Web Designs and Updates

I attended my first Silicon Valley RWA chapter meeting in over a year yesterday. I figured it's about time I started attending and networking on a regular basis, and get my name out there now that my first book's under contract. Anywhoo, Justin, the owner of Stone Creek Media spoke about his web design/graphic/branding company which caters to authors and other small businesses. They do awesome web sites and are reasonably priced....so go check them out! This was timely as I've been looking at the various author site web designers since at some point in the future, I may change my web look and come up with a "brand" for me. Stone Creek Media is definitely in my top 3 contenders. Check out my Web Resources on my website for the short list of other web design companies.

Starting at the beginning of September, I'll be posting a blog about a top writer's reference book that should be on every writer's bookshelf. Check back next week for the first one!

Chasing Shadows is going thru edits at my publisher now. Stay tuned...

I got my "Druid Island" novel back from the awesome freelance editor Rhonda and will be going through her comments & suggestions soon. But right now, I'm on a roll writing Thirteen and don't want to interrupt that! I hit my halfway mark in Thirteen this past week and hope to have the first draft done in a few weeks, definitely by the end of September!

Until next time...

New Market for Romance Fiction!

I love it when a new market opens up. Another great place for authors to submit their work in hopes of getting published. Yeah, it's more competition for readers but the market can bear it. Romance fiction generated $1.2 billion in sales in 2004. Half of all paperback fiction sold is romance fiction. It's a huge market and it increases every year.

Here's the skinny (I also reported this in my Market News on my website):

Publisher Sourcebooks, Inc. is launching into the romance fiction game. Their Casablanca line will now publish all genres of romance fiction, including paranormal, time-travel, contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, erotic and Regency. Sourcebook's new line launches this fall with 3 titles. The imprint will eventually publish 15 to 20 titles per season in a mixture of mass market and trade paperback formats. Their goal is to launch new authors and "pick up authors looking for a new direction in their careers." See Submission Guidelines. (Source: Publisher's Weekly).

Review: The Assassin King

The Assassin King by Elizabeth Haydon, Book 7 of the Symphony of Ages Series (Epic Fantasy).

This is book 7 in my all-time favorite fantasy series. I waited with great anticipation to read this book and I read it with mixed emotions. One part of me loved it. The other was frustrated as hell!

The Good: I love this series and this was another wonderful installment of Elizabeth Haydon's awesome world with fantastical lore and great characterization. The world she creates is so rich and varied, so incredible that her world and lore become several characters wrapped up into one great big creation. Did I say I love this series?

The Bad: I felt like Ms. Haydon gave her readers a nibble to tide us over for something greater. This book felt like the first 1/4 or 1/2 of some bigger piece. There was no concrete plot, just a handful of small vignettes. All designed to lead the world and characters to the great war. Easily a 1/4 of the book was repeated backstory. Another 1/4 was lore. You saw little of Rhapsody, Achmed, Grunthor and Ashe. I wanted more!!! More I tell you! Reading the last page felt like I was reading the last page of chapter 5 of a 30 chapter novel. I was gravely disappointed. I'm giving this a 3.5 rating because I love this series. Rating: 3.5 of 5.

Money and how little authors really make

Just so you don't think authors rake it in and can quit their day jobs the minute they get a book under contract, here's an article by author Sabrina Jeffries that showcases the sad truth....The Big Misunderstanding About Money.

There's a lot of competition in the publishing world. But one thing is consistent...authors love to write, whether it's for big bucks or little. Of course, it doesn't hurt to dream that maybe I'll be the next Nora Roberts or Stephen King!

Quickie Book Reviews

Review: "Light My Fire" by Katie MacAlister (Urban Fantasy Romance)

 

Number 3 in the Aishling Grey, Guardian series and it just keeps getting better! Loved it. Can't wait for the next one ("Holy Smokes") coming out in November. Rating: 4 of 5.

Review: "The Autumn Castle" by Kim Wilkins (Urban Fantasy)

 

Wow, what a cool, bizarre book! I had mixed feelings about reading it since it takes place in Berlin, a setting I've never read before and it has a love triangle. But it was fascinating, horrifying and great! Can't wait to read her "Giants of the Frost." Rating: 3.75 of 5.

Progress

Wow, I haven't been here in a while. Between my "sun and fun on the beach" vacation and finishing up my edits in the "Druid Island" book, I've been busy. Yes, I did say FINISHED edits--as of yesterday!!!! Woohooo! Yay me! So the MS is off to my freelance editor (Rhonda) who will critique/line edit, etc. It's such a great feeling to finish a book! Sure, I know I may have some additional editing depending on comments I get back...but I'm so stoked!

I also finished a 6 page synopsis, cover letter and sent the first 3 chapters of Thirteen to Dorchester Publishing in lieu of the full MS Chris Keeslar requested from the contest win. Now I'm back to working on Thirteen to get it done! I'm hoping Chris still wants to see the full after he reads the first 3 chapters.

My Cerridwen Press editor is working on Chasing Shadows and she says editing is going smoothly. No word on a release date yet.

Cerridwen Press recently dropped their trade paperback prices to compete better with mass-market book prices. So royalty amounts will be less but this should generate greater sales. In the end it benefits the readers and authors both. It's an awesome move! I'll admit that price is a consideration when I buy paperback books, so this has a positive affect on my personal buying habits. So go shopping at Cerridwen. They've had some great releases lately. You can buy at the Cerridwen site or your favorite online site such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Better yet, buy some eBooks instead and save a tree and bookshelf space!