Betsy Talbot's Blog, page 4
August 15, 2015
English Ivy Available Now! (London+Berlin+Madrid+Love+Career+Intrigue=EXCITING)
If you are a fan of shows like Sex & the City and Cougar Town, then you will love the latest adventure from The Late Bloomers!
“I absolutely loved Ivy…She makes bold moves that other women could only WISH to make, making her a character who a reader can enjoy living vicariously through.” ~ A Well Read Woman, 5 stars
After years of working at the US Embassy in London, forty-two-year-old American Ivy Cross is desperate for change. She longs to recapture her adventurous spirit and spice up her life before this little rut turns into a gaping chasm.
Madrid-based CEO Ruben Alegre both infuriates and intoxicates her, and if he only lived closer she’d consider risking her heart.
When the opportunity for an incredible new job in Berlin arrives in the form of sexy Christof Brandt, she wonders if the offer is too good to be true.
Will she find a future with Ruben? Start a new career in hip and gritty Berlin?
There are no easy answers, but Ivy can’t deny that her life is about to change in a very big way.
JOIN THE LATE BLOOMERS as they help Ivy make the biggest change of her life so far. Perfect for any woman who’s ever had to choose between love and career.
KINDLE: http://amzn.to/1f7QPss
IBOOKS: http://apple.co/1L5N45i
NOOK: (coming later today!)
KOBO: http://bit.ly/1UCTrPj
GOOGLEPLAY: http://bit.ly/1WiI0OC
SMASHWORDS: http://bit.ly/1TqesPW
AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/1L5NDfo
AMAZON CANADA: http://amzn.to/1P6EZeH
AMAZON AUSTRALIA: http://bit.ly/1WiJ05g
PAPERBACK: http://amzn.to/1DMOC1i
NOTE: The Late Bloomers Series does not have to be read in order, but it is more fun if you do! Click here to add Book One: Wild Rose to your reading stack.
ABOUT THE LATE BLOOMERS: After a lifetime of friendship bordering on sisterhood, five forty-something women from Arizona each embark on their own adventures in love, travel, and discovery around the globe. Knowing themselves far better than they did in their twenties and thirties, these seasoned women are ready to take on the world.
Five distinct women, five individual tales of transformation and love, one binding friendship to rule them all.
August 14, 2015
Where She Does It: A Photo Series on Where Romance Writers Work (Elizabeth Cole)
About This Series: This is part of a photo series of places romance authors write. Click here to view them all.
Elizabeth Cole (and her cat, Samantha Brown)
Years ago, I noticed that as soon as I got a laptop, my writing productivity shot up. Maybe because sitting at a desk with a big monitor felt too much like work, while chilling on the couch with Miss Samantha Brown was relaxing and let me access my creative mind.
Anyway, several novels later, I still enjoy working in this space, particularly when I can get a cool breeze through the window. Just another perk of being a writer!
Where You Can Find Her: Check out Elizabeth’s Zodiac Series plus her other historical romance novels here. And be sure to listen to the excerpt of her book, A Heartless Design, on The Quickie Romance Podcast.
Want to know where other authors are doing it? Sign up below to get the Where She Does It series (plus more on romance writers and books) delivered directly to your inbox.
August 10, 2015
Quickie Romance Podcast: Jem by Michelle Abbott
Welcome to another episode of the Quickie Romance Podcast with Betsy Talbot. Every week you’ll hear an excerpt from one of today’s hottest romance books, a quickie to entertain you on your commute, while you exercise, or while you do chores. You know, basically any time you can’t actually read a romance novel!
Listen to the Episode
About This Episode
Growing up, all Jem knew was hatred and the pain from his father’s fists. Taunted by the kids at school, he was alone, until a girl with carrot coloured hair sat next to him.
She smiled.
She listened.
She cared.
She was his angel, and he knew he’d love her forever. But Jem’s father hurts him in a way he never expected by taking him away from her.
Now eighteen, scarred inside and out, Jem trusts no one and has worked hard to ensure he’ll never be helpless again. But then he runs into his angel. The only problem is she doesn’t recognize him. Jem needs her to remember him, to show him that their time together meant to her what it did to him. For once in his life he wants to have mattered to someone, to her.
Devon is attracted to the muscular, tattooed, pierced hottie standing by the pub quiz machine. That is, until he punches a guy clean across the bar for daring to touch him. She’s had her fill of violent men and intends to avoid this one at all costs.
Take Your Quickie Home with You
Kindle (Also available for free Kindle Unlimited)
One Not Enough for You?
Oh, you voracious woman!
Click here to view more books by Michelle Abbott.
About the Author
Michelle Abbott loves to write new adult romance about heroes who begin as the underdog and are protective of their girl.
She’s an avid reader of romance, is addicted to coffee and loves wine and chocolate, so yeah, not the most healthy eating and drinking habits.
She collects teddy bears and occasionally knits a couple of rows on a sweater she started years ago, which she may eventually finish in time to wear for her funeral.
Next on the Quickie Romance Podcast
Next week we’ll get suspenseful with Tami Lund’s Undercover Heat series, about two agents assigned to be an undercover married couple to catch a crook.
Make it a Standing Date
Be sure to sign up for weekly email updates in the box below.
In addition to podcast episodes about great romance novels, subscribers get freebies and extras like romantic stories, early copies of my romance books, pictures from my world travels, and a sneak peek into what it’s like to be a romance writer living in Spain. And it’s all free!
See you next time, Beautiful.
August 7, 2015
Where She Does It: A Photo Series on Where Romance Writers Work (Rebecca Brooks)
About This Series: This is part of a photo series of places romance authors write. Click here to view them all.
Rebecca Brooks
Obviously what I love about my work space is all the books! It’s cluttered but I decided not to tidy up for the picture, since that would be major false advertising.
It’s helpful for me to feel like I have a space in my apartment that’s just for writing—when I sit down here, my brain clicks into work mode (most of the time).”
Where You Can Find Her: You can find Rebecca’s work here, and as a bonus you can listen to an excerpt from her latest book, Above All, on this episode of The Quickie Romance Podcast.
Want to know where other authors are doing it? Sign up below to get the Where She Does It series (plus more on romance writers and books) delivered directly to your inbox.
August 3, 2015
Quickie Romance Podcast: Game On (New York Kings Series) by Collette West
Welcome to another episode of the Quickie Romance Podcast with Betsy Talbot. Every week you’ll hear an excerpt from one of today’s hottest romance books, a quickie to entertain you on your commute, while you exercise, or while you do chores. You know, basically any time you can’t actually read a romance novel!
Listen to the Episode
In This Episode:
Pitching phenom Bruce “Jilly” Gillette has a hard time talking to women. His hulking presence of tattoos and muscles is what makes him an intimidating closer on the mound, yet off the field, he’s painfully shy, uncomfortable in his own skin.
Desperate to revamp his loner image, the New York Kings hold a dream date contest, granting the lucky winner a night on the town with their surly reliever, doing whatever it takes to force Jilly out of his comfort zone.
Hailey Halpert enters the contest on a whim, looking for answers as to why her high school relationship with Jilly hit the skids. Now she’s a popular romance author writing under a pen name, and her reappearance in Jilly’s life is no accident. It turns out that her novels are all about the sexy players on the Kings, and Jilly has no clue that he’s about to become her new leading man.
Take Your Quickie Home with You
One Not Enough for You?
Oh, you voracious woman!
Click here to view more sports romance books by Collette West.
Want Your Romance Aurally?
Listen to the New York Kings Series of sports romance books by Collette West in audiobook by clicking here.
About Collette WestCollette West is the author of the New York Kings series. Her characters believe in the philosophy: sports romance = a little slice of heaven. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Click here to find her on Goodreads.
Next on the Quickie Romance Podcast
Next week we have a new adult romance starring Jem and Quinn, two broken people who must find each other to become whole again.
Make it a Standing Date
Be sure to sign up for weekly email updates in the box below.
In addition to podcast episodes about great romance novels, subscribers get freebies and extras like romantic stories, early copies of my romance books, pictures from my world travels, and a sneak peek into what it’s like to be a romance writer living in Spain. And it’s all free!
See you next time, Sport!
July 29, 2015
Where She Does It: A Photo Series on Where Romance Writers Work (Betsy Talbot)
About This Series: This is first in a photo series of places romance authors write.
Betsy Talbot
What She Writes: The Late Bloomers Series of contemporary romance for women over forty. Her latest book is English Ivy.
Where She Does It: I spent four years traveling the world with my husband. My office was cobbled together wherever we were, sometimes glamorous, sometimes ridiculous. We then bought a house in Spain and I have a beautiful workspace. But still…the travel bug infects my entire soul. Half the year I’m on the road, writing my books wherever I can. In this photo, I’m finalizing the edits on English Ivy on the beach overlooking the Bay of Biscay in Northwest Spain on a cloudy summer morning.
Where You Can Find Her: Right here! (Upcoming authors in this series don’t live at BetsyTalbot.com like I do, but I like it that they come visit frequently.) Sign up below to get the Where She Does It series (plus more on romance writers and books) delivered directly to your inbox.
July 27, 2015
Quickie Romance Podcast: Breaking Free (SEAL Team Heartbreakers #1) by Teresa Reasor
Welcome to another episode of the Quickie Romance Podcast with Betsy Talbot. Every week you’ll hear an excerpt from one of today’s hottest romance books, a quickie to entertain you on your commute, while you exercise, or while you do chores. You know, basically any time you can’t actually read a romance novel!
Listen to the Episode
In This Episode
When Lt. Adam “Hawk” Yazzie rescues Ensign Brett “Cutter” Weaver during a mission in Iraq, his faith in his team’s loyalty is shaken. Someone in the team attacked Cutter and left him for dead. But who?
Zoe Weaver races to her brother Brett’s bedside. He stood by her while she fought her way back from a devastating injury, and she’s determined to do the same for him. Though drawn to Hawk’s good looks and steady strength, she’s reluctant to get involved with a man in uniform. But with Brett lying in a coma, Hawk may prove the key to what happened to her brother.
Hawk is torn between loyalty to his men and his need to see justice done. When he tries to save a troubled teammate’s career, he unwittingly puts Zoe’s life in danger. Can he lead the rest of the team in a rescue operation to save her? Or will one of Hawk’s brothers in arms destroy the woman he loves?
Take Your Quickie Home with You
One Not Enough for You?
Oh, you voracious woman! You’re going to love the SEAL Team Heartbreakers Series!
Click here to view more books by Teresa Reasor.
About Teresa Reasor
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Teresa Reasor was born in Southeastern Kentucky, but grew up a Marine Corps brat. After twenty-one years as an Art Teacher and ten years as a part time College Instructor, she’s now retired and living her dream as a full time Writer.
Her body of work includes both full-length novels and shorter pieces in many different genres, Military Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, and Children’s Books.
Next on the Quickie Romance Podcast
Do you like sporty romance? Then you’re going to love baseball hero Jilly Gillette and romance writer Hailey Halpert, two people who get a second chance to make things right thanks to author Collette West.
Make it a Standing Date
Be sure to sign up for weekly email updates in the box below.
In addition to podcast episodes about great romance novels, subscribers get freebies and extras like romantic stories, early copies of my romance books, pictures from my world travels, and a sneak peek into what it’s like to be a romance writer living in Spain. And it’s all free!
See you next time, Beautiful.
July 23, 2015
It Takes a Village to Create a Book (or, How I Became a Romance Writer, Part 5)
Editor’s Note: This is a long post filled with tips and resources. Bookmark it now, like it on Facebook, favorite it on Twitter, or save it to Pocket, because I promise you’ll want to come back to it again and again.
While every writer would like to think her books spring directly from her creative loins, a font that also births unicorns, witty comebacks, and the ability to parallel park, the truth is that it takes a village to make a book.
For me, that village is more like a small town.
Types of People Required to Finish a Book
This list could get very long. So I’m going to ignore those people who inspire characters, who say things that spark ideas for plot points, strangers in the news who cause me to pick up my pen, or people who earn enough of my wrath to die on paper.
(Current death count=2)
There are also writing teachers who will help you write better and faster. I’ve taken helpful classes in storytelling from Sarah Kathleen Peck and various courses on tension, character development, and revision from classes at Romance Writers of America. Yes, it is worth the membership cost just for the classes – all taught by bestselling authors.
(You’ve already seen my favorite book recommendations on writing and publishing in previous posts.)
Aside from the dozens of people who inspire my work, there are the dozens of people who do the necessary work to bring a book to life.
If you want to write books, and especially if you plan to be an indie publisher like me, these are the people you need.
Mentor
This person tells you all the ways you are screwing up in ways you did not know you were screwing up. She also tells you things you never even knew were things, like what kind of book needs the word “clit” and what kind of book needs the phrase “center of her being.”
A good mentor in your chosen genre is worth her weight in chocolate.
You should do everything possible to honor her time constraints and make helping you as easy as possible, because what she has to offer cannot be found elsewhere.
Do not abuse your mentor. Do not be lazy with your mentor. And always do your homework before you approach her, no matter how well you know her, because she is likely taking time away from writing four times as many books as you to answer your questions. Make it count for both of you.
I won’t name my main mentor, who happens to be a best-selling romance author, but I will tell you that romance writers are a more helpful bunch than most other genres. Join a group of romance writers online and you’ll see.
And when you gain a little bit of your own success? Pay it back, Jack. Reach a hand down and pull someone else up a rung.
Designer
For the love of all that is chocolate, do not design your own book cover unless you are an award-winning book cover designer. And then, think twice. Even if you have design skills, you know TOO MUCH about your book. You will try to convey all the nuances of your words onto the cover, and it will be atrocious.
I have done it both ways, and hiring a designer is better. A well-designed cover of a mediocre book will give you more sales than a crappy cover of a masterpiece.
People judge books by their covers, no matter what your grandma said.
I used 99Designs to find a designer for all five books in The Late Bloomers Series, and I commissioned all five covers from a designer I liked before I even finished the first book. You’ll need print covers, 3D covers, flat covers, and a few banner ad formats to promote your books. Establishing a relationship with the same designer will give your entire body of work a cohesive look and feel.
Formatter
Would you trust your book to this guy? I do.Someone will have to put your book together in ebook and print formats, with all the right pages at the beginning and the end, plus a table of contents and inserting the right cover. There are services who do this. You can also teach yourself to do this if you have the patience.
I exchange sexual favors with my husband so he’ll format books for me. But if you ask him, he’ll charge you.
Don’t skimp on the formatting, because a book that is hard to read will not be read. Simple as that.
Test it in every format, and then test it again. Compare it to other books on your shelf or on your Kindle/iPad/Nook/Kobo and make sure it is as good-looking as any other book out there, because readers will notice if it isn’t.
Beta Readers
The largest neighborhood in my book village is Beta Readerville. The people who volunteer to read my early drafts and provide detailed feedback are the lifeblood of my work. They call me out on problems (“she would never do that!”) and highlight what’s working (“I tried out that sex scene to make sure it was possible – and it is!”).
This living lab of story testers keeps me honest. I have used over fifty beta readers in each of my last two books, and it takes a spreadsheet to keep the feedback together.
How do you get beta readers? I ask my email list and Facebook page for volunteers. I know of most of my beta readers via social media, but I only know a few of them personally. This is better than asking friends because people who know you unconsciously fill in the gaps of your work that future readers won’t be able to. They “know what you mean” in a way that future readers will not.
(Though a few good writer friends are incredibly valuable.)
Below are the questions I ask beta readers, and then I copy each person’s answer to each question into a spreadsheet. It becomes obvious where the problems are when you do this, and you can develop a strategy to improve your book if you’re the least bit organized (and I am only the least bit organized).
Does the story hold your interest all the way through? If not, why?
Could you relate to the main characters? Feel their pain/excitement? Do you care about them?
Is there anything that confuses or frustrates you?
Where did you get bored?
What characters need more development or focus?
What parts resonated with you and/or moved you emotionally?
Was the opening compelling? At what point did you first put the book down?
Was the ending satisfying or believable?
I make a second sheet on my spreadsheet to document the changes I want to make in the revision so I don’t forget anything. Then I highlight each item in green after I complete it.
Don’t forget to thank your beta readers by giving them a free copy of the finished book and mentioning them in the acknowledgements. Always be effusive with praise for people who help you bring your creative ideas to life, because without them it wouldn’t be nearly as good.
I trust my beta readers more than I trust some of my family members. One of them even has a key to my house.
Editor
Yes, you need one. Someone trained in the ways of storytelling, style, and readability. Someone who can see what you’re trying to say and show you how to get it out of your head and onto paper.
When you work with an editor, you’ll learn why what you’ve written is not as good as what you have in your head and how to match it up. Especially when starting out, a roadmap editor can put you on the right path. She’ll read your book, offer constructive criticism to make your story clearer and sharper than it is at present, and give you ideas to finish it like a champ.
A good editor won’t try to change your vision or rewrite your story. She will simply help you chip your story out of the marble. And you’ll learn a ton about yourself and your craft from working with a good editor.
Proofreaders
This is your last line of defense, and in Wild Rose I didn’t use one. I thought I could do it myself after the editor returned the final copy. Wrong! Don’t proof your own book. Like with the cover, you are too close to it. You’ll bridge gaps without thinking because you know the story so well.
Every book needs multiple rounds of proofing. I start with Grammarly, which I mentioned in the last post. This gives as clean a copy as possible to the editors so they can find the smallest problems possible. For English Ivy, I hired four proofreaders to work independently using the Track Changes feature on my final draft, then combined their drafts into one final monster draft. This is what becomes the final book.
An author always has the right to accept or deny the proposed changes by an editor or proofreader. Don’t just “accept all” and assume it is correct. You’ll want to go through it yourself, to learn what you’ve been doing wrong, and to make sure the changes reflect what you want.
You’ll also want to read it one last time to make sure it is okay before publication.
Narrator
If you’re a savvy author, you know audiobooks are a growing market. To get your book narrated, you’ll have to A) do it yourself, B) hire a professional narrator upfront, or C) arrange to split the sales of your audiobooks with your narrator.
Most authors aren’t capable of narrating their books and they shouldn’t. I’m a professional podcaster and narrator with a small studio in my basement, so I’m doing my own. But don’t overlook this as something too advanced for you. If your book is good to read, it will be good aloud, and you’ll capture a completely different market.
It’s one of the reasons I enjoy hosting the Quickie Romance Podcast so much. Hearing a book aloud is a completely different way of enjoying it, and many people prefer it to reading for a lot of different reasons. Don’t limit the reach of your book by ignoring audiobooks.
To find the right people to create your audiobook, check out this useful guide from Simon Whistler (which will help you do it yourself or find a professional narrator.)
Who’s In Your Village?
I’m fortunate in that I cowrote and published for nonfiction books before I started writing romance. I knew a lot of this going in, and it made the transition to fiction and romance writing a little bit easier. But it is still a collaborative process, and anyone who thinks writing books is a solitary activity needs a reality check.
Books may be written by you, but they won’t make it to the stands without some heavy lifting by your designer, formatter, beta readers, editor, proofreaders, and an army of fans and marketers to help you sell.
If you work in a vacuum, your work will suck.
(Those are professional, writerly words, there.)
Up Next
There are some people we haven’t covered yet: the people who help you promote and sell your book. There are publicists, photographers, book marketers, book reviewers, podcasters, other authors, friends, services, tour/event organizers, and online and brick and mortar bookstores. We’ll cover those people in the next edition of How I Became a Romance Writer.
Until then, you can preorder English Ivy right now on Amazon, read a free short story featuring The Late Bloomers by signing up for my email list, or listen to the Quickie Romance Podcast to see how other authors go about creatively promoting their books.
Anything I missed? Something you want to know more about? Let me know in the comments.
July 20, 2015
Quickie Romance Podcast: Never Let You Go (The Modern Fairytale Collection) by Katy Regnery
Welcome to another episode of the Quickie Romance Podcast with Betsy Talbot. Every week you’ll hear an excerpt from one of today’s hottest romance books, a quickie to entertain you on your commute, while you exercise, or while you do chores. You know, basically any time you can’t actually read a romance novel!
Listen to the Episode
In This Episode:
In this modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel, thirteen-year-old foster children Griselda and Holden escape from their abductor after three years of brutal captivity, and try to cross the Shenandoah River on foot. Tragically, one of them makes it to safety, but the other is left behind.
Ten years later, Griselda’s boyfriend drags her to a fight club grudge match, and her world is turned upside down when she watches Holden step into the ring.
Though the connection between them is fierce, bitter regret, simmering rage, and a tangle of physical and emotional scars lie between them, just as dangerous as the white water of the Shenandoah.
Never Let You Go is a story of fear and hope, defeat and survival, and two people–once profoundly broken–who discover that love is the only thing that can make them whole again.
Take Your Quickie Home with You
One Not Enough for You?
Oh, you voracious woman!
Click here to view more books by bestselling author Katy Regnery.
Want Your Romance Aurally?
Check out the audiobooks by Katy Regnery, including the first book in the Modern Fairytale Collection, The Vixen and the Vet.
About Katy RegneryKaty Regnery began writing romance as an antidote to the empty-nest feelings she had when her two young children started elementary school. Three years later, she has 21 books available on Amazon, and her first modern fairytale, The Vixen and the Vet, has been nominated for the prestigious RITA award!
Next on the Quickie Romance Podcast
It’s time for some military romance with The SEAL Team Heartbreakers Series. Fall in!
Make it a Standing Date
Be sure to sign up for weekly email updates in the box below.
In addition to podcast episodes about great romance novels, subscribers get freebies and extras like romantic stories, early copies of my romance books, pictures from my world travels, and a sneak peek into what it’s like to be a romance writer living in Spain. And it’s all free!
See you next time, Beautiful.
July 13, 2015
Quickie Romance Podcast: Just in Time (Escape to New Zealand #8) by Rosalind James
In this episode: Will Tawera doesn’t do commitment, except on the rugby field. Moving to Las Vegas to become a kicker for the NFL would be a big change from New Zealand rugby, but then, he’s ready for a change. And when he’s asked to do a little modeling on the side? Thousands of dollars to hold a beautiful blonde while looking dark, dangerous, tattooed, and Maori? He could do that.
Faith Goodwin doesn’t do dark, dangerous men. Especially not when they make her laugh, take her miniature golfing with four-year-olds, and are far too sexy and sweet for comfort. But when Will finds himself in hot water back in New Zealand, who’s he going to call? And who would be able to resist answering?
Take Your Quickie Home with You
One Not Enough for You?
Oh, you voracious woman! Lucky for you, Rosalind is a prolific author.
Click here to view more books by Rosalind James.
Want Your Romance Aurally?
Check out the audiobooks by Rosalind James, including the previous seven books in the Escape to New Zealand Series.
About Rosalind JamesRosalind James, a publishing industry veteran and former marketing executive, is an author of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense novels published both independently and through Montlake Romance. She and her husband live in Berkeley, California with a Labrador Retriever named Charlie. Rosalind attributes her surprising success to the fact that
lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!”
Make it a Standing Date
Be sure to sign up for weekly email updates in the box below.
In addition to podcast episodes, subscribers get freebies and extras like romantic stories, early copies of my romance books, pictures from my world travels, and a sneak peek into what it’s like to be a romance writer living in Spain. And it’s all free.
Next week, meet me here again for a quickie with Kate Regnery’s Never Let You Go, part of the Modern Fairytale Collection.
See you then, beautiful!
