Category: Uncategorized

I love my husband and I will tell you why. Why! Because ten minutes ago, he walked into the bedroom where I’m diligently editing my manuscript and shows his Army Regulation Survival Textbook. He stands in front of me ranting because he found exerpts of this book in the public library where anyone, aka Taliban, can find it. I wisely withhold the information about the invention of the internet and listen and agreed with him as a dutiful, supportive wife should.
 While he rants I take the book from him and exam the content page and discover that all the information I ever needed on aything dealing with surviving in any condition; desert, tropical, what not to eat, how to hide, etc is in that book. I ask how long he’s had the book and he says five years. FIVE YEARS. Do you know how much time that could have saved me in research!

But, better late than never. And as a good wife. I never said a word. I just smiled and patiently waited for him to finish his rant. Ahh, Gotta love men.

What is a Classic?

In my bookcase, with its own separate shelf, are the books I had to read in college.

THE CLASSICS.

I have Shelley, Bronte, Wilde, Melville, Steinbeck, O’Neil, Chekov, Dickens, Rousseau, Kafka, Chaucer, Plato, Homer and lots of Shakespeare.

A collection of classics I kept for my children. I figured I would keep them so that I wouldn’t have to buy them again because a classic never goes out of style. Like a little black dress, you will always need it.

20+ years later, I look back at my dusty collection and I can honestly say that I hated 50% of the books I had to read in order to get a degree. Out of my classics collection there is only one author I would willingly chose to read in my leisure, Shakespeare. The stories and plots he wrote about centuries ago are still relevant today, and he is still as funny as hell.

Lower on my bookcase are my personal collection of classics. Authors, whom I would buy anything they wrote or books that have touched me so deeply that I re-read them when I need a good cry, a good laugh, inspiration, a diversion, or an escape from reality. These are the books that made me want to write as good as I possibly could, not to be better than but to rise to the level of intensity emotional bonding I had with their works.

I want my reader to feel the way I did when I read my first Stephen King novel ‘Cujo’ (it scared the shit out of me) or Beatrice Small’snovel ‘Skye O’Malley’ in the ’80 or my very first harlequin in the ‘70’s. I can’t remember the name but I still remember the story. It was about a desert prince and his captive. No foreplay or sex, only one kiss at the end but it will always linger in my memory.

Classic.

Do each of us have it in us to write a classic? Probably not. Not according to industry standard, whatever those obscure standards are.

I just want to reach one person, who will kept my book on their shelf for the next 20+ years, re-reading passage and chapters because they were that good, that moving, to her or him. For that person to put my book in their personal collection of CLASSICS. That would make me very happy.

And I would like that to happen while I’m still alive .

I have started NaNoWriMo. My first time. Today, I made my goal. I hope I make all of it. It would be nice when the agent calls to say she loves my work I can tell her the second book is half way completed. Hope springs eternal.

I am done. Truly done. I have finally finished editing the full manuscript. Can you tell I’m tired? Cause I am. This process was not fun. Nothing about it was fun but it was necessary. I feel stronger for having done it and I feel my manuscript is a stronger more concise work. I have to thank everyone at Savvy Authors for all the timely workshops and Gramma Divas. I know that have and will continue to make me a better writer.

I pitched at Moonlight and Magnolia and two agents requested my manuscript. I’m so high that I’m floating! This month I have two contest to enter and two agents two submit too. I also met Allison Brennan and she was great. Everyone was great! Can you tell I’m smiling? Because I am! Ok, now I got to go to work.

I went to a meet and greet on Friday and had a wonderful time.  I met a very nice agent but since I have already sent my manuscript to a publisher I was under the impression that I couldn’t have her read it. I am wrong. So, I’m planning on mailing my manuscript to her and see what happens. I have an agent appointment on Friday at the Moonlight and Magnolia conference in Atlanta. Am I ready for it? No! Am I nervous as hell? Yes! But this is all I have wanted to do sent high school so I am going to approach this meeting as a job interview that I know I am qualified for. What is mine no one can take from me. So whatever happens I will be fine and nothing will stop me.
Also,  I joined ACRWA and can’t wait for the first meeting. They are a great bunch of people, many already published with years of experience and knowledge. I should learn a lot from them.

I went to a Meet and Greet tonight at the local chapter of RWA. My daughter and I had a wonderful time. This was my first Meet and Greet and though I was nervous the agent I meet was pleasant and gracious. I didn’t make a pitch appointment with her during the Acrawa Boot Camp because I email my manuscript to the publisher. I know I have to wait to hear my acceptance or rejection but I wish I could.

Writers Digest has a short story contest I’m considering entering in November. The only drawback is…I don’t have anything written!!!LOL.
I do have a story in mind but at only 4,000 words max that is a tight noose around my neck. I have NEVER written a short story but I have been tossing an idea between my ears for the past few months. I don’t know. Time is of the essence and if I do, I don’t have a second to waste.

What do we like in our Heroe’s? How tall, smart, wealthy, arrogrant do they need to be to satisfy your readers? What is that perfect balance of perfection and imperfections that make up the man that your readers want to follow. What qualities do the men in your life have that you have stolen and used in your stories.
I’m asking these question because I need help with creating memorable male characters that linger in the readers mind.

How long is too long? I’m writing my butt off trying to finish this Manuscript. I pray the publisher is still interested. I refuse to send in a manuscript that I know is flawed. I can and have agonized over this hoping I’m not taking too much time. In the end, it’s out of my hands. What is promised to me is mine. I can’t worry about the rest.