Using Social Media to Bring Your Characters to Life

By Persia Walker

I admit it. I was (probably still am) behind the times. I was always one of those folks who noticed something waaaay after the rest of the world has done so. If you're one of those people who are fast and with it, then you can skip the rest of this entry. But if you're like me, a little slow on the uptake, then read on.

Most of you are aware of how useful it can be for writers to have a presence on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Squidoo, among others, to spread news about their books and reach their readers. But do you just how much fun it can be to use these sites to explore and develop your characters -- to, in a sense, bring them to life?

For months, I played with the idea of giving my detective, 1920s society reporter Lanie Price, a blog of her own. I started one, but didn't get very far, simply because of time constraints. I still think it's a good idea to give her an online diary, though, and might resume it one day.

In the meantime, I plan to set up a Squidoo lens on her. I've already done a lens on Harlem Redux and one on its main character, David McKay. I'm almost finished with the one on Darkness and the Devil Behind Me. As soon as it's done, I'll do a page on Lanie and link them.

It was a lot of fun revisiting Harlem Redux and David. I decided to put up the pages after having a telephone visit with a book club in Atlanta, In the Company of Women -- Atlanta-style! They had so many questions and I had to much information to give them. Why not put it all down? I started work on the lens and it began to grow. Now, it's as though I have my own Wikepedia page on David and his story. Only it's better than a Wiki because it has graphics, it was fun, and I did it myself.

If you visit the lens for Harlem Redux, you'll see that I discuss its themes, characters and plotlines. The lens for David brings together all the information that's spread throughout the book into one place. Eventually, I'll add to that stock, building his character online. People unfamiliar with my work can find the lens and get to know David as I know him. Meanwhile, I'm inwardly aglow. It's as though I spent the afternoon visiting a wonderful and dearly missed friend, one whose story interests me still.

Authors can use sites such as the ones named above to build a scrapbook for their characters, a digital repository of information about the character's history, hopes, fears, appearance, liaisons, etc. For someone as disorganized as I am, Squidoo and Tumblr present marvelous opportunities to organize thoughts about a character. Sites such as Blogger, Wordpress, et al. provide a chance to have my character muse aloud, or to tell their story in their own words, maybe even as it's unfolding before them.

Black Mystery & Thriller Round-Up

By Angela Henry

With all the recent bad news about black mystery writers being dropped by publishers, it got me to wondering what if any new or recent releases by black mystery/thriller writers were either out or on the horizon. So I put on my librarian hat and did some research. Here’s what I found.

Deadly Charm By Claudia Mair Burney is the third book in her popular Christian mystery series featuring forensic psychologist Amanda Bell Brown. I had the pleasure of interviewing Claudia here on the Crime Sistahs Blog back before the series made it’s leap from NavPress to Simon and Schuster’s Howard Books. I’m so thrilled she and Amanda Bell Brown are still around. Release Date: March 24, 2009.

Jericho’s Fall By Stephen Carter. This new thriller by New York Times bestseller Carter is about an explosive secret harbored by Jericho Ainsley, former head of the Central Intelligence Agency and a Wall Street titan who is dying. He confides the secret—that foreign governments and powerful corporations alike would kill to have—to his former lover. Sounds like a page-turner. Release Date: July 14, 2009.

Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss By Kyra Davis. After a two year hiatus, Kyra Davis is back with the fourth book in her wildly popular series featuring mystery writer and amateur sleuth, Sophie Katz. If you haven’t checked out Sophie and company, you’re in for a treat. Kyra is also giving away a trip to San Francisco, where the series is set, as well as other cool prizes. Click here for details. Release Date: June 1, 2009

Whiskey Gulf By Clyde Ford is the third nautical thriller featuring Charlie Noble. This outing has him investigating a missing sailboat and the couple aboard it. Visit Ford’s website for a video narrated by Morgan Freeman which accompanied the release of the previous Charlie Noble book, Precious Cargo. I’ve yet to read any of Ford’s books but I’ve added them to my ever-growing list. Release Date: July 14, 2009.

Black Water Rising By Attica Locke. Talk about a name meant for a book cover. Ms. Locke’s debut thriller features down and out lawyer Jay Porter and tells how his life is turned upside down after he saves a drowning white woman. This book is getting lots of buzz from heavy hitters like Georges Pelecanos and James Elroy and received a starred review in Booklist. I can’t wait to read it. Release Date: June 9, 2009

Cornered By Brandon Massey. Massey started out writing horror and has made a successful transition into thrillers. Cornered tells the tale of Cory Webb, a successful business and family man who’s dark past comes calling threatening to destroy everything he holds dear. Sounds like another winner. Release Date: August 4, 2009

The Long Fall By Walter Mosley introduces the bestselling and award-winning author’s new post Easy Rawlins character, private eye and former boxer, Leonid McGill. It’s also set in modern day New York City. It’s gotten rave reviews since its release and is sitting on my TBR pile. Release Date: March 24, 2009.

Black Noir: Mystery, Crime, and Suspense Stories by African-American Writers Edited by Otto Penzler-Features short stories by such talented authors as Paula Woods, Gary Phillips, Chester Himes, Walter Mosley, Edward P. Jones, and many others. This book is on NPR’s Recommended Summer Reading List. Click here for an excerpt. Release Date: March 3, 2009.

If I’ve left anyone out, please let me know. And please support these wonderfully talented authors and their books before black mystery writers become extinct. Enjoy!

Twittering, the Crime Sistahs' Way
By Persia Walker

I call it being stylishly late to the party. Everyone knows that Twitters' been all the rage for some time now, but we CrimeSistahs took our sweet time getting there. No rush for us. Well, I'm happy to say that we are there now.

We. Have. Arrived.

I signed up for a personal Twitter account, oh, back in November, December? It was late last year. Then I did nothing, nada, nix. While the world partied, I kept thinking, what's so special about Twitter. I remember reading a New York Times article on something called ambient intimacy -- all about people connecting online. That article is what sent me to Twitter in the first place. The author of the article said that first he didn't "get it." It just seemed like a stream of meaningless jabber (which, quite honestly, it can be). But at some point, his mental lens focused, and out of this stream of nonsense formed information of import. He got it. A real ah-hah! moment.

Well, I had that moment a few weeks ago, and I've been working on tweeting ever since. No, I haven't totally changed my habits. I don't tweet as much as I should, but I try. I found a way to rapidly increase followers. Over the last few days I've gone from what, a couple of hundred to more than 700. I've been primarily trying to reach other writers and avid readers of mysteries. Yes, some other folks manage to get in -- but why not? If they love books and mysteries then I'm happy to tweet with them!

Someone likened tweeting to hanging out in your favorite neighborhood bar, some place to go where everyone knows your name. Twitter can certainly be like that. You have to carve out your little space. Get to know your folks and exchange silly jokes, advice, inspiration, and news.

News. Now that's important. Everyone I tweet with might one day become a reader, introduced to me and wyourork on the rather microscopic basis of my tweets. Some of them have already proven very helpful -- offering advice on optimizing my website, books to read, newspaper articles to catch, etc.

Back to promotion. I admit that my initial interest in Twitter had to do with promoting my work. But I've come to enjoy it for the moment to moment events, and that, oddly enough is why I believe that I'll be successful with it. I'm not trying to sell anything. I am, however, trying to build relationships -- small ties that don't bind, but do let folks know that I'm out here.

John Kremer, the guru of book promotion, has released a Twitter Manual for Writers and Booksellers. If you're an author and you're interested, then please download it. It's a good place to start. There's tons more to say about how to navigate Twitterdom, but his manual has more than enough to get you started. I can't find the original URL, but here's another one that's just as good (as it lists several sources from Kremer).

Best wishes for a happy Twitter Friday! :-)

The Way Back: Blog #4, Re-package, They Call It!
by Gammy L. Singer

Finally got feedback from my agent regarding concerns shared with him about the fact that mystery writers are being dropped by publishers of African-American fiction.

Yes, the above was confirmed by conversations with the editors at Kensington and Grand Central and “some other editors.” (Not sure who the some others are, or if there even are “some others.” (I always had the feeling that my last manuscript was marketed solely to those two houses.) The exception to the trend seems to be Perseus and Clive Ford. Unidentified sources say: “In the past couple of years, that niche was not selling.”

However, I was told, non-African-American editors were solicited and if I “re-package” myself—i.e, write “white characters,” they might consider taking on my work under a pseudonym if I am a “proven writer.” Kiss mah grits. What about James @$&#*!! Patterson and his black protagonist? The mystery writing sisters, P.J. Parrish, who also have a black protagonist? At Kensington, I do believe. Under their mystery line. Oh-oh-oh, and let's not forget Alexander McCall and his loveable African sleuth! And I can't write an African-American protagonist--like the comics say--because I'm black!!

Sisters, does that mean the Crime Sistahs Blog is obsolete? That we are obsolete?

Let me go sit on the toilet and think.

What are your thoughts?

The End.

Listen to Yourself
By Patricia Sargeant

I'm sorry I disappeared the last two weeks. The Final Deadline Lap was rough. But I submitted my manuscript to my editor last Monday, and now I'm trying to get my life back into balance. Ha!

But I digress.

I learned several Very Important Lessons while writing Sweet Deception, my June 2009 contemporary romance. I'd like to get your input on one of them.

When I started writing Sweet Deception, I signed up for a hands-on plotting workshop. The instructor was a former creative writing teacher and a very well-known author who consistently lands on the New York Times Bestsellers list. I was excited to attend the workshop.

One of the first exercises was to write the high concept of our plot on a scrap of paper and pass the paper forward for the instructor to read a loud and provide feedback. The high concept for Sweet Deception is, "When a minister's daughter's secret life as an erotic romance author is revealed, she has to choose between duty and desire." Or something like that.

The instructor ripped the high concept to shreds. Thank goodness we submitted our ideas anonymously.

The workshop shook my confidence. Temporarily. I believe in the story. I like the characters. And I have a lot to say about the story's theme, which is identity. So I stuck with the story. I'm glad I did. I'm proud of my work. As I mentioned before, the reviews are coming in, and I'm pleased with them.

You've probably heard this a million times. Let's make it an uneven one million and one. There are only two people whose opinion of your work really matter: you and your editor. If you have an agent, then there are three people whose opinion matter. But First, Last and Always - at the end of the day - the only person whose opinion of your work truly matters is you.

Here's what I think. If you truly believe in your story, never give up on it no matter what others may say. Keep working on it until it's the best it could possibly be. Then work on it some more. Listen to yourself, and never give up.

That's what I think. What do you think?

On the Road
By Persia Walker

So last week this time, I was on my way to the airport to catch a plane to Houston for the National Black Book Fair. It was my first time taking part in such an event and my, my, my was it an eye-opener!

To put it in a nutshell, it was the first time I worked as a vendor, selling my own books, as opposed to serving on a panel or speaking at a bookstore. At the fair, I joined a hundred or so other authors in hawking our wares, so to speak.

What did I learn? Well, I've always had respect for booksellers, admiration, too. Now, let's just say I double it. Booksellers work hard, folks. We authors owe them a whole lot of support and gratitude. (Hint, hint: Shop at your local independent bookstores, folks!)

Most of the authors were quite experienced at this fair business and were generous with their wisdom and advice. First thing I learned was to compile a list of ready-to-go items:

1. Signage (a poster for your titles)
2. Table drape (not a table cloth. Often the fair provides this. A table drape, however, can help you stand out further.)
3. Gift baskets
4. Tickets to raffle off said gift baskets
5. Candies and candy jars to lure readers who have an appetite for sweets (or just a quick need for some energizing sugar)
   
6. A booklet, list or pad whereon one can have folks sign their names and email addresses to join your mailing list
7. Promotional material (business cards, magnets, sample chapters, chapstick, scratch pads, etc.)
8. A credit card machine
9. A small marking board where you can write (and sometimes amend) your prices
10. A SOLD OUT! sign
11. Book holders (to display your books)
12. Maybe bags to give your buyers to carry away goodies in

I also learned to take a number of things into consideration when choosing venues: Biggest consideration (beyond the registration fee) is distance, time to get there, cost of travel and accommodations. How much will this investment be offset by the potential sales? How much will tit be offset by the (sometimes hard to measure) value of exposure to new readers? Potential for developing invitations to speaking engagements? Sometimes, the value of a trip isn't obvious. Sometimes, it doesn't emerge until much, much later.

Whatever you decide, venues such as local or regional book fairs can be a lot of fun. They're hard work, but they can provide you with valuable new contacts among other authors and face time with new readers. You just have to count your numbers correctly.

The Way Back: Blog # 3, What’s in a Name
By Gammy L. Singer

What is in a name? I’m not asking just to be Shakespeare-rhetorical, but I’m seriously thinking about how or who should submit the synopsis and three chapters I’m working on.

My chapter of Sisters in Crime and I had Linda Fairstein as a speaker at our May meeting, and I was quite intrigued by bits of what she said. First, it was notable that even she, a best-selling author, harbors trepidations about the “next book”—whether it will sell well, etc., but I also picked up on her use of the “branding” term and how she definitely relates it to her “product.” It is not just a buzzword thrown around like a frizzbee among marketing professionals, but it’s a very real consideration in bookselling and book-buying. So we authors should pay attention to branding. I should pay attention. You should pay attention.

What I've learned: Authors’ names are often their brand. Or their series may be their brand. But an author's name or series name should be short, memorable, and easy on the tongue. Hmm… but I wanted to call myself Annamaria George for my next submission. Works well with my numerology folderol. Is that too long? (It’s my given and middle names switched around. Georgeanna Maria.) And is it memorable? Ugh. Does it roll trippingly, off the tongue? (Channeling Shakespeare today—sorry, guys!)

I personally think the name Gammy L. Singer is more memorable, that's why I've used it professionally for all these years--(if you Google me, I pop up quite a bit)--but it seems I’ve trashed that name, put it in the toilet with low book sales. But, but, but hark ye--I’ve spent so many years building it up—do I have to let it go now? Hey, it took GE and Coca-Cola a lotta- lotta’ years—talk about branding!

Okay, supposing I compromise, maybe plug ahead with future mysteries under Gammy, if my new agent (whoever that's gonna be) concurs, and this new venture into Romance, Romantic-Suspense, Romantic-mystery (??!)--whatever--I use Annamaria George. Anna George? Scooby-Doo?

And how should I deliver the project I’m working on now? My current plan is: send it to the editor, bypass my agent, written by (new name) and submit. But how's the editor going to know who it's from? I have to let her know it's me. But that screws up the whole “New Identity” thing.

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” Shakespeare again.

Well, okay, if there’s a bite and an interest in publication, I’d contact an agent for representation (other than the one I have now, but with whom I'm not really happy) and we can go around the whole name thing at that time. Reasonable?

No, people, suffice to say, I have not ditched my current agent yet. Hedging, don’t want to do that until I’ve secured another. (I feel like Dick Cheney with all this skullduggery, but an author’s got to do what an author’s got to do, right? Should it be this hard though?)

What’s in a name? (hyperlink to Blog Branding et al.) Yikes. I guess I’ll find out.

(Does anybody say “yikes” anymore?) Did Shakespeare say it?

The Waiting Game
By Angela Henry

Publishing is a game of hurry up and wait. When you’re looking for an agent or a publisher, and sending off query letters and sample chapters, you’d better be prepared to wait AND wait. Sometimes the answer is a quick yes or no, usually no. Yes, publishing is full of stories of manuscripts starting bidding wars between publishers mere days after being submitted. But those stories are few and far between. The reality is that most of us wait for several weeks to several months.

When I submitted sample chapters of my first book to BET Books back in July of 2003, I got a call about submitting the full manuscript six months later and had an offer of a book deal a few weeks after that. Seven months from submission to an offer is pretty typical. But it can be even longer. When I was looking for a new agent, I once had a request for my full manuscript from an agent who didn’t respond until two years later, after I had already sold the book myself. This particular agent had seen my book deal posted on Publishers Marketplace and remembered she still had my manuscript.

I now find myself in the same position once again. Patiently, or not so patiently—depending on my mood—waiting for an answer from the editors considering my latest manuscript. But things are different this time around because the revival of my writing career could hinge on this submission. It’s been about two and a half months since project X went on submission and I’m getting really antsy. My agent assures me that no news is good news. The longer it takes for a response, the better chance of getting a deal.

You see, for most editors acquiring manuscripts is a process. First an editor or assistant editor reads the manuscript. If they don’t like it, they pass on it. If they do like it, they pass it up the food chain for second and third reads from other folks at the publishing company. If the manuscript makes it through second and third reads, it gets discussed at an acquisitions meeting to see if it’s something the publisher would like to acquire. And this process can take months. Even if a manuscript gets that far, it can be rejected for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the writing.

For example, if the publisher already has a similar book on its list that didn’t sell well, or the sales and marketing department can’t figure out how to market the book, or if the author doesn’t have that almighty author platform, then the answer can be a resounding no regardless of the fact that more than one person at the company may have loved it. Then there’s the current economy. Many publishers are tightening their belts and being more selective in what they are acquiring, or so they say. A quick peek at the daily book deals posted on Publishers Marketplace shows that publishers are indeed still buying books. In the past twelve months alone, there have been 200 book deals posted for debut authors alone. So books are still being acquired.

As for me, I’m still waiting and hoping that the sound of crickets I’m hearing is a good thing ; ).

Later!

The Way Back: Blog #2, Clearing a Path to Opportunity
By Gammy L. Singer

Today I took an inventory of how I spend the hours of my day. To keep body and soul together during these challenging times, I’ve been working part-time as a fill-in resident counselor in a temporary shelter for teens — approximately 15-20 hours a week. It pays next to nothing, but the positive — always look for the positive — is that it is triggering my desire to write YA and I do have a book in mind — in fact, several.

But I’m chucking the job in June. Starting a daycare in September, before and after school care. Yes, I am. No more looking for a 9-5. I did that for a year and look what it's got me! Nada.

I also spend about 20-25 hours a week performing duties as Youth Director at my church, Unity Church of New York in NYC; doing lesson plans for four groups of kids; assembling craft projects; shopping for the Sunday School; working with fourteen teachers, et al. It involves quite a bit, and practically all Sunday every Sunday is devoted to it. I leave at 7 a.m. and return home about 6:30 p.m. That includes travel time, of course. So, together with my part-time job, that’s a work week, isn’t it?

The church responsibility is off my shoulders during July and August. Time earned.

I live now near the Catskills. When auditions come up, I travel back down to the City, and time-wise, I unfortunately blow off a whole day. (However, I take my Alpha-Smart with me and I write — that is, if I don’t nap — 110 minutes on the train each way.)

Auditions taper off in the summer months until mid-August. More time.

I’m also president of Sisters in Crime, NY/Tri-State Chapter. Being dutiful at the job has stolen away writing hours. I’ve loved the experience, but two years is enough. (But I'm telling you, if you want to feel connected, there’s no better place than organizations such as Mystery Writers of America and/or Sisters in Crime. I also belong to the Harlem Writers Guild in NYC. Addendum: I received a “comeback” grant for $1000 from MWA. Did you know that Sisters in Crime also offers money to authors through stipends to bookstores for advertising and publicity for events at their stores — turns out to be a good deal for independent bookstores and a good deal for authors.)

My tenure as SinC president ends in June. Y-a-ay! Time.

Whassup in June besides it busting out all over, you ask? What’s the plan? What’s the attack?

Well, let me tell you what I've already done. I wrote an email to the executive editor of the house which published my previous novels. Put things in point-blank terms. It went something like this, abbreviated:

Me: What’s my status with the company? Should I submit?

Her: (Re: last book) Blah-blah —“…modest sales,” she says, “but we’ll take a look, and of course, if it’s really good, we’d accept it.”

Like the cartoons, I see question marks where my eyes are supposed to be. Is that response enough to “build a dream on?” A-a-argh. Well, nothing beats a failure but a try. What have I got to lose but time? When the going gets tough, the tough get going ... together with any other sayings or aphorisms necessary to whip myself up to do what I need to do. Besides, past advice from other writers who have been in my predicament say, in a nutshell, do something different, then submit, submit, submit.

Hmmm… So the first thing I’ll do on the comeback trail is to write something “really good.” Ha! Hey, I can do that. I do my homework. I really check out the line this time. Can I compete? A preponderance of romances. Okay, so what if …?

That’s it. By June 1, three chapters and a synopsis of a romance, Gammy-style. Can I even write a romance? I did the “Can I?” question writing my first book and also when I wrote my first short story barely two months ago. I just went ahead and did it. But hey, guys, I'm not cranking out an entire book on the slim promise of “we’ll take a look.” Anyway, this summer I’m birthing another book — and quietly amassing a list of agents I’d like to represent me, and other things I’m planning to do differently this time around. TBA, the mistakes I made.

In the meantime, y'all, keeping myself open to splendor and opportunity.

I can do it. Y-e-a-a-h! I’m disciplined, I’m tough, and I’m B-a-a-ddd!

(To be continued)

Why I'm Glad I'm a Author and NOT a Singer!
By Angela Henry

Boy, the record biz is tough. Last week I was reading about how R & B singer Ciara's latest album was a flop and set to sell only about 70,000 units. A few months ago Destiny's Child alum Kelly Rowland got dropped from her record label despite her two solo albums selling a combined total of over 2 million records. I couldn't help but think that if these ladies were authors, they'd be bestsellers. Though I'm proof that poor sales can get you dropped by your publisher, 70,000 to 2 million copies sold of a book would make any author a hot commodity to a publishing company. Then there are the other things that make me happy that I'm not a singer.

1. Writers don't have to worry about being stick thin and gorgeous. We don't have to worry about not having the right "look". Unlike with this lady, no one is going to be shocked and surprised that a person who isn't beautiful has writing talent.

2. Writers can have a writing career no matter how old they are. I've heard of 90 year-old debut novelists but never a 90 year-old with a debut album out.

3. Writers can re-invent themselves by simply changing their names. If a singer's albums flop, they either disappear altogether or try acting. Successful comeback's, like Tina's Turner's, are possible but usually few and far between. Writers, however, can still write under a pen name and usually no one is the wiser. . .unless you get outed like this guy did.

Now, don't get me wrong. Being a writer has its own share of pitfalls and some of them mirror those of the record industry. Both publishers and record labels can be guilty of a lack of support for their own projects and dropping singers and authors with poor sales. Both industries are in big trouble and don't quite know how to handle digital content. On the plus side, Singers seem to have a bit more freedom to experiment with their music, while authors, unless they change their names, tend to get locked into writing the same kinds of books to please their fans. But from where I'm sitting, I still think I've got the better deal.

Later!

What's On My Desk
By Persia Walker

So, after having debated say, oh, fifty seconds about what to write about today, I decided to follow Gammy's lead and try a bit of sharing. She's picked a large subject. I'm going to stick with a smaller one: What's on my desk today?

Actually that's not accurate. What I really intend to write about is what's on my hard drive, writing-wise, that is.

At last count, I had at least five incomplete crime novels in various stages of gestation (ahem, progressive perfection). When I say novels, I do mean novels, not slightly lengthy short stories. We're talking manuscripts ranging from as "little" as 50,000 to 75,000 that are still not done yet.

Then there are indeed the short stories, some as short at one line -- heck, some consisting of no more than a mere title -- others, fairly well-developed, but far, far, exasperatingly far from being polished.

Last, but not least, are all my ideas. Oh, yes! Let's not forget them! At a party recently, an agent asked me, "So do you have any ideas for a new book?"

Duh. Yeah. Way too many of them. To write them all out, I'd have to sit at my desk twelve hours a day, seven days a week, week after week, month after month, year after year -- which by the way, some writers do. (They're the ones we call prolific.) Obviously, I'm not one of them.

Me, I'd be content to finish one book a year. So ... according to that schedule, I have about five years worth of work on my hard drive already. Do I think I'll ever write all those stories? Who knows? Have I stopped thinking of new ones? Uh, no. Do I feel guilty about sitting down to work on the "new" stories instead of finishing up/polishing up the "older" ones? Yeah. But am I going to change? No.

And do I think I'm that different from most writers? Nope. Am I worried about it? Nope.

So what about you? Do you have a stack of stories, both big and small, that you've yet to finish? Are they like friends who keep winking at you out of the corner of one eye? Do you work on more than one story at a time? Or do you stick with one story and battle it through, until it's done and you can lay it aside?

The Way Back: Blog #1, New Beginnings
By Gammy L. Singer

For over a year I’ve been piddling around, trying to find my way, after my last novel was rejected by my publisher. Not only that-- it was also rejected by my first and only real editor who jumped publishing houses after my first novel was released. I asked my agent to give me feedback regarding the rejection. Sales, he said. Sales.

Ahhh.

There’s more to this story, including going through four editors in quick succession, and having an agent who seeks to market my stuff only to African-American lines, but I won’t bore you with all that. The point is, my last novel didn’t get published. The second point is, I’ve found out other mystery novelists writing for African-American lines have also been dropped. A trend?

So what to do? A nice advance, two novels published, and my short-lived career now over? That ain’t right, I tell myself—that just is not right! You know the feeling, don't you? Like those sexual encounters we’ve all had, those zip, bam, thank-you, ma’am whizzes—over before you even got to enjoy it, over before you were beginning to get the hang of things, over before you got to groove.

Well, after being in this muddle, what to do, what to write, who to write as, who to write for, get another agent !?!--I’m returning to blog on this site. Now, methinks, what can I really share with other writers on Crimesistahs Blog that might have some value to myself and to others? Certainly not “How to Write,” “How to Market,” How to Get Published” pieces. Seems hypocritical at this juncture. Besides, narratives work best for me.

So I said to myself, okay, how about I chronicle my efforts to become published once again, to get that next sell, and share with you in the meantime what I’m doing—my ups, my downs, what’s working, what’s not--and maybe you can similarly enlighten me and share? Besides, blogging about my efforts might keep me from rolling over and just laying there. Not doing anything. Playing dead.

Life is in the doing. And so I begin.

Again.

(Speaking of beginnings, here's something for fun, my daughter in Atlantic emailed me this. Her mom (me) in one of her first movies, Black Sister's Revenge (ha!), on Youtube, talking about beginnings! And if you're in Atlanta and love to scrapbook, check out my daughter Laetitia's shop!) Oh yes, in the video I'm the one with the beauty-shop-out-cha'-home business!



Laetitia Russ
Scrap Chic Boutique
2774 E. College Ave.
Decatur, GA. 30030
(404) 378-2115
http://www.scrapchicboutique.com/
wwwscrapchicboutique.typepad.com

Jumping on the E-book Bandwagon
By Angela Henry

Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been very slow to embrace e-books. As far as I’m concerned, nothing can take the place of holding a book in my hands and flipping through the pages. I love books. And I don’t care if I sound like a nerd for saying this, but browsing through libraries and bookstores looking for good stuff to read, is big fun to me. Always has been and always will be. If you saw my bedroom and all the piles of books on the floor and stacked on every flat surface, you’d know that I’m a woman who can’t live without my books. So, sitting in front of a computer reading anything other than a long news article just doesn’t do it for me. Or at least it didn’t until I recently bought an ipod Touch.

When I got my new ipod last week I went wild downloading all of the cool, free apps I could get my hot little hands on including Stanza, an e-book reader. I figured what the hell, it’s free and all of the hoopla surrounding other e-readers like the Kindle and Sony Reader made me curious. With this in mind I downloaded one of the many free e-books from Stanza’s online catalog, which by the way took less than thirty seconds, and started reading. Guess what? I loved it!

On my ipod screen the e-book looked just like a smaller version of a regular book. All I have to do to flip the page is touch the right side of the screen and it really looks like actual pages are flipping! I don’t have to worry about bookmarking the page I left off on because Stanza remembers it for me. I can even adjust the brightness. And when I was done, I didn’t have to worry about where I was going to put the book, losing it, or damaging it, I just turned off my ipod and put it in my purse.

Will e-books ever take the place of regular books for me? No. But in discovering e-books I feel like I’m enhancing my reading experience, and ensuring that one day I'll be able to see the top of my dresser, and that can only be a good thing ; ).

Later!

Favorite Part
By Patricia Sargeant

What's your favorite part of the writing process?

Plotting: Do you prefer brainstorming your idea? Developing characters and situations. Researching locations that support - maybe even enhance - the story. Identifying plot points, twists, red herrings.

Writing: Do you most enjoy fleshing out the story? Developing scenes and sequels. Characters become three-dimensional. Maybe they follow your outline. Maybe they lead you to new discoveries that make the story even more exciting.

Revising: Do you like the editing process? Tightening scenes. Adding scenes. Deleting scenes. Moving scenes around. Adding layers - foreshadowing, motion, emotion.

Promoting: Do you get the biggest thrill from promoting your upcoming releases? Blogging. Guest blogging. Doing interviews. Requesting reviews. Sending press releases and/or press kits. Distributing promotional products (e.g., business cards, brochures, bookmarks).

My favorite part of the writing process is revising. I've gone through plotting and writing. I know I have a full, workable story. Revising allows me to further explore the characters and build on the layers of the story.

Which part of the writing process is your favorite? And why?

Play on Emmett Till Wins Edgar Award
By Persia Walker

Chicago playwright Ifa Bayeza won the prestigious Edgar Award during yesterday's ceremony in New York for her work The Ballad of Emmett Till.

Bayeza, already a prize-winning author, said she was "thrilled" at receiving the Edgar, which is awarded by the Mystery Writers of America.

Her play stems from the August 1955 murder of Till, a 14-year-old Chicago youth who was brutalized during a trip to Mississippi. He had whistled at a white woman at a grocery store where he and some friends had purchased sweets. His mother's decision to hold an open-casket funeral for her son drew international attention to the horrors of lynching in the South.

The men who were accused of having killed Till were found innocent in court. Feeling safe from further legal prosecution by virtue of double-jeopardy, they later admitted to the killing. They said they originally didn't intend to kill Till, but after beating and torturing him, finally shot him because he didn't show fear.

Unlike other writings that have focused on the barbarity of the boy's death, Bayeza's work is a celebration of his all-too-brief life. The website of the Goodman Theatre in Chicago describes The Ballad of Emmett Till as a "soaring work of music, brilliant poetry and theatricality."

It was wonderful to be in the audience at the Grand Hyatt and see Bayeza accept her Edgar. Her other stage works include Amistad Voices, Club Harlem and Homer G & the Rhapsodies. Bayeza is known for authoring works that inspire dialogue among a diverse audience. She collaborated with her sister Ntozake Shange on Shange's landmark production of for colored girls who considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf, directed by Oz Scott, at New Federal Theater and The Public Theater. The two also collaborated on a new novel, Some Sing, Some Cry, to be published by St. Martin's Press.

RIP Ernie Barnes

By Angela Henry

Acclaimed artist and former Denver Broncos football player Ernie Barnes passed away on Monday at the age of 70. Most people probably don't know Barnes by name. But if, like me, you were a child of the seventies and grew up watching Good Times, then you're probably familiar with his work. Barnes was the artist who painted every piece of JJ's beautiful art work for the show, as well as his most famous painting, The Sugar Shack (above). Every time I see one of Mr. Barnes's amazing paintings, it instantly takes me back to my childhood and Wednesday nights at 8pm watching Good Times. The world has lost a truly talented artist.

Sweet Deception book video

By Patricia Sargeant

I'm very excited to share with you the book video for my June 2009 release, Sweet Deception.

In the interest of full disclosure, Sweet Deception is a contemporary romance. The plot doesn't include a mystery or suspense or thriller. The characters are fighting the enemies within rather than external villains.

Reviews have been good, though. RT Book Review gave it a four out of four-and-a-half stars and wrote, "Sargeant's novel develops into an interesting drama with many twists."

CLG Entertainment gave it four-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote, "I like both my male and female leads to be strong, yet vulnerable, and Sargeant handles this wonderfully in Sweet Deception."

It might help if I told you a bit about the plot. Sweet Deception features a dutiful minister's daughter who leads a secret life as an erotic romance author. When she begins an affair with a best-selling thriller author, she's outed and has to choose between duty and desire.



OK. If the above video doesn't work, then click here to view it. Send me your comments and let me know how you enjoy it.

Happy reading and writing!

Book Deals for Bloggers With Catchy Ideas
By Persia Walker

So what's the latest trend in publishing?

Blog-to-book deals for folks who think up funny subjects, put up a blog, invite user content -- and then sell the whole package for a fat check.

The New York Times is writing about the success of comedy screenwriter Duncan Birmingham who decided to set up a blog featuring pictures of the funny, and sometimes undignified ways, in which people dress their pets. He called the blog Pets Who Want to Kill Themselves. The site went up in January. Visitors immediately started uploading pictures of dogs in underwear, cats dangling in socks, and other photos of that ilk. Not only did the general public think it was a good idea, so did the publishing world. According to the Times, editors and literary agents were contacting Birmingham within a week.

Then, there's the case of the ladies who created a blog that amalgamated funny e-mail exchanges between moms and their grown kids. For Doree Shafrir and Jessica Grose, the result wasn't just a well-visited site, but a book called Love, Mom.

Ka-ching!

The folks behind This Is Why You're Fat enjoyed similarly-attained success.

Ka-ching! Ka-ching!

The sole downside for the blog-owners? They have to track down the people who submitted the materials to begin with and get permission to use them. That, the Times writes, can become a "nightmarish task."

Somehow, I feel no sympathy. I mean, sheesh, these folks should do some work. After all, they're essentially making money off of other people's content. (Which also leads me to ask, why would anyone agree to let someone else make money off of their photos?)

As a writer who, like many writers, labors countless hours over a manuscript, fretting about plotting, characterization, and story arcs, I guess I should be angry over how these non-writers are getting over.

I should be angry, but I'm not. As a matter-of-fact, my little heart of crass commercialism feels only a touch of envy. At the most, I find myself wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Does this lack of resentment stem from my odd, but firm, belief that there really is enough for everyone to go around, or is it disguised despair, or do I genuinely believe that these folks, with their witty ideas, are contributing something?

Perhaps it's a bit of all of that. Humor is something we're in dire need of. Reminders to laugh at ourselves, they're to be valued.

I do think I'm just a bit cynical, too. We all know that American publishers race from one fad to another. They're producing book versions of farcical blogs now, too? Why would that surprise me? Furthermore, I would never assume that money not spent on fad books would be spent on serious ones instead.

I could let this instance of industry foolishness get my dander up, but I refuse to. I choose to leave the anger to others. I choose to believe that eventually real writers will have their day. I choose to believe that the decision-makers in publishing will soon be forced to seriously reconsider their priorities.

Until that day comes, I'll keep writing and I'll keep believing that there's enough to go around.

Niche Buster

By Angela Henry

The thinking behind the black book niche is that being black gives an author a built in audience, that our books appeal solely to other black people, and that no one but black people would be interested in reading books with black characters. Okay, now let’s all laugh together. Well what happens when a black author discovers that the audience that has overwhelmingly embraced her books is outside the black book buying niche?

That’s what best-selling author L.A. Banks discovered about her Vampire Huntress series. Banks recently did an interview with editor Karen Hunter for AOL’s Black Voices.com where she discussed attending DragonCon a few years ago and meeting her fans

"We were in the heart of Atlanta, where the majority of the population is black, but at the convention center, it was about 99 percent white," said Banks, who graduated from University of Pennsylvania with a degree in business and from Temple with a master's in filmmaking.”

"I had about 300 people in my room for a book signing and maybe five of them were black. I had so many white fans complaining about how hard it was to find my books and asking me why it was in the black section. I didn't have an answer. I went back and told my publisher that they had to do something. They needed to get me into the mainstream section of the stores." From L.A. Banks is Queen of the Damned by Karen Hunter, Black Voices.com.

You can click here to read the entire article to find out if Banks and her publisher succeeded in their quest to get her books moved. But the fact that her latest book in the series, The Thirteenth, is a New York Times Best-Seller should give you a clue ; ).

Later!

Writing with a Day Job

By Patricia Sargeant

On one of my writers loops, there we had a really great discussion about writing with a day job. Since most of us don't make enough from our publishing contracts to support ourselves, we have to keep the day job.

Now don't get me wrong. Especially in this economy, I drop to my knees every day and give thanks and praise for that regular paycheck. But juggling a demanding full-time job, a family, personal commitments and a publishing deadline can get hairy.

A lot of really great suggestions and ideas came from that discussion. Writing during your lunch hour. Writing before work, if you're a morning person. Writing at night, if you're not.

Some people carry tape recorders. Others carry notepads.

Discipline is key. For me, at the end of the day, it's important to have written a certain number of pages to stay on schedule. Whether I'm writing in the morning, during lunch or at night.

How do you juggle writing with your day job?

Want an Espresso? An Espresso Book Machine That Is
By Persia Walker

Good news for everyone, really. Print-On-Demand books might be coming to your neighborhood stores for real now, print-on-demand as in the ability to print books on the spot, when customers order them.

According to Publisher's Weekly, Lightning Source has entered into an Espresso Book Machine pilot program. The EBM device, which is made by On Demand Books, is said to work fast -- taking only 15 minutes to copy, print and bind books. Apparently, it can print 112 pages per minute, including four-color covers, producing books identical to traditional methods of printing.

Here's a YouTube video of an EBM from 2007. On Demand says it will display an updated model at the London Book Fair, so this video might be a bit dated. But it's still very informative.


LS has gotten some of its leading clients to sign on. That includes Simon & Schuster, McGraw-Hill, Macmillan and the Hachette Book Group. PW said that readers will soon be able to choose among some 85,000 titles at EBM stores across the country. However, it gave no specifics on which U.S. bookstores might be using the EBM.

So far, Blackwell's, Britain's leading academic bookseller, is the only bookseller I'm aware of to have formally announced its introduction of the EBM in its bookstores. Its news release is giddy with anticipation of increased sales.

It's clear that the EBM offers excellent benefits to booksellers: they needn't ever go out of stock and can offer a huge increase in their number of titles. What does it mean for writers and readers?

For writers whose books are regularly on display, this development mightn't mean anything. But for those whose books have disappeared from the shelves, it could mean a great deal. For self-published authors, whose books were never displayed in stores to begin with, it could be a watershed event.

For this last group, the EBM could help open up a whole new channel of distribution. One of the concerns that has caused bookstores to be so unwilling to stock books by independently- or self-published is fear that the books are unreturnable. Obviously, with the EBM, this isn't a problem. To underscore the point, Blackwell's says it actually "hopes to attract a new audience of eager, budding authors and self publishers keen to see their work in print." So here's a bookstore chain that's not only open to undiscovered talent, but thanks to its use of EBMs, can eagerly embracing it.

The EBM could also offer a lifeline to small, independent bookstores. These stores have suffered because they couldn't offer the kind of inventory available in larger chain bookstores. People would rather go to a large bookstore and make their on-the-spot purchase than go to a small one, order the book and wait a week for it. Now, when it's a matter of purchasing an out-of-stock or unstocked book, they might well decide to go to their neighborhood store rather than trek downtown to the larger store. Who knows? I hope so.

So far, there's only a smattering of EBMs in North America. That could soon change, given the number of titles now available. On Demand Books is seeking to develop the market. It will have a version of the EBM on display at the London Book Fair.

Questions remain, of course. While it's clear that the EBMs could be moneymakers for bookstores, it isn't yet clear how much of an investment they would represent. Some stores, especially smaller ones, might be reluctant to spend a significant sum on such new, and relatively untested, technology, no matter how exciting it might be. It could well be one of those cases in which everyone takes a wait-and-see attitude, then sees that it's working and makes a sudden rush for the gates.

One last point: It would be interesting to see how or if EBM printing affects the retail cost of a book. So far, on-demand printing has resulted in higher costs per unit than traditional off-set methods. Theoretically that wouldn't change with EBMs. However, EBM printing means no more warehousing or transportation costs for publishers. It means fewer returns and no unwanted copies. That means real dollars-and-cents savings. Wouldn't it be nice if such savings were passed on to customers?

As a closet techno-geek, of course, I'm really excited about the advent of the Espresso Book Machine. As a writer, even more so.

AgentFail at BookEnds LLC

Fellow writers or those of you who just want to get a good inside look at the publishing business, literary agent Jessica Faust has opened up an AgentFail thread on her blog, BookEnds. The threat is definitely worth a read.

What's AgentFail? It's a listing of the ways and means in which authors feel their agent has failed them. Examples: Requesting a full manuscript, promising to read it within a month and then sitting on it for months. Submitting the manuscript to the wrong editors at the wrong publishers and then when it's rejected (surprise), telling the author, "There's no market for this."

It's the kind of stuff that writers swap privately, but never dare say publicly -- until now. There are hundreds of posts over there, some bitter, many heartbreaking. It's the kind of airing that's good for the soul, though. Agent Caren Johnson has already written a reply. It's heartfelt and apologetic, but she dodges the main thrust of the objections, and focuses on a minor point. (In reading her post, it strikes me that she's not the kind of agent the writers are talking about. The ones they're complaining about are the kind who wouldn't respond with sympathy, empathy or at all.)

Unfortunately, most of the complaints listed are experienced by most writers who stay in the business long enough. I have to see them as part of the emotional cost of doing business.

#AgentFail, by the way, is the writers' chance to respond to #QueryFail, a day on Twitter when agents got to put out (nicely and sometimes not-so-nicely) the things that writers do to ensure being rejected when submitting a query. On her blog, agent Colleen Lindsay wrote that the intent was not to "mock or be intentionally cruel, but to educate." The fall-out, however, indicated that many writers did indeed feel that too many agents were of the former, not latter, variety.

To be fair, both sides have valid points. In other words, both sides are misbehaving. Janet Reid has a wonderful post on her blog in which she concedes that it's very easy for agents to become ... well, oversold on themselves (to use my words). However, as many of the comments on #QueryFail show, too many writers are undermining themselves by failing to follow some basic and generally applicable guidelines. They're submitting work that falls into a genre that the agent doesn't handle, typing in all caps, or bragging about how wonderful the work is and demanding that the agent drop everything, but everything that exact instant, to read it. To wit, neither side seems to understand what the other side is up against, which is why such events as QueryFail and AgentFail, no matter how painful, are a necessary evil.

There's also a new thread over at Twitter, called #AgentInspire, where writers can say good stuff about their agents. So far, there's only one Tweet.

Update!

Today, Jessica had a feel good Friday -- AgentPass and AuthorPass Day -- in which she gave kudos to writers for their professionalism and writers wrote in to share positive experiences with their agents. A good read.

Book in a Nutshell Contest

The literary agency, Knight Agency, is holding the Book in a Nutshell submissions contest. The deadline is April 20, 2009.

If you're interested in participating, submit three compelling sentences - 150 words maximum - about your completed, unpublished manuscript to submissions@knightagency.net. You must write BOOK IN A NUTSHELL in the e-mail subject line. One submission per project.

Agents will choose 20 of the best submissions and request the writers' work. The agent will then give feedback on that work. The contest may even lead to possible representation.

Remember, the deadline is April 20, 2009. Winners will be notified by May 1, 2009. For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/cnfe9d.

Happy writing!

Patricia

A Sistah Sleuth On the Small Screen!

By Angela Henry

For those of you who haven't heard, Grammy award-winning singer Jill Scott will be starring as Precious Ramotswe in HBO's new series, The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, which is based on the best-selling books by Alexander McCall Smith. Even though I'm a fan of gritty murder mysteries and McCall Smith's books aren't really mysteries in the traditional sense, I'm still looking forward to this series! Check out the teaser below.






Enjoy!
Angela

Writing By Numbers
By Persia Walker

A few weeks ago, I decided that I needed to bring a sense or organization to my writing. The work would flow faster and be done quicker if I simply did more preparation. My usual way of writing was simply to get a story idea, jot down the high points, then sit down and go for it. The result was always a self-contradictory manuscript that got soft in the middle and the required multiple rewrites. Well, I was going to reform my ways. I was going to be organized.

I went to Amazon.com and bought that book by James N. Frey, How to Write a Damn Good Mystery: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide from Inspiration to Finished Manuscript. I'm sure that most writers have heard of Frey and his how-to books. I haven't read the How to Write a Damn Good Novel version, but I'm glad I read the one concerning mysteries.

It was an eye-opener. Oh, my. I saw everything I'd been doing wrong -- and everything I'd been doing right. Now, it was just a matter of moving from the instinctive to the intellectual, from guessing to knowing, from trial-and-error to figuring things out properly.

Frey recommends what he calls a stepsheet. It what the rest of us call a scene outline, or simply outline. His stepsheet, however, calls for you to list every scene with a description of what happens and how it leads to the next one. Simple, basic and essentially quite helpful. I'd usually written such things after I'd written my first draft. But now I was going to be a good girl and do it beforehand.

As usual, I have ideas for several stories in mind -- all of which I can't wait to start on. I decided that I would use organized approach for one of them, the least complicated story. I sat down to write this stepsheet -- and hit a wall.

All of the joy and sense of surprise that accompanies the writing of the first draft evaporated. I froze at the keyboard. Always a procrastinator, I suddenly found myself addicted to hours of Hulu. Nothing writerly got done. I couldn't even bring myself to work on the rewrite of my second Lanie Price book.

Finally, I sat down for lunch with a good friend, Catherine Maiorisi. She was very pointed and very direct. "Put the stepsheet aside and go back to what works best for you."

"But I want to be organized," I said. "I want to write like grown-ups do, get it done and get it right. How I write right now ... it's so ... so messy."

She shrugged. "But it works. When you're messy, you're creative. When you're neat, you sink."

I thought about it, came home and picked up the Frey book. It's such a wonderful book. Having read it, I now see the framework he outlines in just about every commercially successful mystery I read. It seems so obvious, you know? But if it's all that obvious, why can't I do it?

Grrrr ...

But Catherine was right. I'm not an organized person and my attempt to force my mind to work in a way that's absolutely antipathetic was actually blocking my process.

I put the Frey book aside and turned on my laptop. I opened Scrivener, my favorite writing program, and started a new document. A blank white digital page is every bit as intimidating as a blank physical one. Trust me.

So I did what one can't do with a typewriter. I turned off the lights.

That's right. I turned down the screen lighting to the point where everything disappeared. Then I closed my eyes just to make sure, put my fingers to the keyboard and began to type.

Oh my, what a relief! No outlines, no rules, no bright blank page. Just me and my imagination.

I'm averaging a thousand words a day now. As usual, I only know the beginning. I have only the vaguest idea of the ending. Will the story amount to anything? I haven't the faintest idea. I only know how much fun it is to love writing again, instead of viewing it as a task.

How to Write a Damn Good Mystery, meanwhile, has an honored place on my bookshelf. The lessons it contains will reside in my subconscious, where they belong. They will inform all of my writing from now on, but as a collaborating, but not dominant voice.

Yes, it feels good to be messy again.

With a child's pen

I attended a lecture given by an elementary school teacher the other day. This teacher also is a multi-published author of non-fiction books.

During his presentation, he admitted the different writing styles of elementary school students fascinated him. He said you can give a writing assignment to two students in the same class. One student will approach the assignment with great energy and enthusiasm. She'll write page after page after page after page tirelessly. But her four-page assignment will be one run-on sentence.

The second student will approach the same assignment very studiously. Each sentence will have a noun and a verb that are in agreement. Each sentence will be punctuated correctly. Each paragraph will begin in the appropriate place. But, even though her assignment is mechanically correct, it will lack the energy and emotion that comes from the type of enthusiasm the first student demonstrated in her writing.

Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever found yourself so focused on the mechanics of writing - point of view, scene and sequel - that you're in danger of losing your creativity? I have. I'm struggling through that with my current work-in-progress.

We should all remind ourselves - frequently - that it's about the story. Enjoy the adventure. We can worry about the mechanics in revision.

Happy writing!

Patricia

Things that make you go hmm

Every time I turn around I'm hearing about low sales figures and mass layoffs in the publishing world and how publishers are going to be tightening their belts and and acquiring fewer books. And, if you are one of the lucky ones to land a book deal in these economically trying times, expect a lower advance, and no book promo budget. Well, if that's the case, why am I seeing deals on Publisher's Marketplace like the ones posted below?

Comedian Kathy Griffin's comedic memoir OFFICIAL BOOK CLUB SELECTION, organized chronologically and promising never-before-discussed personal details about Griffin's life, her background, and how she became who she is today, reportedly in a major deal, "for more than $2 million,"

USAir Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger's memoir, to William Morrow, reportedly for between $2.5 million and $3.2 million by various reports, at auction, in a two-book deal (the second said by the Daily Beast to be a collection of inspirational poetry).

Audrey Niffenegger's HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY, "a delicious and deadly twenty-first-century ghost story about her familiar themes of love, loss and identity," to Nan Graham at Scribner, in a major deal, reportedly for approximately $4.5 million, at auction, for publication on September 29, 2009.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't begrudge any author a dime of their advance, especially Ms. Niffenegger who's first book, The Time Traveler's Wife, I've heard nothing but good things about and has an estimated 1.3 million copies in print. But Sully? Yes, he's a hero. No doubt about it. I wish he could be my pilot every time I fly. But what about his story haven't we already heard?

As for Kathy Griffin, I saw an episode of her show My Life on the D List where only thirteen people showed up to her comedy DVD signing at Tower Records after she had been all over TV and the radio promoting it. A 2 million dollar advance. . .really?

These are the kinds of deals that make authors want to pull their hair out, especially when you think about all the talented writers who are being passed over because they don't come with a ready made audience.

I'm just sayin'.

Angela

Misbehaving

I attended a lecture last week. The speaker shared this quote by an anonymous source, "Well-behaved women rarely make history."

What do you think? Do you agree with that sentiment? I do. It makes me think of Rosa Parks, Ida B. Wells and Shirley Chisholm.

That quote reminded me of another presentation I attended years ago. The speakers were New York Times best-selling authors Jayne Ann Krentz and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. The title was "Secrets of the Best-Selling Sisterhood." The authors' main point was, to be successful, you have to break some rules. Misbehave, if you will. Of course, one should follow the basic tenants of social politeness, but at least question the rules.

Let's take publishing, for example. If publishers won't accept submissions unless that publisher has specifically requested the submission, then we'd be better served to wait for their request. But why can't we submit to multiple publishers at the same time?

If an agent's submission guidelines state she'll respond to our inquiry in eight weeks, why can't we follow up in nine or 10 weeks - if we haven't heard from her - to respectfully request a status on our inquiry?

If a publisher offers us a contract, why can't we try to negotiate for better terms, even on our first contract? Until I've signed the contract, that manuscript is mine. It's in my best interest to make sure I'm comfortable with the terms. After all, don't we want both parties have a good experience with this relationship?

What are your thoughts on misbehaving? Do good girls finish last? Or do you get farther by following the rules?

Patricia

I'm back. . .at square one!

Okay, I didn't really mean to drop off the face of the earth. I've just been busy with other things, namely writing. One good thing about my series being dropped is that it has forced me to work on other writing projects and branch out in other directions. I guess I don't have much of a choice if I want to move forward. And as much as it hurts me to admit it--and even though I'm still hoping one day to find a new publisher for the two completed Kendra novels burning a hole on my hard drive--my series is pretty much dead in the water. I told my mother the other day that I feel like I've abandoned Kendra. She told me, "Don't worry. If I know Kendra, she'll be back." I just love my mother ; ).

So, fifteen years and three published novels later, I'm starting all over again. I recently finished a brand new novel. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I won't say anything more about it since it's currently on submission to publishers. With the current state of publishing--namely all the layoffs--things are moving even slower than usual when it comes to submissions. Many editors, who were already overwhelmed, are now doing the work of two or more editors. I'm settling in for a nice long wait. But for me waiting is nothing new. It took me four years to write my first book and another ten to get a book contract. This time around though I have a wonderful agent and I think my writing has greatly improved since my first book. Keep your fingers crossed for me and I'll keep you posted.

Currently reading: The Agency by Ally O'Brien
Currently listening to: Sade Live

Later,
Angela

Mantras

Do you have a mantra? A phrase that encourages you, inspires you, keeps you focused on your goal?

Last year, I read an interview with Mary J. Blige that appeared in a health magazine. This interview was about the healthier habits she was adopting, specifically her exercise routine. Her physical trainer gives all of his clients a bracelet with beads that spell "Discipline." I like that. I like it a lot.

We all know that word applies to more than physical fitness. We need Discipline for all aspects of our writing, too.

Recently I read a interview with Venus Williams. She shared a quote her sister, Serena, sent her, "Take your opportunities as they come and more will follow." Or something like that. It's a great quote, would you agree? It also applies to our writing careers.

In my upcoming June 2009 release, Sweet Deception, the heroine is a published author. Her screensaver reads, "Writers write."

Do you have a mantra or favorite quote?

Patricia

Inauguration Day & Other News!

Today is history in the making as Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States! I'm currently at work but we're having a party here today and will be glued to the TV screen with the rest of the world.

Today is also day two of the auction for author Sharon Cullars. I've donated a Kimani Press messenger bag with autographed copies of all three of my books as well as other goodies. I'm not sure how much longer my books will be in print. So, if you'd like to read the series, or know someone who might, click here to make a bid. It would make a great Valentine's Day gift for the reader in your life and it's for a great cause ; ).

Check out this article about black film makers. They seem to be suffering from the same issues black authors are in trying to break out of the niche to mainstream audiences.

Speaking of movies, I always love to see black authors books being optioned for TV and the big screen. Here is the latest book by a black author to hit the jackpot.

And I can't wait to read this book this summer.

Later,
Angela

Trifecta

Jan. 15, 2009, was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 80th birthday.

Today, Jan. 19, 2009, is the 23rd national observance of Dr. King's brithday.

Tomorrow, Jan. 20, 2009, the country will observe the inauguration of our 44th president - and the first African American elected to the office.

Now, that's what I call a trifecta.

Where will you be during the inauguration? Will you watch it at home or somewhere else? Will you be with family and friends, or will you watch it alone? Will you tape the inauguration?

I'm going to tape it. I've started a new job, so I don't have any vacation time yet - drat! But my boss is opening the auditorium for people to view the inauguration. I'm still taping it, though. It's too significant an event for me not to.

Where will you be during the inauguration, and with whom will you observe history?

Patricia

From Blogger Karen Scott


AUCTION FOR SHARON CULLARS

Hi Guys

First of all, I'd like to thank everybody who has so far donated to Sharon Cullar's Chip In fundraiser. In two weeks we've managed to raise over $1500, which is fabulous. So thanks loads for that.

Unfortunately, we're a little off the target that Sharon needs to help her stay in her home, so some of Sharon's fellow authors are organising an E-bay Auction to help raise the rest of the funds required.

With this in mind, we need freebies from bloggers, authors, editors, publishers, web designers, etc, so if you have items you can donate - books or book baskets/collections, critiques, ARCs of upcoming releases, review spreads, mentoring opportunities, web or promotional material design work etc., please email the item description either to myself, at hairylemony@gmail.com, or to author, Roslyn Holcomb at roslynholcomb@mac.com.

All the items donated will be added to the auction that will be taking place from Monday 19th January on the For Sharon website, which can be found here: http://forsharoncullars.com/. As a small way of thanking you for your generosity, all donors will be listed on the website, with links to your own sites. You guys have been amazing so far, and I think it would be fantastic if we could help Ms Cullars keep her home. If any of you still want to donate to the Chip In Fund, you can do so here.

All donations will be gratefully received. For those who have nothing to donate, don't worry, you can aid us, by helping to spread the word on your respective blogs. And for those of you, who may not be aware of Sharon's story, here are the relevant links:

http://karenknowsbest.com/2009/01/03/sharon-cullars-needs-help-to-keep-her-home/

http://sharoncullars.blogspot.com/2009/01/appreciation-as-some-of-you-know-ive.html

http://sharoncullars.chipin.com/sharon-cullars

I'm very aware that Sharon isn't the only person who's struggling, during this economical downturn, but I'd like to help in any way I can, and I'm hoping that some of you feel the same way too.

Thanks very much for taking the time to read this e-mail, and I'm very hopeful, that we can make this happen for Sharon.

Yours sincerely,

Karen Scott

www.karenknowsbest.com

Happy 2009

Wow. I had no idea I've been gone for almost a month. I'm really sorry about that. Time flies when you're trying to get your act together.

How were your holidays? Did you receive any gifts that will help with your 2009 goals? Exercise equipment? Writing craft books?

I'm really jazzed. My husband bought me office furniture. Now, I can get organized, which I'm convinced will increase my productivity. I also received a very generous Borders gift card from my father-in-law. I'll use it to buy at least one craft book.

Speaking of 2009 goals, this is the fifth day of the New Year. How are you doing with your goals?

I haven't written as much as I'd hoped. Perhaps my weekly page count is too ambitious, but I don't think that's the case. I just have to get more focused and remember this first draft doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to give me content to work with; a direction for the story, which I can fine tune during the revisions.

So, how are you doing with your goals?

Patricia

AN AUTHOR IN NEED

From blogger Karen Scott:

Sharon Cullars, the author of Again and The Object of Love needs our help. Since losing her job, she has been unable to find another. As a result, Sharon is about to lose her home to foreclosure.

Any donation you can make to help out will be greatly appreciated. You can make a contribution via PayPal by stopping at CHIP IN: SHARON CULLARS.

If you’re not familiar with Sharon and would like to learn more about her and her work, you can visit her web site (Sharon Cullars) and blog (Sharon’s Muse).

It would be great if you guys could help spread the word, so please feel free to copy and paste this info onto your blog.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Later,

Angela