Surprise!

A little over a week ago I experienced one of those sweet, wonderful moments in life. My beautiful, amazing, fantabulous husband threw me a surprise party. The sweetie had been planning it since early December in order to celebrate my first successes in publishing.

Now, I am a hard woman to surprise. He's tried a party before for my thirtieth, but called off the surprise attempt when I put up too many roadblocks. Inadvertently of course. There's a disadvantage to being the one holding the reins on the family schedule. Any attempts to change that schedule are suspect. But the big lug pulled it off this time. I swore like an inspired sailor when my guests all showed up in one big lump outside my door as I innocently answered the knock, but I think they forgave me.

The party got me thinking about the nature of surprises. They come in all shapes and sizes. I am a plotter by nature (big shock given that tight rein I mentioned earlier). Unless I know where a story is going, I can't begin to write. That being said, age has mellowed this approach. As long as I'm relatively secure in my direction, I can become pleasantly surprised when a new twist leaps into my stories via my muse. It happened to me recently as I neared the end of my current work in progress. I thought the story would end at one point, and then an avalanche of ideas buried me with ways to take the final action scene farther. Once I learned to trust enough in my stories I opened to the surprises along the way. This allows for richer stories and greater satisfaction as my mind makes unexpected connections that add depth to my books.

I believe that same process is what made it possible for my husband to plan the party successfully. Although my general nature remains the same, I've mellowed into my life, creating room for fun in new wild and wacky combinations. Having successfully maneuvered the big question marks of my youth and established a general tempo for the middle years of my life, I feel safe enough to appreciate a divergence from that tempo. So maybe I still look before I leap, but at least I leap more often.

How is everyone else with surprises? Are you open to them? Can you relax into them when they arrive? (In this case I mean the positive surprises. The unpleasant ones are the subject of another post.) Has maturing affected your view of them? And if you are a writer, do you surprise yourself in your stories?

Let me know.

Michelle

Another Rare Character: The American Curler

So, as Sam was discussing with our poor, much maligned New England Meteorologist, I've discovered another rare and interesting character. What brings this on, you ask? Well, because I AM that rare and interesting character: An American Curler.

Now, the really sad thing is that around here, no one actually cares about this character or curling for 42 month at a stretch, then the Winter Olympics hit and the once again the US becomes fascinated. I admit, I began curling 8 years ago when after watching the Olympics I was chatting with a friend who curls and she suggested I give it a try. As it turns out, the very first team I ever played on had this nifty guy named Dan on it - he was also a newbie - and we both fell in love. With curling, and with each other.

So since this precious time, an interesting cycle has begun in my life. Every four years, I go from people looking at me and asking, "you do what exactly?", to a line of people (literally a LINE of people this morning) outside my office door, all eager to ask, "why would you blank an end?", and "what are ends?", and "does everyone sweep?" and "do you fall down a lot?". And I patiently answer with diagrams all over my whiteboard and office notes, with physical demonstations in the hallway and a department-wide search for a 42 lb object to simulate lifting a stone.

The sport of curling (and it is a sport and anyone who says it's not hasn't tried it) is fun because, like golf, you can learn all the physical basics you need in the space of a 30 minute open house at your local curling club. And like golf, you'll have days, even fairly early in your career as a curler, where you will feel like Tiger Woods (the exceptional golf player, not the philandering sex addict), and then the very next day, you'll play the worst game of your life and will spend the rest of the season chasing the moment of perfection. It's a game where anyone of any age, body type, gender and flexibility can find a way to do it well. Bad knees, spare tires, decades of desk surfing won't stop you from playing a decent game and enjoying the heck out of it.

Add to that the second half of the sport, that which you have to learn - the strategy. It's not a requirement, but I would contend that it takes some brains to do this well. And because of it, I'll bet you too will find that curlers are an interesting and thoughtful bunch.

Which brings us to, perhaps, the best part of all. When the game is over, you and your opponents engage in the age-old tradition of "broom stacking", where the winners buy the losers a drink and you settle down in the warm room to enjoy good company.

So I encourage you all to watch curling. To go out and congratulate the curlers you know, particularly if they live in the US, and to ask them all the questions you have. Heck, ask me all your questions and I will do my level best to answer them all. Even better - see if you have a local curling club and give it a whirl - you're going to like it a lot more than you think. Trust me.

The Best Thing about Winter...Reading!

So I have to admit, this year, I'm so not into winter – at all. It has never been my favorite time of year. I don’t ski, I don’t ice skate, I don’t sled, and I shovel only out of necessity.


Quite soon after New Year's rolls by, I'm ready for spring, for tulips and daffodils and the smell of the Earth renewing itself, but usually I can grin and bear it until April like most good New Englanders.

Unfortunately, this winter has been rife with peril for me. I’m struggling with all of my New Year’s resolutions – most are blown, but I refuse to give up completely yet. I’m stubborn that way. There is a lot going on in my personal and professional life – some good, some not so good, but all stressful.

My usual contented ritual of hibernation has turned into a bad case of the winter blahs. And it’s only the middle of February. Yuck! What to do between now and late March? How do I make sure I don’t lose my marbles while I wait for 60 degree or better weather?

Read, read and then read some more.

This winter I have gone back to basics – to Harlequin romances like the ones I first read as a teenager. Some shrug their shoulders at romance novels, even more shrug at the thought of Harlequin romances. Quick reads with funny titles and clinched covers are outdated and not worth the time, right?

WRONG.

Can you read them quickly – yes, do they have goofy titles and covers – usually, but they are pure, escapist fun meant to entertain. There is something intrinsically comforting about knowing exactly what you are getting once you start reading. It does not matter I know how the story will end – I can simply enjoy the ride.

Men watch sports for the same reasons. It’s a game, with set rules, two opponents, and though there are twists and turns along the way, one team will win and one team will lose. With romance novels, its boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy loses girl, and then boy and girl triumph over adversity and live happily ever after. It’s controlled escapism in a chaotic world. How can that be a bad thing?

So off I go, curled up under a blanket with a cup of hot tea by my side, ready to go headlong into another romance novel. Happy reading! See you in the springtime.

New Character Idea: Meteorologist

So this morning I woke up and immediately looked out the window, ready to see the wreckage brought by the epic blizzard that was to have raged all night long here in the Boston area. As I looked out across my green and utterly snow-less lawn, I had the idea for a great character: The New England Meteorologist (a word, it turns out, i cannot type without looking at my fingers).

Who is this man? And does he have ANY self esteem? I mean, in the big picture, with years of New England weather forecasting experience under my belt, this was absolutely an EPIC FAIL. I had been promise (and dreaded) as many as 10 inches of snow! And I'm a good New Englander. I know that a 10" forecast means anything from 5 to 15. But less than 1? Come on now. Really? All that fancy software and modeling logorithms and god knows what, and my grandfather could have more accurately determined the outcome based on how stiff his knee was the day before yesterday.

So my next hero is going to be the man who questions himself constantly. That's worried about not delivering on his promises. He's going to be a man that has to stand up in front of everyone and predict the future and be wrong 75% of the time.

He's going to be a New England Meteorologist.

The next question is, who would fall for this guy?

Quirkies' Favorite Valentines

Valentine's Day is right around the corner! I just mailed some cool Victorian Valentine postcards to Mom and Dad, my daughter Natty is dreaming about chocolate every night (well, actually, she pretty much dreams about chocolate 365 nights a year!), and I'm expecting a gorgeous bouquet of flowers from hubby dearest. The best part of this lovely holiday? Reading a lusty, heart-wrenching, super romantic tale. Here are some of The Quirky Ladies' favorite Valentines....

Victoria Morgan: The Reef by Nora Roberts still tops my favorite list after all these years. It's like two wonderful love stories in one. We follow Tate Beaumont and Matthew Lassiter's story as they first fall in love in their young twenties, and after tragedy separates them, we get to see them come together again when they are older and more mature. It also has adventure, treasure hunting, hot sex and Nora's great dialogue to keep the pages turning.

(Woa, Vick, this sounds great. Thanks for the hot tip.--Penny)

Tara Truesdale: I'm going with Angel Falls by Kristin Hannah. You jump into the story of Liam and Michaela "Mike" after they have been married a few years and are raising their daughter and son. Mike has an accident that leaves her in a coma, and Liam, a small town doctor, is a gentle, strong hero who nurses her back to health only to have her wake up with retrograde amnesia. She thinks she is still in love with her first husband, the complete antithesis of Liam, and the story unfolds with Mike picking up the pieces of her life, realizing that Liam is her true love, memory or no memory.

You know me...I love soap opera type books. I was a Days of Our Lives junkie for decades.

(That sounds angsty. I was a General Hospital fan myself....go Luke and Laura!--Penny)

Dalton Diaz: Brace yourself for a surprise: LaVyrle Spencer, Twice Loved. The love, the history (both physical and emotional), the angst...this book has it all, and it's so beautifully written. Sweet Memories, Home Song and Bygones do it for me, too, but Twice Loved is the winner by a nose.

(Ha! Our naughty Quirk has a secret love for true romance. I knew it!--Penny)

Sam Wayland: I'm going to choose Gaps In Your Soul by Shayla Kersten. It's just a Quickie Erotica, but in 55 pages, the author manages to make you fall in love with not one but two men, so that in the end, you genuinely believe they fill the gaps in each other's souls. Oh, and it's smoking hot. :)

(Soul mate sex. Doesn't get better than that, baby.--Penny)

Michelle Polaris: My choice is Rough Canvas by Joey W. Hill. I love this book because the heroes are so in love with one another it hurts down in their souls. And although they each carry terrible personal burdens, it's clear from almost the first page that they complete one another and if they can only find a way to fit together the love will be everything for ever and ever.

(Ohhhh, Michelle. That sounds incredibly romantic! And I love Joey Hill.--Penny)

Kate Macarthur: I just read If He's Sinful by Hannah Howell and I loved it! It's got fabulous characters in tough situations that you desperately want them to conquer so they can be together. And all that with a little paranormal thrown in to keep things fun and even more interesting.

(A pinch of paranormal is always welcome in a romance novel.--Penny)

Penny Watson: I was just thinking about the most romantic scenes I've read, and one stands out. When Zsadist, the big hulking, horribly tortured hero of Lover Awakened (JR Ward) shyly shows Bella that he has learned to read and write, and he scribbles "I love you" in a childlike scrawl for her to see, I am moved to tears. I've read that scene many, many times, and I still cry. It is such a romantic gesture from this scary-looking vampire, I just love it!

We'd love to hear about your favorite romance novels and Valentine traditions. Let us know!

Happy Valentine's Day to All!

Love, The Quirky Ladies

Can someone please shave that nasty thing off Brad Pitt's face?

Brad's Current Look:

Really? Are those braids? Because while I can repect Penny's fascnination with facial hair and the men that wear it well, I consider this "plaited" thing to be over the line. I mean, how much food gets stuck in there? And how long would it take to find it? Why not cornrows instead?

When, oh when will I be able to enjoy indulging in People Magazine again without being in constant fear of turning the page and seeing THIS? (Can you tell I had a bad incident at the gym today?)

Now, let's take a moment to enjoy what Brad's look was BEFORE:

Sigh. Enough said.
(Penny, in deference to you and your love of the beard, I chose a picture where he's got some of that yummy scruff going on)

A New Year's Gift

        T.S. Eliot writes April is the cruelest month or so he laments in The Waste Land, but I'd have to go with January. After the festive chaos of the holidays and ringing in the New Year, January arrives with a bleak, reverberating silence.  

      Friends and relatives have returned to their winter hibernation. The holiday sweets and food you have gorged yourself on now weighs down your butt and loads you up with guilt. You're then confronted with those pesky resolutions you made while ringing in the New Year. You're going to lose weight (that lasts about a month or so). You resolve to understand your in-laws (that last about a week). And of course, you will finish all those projects that you've procrastinated on forever. (You jot a 'note to self' to start tomorrow).

        A recent study showed that 22% of people gave up their resolutions in the first week. By March, more than half of the rest of the resoluters fell off the bandwagon.  It makes one empathize with those glib folks (my husband included) who proclaim their resolution is to not make any more resolutions.

        I may not carry out all my resolutions, which often are a 'ditto' of the prior year, but each time I make them, I feel as if I'm given a chance to turn a page and write a new outline for the year. January may arrive in a bleak follow up to December's brighter festivities, but it also heralds in a new year and with that, comes new beginnings.

        The month was named after Janus, the mythical god of beginnings.  Perhaps last year, things didn't work out the way I wanted.  I might have gotten another rejection on my latest submission, or I might not have finished my work in progress, or I might have shied away from pitching my novel at a writer's conference.  With such setbacks, I'm ready to climb into my cave and hibernate for the rest of the year --or plead along with Green Day to Wake Me Up When September Ends or, in my case, next year. 

        But during January, we can pack away last year's failures and start anew.  Yesterday's disappointments sail into history, for with the New Year, comes hope.  We are given a clean slate and a second chance to achieve our goals, either through small resolutions or bigger steps.  For all the gift giving in December, January's gift of a new beginning is most special.

        So as January comes to a close and we move into February, we must grasp onto this gift and as Thoreau says, "go confidently in the direction of your dreams."  For if you don't try, you won't succeed.  Or as the queen of romance says:

        "If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no.  If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place."

- Nora Roberts

Hints from the Promo Queen

After announcing the unexpected news that my debut novel Sweet Inspiration was a bestseller at Fictionwise, various folks began to ask me what I did to promote my book. Since the jury is still out as to my actual sales, you can take this advice with a grain of salt. Also note, Sweet Inspiration was only available as an e-book, but the suggestions are still applicable for any on-line sales, including print books at Amazon or other locations. Here are some suggestions from the Promo Queen (I can't believe a found a photo of a dachshund wearing a crown!).

1. Don't wait around for your publisher to contact reviewers. The sites might be backlogged, and your review may come out 6 months after your book is released. That's good for long-term sales, but not helpful for your launch day push. Make sure you contact your own reviewers 3-4 months ahead, and schedule the reviews to be posted 1 wk before and several weeks after launch day to create buzz. How to find reviewers? Look for romance review blogs, ask your author friends (and make sure you offer to reciprocate), contact larger review sites and fill out their applications. Whatever it takes. As soon as you have good reviews rolling in, you can post them on your website, and announce them through twitter, facebook, etc.

P.S. No, you cannot insist that the reviewers write you a sparkling recommendation. Yes, it is nerve-wracking not knowing if the review will be good. Believe in your book and have faith. Readers realize that everyone has his/her own opinion about things. Don't send your sweet, rated-G YA novel to an erotica reviewer. Use common sense.

2. Run adds for 1-2 months prior, and 1-2 months during release. Pick places with high traffic and visitors who read ebooks or your particular genre. I splurged on All About Romance, and ran my banner there for the entire month of December. It's worth the investment if it gets you sales and exposure. Don't waste your time/money running ads (even if they are cheap) on places that are cluttered with banners and ads, or visited mostly by authors and not readers. Ads are fairly simple to make. You can either just take a jpeg of your book cover with a link (use your website if it's prior to the purchase link being released). Moving gif banners are also cool...my awesome website designer made me a gorgeous one.

3. Don't forget the golden rule...promo must reach readers!!!! It's OK to run promo on your publishing loops, but it's more important to reach readers. Try reader loops/bloggers who specialize in your genre, and have a lot of followers/traffic. However, be warned. Self-promoting on the reader boards at Amazon, AAR, Barnes and Nobles is not a good idea. Self-promotion is forbidden on some loops. Read the rules and regulations carefully before you post.

4. Contests are good! Why? Because it draws in readers, and announcements for contests get posted on a lot of other sites on-line. Lots of exposure! You could give away a $5 or $10 gift card from Amazon, which is not too high of an expense. Tie in prizes with your book theme... I gave away xmas ornaments, hot cocoa, cookies, etc--all tied into the theme of my Christmas story.

5. Post your cover, your blurb and don't forget a good excerpt. People want to see what kind of writer you are, so choose your excerpt wisely. Post on facebook/myspace, twitter, your blog, your friend's blog, your website, etc.

6. Get a Goodreads acct! Pronto! Goodreads is fantastic...you can do self-promotion without looking like a jerk. Make an author page so you can post book info, excerpt, trailers, announce contests/launch day, etc. Goodreads is viral....if you get one good review, "friends" read it, add your book, discuss on ami boards (there are a lot of cross over people on ami and goodreads, also AAR)--do it!

7. Invest in a good website designer. You want your website, ad banners, book trailers to all look polished and professional. You can post your book trailers on youtube and place links on facebook, websites, etc. You can do these things yourself, but make sure it looks professional. If you make a nice banner, ask your author friends to post it on their webs/blogs too if possible...

8. Book bloggers often post covers with the release date on their side bars. This is awesome free publicity.

9. Set up interviews and guest blog posts. Make sure most are on high-traffic reader sites. It's OK to do some author sites too. Everyone has his/her own followers and you might get into a new "crew" of folks! Make a big calendar with your schedule, try not to overlap or over schedule. Spread it out. Make sure you send confirmation emails, thank you notes to everyone, even people who might give you only mediocre reviews. Always be professional and polite.

10. Even mediocre reviews are helpful. Don't get into a sparring match with a reviewer you disagree with. It's totally uncool and unprofessional. Remember...what goes around comes around.

11. Do things to set you apart from the masses....be creative! My 5 Klaus brothers "took over" my blog for 5 weeks prior to launch day, gave away prizes, readers got to know the brothers and wanted more. It really drummed up interest, and the unexpected benefit was that it helped me get to know my characters better!

12. Visit other blogs and leave comments...your url is attached, so you will get visitors to your blog. However, don't waste too much time with this! The internet addiction can eat up a lot of time (and I should know!--that's new year's resolution #6).

13. Post about good reviews, good news to keep up buzz. Make it fun and interesting. Don't just say "I got another 5 star review!" Take a fun snippet out of the review ("The Klaus brothers really cranked my Christmas tree....5 stars!") and use that instead. Make it fun and creative.

14. Google yourself. Find out if anyone is talking about you/your book....then post good stuff!

15. Make your blog fun...post news snippets, reviews of books you're enjoying, do mini interviews, run contests...have fun with it. It should not be too much work or too stressful!

16. For those of you with print books: Don't waste too much time scheduling book signings, etc. Focus on on-line sales. A lot of people buy their books online from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. Always include purchase links when discussing your book....either to Amazon, your publisher, etc.

If anyone has any other good promo tidbits, please let me know!

Penny

A Pit Stop at Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem

I'm at Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem today being interviewed. Guess what creature I said I'd prefer to be if given a choice?

I hope everyone is pleased with how 2010 has begun for them. I know I am.

Happy 2010 from The Quirky Ladies!

Happy 2010!!! Time for a new decade, new resolutions, and hopefully new dreams to come true this year. Here's a round-up of some "quirky" goals....

Vicki: Enter some contests and finish Changing Fortunes. (and drink a lot of delicious martinis with Penny...okay, I added that part)

Dalton: Recover from Holiday 2009! And to publish a sequel to Illegal Moves. (yay!...I think I might print up some Team Seth T-shirts!)

Tara: Tara wants to send her finished WIP to a few contests (go, Tara!), start a new manuscript and complete it by her October birthday, find more time to relax and de-stress(I hear martinis are really good for that!), go on at least one dream vacation, and stick to her new diet and exercise regimen. (Criminy. I'm exhausted just reading that.)

Michelle Polaris: Finish Magician's Chains. Finish sequel to Bound Odyssey. (Start collection of thigh high leather boots. hee hee hee. Okay, I added that part, too.)

Kate Macarthur: Survive construction project in one piece, get her son enrolled in preschool, and start writing the romantic suspense she's been threatening. (hurry up, I want to read it!)

Michelle Picard: Start the third part of the Eden Series. (I'm ready for 2. I'm ready for 3. I'm ready for Gabriel to stop by for a martini....)

Sam Wayland: Finish Destiny Calls and Breakaway Love (the third in the hockey series). (I predict a big party in 2010 for Sam's first publication! Woo hoo!)

Penny: Okay, it's my turn. Write Sweet Magik, the 2nd part of the Klaus Brothers Series. Finish Diabolical, the botanical mystery/romance I started last year. Try to avoid a severe kindle addiction which threatens to take over my life.

Here's to a wonderful, amazing and inspiring 2010!

Penny