Category Archives: books

Aug25

Planning another marathon session tonight

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I’ve been absent from this blog because I am in re-write hell. I had a story that I thought was complete at 55,000 words- it was short because I was targeting the Harlequin Romantic Suspense line. Sent it in and got a rejection letter but it was a great letter- the editor liked it but said it wouldn’t fit what they  needed at the time- She was very encouraging about the story itself- she liked the  heroine and the story line but felt I needed to ramp up the romantic elements. She didn’t say it, but I think it was partly due to the language my character uses. 

I then pitched it to another editor- added more words and got it to 70,000- thought the story was complete at that length as well. I sent it to her and she was encouraging as well. She liked it, too but thought it was too short.   Oy Vey!  Too short?

Then, I attended RWA National conference and pitched it to an agent. She wanted it bigger, too.  She asked me to re-evaluate it and send it to her after Labor Day. So, now I’d been told twice to make the sucker longer. 

 AND I have begun that quest.  Started it on Sunday and am up to Chapter 8. I have added over 8000 words so far this week. I’ve been working two chapters a night for the last couple of nights (did 3 on Sunday)-  It may not sound like much to say I’m working on two a night but this is tedious. I am trying my damnedest not to “pad” the story and sometimes, I add something only to get two pages further down and I already have something similar and have to go back and take out the stuff I just added.   Very slow going.

AND now, I come home and am immediately distracted by a Clive Owen movie. He’s the inspiration for the hero in the story I’m working on. It’s a conspiracy.   I’m sure of it.  But, if I want that elusive contract for a full length book, I gotta buck up and meet the goal I’ve set for myself for the week. Wish me luck!

EDITED TO ADD:  Just got an email that  the newest anthology I’m in has released. It is called Halloween Dances with the Dead and my story is called The True Believers.  It was inspired by the Pensacola Lighthouse and the allegations that it is haunted.  Here are the front and back covers and order info: http://whortleberrypress.com:80/

Aug13

Southern Sizzle Blog

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I am one of seven members that blog on the Southern Sizzle Romance blog. We each blog one day a week. Saturdays are my day to blog. I have dubbed my day Bad-urday as I feature bad boys of fiction- books and films.  This month is our one year anniversary as a group blog. We have Dianna Love as our guest blogger of the day and she’ll be blogging about her series co-written with Sherrilyn Kenyon. The heros of these books are all employed by the BAD Agency. An agency so secret, even the CIA knows nothing about it. It is an awesome series.  Not paranormal which is usually Sherrilyn’s forte.  I love these books.  The first is Phantom in the Night. I bought it at LaGuardia Airport on a trip home from New York a few years ago- before I ever knew Dianna- and I loved it. 

The second one  is Whispered Lies (my personal favorite),  and then there is Silent Truth.  On September 28, 2010, a novella will be released.  It is in an anthology called Deadly Promises and I’ll be lined up to get it.  It’ll be my only one that isn’t autographed so I’ll have to wait til I see Dianna again to get that one signed.  She’s an awesome writer and a great person.  I highly recommend her work- I hope you’ll all drop by and check out the SS post on the 14th- here’s the link:

http://southernsizzleromance.wordpress.com/

Here are the covers of the books so far- there are more coming in the future- stayed tuned as I’ll  update you on the series as the books are released- here’s hoping for a long run.

Aug11

The Summer of You

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The Summer of You is another book I got at RWA conference. It was pretty good, too.  Seemed to be a second book in a series. It wouldn’t be necessary to read the first one to enjoy this one. There was really only one thing that bothered me. As those of you who know me well, a curse word doesn’t bother me in the least and I’ve been known to use them -sometimes very often.  Well, in this story, the writer used very lovely prose. She seems to have a calm, easygoing voice. But twice in the course of the book, she uses the word “ass” in such a way that it jerks me right out of the prose. The use of the word “buttocks” or something like that seemed more in line with the voice of the writer. The word “ass” seemed too modern for the tenor of the story. I didn’t like it. But other than that, it was a good read.

The hero was likeable. He’d been a spy and was  injured in the war with France. He had an injury to his leg that affected him.  I enjoyed the fact that he was a hero with a weakness. Doesn’t happen with this era of historicals usually.

Aug8

Two Books I Recently Read

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So, got an a** load of new books at RWA National Conference last week.  I have given some to a dear friend who is my beta reader, chapter members, office staff and my mother. I kept a hefty portion for myself because I stood in long lines with my shoulder hurting from the weight of the tote bag (and box) full of them- and not least of all, because I love to read.  It was a very tough decision on which to read first- after a few days of organizing and just fondling them, I settled on The Rules of Gentility for my first choice. It is written by Janet Mullany and the cover says she is “the witty, secret love child of Jane Austen and Lord Byron.”  I have to agree. It was a quick, fun read and if you like Jane Austen, you’ll like this. The heroine is also described as Bridget Jones-like on the back cover.  Full of humor, charm and two proposals in the water closet, I recommend this book for the pure inane fun of the two lead characters.  They are quite evenly matched.

The second one I chose was on a whole different level and different century. It is called A Cast off Coven by Juliet Blackwell. It’s the second in a series of about a witch who owns a vintage clothing store in the Haight- Asbury district of San Fransisco in this century. The story involves nuns, old clothes and a death at an art school. I found that it wasn’t necessary to have read the first one to enjoy this second one.  It is more on the lines of what is called a cozy mystery. It has a romantic element but the murder/haunting is the major focus of the story. This witch is funny and sassy. The best part is she is allergic to cats and her familiar is a pig.  His name is Oscar and he is a gnome-like critter in his real form but takes on a pot bellied pig persona in front of people. He likes to cook, too.  A very good story and a fun escape.  I liked this one enough to seek out the first one to read as well. 

Aug4

Dying for a Date: Cindy Sample

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One of the wicked awesome things about being accepted as an L&L Dreamspell writer is to be a part of the yahoo loop for those writers. I have discovered some really amazing  people and a whole new world of stories. I bought the book Dying for a Date by Cindy Sample because it just sounded so great.  I read it on the way to RWA National conference in Orlando last week.  It was a fun read. I love a sassy heroine and this gal rocked!  It is a story of a woman re-entering the dating game after a long absence when she gets divorced.  Her first date is murdered the same night she goes out with him and she becomes suspect number one.  Complete with hot cop, this story is a pleaser and I recommend it as a quick read- a beach read- an anytime read. 

Cindy’s next book is Dying for a Dance and I’ll be in line to get it as soon as it comes out. It has to do with ballroom dancing. I’m sure my friend Emmy, the ballroom dancer, would love it, too and I’ll  be recommending it to her.

http://www.lldreamspell.com/CindySample.htm  check out her author page.

Aug1

Home From RWA

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Just got back from Romance Writers of America National conference.  Am quite done in. Really.  But I came home to an awesome email- the cover for the next Halloween Anthology.  I have a story in it called The True Believers.  This is a wicked cool cover and I’m happy with it. Whortleberry Press is stepping up their game with these covers.  This one reminds me of the cemeteries in New Orleans.

 I believe the book will be available Sept. 1, 2010.  The last one came out  a week early so we’ll see if this one does as well.

Jul7

That Special Book in My Life

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Greek and Latin myths- read them over and over

Port of Rethymno

I could re-read Virgil’s Aeneid over and over. It is a great tale of love and loss – who could forget when Aeneas leaves Dido and she commits suicide? I took four years of Latin in school and had to translate lots of passages from this story. You might think that would make me hate it, but I didn’t. One story I DID hate in high school literature class was Beowulf. Give me ancient Latin over olde English anyday. Although that brings up Shakespeare who I DO love. Very witty man. And he had a great imagination.

I also love the Greek myths. The Iliad, The Odyssey, and the story of Jason and the Argonauts and Jason’s horrible wife Medea. I loved the story of The Minotaur and even had a pet bird when I was in law school that was named Theseus. Wanted to name a daughter after Ariadne, but alas, had sons.

There is so much going on in those tales. Great stories that inspire. Love, love, love mythology.

Jun24

LL Dreamspell Publishers

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I recently sold a story to LL Dreamspell for their Mystery Anthology. It is called Pimps and Hos. I  have been added to their website as one of their authors.  I hope to add more stories to my page soon.  I am working on an idea for one right now.  See my other blog:  http://jillianchantal.wordpress.com/

check it out if you want. ttp://www.lldreamspell.com/SherryChancellor.htm

http://www.lldreamspell.com/DreamspellMysteryVol1.htm

Jun14

Edgar Rice Burroughs

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Needs to stay in his grave and quit trying to comment on my blog. Better yet, he needs to stay in the jungle with his ape.  I have read the Brothers Karamazov– when I was 16 and still in high school.  I also read The Idiot at the same age.  I can read in Latin, Spanish and some Italian.  Just because I didn’t like a book you seem to adore enough to have written yourself, doesn’t make me stupid.  Give it a rest, already. Or contact me with your real name as we both know you aren’t a man that died in 1950. AND I have read Tarzan as well, by the way. I have an opinion, you have an opinion and this is my blog. I will write what I please. I won’t be bullied by a dead man (or live one either, for that matter.)

My definition of thriller is obviously different that yours, Dead Sir. Thriller means, to me, that the book is so good and so fast paced that it can’t be put down.  Sorry to say the book you and I disagree about was  very much one I could (and did) put down.  I suggest you and I agree to disagree and let it go.

If you DID write the book of whence I speak, you need to learn to take criticism. How did you ever become a writer with such thin skin?  Not everyone is going to love your work. Sorry, but that is reality.  Your comments to me are not going to change my mind and make  me suddenly love the book. I just didn’t. I apologize if that helps but please don’t call me stupid for not liking the book.  I really am quite intelligent.