Hunting Agents

Song of the day: The Promise by When in Rome

Shh…I’m hunting wascally agents.

Christie Craig and Faye Hughes give key tips on the right and wrong way to meet an agent at conferences in this cheeky video.

I am fortunate to call Christie a good friend. She is a constant inspiration to me and I will shamelessly plug her books.  Please check out her latest sexy, fun suspense,  Shut up and Kiss Me, just released this month.

Also released this month is Christie and Faye’s Wild, Wicked & Wanton -  101 Ways to Love Like You’re In A Romance Novel. With a title like that, need I say more?

Writer Inspiration: Nancy Badger

by Marie-Claude Bourque

Hi everyone,

Please welcome scottish historical author Nancy Badger, who will tell us all about Highland Games today! Scottish lovers take notes!

HIGHLAND GAMES

by Nancy Lee Badger (badgerpress@yahoo.com)

Bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster, castles, whisky, the Highland moors…these things instantly bring to mind small—yet steeped in history—Scotland. Many American and Canadian citizens can trace their roots back to Scotland and some of these people celebrate these relationships by organizing, volunteering at, and attending Highland games. 

When I first met the man I was destined to marry, his grandfather and father had already done immense research into their Scottish ancestry. Both a grandfather and grandmother hailed from clans, in this case Gunn and MacBean. We have attended the New Hampshire Highland Games from the time they started back in 1975. In the early 1980s, my husband began his long stint as volunteer. I stayed home with the boys until the youngest showed an interest in his Scottish lineage, then also volunteered. Marching bands, odd looking food, and colorfully dressed kilts amid the spectacular fall foliage of the New Hampshire’s White Mountains makes for a memorable day.

The NH games has turned into an annual three day event, now visited by over 40,000 people! We volunteer as a family and, even though my husband and I moved to the south, we still travel to the NH games annually where we offer our service in the information tent. Our sons join us there to help us sell official programs, hand out maps and schedules of events, and sell raffle tickets, the proceeds of which fund scholarships.

This annual celebration has turned into a major undertaking and the Board of Directors and office staff work tirelessly to coordinate the many entertainment venues, clan representatives, venders of food and goods, and hundreds of volunteers, in order to bring the sights, sounds, and flavors of Scotland to New England.

Volunteering every hour of the three days is too much to ask of anyone, since there is so much to do and see, so my husband and I gather several hardy individuals to share the load. This affords everyone with time to either go watch the sheep dog trials, taste the shortbread, scones, bridies,  meat pies, shop the venders, or listen to rock bands. No one wants to miss the athletes as they toss the caber, a tree length wooden pole.

Many states, communities, and organizations host their own Highland games and these games welcome everyone…a Scottish lineage or kilt are not required! If you enjoy harps, bagpipes, Highland dance, wonderful food and a sea of brightly colored wool (and is there anything more sexy than a man in a kilt?) please visit a Highland games or Scottish festival soon. Here are a few links that will help you on your way. If you visit the New Hampshire Highland games in Lincoln, NH Sept. 17, 18, 19 2010 please stop by the information tent and say “Hi.” My family and I will be busy helping out.

Check out these links:  

The New Hampshire Highland Games in NH   www.nhscot.org.

The Grandfather Mountain Games in NC  www.gmhg.org

Central Florida Scottish Highland Games www.flascot.com

Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games in WA www.sshga.org

Celtic Roots Festival in Ontario  www.celticfestival.ca/

The Maine Highland Games in ME www.mainehighlandgames.org

The Vermont Highland Games in VT www.quecheescottishfestival.com

These are only a few of the festivals available in the United States and Canada.

For a little more on the historical aspect of the games, read my article

HIGHLAND GAMES: THEN AND NOW:   http://bit.ly/bJXkR8

Nancy Lee Badger writes fulltime and lives with her husband in Raleigh, NC. She loves everything Scottish. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and Celtic Heart Romance Writers. She is celebrating the release of her Scottish historical DRAGON’S CURSE available from Whispers Publishing. Visit her website: www.nancyleebadger.com, and her blog www.RescuingRomance.nancyleebadger.com For excerpts and more information.

Hump Day Kick Start

Song of the day: Afterlife by Avenged Sevenfold

In case you missed it the first time, I’m blogging about networking over at The Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood today. Stop by and show some love.

Now back to our feature prompt for today.

Today, I’m taking a different step to stir your muse.

Who is the beautiful girl? Why is she fully clothed in a bathtub filled with water?

Is she depressed, sad, melancholy? Did her lover/boyfriend/husband just call things off? Is she mad, confused, in deep thought? How about something a little more creepy? Perhaps she’s a murder victim. Or, on the lighter side, maybe she needed to cool off after spying her hunky neighbor.

What do you think?

Writer Inspiration: Elizabeth Darvill

by Marie-Claude Bourque

Hi everyone,

I am very please to welcome today my good friend and steampunk partner in crime author Elizabeth Darvill who just got a great news last week! She sold two of her steampunk short stories to HQ Spice Brief. But you don’t need to wait too long to read her books.  Her first steammy steampunk short story is avalaible in ebook as of yesterday from Tease Publishing. Read the blurb below.

Why Write Romance?

Hello! I am very pleased to be here at musetracks! Today, I am going to answer the most often asked question I get. Why do you write romance and what made you start. So, the answer to this question is not nearly as profound as most, sadly. I have always written as a way to distract myself, entertain myself or just to make myself feel better. It was all terrible and only for my own person gratification, in case you were wondering. I dabbled in script writing, poetry and a few other random things. It wasn’t until my early 20’s that I actually read my first “romance” book. I was an avid reader, but had never actually delved into that genre before. I loved them so much, that I naturally decided to write one on a whim.

It turns out, that I LOVE writing romance so much! It has to have the paranormal element in it to keep me interested, and lately a lot of steampunk elements are sneaking in, but I still LOVE it! I have been writing romance for a little over two years now and I reached my dream of being published. I received my first contract with Lyrical Press in January of this year for my vampire/lycan story, “Bound by Blood.” Somewhere along the line, writing has turned from just a fun hobby to a career path. I still love it and am so happy to be making my writing a bigger and better part of my life!

So here is my little encouraging speech to you….just keep truckin! I knew nothing when I started, I didn’t have a degree in English, but I had the drive. So I kept writing and revising and submitting with abandon, probably making every amateur mistake along the way! But, I did it(although, I still don’t claim to know much) and so can you!

            Now, ~ehem~ I am going to shamelessly plug my up-coming release a fun, sexy steampunk short “Love in a Time of Steam”.(because another fun part of writing is pimping yourself around) “Love in a Time of Steam releases on July 15^th from Tease Publishing. It will be a part of their steampunk anthology, “Love Like Clockwork. It will release as an e-book first and later on this year in print as part of the full anthology! It will be up for pre-sale around July 1^st and you can buy it here, http://www.allromanceebooks.com/index.html

            Thank you so much for following my random ramblings! Go ahead and leave me a comment if you wish and I will pick someone at random to receive a fun little promo packet! ~Elizabeth Darvill

 

 

Love in a Time of Steam – Blurb

Ashlyn hasn’t seen Gray her former lover in five long years. Not since the day he believed her to be a traitor to the military cause they both served.

Now as the volatile nature of their planet is reaching a fevered pitch, and the war over water to run their steam-powered technology is threatening all beings, she must face him once more.

Despite her intense hatred towards Gray, Ashlyn can’t let the father of her child be murdered by General Dagnus, the leader of the opposing army. Risking her life, Ashlyn lays everything on the line to save the man that betrayed her once. As they work together to survive, will they be able to rekindle the passion they once shared?

Thank you so much for visiting Elizabeth . This sounds like a great read which reminds me I have to go over and download myself a copy. (It’s only $0.99!)

And everyone, please comment to win some promo swag. I do love Elizabeth Bite Me pens! If you writing or read romance, tell us why you chose that genre. If not, tell us why you chose the genre of what you write (or did it choose you?)

 

It’s All About The Networking

Song of the Day: Everything by Buckcherry

It’s conference season again. For romance writers, the mother of all conferences is looming ever closer. Romance Writer’s of America will be hosting their 30^th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida from July 28^th – July 31^st.

The buzz about this conference is ever growing. Blogs and magazine articles are countless. Topics may include etiquette, travel, volunteering, navigating workshops, and, of course, shoes.

Another subject that will dominate the conference theme is networking.

I say, “It’s all about the networking.” And a couple of my writing buds are rolling their eyes. But I’ve proven to them time and again that networking is very much a part of the writer’s publishing arsenal.

It doesn’t make a difference if that author is published or not. Networking is important.

Why network?

Simple. To get your name out there.

You are a product. You must market yourself as such. If you create something, say a toy, a clothing design, or a new-fangled invention, it will do you no favor by keeping it quietly stashed under the bed. Same is true about you as an author. You have created a masterpiece, an opus to end all opuses. If you don’t get your name out there, will it matter?

Introverts, listen up. Many of these suggestions will work just fine for the shy writer and can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Let’s explore some wonderful networking opportunities. It’s easy and won’t hurt a bit.

Create a website. You can spend upwards of several hundred dollars or you can create one absolutely free (after the purchase of a domain name). Your website should be kept up to date and mirror either your personality or writing style. Trust me when I say a website is a necessity. It’s not just for your friends and family to ooh and ahh over. Other authors, agents, editors and readers do visit websites. Yes, this is a form of networking.

Join writer organizations. Find organizations that make you feel welcome, comfortable and focuses on helping pursue goals.

Now that you are a member of an organization, go to chapter meetings. This is a prime networking spot. Mingle with like minded folks. Many will share your fears, concerns and dreams. You will surely find some who writes in the same sub-genre. Suddenly, you are not so alone.

Live in the boonies where physical contact with humans is minimal? Many organizations are solely on-line communities. Yahoo loops are a favorite amongst these communities. Search the Yahoo Groups page for your preference, i.e., paranormal romance writers, sci-fi fiction writers, romantic suspense authors, too. Need a group that specializes in weaponry or crime scenes? How about fashion throughout the ages?  These Yahoo groups can be used for support, reference, discussions, and are great for posting questions and offering answers in certain fields of expertise.

Social Networking. Take the plunge. Join social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The potential to connect with others is mind-blowing. Meet other newbie authors. Share book release dates. Post links to interviews. Keep on top of what’s happening in the publishing industry. It’s a virtual cornucopia of networking. Warning! Manage your time on these sites. You can easily waste hours chatting, playing games, farming and raising blood-thirsty legions for your army.

Blogs. Fashion yourself a blog. Be creative. Choose topics that are relevant to what you read, write, or experience. Give people something they want, whether it’s a good laugh, a link, interviews or advice. Blogs don’t have to be overwhelming. You can control how often you’d like to post, though however often, I recommend regularly. Also, you can share a blog with others, just like I share this one. Remember, a blog is much like a website. It should reflect you. And you never know who’ll stop by.

Speaking of blogs, leave comments on other authors’ blogs. Take the time to let the author know how much you enjoy reading their blog. Many with prompt questions or ask for opinions. Don’t pass up a chance to chime in. Do this often enough and you’ll become recognized as a loyal blog follower.

Do online book reviews. Writing book reviews help make you a respectable peer.

Buy business cards. You are marketing yourself, after all. Even if you have an agent, you are your biggest champion. Hand out business cards when meeting new people and at conferences. Leave a card behind with your tip on restaurant tables, leave some at local bookstores or libraries, leave one on a park bench, at the coffee shop, anywhere you might find readers and writers.

Join critique groups, enter contests, judge contests. The main goal here is to learn your craft. Name recognition is a bonus.

The cash cow of networking is attending conferences, most notably Romance Writers of America. Industry professionals, such as agents, editors, publishers, authors, readers, librarians make up the bulk of writer conventions. All of these people you want to schmooze.

How?

Volunteer. Many conferences depend on volunteers to help functions run smoothly. By volunteering, you are throwing yourself into the mix. The person next to you may be the person who can connect you with an agent. Perhaps she needs a critique partner and you’d make a great fit.  Maybe she can’t make an editor appointment and passes it to you. Or she gives you some valuable advice. But overall, you make friends and become acquainted with industry insiders. A golden goose in my book.

Pass out those business cards.

Don’t hesitate to sit with strangers at the dining tables.

Socialize! A great conversation starter – ask what a fellow author writes.

Put on a smile. A friendly smile invites others to chat with you.

Own the room. When you walk into a workshop, presentation or dinner, walk in with your back straight and a purpose, even if that purpose is to find a seat waaaay in the back of the room. Confidence is powerful. People notice and are drawn to it.

The idea here is to make people remember you. Always be kind. Always be generous. Leave a positive impression of yourself, and people are likely to support you along your journey to publication and writing career.

Do you have any networking tips to share?  I’d love to hear from you.

Lots of winners today!!!

by Marie-Claude Bourque

Ok I’ll admit being a tiny bit behind chosing our winners for contests, so here it is; a bunch of winners for past contest!!!

With of course, those from Charles Paz visit and the very awaited annoucement of the Dorchester Author Contest:

Here are all our winners using an online randon number generator and excluding musetracks bloggers and participating Dorchester authors from the entrants.

DORCHESTER AUTHORS CONTEST:

Bundle (1) : Yvonne B

Bundle (2): Backcountry Writer:

Bindle (3): Emma

GUEST CHARLES PAZ CONTEST:

Eve Sanders

GUEST TRACY MADISON CONTEST:

Raelena

GUEST BARBARA MONAJEM CONTEST:

Lynn Romaine

GUEST GAYLE ANN WILLIAMS CONTEST:

Debby Lee

GUEST MIRANDA NEVILLE CONTEST:

Nancy Mirtle

GUEST SCOTT NICHOLSON CONTEST:

CJ Barbre

GUEST AMANDA FORESTER CONTEST:

Saranna DeWylde

Winners, please send me your info so we can mail you your prize! Thank you everyone for commenting!!!!

Hump Day Kick Start

Song of the Day: Rocket Queen by Guns N’ Roses

Photo by Jo Graetz

Whoa. There is plenty of inspiration for your muse in this hot photo. Who are these two? What do they mean to each other? Friends? Foe? Lovers? Good guy, bad girl? Bad guy, good girl? Both bad? Did one just reveal a secret? Is she stopping his hand or guiding him?

Oh dear. My imagination runs wild with this one. How about yours?

Writer inspiration: Cate Masters

by Marie-Claude Bourque

Hi everyone! Please welcome author Cate Masters.

Weaving details into stories

Adding realistic touches to novels makes them all the more engaging, don’t you think? Besides making my characters a little bit flawed – and so, more human – I also like to give them interesting hobbies and occupations. These add another dimension to the setting, especially in historical novels.

It always amazes me how serendipity feeds into the creative process. Visiting a maritime museum in Key West, I learned the little-known history of the wreckers. These incredible heroes amazed me. They rescued shipwrecked passengers from certain death during fierce storms, battling nature herself. Afterward, they reaped huge rewards from salvaging the wrecked ship’s cargo, but to me, they earned every penny. In the late 1800s, no real diving equipment existed. The wreckers dove to the ocean floor while holding their breath for minutes while performing dangerous tasks.

Of course, I had to write about it. Freya’s Bower will release my historical adventure romance novel, Angels Sinners and Madmen, on July 27: http://www.freyasbower.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11&products_id=246

A few years ago, I caught a PBS special on Walt Whitman that intrigued me. I’d never realized what a controversial figure he was during his lifetime. His poems hinted at homosexuality, unheard of in literature during the late 1800s. Another useful detail to add to the story, as it seemed fitting for Key West. The hero, Sam Langhorne (whom I named for one of my literary heroes, Samuel Langorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain) lends a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass to the heroine, Livvie Collins. When Livvie reads it aloud one evening in the Key West boardinghouse, it causes quite a stir. A writer, Livvie loves to read, and in the opening scenes, calms a companion by reading to her from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables. Later, she reads Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, which had originally been published in twenty installments rather than a single novel, a practice not uncommon during that time. So Livvie finds the serialized novel on the boardinghouse bookshelves after someone had saved it from a shipwreck.

I hope you will check out the book video for Angels, Sinners and Madmen:

Here is an excerpt:

Her intense scrutiny made him uneasy.

“Did someone hurt you? So much you distrust every other who shares her gender?”

Her face, illuminated by the setting sun, appeared so innocent, so youthful. She could not possibly know of the terrible danger inherent in offering oneself to another. The intricacies of a relationship.

“Yes.” The lone word revealed more than he had ever shared with anyone else. He stood rigid, unwilling to display himself further through any action or language.

“Then I am truly sorry, Sam. To close yourself off in such a way you can never know happiness again. It makes me sad for you.”

His laugh was hollow. “You needn’t pity me.”

Her face hardened, her beautiful lips retreating to a thin, disapproving line. “No. You’re right. To choose such a life willingly is your own doing. You deserve no pity.”

This was the kind of woman he was used to. Whose tender caresses turned to merciless clawing, so deep his very heart was at peril. “Such harsh words from one who would have me believe—”

“I will not be so pathetic as to cling to false hope. To wait for you to sort out your feelings could take years.” She bowed her head. “I hold you to nothing, Sam. Forget yesterday, if you must.” She lifted her head to hold his gaze for a moment, perhaps waiting for him to open himself to her. In resignation, she turned and walked out.

Stunned, Sam stood there, looking at the closed door.

She knew him. She knew him completely, her sweet touch had divined his true self, had breathed into his mouth and captured the essence of his soul. Her openness, her honesty, entranced him more than her beauty.

Yet he still could not move, could not will himself to go after her, confess his feelings.

The sensation of being in Livvie’s arms could not be more opposite to his time with Helen. When Livvie looked at him, she exposed herself completely. Nothing else existed in the world. Her giving nature resulted from her feelings, and what she did not feel, she would not give. He knew it to be true.

If Livvie left Key West, he would likely never meet another near her qualities. Her inquisitive nature inspired him to share his thoughts, his world. He trusted her reaction to be true, not a response designed to please him. Her skills of comprehension and analysis exceeded those of many educated men. Were it not for the constraints of society, Livvie could have risen to great power, if she’d aspired to.

He had never encountered another girl like her. That was perhaps what frightened him most. Yet he still felt rooted where he stood, even as he saw, in his mind’s eye, her figure grow smaller and disappear altogether. One thought repeated in his head: I will never forget.

Cate Masters writes fantasy/dark fantasy, historical, contemporary and speculative fiction, described by reviewers as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” “such romantic tales that really touch your soul,” “filled with action scenes which made it a riveting story,” and “the author weaves a great tale with a creative way of using words that makes the story refreshing to read.” The proud mom of three adult children, she currently lives in central Pennsylvania with her husband, Lily the dog, their dictator-like cat, Chairman Maiow, and dozens of characters inhabiting her imagination.  Visit Cate online at www.catemasters.com, http://catemasters.blogspot.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

The Power of Music

Song of the day: Get It On (Bang a Gong) by The Power Station

De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da

Did I mention I'm a master at air guitar?

Do you listen to music while you write?  It is my opinion that music is a great way to set the stage either before or during a writing session. It pumps up the volume to your creative talent. Heck, music can be used after a writing session like a victory lap. Think Chariots of Fire.

Music is a great way to get your muse in the mood. Not unlike how sultry tunes rouse some couples into a romantic mood. Bow chicka wow wow.  The harmonies act as an accompaniment to any scene being written.

Take a moment to conjure up a favorite TV show. Theme songs like Law & Order, CSI, Friends, Cheers, and even SpongeBob immediately sets you in a disposition for what you are about to watch. You settle in expecting serious drama, quirky comedy or mind-numbing cartoonish entertainment (a guilty pleasure).

What would movies be without music stealthily layered into each scene?  Would the tension of hiding under the bed from an axe murderer be the

da dum, da dum, dadum, dadum, daddum .... AHHHHHHH!

same? How about swimming in the ocean, a showdown at noon or that first desperate kiss after nearly losing him/her? Music adds to the tone of the action on the screen. Star Wars, Titanic, The Lion King, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. These are blockbuster movies with music that  evoke strong emotions.

Listening to music can stir your muse and put you in the right frame of mind for any particular scene you are committed to write. An adventure or high-anxiety scene requires a fast beat. A tender, poignant moment needs a softer melody. The music prepares you as your story unfolds with its own tracks playing in the background.

Can't you just hear the battle song? He's calling to you.

Those of us who use music with writing presumably have their preferences for what works. Some write while listening to an iPod. Some use music as background noise. I cannot write at all when I hear my favorite tunes. I spend far too much time singing and rocking out. Head banging or waving a lighter overhead is just plain counterproductive. I really like to sing and it’s not pretty. Instead, I listen to movie soundtracks from epic motion pictures such as The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean. These songs reflect the overall tone of my manuscript and keep me centered in the action. It’s a bonus that I don’t bust out into a karaoke moment.

Authors will have their favorite musical genres to get them in the mood. Me – today’s alternative and hard rock music gets me revved up

So bad, he's good.

to write. Some of my favorite bands include Breaking Benjamin, Theory of a Deadman, and Shinedown. Generally, I have 2 or 3 songs that I consider theme songs for each story. I know of authors who create whole soundtracks for their books. I can’t stress enough how music that means something can  ramp up your excitement for a project.

For my first manuscript, The Dolphins Cry by Live fit perfectly as the novel’s theme song. If I ever had this novel optioned for a movie (hey – don’t laugh at my fantasy), this song would play at the end when my hero holds tightly to his heroine tucked under his arm. Whispers in the Dark by Skillet and What Have You Done Now? by Within Temptation are dueling theme songs for the second book in my pirate series. These songs define the emotional climate between the hero and heroine. The videos do not, but my impression of each song gives me the chills.

There are many types of music to choose from as a companion to your creative endeavors. Here, I’ve listed a few possibilities. By no means is this list comprehensive, either in writing genre or the type of music.

Adventurous – Soundtracks, Rock

Break-ups - Pop Rock, Adult Contemporary, Alternative, Rock, 80’s

Comedic – Adult Contemporary, Pop Rock, Broadway Musicals

Exotic locales – World beats, Tropical, Reggae

Historicals – Sub-genre specific music, i.e. Celtic, Classical, Soundtracks

Paranormal – Alternative, Rock, Goth, Metal

Single Titles -  Adult Contemporary, Pop Rock. Dance, Hip-Hop

Steampunk – Alternative, Rock, Grunge, Goth, Metal

Hot Love Scenes – Latin, Jazz, Salsa

Suspense, Mystery – Alternative, Rock, Soundtracks

Sweet romance – Soft Rock, Love songs, Pop Rock, Easy Listening

Westerns – Country, Blue Grass, Folk

Young Adult – Teen pop, Alternative, College Indie, Pop Rock

Mix and match, the possibilities are endless.

Everyone has their own idea of what puts on the groove. Does music give you inspiration or is the sounds a distraction? What do you listen to?