Season Vining's Blog, page 3

When words aren’t enough

This past week has been one of the craziest and most surreal experiences of my life. Having a book out in the world that people can read, love, hate, debate, praise, rip apart, and analyze feels like standing naked beneath florescent lighting holding a box of cheap wine and Krispy Kremes and asking people to judge me. It was terrifying and completely liberating.

There are certain things that happen when–and only when–you publish a book. These things are mostly positive and can make a normal person feel like the center of the universe. People that you haven’t seen or spoken to in years come out of the woodwork to wish you well. Complete strangers spend their hard earned money to acquire something you wrote. This alone is enough to make any person’s head spin. Your friends and family become your biggest cheerleaders, the best salespeople, and aren’t afraid to tell anyone about your book. Your grandparents think you have instantly reached the J. K. Rowling level of fame and your nephews want to be cast in the movie version. In general, everyone you meet is super impressed with your accomplishment and genuinely happy for your success.

So, how do you thank all these people? How do you express your most sincere appreciation? Here’s the rotten, terrible, awful part. You can’t. It’s impossible. Even if I could afford a billboard in Times Square, or a commercial during the Super Bowl, I could not reach everyone who has brought joy, love, and support to my life.

All I have are my words. They are humble and not nearly enough. They fall short, but are completely necessary. So, here they are.

Thank you.

The post When words aren’t enough appeared first on Season Vining.

Book Birthday!

Happy Book Birthday to Me! Beautiful Addictions is finally here!

Beautiful Addictions is now available in stores. Let’s sit and marinate in that statement for a moment. As of today, you can go into a bookstore (and Target–SQUEE!) and find my book on the shelf. You can hold it and flip through pages and stick your nose between the pages to inhale that intoxicating scent of ink and paper. No? Is that just me? Having already gotten my hands on it, I can tell you that it’s a gorgeous book. The matte paper and lovely cover art make my designer side happy and all the words inside make my writer side happy.

For those of of you who have loved and supported me through this process, today is the best day to say thank you. Thanks for sharing Facebook posts and retweeting tweets. Thanks for entering giveaways, wearing Beautiful Addictions t-shirts, blogging, reviewing, pimping, and telling your friends about my book. I appreciate everything you give and know that I can never give enough back. Without a support system like I have, I doubt I’d be able to continue my publishing journey.

So, today we dance in the aisles of bookstores. We take selfies with Beautiful Addictions wearing big goofy grins. We hold 275 pages between our fingers and know that it took a village to get this done.

If you are still celebrating this evening, come on over to my VIRTUAL BOOK RELEASE PARTY on Facebook. It’s from 7-10 PM Eastern time. There will be lots of fun and some party favors too!

The post Book Birthday! appeared first on Season Vining.

10 Notes for 20-somethings

In an effort to inspire my writing and connect with a younger crowd, I’ve been hanging out where they hang out. I’m the not-so-old-but-much-wiser lady eavesdropping in the corner, observing how they interact with each other, taking notes on words and phrases commonly used. I have to say, that after doing this, I am disappointed in what I’ve witnessed. Here are some things I think need improving. Dear, 20-somethings…

Ladies, act like a lady. You do not have to wear revealing clothes to be sexy. Teasing is an art form. Less is more.
Please stop calling each other bitches, whores, sluts, and the N word. Even when you do this in a seemingly affectionate manner, it is giving others permission to call you those things too.
While we’re on speech, let’s start to widen our vocabulary. Dropping the F bomb three times in one sentence doesn’t make you sound tough or cute. It makes you sound like you don’t know enough words in the English language to piece together a simple thought.
Don’t tear each other down to feel better about yourself. No one reflects the kind of person you are, but you. Be someone your grandmother would be proud of.
Be respectful of people in the service industry. While that employee is there to serve you, they are certainly not worth less than you. Speak to them like an equal and thank them sincerely.
Don’t be afraid to say what you stand for or believe in. It’s okay, even if you are the only one of your friends who feels that way. Don’t be sucked in by group think. If something feels wrong, speak up.
Have compassion and be kind. Everyone you encounter has a life outside of what you see. You never know what demons they are fighting or what they have survived. Help and support people who may need it, encourage those who won’t ask for it.
Put down your cell phones. There are humans in the room who want to see and talk to you. There are family and friends who only ever see the top of your head and the glow of the screen. Translate emoticons into actual feelings and expressions. Look up. Have conversations with people, without a keyboard. Watch this video if you don’t understand.
Be a part of your community. Get to know your neighbors. Don’t litter. Volunteer. If you want something done, if you want change, be proactive. Don’t sit idly by and complain about how things are. Get out and do something about them. Bring awareness to those who need it. Educate yourself on issues you feel are important before getting into heated debates. Listen to others’ opinions, but always form your own. Don’t be a sheep blindly following the herd. Ask questions and always be open to learning.
Listen to your elders. We know stuff you don’t. But, don’t call me an elder or I’ll beat you with my cane.

I’m not saying that an entire generation is guilty of one or all of these things. I’m not saying that I’m perfect and all-knowing. What I am saying, is that there needs to be a bigger effort at self-awareness amongst 20-somethings. You are at a point in your life where you are making education or career decisions and life-long friends. Do not take these things lightly or too seriously. Discover your true self and revel in it.

 

 

The post 10 Notes for 20-somethings appeared first on Season Vining.

What a difference a year makes

One year ago, today, my life was irrevocably changed. In the past 365 days, one question has been asked of me more than any other. How did it happen?

Everyone’s journey to and through publishing is different. I’m not sure we can even define a standard process anymore. From seasoned writers who’ve struggled for a decade to land that book deal, to writers new to the craft who have it fall into their laps, there is a unique story to be told. Here is mine.

As with most things, it all started with my mother. She is an avid reader, always working through three or four books at a time with no favoritism to any particular genre. She’s been keeping a log of her books since she became pregnant with me. It’s a binder with a handwritten numbered list on looseleaf paper separated alphabetically. At the age of fifty-eight, her count is up to 4,085 books. She encouraged me to read and what girl wants to disappoint her mother? I read the childhood classics, and school-assigned books, plus every copy of Sweet Valley High and The Babysitters Club series. Even then, reading was building the foundation for becoming a writer.

I first started with writing poetry around the age of ten. I wrote about flowers and nature, things that I found beautiful and that could be praised in short lines of prose. As I grew, so did my vocabulary and my attention span. The teenage years were the darkest–as they usually are–and it was then that I developed a knack for painting pictures using words. The poor tortured soul of the misunderstood high school student opened her wounds and bled onto the paper, or at least that’s what it felt like back then.

As an adult, I continued to read, driven by the desire to find specific kinds of characters and original plots. It was this search that led me to pen my first full-length story. I searched for what I wanted, and when I couldn’t find it, I figured I’d try writing it myself. After completing the first story, more tales were suddenly begging to be written. The more I wrote, the better I got. The better I got, the more I enjoyed it. The more I enjoyed it, the more I wrote. It was a cycle of storytelling and inventing characters that came to me like a slow motion Baywatch lifeguard. Now, when I look back on those first stories, I cringe. They’re a mess of purple prose and misused words, but I still take pride in what they represent–a beginning.

When I completed my fourth full-length story, I sat back and examined it more closely. I thought to myself, This is a great start, but it could be so much better. So, I rewrote it. I brought in friends who gave feedback. I rewrote it again. I joined a local writers’ group and shared it with them. I rewrote it again. I attended workshops, read instructional manuals, and practiced my craft every day. Then, I rewrote it again.

In April of 2012, I attended the Jambalaya Writers’ Conference in Houma, Louisiana. Though I never dreamed of publishing this story, I was eager for feedback from a professional. I was lucky enough to grab the last available appointment to pitch my manuscript to a literary agent. She was a tiny woman with gray hair and a smoker’s voice from New Jersey. She was blunt, but friendly. I was terrified.

I sat in the small room and, after a shaky introduction, began my verbal pitch. Two sentences in she began shaking her head. “No, no, no. Nobody wants to read about an unlikable main character,” she told me. I backpedaled and tried to redeem my protagonist, but it was too late. Instead of suffering any further humiliation, I asked if she could just read my query letter. She agreed. I slid the piece of paper across the table like it was a ticking bomb and tried to keep the tears at bay. After about a minute, she looked up and smiled. “This sounds great. I’d request the manuscript if it was long enough.”

This interaction led me to reexamine my novel. I edited, revised, rewrote, deleted, and rearranged it for almost an entire year. When this was finished, I found myself sick of the story and the characters. I wanted to kill them off in a horrific fire, but somehow resisted. I took a step away from the manuscript and let it marinate for a couple months. I didn’t look at it, touch it, or edit one word during this time. One evening, I hesitantly reached for it and began another read through. When I finished the last page, there was a whirlwind of unfamiliar feelings swarming through my head. Pride, satisfaction, and the undeniable knowledge that I was a writer.

I returned to the same conference in 2013 with my manuscript and query letter in hand. I was ready to pitch, push and pimp my story to anyone who would listen. After arriving, I learned that all the sessions with editors and agents had been filled and I was out of luck. While disappointed, I vowed to make the most of my day by attending sessions and learning all I could. I also entered my first page into an anonymous reading to be critiqued by a panel of experts at the end of the day.

I sat through presentations on marketing, self-publishing, how to get an agent, and the do’s and don’ts of querying. One of these sessions was led by Rachel Ekstrom, a literary agent with the Irene Goodman Agency. After the presentation, I introduced myself and asked if I could give her my query letter. She kindly agreed. With the exchange of a single piece of paper from my hand to hers, my pitch was over, my opportunity passed. Though I knew she would be busy and overwhelmed with other authors, I was confident in my query and hoped for the best.

After a jambalaya lunch (because what else would they serve?) and keynote speaker, I attended a practice pitch session with NY Times Bestselling author, Heather Graham. She spoke about what to do and what not to do when selling your book to an agent. And then, she asked for volunteers. I stepped onto the stage with her and introduced myself. We had a conversation about my unique name and promptly jumped into our roles of agent and author. Heather asked questions and I answered. I pitched the hell out of my story to this admired author and a room full of fellow writers. By the end, they were all smiles and applause.

The last session of the day was the anonymous reading of first pages. Those who turned in their work, and some who didn’t, sat in a room and listened as a page was read and then the panel of experts critiqued. This panel consisted of two editors from St. Martin’s Press, two literary agents, Heather Graham and a very opinionated local bookstore owner. The first few critiques seemed to take forever and I found myself worried that they would run out of time before getting to mine. As the hour passed, that mindset changed into “Oh dear God, I hope they run out of time before getting to mine.” A majority of the the pages read received bad or unfavorable critiques. These comments varied from “I’d work on your pacing” to “I’d never continue reading this.” With each page that was read, dread sank heavy in my gut and I wanted to flee the room.

Finally, when time was almost up, Heather Graham stood at the podium and read the first few lines from my novel. Everyone quieted and listened, giving it the same attention as those before it, while I held my breath and tried to reign in the urge to vomit on the library carpet. When the last sentence was read, there was a moment of complete silence where I was left teetering on the edge between my validation and rejection. I don’t remember who was the first to speak, but soon they were all singing the praises of my page. It was surreal and thrilling, and though it was anonymous, one look into the audience could have easily identified its grinning author.

After the conference, there was a wine and cheese social on the roof. As I sipped my plastic cup of Cabernet served off of the reference cart, I felt untouchable. After two glasses, I built up the courage to approach Rachel Ekstrom, again, and let her know which page was mine. She surprised me by remembering my name and said she would definitely take a look at my query letter. I then noticed that the two editors from St. Martin’s Press were available. I introduced myself to Rose Hilliard and thanked her for the kind things she said about my writing. She wanted to know more about my book and suddenly, all my preparation, all my work and dedication to this project converged into a perfect casual conversation about graffiti writers, tattooed boys and a dangerous love. I left that evening with Rose’s email address and a request for my manuscript. Life was good.

I emailed Rose my novel Monday morning. I’d heard rumors about the publishing industry and how everything takes longer than the rest of the world, so I didn’t expect to hear back from her for a while. Two days later, on an average Wednesday afternoon, I received the mother of all voicemails. It was Rose, and she loved, loved, loved my book. I must have listened to that message eight times before I could even comprehend it. With shaky fingers, I wrote down her number and returned her call.

Turns out, talking to Rose was a breeze. She gushed about my story, my characters and all the little details that made my manuscript special. I really felt that she connected with the story the way I intended. There’s no greater feeling.

Rose couldn’t offer guarantees at that point, but she was pretty sure they’d be making an offer. She asked if I had an agent. I told her I did not, but that I’d queried Rachel at the conference. Rose volunteered to contact Rachel on my behalf. She forwarded my manuscript with instructions to READ THIS NOW. Six days later, I received a phone call from Rachel, offering representation with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. Of course, I accepted. That same day, St. Martin’s made their first offer.

After four days of what I like to imagine as hardcore, cutthroat, wild and crazy negotiations, Rachel called with an offer that we couldn’t refuse. In her, I’d found a cape-wearing professional, a fearless advocate, and a down-to-earth girl whose smiles can be heard through phone signals stretching from Manhattan to Baton Rouge. There were chirping birds and double rainbows and soft, purring kittens with tiny ringing bells. Okay, maybe not, but it was still spectacular. Two weeks, to the day, after meeting these ladies at a small writers’ conference in the middle of a Louisiana swamp, I had a three book deal with a considerable advance and a team of people who believed in my writing.

Whatever notions you believe in, be it fate, luck or destiny, know that none of them can take the place of hard work and a great story. In a capacity that I never imagined, I am now a full-time writer. This means little more than sitting my butt in a chair and typing words all day. Sometimes my words make sense, sometimes whole pages are dropped into the Trash icon of my MacBook. I take breaks and occasionally venture outside my writing cave, because what greater inspiration and story research can we find than the interesting and complicated world we live in.

 

Beautiful Addictions was released in ebook form by St. Martin’s Griffin on January 28, 2014. The print edition will be released June 10. For those of you who enjoy the freedom of audio, Beautiful Addictions will be released by Audible on May 13.

The post What a difference a year makes appeared first on Season Vining.

Justin Bieber sells romance novels

Fabio, the old face of romance.

I know what you’re thinking. What does “The Biebs” have to do with romance novels? It’s not just him, but every seemingly innocent boy that grows up to be a bad ass. While you may not be a fan, you have to admit that the kid knows how appeal to girls (and some grown women too). On top of that, he has the ability and the audience to make the news with just a change to his haircut, or a notice that he’s finally, finally pulled up his damn pants.

In our grandmothers’ generations, there were certainly heartthrobs. They were doe-eyed boys with perfectly coiffed hair and winning smiles. They were conformists, squeaky clean, and generic at best. No offense, I’m sure they were swell. But they were merely a manufactured estimation of what sexist old men in the entertainment industry thought girls wanted–the boy next door, the gentleman, the humble and innocent. Their admirers were meager. In our mothers’ generation the execs loosened the reins a bit and let boys be boys–think Elvis Presley, James Dean, Marlon Brando. When the public was allowed to see the wholesome go wild, their wavering followers became fanatics with a collective scream and swooning sigh. Lesson learned.

The rockstars and actors of today aren’t kept on such a short leash. Sometimes there’s no leash at all. While girls may adore innocence at first, it’s that star’s fall from grace–tattoos, associating with strippers, a swinging door of revolving girlfriends, and underage drinking– that proves their undying love and willingness to stand by their man. Modern fangirls are a tried and true species. They are frighteningly faithful and wield their swords of customized memes and hashtags with the fierceness of an internet ninja.

The pre-teen and teenage girls of today are the romance readers of tomorrow. With the emergence of New Adult, we’ve already seen a shift from the bodice-ripping heroes of yesteryear to the troubled, tattooed, dangerous men of contemporary romance. In my novel, Beautiful Addictions, Tristan is exactly that–troubled, tattooed, wicked smart, and oh-so-sexy. You’ll want him and you’ll want to save him. It’s in our nature not only to want to help him, but also to want to be the reason for that change. We long to possess a love so strong, that he would give up all his wild ways to have us. The Beliebers who have compassion for the unsettled boy, faith in his kind nature, and an understanding that he just needs a good girl to set him straight, will look for that in their book boyfriends.

So, thank you, Justin Bieber. Thank you to all those who came before you and all those who will come after you. Thank you for breaking out of the cookie cutter mold of who you were expected to be and becoming the party boy we want to tame. Thank you for transitioning an army of females from innocent girls to confident women who know exactly what they want. While we all appreciate your metamorphosis from teeny bopper to bad boy, watch yourself. On the sliding scale of dangerously desirable to lonely loser, you may be on a slippery slope. Reel it in and we’ll stay true, all the while looking for you in the pages of our next read.

 

The post Justin Bieber sells romance novels appeared first on Season Vining.

Party Time!

Since there was so much to celebrate last week

(a book birthday and an anniversary of my 29th birthday),

I decided to go B-I-G!

I enlisted the help of family and friends to create decor and imagine a festive party environment. There was great food, drinks, and company as everyone gathered to cheer me on. What a great journey it’s been so far. I can’t wait to see where I’ll go from here, especially knowing that I have the love and support of so many people.

I had people sign up for door prizes and throughout the night, gave away three gifts. Cheryl won a Starbucks gift card. Brandi won a Beautiful Addictions t-shirt. The grand prize was a t-shirt, signed print ARC, and a $50 gift card to Amazon. It was won by the lovely Nicole, who squeed in delight. Squee is a word, right?

Some of the themes in Beautiful Addictions are dark, but none of them are as close to my heart as homelessness. Therefore, I put out a box asking for donations for Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless. My generous party guests donated a total of $50 to this charity, which I’m going to match and deliver to CAAH. Thanks, guys!

A dry erase board was provided so that guests could declare their own Beautiful Addictions!

Click to view slideshow.

A great time was had by everyone, and by the end of the night I felt truly overwhelmed by all the love. Thanks to everyone who came and everyone who was there in spirit. Write on!

The post Party Time! appeared first on Season Vining.

Beautiful Addictions has arrived!

This story started its journey three years ago. From one scene, to a list of characters, to many pre-readers and even more revisions, one contest, two connections, and a title change, Beautiful Addictions has seen some action.

When I learned that it takes a year to go from accepted manuscript to a book on the shelves, I was surprised. I also thought, “How on earth am I going to wait a whole year?” So, you can imagine my excitement when St. Martin’s came to me with the idea to release the e-book first, and the day before my birthday! My response? Hells yeah!

So, the day has finally arrived. Beautiful Addictions is now out in the (digital) world. It’s my first novel, a piece of my heart, a cast of voices living in my head, and something I’m absolutely proud to call my own.

The post Beautiful Addictions has arrived! appeared first on Season Vining.

Ask me anything!

This weekend the New Adult Book Club is hosting a Q&A for me and my debut novel, Beautiful Addictions. Have questions about Tristan’s brain or Alex’s future? Want to know more about Josie’s art or Monica’s love of faux accessories? Maybe you want to ask about my writing space, my work in progress, or my corgi, Chap?

Come on over and ask away. I’ll answer anything (within reason). Looking forward to hearing from you guys. Just follow the link below and hit me up.

NEW ADULT BOOK CLUB Q&A

The post Ask me anything! appeared first on Season Vining.

It’s the FINAL COUNTDOWN!

The countdown has begun. Today marks ONE MONTH until the digital release of my debut novel, BEAUTIFUL ADDICTIONS. I can’t put into words how excited and terrified I am. I know what you’re thinking. I’m a writer. I should be able to put anything into words. Well, okay. I’ll try.

The ebook will be released by St. Martin’s Griffin on January 28, 2014. This is three years from the day that I started a rough outline (really just a list of characters and their purpose) for this story. It still blows me away how this story formed, and with the help of pre-readers and so many kind folks, evolved into the tale it is now. I cannot honestly tell you how many versions there are of this story. I have no idea how many words were cut or rewritten. As a new writer, I didn’t have the foresight to save each version. Instead, I deleted sentences without a second thought. Those words are gone forever, each of them chipped off and carved away to leave the very best story I could write.

I grew so much during that time and even more so during the publication process. The thing about this career is you never stop learning. You can always practice and improve. I strive to do that as much as possible.

No matter how ready I think I am, I know nothing can prepare me for the moment BEAUTIFUL ADDICTIONS is put out into the world. I imagine ten thousand pairs of eyes on me, all at once, waiting for me to say something clever and dissecting every move. Instead, I’ll keep my mouth closed and hand over this book–this very personal part of me, this voice inside my head. Imagine yourself naked in front of supermodels in florescent lighting after a day of binge drinking. That’s the thrilling, sick feeling that I fear may plague me for the rest of my career.

So, with a month to go, I’m going to dig in and work my ass off. I’ll guest blog, do interviews, promote giveaways and tell my story to anyone who wants to hear it. I hope you don’t get tired of hearing from me. Because no matter what happens, I am proud of this novel. If it does well, I’ll have earned it. If not, I’ll have earned that too. Write on!

The post It’s the FINAL COUNTDOWN! appeared first on Season Vining.

Moving on up!

When it comes to publishing, all news is big news, right? We’ve just received word from St. Martin’s that they moved the print publication date up a WHOLE MONTH!

While the eBook will still be released on January 28, the print book will now be released on June 10! I’m so excited and can’t wait for this story to hit shelves.

Josie and Tristan are people you’ll be rooting for from the beginning. My only hope is that people attach themselves to the characters and live the journey, instead of just reading words on a page. Write on!

The post Moving on up! appeared first on Season Vining.