Roberta Trahan's Blog, page 15

Coming Up for Air — But still treading water

It’s been a long few weeks of reviewing and revising as the manuscript works its way through production — and closer to debut. The official release date for THE WELL OF TEARS  is September 18, 2012.  Even as I write the date here I can hardly believe it.  The long wait is nearly over!

Still, I confess I’ve been struggling with the burden of balancing the many demands of the journey, which is ironic considering how well I knew what to expect. Honestly, I’d thought myself fully prepared. No one was more surprised than I to discover that there really are only 24 hours in a day. So, I am once again renewing my commitment to you all, dear readers. Weekly posts will resume, beginning now!

I’ve Been Tagged!!

The charming and talented Colin Falconer, one of my favorite historical authors and perhaps the most entertaining blogger on my list, has tagged me for the Lucky 7 Meme (see his post: http://colin-falconer.blogspot.com/2012/04/ive-been-tagged.html). It works this way:

1. You go to page 77 of your current WIP

2. You go to line 7

3. You copy down the next 7 lines, sentences or paragraphs and post them, as they’re written.

4. Finally, you tag 7 authors, and let them know they’re tagged.

For my part in the Lucky 7 Meme, I’m posting an excerpt from my current work, THE KEYS TO THE REALMS, which is in the early draft stage. This sequel to THE WELL OF TEARS is slated for publication in early 2013.  Both are books of the Dream Stewards series, historically based fantasies which center on the reign of Hywell dda, a 10th century Welsh king of whom little is known but whose reign left a lasting legacy. In the world of my creation, this mysterious king came to his great power with the aid of an obscure order of mages knows as the Stewards, charged with ensuring his success:

—

“Let him in, they you may leave.” Alwen allowed her second to help her on with the heavy, intricately adorned indigo velvet mantle of the Ard Druidh and seated herself in the ancient throne set upon a small dais that centered her chambers. “It is best I receive him in private.”

Glain nodded her assent but her grey eyes clouded with unspoken protests.  She had found it difficult to find much to like in their new resident. A concern Alwen shared and was looking to overcome.

“Leave the aleberry pot in the coals, will you?” Alwen tipped her head toward the hearth in the adjacent parlor and offered the girl a reassuring smile. “These visits tend to go better if he is assured his confidences will be kept, and after a cup or two of the spirits.”

Glain stifled a smile, still reluctant to relax into the familiarity that Alwen encouraged. “He tends to drink too much.”

“Take care, Glain. The king of the prophecy is due your respect, however begrudging it may be. He comes to us because the Fane is his only safe refuge, a place where he might find some relief for his worries.” Alwen’s wink coaxed a full grin from the girl. “But yes, he does.”

The sentry’s firm double rap on the outside of her chamber door signaled her visitor had arrived. Glain placed two silver cups on the hearth and set the pot to warm as requested, ushered in the king-to-be, and then made a discreet exit.

Hywel stood once again in Alwen’s presence, but this time at her request. Circumstances that clearly annoyed him. but he had come, nonetheless. His glower might well have shriveled any one else, but Alwen knew her power. Still, he was an unnerving enigma — every bit as regal as he was ruthless. She gestured toward the hornbeam and hazelwood desk beneath the double transom window on the far wall, and the more ordinary chair that stood behind it. “Sit, so we may speak plainly.”

—

And now, the 7 authors I’d like to tag (in no particular order):

Anne R. Allen

Sara Ramsey

Stephanie Dray

Sophie Perinot

Stefanie Sloane

Teresa Frohock

Rosanne Lortz

Thanks, Colin!!

Pssst, Book Business — The Readers Are Watching! Why Crushing the Competition Leads to a Pyrrhic Victory

Not a day goes by without a colleague, friend or family member emailing me a link to another article about the war between Amazon and the publishing industry. It makes sense, really. After all, I am an Amazon author — among the first writers to sign with one of Amazon Publishing’s new traditional imprints, and also one of many authors to find their way to the reading public via one of the innovative publishing venues emerging in the new world.  So where do I come down on all the issues over e-books? Well, pretty much wherever the reader does.

It’s the Reader That Matters

I write to be read. Naturally, earning a living along the way would be nice. And of course I am concerned about the impact the emotionally charged power plays between publishers, distributors and retailers will have on my book sales. Am I sad that B&N and some independent booksellers won’t carry my books in their stores? Sure, you bet.  All I can really do about any of it is decide how to work with whatever options are left to me.  But here’s the thing. When any retailer limits their customer’s options they really only hurt themselves.  Readers, like all consumers, are driven by availability, price, and ease of purchase. They want what they want when they want it. Readers create demand, not booksellers or publishers or distributors. And let us not forget that in the age of the author-preneur,  I have the ability to influence my own market share more than ever before. Locking me out of one sand box will only send my readers looking for somewhere else to play. The net result, no matter how you look at it, is a lost sale. What sense does that make?

Standing on Principle

That’s not to say that I don’t understand the arguments on both sides of this particular fence. I have always been and always will be an outspoken advocate of the small business, in particular the independent book store. For many, their livelihood is at stake in these very difficult economic times. But doing business in a consumer driven economy is always fickle, and change will always come. Survival doesn’t depend on leveling the field, it depends on innovation, adaptation, and the ability to respond quickly to consumer demands. In the end, it’s the forward-thinking proprietor with the ability to change it up on a dime who is left standing. No amount of boycotting will change that. Some folks have already figured out that when you can’t force an obstacle out of your way, the best thing to do is to find a way around it. And I’m happy to say there are a number of really savvy publishers and booksellers out there doing just that.

The Age of Proprietary Technology

The struggle for E-book dominance between Kindle, Nook and iPad is not a new paradigm. With every technological advancement, one or two giants muscle their way to the top and then duel to the death. Lots of little players get stomped on in the process, but this is the way capitalism works. It’s essentially a kind of consumer Darwinism – but industry tends to forget that it is the consumer that decides who survives.

Seth Godin addresses the shortsightedness of limiting the flow of content in an insightful post on the Domino Project blog . Godin points out that the marketplace — be it virtual or physical — “like your mind, works best when it’s open.”  Likewise, Mathew Ingram, in his post on How the E-book landscape is Becoming a Walled Garden , argues that a platform-dependent bookstore model hurts everyone. I agree. Reminds me of the range wars between the ranchers and the land barons over water rights in the Old West — in the end, a bunch of cowboys got shot and a whole lotta cows died of thirst.  That right there is a lose-lose scenario.

Which brings me to my point.  Diversity is at the heart of a thriving commercial ecosystem — and that is particularly true when it comes to ideas, art, and music.  No matter who wins the battle for control of e-book distribution, everyone stands to lose market share one way or another. The fact is that the publishing industry is experiencing an unavoidable, irreversible metamorphosis. Some publishers and booksellers will survive, and some won’t. But there will always be writers and readers in search of each other.

—

Roberta Trahan is a 30-year marketing veteran, copywriter, editor, and author of the debut fantasy novel WELL OF TEARS (47North /Amazon Publishing) — coming Sept. 2012.

Idyll Review for January: Miserere — by Teresa Frohock

One of my resolutions for 2012 was to start posting reviews of books (other than mine) that I think are noteworthy. Once a month, I will post a new reading recommendation. We begin this month, with Teresa Frohock’s deserving debut, Miserere – An Autumn Tale.

An impressive first work by a talented author, this book was a compelling read. A well-imagined parallel reality provides an intriguing setting for the unfolding of potentially earth-ending events and a powerful quest. Teresa Frohock skillfully intertwines deeply spiritual themes (which could have easily become heavy-handed religious diatribe, but didn’t) into an action-packed yet emotional adventure that delivers a highly entertaining experience for the reader.

Night Shade Books, Trade Paper, ISBN 978-1597802895

The focus of the story is the soul-tortured hero Lucian, who frankly was the reason I couldn’t put this book down. Lucian’s journey toward forgiveness through reflection and painful self-discovery brought me to tears more than once. Lucian, more than any other character in the book, is so well drawn that he almost rises to walk across the pages. Equally as heart-tugging is the foundling, Lindsay, who becomes the catalyst for Lucian’s redemption. Rachael, the maligned object of Lucian’s desire, faces her own inner demons — literally and figuratively — with grace and courage that makes her both lovable and memorable. Add the evil dominatrix Catarina and you have the makings of a classic heroic journey set against an innovative (and also darkly dramatic) backdrop.

That said, I came away at the end of the book feeling like I had read an abridged version, which I suspect could be due to deep cuts and edits designed to meet a publisher’s page count. The result, whatever the reason, is the lingering feeling of having just scratched the surface of a deeper story.  Another 50 pages would have allowed for richer detail and deeper development of the secondary characters (especially love interest Rachel, and twin sister Catarina–the primary antagonist).

This is one of those very rare books where the editor in me was actually begging for MORE back story. The ending, though maybe rushed, a bit predictable and too sweet in the wake of the visceral punch of the rest of the book, did leave me wanting more. The artful world building and intriguing cast of characters are full of potential which I can only hope will result in a long-lived series. I look forward to whatever comes next from this author.

Next Month: Song of the Nile & Lily of the Nile (Novels of Cleopatra’s Daughter) by Stephanie Dray .

Am I A “Real” Writer ? – Life Lessons I Learned from The Velveteen Rabbit

Did you have a favorite childhood book? Mine was (and still remains) The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. In fact, I have re-read that book dozens of times over the decades, and still find it every bit as affecting as I did when I was 5. It continues to hold a place in my heart because the parables illustrated through the story have always resonated deeply with me – although with the passing of time (i.e. as I get older) how I perceive those parables changes. To me this is the mark of a truly timeless tale.

Don’t know the story? Let me give you a brief summary. The book opens Christmas day in a child’s nursery where a new but plain and simple stuffed cloth rabbit is being snubbed by the other more expensive or mechanical toys—who consider themselves better than the rabbit because they have become real. The old but wise Skin Horse befriends the Velveteen Rabbit and explains that a toy becomes really real when its owner truly loves it. This becomes the Velveteen Rabbit’s unending desire and one day, when a favorite toy is lost, the child is given the stuffed rabbit as a replacement. The two become inseparable and through the boy’s eyes, the Velveteen Rabbit comes to see himself as real—despite all evidence to the contrary. Then, illness strikes and all of the toys are ordered destroyed in order to disinfect the nursery. The boy is given a new stuffed bunny and shuttled away to the seashore to recover, leaving the Velveteen Rabbit behind. Now discarded and awaiting the bonfire, the Velveteen Rabbit realizes he was never really real at all. His profound grief causes him to cry an actual tear, which awakens the magic fairy of the nursery who reassures the Velveteen Rabbit that he was indeed real, but only to the boy. In an act of loving kindness, the fairy transports the velveteen rabbit to the woods and bestows her kiss, which grants his greatest wish – making him real in the eyes of all.

It’s a very sweet story, isn’t it? But how does this possibly have anything at all to do with writing, you ask? Good question.

Next month two very talented, well-respected colleagues and I will begin another session of a novel rewriting and revision workshop we have been teaching together for the last couple of years. This time around I am in a new place as a writer and subsequently as an instructor, and I’ve been looking at ways I can use my new experiences as a contracted novelist to help our students. Many of them are terrified to have their work dissected, and I have a lot of empathy for their anxiety. Been there, done that. I’ve also never been more acutely aware of my role in the critique process and how important it is to tread carefully. It is so absolutely essential for every writer to open themselves up to feedback, and yet we are all terribly vulnerable in that exchange. The trust between writer and mentor is sacred, and fragile. Not unlike the bond between a boy and a stuffed bunny who longs to be real to the world. .

Becoming Real

When I was very young, the simple but meaningful message I took away from The Velveteen Rabbit was that love makes you real. This idea was very comforting to me. It gave me a context for defining my existence – an answer to that universal question – “how did I come to be?” It all made sense to me: my parents and grandparents loved me, therefore I was real.

As an adolescent, I came to understand that the love makes you real adage was more a philosophical approach to the meaning of life than an actual scientific principle. When I re-visited The Velveteen Rabbit again, I perceived the concept of ‘being real’ as “being valued”. At that age, I believed that a person’s value to others was determined by intrinsic character traits, and so I strived to become a person of integrity, loyalty, compassion and kindness. Soon I was the most sought after babysitter in the entire neighborhood.

Then came the teen years and the universal question evolved into “who am I?” and then “why am I here?” By then I had begun to see myself as a person with things to say, and realized that just maybe I had a talent for prose. Was I a writer? Once again, I turned to The Velveteen Rabbit in search of answers. As my perception of the world at large had become, well, larger, so had my understanding of the concepts of “being real” and “being valued”. In this bigger picture view of my life, which now included my future, I determined that “being real” and “being valued” could be synonymous with recognition and admiration. These and other accolades carried weight with me because I had seen that they opened the doors to opportunities. But in order to receive those awards and acknowledgments, I would have to risk rejection. My desire to achieve legitimacy overruled my fears and I began to enter writing contests and submitting essays for publication. There was rejection, LOTS of rejection, but there was also acceptance—albeit in small increments. I held on to hope and tried hard to learn from the critiques. In the end, the attention (both good and bad) my work received from others whom I admired or understood to be influential shaped my vision of myself. I had, to some greater extent, discovered an identity and purpose- as a writer.

But Am I Really Real?

Now, I suspect there are some of you who are aching to remind me that my sense of self-worth should not have been so affected by how others judged me. Let me reassure you – I am oversimplifying my formative years here and focusing solely on my development as a writer. But even in that narrow scope, the opinions of others were in fact a significant determinant in how I saw myself and my potential. How could it work if they weren’t? Pretty much everything I hold to be true about myself is at least in part a result of analyzing and reflecting upon the judgments of others. That’s how we learn and grow and formulate that all important sense of self – by evaluating the checks and balances we encounter as we explore our existence. The trick is in figuring out how to filter the gold nuggets out of the silt and leave the dregs where they belong. For a writer, this is the very foundation of craft building, and the beginning of the journey of self-discovery that leads us to our individual voice. In the end, writers cannot gain and grow an audience without a grounded connection to the collective consciousness, which is one of the reasons why the reaction from our readers is so important.

Anaiis Nin gave us my favorite writing quote of all time – “The role of the writer is not to say what we all can say, but to say what we cannot say.” It is only once we fully understand the parameters of commonly held beliefs and ideals that we can effectively stretch those boundaries by expressing new thoughts and creative ideas from our unique point of view. To do that, however, we need a well fed ego and a lifetime supply of self-confidence.

And this is why validation continues to be so critical to me in my writing career. A colleague and friend of mine used to get so frustrated with me because I could not completely step into and own any piece of my writing identity until I had achieved a certain level of recognition. (Guess she hadn’t read The Velveteen Rabbit).

For me, the first acknowledgment that I could be a career fiction writer was earning her editorial nod, telling me my work was of publishable quality. The second was receiving an offer of representation from an agent. The third was winning a publishing contract and seeing my name listed in Publishers Marketplace (insert sound of cheering crowd here). Today, I confess, I finally feel like a really real author.

Of course, this is only my point of view and how I look at my own path to publishing. We each must find our own way, and there are infinite routes. Each of us holds different values for our writing, and each of us looks for different milestones. Nonetheless, sooner or later it is absolutely necessary to risk rejection in order to achieve your dream. Believing in yourself is only the beginning. From that sheltered place, you must reach out and ask to see yourself through someone else’s eyes. How else will you know where you stand?

Congratulations to our students this next session, who have made the terrifying leap of faith and opened themselves up to whatever comes. Such an important step! Take heart, fellow writers. Like the boy and the Velveteen Rabbit, once someone besides your mother, brother, husband or best friend (like a mentor, instructor, agent or editor) sees you are a really real writer, the possibility becomes infinitely greater that one day, everyone else will too.

 

 

3 Golden Rules for the Career Writer

How many of you have noticed, in recent years, the near extinction of such social courtesies as the hand-written thank-you note and willingly waiting your turn in line? How many of you are bothered by it? Well, it bothers me plenty. A couple of weeks ago, while waiting in the checkout lane at the grocery store, I was appalled when the person in front of me had the nerve to complain that the elderly lady ahead of him was taking the time to put her change in her wallet before moving out of his way. Really? Have we become so self-centered and accustomed to instant response that we have completely lost our sense of basic social pleasantries and caring for the feelings of others? I had to wonder.

I was still hopeful until a week later, until I found myself in an online chat where the topic of discussion was author acknowledgments.  The moderator posed the question “have you ever been left out of the acknowledgments of a project to which you contributed, and how did that make you feel?”  My response was something to the effect that it is best to give without expecting anything in return, but that I did feel differently about an author who overlooked professional courtesies like thanking people who contributed to their success. Sounds reasonable, don’t you think? Wow, was I unpopular.

The backlash was swift and snarky, let me tell you. And a week later, frankly, I am still shocked. One chatter even asked me if I was advocating that acknowledgments be required writing.  Really?  I still don’t know if it was the question itself that stunned me, or the fact that someone needed to ask.   

As I had been mulling thoughts around a blog post on publishing culture and professional behavior, the experience was timely, if not a little disturbing. On reflection, I came to the conclusion that there is just no excuse for the man in the grocery store checkout lane. None at all.

But as for the writing community, I was reminded of a conference session on business etiquette my friend and colleague Jennifer McCord and I presented at several writing conferences and publishing trade shows a few years ago.  We had discovered in our dealings with writers who were hoping to be published that many (if not most) had somehow failed to realize that in seeking to become published they were also taking on a new profession.  Precious few had recognized that becoming a career writer was no different than becoming a career anything-else.  Like all professional disciplines, there exists a culture in which a certain code of conduct is beneficial to building your career.  Likewise, failing to adhere to said behaviors can also kill a career dead.   

Here’s the thing.  Social media and the ginormous stores of data collected (and preserved) by search engines  have put us all on display. Everything we say and do is witnessed by and accessible to a vast and largely unknown audience. Worse yet, it is un-erasable. Paying attention to what used to be considered basic cultural norms of respect and courtesy will save you a lot of heartache, and also earn you a big bag of social, and business, capital. Trust me, you’ll need that one day.

My philosophy has always been to follow a few simple practices. Nothing you haven’t heard before, I’m sure, but if you aren’t already following these basic rules, I encourage you to give them a try. I have enjoyed a lot of gifts from the universe that I can directly attribute to playing nice in the sandbox.

1)      Do Unto Others as you would have them do unto you. This was the foundational rule by which my father lived. He didn’t always succeed, but it was probably the single most important thing he ever taught me.  How you treat other people is a direct reflection on your own character. Be gracious in every encounter—no matter how casual or fleeting. You never know who that other person may know, or where they may go in their own career. Be inviting and inclusive. The more friends you have along the way, the easier your journey will become.  So, fellow writers, when you publish that book of yours make sure you include an acknowledgments page and thank everyone who deserves it—and a few who might not, but would be thrilled that you thought of them. Only good can come from it.

 

2)      Share & Share Alike  – Deepak Chopra tweeted a quote recently: “If you want to get something, give something”.  Knowledge, experience and skill are hard earned and sharing your wisdom can sometimes feel like giving away treasure.  Not everyone is comfortable with that, because they are afraid that if they give it away they will have nothing left for themselves. In my experience, the opposite is true. The more I give, the more I get, and the greater my resources become.  The more favors you grant, the more you will be entitled to request when you need one.  When you see an opportunity, offer to help –for no other reason than you can. Reach out and be generous with your support. And above all else, never ask for anything without offering something in return.  Essentially, what I’ve just described is feel-good networking. And it works. One day you just might need to approach a well-known author for an endorsement.  It’s a lot easier if you have built a web of relationships based on mutual generosity and courtesy.    

 

3)      If You Can’t Say Sumthin’ Nice… then puhleez keep your fingers off the keyboard. If you’re in a real world social setting, zip your lip. That doesn’t mean don’t offer your honest opinion or speak out when something rubs you the wrong way. Being a writer is all about having something to say. But the mark of a truly great writer is in his or her CAREFULLY chosen words, appropriate context, and impeccable timing. Bite your tongue when you get that scathing review and put mittens on your claws when a peer challenges (or disdains) your ideas. Rise above the haters and resist the urge to smack down the internet trolls. Refer to rule number one, and all will be right with your world—more or less J.     

   

Mother Nature Wins

Down with a nasty flu bug the last two days, so this week’s post on professional courtesy and business etiquette will be a bit late. However, I did find Kristen Lamb’s blog today especially enlightening. Her post  In Medias Res is not only loads of fun to read, but is chock full of very sound advice on fiction writing.

Kristen’s blog is one of my favorites, and worth adding to your ‘follow’ list:

Warrior Writers

Hope to be back at the keyboard tomorrow. Until then, keep writing!