Cornelia’s Comments (group member since Jun 18, 2009)

Cornelia’s comments from the Q & A with Cornelia Amiri group.

Lake Superior State University released the 35th annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness for 2009
http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php

I totally agree with bromance and app. They have to go. But tweet, I use tweet all the time, I need that word. They can’t banish tweet. Which words do you think should stay or which should go or what would you add.
http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php

The - Dear Author Blog - has a great artcle and post on Steampunk/Romance
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/...

Here is a Target.com link which shows nice steampunk boots you can atually get at Target - the price is listed also
http://www.target.com/Fashion-Boots-W...

Here's a fun video about How to Make a Steampunk Outfit
http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make...

Let's talk about Steampunk & Steampunk romance. Are you writing it, reading it, watching it on films? Are you wearing Steampunk clothes and jewelry? All Steampunk comments welcome.

Thank you so much for your comment Kelley. Library conferences are great. Believe me, I still consider myself a newbie. I have a lot to learn still. LOL

The first contract I signed was in 2000 for my first novel, The Fox Prince. As authors are known to do, I wrote an article about it at the time. Here are my exact impressions as written when it happened in 2000.

Cloud Nine
When I received the e-mail form Awe Struck accepting my novel, the “Fox Prince”, I was on cloud nine. Bubbling with happiness, I was more animated then usual at work. I followed my standard good mornings with, “Did you hear about my book?” I e-mailed my publisher, Kathryn Struck, to tell her that I too was attending the Romantic Times convention and that I would love to meet her. She replied, “I am taking all the Awe–Struck authors to dinner on Thursday and would love for you to join us.” I walked around work waving the e-mail saying, “Look, look; I’m going to have diner with my publisher and the other Awe-Struck authors.”

Thursday came. I left work early and headed to the Romantic times convention. A lady at the sign in desk handed me a goodie bag of books and trinkets. With goodies in hand I headed to the e-publishing room and spotted the Awe Struck table the moment I waked in. I had seen Kathryn Struck’s picture from the web site, but I glanced at her nametag to make sure. It was her. I told her that I was Cornelia Amiri, the one that wrote the Fox Prince, and I just wanted to meet her. She said, “Oh, Cornelia yes you are going to write for us.” “Yes, yes I am,” I answered. I was buoyant, elated, . . . awe struck.

At dinner I met the awe struck authors who attended the convention. I’ve never met a nicer group of people and through out the coming days they were always there for me. We sat together at the fabulous luncheons and dinners: the award ceremony, the Roman Luncheon, the Venetian Carnival, Kensington's 25th Anniversary Luncheon, the Mr. Romance 2000 Competition, and Heather Graham's Vampire Ball II, Dead Man's Waltz. The highlight was Sunday's book fair where I handled the Awe-Struck table. I told everyone about electronic publishing and Awe-Struck, sold diskettes, and passed out bookmarks and pamphlets. I made a hand out that included my URL. Five people asked me to autograph it. Wow. Oh Wow. Fans!

The convention came to an end and I signed and snail mailed the contract to Awe Struck. I wrote two blurbs, e-mailed them and the excerpt that I’d picked out to Awe Struck. They sent me the specs for the cover art. I picked out one of the artist they use and sent the information he requested.

There is still so much to do. I am going through one more edit to make sure “The Fox Prince” is my best work. Then I have to make galleys; first I have to learn how to make galleys. But I love that. I love all of it. Cloud nine is a nice place to be. The Fox Prince

I just discovered Steam Punk Romance and it really interest me. I loved Jules Verne as a kid. Does anyone in the group write it? Does anyone in the group like to read it? Would anyone like to recommend some good Steam Punk books or stories? What are the latest open submissions you are aware of for Steam Punk Romance? This is an open discussion please post anything you would like here, links or anything regarding this genre.

You've probably heard, Penguin recently bought a book by two 19-year-old college freshmen of great literary classics retold in “Twenty Tweets or Less". Any thoughts or comments on this. Here's the link on an article about it http://tinyurl.com/mew97z

Thanks for joining my little group and think all of you for the brilliant, enlightening replies. I appreciate it so much.

With the popularity of paranormal, fantasy, and Sci-Fi romance influencing romance readers to also cross over to read main-stream speculative fiction, is it heavily impacting speculative fiction sales right now? In other words, do you think the Romance Genre is saving speculative fiction?