I'm very bad about posting news- but you knew that. I usually give it front page status then forget it. SO WHAT'S NEW?
Contract with Montlake Romances! Why? I haven't been interested in major publisher contracts for years. I don't meet the needs of the Big Six and they don't meet mine. But Montlake is clearly interested in keeping me involved in the entire publishing process in ways that do interest me. I really like the way they promote their authors- after all, if nobody knows about me or my books, what are the chances the books will be bought? And I really like that they have an innovative and expansive view of what the public wants to read. I like that they focus on what they can do, not what they can't.
Why hasn't Beloved Stranger been released? Well, the upcoming releases at Montlake have to take priority right now. The plan is three releases in September. That's a lot. But I think that will mean the majority of my work will be done by May, and I can concentrate on getting my novellas out. I also hope to get through with the revision of The Perfect Heroine (formerly Lady Valiant) so it can come out in summer. There are a few things about it that I need or want to change. I want Reggie to have a schooner, not a brig, for example. A brig is a pretty clunky boat for an adventurer like Reggie.
COMING EVENTS:
3/30-4/1: Rose City Romance Writers Spring Intensive.
4/14: Rose City Romance Writers. I'll be on the panel of cover artists.
3/7/2011:
Lady Wicked is out and doing well! She has found some wonderful reviewers so far, including Amy Lignor at RT Book Reviews who rated the book 4 1/2 Stars .
I'll be on Author Tools for a live interview Monday March 14. Be back soon with links so you can listen in.
On March 20, SamMarie Ashe and I will be on Julian and Grace's Book Club Page to talk about our collaboration on The Boss Wore Red.
store-67a3d.mybigcommerce.com
April 1-3, I'll be at Whidbey Island Writers Conference presenting two fireside chats: The Demon Pacing and Throw a Plot-Storming Party. And I'll be looking forward to hearing the panel discussion on Sunday morning about ebooks and self-publishing and all the other changes in the ebook industry.
Going to RT in Los Angeles April 6-10 and mostly just expecting to have a great time, see old friends, meet new ones and hopefully meet a few readers too. Then on to San Diego to visit family.
Back home, I'll attend the Rose City Romance Writers' Spring Intensive Workshop over Easter weekend. Looking forward to seeing some friends in other parts of the publishing industry.
And in May, I get to relax... well, catch up on all the things that didn't get done in April. I'm hoping to put out two more books, SIREN and FAERIE, both historical paranormal romances, as soon as I get them properly edited. I think I will run a contest to have readers help me choose which of three cover designs I should use for SIREN. I'll have to do a really nice prize, but haven't decided what it will be yet.
And summer? More of the same??? I have so many stories I want to write and never enough time to do them.
2/6/2011: SO MUCH NEWS!
I should have posted more often. Sorry! Never enough time to do it all.
HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE OF TOADS has just reached #1 on Amazon's Top Selling Regency Romances. Sales numbers continue to shock me for all my ebooks everywhere, but this one has just been phenomenal.
I'll be giving two workshops at the Whidbey Island Romance Writers Conference the first week in April. Topics are THE DEMON PACING (because Pacing is the demon that haunts most authors) and THROW A PLOT-STORMING PARTY! (a great way to get together with writer friends and use combined wits for the best plots.)
I'm going to Romantic Times in the second week in April. Then a week with family in San Diego. Barely a few days back from that and I'll be at the Rose City Romance Writers' Spring Intensive. My hubby will forget me before I'm done with that month!
And I'm super excited about my up-coming release, LADY WICKED, especially after learning how much the RT reviewer loved it. I can't wait to read her review!
FREE WRITE TIME!
You wouldn't believe how hard it is for writers to find writing time. There's so much to do in promo, in revisions and copy edits, and just the logistics of writing take up so much time. And we're supposed to have a family life? Don't tell our poor families that.
But in late August I did actually get some writing work done, and I'm getting some new submissions and proposals ready for September and October. Long may the crazy life endure!
AND Check out my new page of cover designs for sale.
7/25/2010: RELEASE DATE for LADY WICKED!
At last, a release date! LADY WICKED will be published in both print and e-format Feb. 25, 2011! Hard to wait till next year, but in publishing, anything less than a year from the contract date is considered terrific. I've waited a long time for this, my favorite story, to get what it deserves, so I can manage a little bit longer, don't you think? I'm so thrilled that The Wild Rose Press and my wonderful editor, Nicole D'Arienzo, saw what I see in this book. It's a romance with a real story. It's a story of triumph where it seems impossible. And it's a story of love that's deeper and broader than just romantic love.
Some great new reviews from Smashwords readers! See them on the FAN PAGE.
Leaving for Orlando tomorrow night for a week at RWA, attending the Beau Monde conference, meeting with publishers, editors and friends, and then family, for two days at Universal Studios and the new Harry Potter World of Wizardry, and Disney World!
SUMMER SPECIAL!
For a short time only at Smashwords :The Mudark and Fire Dance FREE
His Majesty, the Prince of Toads and Loki's Daughters, $2.99
EVENTS:
Orlando trip to the RWA conference July 27-Aug 2 and vacation time with family.Signing at Northwest Book Festival in Pioneer Square, Downtown Portland, Oregon in early August.
NEW RELEASE:
LADY WICKED, coming from The Wild Rose Press, date not yet announced. This book is the one I call my heart-of-my hearts book. It finalled in the Golden Heart in 2002, and then again in 2005, winning my third Golden Heart for me. But it's not a New York book. It's a different, daring subject, with an off-the-beaten-track setting. But it is truly my favorite, so I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time.I've also taken back my rights on five books that were previously published by Awe-Struck E-Books. Awe-Struck was wonderful to me, and I will always be so grateful to Kathryn Struck and Dick Claassen, the owners, who gave me a great start and were always there to help and support. When the ownership of the publishing company changed, I felt it was time to move on.
Re-issuing books is a tricky business. As print books, they tend not to do as well- unless you're Catherine Coulter or Nora Roberts. I'm not. Won't ever be. (I like myself as I am, cantankerous edge and all.) Yet, people like my books. Some love them. Now, at last, ebooks are finding the audience they have always deserved. Many authors are discovering self-publishing in ebook format, and it's a great way to give formerly published books a new life. So now four of my five books have been released on Amazon Kindle, Smashwords, and 1Romance EBooks. I'm looking for more sites, and enjoying watching my sales increase.
It's kind of neat to be able to say my book, The Mudlark, is on Smashwords' 100 Most Popular Books list. (That would be mostly free books for promo, but hey, why not?) And Loki's Daughters and His Majesty, the Prince of Toads are now one of their Top Best Selling Romances. Fire Dance is climbing rapidly too.
