RITA ® Award-Winning Author of Fantasy Romance
//More granular insight into my revision process, including how I create and name “new” monsters, stealing from the best houses, and how we all borrow from other creators, whether we realize it or not.
//Breaking down my revision process today, including sharing some interesting thoughts from crit readers on where I can improve as a storyteller, and a bit on content/developmental editing.
//A bit more on organizing large reader events and how scaling up gradually is super important for all small businesses. Also, how to tell if an agent is legit, or – if legit – the kind of agent you need.
//Today’s topic is planning conferences, specifically how contracting with hotels works, what it costs, what you have to commit to, and how inexperienced con organizers can end up owing tons of money.
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I’m engaged in a project this year to promote my backlist more. (*cough* AT ALL *cough*) So today I’m featuring EXACT WARM UNHOLY. This story originally appeared in THE DEVIL’S DOORBELL anthology and it’s one of my favorites. I adored writing this troubled, but super smart heroine. So much smexy in this one.
Tonight my name is Mary…
Or is it? Sometimes she’s Tiffany or Syd or Bobbi. But whatever face she wears, she returns to the same bar, to find a new man and seduce him, safe in the knowledge that no one will recognize her. Until one man does.
“And I was … Stunned by the originality of the concept of this story. Stunned by the emotions it made me experience in such a short expanse of time. Stunned by the beauty of the romance in it that ran parallel to the overwhelming sadness throughout. I mean, seriously. If you don’t fall in love with Peter, you have a heart of stone.”
~ Kristen Ashley on Goodreads
This week at the SFF Seven, we’re giving tips on How to Become a Better Beta Reader or Critique Partner. As with many skills, this is one that is acquired over time, through extensive practice and lots of trial and error. In fact, learning to become a better reader for others, with useful feedback to give, is largely a case of figuring out what NOT to do. So that’s what I’m offering today.
//Businesses that prey on authors – especially indie authors – how their model works, incompetence vs. maliciousness, and how to spot the ones that might provide little to no return, or collapse utterly.
//A round-up of my weekend, including a fun event with the fabulous Melinda Snodgrass. Also thoughts on including twists in stories and what’s required to earn them.
//Some discoveries I’ve made on what my time is worth, along with contemplation (yet again) over the concept of what makes a work “good” – and what relationship that has (if any) with the work’s success.
//Exciting news from Tor on their new romantic imprint, Bramble. Also thoughts on my struggles with ROGUE FAMILIAR and why I should learn to take my own writing advice.
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THE ORCHID THRONE, book one in the completed Forgotten Empires trilogy, is on sale this month! A great time to escape from winter and revel in this enemies to lovers (she imprisons and plans to execute him!) epic fantasy romance set in a tropical paradise.
This week at the SFF Seven, we’re talking about finding your niche. We’re asking each other, what subgenres speak to you as an author?
This is an easy one for me! My niche has pretty much ALWAYS been epic fantasy romance, even before anyone knew what to call it. That’s just how the stories came out. Which is not a great thing, if you’re writing in a niche before the niche exists. It’s like being a creature ahead of the evolutionary curve, ready for that climate change that has not yet occurred. You can survive (maybe), but not necessarily flourish.
That history makes yesterday’s news particularly exciting for me! Tor Publishing Group announced that they’re kicking of a new romantic imprint! I love that this is clearly publisher Devi Pillai’s baby, as she truly loves to read this sort of SFF/R crossover. Monique Patterson will head up the imprint, and she is a much-admired editor who comes over from the SMP Romance side of Macmillan. Exciting times!