Adding a Bit of Sanity to This Crazy Season

As Adele pointed out, it IS that crazy time of year. Families gather, thoughts scatter, and writing is often shoved to the bottom of the much too long To Do List.

Here are a couple of suggestions to add a bit of sanity (and productivity) to this challenging season.

Try to beg, borrow, or steal a bit of time to flex your writing muscles every day. Otherwise, it's going to be very difficult to get back to your work routine after the holidays. You obviously won't be able to get the usual amount of writing done, but DO try to string some words together.

No time to write? "Sketch" instead. Use the original word processor (a notebook and pen/pencil) to jot down holiday story ideas. Capture the sensory details (sights/sounds/smells/tastes) that will add richness to your work when you finally have time to sit down at the computer keyboard. Don't forget to do some character sketching too by making the most of people watching around that extended family dinner table or at those holiday parties you simply must attend.

Whatever holidays you celebrate, do hope they're filled with loads of love, laughter, and wonderful surprises!

May the Muse be kind!!

Susanne Rose

http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne RosetteKeep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.

http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

The Lost Week

Sometimes, real life takes precedence over the author's life. That's what happened that made me miss a weekly posting date. Not that anybody noticed I'm sure.

Family responsibilities topped the list. Once those were taken care of, must confess I didn't do much more than the most pressing deadline projects and quickly checking e-mail in case an editor needed something urgently.

I slept late, lingered over coffee and conversation with a visiting relative.
Getting back to the regular routine is more than just a little bit difficult. Hope things are going more smoothly for you.

May the Muse be kind!!

Susanne Rose

http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne RosetteKeep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.

http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

Quotes on Writing

1- It's true that writing is a solitary occupation, but you would be surprised at how much companionship a group of imaginary characters can offer once you get to know them. ~Anne Tyler

2- It is not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one's thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them.
~Isabel Colegate

3- You must want to enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist, you are learning your craft—then you can add all the genius you like.
~Phyllis Whitney

4- Writing is the only thing that...when I'm doing it, I don't feel that I should be doing something else instead.
~Gloria Steinem

5- I always try to write on the principle of the iceberg. There is seven-eighths of it underwater for every part that shows.
~Ernest Hemingway

6- Many books require no thought from those who read them, and for a very simple reason; they made no such demand upon those who wrote them.
~Charles Caleb Colton

7- Success is a finished book, a stack of pages each of which is filled with words. If you reach that point, you have won a victory over yourself no less impressive than sailing single-handed around the world.
~Tom Clancy

8- There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.
~Red Smith

9- If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, will answer you: I am here to live out loud.
~Emile Zola

10- Perhaps it would be better not to be a writer, but if you must, then write. If all feels hopeless, if that famous 'inspiration' will not come, write. If you are a genius, you'll make your own rules, but if not - and the odds are against it - go to your desk no matter what your mood, face the icy challenge of the paper - write.
~J. B. Priestly

11- If you don't allow yourself the possibility of writing something very, very bad, it would be hard to write something very good.
~Steven Galloway

12- Your stuff starts out being just for you… but then it goes out. Once you know what the story is and get it right - as right as you can, anyway - it belongs to anyone who wants to read it, or criticize it.
~ Stephen King

13- The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shock-proof shit detector.
~Ernst Hemingway

Io, Saturnalia!

It may not have been Christmas exactly, but the ancient Roman Saturnalia (17th-23rd. December) was certainly an opportunity for feasting and gift-giving. Over the years, this time of merry-making, sacrifices and gift-giving expanded to a week and the poet Catullus - who knew a thing or two about parties - called it 'the best of days'.

In many ways this ancient festival was rather like Christmas:

Schools were on holiday.

Gambling was allowed.

Shopping at special markets was encouraged.

Holiday clothes were worn - the informal, colourful 'dining clothes' instead of the plain, bulky toga.

Presents were given - parrots, wax candles, dice, combs, perfumes, little pottery dolls.

Feasting was indulged, with Saturn himself in charge as Lord of Misrule.

People wished each other a merry Saturnalia with the evocation, 'io Saturnalia!' ('Yo Saturnalia!')

My ancient Roman historical romance Flavia's Secret has its climax and ending during the Saturnalia - have you entered my competition yet, by the way? If not, see my previous post for details.

The Pompeiian partygoers in the picture come from the BBC's Ancient Rome pages.

One Touch, One Glance.

Since I didn't see anyone scheduled to post today, I thought I'd take a second to pimp the incredible anthology I am priviledged to be a part of with 18 other talented authors.

One Touch, One Glance

A Sweet Romance Anthology

True Romance is back, Baby!

Blurb:

Whatever happened to good, old-fashioned romance? Remember reading about a man’s clothed physique, or how a fellow admired a woman in a pretty red dress? How about stories where couples fall in love with just one glance or that first gentle touch? Then open this anthology and enjoy 18 beautiful stories of love lost, love found, intrigue, heartache healed, the miracles of life, passionate admissions, and tearjerkers that make one sigh with longing. From best friends who find romance to time travel to a bit of Christmas magic, step into the realm of hearts on fire and love everlasting.

COMING December 9th to Freyas Bower

PURCHASE LINK (goes live Dec 9th)

Here's an early review!

Cocktail Reviews HERE

Hurry Up ... And WAIT!

My one day 3,000+ word project got accepted ... I think. The editor asked for some additions which I completed and returned. Haven't heard if they worked for her.

Then, responded to another emergency call, this one for 4,000+ words. Finished and submitted before the tight deadline, but don't know if my story made the cut.

The week felt like a jumble of hurry up and wait.

Could we postpone Thanksgiving a bit? Don't think I can possibly get ready by next Thursday!

May the Muse be kind!!

Susanne Rose

http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne RosetteKeep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.

http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

Meet Diana Castilleja

Diana, good morning.
We would love to get to know you. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Well, I'm a SAHM, been married almost 10 years, with one son and have lived in Texas most of my life. I've been writing since 2004, in several romance genres. I've written some 25 different stories from 8K shorts to 85K length novels. The majority of what I've written have been novel length. I'm currently with three publishers.
What's your favorite genre to read?

Hands down this would be paranormal. Any kind of shifter, vampire, demon, dragon, fantasy laden story and I'm all over it. I read on average a book a day when I am reading. Some of who I read are Christine Feehan, Jacquelyn Frank, Vicki Lewis-Thompson and Mary Janice Davidson. Very small section of the TBR pile there.
Who or what influences you when you write?

Usually a lot of what I'm reading influences me, but I rely on my own imagination a lot. Scary, ain't it? LOL

Can you please give us a sneak peek at any of your upcoming books?

My upcoming book is a shifter book, the first of my Aiza Wolf shifters, a four book series. It should be out in early '09.
Roman Aiza is the second son born into a set of quadruplets. All four share a unique family secret: they are the last known bloodline of an ancient family, one that gives them the ability to shapeshift at will into the form of a wolf. Roman has his hands full when he follows a trespasser into the depths of the Cassel residence, on the night of Cindy Cassel's eighteenth birthday party.
The trespasser ends up being a woman who shows no fear and tells him absolutely nothing before she manages to walk right out of his hands. After a week of trying to uncover who the mysterious woman could be, Cindy is kidnapped and he must trust the very woman he has no reason to trust at all.
Do deadlines help or hinder your muse?

A little bit of both. My muse can be hard on me but I make her work too. I just finished a 15K novella for an anthology in four days. I usually get my own way.
Who is your target audience? And what motivated you to start writing for this audience?

I would say my target audience is the 30-50 something crowd, well read, with a little free money, most likely enthusiastic readers. I started writing for myself to begin with and as I kept writing, my writing evolved and seemed to fit well with that demographic group.
What are the biggest challenges that you face? And, how do you deal with these challenges? Honestly, garnering readers. Starting in epublishing is a hard, hard road to take. Even being in print is no guarantee. For me, every book, any format counts. Any person who has something with my name on is a potential reader and that's how I work my career. I'm earning readers a book at a time. I market myself a lot. I actively promote my releases and attend book signings. Yes it takes away from writing the next book or story, but only a fraction of writers today and in the future will have the powerhouse marketing of the SuperHouses behind them. To earn readers, it's up to the author.
Which aspects of the work that you put into the book did you find most difficult? Keeping the story and characters from sounding like each other, or everything else I've done. There's nuances in each story that help to keep them separate but sometimes it's just hard in my mind to hear them. It's caused a fair share of problems for me.
What do you do for inspiration?

I read. A lot.
What type of book have you always wanted to write?

If it's a book I wanted to write, then I have already. I think I've hit on everything I've had an eye on so far.
When did you first decide to submit your work? Please, tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step.

I actually submitted after I'd finished several stories. I had the idea that if I was going to write, I should know "how" to write better, if not well. LOL I joined a critique group then submitted my first book to Forbidden Publications. The whole process for that first book took about eight months from the crit group to several agent queries to finally trying my hand at an epublisher. My mother was actually one of the first to tell me I needed to try to get published. Even when it was bad.
Do you outline your books or just start writing?

I'm a total pantser, a point to point writer. I get (if I'm lucky) the characters, a scenario or scene location, and a conflict.
Do you belong to a critique group? If so, how does this help or hinder you? I'm part of the Royal Blush Authors, a group of critters and mentors who work on bettering the writer's stories, plus I have a couple of people that can do reads for me. The only draw back is I'm obnoxiously slow to do the same, and I know it.
What would be the best way for readers contact you? Do you have a website? Email address? MySpace site? Blog? Message Board? Group?
This is the easy one. I have my websites, myspace, facebook, and several blogs that I'm on, or write with, as well as a few writing groups that I'm partnered with. Most links can be found on either website as well as an appearances page that I keep up to date with what's happening. Here's a just a few quick links:

http://www.myspace.com/dianacastilleja

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=668022595&ref=profile

http://www.freewebs.com/royalblush/index.htm

And I'm available through my website or by email.

And here's a taste of The Eternal Kiss

Blurb:
Diego Viteri has lived for centuries with only one real goal, to avenge himself against the one who destroyed the man that he was and created the creature he is now. He is suffering a growing loneliness that is becoming impossible to ignore. His only reason for not ending his life is to see that Brakka is served his justice and then, Diego can rest.
The last thing he is expecting is to have an encounter with a human woman who is willing to jump between himself and Brakka during a harsh and bloody battle. Their one meeting changes everything for Diego, bringing to life emotions and wants that he has long believed to be as dead as he is.
As he follows Titania and her band, his needs reshape into something that he can't ignore. Before he knows what he has done, he bonds with her and sets into motion the very thing he swore he would never do to another person. He has shared his curse and in the process may have very well killed her. And there is only one choice to be made to try to save her.
Excerpt:

Titania gripped the knob of her dressing room door, and made one more cursory look before meeting her band on stage. Without warning, an undulating wave of anger and hatred slammed into her, and she staggered backward with a cried squeal of alarm.Her first terrified thought was someone had discovered her and she yanked in her mental barriers to block the waves of emotion. She forced air in and out of her lungs. Bowing her head, she let her eyes drift closed as the onslaught continued without mercy. Sparks scattered in front of her vision as she stilled, completely frozen, and fought for control. She concentrated, forming a solid wall between herself and whoever was out there. She knew without a doubt it was a man, close, at the bar by the stage. It took work to be able to breathe normally, keeping the pressure of his emotions at bay.He had come to kill, she knew that with a certainty that chilled her to the quick. His hatred pulsed, feeling thick around her. There was a tang of insolence in his hatred, a sense of omnipotence. She studied the waves, unraveling them, and found…emptiness. A dark chasm where his soul had once been.She shuddered with a convulsive shake, ripping her thoughts back to her own mind. Her eyes snapped open, her entire being feeling colder than she'd ever felt in her life. Her arms wrapped around her body, and she rubbed herself in reaction. She took a deep breath, feeling relief blossom inside her when she focused and found herself still ensconced in her dressing room.She had touched death, and was still living.Thank you for reading!Full chapters to all my stories are available on my website!

All Romance
http://tinyurl.com/3o45sy
Amazon
http://tinyurl.com/4exo5z
Barnes N Noble
http://tinyurl.com/42vcgx
Fictionwise
http://tinyurl.com/68d9tw
And coming in early 2009..... Trusting Delilah Book 1 Aiza Clan.

So Many Words ... So Little Time

Have you ever tackled NaNoWriMo, the event where you write a novel in November?

I haven't, BUT sure feel like I got a taste of the pressure. Responded to an urgent call for submissions that meant creating at least 3,000 words of polished ready to submit story in less than a day!

Whatever the work in progress on your desk happens to be, hope it's going well.

May the Muse be kind!!

Susanne Rose

http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne RosetteKeep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.

http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

Tis the Season ... to be FRAZZLED!

It's that time of year again, the season when what has to be done to prepare for the holidays and all that you want to do to savor every sweet moment conflicts with the work that needs to be completed.

This year, give yourself the most important gift of all ... a bit more time.

That might mean bribing an older child to keep the smaller ones quietly occupied so you can accomplish your tasks quicker. It might mean redeeming an assortment of take-out food coupons instead of cooking a few nights each week. Record rather than watch your favorite TV programs and get some extra writing done so you can "bank" your usual working hours to spend on holiday fun.

Even though authors have to be magicians in terms of multi-tasking, we can't actually manufacture extra hours in the day or days in the week.

With a bit of creative ingenuity, we CAN stretch the hours we have to include lots of guilt-free holiday fun!

May the Muse be kind!!

Susanne Rose

http://tinyurl.com/2wlc43 “Lucki In Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

http://tinyurl.com/33ndbl ”The Christmas Promise,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne RosetteKeep the spirit of the holidays going strong and take advantage of this bonus offer: Just send an e-mail to the author: Susannerose@wildrosepublishing.com) with “The Christmas Promise” in the Subject Line. You’ll have to read the story first so you can identify the secret recipe when you send your e-mail. Santa will send you a copy of the secret recipe.

http://tinyurl.com/3d2gsc “Forever Love,” a Wild Rose Press Champagne Rosette

A first look at 'A Knight's Captive'

My next Kensington book doesn't appear until the spring, but I've just been sent the cover and I can't wait to share it with you!

The story is set in 1066 and I'll tell you more later about the Breton warrior Marc de Sens and his young lady Sunniva, their pilgrimage to Durham, a set of juggler's knives and a little matter of the Norman invasion of England.

Right now I'll just say that A Knight's Captive is due from Kensington Zebra in April 2009 and you can pre-order it now from Amazon, Borders or Barnes and Noble.

Lindsay
lindsaysbookchat.blogspot.com