Lenora Worth's Blog, page 2
March 17, 2023
Halfway There! 30 days of books!
So we are halfway through the month with my month long celebration of thirty years of writing. These are the giveaways for the 15th, 16th, and 17th! Assignment: Bodyguard is one of my favorite books. The hero is British and kind of James Bondish! And he’s in the same series as Secret Agent Minister. Deadly Texas Rose was my first suspense and I worked all weekend in my PJs to get it finished on time. Ate a lot of pizza and chocolate on that one!
More of my story: I had written two books and sent out more proposals when I got another call. I had a migraine and was a bit dopey (More than usual) when I picked up the phone. My agent at the time was at a conference, but she’d gotten a call. Leisure books wanted to buy my story and they needed it now! Only I hadn’t finished it! They wanted to know how long it would take. In my dopey pain, I told them I’d get it done ASAP. And so I did. I sent the chapters in increments as I wrote them. I literally got up off the couch, with the headache medicine kicking in, and went into my office and started Chapter Four. And I worked on it after that, getting up early, staying up late, whatever it took. That was “Carly’s Song”. It’s out of print and hard to find, but warning–it was a bit steamy. I loved the story but decided steamy wasn’t for me. So after writing one more book for Leisure, and getting rejections after that when I got a new editor, I told my agent I really wanted to write inspirational books. I’ll tell you the rest of that story in another post!
For now, Happy St Patrick’s Day! Enjoy a bit of green and Thank you all for reading my books!
March 14, 2023
Let’s catch up!
I’m back. A long weekend and a lot of stormy weather, but I’m back at my desk now. I have more books to give to someone! Speaking of books, I’ve been going through my bookshelves as we begin to downsize a bit. So many memories with so many great authors. I have a pile to pass on, and a pile to keep. But I keep pulling books out of the “to give away” pile and tucking them back into my “to keep” pile. The struggle is real! I have book shelves in every room of my house. I think most readers have the same, as well as writers. We have fiction, research books, and how to books, because we never stop questioning, plotting, or learning.
I have words to write and edits to do, but in my next blog I’ll tell you about the call I got when I had a migraine, and the book that got me into the official launch of Love Inspired Books. (Three years after the first call.) But right now, I have winners to announce: Thanks for your comments, ladies!
Tammie Edington Shaw
Melissa Stand
Maryann
Sarah Taylor
Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen–30 years of writing ro...
I’m back. A long weekend and a lot of stormy weather, but I’m back at my desk now. I have more books to give to someone! Speaking of books, I’ve been going through my bookshelves as we begin to downsize a bit. So many memories with so many great authors. I have a pile to pass on, and a pile to keep. But I keep pulling books out of the “to give away” pile and tucking them back into my “to keep” pile. The struggle is real! I have book shelves in every room of my house. I think most readers have the same, as well as writers. We have fiction, research books, and how to books, because we never stop questioning, plotting, or learning.
I have words to write and edits to do, but in my next blog I’ll tell you about the call I got when I had a migraine, and the book that got me into the official launch of Love Inspired Books. (Three years after the first call.) But right now, I have winners to announce: Thanks for your comments, ladies!
Tammie Edington Shaw
Melissa Stand
Maryann
Sarah Taylor
March 10, 2023
Days 9 and 10–30 years of books!
So this had been fun but I’m going to catch up a bit. I won’t blog over the weekend, so I’ll be giving away books for days nine and ten today. And we’ll catch up on the other two on Monday.
So to recap:
So far here are my winners. You will receive a book and some of them have been mailed out!!
Mary Garner, Sue Holland, Roxanne Cruz, Barbara Wolford, Tina Hughes! You’ll all get a book!!
Some of you have been with me from the beginning, reading my books and helping me gain more readers. Writers thrive on good readers. It’s not about the money, although being able to help my family financially has been nice. But knowing that people like my books is the best part of this job. Pouring your heart out onto a blank page and then letting others read it is scary, nerve-wracking and terrifying. Bad reviews sting and linger with us, but we all get those from time to time. My stories aren’t for everyone and I don’t mind that. But to those who do read my books, you have my heart and my sincere appreciation. Always.
And here’s what happened the rest of the day I got the call. This was back in the word processor days, so I had called a print shop where I bought ink cartridges to let my friend there know my husband would be coming back to pick them up. I also told her I’d just sold my first book–as in I’ve verbally agree to a contract. She was excited and, I, being so ill, went back to sleep with sweet dreams. When my husband got home, I woke to find him standing over me, his eyes wide as he asked if I was okay. Then he said, “Uh, did you sell a story today? Or maybe you’ve been dreaming?
I told him yes, I did sell a story–my first book–while lying there on my deathbed. I had not dreamed it. He looked doubtful but he went with it. I was still in Lala land but that’s how it happened. Oh, and I also got a secondary sinus infection followed by an eye infection. Took me a good month to get well. But that month was blessed because I could now say I was truly a published writer. My advance was $600.00. (Rich!!!)That’s gotten a little better, thankfully.
Winners for the 9th and 10th books are:
Patti Jo Moore and Denise Stout Holcomb!! You will both receive a book! Maybe this one!!
March 9, 2023
Thirty years of books–Day 8!
So we’re on day eight. But it’s the ninth so that means either I’m behind or really confused. Just know I will give out a book each day in the month of March and I’m tracking each book and each person who will get a book! (I think.)
So let’s talk about the call. We moved to Shreveport, LA in the early eighties (like last century eighties). I wanted to write so badly, but I had a great job at the local cable company. Meanwhile, we lived in an apartment complex right across the street from a library. I could walk there every day and get books for myself and my young daughter. Heaven, completely, heaven. Then I was in the mall one day (of course I’d worked there briefly before getting the cable job) and saw a group of writers at a book signing. I walked up and picked up their books then squeaked out, “I’d like to write one of these someday.” They invited me to join the local chapter of RWA–Romance Writers of America.
I joined immediately and soon learned that I knew nothing. But I had all these ideas. So I persevered, studied how-to books, took college courses about writing and became involved with some wonderful mentors. Fast forward–I left the cable company job, had a few months of writing, and then found a new job at a large military credit union in the marketing department. There I got to be creative in writing jingles, and coming up with ad content for our clients. But I also got pregnant my first month there. So the next year I left that job to stay at home for a while. And write. My husband told me we’d always live in our little starter home, I’d always drive the same car we had then and gasp–he cut up my credit cards. K-Mart became my new best friend. But I was so happy writing away each day and entering contests. I also sent out some queries and got a lot of rejections. But finally, the day came when I got the call. By then, we’d moved into a bigger home, I had a new car, and I was working part-time at Mother’s Day Out and assisting a Mary Kay distributor who really knew her stuff. She’d taught me a lot about marketing and sales. Only when I did get the call, I was so sick in bed with the flu, I thought I was hallucinating. I heard the NY voice and thought it was a telemarketer. But she said, “Don’t hang up. We want to buy your book.” I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Seriously. There is more to that day. But we’ll hear that later.
Today’s winner, who gets yesterday’s book is Tina Hughes. Tina, I will send you a book soon!!! Thanks for being there with me and championing my stories for many, many years!
Now to find the person who will get this book:
Remember to leave a comment or subscribe to my blog!
March 8, 2023
Thirty days of books–Day 7
I’m beginning to lose track of the days, but I’m pretty sure this is day seven of my month long celebration on being a working writer for thirty years. I always wanted to write, but when I moved to Atlanta, GA with my husband and baby, I worked in retail and dreamed of writing. I love fashion, so retail was a good way to enjoy clothes and shoes and all the things that can be bought in a mall. But I wanted to write.
That was always in my head, along with characters who wanted me to tell their stories. When a friend loaned me some historical romance novels, I was hooked. Up until then, I’d read Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, and some scandalous classic books my mama wouldn’t approve. I’d go to the library as often as possible and buy books when I had the money. Because I grew up on a farm and didn’t hang out much with the town crowd, books became my escape. I had to finish my chores, first, of course. But I had special spots where I’d go and read–in a lush pine forest with a carpet of needles, or by what we called the branch–a small creek running under two different bridges on two different state highways. I lived on a cross-road and I’d go and stand in the middle where they met. My yard ended there, but my dreams went in all four directions. I planned to one day follow all four directions.
Once I reached Atlanta and fell in love with that city, I still bought books and read at night while my husband worked the second shift at the auto plant. But I had so much to learn. I had a typewriter my parents had given me for Christmas when I was in high school. I dragged it out and tried to write, but it was a hot mess. No one believed my dream, of course. Not even me. I was a nasal-sounding, drawling country girl who talked like a hick and acted even worse. But I kept that dream in my head. I’d tell stories to my nieces and nephews in an around the campfire way. But how could I get a book published? That’s a story for another day. Along with the story of the day I got the ‘call.’
Yesterday’s winner is Sally Joe Pitts. Sally, I will get your prize out soon! Thanks for commenting, and PM me with mailing details!
Today’s Book 7 to put in someone’s hands is:
Because why not have a little Christmas all year long?
March 6, 2023
Ask Elnora!
Thirty Years of Happily Ever After–Day 6 of sharing books!
Thank you for the many comments here and on other social media outlets. I love sharing my celebrations with my readers. Although I wrote from grammar school and on–writing short stories and selling them for a quarter on the playground–I didn’t get published until 1993. I had met an editor at a conference in New Orleans a year or so before. She told me to send her something, and she sent an example of their books to my room. That was Avalon Publishing. I eventually sent her a proposal and then she asked for the rest of the sweet romance. I’ll tell you what happened the day I got the call, but that’s a story for another time.
Right now, I want to make sure I have everyone so far who will receive a book from me soon:
Mary Garner, Sue Holland, Jackie Tatum, Roxanne Cruz, and yesterday’s is Barbara Bailey Wolford!
You get a book, and you get a book, and you get a book!
Today’s book will be:
Remember, leave a comment here to be entered to win a book. And if you’d like to follow me, all the better!!!
@lenoraworth twitter
LenoraWorth Instagram
March 4, 2023
Thirty years of writing books. Thirty days to celebrate and give out some books! It can happen!
So I’ve been going down memory lane while I celebrate thirty years of a career I love. I knew I wanted to be a writer when we had an assignment in fourth grade. We had to write a story. I loved it and for once, my vivid imagination paid off. I got a good grade. From then on, I knew. I knew I wanted to write. I loved the Carnegie Library in the small Georgia town where I grew up. One of my sisters got me a library card and signed me up for a Saturday reading program. From the moment I walked into that dark, cool building, I felt safe and as if I had the world at my fingertips. That musky lemony smell stays with me even now. I checked out as many books as possible, and often as I got older, I spent after school hours in that library, reading or studying. I lived on a farm out from town, so being able to explore that library was like having a thousands friend. Now I have thousands of friends through my books, other people’s books, and our very loyal wonderful readers. So thank you.
There is a lot more to my story, but we’ll save that for another day. If you’d like to be entered in a drawing to win a book, just leave a comment or even better, follow me here on my slightly-off-not-for-profit-only-writing-here-and-there-blog. I’d love to have you. You might have a dream just as I did. I hope so.
Day 5’s giveaway is:
Leave a comment here and tell me if you like this cover. I enjoyed hanging out with my friend Katy Lee!
March 3, 2023
Thirty Years of Writing Romance—Day 3
Today’s winner is Roxanne C. You win a copy of:
Thanks for commenting on my blog. Hope to hear from everyone tomorrow for more giveaways!
March 2, 2023
Thirty books in thirty days–day 2!
Thank all of you who read my blog and subscribed to it! Here are the first two winners for March lst and 2nd:
Sue Holland
Mary Garner
:PM me to let me know if you want print or ebook. You both will receive a copy of Pinecraft Refuge.
For March 3rd, I’ll be giving away a copy of:
Remember, if you comment or follow my blog, you get a chance to win!
