– http://www.facebook.com/megmimsTwitter- @megmimsWebsite– see above blogs and also http://www.megmims.comBooklinks –
AstraeaPress: http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=5907170
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Double-Crossing-ebook/dp/B005GWEMCO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314051844&sr=8-2B&N:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-crossing-meg-mims/1104769443?ean=2940013174597&itm=14&usri=double%2bcrossing
BOOK BLURB for DOUBLE CROSSING

A murder arranged as a suicide … a missingdeed  … and a bereft daughter whose sheltered world is shattered. August, 1869: Lily Granville is stunned by herfather's murder. Only one other person knows about a valuable California goldmine deed — both are now missing. Lily heads west on the newly openedtranscontinental railroad, determined to track the killer. She soon realizesshe is no longer the hunter but the prey.
As things progress from bad to worse, Lily isuncertain who to trust—the China-bound missionary who wants to marry her, orthe wandering Texan who offers to protect her … for a price. Will Lily survivethe journey and unexpected betrayal?
ISBN# 978-1-936852-48-2


Thanks, Samantha, for the wonderful interview! 


Are you kidding?  Thank YOU, Meg Mims, for stopping by the blog!  I'm thrilled to have had Meg today and want to thank her for sharing her journey with us today.  Meg is a joyful person and always has a kind word for an aspiring writer.  Why don't you connect with her on facebook or Twitter or check out her blog?  I know she would love it.  And please leave a comment here and let us know how much you enjoyed reading about her today!

My Personal Path To Publication - Kymberlee Burks-Miller

My guest today is another author with whom I have become friends with courtesy of facebook.  Author Kymberlee Burks-Miller and I met on a facebook group where we were both asked to be judges for a short story contest along with another author I featured here, Scott Prussing.  In the process, I learned about her debut novel, Compulsion, and watched her and her book become fan, and reviewer's, favorites.  I knew I wanted to showcase her here.  Then I lost touch with her.  It turns out eveyone did.  Kymberlee disappeared into a hospital!  After an illness which waylaid her for awhile, she is back, and working feverishly on Book Two in the Compulsion series.  She is self-publishing Compulsion in ebook form at the end of this month, with print to come soon after, following a dissatisfying interaction with a publisher.  This has happened to me, I am in fact in the middle of that as we have read, and it has happened to other authors.  When it happened to Kymberlee , she used it as her call to action. She has agreed to share her personal journey to publication with us here today, so we can see exactly what one person did when it happened to them.



1.   How long have you been writing? I have been writing sinceelementary school but seriously since High School.  My Drama teacher toldme that I had a knack for it:) Writing is my peaceful time to let everything inmy head out!
2.   Are you published and if so, how long have you been apublished author?  If not, what's your plan?I was contracted but thatdidn't work out so...I will be self publishing but continuing to submit toother publishers:)
3.   Which route did you choose for becoming published, the traditionalroute, with an agent, the "indie" route, going directly to the publishersyourself, or deciding to self-publish? I am going the Indie route now,originally I was being published, but the company was NOT what I thought thatit was.  That was a hard lesson to learn. We had too many differences inwhat we thought was best for me.
4.   Why did you choose that particular route? I was kind ofthrown down this path, but in hindsight I would have gone this route from thebeginning had I known then what I know now.  Advice* Please read your owncontracts and do NOT leave it up to someone else.
5.   How long did it take you to write your first novel? About 2months but with all of the changes it has taken over a year to get it reallyready.
6.   How long did it take you to publish it? With the formerpublisher, they actually contacted me. So it happened overnight. Going to selfpubbing route I am learning as I go, so...it is taking a little longer.
7.   How many times did it get rejected before it got published? Good Heavens I stopped counting. lol It comes with the territory. When you're anartist, and writing is an Art, not everyone will LOVE your work.  Pleasedon't get discouraged when you receive a rejection letter it just means thatparticular publisher was not a perfect fit for you.
8.   Tell us about worst rejection letter.  The worst one was6 months ago just a rejection, no rhyme or reason. No explanation, nothing.
9.   What was the best news you ever got in your writing life andhow did it make you feel? When my Alpha readers gave me their feedback. I trulyhoped that everyone would love Compulsion as much as I do, but their words wereamazing!
10.  What's the worst piece of advice you ever got? Someone once told me that I was a wife and a mother just be happy with that. Idid not NEED a career.  That's true, I don't NEED a career.  Writingallows me to express myself in ways nothing else ever has.
11.    What's the one thing you would want an aspiringwriter to take away from your personal path to publication? Always payattention to what is best for you.  If going Indie is what's best for youdo it. You'll find out out in the end that what feels right to you, isright.
12. Wherecan we read your blog?  Buy your books?  Connect with you onfacebook?  On Twitter?  Your website? 
My blog is kymberlee-burks-miller@blogspot.comwww.facebook.com/CompulsionSeries my twitterhandle is kymberlee1975 and my website is www.kymberleeburks-miller.com

Back of the book Blurb                AfterLilyann Moon's grandmother dies under suspicious circumstance, she and hereleven young family members are thrown into the world of witchcraft and theparanormal. A world they know nothing about, and need to learn fast! Lily's themost powerful witch in over five centuries, but she's untrained anduninitiated. Now the vampires have found out that the Moon line didn't end withher grandmother and they're coming to claim their prize, Her Blood! The onlybright spot in this nightmare was meeting Mason, but is she in love with theenemy.  She's in a race against time tosave her coven.I asked Kymberlee to tell me something fun about herself.  This is what she wanted you all to know:   I love to be silly, my favorite clothes are my sweats and Eeyore PJ's, and I absolutely cannot live without coffee and Nutella;) I love talking to people about their lives, mine is boring:)


You heard her; she loves to talk to people!  Make her happy and comment here or make contact with her on her blog, or facebook or Twitter.  Let her know how much you enjoyed reading about her journey.  And buy her book at the end of the month.  The early reviews are raves!      

My Personal Path To Publication - A Jacob Sweeny

We are filing today's blog under the heading Better Late Than Never!  This is only due in part to the the fact that AJ Sweeny, the author of the wildly successful self-published and amazingly reviewed and received A Pulse of Heroes is INCREDIBLY BUSY with a capital "B"!  She is writing, editing, and marketing her little behind off!  And if you are reading those reviews for her book, it's a good thing, because her fans are literally screaming for the sequel to Pulse.  When I reminded her that it was her day on the blog today, she graciously got busy on the post and I am happy to say, I have it!  I'm lucky to have gotten her, too, because she has been hard at work on said sequel, which she is releasing at the end of this month!  Her story is amazing and her book is that times one hundred, so hunker down and get ready!  I am pleased to be able to introduce to you, A Jacob Sweeny, if you don't already know her.



1.   How long have you beenwriting? Since I could hold a pen, and before that I told stories to everyone.Use to make them up in my mind.2.   Are you published andif so, how long have you been a published author?  If not, what's yourplan?I am published through Thalamus press, which is a company that me and afew local artists/literary types started. My plan is to get enough momentum andgood reviews so a larger publishing company can pick me up.3.   Which route did youchoose for becoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the"indie" route, going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding toself-publish?I chose to do the publishing myself because I understand how manymanuscripts agents get and the number is staggering. Also with the publishingindustry changing so quickly, they are very careful about choosing new authors,and would rather go with established ones that can bring in the money becausethey already have a devoted audience.  Myother problem is that my novels are very long, much longer than publishers arewilling to take a chance on. The longer the manuscript, the more money it coststo print. So between these two obstacles the chance of getting chosen foranything was so slim, that I decided that readers' reviews are better to seewhere I stand before I even present my writing to anyone. If readers like mywork it will show; so far the reception for Pulse Of Heroes has beenhumbling and beyond amazing! The other consideration for me was the thought ofpassing time. Why should I wait for someone to even look at my manuscript whileothers can enjoy it? I can die tomorrow and then what? When writing Pulse OfHeroes I did so out of personal reasons, rather than becoming the next'big' author. I really had NO expectations. 4.   How long did it takeyou to write your first novel?It took me a little over a year to actually write the manuscript, butthe research that is presented in there has taken me many years to learn. Sotechnically I will say one year for writing and six for research.5.   How long did it takeyou to publish it?With Create Space it took me a month            6. How many times did it get rejected before it got published?
I only sent it to two places. The first response was actually very positive in my opinion, as it seemedthat it wasn't an automatic response. They actually wrote about my style andtold me that I definitely had talent; they just weren't taking on any newauthors. The other response was a general "Thanks, but your work does not matchwhat we are looking for." This was funny because they were actually looking foeexactly the kind of story I wrote and it said so on their site. So I knew thatno one really spent time reading what I wrote at all, and that is the way withmost manuscripts.7.   Describe your worstrejection letter.Didn't have real bad ones- see above.8.   Describe the best newsyou ever got in your writing life and how it felt.Well I had a few. My first teenage readers who are total Twihard fanstold me that my book was even better than Twilight! They said that they weremadly infatuated with my lead male character (Elliot De-Costa) and startedhounding me for the second installment. Then when other readers who I don't know personally kept pretty muchrepeating these types of statements I knew that I did something right. One ofmy favorite first reviews came from a mom who loves! Twilight and even namedher baby Bella. After she read my book she actually wrote, "This book blewTwilight away." For me these statements meant that my novel is commerciallyviable! Now let me be clear that in no way was I competing with the Twilightbooks, in fact I have never read them and only saw the first movie on DVD whileI was very sick with high fever; meaning I hardly even remember, it besides thinkingthat (don't hate me) that the screenplay didn't add up to all the hype I washearing. The love story was great but it left much to be desired. (again, mypersonal opinion)9.   What's the worst pieceof advice you ever got?Don't publish it and wait for an agent to contact me…10.   Now, tell us the best.You should put it out there. E-publishing and other new formats arebecoming legitimate and are succeeding. May I add that this advice camepersonally from the first author (Kemble Scott) who published his work onScribd.com and it ended up being a huge success.11.  What's the one thing you would want anaspiring writer to take away from your personal path to publication?Keep writing and put your work out there. There is no better way tojudge if you are going to make it than presenting it to an audience you do notknow personally. And if it seems that you are not getting the responses youwant, don't have a huge ego and listen to what people have to say.12.  Where can we read your blog?  Buy yourbooks?  Connect with you on facebook?  On Twitter?   Yourwebsite?www.pulseofheroes.comhttp://www.faceb... AboutPulse Of HeroesPulse ofHeroes is aYA novel that weaves together elements of paranormal romance, suspense, myth, history, and at its core,a heroine's journey and transformation. I sought to craft a true and sensitivecoming-of-age narrative of a quirky teenage girl becoming a confident youngwoman, and at the same time I wanted to take her and the reader on a grippingadventure filled with geographical, historical and supernatural elements, whilebeing swept under the crushing intensity of first love.
Michelle used to feel like she was behind in everything,especially school and relationships. Her great aunt from the old country saysshe is like a bland meal, "no salt or pepper". But in junior year,everything changes. Her father takes a position on the Town Council, a popularboy in school becomes interested in her, and most importantly, the HekademosLearning Center, a private school for 'troubled' students, moves into her quietneighborhood amidst the protests of the entire town. After seeing the School Regent out with a group of youngguys just before Christmas, Michelle is convinced that there is something oddabout them. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she embarks upon a missionto figure out what is really going on. After an embarrassing fall over theschool wall, Michelle meets Elliot and her ordinary 'bland' life changes itscourse forever. Elliot is no ordinary human. In fact, noone at the Hekademos Learning Center is. Beautiful and fierce, they havesurvived throughout the millennia by weaving in and out of human events.Through them, Michelle learns that history and myths from around the world aredotted with references to their kind. Michelle falls madly in love with theever-striking and mysterious Elliot. Although Elliot carries numerous painfulmemories from his many pasts, he disregards his own better judgment and theadvice of his friends, and finds himself falling for Michelle's offbeatpersonality. Their feelings grow in intensity, but when History catches up withthem, the difference between their life paths threatens to destroy any futurethat they might have had together.                Michelle learnsthat there are infinite shades of gray between black and white, and has to dealwith the bundle of contradictory emotions called love. After some unexpectedtwists during a family trip to Europe, she has to trust her intuition in orderto face the danger and uncertainty of being drawn into Elliot's wondrous world.Ultimately, it is up to Michelle to make the split-second, life-alteringdecision that will either tear them apart forever or give them another chance.
Here's what AJ would like you to know about her:  FirstI want to proudly announce that the second installment in The Pulse Series, OfBlood And Pulse is almost complete and set to be released for sale onOct. 31st. 2011


I have been writing and storytelling ever since I was able tohold a pen. When I spent time working as a teacher with children of varyingages I was fascinated by the awesome power of words to excite and inspire theyoung mind. The art of Storytelling is what makes a good teacher great.


My degree in History with an emphasis on Ancient Near East, and my personalinterest in world myths, combined with my fieldwork in archaeology haveinspired my research and development of many elements in the story.
I also remember what it was like to be a girl myself and have often wanted toshare my own thoughts, fears and dreams during that age with others. I readmany books during my teenage years and some of them were essential in helpingme make it through that time, and helping me become the satisfied person that Iam today. I want to be able to return that favor to all the readers out there.
She'd also love you to see some reviews for A Pulse of Heroes:Sample Reviews:I lovethis book! Move over Edward and Bella, a new power couple has hit the scene!Michelle and Elliot from Pulse of Heroes by A. Jacob Sweeny will give StephanieMeyer's characters a run for their money! I have read so many books, and ittakes a lot to knock my socks off but A. Jacob Sweeny did just that! With heroriginal storyline and unforgettable characters she has an award winning seriesin the making.
-Dawn Hagan, Ilove Books Blog-Page-

Sometimes I will come across a novel which I classify as a rare jewel:a book that captivates me from beginning to end… an amazing story that it isimpossible for it to not capture my heart and Pulse Of Heroes is a rare jewel.There are only two other series' that I consider rare jewels: the Twilightseries, and Vampire Academy... I was wondering when the next book would comealong that would really pull me in, make me feel emotionally attached to thecharacters, make me care about them in such a way that I would think about themweeks, months after I had finished reading the story and Pulse of Heroes didjust that.
-Alishia,Treasured Tales For young Adults Blog-Page-

 Thanks AJ, for being on the blog!  Don't forget, Readers, comment here or find AJ on facebook and let her know how much you enjoyed her interview or her book.  She'd love to know!

My Personal Path To Publication - Kathleen Tighe Ball

Today I am showcasing another new author friend I have been lucky enough to meet on the wonder to me that is facebook.  And as always, I have learned something new within this friendship.  Kathleen Tighe Ball, a relatively new novelist, like me, actually got her start in publishing in another completely new way I hadn't considered....she began putting her work on the public forum called "Textnovel."  I had never heard of this before I began talking to people on facebook.  Apparently, it has helped launch many publishing careers, not just Kathleen's.  Some post for the fun and the accolades, lucky for us, Kathleen took it to heart.  The author of five works now, Texas Haven, Ryelee's Cowboy, Callie's Heart, Lonestar Joy, and her newest, Stetson's Storm, she listened to all those forum members who voted her novels Reader's Choice Awards and read them over 30,000 times!  I'm pleased she also agreed to share her journey with us here on the blog.  Read on and check out yet another way you too, can come to be a published author!


1.   How long have you been writing?I've only been writing for 2 ½ years. I never had the desireto write. I was always a crafty type of person. My son was going to begraduating High School and suddenly I realized that I would soon be an emptynester. My sister Tricia was writing her first book and I mentioned maybewriting. She sent me a book on how to write romance and I sat down at thecomputer and the words just flowed.  Iremember finishing it and printing it out. I sat with it on my lap in awe.Writing had become my bliss in life.  Ittook me three months to write Texas Haven.
2.   Are you published and if so, how long have youbeen a published author?  If not, what'syour plan?  Which route did you choosefor becoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the "indie"route, going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?I decided to put it on Textnovel.com. It took a lot ofcourage to hit the submit button.  I wascertain that people wouldn't like it. I got views and votes and great commentsand I was astounded.  I decided to writemy second book Ryelee's Cowboy  and it took off. As soon as I put up an updateI'd instantly get at least 50 hits.  Itwon the Reader's Choice Award and currently has almost 30,000 views.
3.   Describe your worst rejection letter.The worst rejection letter I ever got was from a RomanceWriters of America Contest. I sent in TexasHaven and one judge told me I shouldn't be writing. I came in third fromthe bottom. As hurtful as it was, that judge highlighted everything I didwrong.  I could write a heart wrenchingnovel but I didn't know anything about technique. I didn't know about POV orpassive sentences to name a few.  I regrouped and kept writing and editing. I have completedfive novels all modern western romance. I'm submitting to publishers right now.
4.   Describe the best news you ever got in yourwriting life and how it felt.The best news I ever received was winning the Reader'sChoice Award for Ryelee's Cowboy. I've also gotten fan mail from people withcancer and other ailments telling me that my novels help them escape theirpain.  That makes writing worth it.
5.   What's the worst piece of advice you ever got?The worst piece of advice I ever got was when that Judgetold me to stop writing.
6.   Now, tell us the best.The best advice came from my sister Trisha- she told me tostop talking about writing and just do it.
7.   What's the one thing you would want an aspiringwriter to take away from your personal path to publication? I have realized that it's the friends you make along the waythat will help in your journey to publication. I have never met  a more supportive group of people as I havein the writing community.8.   Where can we read your blog? Buy your books?Connect with you on facebook? On Twitter? Your website?My novels can beread at http://www.kathleenballromance.com  or at Hunky, Rodeo Star, Stetson Scott is back in town after a 5 year absence. Storm McCrory has what he unknowingly left,his son
This is what Kathleen would like you to know about her:  I live in Fort Worth, TX with my wonderful husband and my son. We recently moved here from Rochester, NY so I'm learning a lot about Texas as  I research for my novels.I am actively pursuing the honor of becoming a published author!!
 I think Kathleen is the first author I have spotlighted who writes cowboy romance.  Come and check out her books...they are hot!  And comment here to let her know how much you enjoyed reading about her journey!

My Personal Path To Publication - Patricia Kiyono

Today on the blog, I get to introduce a new friend.  Patricia is a new author/friend recently discovered to us at Astraea Press.  Her first book released is The Legacy, something completely different for our current list.  Astraea has done historical romance before, but never Japanese history!  With Patricia's unique perspective, the book promises to be that exciting blend of fact and fiction historical drama and romance should always be.  A life-long writer and member of Romance Writers of America, I look forward to getting to know Patricia much better and the many manuscripts I'm sure are bubbling just under her creative surface.  Some of us submitting have it easy, some hard, Patricia seems to have had it charmed! Check out her journey to publication below and be amazed!  Note, that she is a great example of the power of writing and critique groups!



1. How long have you been writing?I've been writing since I learned how toput words on paper. I've always loved to create worlds where people hadproblems but overcame them in the end. I started writing romance about tenyears ago, when I found out about Romance Writers of America. Since then I'vejoined two writing groups and am part of a critique group.

2. Are you published and if so, how longhave you been a published author? If not, what's your plan?My novella, The Legacy, was published by Astraea Press this past July. I'm sohappy to be affiliated with this company, and have plans to submit more manuscriptsto them soon. (Note: I just submitted a secondmanuscript to Astraea Press and am waiting to hear if they will accept it.)

3. Which route did you choose forbecoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the "indie" route,going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?I chose to go directly to the publisher.

4. Why did you choose that particularroute?I wanted to go through a publisherbecause I wanted the support of additional editing, marketing, and a good coverartist. I submitted to Astraea Press for two reasons: their policy of cleanromance fits best with what I like to write, and the company had put out a callfor a line of stories for which all proceeds would go to charity benefitingJapan after the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster. Since I'mJapanese-American, this really appealed to me.
5. How long did it take you to write yourfirst novel?I started writing my first full lengthnovel about six years ago. I'm almost finished with it! My novella, The Legacy, features thegreat-great-great grandson of the main character in that novel, and I wrote itin six weeks.

6. How long did it take you to publishit? I was amazed at the speed at which thingshappened. I submitted my story on May 31, and six days later I received ane-mail notifying me that it was accepted. The novella became available on July28.

7. How many times did it get rejectedbefore it got published?
None. Astraea Press was the onlypublisher I sent it to.
8. Tell us about worst rejection letter.I haven't had any terrible rejectionletters. Usually I would get a note with "I'm sorry, we don't feel yourstory is a good fit for us." But the worst comment on a writing contestwas probably one in which the judge simply said, "I can't get into thisstory." There was no explanation of what was wrong with it, but I guessshe just didn't like it.

9. What was the best news you ever gotin your writing life and how did it make you feel?
My son-in-law wrote on my facebook wallthat he had just read The Legacy. Andthen he just said "Good stuff." Those two words were such a greataffirmation of my writing.
10. What's the worst piece of advice youever got?
I'm not sure I've gotten bad advice. Thewriters I associate with are a great bunch and very supportive.
11. Now, tell us the best!
Get your thoughts down first, and thenworry about editing. So many times I'm searching for the right word or theperfect phrasing, but when I "turn off my internal editor" and justwrite, I get so much more accomplished. I can always edit later.
12. Where can we read your blog?Since I love so many creative arts(sewing, crocheting, scrapbooking, and painting as well as writing) my blog iscalled Creative Hodgepodge and it can be found atwww.creative-hodgepodge.blogspot.com
13. Buy your books? The Legacy isavailable at Astraea Press (www.astraeapress.com) as well as at Amazon, the Barnes and Noble's website(barnesandnoble.com), and Bookstrand.
14. Connect with you on facebook?My facebook author page is at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Patricia-  Kiyono/149294485148710
15. On Twitter? I haven't tried this yet.
16. Your website?

 www.patriciakiyono.com Blurb for The Legacy: When Andy Tanaka finds an old wooden chest ina storage shed on his family's flower farm, he can't wait to share hisdiscovery with his best friend, Leigh Becker.
Inside the dusty lacquered chest are a pair ofswords, some Japanese clothing, and a mysterious scroll, which could providelinks to his samurai ancestor. They find someone to translate the scroll andthen research the significance of the other items, intent on ensuring thelegacy isn't forgotten.
In the process, they learn not only aboutsamurai history, but also some surprising truths about themselves.
I asked Patricia to give me a little personal information about herself also and this is what she told me:  My grandfather came to America from Japan in1915. My grandmother came a few years later. So my dad and his brother werefull-blooded Japanese. Fortunately, the family avoided being"relocated" in the infamous internment camps during World War II,because they were the only Japanese family in Michigan. My mother is fromJapan, so I have close ties to that country.And I have more good news to share.....Patricia has another novella coming out!  Her Greek Island story, titled Aegean Intrigue, will be published by Astraea Press! More details coming soon! 
It's clear to me, Patricia is the one to watch!  Keep your eye on her and you won't be disappointed.  :D

My Personal Path To Publication - Lisa Kessler

Hey gang, today I have a homegirl on the blog.  Please welcome a fellow San Diegan, Lisa Kessler.  Lisa is the author of the recently released paranormal title, Night Walker, published by Entangled Publishing, this past August.  Lisa and I are both from San Diego; she still lives there, while I am transplanted to Los Angeles.  Another of my hosted authors is from San Diego as well, Scott Prussing.  It's so neat to me to discover authors so close to me through the magic of facebook.  It makes me think that I have the chance to meet some of these talented authors someday, perhaps at a convention or signing.  With all the conversation that goes on with facebook, I just think it's nice to know some of my contacts might be friends someday.  Lisa's book is available now, both in ebook and print form.  Now, read about her journey and see how it came to be.



1. How long have you beenwriting? I wrote for fun every night forabout 3 years, and started publishing short stories.  It took 10 years for me to get my first novelpublished.
2. Are you published and if so,how long have you been a published author? If not, what's your plan?  My debut novel, Night Walker, was justreleased in August.  Woot!
3. Which route did you choose forbecoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the "indie" route,going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?  I self-published one of my longer shortstories just to try it out and learn about indie-publishing.  It's been a great experience and also got myname out there with book bloggers before my novel was released.  My novel is published by Entangled Publishingin Print and eBook.
4. Why did you choose thatparticular route?  I learned from myself-published short, Across the Veil, that editing and formatting are toughand cover design is even tougher. Entangled Publishing also gives me a publicist to help me spread theword about my book.
5. How long did it take you towrite your first novel? I wrote the first draft of Night Walker in 6 months.
6. How long did it take you topublish it?  10 years.
7. How many times did it getrejected before it got published?  YikesI lost count!  Night Walker is acontemporary paranormal romance, but it also has history woven into thestory.  Traditional publishers and agentsdid enjoy the story, but they didn't know how to market it.  I got rejections for that, rejections that myhero was too dark, the list goes on and on. I was starting to lose hope in getting it published…
8. Tell us about your worst rejectionletter.  I can't think of a really horrible one.  It's never fun hearing them tell you theylove the book BUT we're going to have to pass… ugh!
9. What was the best news youever got in your writing life and how did it make you feel?  Talking to the acquiring editor at Entangledover the phone and hearing how much she loved my book.  It was the sweetest redemption to find apublisher willing to take a chance on the book and me…
10. What's the worst piece ofadvice you ever got?  I had an agent oncetell me that foreign settings and heroes never sell…  Huh! LOL
11. Now, tell us the best! Thebest advice came from Kelley Armstrong and Barbara Vey who both encouraged meto join RWA.  Without the networking andinvolvement in RWA chapters, I might not ever have heard of EntangledPublishing and Night Walker might still be trapped in my computer instead ofout in the world… J
12. What's the one thing you wouldwant an aspiring writer to take away from your personal path to publication? Never give up.  I posted a blog about it…http://lisakessler.wordpress.com/2011/09/11/never-give-up/
13. Where can we read your blog?Buy your books? Connect with you on facebook? On Twitter? Your website?NightWalker is available online everywhere, but here are the links for Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Night-Walker-ebook/dp/B005EYT7JW/ref=pd_sim_kinc3?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2  and Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-walker-lisa-kessler/1104527195Myblog is: http://LisaKessler.wordpress.com Facebookis: http://facebook.com/LisaKesslerWriter and http://facebook.com/NightSeriesTwitteris: http://twitter.com/LdyDisneyAndmy website is: http://Lisa-Kessler.com He gave up his soul fora second chance to love her... Twoand a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priestmurdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, hewants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.
She's haunted by dreams of her own death...
Aftercatching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego toclear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calistoshe's drawn to him in ways she doesn't understand.
They've waited in the shadows for centuries...
Calistohas no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the FraternidadDel Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As oldenemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto tothe night might destroy the only woman he's ever loved again.


Okay, I'm sold!
Plus, if that's Calisto on the cover....need I say more????
And Lisa is more than just a pretty face.  She is also contributing a workshop at www.savvyauthors.com along with her husband, Ken Kessler, Social Media for Writers, which begins today.  Here is the link: http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=1049.  If you are having trouble mastering the skills, get in touch with Lisa because these platforms are invaluable for the author who is marketing herself or himself.  And check out Lisa's book!

Dear Author...PLEASE DON'T.......

I don't have a guest today.....I have about a thousand!  Taking a cue from a fun post an author friend shared on a facebook group I belong to, I'm sharing a hilarious Amazon customer discussion she found called Author, Please Don't..., wherein the Amazon reader addresses the authors with their pet peeves related to what they've been reading recently. (some posts have been changed to protect the guilty)! I picked out my favorites, but seriously, they were so funny.  See how many you might be guilty of, then run, don't walk, to your latest WIP, and make those changes as quick as you can.  based on the tone of some of these responses, these readers are NOT messing around.  Then leave a comment and let me know which ones bug you too!
AUTHOR, PLEASE DON'T..........
let your herohave a disgusting habit, like smoking cigars (even if he's rich) or chewing andspitting tobacco (even if he's a cowboy)put today's name brands on items. I may want toreread your book 15 years from now!forget about your secondary characters, even ifyou have limited space. Try to have them all as real as possible; it takes awayfrom the overall effect if they're all cardboard cutoutsmake yourvillains one-dimensional, everyone has a reason to do villainous things why notthe ones in books?name your heroes Hunter, Connor, or [insertover-used name here] no matter how much you like the name... if you must use anover-used name go with classics like John, Sam or Robert... you guys arekilling the 'exotic' names by making them common!base your characters (especially in a series)off of yourself, your current husband/lover or a close friend/family member...we can tell and it burns us... we hates it... >_< ...especially when youget divorced and turn the hero you make us love in books 1-4 into a prick weare supposed to hate in books 5-7.write withouta dictionary, thesaurus, and an atlas at your side.make the villians easily identifiable by theirgreasy hair and bad fashion sense.please don´tmake your heroine with red hair!!!!!have yourheroine behave like an idiot and write it so that the hero finds this stupiditycute, winning, charming or adorable. There's a difference between making anerror and lacking any common sense.have your hero behave like a sociopath - if thehero is, in fact, a sociopath, then the heroine should kill him and get on withher lifeuse the wordsbro, sis or buckaroo. No one speaks like that.recycle the same storyline over and over,changing only the names of the characters and location.forget to proofread carefully. forget that not all heroines have to be petiteand blonde with huge breasts. assume that your readers have read all the booksin your series and know the backstory. A little information for those of us whohaven't read the entire series would be greatly appreciated.Please DON'Tuse foreign words or phrases UNLESS you know what you're talking about. Alittle research would be appreciated.have severalcharacters with the same first initial in their name: Cindy and Cissy or Tomand Todd. For goodness sakes, you've got the whole alphabet to choose from.use a name for the heroine which could bemistaken for a male: Morgan, Joey or Danny (believe me, I've seen each ofthese!!).and don't forget to let me know how much time ispassing. Was it a day, a week, an hour? Help me keep up, I can't read your mind.Have your maincharacters make love every night for months without referring to that monthlychallengeHave many bouts of love-making without at leastONCE (for crying out loud) reaching for a wash rag or the proverbialhandkerchief. (It adds to the storyline rather than detracts from it.)Please don't forget to put a little variety inyour love-making,  Heroes don't "holdstill" and then relax at the critical moment.)Please do keep track of your time as we aregive your heroa moustache - or your heroine, for that matter.discuss the amount of body hair your heroine hastry to convince me that rape/sexual abuse issexy, and equals a lasting, once-in-a-lifetime lovehave a fightin the bedroom while their naked in bed and then he leaves out jumps in the carWITHOUT ANY CLOTHES ON?make me read the roller coaster ride of a plotyou've put the hero through and then on the last page of the last sentence ashot rings out and then I have to wait for the sequel except it won't come outuntil two years from nowif you're going to do erotic, keep the animalsout the bed and if he/she is a shape shifter, it's not cute to change in themiddle of a love scene, it's just bestiality.flesh out your secondary characters.quit giving me detail descriptions of how to getsomewhere on a freeway across town including the turn right and left thing.give me three sentence love scenes. GAWD I HATETHAT! Especially in erotica.don't jump POV's to the hero's baby momma'scousin (Valencia Williams did that in Hottest Summer Ever)Switch tenses throughout your whole storytalk slang outside of the dialogue in thenarration parthave any more baby momma drama books. (at leastrework it as a surprise to us or something, but vindictive women getting revengeon baby daddy's is not romantic anymore.)Make everyhero a man whore. Sometimes less experienced guys are hot too.Sermonize in your fiction. I don't care if itsvegetarianism, your favorite brand of shoes, or social responsibility. Havingyour character lecture your readers is annoying!Don't forget to include a plot. The days when IRead romance novels for sex are pretty much over. A storyline would be nice.Characters should have some sexual quirks. Notevery character is going to like it the same way.Forget your characters have jobs, lives, andother responsibilities. Sure the sex is great, the hero hot, but don't haveyour character give up everything for their hot significant other.(this is probably a personal peeve, but I'mincluding it). Have too much girl talk. I don't have a clutch of gossipinggirlfriends who dish men, and reading about it is boring. I can't enjoy theheroine if she's acting like a gossiping cat.If you're going to use magick have the characterbe concerned about consequences. Sure its easy to brainwash the neighbor so hedoesn't see you're vampire masquerade ball, but what are the ethicalramifications of using powers without consequence?If you're writing a twenty-five year old collegestudent, don't make her act like a 60 year old matron whose never seen a guynaked. have yourheroine's innocence unrealistic; IMO having her experience her first kiss atage 25 is odd.fall into the habit of the 'alpha male.' A guydoesn't have to be an arrogant bastard to get a girl.have all yourmen be whores and your women be virgins. If nothing else, it's statisticallyimprobable. (In fact, for each book like this you've written, try writinganother with an experienced female and virgin male.)make the reader wait until half the book isover before the hero and heroine even meetmake the hero an arrogant jerk (a man can bestrong without being mentally abusive or controlling)make the hero drink the heroine's breastmilkwrite big sections of history that read like atextbook in a historical romance (I want romance, not a history lesson)write a historical romance and not give the yearset a book in modern times where the hero is oldenough to be the heroine's grandfather, and then treat the age difference likeit's not an issuehave the heroine lose her virginity, then go onto have sex 8 times the same night in 6 different positions (can you sayouch??)make kids perfect angels. Yes, children canbring some of the greatest joy in life, but the also need their diaperschanged, get colic, have tantrums, and, unless you're one of the lucky few,don't sleep through the night from day one.make kids total brats, and their parents toowimpy to discipline themdisregard development charts. Two-day old babiesdo not laugh, babble, or try to crawl.have all women sail through pregnancy. Some ofus actually do get stretch marks and morning sicknessmake the hero and heroine wimps who won't standup to their parentsspend all the time writing sex and norelationship. One or two well-written love scenes is usually sufficient.trick readers by mislabelling your work. If it'serotica, then say so!have the entire book hinge on some stupidmisunderstanding that could be cleared up with two sentences. Please, let'shave some books with real relationship issues!have the hero and heroine bicker like childrenfor most of the bookhave the hero think about nothing else butgetting laid (healthy sexual appetite, fine, but viewing every woman as a sexobject, no).have the hero and heroine having sex two secondsafter they meet.have the hero sleep with prostitutes. If itwould be considered repulsive for a man in modern times to pick up a hooker,why is it okay in a historical novel?make the hero a man-whore. Why won't someonewrite a book where both the hero and heroine are virgins? Believe me, intoday's times with girls reading Cosmo at age 14, they could figure it out andhave fun doing it!give one of the main characters a disability,then have them magically recover by the end of the book. People who havedifficulties with sight, hearing or walking deserve love too! Characters do nothave to be physically perfect.make the hero and heroine unlikeable!neglect to develop a secondary romance, if youput one in. Otherwise it shouldn't be there at all.use the "love at first sight" theme.It looks lazy. Anyone can say that a couple is in love--show us how they gotthere.forget to develop your characters along withyour plot. Lovable, well-rounded characters are what make a story stay with areader long after the book is finished.
Wasn't this the most entertaining?  Now, add some more of your own...let me know what makes you stop and scratch your head or just want to pull your hair out! 

My Personal Path To Publication - Chynna Laird

I came to know today's guest in a wonderful way.  I was asked to be a guest judge on a facebook group for a short story contest and had the pleasure of reading Chynna's entry.  She did not win, but I assure, if I had been the only judge, she would have.  Her touching and poignant story had my vote.  Now, I am delighted she is now a member of the Astraea Press family and her next novel, as she has several already published, will be coming out soon, under the name Blackbird Flies.  Like many of the authors sharing on this blog special series, the writers bug bit Chynna early and hard.  And that is no generalization...read further and you'll see what I mean.  Don't forget to ask her about her short story.  It's worth a read.  I loved it!  Now, check out Chynna's journey to publication.



1. How long have you been writing?I've been writing as long as I canremember. I've always kept a diary/journal and loved writing short stories inschool. I think it was in Grade Four when a publisher came to our class to talkabout the world of writing and publishing books. She took us through the wholeprocess. At the end of the chat, we got to 'publish' our own books: We wrote astory, did illustrations, designed and created our covers then 'published' themin the school library for other students to take out. My book was called, 'TheAdventures of Super Bug'. Okay, so the 'book' was on printer paper, the'illustrations' were stick guy-like and the 'cover' was laminated cardstock butto me it was the best thing EVER!The ironic thing was that I'd forgotten tobring my book home with me at the end of the year. Ten years later, my youngersister came home from school one day and asked me to read the book she took outfrom her school library. Guess what it was? Yup. Super Bug! I took that as asign that writing and authoring is what I was meant to do.
2. Are you published and if so, how long have you been a published author? Ifnot, what's your plan? I am a published author, actually (yes Idid publish again after Super Bug! HA!). I have two memoirs, a children'spicture boo, a Young Adult novel, and an adult suspense/thriller coming outnext spring. I'm certainly very Blessed.
3. Which route did you choose for becoming published, the traditional route,with an agent, the "indie" route, going directly to the publishers yourself, ordeciding to self-publish?My children's picture book was originallyself-published and is now in the loving hands of the traditional publisher whohandled my memoir, Not Just Spirited: A Mom's Sensational Journey With SPDand the traditional route with all of my other books. But in all cases, I'vegone directly to publishers myself.
4. Why did you choose that particular route?I self-published my children's picture bookbecause it was a really hard one to sell having such a specific niche. But Iwanted to have total control over how it turned out. It's a story close to myheart and, really, a gift I created for my daughter, Jaimie so I had to makesure it was exactly what she needed. So far, I've had great success with sellingmy own stuff so I keep right on doing it. But, eventually, I think it would bewonderful to have an agent so I can leave all of the pavement pounding to himor her. =)
5. How long did it take you to write your first novel?My first published novel, BlackbirdFlies, only took me a few weeks to write but months of editing.That's how I work.  I get an idea,envision the entire book in my head, write madly for a few weeks then edituntil it all makes sense.
6. How long did it take you to publish it?Ahhhh! That's an entirely different story.LOL! I wrote this book a couple of years ago but only just recently found ahome for it. That's just how it works. I shelved it and worked on otherprojects. Then when I came across a place handling YA that might be interested,I'd dust it off and pitch it. When it was rejected, I'd put it back on theshelf, working on another project I'd have going, until I found another placeto try. After years of doing this, I finally found the right home for it (Thankyou to Stephanie with Astraea Press for giving my book a chance! xo).
7. How many times did it get rejectedbefore it got published?Oh my goodness! Eighteen that I kept trackof and that doesn't include the ones I did through online submission forms.
8. Tell us about worst rejection letter.For this manuscript, I never had any reallybad rejections. Just editors telling me the story was great but that it didn'tfit in with their line up. The worst rejection letter I've ever received on anyof my book projects was for White Elephants where a publisher actuallytold me I should be ashamed of myself even approaching publishers with suchdisgusting subject matter (White Elephants is my memoir about beingraised by a mom with untreated bipolar disorder and alcoholism. The 'disgustingsubject matter' the guy referred to were issues we should all be talking aboutlike child abuse, eating disorders, rape, and others.) That hurt so much ittook me months before I tried again to send it out. But that's just what youhave to do—dust yourself off and keep trying.
9. What was the best news you ever got in your writing life and how did it makeyou feel?Wow! I've had so many wonderful thingshappen I'm not sure I can choose just one. I'd say it would be the feeling ofhearing, "IT'S UP FOR SALE!" after my first book, "Not Just Spirited: AMom's Sensational Journey With SPD" was released. Nothing beats the feelingof that first book out there then holding it in your hands.
10. What's the worst piece of advice you ever got? The back story to this is a long one butthe gist of it is that I'd worked my butt off on a book that was supposed to goout earlier this year. When I got the galley copy of it, it was awful. I meanGod awful!! I wouldn't have stood behind that book nor wanted my name on thecover it was so bad. The publisher took my project and turned it into what theyfelt was more suitable not what I'd originally intended. So I told them so,stopped publication of it and demanded my rights back. But instead of admittingwhat they'd done, the editor told me she thought I was an awful writer andshould never have been published in the first place. She told me to give upwriting. Needless to say that knocked the wind out of my writing sails for months.I wouldn't even go near my keyboard. But then, one day, I got a lovely emailfrom a fan of Not Just Spirited who told me she loved my book, how ithelped her and to keep writing. In fact, she told me she'd be watching for moreof my work! Shortly after that, I sold three more of mymanuscripts. I guess that editor was wrong, hey?
11. Now, tell us the best!One of my writing mentors once said, "Don'tget hung up on rejections. Wear them like badges of honor that give you thestrength to go on. What doesn't work with one editor/publisher will be the nextone you try's pearl."Never give up. That's what I keep tellingmyself. Just like the Little Engine that Could. LOL!
12. What's the one thing you would want an aspiring writer to take away fromyour personal path to publication?Gosh. I'd have to say don't let othersdefine who you are or what sort of writer you want to be. Figure out what yourspecial talent or niche is then be the best you can be at that. Don't worryabout what others are doing/aren't doing. Focus on what you're doing andyou'll do awesome.
13. Where can we read your blog? Buy your books? Connect with you on facebook?On Twitter? Your website?Okay let's see.My main blog, 'The Gift' is where I spendmost of my blogging time: www.the-gift-blog.comMy second blog, 'White Elephants' is aplace where I discuss all those issues that one editor found 'disgusting'. Iguess you could say I realized after that guy said that, we really need moreplaces for people to discuss those issues where they feel safe and accepted.That address is: www.seethewhiteelephants.comYou can find me on Facebook as ChynnaLaird. I also have an author page here: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chynna-Laird-Author/203311629699211You can find me on Twitter as @lilywolf.My personal Website is at www.lilywolfwords.ca. I'm in theprocess of revamping it so if folks can't get on right away, keep on trying. =) Book Blurb – Blackbird Flies
Fifteen year-old Payton MacGregor is a musical prodigy. Tohim, though, his music is merely a way for him to escape from the chaos thatsurrounds him. All of his life, he's had to care for his mother, who copes withher bipolar disorder with booze instead of turning to her own musical talents. He refuses to become a statistic. Thenhe's thrown a curve ball.
His mother suddenly dies, leaving him to be cared for by hisaging grandparents.  As much as they lovehim, they decide to send him halfway across Canada to live with his father,Liam—the man Payton always believed abandoned him and his mother. Payton isn'tmaking the relocation easy on anyone until he finds out he's going to attendthe prestigious School of the Arts for musically gifted youth. Any secondthoughts he has about his new life are erased when he meets Lily Joplin. Theirconnection is instantaneous.
Lily is a talented singer, but her struggles with drugs andbipolar disorder hit too close to home for Payton's comfort. And when herissues become all-consuming for Payton, he wonders if his music will be enoughto carry him through.
This book sounds wonderful and I can't wait till it comes out!  And hearing about all those blogs and ways to reach Chynna exhausts me.  Wanna know a secret?  Just to make you even more impressed, I can share one more little fun fact....Chynna is not only a talented and amazingly prolific author....she is also a mother of four!  Making time to write with my two makes me nuts sometimes....Chynna, you are my hero.  She'd love to hear from you at one of the bazillion ways she's got to contact her.  Let her know if you're a fan.  She already knows I am!