Isabelle Drake's Blog, page 2

two women, one man, my worlds collided, a wine cocktail ☔ It's April!

 

Hit here for the April newsletter.

worlds collide in slow motion, 2 visits to LA

 In 2008, I headed off to LA for my first “big” signing. I was writing for Ellora’s Cave and the signing was part of BookExpoAmerica. The book expo was huge, filled with (maybe) hundreds of publishers that were there showing off the books they currently had available and the books to be published in the upcoming year. The idea was to connect with booksellers and other book distributers in order to get the books—old fashioned paper books—on the shelves—old fashioned actual shelves—in the stores—old fashioned brick and mortar stores.

At the time I was new to publishing. The posts I wrote about the trip were among the very first posts I published on my blog.

I was, obviously, excited to be in LA, signing books and being part of the sparkling excitement that is LA and the buzzing excitement that was BEA. BEA doesn’t exist any longer. COVID, no need to say more, right? But I attended a couple times, and it was always Big Fun and attending often made me feel like I’d Made It.

I was, obviously, excited to be in LA, signing books and being part of the sparkling excitement that is LA and the buzzing excitement that was BEA. BEA doesn’t exist any longer. COVID, no need to say more, right? But I attended a couple times, and it was always Big Fun and attending often made me feel like I’d Made It. 

This past March, I was in LA again, in the same convention center where I’d attended BEA over 15 years ago. I was attending the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. It’s a very academic event. I didn’t think much of the situation until I was standing in the registration line, waiting to get my nametag. (See above, my social media post continuing my ongoing joke about how much I hate nametags.) Instead of coming to sign and sell erotic romances, I was there to attend information sessions on editing literary journals and teaching creative writing in a college setting. I was there to promote my literary podcast, Washington Square OnAir, which had just released its 50th episode. Same place, another event about books and writing, but with many differences. For one thing, I was there as a professor, journal editor, podcast host, and literary writer. All those years ago while I was signing copies of my first release, Everglades Wildfire, with that now defunct publisher, never would have imagined being any in any of those roles. Yet, there I was.

I figured the moment meant something, although I wasn’t quite sure what. I figured I should honor the journey with a moment. After I received my nametag, I headed off to buy myself a latte, then found a quiet spot to sit outside the hotel where I was staying and…just sat there and thought about the past 15 years of writing. No, not all of it. LOL. I worked my way backward through decisions and events that led me to where I was. I suppose I’m still mulling it over, which is why I’m writing about it now. Maybe I’ll never come up with a key point or two. But I can say, its been an up and down path filled with successes and near successes. I’ve learned a lot. I’m looking forward to the next 15 years…

beauty & the beast with alligators

Beauty and the Beast, set in the steamy, mysterious Florida,Everglades—that’s how I think of Everglades Wildfire. This book was my firsterotic romance, published long before 50 Shades of Grey and even before theboom of ultra-sexy romances available in the mainstream market. Even thoughthis version of the story from Riverdale Ave Books has been expanded andupdated, the original gothic tone and passionate, flawed characters remain.

Rick is an old-school traditional alpha hero. He’s dark,brooding, passionate but out of touch with his emotions. Amber is just as toughas her man, but in her own way. Her faith is as deep as her love and herdetermination is strong enough for them both.

Bringing this story back to readers gave me an opportunityto reflect on what has, and hasn’t, changed in the world of ultra-sexyromances.

Curious? Excerpt below.

Eight months without him and now there he was.

“I want to stop thinking about you. I want to forget what wehad.”

He lifted one eyebrow and kept his unwavering gaze focusedon her

“Why?”

“So I can be happy.”

“You were happy with me.”

“I need more than what we had. I need everything. I need aman who’s going to love me, take care of me. Let me take care of him.” Shewinced at the desperation in her voice. Was she trying to convince him? Orherself?

“But you want me,” he said, then took another drink of thebeer.

“It’s just sex, Rick. That’s all it ever was and it’s notenough.”

Even though it was true Amber regretted the words. Spokenout loud they made her feel cheap and used. But she had to stop foolingherself, had to stop letting him make a fool of her. From beginning, he’d madeit clear he didn’t want anything more than a physical relationship.

“What do you have to tell me?” she asked over her shoulder.

Silence.

Then the floorboards squeaked. When he stopped right behindher, she heard him swallow before he spoke.

“I already told you. I know why you came.”

That had been a bluff. He’d been ready to tell her somethingelse. “Go ahead, Rick, tell me.” She watched a tiny green lizard scurry acrossthe railing and then added softly, “Or are you afraid?”

Need more? Get a copy.

Daytona Bike Week - in one day

Its been a long time since I went to Bike Week. Decades. From what I remember, its about the same. Lots of motorcycles, loud music, t-shirts, and beer. My favorite thing this year was reading the hand made signs. I captured some of them in this YouTube short.

an old flame, between the sheets, a cocktail 💝

 

hit here for the February newsletter

Who goes to Spanish language immersion classes on a vacation? I do! I did! In Puerto Rico a couple weeks ago. I stayed in an AirBB with a fantastic view of the Atlantic Ocean (see photo of view!), attended classes every morning (see photo of the homework done on the balcony!), and did some sightseeing (or not) every afternoon (see photo of me walking on the street). 

Studying Spanish is something I've been wanting to do ever since the "lock down" during "Covid Times." It happened while I was watching a movie that had sections of dialogue in Spanish and I noticed, thanks to some trips to Central American and a semester in college, I understood parts of it. I wanted to understand more. Obviously, it took me a while to make my dream happen, but yep - I did it. My plans now: continue practicing with my Duolingo app.

Snow Supreme or Cabin Cutie?

We’re smack in the middle of winter.What’s keeping you busy? Are you embracing winter to the fullest? Take theWinter Chill quiz below and find out!

You’ll see cozying up with a good bookisn’t on the list because That One is obvious. Happy reading!

Give yourself 2 points for eachoutdoor activity you have already completed:

Skiing (Alpine &Cross-country)SnowboardingIce skatingSledding/tobogganingSnowshoeingSnowmobilingIce fishingBuilding a snowmanSnowball fightsWinter hikingDog sleddingCurlingIce climbingWinter campingFat tire biking onsnow

Give yourself 1 point for each indooractivity you have already completed:

Hot chocolate andmovie nightsBaking holidaytreatsCrafting and DIYprojectsBoard games andpuzzlesVisiting museums orindoor attractionsAttending holidaymarkets or festivalsYoga or indoorfitness routinesKnitting orcrochetingCooking warm comfortmeals

16 points and above: You are crowned SnowSupreme ❄️👑
You were practically born with ice skates on your feet and a thermos of hotcocoa in hand! Whether you're hitting the slopes, building the mostInstagram-worthy snowmen, or twirling gracefully at the local ice rink, baking,crafting, winter is your season. You're always prepared with stylish yetfunctional snow gear, and your idea of a perfect day involves fresh powder andcozy fireside evenings. Let’s face it—you own winter.

8-15 points: Chill Explorer 🧣☕
You're the adventurous one who loves a good mix of both indoor coziness andoutdoor fun. Winter, for you, outdoors or indoors. You may be wrapped up inchunky knit sweater with a book in one hand and a warm drink in the other. Youthrive on holiday baking, crafting, and binge-watching all the rom-coms whilethe snow falls gently outside. Or, you may be outside, sledding, ice skating,crafting a snow family.

1-7 points: Cozy Cabin Cutie❄️🌲
You embrace winter without letting it take over your life—finding the balancebetween bundling up for adventures and snuggling up indoors. Your friends loveyou for your go-with-the-flow attitude and creative take on winter fun.

scandal on the pages

 Here’s something you may not know: my book Make Me Blush isscandalous! Its the book series people told me not to write. Its a seriespeople told me no one would want to read.

But, here's the thing, the collection of linked stories isone of my top 5 books and has been for years. Nearing 100K reads on Radish andits been in the top five of several different top read lists on Wattpad for forabout 9 years. It sells well on Amazon, and I still get letters of appreciationfrom readers even though the book has been out for a while.

Do I think the book is scandalous? No, of course not. Its awork of fiction. I write fiction. I try to write unique stories that I thinkreaders will enjoy. 

How did the series come to be? My editor wanted a new seriesconcept from me. At the time, the market was flooded with BDSM books. So, BDSMas a hook was out for me. Why do what everyone is already doing? BDSM isboundary pushing, so apparently readers were into boundary pushing reads. So Ineeded something to fit that niche. I did research on boundary pushinglifestyles. I read personal and community blog posts and scholarly(peer-reviewed) journal articles. After some time, I arrived at a concept. I didsome more research to be sure I had the elements correct and then off I went tothe keyboard. You can read my post publication thoughts here.

So, why do readers like this "unlikeable" book? Myguess is that people like to read about lives they'll never live and lives theydon't want to live but are curious about. After all, isn't experiencingsomething new and different from the safety of our favorite chair what fictionis all about?

Curious? Want to read this scandalous read? Get an ebook or paperback on Amazon.

Need a taste? Here's an excerpt:

“I’m sure we can help you, Edward. I just want to you becertain you understand the risks.”

Edward Dean, who’d been sitting casually with his legssplayed and his arms behind his head, straightened, pulling himself in andmoving his gaze across the chrome and glass of the Santa Monica bar. A nervoussheen of sweat coated his neck and back, and he reached up to shove his hairoff his forehead.

Winona, the woman seated in front of him, was completelycalm and in control. Her cool-blonde hair was wrapped into a complicatedhairstyle that Edward had seen before but never understood. Her gray silk suitwas tailored; her delicate shoes the only thing that hinted at her sexuality.But given that they had just spent the last two hours talking about nothing butsex, he was certain she knew her way around a bedroom. And many other places aswell. 

She took a sip of her white wine then set the glass downgently on the crisp tablecloth before speaking again. “Do you need more time tothink things over?”

“No. That’s the problem.” Edward picked up his half-emptybourbon and spun it, watching the golden liquid swirl. “All I do is think aboutit. Over and over. Nothing changes. And then I think some more.” He took a sip,felt the liquid burn down his throat. “I tried. I can’t change anything. Ican’t do anything.”

“You are doing something. You came to me. All I’m going todo is put things in motion. The rest, what happens afterward—” She lifted herpalms. “Will be up to you.”

He nodded, but remained silent, looking beyond to watch thecars on Santa Monica Boulevard roll past. March in southern California,gorgeous as always.

“The risks, though. Those are something to consider. Once myman begins nothing can be undone.”

“But she’ll be given a safety word—violet. And she—”

“It’s isn’t the risks to your wife Kelly that I’m talkingabout now.” Winona leaned forward, her brown eyes clear and focused. “It’s therisk to you.”

 

Get an ebook or paperback on Amazon.

Are you a Pumpkin Spice Newbie or Cozy Vibes Champ?

Autumn is such a cozy and fun (busy!) season and there are so many things we *want* to do. 

Are you checking off the best to do items? Let's see...

Give yourself 1 point for each activity you've completed:

Apple Picking

Pumpkin Patch Visit

Hiking

Walked a Corn Maze

Bonfire

Hayrides

Baking Fall Treats

Foliage Tour

Halloween Decorating

Football Game

Making Homemade Soup

Visiting Farmers Markets

Attend a Fall Festival

Going to a Haunted House

Collecting Colorful Leaves

Drinking Hot Cider

Candle Making

Add up your points...

1-4 points: Pumpkin Spice Newbie

You’ve maybe done one or two fall things, but hey, you're warming up to it!

5-8 points Flannel Fun Explorer

You’ve checked off a few key fall activities and are starting to embrace the season.

9-12 points Cozy Vibes Champion

You’re diving deep into fall! From leaf tours to pumpkin carving, you’ve got this season covered.

13-16 Ultimate Fall Queen or King 

You’ve done it all! Apple picking, corn mazes, bonfires—you basically are fall at this point.

Who among us is a Fall Queen? Cozy Vibes Champ? 

Not me. If the leaves in my driveway count as collecting and walking across the parking lot to may car counts as a hike, I have 2 points. Wait - I have several wrappers from the Halloween candy I ate on the counter...that counts as Halloween decorating. So there are 3. My Christmas novella features a haunted house. Writing about a haunted house is pretty much the same as going to one...right?

Okay. I have hopes of getting up to the Flannel Fun rank by the end of the month. Cheers to that!

Hope you all are enjoying the funtivities of the season!

Great Pumpkin, the cocktail and the story

Evelyn wasn’t sure how she ended up bartending at The Hollow Hearth on Halloween night—especially after a disastrous Tinder date earlier that day. But there she was, wiping down counters, when she spotted the dusty bottle. The Great Pumpkin, the faded label read.

She had heard the legend: it was the fall cocktail, but only the worthy could taste its magic. Most thought it was an old tavern myth, but Evelyn? She was in a mood.

"Why not?" she muttered, grabbing a glass and pouring the glowing amber liquid. The first sip was like drinking autumn: cinnamon, nutmeg, a touch of maple. Then everything around her shifted. The room dimmed, and a man in an old-fashioned coat strolled in, looking like something out of a Jane Austen novel...

No, that's now how this happened. I just made all that up. The Great Pumpkin cocktail was created by Jim Meehan and served at New York City’s PDT, combines several autumnal elements into one rich cocktail that epitomizes the best of fall flavors.

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces pumpkin ale (such as Southampton)

1 ounce Laird's bonded apple brandy (or any apple brandy)

1 ounce Rittenhouse bonded rye (or any rye)

1/2 ounce grade B maple syrup

1 whole egg

DIRECTIONS
Add the pumpkin ale, apple brandy, rye, maple syrup and whole egg into a shaker and dry-shake (without ice) vigorously.
Add ice and shake again until well-chilled
Strain into a chilled Fizz glass.
GARNISH
nutmeg, freshly grated

Query Quandary~~thinking about agents or submitting to editors?

Write the entire first draft. 

While polishing up that first draft, get a subscriptionto Publisher'sMarketplace. Make a list of agents/editors who areselling/buying a manuscript similar to yours. 

Continue examining the market. Occasionally skim: Publisher'sMarketplace.

When your manuscript is ready to be ready, start querying.

Prepare the query:

https://isabelledrake.blogspot.com/2014/11/killer-query-quick-madlibs-style.html

You can get agent/editor submission information fromPublisher's Marketplace (above). Agentquery.com is agood source for agent information.

Keep track of the queries. I’m old school so used paper. Iused 3x5 cards because they are big enough and small enough.

Send the submissions. Keep track of those as well. Includewhat you sent, etc. At the time you send them, you may think you would neverforget, but consider the possibility that you will forget. There is a goodchance you will want the information later. For example, what if you want toquery that same person again in the future? In that case, it would be good toknow what you had sent before.

Startworking on something else. It will make the waiting easier. 

How about some resources:

A podcast interview about scene structure. It is focused onromance but the theory applies to all genres:

Steamy Romance and SceneStructure with Isabelle Drake on Romance Writer's Therapy

https://youtu.be/y2yXFFSP_VM?si=0wkcE3GO5XIS3Ffv

Scene structure chart:

https://isabelledrake.blogspot.com/2020/11/scene-structure-101-chart.html

Blog post Iwrote for workshopping groups:

WORKSHOP QUESTIONS - FOR THEAUTHOR AND READER

https://isabelledrake.blogspot.com/2022/01/workshop-questions-for-author-and-reader.html

Blog posts I wrote about using social media:

GOT TROLLS?: UNDERSTANDING ANDEVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR VIRTUAL BRAND

https://isabelledrake.blogspot.com/2018/03/got-trolls-understanding-and-evaluating_28.html

SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT IT SHOULD DOFOR AUTHORS, WRITING PROGRAMS AND SOME #RANDOM #THOUGHTS

https://mfaland.blogspot.com/2013/10/social-media-what-it-should-do-for.html

For a more, visit my other site: Adventures in MFALand.

To subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/IsabelleDrakeNewsletter