RITA ® Award-Winning Author of Fantasy Romance
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Tuesday sees the release of PRISONER OF THE CROWN! There will be print (POD) versions available, too, but they won’t appear on the retail sites until release day, Tuesday, June 12, 2018.
Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is: What’s the single most helpful thing you do to keep from being stuck in a story? Or how not to paint yourself into a corner. Come on over to learn what I do!
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I’m hard at work writing THE ORCHID THRONE, the first in my new trilogy for St. Martins Press. So, naturally, I had to impulse-buy this gorgeous orchid from Trader Joe’s. It’s my new desk ornament, following the USB-plug in Christmas tree, cherry blossom tree, and foaming cauldron. This one notably does NOT require electricity, which seems appropriate for the world I’m writing. However, it does require attention to be kept alive. So far my record with orchids is pretty abysmal. (Don’t tell this gal!) We shall see. Any tips for keeping orchids alive in a desert climate?
Last week I traveled to Phoenix to give a presentation to the Desert Rose Romance Writers. This one was “A Taoist’s Guide to Staying Sane in the Writing Business.” I talked a whole lot about how the relentless push to get rich can make us crazy, and how to find a peaceful place of sane creativity in the midst of that. But, during the great discussion at the end, one gal asked if I had advice about family who don’t believe in your career, who actively interfere or dis what you’re doing, or who won’t approved of your eventual story.
This is, of course, not an easy question to answer, though several gals in the room had advice for her, too. It’s also our topic at the SFF Seven this week: How much space do you give non-writing emotional labor – or how do you save mental space for the work with a head full of mortgage and other people’s expectations? I’d call this a coincidence, but I’m a Taoist I know it’s not. Come on over to find out more.
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Last week I attended SFWA’s Nebula Conference and got to meet our 2018 Grandmaster, Peter S. Beagle. I legit teared up when we talked and he signed my battered old copy I received forever and a day ago. I felt like a teenager again and all those feelings that led into my early love of fantasy rose up and swamped me.
The conference in 2019 will be at the Marriott Warner Center in Los Angeles. I highly recommend it! It’s become my absolute favorite gathering of SFF writers and industry professionals.
Our topic this week at the SFF Seven is “Where do you get your ideas – the least popular question ever.” Come on over for three avenues I rely on for ideas.
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I’m writing this post on an airplane on my way back from SFWA’s annual conference and Nebula Awards.
The gathering this year shone for so many reasons—excellent programming, exciting new initiatives on the Board (I’m a Director at Large, for SFWA), and wonderful camaraderie. We really connected with each other this year and I’m revved for next year’s conference in Los Angeles.
Because of all this I’m posting on Tuesday instead of my usual Sunday SFF Seven blog. Kristine Krantz switched days with me, which I truly appreciate. She wrote about her new urban fantasy series, so check that out!
We’re talking this week about our favorite things about our current WIPs. Come on over for a sneak peek of mine!
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Spring has sprung here fully into summer and the flowers are so lovely! This is my pink anemone clematis that I’m training to climb up the grape vine in the arbor. Love how it’s coming along!
Our topic this week at the SFF Seven is “How do you come up with your titles?” Come on over for a long and involved story of one of my titles!
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I’ve been thinking about our customs around saying “thank-you” to people. Since our topic at the SFF Seven this week is whatever is on our minds, I’m going for this!
Way back in January 2013 I did a post on why I hate thank-you notes, and I tell you – I *still* get people finding my blog by Googling that topic, and sending me messages. So, this is something I’ve been mulling for a long time. I’ve gotten a new perspective on the topic lately, so come on over to read more!
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Pretty excited to see the flyer up for my book signing with Minerva Spencer on July 8 at Page 1 Books in Albuquerque. This is her debut, so I expect it to be a fun party!
Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is: Who do you learn from? (Teachers, mentors, resources for skilling up.) Come on over for mine!
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A panorama of Santa Rosa Lake, New Mexico (and surrounds).
Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is Trend Change: What shifts in the world of writing are you noticing? (Craft, Sales, Publishing, Tech, etc.) Come on over for my five!
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I’m always terribly amused by these signs. Apparently in flat, desert landscapes like we have in New Mexico, one must beware of sudden lakes.
A big mistake, to be cruising along and not realize the road ends in a cliff dive into water.
That segues pretty naturally into this week’s topic at the SFF Seven: “Looking Back: Your first book’s (published or not) most cringe-worthy gaffe.” Come on over to find out about mine…
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We have high winds today and Jackson is feeling the fever – here he is trying to climb the portal post. Spoiler alert: that’s as high as he got.
Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is whether our spouses or close family read our books. I always find it interesting how widely this answer varies among writers – from those who cowrite with spouses, or rely upon them or close family to critique, to those whose families don’t even know they write. Come on over to find out more!