Keeping things in perspective
I've spent a great deal of time this week assessing what's important to me. No, not personally, family is always most important and that front is as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.
No, the assessment was as a writer and what I'm truly made of, or more, what I not. Writing is a lonely pursuit and the feedback isn't immediate, so you can write an entire manuscript and think your idea is a good one, only to find out months later that it truly sucks. It feels like telling a joke and having no one laugh. Or like putting your soul into something and finding that you've gone about it the wrong way. Or like an unexpected blow to the gut. That happened, resulting in a story that I have no heart to redo. Not because of the negative feedback, but because I'd actually lost heart before that. Sad, because it worked for me, but then, I know the story and the characters. I have to wonder how I could have gone so wrong.
I also finished a major rewrite on a story that has languished on my hard drive for over two years. It's actually the first novel I ever wrote, named it Her Inconvenient Marriage, and subbed it to Noble Romance. They bought it, but then I realized that it needed more work than I had time to devote to it, so I asked the publication be put off, which it was. Now it has a new title, Demands of the Heart, and will be out on February 20. Here's the tentative blurb:
In 1807, idealistic Richard Fanshaw and Victoria Bramhill areconsumed with each other, their young love blooming amidst a series of carefreesoirees and stolen moments.
But jealousy and greed turnwhat they have into something ugly and twisted. They're wrenched apart by vile lies and deceit when Victoria's freedom is sold to payher father's debts.
Six years later, Victoria is a widowed and a cynical Richard has just returned to England after yearsin India. Having been given the impression that Victoria's marriage was ahappy one, a chance meeting renews Richard's anger over Victoria's betrayal andsets in motion his plan for revenge.
I haven't put out a het in a while, I guess not since The Rogue's Salvation, so I'm excited to have Demands coming out.
Which brings me to the other revelation I had this week. I love writing historicals, as much as I love reading them. No, that isn't news, not for anyone who knows me. My daughter laughed when I told her that a couple of days ago. "Really, Mom, and that's news?"
My mother might say that I have an old soul, but then, well, birthdays don't lie, if you know what I mean. I've always loved history and writing stories set in a more genteel time is something that makes writing a thrill for me. I'm grounded there and it's where I'll stay, save for the occasional foray into different historical periods. I've love to do a story set during the American Civil War and do a Victorian, so I can employ the advent of the railway. I'm also working on one set in Old Hollywood, which I'll get back to when I finish the two projects I have going now.
I love writing both het and m/m, and have one of each in various stages of readiness for submission. Both are written, but undergoing some polishing. They're both historicals and I think they are both good stories. Betas have loved them in draft form, so I'm hopeful.
On the news front, there are some really good things going on. Romeo Club #1: Surprises has been nominated in the Love Romances Cafe Best of 2011 contest as the Best BDSM Book of 2011. The voting starts tomorrow at Love Romances Cafe.
I also found out that Splendid Captivity is going to audio. That's exciting and I can't wait to hear how the opening scene sounds. THAT alone will be worth the cost of admission. That book has been a trip for me from start to finish. A good trip, mind you. It's my first book in print, I think one of the best covers I've got, and now it's going to audio. I just discovered that you can purchase a print copy of Splendid for $5.99. Follow the link above. That's cool!
Something interesting - A Minute After Midnight is #26 on the Amazon Literature and Fiction list in Germany and #22 on the Gay and Lesbian list. I have no idea how big those categories are, but it's at least 100, LOL.
Yeah, this writing thing has it's up and downs, but I'm determined not to let the downs overshadow the ups. Everything needs to stay in perspective. I'd kind of lost sight of that for a bit, but I'm track again. This next week will rock!
Till next time,Luv,Brita
No, the assessment was as a writer and what I'm truly made of, or more, what I not. Writing is a lonely pursuit and the feedback isn't immediate, so you can write an entire manuscript and think your idea is a good one, only to find out months later that it truly sucks. It feels like telling a joke and having no one laugh. Or like putting your soul into something and finding that you've gone about it the wrong way. Or like an unexpected blow to the gut. That happened, resulting in a story that I have no heart to redo. Not because of the negative feedback, but because I'd actually lost heart before that. Sad, because it worked for me, but then, I know the story and the characters. I have to wonder how I could have gone so wrong.
I also finished a major rewrite on a story that has languished on my hard drive for over two years. It's actually the first novel I ever wrote, named it Her Inconvenient Marriage, and subbed it to Noble Romance. They bought it, but then I realized that it needed more work than I had time to devote to it, so I asked the publication be put off, which it was. Now it has a new title, Demands of the Heart, and will be out on February 20. Here's the tentative blurb:
In 1807, idealistic Richard Fanshaw and Victoria Bramhill areconsumed with each other, their young love blooming amidst a series of carefreesoirees and stolen moments.
But jealousy and greed turnwhat they have into something ugly and twisted. They're wrenched apart by vile lies and deceit when Victoria's freedom is sold to payher father's debts.
Six years later, Victoria is a widowed and a cynical Richard has just returned to England after yearsin India. Having been given the impression that Victoria's marriage was ahappy one, a chance meeting renews Richard's anger over Victoria's betrayal andsets in motion his plan for revenge.
I haven't put out a het in a while, I guess not since The Rogue's Salvation, so I'm excited to have Demands coming out.
Which brings me to the other revelation I had this week. I love writing historicals, as much as I love reading them. No, that isn't news, not for anyone who knows me. My daughter laughed when I told her that a couple of days ago. "Really, Mom, and that's news?"
My mother might say that I have an old soul, but then, well, birthdays don't lie, if you know what I mean. I've always loved history and writing stories set in a more genteel time is something that makes writing a thrill for me. I'm grounded there and it's where I'll stay, save for the occasional foray into different historical periods. I've love to do a story set during the American Civil War and do a Victorian, so I can employ the advent of the railway. I'm also working on one set in Old Hollywood, which I'll get back to when I finish the two projects I have going now.
I love writing both het and m/m, and have one of each in various stages of readiness for submission. Both are written, but undergoing some polishing. They're both historicals and I think they are both good stories. Betas have loved them in draft form, so I'm hopeful.
On the news front, there are some really good things going on. Romeo Club #1: Surprises has been nominated in the Love Romances Cafe Best of 2011 contest as the Best BDSM Book of 2011. The voting starts tomorrow at Love Romances Cafe.
I also found out that Splendid Captivity is going to audio. That's exciting and I can't wait to hear how the opening scene sounds. THAT alone will be worth the cost of admission. That book has been a trip for me from start to finish. A good trip, mind you. It's my first book in print, I think one of the best covers I've got, and now it's going to audio. I just discovered that you can purchase a print copy of Splendid for $5.99. Follow the link above. That's cool!
Something interesting - A Minute After Midnight is #26 on the Amazon Literature and Fiction list in Germany and #22 on the Gay and Lesbian list. I have no idea how big those categories are, but it's at least 100, LOL.
Yeah, this writing thing has it's up and downs, but I'm determined not to let the downs overshadow the ups. Everything needs to stay in perspective. I'd kind of lost sight of that for a bit, but I'm track again. This next week will rock!
Till next time,Luv,Brita
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