Diane Chamberlain's Blog - Posts Tagged "ceecee"

I'm very concerned! In the last few days, I've heard from several readers who are upset because they ordered two different books written by me. . . or so they thought. They'd each read Before the Storm and The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes and they loved them so much they wanted more. So they ordered A Beautiful Lie and The Lost Daughter. Imagine their surprise and disappointment when they realized that both these books were The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes in disguise. These readers are not happy with me, but I'm here to profess my innocence, as well as my distress that they feel duped.

You see, CeeCee was published in Australia with the title A Beautiful Lie, and in the United Kingdom with the title The Lost Daughter. The publisher in each country comes up with the title they think will work best in their particular market. I think CeeCee is--so far--the only one of my books to have multiple English titles. I'm not sure where or how my readers have been finding and ordering these books, and I'm so sorry for any disappointment they may be feeling--I'd feel the same way. I hope, though, that they'll continue to read my other books, and as always, let me know what they think.

Last week, The Lost Daughter (the title of The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes in the United Kingdom) was #5 on the UK Heatseeker's List, which measures the popularity of books by new (to the UK) authors. This week, it's at #2! I'm thrilled and grateful. I know it's because of the painted toenails!

A big thank you to my UK readers, and I hope you continue to enjoy my stories.

From Diane: When I posted (ad nauseum) about my outline process recently, friend and fellow author, Therese Fowler, piped in to say that she never outlines. I thought it would be fun to hear how Therese works so well without a net. I've read Souvenir--a poignant and beautifully crafted story--and look forward to reading Reunion. Having just ditched most of my outline now that my characters have taken over, I'm going to pay special attention to Therese's process. Welcome, Therese!


From Therese:

Before I dig in to the topic of this post, I want to thank Diane for inviting me to guest-blog here at her place in concert with the publication of my second novel, Reunion, which went on sale this week! My first, Souvenir, came out last year and is now out in trade paperback. It's been a treat to see it shelved literally around the corner of Target's Breakout Books display rack from Diane's Book Club pick The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.

Compared to Diane, I'm pretty wet behind the ears, so it's really interesting to get her perspective on things. During a recent episode of "shop talk," I mentioned how impressed I am with Diane's extensive pre-writing process. She's described it for you here--the detailed, lengthy synopses that demand so much of her time and energy. It amazes me that she can work out an entire story ahead of time, because my method is pretty much exactly the opposite!

I write mainstream/women's fiction, which means I don't have a prescribed word count and I'm not following a genre "formula." When I start a new novel, I'm working from little more than the parameters of the sorts of stories I like to write: a combination of elements that includes family drama, a love story or romantic sub-plot, the examination of a moral/ethical issue and a question of what's right in a given situation. My last proposal, which was the basis of my current two-book contract, was a page-and-a-half long. My proposal for Reunion was about the same. Considering that my manuscripts come in at +/- 100,000 words, let me tell you, it's a tall order to make sure I get all those words in a comprehensive order and delivered to my editor on time.

So why don't I outline, and how do I write those 100k words in the correct order and on time? Good questions! I sometimes wonder the same things myself!

I always begin a new work with two things: a situation, and a primary character or two. Just by thinking it through and journaling a bit, I discover a general starting point and ending point of the story. With Souvenir, I knew I was crafting a tragic but ultimately redemptive love story--but the nature of the tragedy and how it played out were details that emerged only after I'd begun. In short: I had to write the story to find it. This, then, is probably why I can't outline a story. I don't know my characters well enough at the beginning to be able to say what they'll do--and what they'll do is what creates the plot. It's only after I've written fifty or eighty pages that I begin to see the way my subconscious is creating connections. From there, I can further refine my characters, and when I do that, I can see what they might do next, given the situation I've established for them.

For me, crafting a story is, in essence, the process of creating and recognizing a series of diminishing possibilities that lead to an inevitable conclusion. However, using this method means that I have to be three things: 1) a good self-editor, 2) willing to start over as often as necessary until I find the right opening [which I do, sometimes discarding 50-100 pages:], and 3) an efficient, fast writer. Fortunately, I seem to be all of those things, which I think is the answer to how I can work this way and also produce a book each year.

Honestly, I've always been this kind of writer. In college, my essays and term papers were written seemingly off-the-cuff (and usually right before they were due)--and yet I still managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. It's not because I'm brilliant; rather, it's because I know what works for me and I've learned how to make the most of it.

I think it's so cool that although we go about it differently, Diane and I both create multi-layered, suspenseful (and, very importantly, publishable) stories, proving that disparate approaches can and do have successful outcomes. Any of you who are aspiring authors, take note! There is no one right way to craft a novel (nor is there one right kind of novel to craft). The important thing is to discover what works for you.

Hmm...for that matter, the same is true about relationships, occupations--and my personal favorite, popcorn toppings! (Browned butter, sea salt, and grated parm, thanks very much.)

I know I'll never be an outliner, which means that each time I sign a contract, both my publisher and I will be making a leap of faith. Considering how quiet and solitary the writing life tends to be, this brings a bit of mostly welcome suspense and excitement to my life!

However I go about it, my goal is to always provide readers with a full, engrossing, compelling, satisfying read, and I invite you to get in touch with me after you've read my books and let me know how well I'm doing my job. You, the readers, are the ultimate judges.

My thanks again to Diane for having me here, and warmest wishes to all of you!

-Therese

I wanted to pass along a couple of bits of information, so I'm combining them here.

First, what's with the outfit? Well, I needed a picture to go with this blog post and this is my most recent. I attended a party over the weekend where everyone was supposed to wear something from their college days. I've been saving my old fringed leather vest and peace sign earrings for decades, waiting for just such an occasion! It was great fun.

Second, those of you who signed up on my mailing list should have received my latest e-newsletter featuring The Courage Tree today. If anyone missed it and would like to see it, here's the online link. I wrote the text for the newsletter, but the lovely design was created by Tara Green, who is always a joy to work with.

Third, I blogged on my publisher's (Mira Books) United Kingdom site today, writing about the inspiration behind The Lost Daughter (aka The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.) If you're interested, pop over there and take a look.

Fourth, my updated website is about to go live! I'll keep you posted.

And finally, my BIG '20-year-celebration' contest is nearly ready to be unveiled. I'm so excited about it, and I'll let you know the second it begins.

http://dianechamberlain.com/blog/2009...

I received my copies of the Australian edition of Before the Storm today. I guess the book is being released there right now, or will be very soon. I've been getting the loveliest covers lately, haven't I? I have to admit, I'm glad they kept the title! It will make my life a little less confusing, not to mention much less confusing for my poor readers who are still traipsing all over trying to find The Lost Daughter and A Beautiful Lie, not realizing that they've already read the story under the title The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.

I am getting so psyched about the Topsail Island contest! The entries are piling up and I can't wait until I can call the grand prize winner on the phone to give her (or him) the great news. (Yes, I plan to make that call myself!). Only one more week to enter, so if you haven't done so already, beg, borrow or steal (only joking!) a copy of Before the Storm, answer the questions on the entry form, and get ready to hear my voice when you answer the phone.

Secrets She Left Behind is now available for pre-order! I can't wait to be able to say "It's in stores." Very soon. So many exciting things going on!

The contest continues! Win a vacation on Topsail Island and help me celebrate my 20 years as an author by clicking here to learn more. You may enter once a day.
http://www.dianechamberlain.com/chamb...

I played around with this title until I liked the rhythm of it. A more apt subject heading might be "miscellany", but that doesn't have much of a ring to it. So here we go!

•Podcast: One of my neighbors, high-schooler Kelly Williamson, had to create a podcast for a school assignment and she asked if I'd agree to be interviewed. She was a delightful interviewer full of great questions, and the podcast of the interview can be heard here.

•Kindle: Do you have one? Some of my older (as well as my newer) books are available in Kindle format. You can find the following books at Amazon's Kindle Store: Before the Storm, The Courage Tree, The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, Summer's Child, Kiss River, Her Mother's Shadow, The Bay at Midnight, and Cypress Point.

•Newsletters: My latest e-newsletter will be sent out on May 26th. It's so pretty! If you haven't signed up to receive my e-newsletters, you can do so here.

•Song: I joined a choir at the church I recently started attending. I used to sing with an interfaith gospel-ly type choir in Northern Virginia and I adored it, but we didn't use music (needed our hands free to clap, you know). I know how to read music, sort of, in that I know an A from a G (I'm slightly embarrassed to admit I played the accordian as a wee tot), but I simply do not understand how people can look at those notes and sing them without hearing them played first. I'm in awe! I'm also determined to learn how to do this. All advice is welcome!

•Bonus: This just in! A new review of Secrets She Left Behind. "(Chamberlain) explores the psychological complexity of a family pushed to its limits. . . the alternating narratives allow plenty of insights into the characters' motives while creating intrigue and suspense." I love it! Secrets She Left Behind will be released on May 26th, just a few days away, but it's available for preorder everywhere.

Let me say one thing right up front: I think it's wonderful that there are so many opportunities on the Internet for readers to review novels they've read. I absolutely love being able to check out what other readers think about a book I want to buy. If most of the reviews of a certain book are glowing, I toss out the solo stinker, assuming the reviewer either has an ax to grind or very esoteric taste. Similarly, if most of the reviews are negative, I'll assume the one or two fabulous reviews are from the author's mother. If my mom were alive, I know she'd be sending reviews of my books to Amazon under a dozen aliases.

So, reader reviews are a boon to the reading public. However, it's another matter if you're the author under scrutiny. I know some authors say they never read reviews of their work, but I don't believe them. How could they not?? The problem I have is that I tend to read reviews just before bed, after I've finished working and am idly surfing the 'net. I'll read ten reviews of one of my books on Goodreads, let's say, or Shelfari. Nine reviews will give the book four or five stars and the tenth will give it three stars. A one star review, I can ignore. I simply assume it was written by the girl whose boyfriend I stole in the 2nd grade. But that three star review. . . hmm. That one gets to me, because I feel as though I failed a reader. I'll lay awake, thinking about the negative or mediocre review, trying to figure out what I did wrong. Did I really let the middle of the book drag? Was the main character truly too whiny? Did the ending honestly fail to satisfy? What can I learn from the review? I ask myself that last question all the time.

Are you a reader who leaves reviews on these and similar sites? I hope so. It may feel kind of creepy to think that the author will be reading your review, but I think I can speak for most of us when I say that we take them to heart. It's a wonderful way not only to let your fellow readers know what you think, but the authors as well.

From now on, though, I'm going to read them in the morning.

The Bay at Midnight just came out in the UK. I love the cover they gave it, even though it doesn’t quite fit the book. The youngest child in Bay is Julie, who’s 12, and this little girl looks younger, but I think the innocence portrayed on the cover does fit the story. Julie is so young and naive, and it’s that naivete that leads to the tragedy of her sister’s murder. Although all of my books have an element of mystery, The Bay at Midnight is a bona fide who-dunnit in addition to a family drama.
I’ve been interviewed by some of the media in the UK about this book and I love thinking about the story again. Since the setting for Bay is the summer bungalow of my childhood, it’s fun getting to talk about it one more time.

This is my second novel to be published in the UK. The first was The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes under the title The Lost Daughter. I heard from so many readers who loved that book, and I hope they find The Bay at Midnight equally as intriguing. I hope, too, that it will be under a bunch of Christmas trees in England this year!
http://www.dianechamberlain.com/blog/...