Song of the Day: Get In Get Out by Cinder Road

It’s that time of year again. Shoving, pushing, elbow-jabbing, and pile-driving are on the rise. Traffic laws are ignored and finger-flipping abound. Toe-tapping, sarcastic mumbling and eye-rolling are prominent in the long lines at post offices. The stores are out of the hottest toys of the season. Why, oh why, can’t I find that (beeeeep) $7 hamster-on-wheels for my kid?

There is the shopping, the gift wrapping, the greeting cards, the decorating, the baking, the parties, and don’t forget the cleaning the house before guests arrive. All this added to regular responsibilities at home and at work. What’s a girl/boy/author to do?

‘Tis the season to be jolly, right?  Ha! More like ‘tis the season the pharmacy runs low on Prozac and liquor sales are high.

With so much to do, when can anyone possibly find the time to write?

There are all sorts of blogs, magazine articles, and TV segments that offer tips on how to take the stress out of the holidays. And there is no shortage of holiday tips geared for authors, too. Yet for many, there is simply no room for writing.

I admit, with as much as I have to do this time of year, the holiday magic I am to whip up with all the trimmings and trappings (see above list), I’m not as a prolific writer as I’d like to be.  In the past, I’ve used this as an excuse, a free Get out of Jail card, to not write. In the end, though, I feel pretty crappy. I’ve let an entire month slip past me. An entire month I could have written a chapter or two.

So, folks, here’s my holiday tip.

Following the advice of the great Stephen King, write for half an hour every day.

Gee, Jenn. Is that all?

Yup. That’s it.

Thirty minutes doesn’t seem like much time, I know. Think about it this way. Once you prep yourself for an allotted time to do work in and your mind is in the right frame, you can be surprisingly productive.

 I’m a pantster, which means I spend an equal amount of time staring out the window waiting for inspiration to strike as I do actually typing real words for a real story. I can easily waste thirty minutes watching the leaves bud, bloom, grow, die, and then fall off the tree outside. But knowing I only have half an hour motivates me to get something, anything, done. Trust me when I say, it works. These little spurts of artistic energy add up. Soon, that chapter or two is written.

Get up a little earlier. Stay up a little later. Skip watching Oprah, CSI or that cute newscaster with the sparkling eyes and white teeth. Sit at the PC while the cookies bake. Take a notebook to the post office; after all, you will be there a while. However or wherever, find thirty minutes to write.

But what if the holiday frenzy is just too much for a fried brain to crank out anything worth the paper it’s printed on?

Carve out a smidgen of time to do something else writer related. It could be outlining, editing a chapter, critiquing, reworking a problem area, you name it. Whatever it is that propels you in forward motion as an author. It’s much better than waking up January 1st with a hangover and nauseating writer remorse.

Hey, you could be writing right now instead of reading this blog!

Got a holiday tip to keep us writing? Please share, then get to work. Your thirty minutes starts NOW!

By Marie-Claude Bourque

Hi everyone,

I am thrilled to welcome erotic romance author Nicole North to Musetracks today. I have taken workshops with her and I have to say that she is the one who thought me how to write love scenes. I am forever endebted to her wonderful advice.

So don’t forget to comment for a chance to take one of her workshops for free. They are fantastic. In fact. I’m seriously thinking of joining her January one!

10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough

 By Nicole North 

The publishing business is tough and not for the easily discouraged. A small percentage of romance writers get published with a big house within the first year or two after they begin writing. But a much larger percentage must persevere for years before scoring a contract. If you happen to land in the second group, what can you do to keep yourself motivated and increase your chances of selling?

1. Pay attention to the rejection letters you’re receiving. If the editor or agent tells you why the manuscript didn’t work for them, this can be useful. Especially if two or more tell you the same thing. It’s a given that different people will have different tastes, but sometimes there is a problem with the writing or the story that multiple people notice. Fix the problem and/ or don’t repeat the problem with the next story. 

2. Keep on writing. You can’t quit after one completed manuscript is rejected two dozen times. Write another story. Writing skills improve with practice. 

3. Keep improving your craft. The (unpublished) writer who thinks his/her writing is perfect is probably being a bit closed-minded. Stay open-minded and realize as long as you’re willing to keep learning, you will keep improving. Take writing classes. Read books on the writing craft. Analyze your favorite published books and figure out why they work. Figure out your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. 

4. Develop a high-concept. Some (great) stories are a hard sell simply because they’re difficult to explain or pin down. Or maybe the story is actually exciting, but when described in a blurb or synopsis it sounds boring or familiar. Give your story ideas that instantly recognizable WOW factor. 

5. Believe in yourself and your own abilities strongly. Believe if you’re not good enough yet, you soon will be. There is work involved, a lot of work. Writing is not an easy job. One of the hardest things is looking at your own work objectively, but if you can figure out how to do it, this can be a huge help. 

6. Inspire yourself. Early in your writing career, you’ll probably have blinding flashes of inspiration which put you “in flow” and make you write for hours. And you dare anyone to interrupt you. Fabulous! But after a while this may dwindle. (I know, you don’t want to hear that.) If it does, don’t wait for inspiration. Create it. Listen to music. Brainstorm. Look at pictures of landscapes or hunks, whatever it takes to spark story ideas. You can also develop rituals or habits that signal to your creative side, it is now writing time. This is what separates the hobby writer from the career writer. Writing isn’t always fun; sometimes it’s work. But if it becomes a major chore, you need to rediscover the joy and satisfaction in it that you once had. 

7. Savor the small victories. If you get a request or final in a contest, celebrate that accomplishment. It took a lot of skill and talent to get that recognition. Go out to dinner or give yourself a gift. 

8. Experiment. Try writing different types of fiction or different types of romance. You never know what you’re going to be exceptional at until you try it. Early in your career is the perfect time to do this because once you’re published you want to already be on the right road, writing what you love and what you’re best at. 

9. Use your strengths to best advantage. Think about what others who have read your work have complimented. Which elements earn you high scores in contests? Since most of the feedback I received from others who read my work indicated sexual tension and love scenes were my strengths, I decided to give erotic romance a try. And I’m glad I did since this is where I’m published, with Red Sage. 

10. For most people, rejections will come. Sometimes they will come in droves. You’ll get polite rejections, rude rejections, and rejections that make no sense. But to use a golf cliché, that’s just par for the course. I’m not saying you should expect rejections, but if they do arrive don’t let that defeat you. Realize there is always somewhere else to send that manuscript. And there are lots more stories inside you waiting to break out. Let them. Don’t limit yourself to one or two stories that you keep rewriting over and over. Finish one story, then finish another, and so on. Keep several submissions out at the same time, maybe not of the same story, but different stories. 

I’ll be teaching my online workshop, Take Your Writing to the Next Level, in January. In it we look at your individual strengths and weaknesses and figure out what to do with each. We also look at various other elements you may need to focus on in order to improve your writing.

What about you? Do you have thoughts, advice or questions about what to do when the going gets tough in the publishing industry? I’ll be giving away one free spot to my workshop, Take Your Writing to the Next Level, to one commenter. Leave a comment along with your email address to enter (so I can contact you.) To learn more about this workshop, please visit www.nicolenorth.com and click on “workshops” on the menu. Thanks!

Nicole North’s erotic romance novellas have been described by reviewers as “exciting, high octane, captivating, scintillating, sinfully delicious and pure romance.” Her stories contain “heart and heat, killer love scenes, magic and extraordinary characters.” Her latest release from Red Sage, Kilted Lover, is contemporary erotic romance novella with a touch of paranormal. Her first story, Devil in a Kilt is in the anthology Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures, out now from Red Sage. The second novella in the series, Beast in a Kilt, will be in Secrets Volume 29. Her works have finaled in over a dozen writing competitions and won several awards. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and three chapters. She teaches online workshops about various aspects of writing, including sexual tension and how to write great love scenes. Though she has a degree in psychology, writing romance is her first love. She and her husband live in the Southeastern US, but she wishes she lived in the Scottish Highlands at least half the year. 

“It seems to me that those songs that have been any good, I have nothing much to do with the writing of them. The words have just crawled down my sleeve and come out on the page.” -Joan Baez

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Most writers, no doubt, understand what Ms. Baez means when she describes words that so naturally crawl out onto the page. But seriously, these words don’t just appear from thin air. Neither for a songwriter nor any other kind of writer. It comes from an inspired — idea. The source of which might be anchored in our life’s experiences, our dreams, headline news, or from inspiration discovered in the folds of a novel.  

Life’s experiences are an excellent source of ideas, but how many of us are at once a doctor, lawyer, or scientist? How many have walked on the moon, flown fighters in combat, thrashed about in a hurricane, or explored an ocean floor for ancient treasure? How many have personally witnessed epic events in humanity’s past that have forever changed the course of history? Ooh… then there are those experiences of oppression, torture, and murder… Few of us will draw ideas from real-life experiences such as those. Least, I hope not.

But we HAVE experienced these things, haven’t we…? Vicariously, from a safe distance, by way of literature, theater, television, blissful dreams, or horrid nightmares? So experiences aren’t limited to REAL life for writers who are naturally blessed with hyperactive imaginations. Hmm, mining for story ideas is just another in a list of great reasons to sustain the discipline (or is it a voracious appetite) for reading … don’t you think?

With Joan Baez, I’m sure the words flow naturally for all the reasons above. She’s a woman who’s passionate about the environment, human rights, and nonviolence (both domestic and civic). She reads, she researches, she lives, she dreams. And from all these things she creates lyrical stories that seem for her, so naturally spun. So as aspiring writers, we have to appreciate that some preparation is needed on our part before we also experience the same kind of free-flowing creativity that Joan describes… 

For an aspiring writer, compelling stories should begin with a compelling idea, but where do we mine these things? 

• Sharpen Your Awareness

Ideas may come from any of the sources described above. You might find inspiration in life changing events – yours and others. Scour the world around you for headlines that evoke passion, fear, adoration, or loathing. And don’t discount your dreams (waking or sleeping). But even great ideas for a novel are often fleeting so, as a new writer, start now. Get organized!

• Write It Down

Most ideas happen spontaneously. Jot them down whenever and wherever you are. Write them immediately, not later. Keep a writing journal or a notepad handy for this purpose. If necessary use a cocktail napkin, a receipt, the palm of your hand … anything.

•  Flesh out the details

As soon as possible, gather as many details as you can. How did the idea come to spark your imagination? What was the setting? The scene? Describe how the inspirational event came about, when, and why? Convert all these thoughts into words. Note the specifics – Day, night, city street, or desolate wilderness…

• Develop the idea

Now’s the time to morph the idea into a story. Exercise your imagination. Ideas don’t often develop themselves, and as a new writer, you shouldn’t expect this seemingly simple phase of your story to happen quickly. It has to evolve. An idea has to be explored, researched, and nurtured to full potential.

Begin by expanding on it. Write your own personal perceptions of the people and place that inspired it – what makes the event unique. Envision primary characters that might fit the story idea. This is important. Whether your story is character driven or plot driven, you’ll want to have a good visual of your major players — distinctive features, flaws, or attributes. What are these characters fighting for, what stands in their way, what would you imagine is their ultimate goal, and the final resolution? Project yourself into the story. How does it affect you? You have your own capacity to feel, to experience, and to sense the emotion. It’s what makes your voice and style different from every other author. 

• Research the idea

You’ve probably heard the adage – Write What You Know. Good advice, but how many interpret this in the wrong way? No… It doesn’t mean you should only write about the things you’ve experienced. It means you should write about things that intrigue – ideas that compel you to get into the books or scour the internet. If you do the research, then you ARE writing about “What You Know.” And during your research, don’t forget to jot down new emerging ideas (no matter how minor). These ideas woven into the plot might readily become a chapter, a scene or an interesting plot twist.

One point about research – readers demand accuracy, even in fiction. As many elements of realism as you can find in your research will help anchor your reader and insure that they are pulled deeper into your imaginary world. If you want a good head start as a new writer, you shouldn’t hesitate to write in the genre that you most enjoy reading. 

• Condense the idea into a Theme 

Form the evolving idea developed above, write its theme – one line describing the underlying meaning of the story. When you’ve found it, write it on a paste-it note and stick it to the computer.

Example: The innocence of youth rarely surrenders to reason.

• Now Expand the idea into a short summary

Turn the idea of your story into an imaginative vision of what it might become. It might look like the short narrative on the rear cover of a book, or the blurb describing an upcoming blockbuster movie. Use your own voice and style, present the characters, and briefly tell their story.  If you can, try to blend all the elements of story building you’ve brainstormed above (Character, Goal, Motivation, Conflict, Journey, Climax, and Resolution).

Example (is there something familiar here):  

With the economy in the dumps, mortgages in default, and jobs moving overseas, Jack and Diane realize this is their last hope to stay together. Fame and fortune for this – the first couple to circumnavigate the globe in a balloon – is their only chance to avoid separate transfers to opposite ends of the continent. 

No time for regrets now…  A dizzying exhilaration stirs their stomachs with the accelerated rise of the ship as they release the tethers holding the helium-filled saucer to the earth. Layered with  pliable solar cells, the skin of the high-tech craft shimmers in the fading light before it vanishes into a thick layer of clouds. Though the untested craft they’ve commandeered might be considered stolen property, that’s not exactly the problem. The problem is that Jack and Diane are only ten, and the raging tropical storm approaching Corpus Christi is driving them further out to sea.

But with Jack’s arm secure around her shoulder, Diane isn’t afraid. The boy, a child prodigy and son of a brilliant engineer, has played all the flight telemetry simulations on his father’s computers and has never once been defeated by wind, weather, or treacherous mountain ranges.

And of course, there’s Jack’s first crush, the girl next door. Diane, the gifted gymnast and her impressive logistic internet connections around the world with hundreds of athletes their age. A tightly spun international web of secrecy they’ll rely on as their global support team.

Together they’ll cross continents and oceans, outmaneuver storms, navigate through dangerous mountain passes, and sail upon a hundred mile-an-hour wind, then hover over villages and fields to collect baskets of food. They’ll hide among the clouds and trick military radar in a global trek across borders that will confound presidents and dictators who thrive on suspicion and fear. But, for seven days, a world will unite, holding its breath for the safe return of a missing ship filled with the hopes and dreams of innocence.   

• Save your work

Save your work in a folder on your computer and/or in a desk drawer. You might have gathered several ideas before beginning work on your first manuscript, but it doesn’t mean you’re done with the hunt for compelling ideas. Keep an eye on the market place — what’s hot and what’s not. Stay vigilant. Always look for new ideas. If you don’t write the story you’ve stumbled across, then eventually … someone else will.

by Marie-Claude Bourque

WE HAVE A WINNER! CONGRATULATIONS KIM SMITH!

I am delighted to welcome historical author Emily Bryan with a fabulous and helpful post on how to hook your reader (read agent, editor) from the get-go. I discovered Emily by reading her Distracting the Duchess, a really light and sexy Regency and I have been addicted to her writing since then. I WANT (NEED) a copy of A CHRISMAS BALL.

So please comment for your chance to win, and if not, like myself, you can buy your own autographed copy 10% off at The Book Oasis.

Emily Bryan short bio:

Almost everything Emily knows about storytelling, she learned from singing. A classically trained soprano, she describes her light-hearted historicals as “Gilbert & Sullivan . . . with sex!” Emily and her DH have lived in 9 different states, 4 time zones, but they now call New England home.

6 Reasons Why an Editor Stops Reading

Last summer, I moderated an editor panel at RWA Nationals. I was assigned to read the start of several dozen participants’ submission, stopping when the editors signaled me. Very few made it to the second page. Then the editors explained why they stopped me and remarkably enough, many of the same mistakes kept cropping up in the manuscripts. I’d like to share some of those red flags with you now.

1. Lackluster first sentence—The beginning of your novel should grab your reader and not let go. In one dynamic sentence you must set the tone of the work, raise a question and drop your readers headfirst into your story. A tall order, but an essential one. (BTW, if you start with the weather, you’d better be writing about a meteorologist!)
2. Backstory dump—As writers, we know so many cool things about our characters, it’s tempting to spill it all. There is a place for backstory but it’s not at the beginning. DO NOT GIVE US A FLASHBACK IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH. It pulls the reader out of the story before they’ve even gotten into it. Weave in only what’s essential for the reader to continue.
3. No hooks—What a minute, I hear you saying. If they’re only reading the first few paragraphs, how can the editor get to the fabulous hook I’ve set on the last page? My point, exactly. Hook them with your title. Your first line. Set tantalizing tidbits that raise questions within your prose. It’ll drag the reader forward and MAKE her turn the page.
4. Gratuitous head hopping—Don’t give the editor whiplash. Pick a POV character and stick with them for at least the duration of the first scene.
5. Clichés—No heroine sitting before a mirror, describing herself to herself. No dark and stormy night. No nubs of any kind on a human body. Keep it real. Keep it fresh.  
6. Targeting the wrong editor—Study the market. Or better yet, make sure you have an agent who does. Nothing makes a worse impression than sending your zombie ménage to an editor who does mostly Amish romance (or vice-versa!) Editors have mountains of work and limited time. Don’t waste any of it if you don’t want to be remembered. And not in a good way.

Thanks so much for having me today, Marie-Claude. I hope this helps your readers. If it does, I’d like to invite you all over to my website emilybryan.com to check out my WRITE STUFF pages designed specifically for aspiring writers. While you’re there, please sign up for my newsletter, so you’ll never miss a moment! I’ll also be happy to take questions here today and make up an answer if I don’t know the right one, so please leave a comment or question!

Oh, and here’s my current release! A CHRISTMAS BALL, a holiday anthology with novellas from USA Today Bestseller Jennifer Ashley, Alissa Johnson and me. All of our characters are attending Lord Hartwell’s splendid Christmas Ball (even if several of mine don’t really have invitations!)  Library Journal calls my story “Worthy of Shakespeare!” but what do they know? I’ll give a signed copy to someone who leaves a comment or question today (I’m not above bribery!)

So, let’s get the discussion going. When you look at your current WIP, do you recognize any of the red flags?

by Marie-Claude Bourque

Today, I am please to welcome historical author Margaret Mallory who is represented by Kevan Lyon and who also happen to be in my RWA chapter (Go GSRWA!).  Here’s to you Margaret

Thanks so much for inviting me! 

Q: As a newly published author, do you have advice regarding how an unpublished author should choose an agent? 

People will give you all kinds of advice on how to choose an agent, but the truth is that for most unpublished authors, the agent chooses you. An agent is your ticket to the prom. To sell your book to a New York publisher, you almost have to have one. But they are hard to get, and most of us are lucky to have one offer of representation before being published. 

It is not all bad, however, that your first agent will probably choose you and not the other way around. Agents are bombarded with requests for representation. When an agent picks your manuscript from the vast sea of manuscripts around her, it’s because she loves it. To sell a first book, you’ll need to have someone with that enthusiasm in your corner.

 As a hungry, un-published author, I would have accepted any agent who met my minimal criteria. My agent simply had to A) be alive and B) not have a bad reputation. It was just good luck that a wonderful agent, Kevan Lyon, loved my first book and offered to represent me.

I don’t mean to say I didn’t check Kevan out, because I did. First of all, I only queried agents who were on the RWA-approved list and who did not have cautions about them on the Predators & Editors site,  http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pubagent.htm. After I heard from Kevan, I dutifully checked her author references. It was a bonus—and a great relief—that Kevan’s authors gave her rave reviews. My requirements, as I say, were minimal. 

Not every new author is as lucky with their first agent. That’s why authors have second and third agents. My view is that you shouldn’t query any agent that does not meet your minimal requirements. If you have two or more agents vying to represent you, by all means find out everything you can to help you choose. But it’s more likely you’ll have only one offer. 

Q:  Why do you think you sold when many talented authors do not? 

Writing fiction is a second career for me. When I quit my job to write, I did it with the goal of getting published. The only way I could justify giving up half the family income was to pursue this new vocation flat-out. I worked hard. I was in a hurry.

Here are the things I did that I think made a big difference in helping me become a published author:

1. I treated writing as a job and pursued it with the intention of getting published.

2. After reading Stephen King’s book On Writing, I set daily, weekly and monthly writing goals. I am a slow writer. I struggle. To meet my goals, I had to put in the hours and let other things go.

3. I accepted that I had a lot to learn and set out to learn my craft. I read books on writing, joined writers groups, attended conferences and workshops, and read lots of fiction.  

4. When I didn’t have a critique group to join, I started one with members of my local RWA chapter. Participating in a critique group was enormously helpful in improving my skills, toughening my skin, and discovering my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. 

5. I entered contests for the critiques. My critique group was great, but feedback from experienced writers who don’t know you can help you improve those critical first chapters, in particular.

6. I forced myself to submit to agents and editors and face rejection. Everything about this phase is just plain hard. I thrived on stories of famous authors who were rejected countless times. It is absolutely true that great books get turned down every day. But it is also true that many of those rejected books eventually do get published! Your book will never have a chance unless you put it out there. 

Regarding 4 & 5, above, I offer two cautions. Don’t put too much stock in one person’s comments, especially if they don’t ring true. If, however, six judges in two contests all say you are starting your story in the wrong place, you ought to pay attention.

My other caution is that critique partners and judges generally are better at identifying problems than at resolving them. Other people can tell you when your hero’s motivation isn’t clear, your plot is confusing, or your heroine is not sympathetic. You are generally better off, however, coming up with your own fix to the problem. After all, it’s your story.

I’d love to hear your comments or questions! I’m offering an autographed copy of either Knight of Desire or Knight of Pleasure (winner’s choice) to one of the people who submit a comment.

 Thank you so much for your great advice. I too like to be reminded that writing and the quest to publication is hard work. It’s fun but it is work. When I fell unmotivated, I re-read On writing by Stephen King. Great choice

So please leave us a comment for your chance to win a copy of Margaret and I’m curious, as we approach the holiday, what is your favorite trick to stay motivated? In my case, I am a member of the GIAM group  and just signed up for Cherry Adair “Write the Damn Book Challenge” that she opens to the ECWC conference goers every year. I just got her first kick in the back side email, I’m scared LOL.

So please, give me some motivation!

And now it’s time for Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency to shop.

Here’s what we had for stats this time around:

58 pitches

24 accepted

34 denied  – reasons?

• 18 too long
• 9 missing info
• 5 not romance
• 2 no contact info

If you made it in, congrats. If not, work on your pitch to refine it, include all the needed info, read the rules several times to make sure you have it just right, then visit next month to pitch again. Remember, writing is a business. You wouldn’t send your resume’ in for a potential employment without filling in all the information and followingthe guidelines. It’s the same here. Put your professional hat on while pitching, because I promise you, every agent that attends has more than their fair share of options to pick from.

If you’ve written a great novel, don’t let it waste away because you chose not to take the same pride and careful consideration in your pitch/query.

On that note!

Welcome back, Ms. Lyon!

Please e-mail me at Dancillaw@yahoo.com if you have an interest in any of the pitches below, and Thnakyou for coming!

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#1

A KISS IN THE WIND

Historical Romantic Seafaring Adventure

73,000 words

Pickpocket Marisol Castellan will do anything to find her missing brother, but makes a grave error when she steals a prized talisman and finds herself captive of a rogue sea captain. Blade Tyburn has been known by many names – privateer, opportunist, pirate, and his favorite, libertine. All true. What he is not is tolerant. Suspecting the thieving temptress behind the bizarre disappearance of his silver, he keeps Marisol close; unleashing a firestorm of treachery and unbridled passion as they embark on a chase after a mysterious ship thought to hide the silver in her hold. Amid a whirlpool of deadly deception, the thief and the sea captain must learn to trust one another and conquer the veiled enemy hell-bent on crushing them both.

#2

TARGET OF BETRAYAL

Romantic Suspense

95,000 words

Losing a loved one is never easy, especially when young children are left without a father. A widowed mother learns her husband’s death was an attempt to cover up a horrendous crime spree being operated by a traitor inside the FBI. To save her family and expose the cold-blooded killer, she must locate incriminating evidence before becoming the next target. Her only hope lies in the hands of the handsome U.S. Marshal sworn to protect her, the one responsible for it all.

#3

FOLLOW THE STARS HOME

Historical romance

65,000 words

What’s left for the Lakota when everything around them is changing? Quiet Thunder and Black Bear want to begin a life together but fear for their tribe’s welfare when buffalo and other game become scarce. A military captain named Pratt promises to teach them white man’s ways so they can become successful. Quiet Thunder follows Black Bear to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to the Indian Industrial School. The school’s rigid schedule allows no time together. Forced to change their names and cut their hair, they’re stripped of their Lakota identity. As Samuel, Black Bear no longer knows who he is, nor does he recognize Rose Quiet Thunder. After running away, he joins Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and slowly regains lost bits of his spirit, and rejoins his tribe. Disgusted with the school’s motto, Kill the Indian Save the Man, Quiet Thunder returns home. Neither is the person who left six years earlier. They found their way home, but can they find each other again?

#4

THE BACHELOR – High School Addition

YA romance

52,000 words

Ashley Holly dumped Ethan Mcrae! And now the reigning populars at Winters Creek High are in utter turmoil. To save face, Ethan reluctantly agrees to his best friends’ wacky schene. To play their own version of The Bachelor.

Beth Hamilton avoids the populars at all cost. She learned the hard way just how vicious and mean people can be when their reputations are on the line. So when she hears about Ethan’s game to find his next girlfriend, she doesn’t want any part of it. But thanks to her popular and intimidating cousin, Molly, Beth finds herself playing the game.

At first Ethan chooses Beth to continue in the game, because no one wants to make Molly mad. However, there’s something different about Beth. Ethan enjoys their dates a lot more than he anticipated, and even when Molly gives him permission to dump Beth, he keeps her at each elimination.

Realizing she’s been painted as the villain who broke Ethan’s heart, Ashley decides to take Ethan back. And just when Beth realizes Ethan is worth the effort, she has to decide if she’s willing to take on the Queen of the Populars to keep his heart.

#5

AVOIDING MR. WRITE

YA romance

50,000 words

Lexie Sawyer has accomplished her biggest dream. As published paranormal author Sky Winter, she has had moderate success while keeping her real identity a secret. Now she just wants to be plain old Lexie and accomplish something she’s written about but never actually done – attend public high school. But high school isn’t as easy as she thought it would be, especially since Sky Winter’s biggest fan is one annoying, gorgeous Griffen Baen.

Griffen can’t figure Lexie out. She claims the special treatment she gets from administration is because she’s been homeschooled all her life, but just like in his favorite author’s stories, Griffen believes life isn’t always what it seems. Although Lexie’s cute and a lot of fun to provoke, Griffen knows something’s not quite right, and he’s going to get as close to her as he can until he knows what she’s hiding.

#6

NOCTURNAL BORN

Paranormal Romance

100,000 words

Before half-blood vampire, Alexa, matures into her full powers, she’s thrust into the middle of a war and finds she’s the main target for both sides. The renegades want to use her and the rare powers she will obtain upon completing her change. The hunters want to protect her from their murderous enemies, but Alexa fears the strange connection she has with Cassius, the hunters’ merciless leader.

Brought together by a rogue vampire with ties to Alexa, the renegade army wages an open war with the hunters. When Cassius realizes her biological father was once the most notorious rogue to walk the earth, he begins to understand why the renegades are desperate to get her. Alexa will soon have the ability to destroy them all. Cassius must teach her the ways of their race while fighting this attraction if he’s to help her control her newfound powers. The task becomes arduous when the ancient hunter’s intolerance clashes with Alexa’s defiant modern day attitude.

As they battle together to save the human race from the crushing renegade forces, Cassius and Alexa soon discover they cannot deny their desire to become each other’s mate, even if it means their imminent deaths.

#7

CONDOR 5: Where Thoughts Become Pleasure

Romance/Adult Fantasy/Erotica

62,883 words

What if you were one of the wealthiest and most handsome men in the universe? What if the only woman you desired didn’t give you a second glance? What if for no apparent reason she decided she wanted you? Would you hesitate to take her if you knew it was because her thoughts were controlled by a creature that made her level of sex pheromones spike through the roof? Would you take her when your chance finally came?

These are the questions that Cameron Alexander must ask in my novel, Condor 5: Where Thoughts Become Pleasure. When he finds the creatures in the caves he realizes he could finally have the one woman that denied him the pleasures of her body. But when the time comes he has to decide if taking the treasure is worth hurting her. One of his newly acquired enemies kidnaps her for the very same treasure. Cameron must stop him before the man makes good on his threats.

Cameron eventually realizes the creatures are much more than they first appear to be. They can be ruthless killers or passionate lovers. Cameron must decide if the pleasure is worth the pain.

#8

REMEMBER ME

Romance-Paranormal

76,000 words

After the death of her grandmother, Vanessa escapes to her grandmother’s hometown in Scotland, eager for new experiences and to connect with the extended family she never met. In all of her daydreams, she never expected adventure to take the form of a sexually magnetic ghost named Gowan, who mistakes her for his long lost love.

Aiden is a man with a secret. He has been haunted for the last ten years by a woman who thinks he is his multiple times over great-uncle. Vanessa is the spitting image of the ghost haunting him, and he is convinced that she is the key to his freedom.

In their quest to reunite the ghostly lovers Aiden and Vanessa find themselves consumed in a passion neither expected. In his arms Vanessa discovers the courage to live out her wildest fantasies. Is what she is feeling true love or is she siphoning off the memories of the past?

And helping the ghosts will not be as simple as they think. It comes with a price that may be more than they’re willing to pay. Will their sacrifice be worth it? Will they take the chance or be doomed to repeat history’s mistakes?

#9

SECOND CHANCES

Romantic Suspense (geared for Silhouette Romantic Suspense)

60,000 words

Eighteen months ago Dr. Annie Bennett’s lover was killed in a car crash, leaving her pregnant and alone. On their son’s first birthday she receives a mysterious package that leads her to believe he’s still alive.

Haunted by the deaths of his family, U.S. Marshal, Ethan Carpenter vowed never to love like that again. But when he discovers that his friend Annie is unearthing secrets better left buried, he knows he has to protect her and her son. Even if it means admitting his love for her and surrendering the one thing he swore he’d never surrender again—his heart.

#10

BOY TOY

Romantic Suspense

94,500

I have recently completed a novel I hope you will find interesting. Boy Toy is a 94,500-word romantic suspense set in St Petersburg, Florida during the current real estate meltdown.

Rachel Contino is a highly professional, thirty-eight year old realtor and like many of her professional girlfriends have no time for a life outside of their profession. When she meets Carlos Martinis, a twenty-three year old mortgage broker, she yields to the teasing of her friends and attempts to make this stud her boy toy only to discover he’s much more of a man than a boy as he turns the table on her making her his party girl instead.

Her world falls apart when her main client, developer Jonathan Harrell dies in an apparent suicide. New evidence surfaces that it wasn’t a suicide but murder. This is soon followed up by the murder of Jonathan’s partner. These murders inside a condo complex hosting her largest number of listings, as well as the real estate meltdown, makes her sales all but disappear, forcing her into a deep financial turmoil. As the murderer closes in she must fight back.

#11

THE SALSA CONNECTION

Romantic Thriller

86,000 words

The Salsa Connection, an 86,000 word romantic thriller that moves from the salsa clubs of St Petersburg, Russia to New York to Louisiana and, finally, to Italy recently won the Royal Palm Literary Award for best thriller. The red-hot thread of the dance runs through a novel that explores the Russian mob, slavery and prostitution rings, and the art world, as well as love, loss, revenge and the strength of family ties.

Sveta was three years old when her father disappeared, so it’s a shock when, in the mail, she receives an invitation to a salsa dance competition in New York. At the bottom of the invitation is a note: “Please come to the competition and enter, my little lady.” No one but her father has ever called her that. Why has her father surfaced after all these years? Sveta wants answers, even if it means entering the late-night, sultry world of salsa dancing in St Petersburg and New York City and coming into uncomfortably close contact with the Russian mob. Yes never dreamed she would find the love of her life in the process.

#12

MY LIFE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

YA

50,000 words

Fifteen-year-old 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, she’s inundated by Internet gossip and anonymous texts. Her parents’ refusal to let her work on the movie again or be interviewed by the media infuriates her. She vows to find a way to be a real actress, not in the spotlight only because of a random picture with a star. The movie needs a high school choir, so she encourages her director to submit a CD. Her choir is chosen, and her parents let her participate because it’s now a school project.

Amanda has her eye on junior Justin Clark, who’s in the play and choir with her, but their first kiss seems to scare him off. When Josh asks her to Winter Dance, Amanda is crushed to find out it’s just a publicity stunt. But he helps her learn not to care what others think, even when a jealous girl dumps the punch bowl on her. Inspired by her courage, Justin asks her out.

#13

A DEMON’S REDEMPTION

Paranormal Romance

88,061 words

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?

#14

CITY OF DRAGONS

Urban Fantasy

150,000 word count

Living with Humans is never easy. They don’t do scent exchange, they never lick palms, and they have something called personal space. But in a world dominated by Humans, sometimes you have to give in to get along…or at least, to survive.

Haley Night walks between two worlds. She is Kin – a Dragon – raised by a Human foster mother. As a Kin Female, she has top ranking among Dragons in a mostly-male population. She is the only Female Kin to ever serve as an agent in the Center for Kin and Folk Relations in Atlanta, Georgia. She works with and for Humans, to help protect them from other Kin. Usually, her job involves interviewing Male Kin in the Tanks of the Atlanta PD and filing lots and lots of paperwork. Being good at her job makes staying within acceptable Human social boundaries more than just difficult. Sometimes, it’s downright impossible.

And thanks to a single botched interview with convicted serial man-eater Niles Fury, Haley’s perceptions of Human society – and the boundaries between her Kin life and Human life – are about to collapse.

#15

THE HORSE CHARMER

Young Adult Fantasy with Romantic Elements

Word Count: 63,925

Princess Cassia’s world is changed forever when her father is murdered and she runs away the night before she is to marry a neighboring prince. Horse Wrangler Luki, her secret crush, agrees to help her find out who killed her father and why as Cassia’s unique ability to charm horses grows in strength. Nothing is as simple as it seems with political intrigue and unusual powers shadowing Cassia on her search for the truth.

#16

DECEIVING THE DUKE

A historical Romance set in Regency England

100 000 words

He loathed her on sight…
While Anthony Price, the duke of Worth, will go to any length to save his family from scandal—even marry his blackmailer’s daughter—his reluctant fiancé uses cunning trickery to evade the union her callous father has forced upon her.

Loved her in the middle…
When a carriage accident robs Belle of her memory, Anthony seizes the opportunity to keep his enemies close, his bride even closer—in his bed where he discovers his wife, who cares nothing for his ducal title or his wealth, is a filled with fervour for life and a fiery passion for him ‘till he can no longer deny her his heart.

And hated himself in the end…
But when Belle’s memory returns, she must choose between the fierce love that is woven in a tangled web of lies and deceit, or reveal her own dark secret and risk losing Anthony forever.

#16

AUTUMN LEAVES

YA Urban Fantasy

77,500 words

Strange things happen around Autumn Reed. Storms descend and lights flicker when she’s upset. When she arrives home to attend her stepfather’s funeral, a sinister couple chases her through the San Francisco peninsula. Autumn endeavors to find out why she’s become a target, but lies and memory manipulation by those sworn to protect her derail the pursuit of truth.

At the peak of ensuing chaos, Autumn receives her powers and learns she’s an Elementalist, able to control earth, air, fire, and water.

Stability appears elusive as she grapples with a new life of unknowns. She’s thrown into a war between competing magical factions, forced to make difficult and costly decisions as well as choose between two men. Necromancers abound and resurrect dead armies. Her father and sister turn out to be her greatest adversaries as she struggles with a new understanding of life and death. Conflicted, she combats the overbearing influence of others to discover purpose and the importance of duty.

#17

SUCCUBUS UNLEASHED

Humorous paranormal romance

100,000 words

Army of Darkness meets Beauty Shop, in SUCCUBUS UNLEASHED, a 100,000 word humorous paranormal romance.

Beautician Lucia Gregory has problems. Serious ones. Who knew opening an antique chest would unleash Hell’s minions? Then again, when the chest is labeled Arca Infernorum, she should’ve known better. Strange things happen the moment it’s opened. Overnight, she turns into a sexpot. Men, including her gay coworkers, fawn over her. Only one is immune—Rafael Deleon, a broodingly sexy man who says he’s a demon. He’s everything she’s avoided—icy and reserved—but that only adds to his mysterious appeal.

As a demon protector of Limbo, Rafael is sent to retrieve the chest before it’s opened. He’s too late. Hell is unleashed in the most unlikely of places—a suburban salon. What’s worse—Lucy, a beautiful succubus, has no clue about her demonic powers. Being a demon, he should be able to resist. That resistance is slipping—when he needs it most.

When an evil demon arrives to stake his claim, Rafe is determined to protect Lucy, who’d rather go into battle with daggers zinging. Sparks fly as they fight their growing attraction. Will they admit they need each other before it’s too late?

#18

RACING TOWARD LOVE

Contemporary romance

65,000 words

Carleigh James is the daughter of NASCAR team owner Tyler James. Her fiancé was tragically killed during a race only a month before they were to be married. She vowed never to date a driver again, when into her life walked rookie driver, Brad Carpenter.

Carleigh and Brad meet at Nascar Foundation fundraising meet as they both desired to support Breast Cancer Charities through the foundation. Working together in preparation for their event, a masquerade ball they have dubbed the Nascar-rade, they fall in love. Carleigh resists but Brad’s persistence and charm overcome her fears.

Things are going well when the thing Carleigh feared most happened, Brad is in a serious wreck. She breaks off their relationship and returns her engagement ring. She knows she can’t suffer another loss on the racetrack. Brad frustrated by Carleigh’s reticence lets her go. When Carleigh is in a horrible car accident, both she and Brad realize they should be together, but their pride keeps them apart.

The night of the Nascar-rade comes and Brad arrives late and not in costume. Carleigh is angry until Brad tells her he can only be himself, the man who loves her. Brad proposes and Carleigh accepts.

#19

REDEEMING CHARACTERS

Contemporary romance

80,000 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?

#20

HIGHLAND MAGIC 

Paranormal Time Travel

90,000 words 

Despite her lack of hero material, magazine writer Remy Parker has one week to polish her article, “Heroes of the New Millennium: The 12 Step guide to spotting and keeping them”. Remy’s wiccan foster mother believes Remy’s troubles are due to her lack of a love life and offers her group of off-kilter friends to cast a compatibility spell. Reluctenly, Remy puts herself in their bumbling hands. Unbeknownst to all, not only is the spell one to find her a soul mate, but one that sends her to 1696 Scotland to locate him. Remy believes she died and awaits her angel. Instead, what she gets is a man clad in a threadbare kilt on horseback.

Driven by revenge for the murder of his wife and unborn child, Scottish Highlander 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 on a road. 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 quest for revenge in order to make a new life with Remy.

#21

OBSIDIAN

Dark Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

86,000 words

A scientist turned sorceress finds herself in the land of the fae, where the ruthless and seductive Rogue is determined to control and possess her. She must master the rules of this whimsical and terrifying place, learn how to use her own powers to serve as a tool in a war she can’t understand and, not only determine why Rogue wants to sire her firstborn child, but perhaps save him from himself.

Haunted by nightmares of a black dog and oppressed by her everyday life, Jennifer McGee, Professor of Neuroscience, impulsively walks out on her fiancé and into a fever dream. When she falls through a gate at Devils Tower and ends up in Faerie, it resembles Disney Ireland as portrayed by Clive Barker.

As she tumbles through her first few hours, Jennifer discovers that her thoughts manifest in reality. Whatever she has the misfortune to wish for, instantly comes true. In a cascade of events she is fatally wounded, healed and then sealed into a series of bargains to repay those who aided her, including Rogue’s extraordinary price. In the end, she must face the nightmares that had only foreshadowed her ultimate ordeal.

#22

AMISH, VAMPS & THIEVES

Paranormal Romance

85,000 words

Being Amish in the twenty-first century in difficult enough. For Anne Levy, being an Amish vampire absolutely sucks. Despite her shunned status, her brother, Thomas, pleads for her help. Something is mutilating the local farmers’ livestock. Neither the developers after the prime land or the coyotes spotted in the area have glowing red eyes or leave weird tri-cornered bite marks. And it doesn’t help when Thomas’ well-meaning lawyer interferes with her investigation.

Attorney Colin Fitzgerald fled Philadelphia after the accident that killed his brother and left his nephew in a coma. Quiet, little Millersburg, Ohio, seems to be just the place to get his life back together, but a simple land battle turns deadly when someone starts killing his Amish clients as well as their animals. Then there’s the mysterious woman he sees roaming Thomas Levy’s property at night. Hoping to catch the culprit behind the murders, Colin follows her one evening and saves her from a demonic creature. But who’s going to save him from the Amish cutie with fangs?

#23

TANGLED HEARTS

Paranormal Romance

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.

#24

OUT OF TIME

Time-travel romance

109,465 words

Mackenzie Stewart’s in Scotland for a much-needed vacation. During the castle tour, Mackenzie becomes completely enamored with a painting of one of the previous lairds. Two gentlemen come up behind her and, begging her pardon, they kidnap her, dragging her through time!

The men are sorcerers attempting to end a feud that has plagued their lands for years. Their patron has begun to dabble in the black arts, and between his irrational thirst for power, and his dark secret, the sorcerers are frightened. They believe Mackenzie can break the Stewart curse. They convince her to play along with their crazy scheme: marriage to the evil John Campbell.

Before Mackenzie can protest, her carriage is halted and the door thrown open. For a split-second she is arrested by the same beautiful piercing blue eyes that belonged to an oil painting!

Mackenzie then finds herself the victim of a second kidnapping!

Her new captor, however, does nothing but tempt her body and her temper. Believing her to in fact be the betrothed of his enemy the Campbell, Connor originally sets out to capture his enemy’s betrothed. He never thought he would be so attracted to her that he’d want to keep her.

- – - – - – -

Good luck everyone!

Thank you to all who pitched today.

I’ll get these pitches sifted through and have them posted for Ms. Lyon in the morning.

If you don’t see your pitch, it either didn’t make it in by the thrity we allow, or there was something in it that didn’t conform to the rules.

Best of luck to everyone, and make sure you leave Laura a comment below for a chance to win a signed copy of UNTRACEABLE or a $20.00 Borders giftcard.

Have a wonderful day!

Hello everyone!

Hope you’re ready to pitch.

For this ‘Agent Shop’ session we welcome:

Kevan Lyon with Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

And today’s author spotlight is on: 

LAURA GRIFFIN 

UNTRACEABLE

BEWARE OF WHAT YOU LOOK FOR… YOU MIGHT FIND IT.

Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on—including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers, and a jaded, sexy detective who’s helped her before–Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, one clue at a time.

Look for UNTRACEABLE in stores on Nov. 24, 2009.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of UNTRACEABLE, and a $20 Broders Giftcard!

Thanks for visiting MuseTracks, Laura! We love getting to know our guests, so I hope you’re up for a little Q&A!

So tell us, have you always wanted to write?

Yes, since I was a kid. I began my career as a newspaper reporter, so I spent all my time writing non-fiction. My favorite assignments were always the crime stories and that’s when I started getting pulled into reading and writing suspense.

What was your inspiration for UNTRACEABLE?

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to just drop of the radar, and if that’s really possible. Turns out, it’s very difficult to do, especially because our lives are so intertwined with computers these days, but it can be done. In UNTRACEABLE, my heroine is a PI who helps women in dangerous situations to disappear and start new lives. It was such fun to research this book and learn the tricks of her trade!

Do you write hot, medium or mild?

I’d say medium, but based on feedback I get from readers, it seems everyone has their own spectrum.

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with any aspiring author?

Persistence is key. Expect some rejections, don’t get discouraged, and keep writing stories from your heart.

How many times were you rejected before you made your first sale / landed an agent?

I definitely stopped counting. At some point, I decided it’s better to keep looking forward.

Can you tell us what some of your other novels are?

THREAD OF FEAR and WHISPER OF WARNING both include characters you will see in UNTRACEABLE. My other novels include ONE LAST BREATH, ONE WRONG STEP, and the upcoming UNSPEAKABLE (summer 2010).

Okay, one embarrassing moment – especially if it has to do with writing.

Hmm… how about the time I went out for this formal business dinner with a group of authors and executives from my publishing house and accidentally walked into the men’s room. Yes, while people were in there.

What can we expect from you in the future? Any new WIP you can give us the skinny on?

UNTRACEABLE is the first in the Tracers Series, so I’m working on the subsequent books, UNSPEAKABLE and UNFORGIVABLE. The series is romantic suspense with an emphasis on forensic science as the characters chase down the bad guys in each story.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Yes, what are you guys reading these days? I’m always looking for my next favorite series (I love series books where I can really get to know the cast of characters). Any recommendations?

I’d like to thank Laura again for visiting. Please comment for a chance to win a signed copy of UNTRACEABLE, and a $20 Giftcard from Borders!

You can find Laura Griffin here:

www.lauragriffin.com

Here’s a Publishers Weekly interview with Laura Griffin: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6702113.html

Find UNTRACEABLE here at these direct links:

Amazon

B & N

Borders

And now, what I’m sure most of you have been waiting for: 

It’s  ”GO!” time.

By Marie-Claude Bourque

Hi everyone,

Please welcome romantic suspense author Kylie Brant with plenty to say on researcher murder. Don’t forget to leaver her comment or question for a chance to win a copy of  Berkley (nov 09) release WALKING THE DEAD!

Researching Murder and Mayhem by Kylie Brant

One of the most common questions leveled at a writer is: where do you get your ideas? But an increasingly frequent one I’ve been hearing lately questions how a nice person like me knows about some of the darker topics in my books.

Well, okay. They don’t actually use the word ‘nice’. And sometimes they follow it up with: is your husband afraid? (To which I usually answer, he should be J.)

My books tend to be police procedural and forensics oriented and yes, an elementary special education teacher lacks first hand knowledge in police investigation, serial rapists, extracting DNA from skeletal remains and de-fleshing bones. But I do know how to research and frequently find myself getting lost in some of the fascinating details as I’m looking up facts for my plots.

I belong to a great writers’ loop that has ex-law enforcement and medical personnel on it. Writers post their plot questions and the appropriate experts answer. It’s not at all unusual to see subject headers like ‘help me break into a car’ or ‘fingerprinting a severed thumb’. Another loop answers all my weapons questions and still another can always be counted on for tips on martial fighting. You can get on yahoo groups and do a search for any sort of group you need to give you the tips you’re looking for regarding your novels.

My own research library is extensive, so I usually start there at the beginning of a new story. After determining what information I’m missing, I’ll order another book or two and read them in my free time (ha!) at night once I’m too tired to write anymore. There’s also loads of information on the Internet, but I like to be certain my books are factually accurate and credible. So I rarely write a book without at least one expert contact.

Books are great, but experts are needed for those details specific to my plots. Over the years I’ve tapped doctors, nurses, police detectives, ex-CIA agents, FBI, state police, crime scene reconstruction experts, hostage negotiators, SWAT officers…whatever the book calls for. Before the Internet, it was much harder to find people to answer plot specific questions. But now the cyber world makes opportunities plentiful.

If you’re trying to research a forensic specialty, for example, many forensic organizations exist and some of them list members, their specialties and email addresses. Police Departments have Public Relations officers whose primary job is to handle phone calls from the public. If the officer can’t answer your question(s), he/she will put you in contact with someone who can.

Police groups on yahoo loops are almost always closed to law enforcement only. But, for example, when I was looking for a research contact who was a hostage negotiator, I found a group and contacted the moderator, telling him I wasn’t seeking to join the group but would appreciate him posting my request to the loop. Four hostage negotiators responded privately and offered their help.

More recently when I needed someone to give me information about high tech security options, I poked around on the web looking for security companies and contacted a couple asking if they’d be open to answering some questions for a book. One of them responded and ended up putting me in contact with someone else when my questions became too technical for him J.

You’re not going to strike pay dirt with every contact. But about a third of them will respond. People enjoy talking about what they do. And if those people happen to be readers, they are much more open to contributing in some small part to a book. I always acknowledge the experts in my book.

In Waking Nightmare, my Sept. 1 release, I was assisted by a sergeant detective on the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department. Not only did he answer my procedural questions, he provided a vivid description of the police headquarters, which was started in 1870 and is the longest active police headquarters in the nation. I was also helped by the lab manager at one of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Labs, who answered my toxicology and transfer of evidence questions.

Waking the Dead, my November book, features a heroine who is a forensic anthropologist. I found two professors in the field who answered questions and provided me with some fascinating details that ended up finding their way into the plot. And even the material I can’t use for the book is never wasted.

After all, one never knows when facts about how dermestid beetles can be used to deflesh bones might come up in polite dinner conversation.

Kylie Brant

Thank you so much for all your great advice and visiting Musetracks Kylie. Please everyone, don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!

Author Kylie Brant will be here tomorrow, not today!