Chase The Dream Contest Final

Tooting my own horn here, but hey, that’s what we do from time to time. It’s been a crazy month between Animal Control issues and personal things going on. Unfortunately, there won’t be an Agent Shop for March, but April is looking good. May too!

But, in the midst of chaos, I did have some good news. I was very excited to learn that my historical WIP ’BOUGHT’ was picked as the week one finalist in the Chase The Dream Contest held each year by the awesome Leigh Michaels and Rachelle Chase. A huge thanks goes out to both ladies. I can’t even begin to imagine how much time they have to invest in this contest! And they leave such detailed comments.

I’ve followed this contest for the last few years but have never managed a final. Thing is, even if you don’t final, the waiting is fun, the finalist and mini-critique winners are ALWAYS a great read, but even more than that, it’s a fantastic way to learn and discuss what works and what doesn’t.

If you’d like to read my 1000 word excerpt, you can find it here:

BOUGHT

I’d love your comments! Especially since we’ve been talking about what a hero can and cannot say. Mine said turd! And it’s a toss-up for likes and dislikes. Stop by and let me know what you think!

There is one week left. Finalists are chosen by Wednesday each week. If you’ve got an entry, send it in! It’s worth a shot and there is a great line-up of Agents/Editors who will be looking at the finalists and leaving comments. Yet another great way to learn!

You can find rules here:

http://chasethedreamcontest.wordpress.com/rules/

There is also a great list of past finalists, mini-critiques, comments and interviews.

The list of Agent/Editors are:

ALEX LOGAN, Assistant Editor, Grand Central Publishing

DEB WERKSMAN, Editorial Manager, Sourcebooks, Inc.

THERESA STEVENS, Managing Editor, Red Sage Publishing

ESI SOGAH, Assistant Editor, Avon Books

SUSAN SWINWOOD, Senior Editor, Harlequin – MIRA/Spice

Kelli Martin, Senior Editor, Kumani Press – Romance

BRENDA CHIN, Senior Editor, Harlequin Blaze

CHRISTINE WITTHOHN, Agent, Book Cents Literary Agency

LAURA BRADFORD, Agent, Bradford Literary Agency

ELIZABETH POMADA, Agent, Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency

Ummmmm, holy! Quite a line-up eh?

So don’t wait. The last finalist & mini-crit will be picked next week so send it out quick!

And now for discussion…

What can a Hero get away with? Ever read a hero who did somethign that threw you off?

Got Alpha? Villain Edition

Song of the day: Possum Kingdom by The Toadies

To love me is to fear me.

As writers, we know we must give our heroes at least two strengths and one weakness. This is true for our antagonists as well. The antagonist should be a worthy opponent, someone that will cause havoc and possibly ruin the world as the hero and/or heroine know it. It’s when we give our hero AND our villain Alpha qualities that things further become interesting. Often the mercury rises, too.

Villains can be a cunning adversary or an expert swordsman. He may be as elusive as the shifting fog or a superior puppet master. He can possess skills that match or even exceed that of the hero. He may have amazing brawn or scary smarts. But whatever his weakness – greed, lust, pride, gluttony, kryptonite, chocolate – our hero exposes it and uses it to his advantage, ultimately defeating the villain.

Intense!

Add in a hefty dose of Alpha male qualities and the threat generally rises to a mammoth challenge.

Just as with our hero, the bad guy’s confidence, married with his strengths, makes him all but guaranteed a victory. Who will best whom? What small insignificant turn of events tips the scale? It’s anyone’s guess and the battle of good vs. evil, right over wrong, who gets the girl, my daddy can beat up your daddy, is that much more intense. Alpha mano a mano.

You say 'dark side' like it's a bad thing.

To make the scoundrel Alpha, the writer must make being bad enticing, not only to the heroine, but also to the reader. All those little nuances that define a hero as a drool-worthy Alpha can conversely be applied with the same effects on the antagonist. Any traits, action, or dialogue that might be used with a protagonist, employ them on the baddie. An ultimatum delivered in a calm, almost friendly tone. The heroine delivers a blow to his mug and he strikes back with merely a wicked grin. He shows affection to a favored pet during an aggressive interrogation on his foe. Using his knife, he digs a bullet out of his flesh. Set these examples to both the hero and the villain and the writer will see it works either way. The difference, and there is a difference, is weaving Alpha traits, actions or dialogue in with the hero’s or the villain’s own natural tendencies, motivations and goals.

Wow - is it hot in here?

Alpha villains are even more dangerous when good looks and seduction are in play. This is especially bad for the heroine. She is fallible, after all. Good grief, who wouldn’t be weak in the knees when the Alpha villain is using his supreme persuasive powers. He brazenly stands naked in all his sexy glory for the heroine, or anyone else, to see. His eyes burn with desire (or indifference) as he fills up all breathable space. Pulling the heroine onto his lap, he whispers words of temptation along her neck.  His touch is possessive but gentle, rough but sweet, or just down right intoxicating. Hit me again, bartender.

You can conquer my fortress any day, Achilles.

The villain doesn’t have to be appetizing to be Alpha. Depending on the man, his characteristics can make him as unappealing as the author would like. Details, details, details. It is all in the details.

Can you name a villain or antagonist you find delightfully Alpha? Please, share.

My pick is Achilles.

Up next, Alpha females. Boy – this one will be hard.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing A Novel – or rather – to Never Giving Up!

Yeah okay, if only.

I’d buy it in a heartbeat at this point. Why?

Everyone suffers from the occasional burn-out. And I’m suffering!

We all consider throwing our hands up in defeat and walking away.

We all have our doubts about our own ability. Top that with family, work, emergencies, unable or unwilling to give us the focused time that we need.

Then there’s just the plain and simple stumbles - writer’s block, writer stall, missing muse – whatever name you personally want to use.

Let’s face it.  At some point in our careers as writers, (and if you are dedicated to your writing, you are considered as such) we’re going to hit several roadblocks. Whether they are of our own making or some outside force, we’ll have to weather the difficult times and push on. Face it, difficulty is part of the process. It separates the real writer’s from the pack and draws them down the longer road toward publication while the others meander off on another path.

So the big question is…

Have you ever SERIOUSLY thought about giving up? Have you quit for a time? Never even considered it?

And the even bigger question…

How did you fight through the tough times?

Here’s my personal Idiot’s guide:

• Keep pen and paper handy anywhere I go. (This way, if and when I get stuck, I can still let ANY idea that comes to mind find a home on paper.
• Do something! And by something, I mean stimulate that over-worked brain. it can be something as simple as a word search, or as difficult as calculus. Making your brain work can kick-start your muse.
• Visit a new place. Your muse will make an appearance when stimulated. Have a museum nearby? An old park or home that dates back in time? What about a space exhibit? I know! Your muse is already bashing around for attention isn’t it?
• The old, tried and true, READ. I swear by this.
• Try something new. Whether it’s food, a new craft, a sport. Experiencing something new can wake up tired brain cells. Ideas come in strange situations sometimes. Give them a chance to form.
•  Yoga – I really hate to put a disclaimer her, but always be careful starting any exercise program. Now, Yoga. You’d be amazed at how centering these exercises can be. And if you’ve never tried it before, then you’ll be doing two things on the list! Trying something new and exercising!
• Write anything! Even if it’s crap. Most of us can’t stand to write crap, our muse just won’t allow it, so eventually, the muse will take over.
• Go to a book store. There is something very invigorating about browsing the shelves, wondering what you want to read. It also doesn’t hurt to imagine your book, with your name on it, and its placement on said shelves. I confess to doing this every time I’m in a bookstore!
• Give yourself a break. Like John said in his previous post. A frustrated mind is an unproductive mind. Relax, treat yourself to something special.

 

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

Mine is crazy and as such, my fingers just can’t seem to stay on the keyboard this weekend.

However my notebook is next to the bed, so when eyes are closed and the house falls silent, I can jot down my thoughts and ideas.

Not the most productive for word count, but all that I can manage at the moment.

But better than nothing!

Happy weekend and happy writing!

“Happy are they whom the Muses love.” – Hesiod

 

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler! 

(Let The Good Times Roll!) 

 

          Think about it. The incalculable hours you’ve invested in writing, day after day, month after month. The tedious revisions. The unmerciful deadlines. Time…there’s never enough of it.  

          While your characters enjoy life, love, and fulfillment, you, on the other hand, are set adrift in a world where perspectives, oft times, become blurred by conflicts of home, family, and the near-desperate pursuit of a gainful writing career. Let me just finish this project, you plead with hands pressed against the floodgates, holding back a tide that threatens to mire you in a writer’s slump.

          Stop! Back away from the computer. When was the last time you penciled in “quality of life” on your calendar? It’s time to get a grip. You need a break. Though you may not think you deserve the luxury of recreation, it’s an absolute requisite for your Muse.

And you do not want to anger your Muse!

          So many of us are of the assumption that time management applies only to the work part of life’s work-play equation. In reality, the same discipline is vitally important for managing both.

          Everyone needs to schedule their allotted time to decompress. Your Muse demands it.  So bare your chest, let the hair fly, shed the inhibitions, and…

P-A-R-R-R-R-T-Y.

          Seriously! The Muses do keep a busy schedule, but they cannot function without quality partying. In his Theogony, Hesiod often spotted them hanging out on Mount Helicon making fair, lovely dance with vigorous feet. And in those days, of course, they’d spent a great deal of time on Mount Olympus where it’s said their dad, Zeuse, delighted them with parties and feasts.

          Little has changed in the last two or three thousand years. When these Goddesses are not dancing to the heart-pounding beat of a Beyonce video, they’re jetting off to New Orleans to enjoy Carnival — a term fittingly derived from the Latin Carnivale – “farewell to flesh.” So liberate your soul, bare your chests, and take a lesson from your Muses. Lighten up. Have a little fun!

          Do you doubt that Mardi Gras is exactly where your muses are right now?! What? Do you think they’d sit, day after day, raking a hand through tangled hair, trying to plot an escape from that corner you’ve painted yourself into? Forget it! They’re down here, on the bayous, lapping up our own particular brand of creative juices while reigniting flames of new inspiration. Is there proof of this, you ask? Hmm… Does Cinderella pick pumpkin pulp from a spackled slipper after midnight?

          Not only is their proof, but as it turns out, your Muses have a Mardi Gras parade all their own. Naturally, it’s called – “The Krewe of Muses.” And like Cinderella, their sparkling hand-decorated shoes are their trademark. In addition to glittering high heels, these Greek Goddesses throw all sorts of goodies to their legions of fans, chief among them — writers, poets, artists, musicians and philosophers. While the Krewe of Muses is strictly composed of women, men (in the tradition of courtly love) are irresistibly drawn to this exceedingly popular celebration. Why? In the words of British Poet Robert Graves, “No Muse-poet grows conscious of the Muse except by experience of a woman in whom the Goddess is to some degree resident…”

[By the way, the Krewe of Muses is more than glitter and heels. In the spirit of their namesake, this wonderful group of selfless women have lent support and special recognition to the arts and artists of the community. As well, their organization has generously contributed countless hours and thousands of dollars in charitable work benefiting women and children.]

          But I see some of the excessive compulsive workaholics among you remain unconvinced. You believe the source of inspiration comes purely from within, and like the carnival, the Muses are but some romantic folly. Must I remind you…? Ancient Mesopotamian rule avers that the Muse Goddess is the wellspring of ALL prose. The Muses – daughters of Zeus, King of Gods – are the true speakers for whom an author is merely the mouthpiece.

          I warn you, do not tempt the Muses on this point. King Pierus, for example, once tried and failed.  This Macedon ruler named his nine daughters after the Muses believing their skills were superior. He foolishly challenged the Muses to a match, and as result, all nine of the King’s daughters were transformed into finches and magpies.

          Then there was Thamyris of Dorium. The minstrel who boasted mastery over the Muses in a contest and lost. He wagered if he should be vanquished by the Muses, then they may take from him whatever they wished. For his arrogance, he first lost his eyes, then his mind.

          And what of the Sirens who chose to compete with the Muses in song. After defeating them, the Muses plucked the Sirens’ feathers and now wear them in ornament as crowns upon their heads.

          Is it worth the risk of rebuffing a Muse’s decree for fun and celebration, thus finding yourself without a mind, blind, and featherless, dining for grubs on the forest floor ? Hey, I’m not making this stuff up here. It’s documented history.

          I love these mischievous little nymphs, these nine daughters of Zeus. Look at all they do for us and still, they find time to feast on life. But of course, there are still some among you who pay no homage to the ancient goddesses of literature. Instead, you offer deference to graven images, idols, or effigies. You perceive yourself a contemporary writer whose inspiration is derived from a Muse, self styled to fit your own personality. A vogue, cutesy ceramic clown or some fluffy stuffed doll. Hey! Okay! That’s fine. Actually, it doesn’t really matter who or what the manifestation. It’s your Muse.

          But may I offer a bit of caution… Every Muse needs time off. If you deny them their rightful time for pause – to enjoy life, and decompress – then you’ll find your inspired prose will become ruled by the muse on the right.

Happy Mardi Gras, everyone, and…

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

Got Alpha? Part 2

Song of the Day: You’re Going Down by Sick Puppies

Alphas don’t generally need to prove their dominance with the heroine – but isn’t it nice when he does? Yet, it is necessary for him to be established as an Alpha. No more than when he is around other men, friend or foe. This is the perfect time to show his dominance. Think of male dogs growling and circling one another.

Saddle up!

So as promised, I’ll highlight a few of our favorite Alphas.

Let’s start with the cowboy. Cowboys, by their very nature, are Alpha. These guys almost always endure hardships that chisel not only their bodies but their souls. His work, tilling the land, driving cattle, mending fences, and barn-raising, under harsh conditions defines him. And his entertainment? What cowboy doesn’t dabble in some sort of sinful leisure – gambling, drinking, and the less harmful rodeo? His attire is tailor-made Alpha, too. He wears dusty cowboy boots and a Stetson style hat shielding his eyes. (Sun protection? No. His hat keeps the heroine from taking a really good look into his eyes.) And, oh, those jeans. They fit his butt just right. Really, you can’t go wrong here.

"I'll be your huckleberry."

"Somebody outta belt you in the mouth. I won't, I won't, the hell I won't."

The trick is to take the natural Alpha elements and capitalize them. To have your hero lasso your reader, as I said in my last post, you must use subtle actions. For such an archetype, there is so much a writer can do.  Slowly, he rolls his loaded pistol across his arm, checking its chamber.  He leans across his saddle horn. He calmly calls a bluff (the cheat, the heroine, or the cheating heroine with the ace up her sleeve) without losing his temper. Propping a boot on the table with his hand no where near his gun or resting his rifle on his hip. And he pets his woman as tenderly as he pets his horse. The Alpha is confident and so much of his body language reinforces that.

Need help? Look to western movies for cues. Better yet, watch any John Wayne movie. That man oozed Alpha.

My, what a big, um, gun you have.

Now take the detective, private investigator or man serving his country. This guy has his occupation he can grind his stone to. He’s seen unspeakable, horrific things and has dealt with a great deal of evil or sick-minded people. He must defuse the ticking time bomb of trouble threatening himself, his family, the heroine or all of mankind. Boy – he better have broad shoulders to carry all that weight upon. He’s a hardened man. Adversity is always at play.

That’s not to say that because he’s a police officer, CIA agent, or air force pilot he’s an Alpha. For instance, Saving Private Ryan was a great movie. But there was no real Alpha in the story, not even Tom Hanks. You may disagree but keep in mind leadership does not necessarily mean dominance.

"You've got to ask your self one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

So the writer needs to work on the little things that will make him spring from the page. The cigarette barely hanging between his lips slowly burns. He grinds his knee perhaps a bit too hard in the perp’s back as he slaps on the cuffs. He sleeps with his finger on the trigger of the gun under his pillow.  His jaw ticks as he struggles to maintain his anger. He meticulously cleans every part of his weapon quickly, efficiently and mindlessly. Sweat clings to his t-shirt defining his abs. He swipes the bloodied knife across his cargo pants. His craft is well-honed. No doubt the heroine appreciates that.

Maybe you should remove all those wet clothes.

Shwing!

For you paranormal folks, Alpha males rule. Many of these heroes in this genre reflect their animalistic traits. Whether he howls at the moon, breaths fire, ghost hunts, or vants to suck your blood, this man is a creature, a loner and a hunter. Feral, he stalks his prey with deadly precision – lucky girl. He must vanquish the evil and so physical combat is a requisite. This Alpha exudes hotness. Licking his lips, he “drinks” his heroine in. Or maybe he runs his tongue along his teeth. He has an easy flick of the wrist while swinging his sword around, readying for battle. The only sound he makes comes from the whisper of his black trench coat as he disappears into the shadows. He brands his female with a bite, a scent, a binding arm cuff or magical tattoo. When he speaks, he is calm but stern, with a tinge of dare. No questions, only demands.

There is not much this guy can do to not be Alpha. Well, expect maybe “marking” his territory or “grooming” himself.

Just don't resist, my love.

Need movie cues? How about the steamy Dracula movie starring Keanu Reeves and Gary Oldman (a personal weakness of mine) or Van Helsing?  Van Helsing and Count Vladislaus Dracula have an Alpha tug-o-war.

You’ll note I keep referencing movies. Movies are a goldmine of visual prompts.  Pick a movie with a strong male lead from the genre you write.  Watch the hero carefully, watch his mannerisms. What makes him the hero? What makes viewers root for him even when he is too aggressive or reprehensible? You will find all sorts of wonderful signs and symbolisms to use for your own Alpha.

Viggo, you bad boy.

Pay attention to details. Many traits can apply to any Alpha of any genre. It’s how and where you apply the subtleties that make him come to life.

Next blog: Alpha villains. Ooh!

AGENT SHOP w/ Stan Soper

Morning everyone!

I’ll keep the stats quick because there’s an interesting trend that I’ve noticed these last two pitch sessions that I’d like to give my two cents on.

So, we had:

59 – Pitches received

13 – Too long

8 – Missing Info

1 – No pitch? (Must have been a mistake send?)

7 – Over 30 pitch limit.

On to my gripe/concern/question…

What’s with the fluff?

I’ve been receiving pitches on colored backgrounds, with emoticons, with sig lines that take up another page and a half of the e-mail, and even a couple that played music in the background.

Now to me, and we’re all entitled to our opinion, these kinds of additions to pitches/queries/submissions is not only highly unprofessional, it’s annoying!

I can’t impress enough that this is a business. While e-mail makes submitting to an agent or editor that much easier, it also seems to make some people think it’s a less formal way to reach the industry professional. There are VERY few agents or editors that I’ve had the occasion to speak with who enjoy or even tolerate anything more than the standard pitch/query.

I know of one that will give a form rejection immediately for ‘fluff’ stuff.

When you’re contacting an industry professional, keep it simple. Name, contact info, book info, relevant writing experience (and even this should be limited), is about all you need. The fluff doesn’t show your creativity. Do that with your writing.

Now, I’d like to welcome Stan Soper with the Soper Literary Agency, and creator of an awesome writer’s site you may have heard me mention on occasion, TextNovel.

Stan, please let me know if there are any pitches you’d like to see more of, and feel free to add your two cents in the comments below.

**************************************************************************

 

#1

How To Marry A Warlock In 10 Days

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Word Count: 80,673

Hijinks and outrageous fun are back in force for the second book of the 10 Days story arc. Grace and Caspian are living Happily Ever After in Hell, but there’s fresh evil threatening the magickal world and only Midnight Cherrywood and Dred Shadowins can stop it.

With the Big Boss and the Bigger Boss on their side, what could go wrong? Aside from the fact that Middy’s been jilling off to Dred’s likeness in Weekly Warlock for years and Dred is spying for the High Chancellor playing at being the cavalier playboy? The lamia. (This is the fresh evil, or not so fresh depending on the time of the month.) A Bitch Kitty Deluxe that could destroy that fabric of the world, but no magick can stop her.

The ten days? Dred’s mother slips Middy a potion at a hen party and she has to marry Dred in ten days or they’ll both lose their magick. Maybe they should have let mom know they were just posing as affianced?

Cursed sex toys, leather pants, self-sacrifice, and the light that can be found in the darkest of places round out this journey to Happily Ever After.

*** 

#2

His Obsession

Contemporary Series Romance

53,000 words

Desperate to save her beloved brother from possible political ruin, always sensible Isabella Dipaolo follows an impetuous plan to steal an incriminating letter from powerful mogul, Duncan “Mac” Macpherson. Mac lets Isabella steal the letter, his first step in using her to bring down the man he believes responsible for his sister’s death.  However, he doesn’t count on his own weakness for the tempting Isabella.

Against her better judgment, Isabella succumbs to the passion that burns between them, not realizing her seduction is part of Mac’s master plan. He delivers an ultimatum: be jailed for theft or become his mistress. When she agrees to be Mac’s mistress, Isabella finds herself in a prison of another kind with a jailer she doesn’t want to escape.  Soon, it’s not just her brother she’s trying to save as Isabella struggles to prevent Mac’s need for revenge from destroying them both.

If only she can convince Mac that there’s more than lust between them, that she’s more than just…his obsession.

*** 

#3

Redeeming Characters 

Contemporary romance

79,000 words

Animals may bite but people always suck. It’s the motto thirty-two year old Drue has lived by all his life. He longs for the snow to melt so he can disappear into the wild with nary a nitwit to be seen—to escape the confines of a narrow-minded and cloying society.  Yet, when he discovers an old friend has published the book he helped create, a new plan surfaces. Revenge.

Bestselling author Dakota Whitmore is in a slump. Sure, her husband is dead and she’s adopted his long-time mistress’s child, but she’s endured more difficult things.  Maybe what she needs is a little help, a beta reader who will tell her that her work hasn’t turned into a steaming cow pie. How about uber sexy Drue, the man who helped her pen her first—and only, bestseller? Nothing could possibly go wrong. Right?

***

#4

Highland Captive

Historical Romance

94,000 words

Laird Duncan Ranald has good reason to hate all things English. They nearly wiped out his clan. Discovering the luscious beauty who washed up on his shore and stoked his lust is English, he decides to keep her as his leaman for a little revenge.

English-born Lady Alera of Arundrydge is a procrastinating defender and nurturer. She wishes to avenge crimes against her family and find her father, who is missing and presumed dead. When Viking slavers steal her, she escapes only to be caught by a big, sexy barbarian, whose touch ignites passion.

Realizing she’s his soul mate, Duncan decides to wed her, but Alera won’t cooperate. Escaping Duncan  becomes more and more impossible for Alera as she helps his clan and he creeps into her heart. But if she stays, how will she gain vengeance and what will become of her father?

Set in the Scottish Highlands, Highland Captive is a 12^th century humorous romantic romp, in which the pairing of enemies, whose antics sizzle off the page, prove love can lead to happily-ever-after. (Rewrite of Golden Heart Finalist: Highland Destiny).

***

#5

MY LIFE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Young Adult

51,000 words

Fifteen-year-old aspiring actress Amanda Martin gets more than she bargained for when she’s an extra in a movie filmed in Chicago starring her favorite teen heartthrob, Josh Brennan.  After a picture of them appears in the paper, mushrooming Internet gossip and cruel anonymous texts upset her.  She wants to be known for her talent and fears her reputation is trashed.  Thanks to her disapproving parents and their troubled marriage, she already has plenty to worry about.

Her parents won’t let her work on the movie again or be interviewed so she can set the record straight.  Amanda vows to change their minds.  She also wants to date junior Justin Clark, who’s in the school play and choir with her.  Despite a great first kiss, he hasn’t asked her to Winter Dance.  Josh does; she’s disappointed to learn his invitation was just a publicity stunt, again putting her in the public eye for the wrong reasons.  But he helps her learn not to care what others think even when a girl dumps the punch bowl on her and everyone laughs.  When Justin sets aside his nerves and asks her out, they celebrate with a dance in the spotlight.

***

#6

SHIFT HAPPENS
Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy (m/m)
83,000 words

Risk-averse anthropologist ADRIAN THORNAPPLE has been playing it safe with an office job, but when his neighbor ODs on his doorstep, he finally gets that life is short, civilization doesn’t mean safe, and that he should follow his dreams. He agrees to go on an Amazon expedition, but the journey morphs into a nightmare of illegal drugs, slave labor, and a terrifying quest through the rainforest and across the spirit plane. Lost and desperate, Adrian partners with secret operative CAPTAIN THOMAS FERRELL, who has been unwittingly shape-shifted into a savage man-eating jaguar. Together they find the lost temple, bring down the drug lords, and fall in love. In this Brokeback Mountain meets Beauty and the Beast darkly humorous gay paranormal romance, Adrian just wants to go home… until he learns that saving the world is a lot more fun than returning to his corporate cubicle!

***

#7

The Green Eyed Doll

Romantic Suspense 

93,000 words

Catherine McCoy keeps her past a secret, moving on before the busybodies and newshounds discover her whereabouts and ruin any chance she has for normalcy.  She’s worked hard to regain her independence and learn self-defense.  All she wants now is a chance to start over.  In her latest stop, she meets the sheriff who ignites a flame she thought lost forever.  But not telling him about her past will cost her dearly.

Sheriff Matt Ballard is hunting a killer who kidnaps green eyed women, paints their lips red, ties a matching bow around their necks and leaves them looking like a porcelain doll.  Fear and suspicions boil over, and local vigilantes begin their own hunt.  In the midst of the turmoil, Matt falls for Catherine, a fiery redheaded newcomer in town.  When her past is plastered across the front page, he can’t forgive her secrets and lies. 

Catherine is kidnapped, but the killer discovers this woman is different.  She fights to save her own life…again.  She has no intensions of becoming another Green Eyed Doll.

***

#8

Twin Justice

Romantic Suspense

93,000 words

Assigned a murder investigation, the new FBI partners’ hunt for a female vigilante who’s cutting the throat’s of America’s most monstrous criminals.  The team uncovers an organization called The Final Justice Unit, which serves as judge and jury eliminating offenders who’ve managed to slip through the judicial system. 

Alexis Turner has finally landed a transfer to the coveted Special Investigations Unit.  A firefighter’s widow, she’s devoted to her identical twin who’s recovering from a brutal rape and beating.  Alexis and Dalton deny the sexual tension and growing affection but fall in love in spite of their efforts.  Suspended when an artist’s sketch of the killer is a dead ringer for her, Alexis believes Dalton’s betrayed her.  She’ll go undercover and put her life in jeopardy to bring down the vigilante organization.

Dalton Murphy isn’t sure about his new partner’s capabilities.  He’s waited for the one case which will catapult him to fame.  He wants to transfer to the elite Secret Service and protect the President, proving he’s capable of saving the highest ranking official in the nation.  Dalton violates direct orders to prove her innocence.  He’ll uncover facts sure to destroy her family and lose her love forever.

***

#9

Candy’s Man

Contemporary Romance

Approx. 59K

‘Roses are red’ and so are shoes.  Recently divorced and encouraged by her two best friends, Candy Walker surrenders to temptation and buys an extravagant pair of red shoes to boost her spirits.  She is not to know that the purchase will begin a chain-reaction of events which will change her life forever. 

Cleve Hammond is a man with a secret.  A passionate encounter with Candy while on a holiday cruise leaves him decidedly miffed when she runs out on him but that is the least of his problems.

While relegating Cleve to a holiday ‘fling’, Candy doesn’t know all hell is about to break loose until she meets her new ‘boss’.  Cleve has been catapulted into her life and his twin brother, Nash, brings his own share of turmoil.

Will the situation jeopardise everything Cleve has worked so hard to conceal?  Will Candy find her way through the ensuing chaos and learn to trust again?

***

#10

The Land of Imagining

Fantasy YA
80,000 words

Alexia thinks she’s just an ordinary girl with a lofty goal – to become a best-selling novelist. But a magical pen and a story she writes about a mystical Land of Imagining blighted by evil challenges everything she knows. Alexia isn’t human, she’s an All-Knower, their Chosen One with the ability to control them with her pen.

Before she can write to save everyone, the leader of the demons steals the pen and captures Alexia’s family. In a race against time, Alexia must trust demons so she can find the demon’s secret lair and save her family, and people, before the Land of Imagining becomes the Land of Terror.

***

#11

Love and Lies

Paranormal romance

Word Count: 95,947

After the death of her mother in 1808, Dara became a duke’s mistress, something she’d sworn never to do, to support her orphaned siblings.  Returning home after ending the two-year affair, she finds her brothers dead and the duke claiming responsibility.  She tries to avenge them but instead ends up with a blank period in her memory and a new life as a vampire.  Protecting her remaining sister’s descendents became her only means of salvation.  Now in the 21^st century, the duke is back and has a confession to make.

 Anthony had walked the earth for a millennium in service of the vampire council when he bought Dara’s innocence in an attempt to stave off boredom.  When her brothers were killed by another vampire, he claimed responsibility to keep her from hunting the true killer in hopes of keeping her safe and failed.  That failure has haunted him ever since.  A chance arrives for him to clear the air and make one additional confession: he wants her back in his arms for all time.

***

#12

Minder

YA paranormal romance

48K words

A movement along the edge of the cliff caught my attention. A small rabbit nibbled at a tuft of clover growing between the rocks. I came to attention like a pointer. My nose began to quiver and my mouth water. I twitched my butt.

Without thought, I bolted out of the house after the rabbit. My blood raced and I breathed in short sharp pants. I could hear the creature’s heart pound and smell his warm vibrant flesh.

He took three frightened leaps and disappeared into the forest. I skidded to a stop, trembling so hard my teeth rattled.

What’s wrong with me?  I wanted to take a bite out of a poor defenseless little bunny. I pursed my lips and screwed up my face. Gross doesn’t begin to cover it. This is way past PMSing. 

Tears welled up and spilled down my cheeks.

I turn eighteen tomorrow. Surely, there’s no connection.

***

#13

“Rushes”

Women’s Fiction/Literary Fiction

Word count 61,500 

Coming of age in the turbulent 60′s of the South, Sara Jones navigates her way through poverty and discrimination, as well as physical and sexual abuse to find a way to escape her lot in life (a life which her mother terms having a ‘snake-bit’ fate).  

Johnny’s love gives her hope for a bright future but his death in Vietnam painfully closes that door.  Her pursuit of a college education spurns her desire for better things but an abusive husband puts a halt to that endeavor.

Will Sara find a way to break free of her ‘snake-bit’ future?  Are the voices she has come hear telling her the way out or pulling her deeper into a void that she so desperately wants to leave behind?   

***

#14

Don’t Cross the Line

Paranormal Romance

Word Count 100,000

Don’t Cross the Line is a 100,000 word novel, the first in a series of stories. This one follows Gemma Davies, a were-tiger. She is reaching the age where her alpha and father demands that she must find a mate, or he will find one for her.

However the man that she loves, Cade MacDonald can never be hers, he is of another species of shape shifter, a werewolf, and to be together would mean execution for them both.

When the female heir of a neighbouring pack is murdered, Gemma must work alongside Cade to find out who killed her. It doesn’t look like the murderer is done though. Gemma is attacked in her own home; she escapes and lands in the arms of Cade. While she fights to keep her distance from him, fate keeps on throwing her right back at his feet.

She meets Karl Ellis, another were-tiger like herself, a potential mate. Cade does everything in his power to prove that Karl is just using Gemma. When the evidence from the case begins to build up and it all starts to point to Karl, Gemma considers that Cade might have been correct.

***

#15

TERMS OF SURRENDER

Historical
Word count: approx. 105,000

While her father and older brother confront redcoat forces, Kate Chambers is
entrusted with the upkeep of the family farm. As the burden of chores
increases, her younger siblings are often more hindrance than help. And now
she’s discovered an injured man in her hayfield.

A deserter from the invading British army, Stephen Blackthorn is in search
of a home in a world where he doesn’t belong. Patriot and Loyalist alike
view him as the enemy. Then Kate, ignorant of his identity, takes him in.

Will he find a place in her heart, or will the wider conflict of the war
drive them apart?

***

#16

MYSTIC MISFIT
Young Adult
75,000 words
 

At sixteen, Megan Delaney is suddenly able to see ghosts and read people’s minds. This makes her a mosaic—a person possessing pieces of supernatural powers—and not welcome in the town of Collingsbrook. Keeping her new abilities on the down low is her top priority, but she decides to share her secret with her good friend Ryan. He swears not to tell a soul.

When word gets out at school, Megan becomes a target. She can’t believe Ryan betrayed her this way. Her classmates tease, torment and threaten her, and then the coolest guy in school offers to make it all go away. Tyler, the hunkiest player on the school’s football team who Megan’s dreamed about for, like, ever, says he’ll be her bodyguard and date for the upcoming fall formal—and help her show others that mosaics aren’t the bad guys they’re made out to be.

All Tyler wants in return is for Megan to use her powers for what he calls a “teeny-weenie” favor. One that feels wrong on too many levels.

***

#17

INHALE

Urban Fantasy Romance

98,000 words

Marine biologist ZOE MORGAN is a die-hard believer in the power of reason.  So when fanciful scenes of a mystery lover and deadly fire creatures begin playing in her dreams, she writes them off as byproducts of an overactive imagination. Until people from her fantasies appear in reality, and she’s faced with two disturbing conclusions: either she’s lost her mind, or her irrational suspicions are true – she’s been targeted by Fire Elements in a scheme to overthrow the Sentinels, including her lover, who protect Elemental balance and shield humans from harm.

Waylaid by a career-crippling case of creativity block, bad boy musician GAVIN CASSIDY finds his muse when he’s summoned back to duty by the Dreaming – a parallel world where dreams mirror reality – to rescue a woman who holds the key to a weapon he and his fellow Sentinels need to stop the Fires.  Torn between a growing attraction to the muse and his responsibility to the humans he’s sworn to defend, he must choose between losing the only woman he’s ever loved or serving up innocents to the jaws of insatiable Fire Elements who feed off emotions, leaving insanity in their wake.

***

#18

TWO BROTHERS

Contemporary Romance

Word count: 85,000

When fourth generation farmer, Jacob Henderson stomped on her heart nearly ten years ago, Amanda Riley made the biggest mistake of her life – she ran off and married his younger brother. 

Amanda, now divorced, returns to her small hometown a successful horse trainer and National Cutting Horse Champion to set up her own training facility.  Nothing could have prepared her for falling in love with Jacob all over again.  But how can she risk her heart a second time knowing the secrets she keeps could destroy any chance they have? 

Brought together to save an abused horse, Jacob sees an opportunity to have the love and family he’s always wanted.  But he struggles with Amanda’s past marriage to his brother, after all marriage is forever.  When his brother shows up claiming to want Amanda back, Jacob must decide between family loyalty and love for Amanda.

***

#19

THE DAUGHTER

Contemporary Romance with elements of suspense

Word count:  93,000

How could a man she’s never met change her life forever and provide her with the love and family she believed would never be hers? 

Abandoned at birth, Katie Delynski believes love and relationships are learned.  And she hasn’t learned anything good about either.  When multi-millionaire, Keith O’Neil kills himself, Katie discovers he is her father and someone hurt by his indiscretions wants her to pay for his mistakes.  Katie meets the O’Neil family and their friend, Conner Patterson, who is on leave from the police department.  They stir a sense of belonging she is afraid to believe in. 

As a social worker, Katie’s mission is to get prostitutes off the street.  When she buys an abandoned building for a woman’s shelter, Conner jumps at the opportunity to renew his passion for restoring old structures and offers his help.  Katie finds herself falling in love with Conner, but fear he’ll walk away if he learns the secret driving her true mission, keeps her from acting on those feelings.  Conner isn’t afraid of the love he feels for Katie, he’s scared he won’t be able to protect her when someone wants her to die for her father’s sins.  

***

#20

A Demon’s Redemption

Paranormal Romance

Word Count: 88,061

Lorelei is your typical college student – who happens to have a talent for sniffing out demons and sending them back to hell, kind of like a psychic bloodhound. But once a year, she must help one of the fallen earn their way back into heaven. How do they do that? By atoning for their sins. And so far, everything is working out for her – until she meets Azazel, son of Azazeal, a member of the Underworld hierarchy. Does the demon fall far from the seed? She has a month to find out.

Azazel has always lived in the shadows of his father’s misdeeds. But redemption is his one chance to break free of his father’s sins. If only he hadn’t promised to bring down Lorelei for his bid for freedom. Will he keep his promise to his father – or to the woman he comes to love?

***

#21

Highland Magic

Paranormal Time Travel

Approx. 90,000 Words

Magazine writer REMY PARKER will try anything to nail her story.  Even when the story mirrors her own life. When Remy’s Wiccan foster mother offers the assistance of her group of off-kilter friends to cast a compatibility spell, Remy puts herself in their bumbling hands. In the midst of spell casting, a costly blunder occurs.

Soon Remy’s life is taking a drastic turn. Not only is the spell one to help Remy find her soul mate, but one that sends her to Scotland in the year 1696 to locate him. Remy believes she is dead. All she can do now is wait for her angel to take her to heaven. Instead, what she gets is a kilted madman on horseback.

Driven by revenge for the murder of his wife and unborn child, Alexander MacDonald has vowed to keep his remaining children safe from the British. In a hurry to returning home, Alex runs down a woman alone. Her unconscious state compels him to aid her. Even though her strange behavior drives him daft, he finds her hard to resist. Alex must decide if he can give up his revenge in order to make a new life with Remy.

***

#22

The Transformation of Aurora Sage

Women’s Fiction-Paranormal Romance

Word Count-34,553 (and counting)

Would you be interested in my book, The Transformation of Aurora Sage, which is about a young woman with Dryad lineage who falls instantly in love with an Italian Vampire of Satyr ancestry?  The story follows Aurora from overworked office worker who hates almost everyone in her life, except her twin sister, Autumn, to becoming a ravenous carnivore with an insatiable blood lust. Ultimately, she learns of her family heritage and the reason for Aleandro’s obsession with her and comes to terms with what she has become.  

I believe my story has enough of a twist with the right amount of romance balanced with violence to be an extremely enjoyable read for any and all fans of the genre. 

I appreciate you taking the time to read this and am looking forward to a response soon.

***

#23

Unintended

mainstream romantic suspense

80K words

A widower, who would have preferred to be a divorcee, finds herself falling for the guy who fed her husband tips, via e-mail, on how to win her heart, and who, in the process, fell in love with her himself. Does she stick to her rules of “no kissing, no touching, no holding hands, no candy, no flowers, no gifts” or should she open her heart to love?

An undercover agent must find a way to infiltrate the loose-lipped, bar-hopping, upper-crust Charleston social scene and knows that his former best friend’s wife is one of the stars of this crowd. Does he tell her that he knows who she is or does he keep it a secret so she’ll fall in love with him for himself instead of the person she fell in love with years before?

Together they solve the mystery of her husband/his friend’s death and realize that they’ve been in love with one another all along.

***

#24

Having a Wonderful Time

Women’s Fiction Mystery/suspense

Word count 50,300

A serial killer is ravaging Houston and the case fell right into Detective Megan Garrison’s lap, but the question remains, is she ready?

Homicide Detective Megan Garrison is freshly back from a six month medical/psych leave after the murder of her sister left her questioning herself, to say the least.  Now, with the approval from her psychiatrist, Dr. Amy Poole, she is back to prove that she has what it takes to get the job done.  Megan and her Partner Jason Matthews investigate a homicide that leads them to the conclusion that not only has a serial killer made Houston its feeding ground, but this murder was not the first and most assuredly won’t be the last.

Now, while following the trail of blood, Megan tries to get a break in the case and at the same time reassemble all the pieces in her life that are already broken.

***

#25

Truth Be Told

Single Title Romance

90,000 words

Home for Christmas, Meg Bourland discovers her father is being blackmailed.  When her attempt to help is rebuffed, the Atlanta SWAT team member enlists the help of her LA police officer brother and his partner to uncover the truth.  Meg’s rule of no involvement with anyone in law enforcement is in jeopardy when she’s attracted to her brother’s partner.

Scott McClaine came to Fort Worth to celebrate Christmas and recuperate from a life-threatening bullet wound he received saving Meg’s brother’s life.  He finds himself embroiled in family scandal, solving a crime, and falling for his partner’s sister.  Scott struggles to accept his new physical limitations and control his growing interest in Meg. 

Meg learns a dark and dangerous secret.  The truth threatens to ruin her father’s career as mayor and destroy the family she holds dear.  As they put together the pieces of this puzzle, Meg and Scott face their own personal truths and discover love requires selflessly giving to each other.

***

#26

Jump, Fall

Romance – Contemporary women
60,000 words

Katie Scarborough isn’t like all the other Southern Belles that surround her. She’s brunette, she’s freckled. She’s also short and a little more round than the pageant queens that seem to fill her world. To top things off, she’s painfully shy as well. The one thing that ties her to her Southern sisters is the dream that the fairy tales they all heard as young ladies will somehow come true.

Throughout her coming of age years, she suffers a series of miscues and embarrassments where gentlemen are concerned. She begins to wonder if the fairy tales are just lies and if a girl who doesn’t quite fit the norm is capable of being loved. Although, once she goes off to college and catches the eye of her dream man, she starts to think maybe she was better off single.

Set in the fictional town of Dunham, Mississippi, Katie’s story is the first in a series of novels featuring the quirky, yet lovable characters of the Mississippi Delta. The second novel in the series is completed, a third is in the beginning stages.

***

#27

Vermont Escape

Single Title Romance

88,000 words

Jill Barlow, a Fort Worth socialite, relocates to Woodstock, after her husband and father, a Texas state representative, are killed because of his fight to stop casino gambling from coming to the state.  She’s stunned to find herself drawn toward a hardheaded Yankee, a Vermont assemblyman.  But his negative reaction to her fits right into her plan to never get involved with another politician.

Jerrod Phillips is shocked to find he’s attracted to the Texan he suspects could be involved in the murders.  He’s afraid she’s like his ex-wife, who years ago deserted him and their two young children, resulting in his somewhat irrational hatred of blondes from the Lone Star state. 

Jill’s peaceful new life is shattered when her home is ransacked, her shop broken into, and Jerrod’s brother kidnaps her.  He demands the flash drive, which the gambling syndicate believes she has.  When he fails, he’s murdered, and they physically threaten Jill.  She must choose between putting her and her friends’ lives in jeopardy and the possibility of finding justice for the murders of her father and husband.  If she survives, is there a chance for her and Jerrod, when he holds her responsible for his brother’s death?

***

#28

By Grace Alone

Contemporary women’s fiction

60,000 words

Hurricane Katrina has devastated New Orleans. Homes are crushed, streets are flooded, and a piece of Vivienne Lavoie’s spirit has been swept away with the receding waters as she works diligently to put her beloved city back together. It’s her job as a civil engineer, but she also feels it’s her responsibility to ensure her heritage isn’t lost in the wake of the storm.

An unexpected pregnancy forces Vivienne to choose between her beloved city and raising her child. While pondering adoption, she meets Charlie and Samuel. Both men are trying desperately to sort through their own struggles. Through their friendship they discover the myths and legends surrounding New Orleans and that they’re able to feel normal again. They find that Vivienne makes their struggles seem bearable, until a death crashes their spirits again and forces them to reevaluate everything. It is then that they are able to begin their personal rebirths.

Because of her Louisiana heritage, the author knows the Cajun culture is rich with ghost stories, traditions, superstitions and a dialect unlike any other. Throughout BY GRACE ALONE bits of this culture are shared with readers who may never get a chance to experience it firsthand.

***

#29

TANGLED HEARTS

Paranormal Romance

Word Count: 90,000 words

Luke Bennett is a man with a dark past and the single-minded goal of revenge. He wants to buy Cori Tremaine’s Kentucky horse farm, Greenhills. He plans to destroy the legacy her deceased father had built by chopping up the land to make way for a gated community.

Cori Tremaine is a photojournalist living in New York. She regrets selling her family home but she can’t maintain a large farm and have the career she loves.

Falling in love with Cori, the daughter of the man who ruined his family, rips Luke’s plans apart. As they fall in love, his lies and secrets threaten their future.

Cori’s love for Greenhills and the emotions that arise from her decision to sell brings two 17th century spirits to life. English lord Stephen Wentworth and a Gypsy, Lilianna Rossar, promised their love would live forever despite their different backgrounds. Their story is shown against the backdrop of the civil war that ultimately killed them.

When Lilianna and Stephen find out Luke is their descendant, they must break an ancient curse before it strikes down Luke and Cori whom Stephen and Lilianna believe are destined to love each other as they did.

***

#30

The Midas touch

Urban/paranormal

90k approx

There’s something out there, watching, waiting, preying on people; or so they say.  Serena is a practical woman who doesn’t believe in fairy tales or myths.  So even though her best friend claims to be clairvoyant and that an evil is stalking her, Serena still doesn’t believe.  That is, until the day she was attacked while running to grab lunch.  When she awakes her concept of reality is challenged by the god-like man at her bedside, and the society he inhabits.  A society that has existed for a millennium since before the ancients themselves, they hold the truth of all mankind, all myths and all legends.  Her protector Darius is the reason she lives and is sworn to uphold the laws of his world.  Can they destroy this evil? Or must he destroy her to save them all?

*******************************************************************************************

Good Luck everyone!

Another Agent Shop bites the dust…

That’s all folks.

STOP!

We’ve reached our limit for pitches and now I get to sift through and see how many I can keep and how many get the dreaded delete treatment.

Good luck to all the pitches that make it.

They’ll be posted in the morning!

Thanks for participating.

IT’S PITCH DAY

Morning all!

Well it’s pitch day, but I’m sure everyone who entered our ‘for fun’ title contest is interested in the results. I have to tell you the choice wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. I’m a sucker for titles!

However, since I can only choose one, the winner of this months top pitch slot is:

Saranna DeWylde

‘The Princess and the Copper’

Saranna, send me your pitch!

For the rest – good luck and I wish you all the best!

Without further delay…

“GO”

WANT THE FIRST AGENT SHOP SLOT?

Hey just for fun, and of course to guarantee yourself the first slot in the pitch session, leave a comment below.

Here’s the catch!
Your comment has to be a TITLE for this ‘book’.

Here’s the excerpt… just comment on what YOU would title this novel and we’ll pick a favorite from all the entires. The winner will be qaurenteed the number one slot on Sunday when Agent Shop opens.

Ready?

Annabelle couldn’t have planned life better if she’d tried. Her folks were disgustingly rich, which meant she could have anything and everything she wanted. She had a hunky boyfriend, a stylish car, and a promising career set up for her at her mother’s fashion magazine whenever she was ready.

When Lt. Greg Holton shows up on her doorstep, everything starts to fall apart. He not only brings the devastating news that her parents have disappeared under suspicious circumstances but adds that her father is the center of a fraud investigation.

Geez, and all that without the benefit of a pedicure!

Let’s see what ya got! I’ll post the winner on sunday when Agent Shop opens.

Long Time No See by Deborah Schneider

by Marie-Claude Bourque

I am delighted today to host author and 2009 RWA librarian of the year Deborah Schneider with a very inspirational post today. She reminds us all why it is that we write.

Long Time No See by Deborah Schneider

When I sold my first book as part of the New Historical Voice contest sponsored by Romantic Times Magazine and Dorchester publishing, (this was before the American Title contest Marie-Claude won) – I thought my publishing career was on a straight shot to the top.

I was already nearly finished with the next book, I had a big-time NY publisher and a few months later, I even acquired an agent. Yes, I was on my way. It was all going to be easy street from now on.

Then, something funny happened on the way to famous. Actually – nothing.

My editor never found time to read my option book. She kept promising when we talked, she said great things about my writing and about the first book. We met at a conference and even though my friend told me I was being paranoid, I got a weird vibe from her. I started to think that maybe my debut book wasn’t going to skyrocket me to success.

Eventually I shopped the option book around to agents and editors. It was a Western, set in Montana, (not Texas). I was told to consider changing the first chapter, take out the prologue and cut the word count, (when that particular publisher thought 82,000 words was long).  Most of the time I just heard, “not right for us” and “good luck”.

In the meantime, life went on. I had a family to help support, a child with a chronic disease and a demanding job. There were years that are now a blur of running to the office for a few hours before racing to the hospital to be with my son. I was still writing, or at least trying to.

And then one day, as my son lay in the critical care ward of the hospital, I closed up my laptop and said, “maybe this just isn’t going to happen again”. I realized that I only had the strength for a certain number of things and that sending things queries and partials out and getting rejected was more stress than I wanted to add to my life.  So I stopped writing.

But the stories just wouldn’t go away. Characters appeared in my thoughts and I wondered what was going to happen to them. I heard the voices of imaginary people and could see them in that secret movie place writers go to when they picture the story. Even if I wasn’t typing out the stories, they were still there.

And that’s when I realized that the important thing wasn’t getting an agent, selling the book and hitting the lists. For me, the important thing was writing the book. I was looking for outside validation from agents, publishers, reviewers and readers when really, I was the most important audience member.

So I went back to the keyboard and started another story with new characters. I found joy in the research, happiness in the process of creation and peace in the pages I added one after another.

A funny thing happened when I let go of all that “selling the book” stuff. I sold another book. It wasn’t to a big time NY publisher this time, it was to a small publishing house owned and operated by two women. I discovered an editor who loved my voice and wanted to help me CRAFT a better book. I was assigned to an artist who created a cover I think is breathtaking.

Publishing is a strange and tough business. You have no control over anything but your own attitude and the pleasure you take in the writing. For me – when I focused on the important thing, the reason I started to write in the first place, success followed.

Now that I’m enjoying the first rosy days of publication for Promise Me, I think of it as the “little book that could” and I’m the writer who couldn’t give up.

St. Valentine’s Day Contest

Follow my blog tour and each time you make a comment, you’re entered in a contest to win a free copy of “Promise Me”, chocolate, a $10 Starbucks card and some lovely Valentine’s Day goodies.

Thank you so much for sharing this story with us Deborah. I know that sometimes I get so caught up in the worried of publication that I forget to just enjoy the storytelling.

To learn more about Deborah Schneider and her writing, please visit her at www.debschneider.com