I'm not one for forwards. The ones that Tina Russo and my sister Dawn both send me are about all the ones I read. Most of the time, I delete all forwards without even reading them...regardless of who sends them. Why? I know they're pointless so why waste my time?
I really really hate the ones that have some cheesy prayer with "send this to five of your friends" at the bottom. As if forwarding a prayer is going to activate it. I can just imaging God sitting in heaven saying, "Do it, Gina, forward that prayer so I can begin working on your behalf. Please, please, please!"
I don't think so.
Yes, I know reading the forward may have blessed you, but it's not going to bless me. It's only going to clutter my e-mail box. Especially when I get the same forward from three different people.
My theory is people who send forwards do it because it makes them feel like they are doing their part to stay in contact with the people to whom they send the forwards. That way when Cousin Sue says, "Have you talked to Gina lately?" You can say, "Sure, I sent her an e-mail just this morning."
No, no, no.
Sending me a forward IS NOT communicating to me.
Leaving me a message on my voice mail is not communicating to me because everyone who knows me knows I don't check my voice mail but once or twice a month.
Tina's forwards are usually...well, not forwards at all. They're links to writing articles. That I can appreciate. :-)
Dawn's forwards are usually...well, forwards. But they're funny forwards or political things that she knows I'll post on my blog. She knows me and she knows what I'd appreciate. That I can appreciate. :-)
Here's a tip for all you forwarders out there: If you are going to forward something to someone, REMOVE the fwd from the subject line and remove all the names of all the other folks the forward was sent to(past, present, and future). And if the forward is one that the receiver must scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to find attachment that opens to another attachment, do not get offended if the receivers begins DELETING every forward you send her from that point on.
*sigh*
In this age of communication, people communicate far too little. If you want to talk to me, call me or send me an e-mail with comments and questions that will intice me to respond back. Don't wait on me to call or e-mail you. It's not that I don't like you. I usually don't think about calling/e-mailing friends and family until I think of something I need to ask...or if my son has burnt his leg on a dirt bike or the baby has learned to say "I did it." I taught her that. Her daddy taught her to say "oh boy."
Anyhooo....
My husband actually sent me a forward this week that I liked. I've been meaning to post it for days, but then I got pukey. BTW, I'm still a tad pukey but overall better.
So enjoy...
Oh, my hubby didn't write this. Someone else did. He'd have the good sense to capitalize his I's, although I'm not sure if he'd know when to properly hyphenate. With a compound adjective, apply each adjective to the noun separately. Is it a strong child? Is it a willed child? No, it's a strong-willed child.
Anyhoo...back to the forward...actually, I can't post it because the author wrote it for a devotional. But here's a snippet. So all the I capitalization and hyphen stuff I rambled about won't make sense. Oh, well. I'm too lazy to delete it. Enjoy!
~*~
[My mother] said to me "Children don't build muscles by pushing against pillows...they build muscles by pushing against bricks." I thought it was a strange mother-ism at the time, but one day I found myself in the building supply store and I bought a brick. I put it in the kitchen windowsill to remind me...that all children need boundaries and feel secure when they know they have them.
~*~
Okay, that wasn't as impacting as reading the whole devotional, but I have to respect the author's copyright.
Anyhoo, I'm not just a mom, I'm a writer too. And that devotional got me thinking. What if getting published was easy? What if a publisher fell in love with the first book (first draft) I wrote?
Fabulous!
I'm a rockstar.
But what would I have learned? Am I still the writer I was eight years ago? Hardly. When I revised that first book last December to this February, I really saw how much I'd grown as a writer. And I still have much growth to go. And I'd be mortified now seeing what I wrote then in print. Can you blame Nora Roberts for buying up all those copies of her first books?
Publishing pillows don't make us better writers.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Thes Boots Are Made For Strutting
I'm kinda pukey today so Gemma's gonna tell you about her new book. Enjoy...and then go buy the book.
gina
~*~
Hi all! I have two bits of news to announce:
First, I want to share with you all that my next High Heels book, Mayhem in High Heels, will be the last book in the High Heels series. I’ve had so much fun writing this series, and I’m thrilled that so many of you have enjoyed it. But, my publisher and I are both looking ahead to some fun new projects, so I will keep you posted on what’s next from me when I have details. And I totally promise I will end Maddie’s adventures with a bang of a finish!
Speaking of new projects… (news number two) my suspense/paranormal novella “So I Dated an Axe Murderer” in the THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR STRUTTING anthology is out this month! You can pick up your copy beginning April 29th.
As an added bonus, for anyone who buys a copy of THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR STRUTTING between April 29th and May 4th (just email some sort of dated proof of purchase to: gemmahalliday@gmail.com) I’m giving away a sneak peak at the first chapters of Mayhem in High Heels, the very last Maddie book! Yes, I know I cruelly left you all hanging at the end of Alibi in High Heels, so for a lucky few, you will get to know Maddie’s answer to Ramirez’s big question months before everyone else does! All you have to do is purchase THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR STRUTTING between April 29th and May 4th.
(Note: Ordering online through BN.com or Amazon.com is awesome! But, please note that your ship date of your books – the date your credit card is charged for the purchase – must be between April 29th and May 4th to get your free sneak peak. So, I would advise not pre-ordering, wait until the 29th.)
I want to thank all of you again who have purchased the High Heels books and enjoyed them. I’ve had a wonderful time writing about Maddie’s misadventures and look forward to creating a new and equally fun series in the new future.
~Gemma
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Hmmm...
There is a reason for everything.
Apparently, I'm not being censored. So I can also assume the moderator doesn't despise me.
I've recently learned the particular list has over 1600 members and only about 300 participate in contests, so with that in consideration, my comments weren't beneficial to the majority.
I'm sorta okay with that.
It's the rule, and the rules, when they don't hurt anyone or violate a biblical principle, are worth following.
Anyhoo, at least I got to post my "thank a judge" comments here, the one place where I don't mind if I'm censored becuase I'd be censoring myself and, of all people, I should know when I need my tongue tied.
Apparently, I'm not being censored. So I can also assume the moderator doesn't despise me.
I've recently learned the particular list has over 1600 members and only about 300 participate in contests, so with that in consideration, my comments weren't beneficial to the majority.
I'm sorta okay with that.
It's the rule, and the rules, when they don't hurt anyone or violate a biblical principle, are worth following.
Anyhoo, at least I got to post my "thank a judge" comments here, the one place where I don't mind if I'm censored becuase I'd be censoring myself and, of all people, I should know when I need my tongue tied.
Sorry, you've been censored.
Huh?
Just thought that makes me cringe. Free speech is one of those things guaranteed by the Constitition of the United States, and even if the speech is nasty, as long as it's not slanderous, then it's legal. Lots and lots of crappy (great, I was trying to stop using that word) stuff is said every minute of every day. And then there's the stuff that's printed.
But I figure if I want the freedom to speak, I have to accept that others have the freedom to speak.
Yet I'm confused or maybe just ponderous. When we join a particular group (specifically on-line), then isn't our membership subject to the rules of the group? I'd have to say yes. But what happens when the personal views of the moderator superceed that of the group rules? What happens if the moderator just doesn't like a particular member (or so the member suspects) and is therefore defcon five moderating that particular member's posts?
Hmm.
I was slammed yesterday for posting (or at least trying to post) an encouragement to contest entrants to THANK THEIR JUDGES. Yet the moderator refuses to post my...umm, post. Phew, that stinks as much as the poopy inside by baby's diaper.
Well, because I like y'all, I'm going to share my post here. And if you know anyone who has entered a contest lately, send them a link to my blog. Just don't send on to the moderator of the particular group I'm taking about. She'll probably cancel my membership for my flamatory words.
~*~
Have you entered any contests recently? Well, I have, and I got to thinking last weekish (everything in my life happens last weekish) about why so many contests struggle to find judges. It all comes down to time. Many published and unpublished writers don't have the time to give to judging.
*gasp*
Now that I think about it, I wonder how many of us who have ever entered a contest (last year, last month) ever got around to thanking our judges for their TIME.
Yes, I said time.
Even if the scoresheet comments and scores were devestating, we still ought to thank our judges for the time they spent.
Many contests I've judge tell the judges "don't spend more than an hour judging each entry," although I'm sure some judges donate more than an hour per entry.
That's 60 minutes that could have been...
...spent watching LOST or SMALLVILLE or [list favorite show here].
...spent blogging about the awesome sermon pastor preached last Sunday.
...spent writing a scene in that judge's manuscript.
...spent playing Apples to Apples with his/her kids who somehow have figured out a way to cheat, which is why mom keeps losing.
...spent washing the winter muck off the car and cleaning out the inside where the kids have left mold-growing-tortilla-dough-balls that the kids brought home from Uncle Julio's Mexican Restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland on their way home from the Baltimore airport.
...spent debating whether or not to feed the family cat since the cat is mewing to high heaven and the judge is just hoping the cat will expire and go to heaven.
I can think of a ton of things I could spend an hour on instead of judging a contest entry.
And contest entrants don't have to go write thank-you thesises.
I advise three little things to say to your judges (although you can embellish beyond that)...
1) Thank the judge for his/her time. Regardless what the judge does or doesn't do for a living, his/her time is a valuable commodity.
2) Mention your entry TITLE and maybe a detail or two regarding what it's about to refresh the judge's memory.
3) Comment on something helpful the judge said, and the odds are, your judges said at least one helpful thing. Or maybe the judge just gave you lots of fives and fours with no comments. Well, by golly, thank the judge for all those high scores. Clearly, s/he like your story. And if can't think of anything helpful, then say, "I'll consider your comments when I'm revising my manuscript," or some other generic but truthful comment. No need to lie. Just spare the snide attacks. They don't give honor or glorify you or God.
And don't forget to thank the coordinators. (Even if she's your unluck charm because you are 0 for 2 in finaling in both of the contests that she's coordinated and you've entered.)
Gina--who is in the middle of coordinating the long and short contemporary category of a contest and suddenly realizes how much work is involved in putting on a contest, but she has to say that the entrants in her categories have been expressively thankful
Just thought that makes me cringe. Free speech is one of those things guaranteed by the Constitition of the United States, and even if the speech is nasty, as long as it's not slanderous, then it's legal. Lots and lots of crappy (great, I was trying to stop using that word) stuff is said every minute of every day. And then there's the stuff that's printed.
But I figure if I want the freedom to speak, I have to accept that others have the freedom to speak.
Yet I'm confused or maybe just ponderous. When we join a particular group (specifically on-line), then isn't our membership subject to the rules of the group? I'd have to say yes. But what happens when the personal views of the moderator superceed that of the group rules? What happens if the moderator just doesn't like a particular member (or so the member suspects) and is therefore defcon five moderating that particular member's posts?
Hmm.
I was slammed yesterday for posting (or at least trying to post) an encouragement to contest entrants to THANK THEIR JUDGES. Yet the moderator refuses to post my...umm, post. Phew, that stinks as much as the poopy inside by baby's diaper.
Well, because I like y'all, I'm going to share my post here. And if you know anyone who has entered a contest lately, send them a link to my blog. Just don't send on to the moderator of the particular group I'm taking about. She'll probably cancel my membership for my flamatory words.
~*~
Have you entered any contests recently? Well, I have, and I got to thinking last weekish (everything in my life happens last weekish) about why so many contests struggle to find judges. It all comes down to time. Many published and unpublished writers don't have the time to give to judging.
*gasp*
Now that I think about it, I wonder how many of us who have ever entered a contest (last year, last month) ever got around to thanking our judges for their TIME.
Yes, I said time.
Even if the scoresheet comments and scores were devestating, we still ought to thank our judges for the time they spent.
Many contests I've judge tell the judges "don't spend more than an hour judging each entry," although I'm sure some judges donate more than an hour per entry.
That's 60 minutes that could have been...
...spent watching LOST or SMALLVILLE or [list favorite show here].
...spent blogging about the awesome sermon pastor preached last Sunday.
...spent writing a scene in that judge's manuscript.
...spent playing Apples to Apples with his/her kids who somehow have figured out a way to cheat, which is why mom keeps losing.
...spent washing the winter muck off the car and cleaning out the inside where the kids have left mold-growing-tortilla-dough-balls that the kids brought home from Uncle Julio's Mexican Restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland on their way home from the Baltimore airport.
...spent debating whether or not to feed the family cat since the cat is mewing to high heaven and the judge is just hoping the cat will expire and go to heaven.
I can think of a ton of things I could spend an hour on instead of judging a contest entry.
And contest entrants don't have to go write thank-you thesises.
I advise three little things to say to your judges (although you can embellish beyond that)...
1) Thank the judge for his/her time. Regardless what the judge does or doesn't do for a living, his/her time is a valuable commodity.
2) Mention your entry TITLE and maybe a detail or two regarding what it's about to refresh the judge's memory.
3) Comment on something helpful the judge said, and the odds are, your judges said at least one helpful thing. Or maybe the judge just gave you lots of fives and fours with no comments. Well, by golly, thank the judge for all those high scores. Clearly, s/he like your story. And if can't think of anything helpful, then say, "I'll consider your comments when I'm revising my manuscript," or some other generic but truthful comment. No need to lie. Just spare the snide attacks. They don't give honor or glorify you or God.
And don't forget to thank the coordinators. (Even if she's your unluck charm because you are 0 for 2 in finaling in both of the contests that she's coordinated and you've entered.)
Gina--who is in the middle of coordinating the long and short contemporary category of a contest and suddenly realizes how much work is involved in putting on a contest, but she has to say that the entrants in her categories have been expressively thankful
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
What's intelligence got to do with it, got to do with it?
What's intelligence but a second-hand emotion...umm, skill...umm, virtue.
For some odd reason of which I've yet to deduce, my husband likes watching The Bachelor: London Calling. You know, that stupid show where twenty-some-odd women (or that could be twentysome, odd women) compete to win the favor of the Bachelor whose sole role is to discover if he has a love connection with any of them.
In the meantime, he gets to practice kissing them all.
And in front of them.
Cringe-inducting exhibitionism.
Yet it cracks me up to see some gals fuming over "her guy" kissing that [fill in appropriate expletive here].
Hello, is it just me who thinks this show paints 95% of the women as vapid-minded bimbos competing for a man's favor?
And if they're not there for the man, then they're there for the 15-minutes of fame. How little of a price to sell your self-value.
The English Bachelor has wittled the potential brides down to three. The worst of the lot (i'm talking the whole lot of 25 contenders) is Shayne, who I can only figure he's keeping her around because he wants to meet her famous father. The girl herself is stereotypical dumb blonde...or at least that's only the clips the producers show.
"If he doesn't give me a friendship rose, I'll just die. I'll just die."
How pathetic.
And for the guy...yes, just for a moment let's consider the guy's perspective...how much value does he (can he, should he) put in a woman who is willing to throw herself at him in hopes of winning his affection. What man puts more value on being pursued instead of being the pursuer?
So I have my theory.
Let me say I haven't watched all seasons of The Bachelor over the years. Maybe a couple and that's an episode here and there. But for some reason, my hubby has gotten hooked on watching this season. My guess is he believes this season's Bachelor seriously wants to find a bride among the fluff.
Yes, my hubby is a romantic.
I'm the cynic.
And we've been this way all our married lives.
The show is about ratings. Stupid eye-candy like Shayne keep viewers coming back because they can't figure out why the Bachelor is keeping the chit around. No intelligent man who really wants to find true love is going to fall in love with such an intelligent-weak female. Sex might be great, but a marriage will not last without mutual respect. Who can respect a girl who prattles on and on about makeup? That's worse than if she was jabbering on about her shoes...which Shayne admitted to having around 300. Gag. What's even more gag able is how many the Bachelor admitted to having.
Please, don't these people know there is more to life than shoes?
(No offense intended to any bimbos or stupid pieces of eye candy reading. I'm sure you're likeable. I just struggle with respecting you and wonder how you can have any self-respect. And 300 pairs of shoes? That's almost a different pair each day. Did you know children are starving in America? Owning that many shoes is a vulgar display of self-absorption. NO ONE, not even the Queen of England, needs 300 or more pairs of shoes. If you haven't worn them in the last year, donate them to charity.)
So anyhooo...back to my theory.
The producers want the Bachelor to keep Shayne around for the drama. But they already know that their hero has preference for one. Who are they? What's so pathetic is I only know one girl's name. Shayne, the 22-yr-od bimbo twit.
If the show had any serious claims to helping the Bachelors find potential brides, they wouldn't put so many teeny-boppers on the show. I think 25 is a reasonable age-minimum. Okay, maybe 24. Then again, I got married when I was 23.
Most certainly anything under 23 is too young. Yes, women mature faster than men, but I doubt most women have a decent sense of who they are and what they want out of live under the age of 23/24. And that's okay. Who says you have to be worldly wise at 22?
And when you watch the show and evaluate the maturity of the women (how the talk, walk, dress, behave regarding physical affection), the gals 25 and older are all more self-assured and don't act like they have to be bimbos to garner a man's affection/attention.
I really think the Bachelor likes one of the gals who hasn't thrown herself at him. I'm thinking he might favor the gal whom he told in last night's show that he'd like to see more physical affection from her.
Why?
He's doing the pursuing.
He's saying, "I'm interested in you and know you're holding yourself back not to be mysterious but because you are mature enough to know real love isn't a game. A relationship isn't a contest."
Gee, what is her name.
I should google 'cause I'm sure Shayne and the other bimbo aren't the ones (one) he is really interested in.
Okay, I'll go on the record and say he's gonna pick Amanda. She's pretty. She's intelligent. She's 26, a nice ripe breeding age...said the woman with five kids.
Noelle is a nice gal, like Amanda, too nice to be on this silly show. Chelsea? Hmm. I think she's playing a game just as much as Shayne is playing for attention.
And yet no matter how much I think this show is supid, I'm gonna watch next week. Apparently one of the moms hits on the Bachelor. LOL. Poor guy. But considering he is flaunting himself on national tv...
For some odd reason of which I've yet to deduce, my husband likes watching The Bachelor: London Calling. You know, that stupid show where twenty-some-odd women (or that could be twentysome, odd women) compete to win the favor of the Bachelor whose sole role is to discover if he has a love connection with any of them.
In the meantime, he gets to practice kissing them all.
And in front of them.
Cringe-inducting exhibitionism.
Yet it cracks me up to see some gals fuming over "her guy" kissing that [fill in appropriate expletive here].
Hello, is it just me who thinks this show paints 95% of the women as vapid-minded bimbos competing for a man's favor?
And if they're not there for the man, then they're there for the 15-minutes of fame. How little of a price to sell your self-value.
The English Bachelor has wittled the potential brides down to three. The worst of the lot (i'm talking the whole lot of 25 contenders) is Shayne, who I can only figure he's keeping her around because he wants to meet her famous father. The girl herself is stereotypical dumb blonde...or at least that's only the clips the producers show.
"If he doesn't give me a friendship rose, I'll just die. I'll just die."
How pathetic.
And for the guy...yes, just for a moment let's consider the guy's perspective...how much value does he (can he, should he) put in a woman who is willing to throw herself at him in hopes of winning his affection. What man puts more value on being pursued instead of being the pursuer?
So I have my theory.
Let me say I haven't watched all seasons of The Bachelor over the years. Maybe a couple and that's an episode here and there. But for some reason, my hubby has gotten hooked on watching this season. My guess is he believes this season's Bachelor seriously wants to find a bride among the fluff.
Yes, my hubby is a romantic.
I'm the cynic.
And we've been this way all our married lives.
The show is about ratings. Stupid eye-candy like Shayne keep viewers coming back because they can't figure out why the Bachelor is keeping the chit around. No intelligent man who really wants to find true love is going to fall in love with such an intelligent-weak female. Sex might be great, but a marriage will not last without mutual respect. Who can respect a girl who prattles on and on about makeup? That's worse than if she was jabbering on about her shoes...which Shayne admitted to having around 300. Gag. What's even more gag able is how many the Bachelor admitted to having.
Please, don't these people know there is more to life than shoes?
(No offense intended to any bimbos or stupid pieces of eye candy reading. I'm sure you're likeable. I just struggle with respecting you and wonder how you can have any self-respect. And 300 pairs of shoes? That's almost a different pair each day. Did you know children are starving in America? Owning that many shoes is a vulgar display of self-absorption. NO ONE, not even the Queen of England, needs 300 or more pairs of shoes. If you haven't worn them in the last year, donate them to charity.)
So anyhooo...back to my theory.
The producers want the Bachelor to keep Shayne around for the drama. But they already know that their hero has preference for one. Who are they? What's so pathetic is I only know one girl's name. Shayne, the 22-yr-od bimbo twit.
If the show had any serious claims to helping the Bachelors find potential brides, they wouldn't put so many teeny-boppers on the show. I think 25 is a reasonable age-minimum. Okay, maybe 24. Then again, I got married when I was 23.
Most certainly anything under 23 is too young. Yes, women mature faster than men, but I doubt most women have a decent sense of who they are and what they want out of live under the age of 23/24. And that's okay. Who says you have to be worldly wise at 22?
And when you watch the show and evaluate the maturity of the women (how the talk, walk, dress, behave regarding physical affection), the gals 25 and older are all more self-assured and don't act like they have to be bimbos to garner a man's affection/attention.
I really think the Bachelor likes one of the gals who hasn't thrown herself at him. I'm thinking he might favor the gal whom he told in last night's show that he'd like to see more physical affection from her.
Why?
He's doing the pursuing.
He's saying, "I'm interested in you and know you're holding yourself back not to be mysterious but because you are mature enough to know real love isn't a game. A relationship isn't a contest."
Gee, what is her name.
I should google 'cause I'm sure Shayne and the other bimbo aren't the ones (one) he is really interested in.
Okay, I'll go on the record and say he's gonna pick Amanda. She's pretty. She's intelligent. She's 26, a nice ripe breeding age...said the woman with five kids.
Noelle is a nice gal, like Amanda, too nice to be on this silly show. Chelsea? Hmm. I think she's playing a game just as much as Shayne is playing for attention.
And yet no matter how much I think this show is supid, I'm gonna watch next week. Apparently one of the moms hits on the Bachelor. LOL. Poor guy. But considering he is flaunting himself on national tv...
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
TARA contest looking for entries!
"Miss Scarlett, Miss Scarlett."
"Prissy, whatever are you ramblin' on about?"
"Theres be people gathered outside."
Scarlett crossed the foyer and lifted the heavy brocade curtains.
"Hmmm, too many to be tax collectors." Scarlett tapped her chin. "Not buyers, they aren't dressed in their finery and the banker isn't with them. Everyone is dressed in different uniforms, so they can't be lost soldiers."
"Does you want me to find out what they be wanting?"
Scarlett nodded. "Make it quick. Mr. Rhett will be calling for me soon."
After a few minutes passed, Prissy scuttled back inside. "They saying they're writers and they got some information from http://www.tararwa.com about some TARA Contest."
"Fiddledeedee. I don't know anything about no contest."
"They says they be wanting a chance to get in front of big name editors in seven categories." Prissy clenched and unclenched her apron.
"Do go on, what else?"
"Something about winning a bling." Prissy's brow creased. "I never did hear of no bling in all my live long days. What do you thinks it means?"
"Can't say." Scarlett dropped the drapes and crossed to the staircase. With one booted foot on the bottom step, she turned, almost bumping into Prissy. "Did they say how to get more information on this contest?"
"No, Miss Scarlett. The only jabbering they did was something about 4,000 words."
"I'll check it out myself. Did they say how I could find this http://www.tararwa.com?"
"No, Miss. Yous so smart, Miss Scarlett, you'll be figuring a way. 'Sides, they said you could email: TARAContest@gmail to get more information."
Here's the categories and editors Prissy was prattling on about.
Categories/Final Judges:
Series contemporary, Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
Historical, Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester
Paranormal, Amy Pierpont, Grand Central
Single title, Danielle Poiesz, Pocket
Women's fiction, Lindsay Nouis, NAL
Romantic suspense, Allison Brandau, Berkley
Inspirational, Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson
Do you have a firebrand heroine like Scarlett waiting to be discovered? A dashing hero like Rhett destined to steal the hearts of your readers?
If your answer is yes, the TARA contest is a great opportunity to introduce your own unforgettable characters. Regardless of your romance story's unique appeal and setting, there's a category just perfect for it. A panel of expert first round judges will provide constructive criticism to help you fine-tune your manuscript.
Remember, entries of contest finalists bypass the infamous slush pile to be transported straight into the hands of the above renowned editors looking for the next best selling author.
As Scarlett said with fierce determination "Tomorrow is another day." Make it the day you take that all important step to being published. Entries must be received by May 1st, 2008.
Top prize: TARA pendant, certificate. All finalists will receive certificates. Results will be published in the RWR.
FMI, entry form, and rules, send SASE to Anne-Marie Carroll, 5022 Umber Way N, Tampa, FL 33624, e-mail TARAContest@gmail.com, amcresume@aol.com or visit our website at www.tararwa.com
"Prissy, whatever are you ramblin' on about?"
"Theres be people gathered outside."
Scarlett crossed the foyer and lifted the heavy brocade curtains.
"Hmmm, too many to be tax collectors." Scarlett tapped her chin. "Not buyers, they aren't dressed in their finery and the banker isn't with them. Everyone is dressed in different uniforms, so they can't be lost soldiers."
"Does you want me to find out what they be wanting?"
Scarlett nodded. "Make it quick. Mr. Rhett will be calling for me soon."
After a few minutes passed, Prissy scuttled back inside. "They saying they're writers and they got some information from http://www.tararwa.com about some TARA Contest."
"Fiddledeedee. I don't know anything about no contest."
"They says they be wanting a chance to get in front of big name editors in seven categories." Prissy clenched and unclenched her apron.
"Do go on, what else?"
"Something about winning a bling." Prissy's brow creased. "I never did hear of no bling in all my live long days. What do you thinks it means?"
"Can't say." Scarlett dropped the drapes and crossed to the staircase. With one booted foot on the bottom step, she turned, almost bumping into Prissy. "Did they say how to get more information on this contest?"
"No, Miss Scarlett. The only jabbering they did was something about 4,000 words."
"I'll check it out myself. Did they say how I could find this http://www.tararwa.com?"
"No, Miss. Yous so smart, Miss Scarlett, you'll be figuring a way. 'Sides, they said you could email: TARAContest@gmail to get more information."
Here's the categories and editors Prissy was prattling on about.
Categories/Final Judges:
Series contemporary, Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin
Historical, Leah Hultenschmidt, Dorchester
Paranormal, Amy Pierpont, Grand Central
Single title, Danielle Poiesz, Pocket
Women's fiction, Lindsay Nouis, NAL
Romantic suspense, Allison Brandau, Berkley
Inspirational, Natalie Hanemann, Thomas Nelson
Do you have a firebrand heroine like Scarlett waiting to be discovered? A dashing hero like Rhett destined to steal the hearts of your readers?
If your answer is yes, the TARA contest is a great opportunity to introduce your own unforgettable characters. Regardless of your romance story's unique appeal and setting, there's a category just perfect for it. A panel of expert first round judges will provide constructive criticism to help you fine-tune your manuscript.
Remember, entries of contest finalists bypass the infamous slush pile to be transported straight into the hands of the above renowned editors looking for the next best selling author.
As Scarlett said with fierce determination "Tomorrow is another day." Make it the day you take that all important step to being published. Entries must be received by May 1st, 2008.
Top prize: TARA pendant, certificate. All finalists will receive certificates. Results will be published in the RWR.
FMI, entry form, and rules, send SASE to Anne-Marie Carroll, 5022 Umber Way N, Tampa, FL 33624, e-mail TARAContest@gmail.com, amcresume@aol.com or visit our website at www.tararwa.com
Monday, April 14, 2008
Another book review...if you're interested
This isn't an offical one like the one I did for Camy so no quotes. I'm saving the ones I have for my next official book review.
~*~
Since Christmas-ish...okay, really since I paid the $15.70 overdue fine on my library card, I've been catching up on all the books I didn't read during the last two years. That's a LOT of books. I'm guessing I've averaged read 5 books a week.
Not all books have been CBA. But most have because I've been trying to get a grasp on the CBA market. It's not been rather easy. Yet on Friday, something smacked me upside the head, and the inspy I read on Sunday confirmed my theory/belief.
Last weekish (most things in my life happen last weekish), I read two of Tamera Alexander's books. I freely admit I wasn't expecting to like the books.
Hmm. Why?
Well, of the inspys I'd read in Jan and Feb, I liked Julie Lessman's A PASSION MOST PURE, Camy Tang's SUSHI FOR ONE and ONLY UNI, and Missy Tippens's HER UNLIKELY FAMILY. Other than them, notta were books that I'd say were "you've gotta read this book" books. I really tried to stick with books published 2000 and since. (Same with ABA books.) Especially the inspy historicals, which were more historical than historical romance.
So back to Ms. Alexander...
I was at RWA Nationals last year when her book won the inspirational Rita. Both books--REKINDLED and REVEALED--had been nominated in the inspy category, while one qualifed for the "best first book" award. She didn't win that one.
Anyhoo, I read REVEALED first. Book one wasn't in the library.
What I didn't like about REVEALED: the 20-page prologue, flashbacks.
Her husband loved her, she didn't love him, and he died after she promised him she'd claim the land he bought in Idaho. All of that information came out in the actual chapters of the book, so I'm not sure why the editors felt the prologue was needed. Not sure why all those flashbacks were needed, although I've noticed from reading Ms. Alexander's stories that she likes flashbacks. And long flashbacks at that. An ABA best-selling multi-pubbed author who I've read a lot recently also loves long flashbacks. I finally figured I could just skip them and be fine.
Oh, book one, REKINDLED, only had a 3-5 page prologue. I read it. Nice! For book three, REMEMBERED, I didn't read the prologue until after I finished the book. And even then, I really just skimmed the prologue. So why did the editor include it?
What I did like about REVEALED: everything else
Each of Ms. Alexander's books were very well written...even the flashbacks which I mostly skipped so I'm assuming the flashbacks were as well written and the present-moment story.
What I didn't like about REMEMBERED: I would say prologue, but since I didn't really read it, should that count?
What I did like about REMEMBERED: everything else. This was, by far, my favorite of the three books, which makes it's non-Rita final devestating to me. The 2007-books published by Camy, Julie [[Julie reminded me that hers is a 2008-release]], and Ms. Alexander should have been nominated. Of the books that were nominated for the inspy RWA Rita, I've only read one, and that it was nominated instead of SUSHI FOR ONE, A PASSION MOST PURE, and REMEMBERED is a tragedy, injustice at its finest.
And, no, I will not share what book it is.
What I didn't like about REKINDLED: How shall I say this...hmmm. After I read the prologue and the first chapter, I skipped everything until the hero returns to town and spies his wife on the boardwalk and they bump into each other. While I'm confident the pages previous to this interaction were well written, I wasn't interested in reading them. I knew during those pages, the hero came to faith in Christ. What I wanted to read was how he rekindled his relationship with his wife. Call me crazy, but everything prior to him coming back in town seemed backstory.
So after I finished with Ms. Alexander's novels, I read Deeanne Gist's A BRIDE MOST BEGRUDGING. Despite the implausible set-up (I couldn't get past the heroine going on board a indentured-servant boat alone to say goodbye to her uncle. The reason given was she's rebellious. IMHO, it made her look stupid.) and the few historical wrong-a-ties (Colonists were no way referred to as Americans at that time in history.), I eventually enjoyed the book. It was well written and had shocking yet amazing and satisfying level of sexual tension in a CBA novel. Ms. Alexander, likewise, knows how to write realistic sexual tension. No eunach heroes.
How does this pondering help me? I'm not sure. I'm okay with stories that don't begin with the hero and heroine meeting. They exist in their ordinary world, face a call to adventure, reject that call, but then agree to go. That could be one page. That could be 10 or 20 pages.
I was amazed at how many CBA "No NOs" there were in Ms. Alexander's books and BRIDE, yet all were tastefuly handled. I'm thinking these authors got away with crossing the CBA line becuase the writing quality was exceptional.
And that's where my thought hit me. Ouch!
Of the inspy authors I've read in the last three months who were published 2004 and since, their writing quality was exceptional. (Well, with one, the quality was really good, but her hero was TSTL to the degree that I never got really into the story, which shows how important a strong hero is to a romance.)
Established authors is where I see much weaker writing. Isn't that interesting?
And I'm not talking books written pre-2000 because I've only read inspys written 2000 and since.
So where does that leave us as writers wanting to break in? In a scary spot. CBA publishers don't spent much publicy dollars so estalished authors are a financial safety net. Published Author is sure to sell at least XXX copies. That's a safer bet
than risking a new author. Even more so in these tight economic times.
And I don't fault the publishers. The CBA market is as much a business as the ABA market. Publishers want the next best-seller.
Let me reiterate: I don't fault the publishers. Taking a gamble on a new author is risky. Especially a new author who isn't in the center of the box or whose stories aren't the CBA norm.
I'm not really a risktaker so I don't fault the publishers.
As I've listened to some of the newer pubbed authors tell of their experiences on the road to publication, most have one commonality: a divine connection through a
conference. I wonder how significant is going to a conference, specifically a national conference like ACFW or RWA.
I'd ramble more but the baby has a truly stink diaper and I have to take my oldest to the doctor.
Your thoughts?
~*~
Since Christmas-ish...okay, really since I paid the $15.70 overdue fine on my library card, I've been catching up on all the books I didn't read during the last two years. That's a LOT of books. I'm guessing I've averaged read 5 books a week.
Not all books have been CBA. But most have because I've been trying to get a grasp on the CBA market. It's not been rather easy. Yet on Friday, something smacked me upside the head, and the inspy I read on Sunday confirmed my theory/belief.
Last weekish (most things in my life happen last weekish), I read two of Tamera Alexander's books. I freely admit I wasn't expecting to like the books.
Hmm. Why?
Well, of the inspys I'd read in Jan and Feb, I liked Julie Lessman's A PASSION MOST PURE, Camy Tang's SUSHI FOR ONE and ONLY UNI, and Missy Tippens's HER UNLIKELY FAMILY. Other than them, notta were books that I'd say were "you've gotta read this book" books. I really tried to stick with books published 2000 and since. (Same with ABA books.) Especially the inspy historicals, which were more historical than historical romance.
So back to Ms. Alexander...
I was at RWA Nationals last year when her book won the inspirational Rita. Both books--REKINDLED and REVEALED--had been nominated in the inspy category, while one qualifed for the "best first book" award. She didn't win that one.
Anyhoo, I read REVEALED first. Book one wasn't in the library.
What I didn't like about REVEALED: the 20-page prologue, flashbacks.
Her husband loved her, she didn't love him, and he died after she promised him she'd claim the land he bought in Idaho. All of that information came out in the actual chapters of the book, so I'm not sure why the editors felt the prologue was needed. Not sure why all those flashbacks were needed, although I've noticed from reading Ms. Alexander's stories that she likes flashbacks. And long flashbacks at that. An ABA best-selling multi-pubbed author who I've read a lot recently also loves long flashbacks. I finally figured I could just skip them and be fine.
Oh, book one, REKINDLED, only had a 3-5 page prologue. I read it. Nice! For book three, REMEMBERED, I didn't read the prologue until after I finished the book. And even then, I really just skimmed the prologue. So why did the editor include it?
What I did like about REVEALED: everything else
Each of Ms. Alexander's books were very well written...even the flashbacks which I mostly skipped so I'm assuming the flashbacks were as well written and the present-moment story.
What I didn't like about REMEMBERED: I would say prologue, but since I didn't really read it, should that count?
What I did like about REMEMBERED: everything else. This was, by far, my favorite of the three books, which makes it's non-Rita final devestating to me. The 2007-books published by Camy, Julie [[Julie reminded me that hers is a 2008-release]], and Ms. Alexander should have been nominated. Of the books that were nominated for the inspy RWA Rita, I've only read one, and that it was nominated instead of SUSHI FOR ONE, A PASSION MOST PURE, and REMEMBERED is a tragedy, injustice at its finest.
And, no, I will not share what book it is.
What I didn't like about REKINDLED: How shall I say this...hmmm. After I read the prologue and the first chapter, I skipped everything until the hero returns to town and spies his wife on the boardwalk and they bump into each other. While I'm confident the pages previous to this interaction were well written, I wasn't interested in reading them. I knew during those pages, the hero came to faith in Christ. What I wanted to read was how he rekindled his relationship with his wife. Call me crazy, but everything prior to him coming back in town seemed backstory.
So after I finished with Ms. Alexander's novels, I read Deeanne Gist's A BRIDE MOST BEGRUDGING. Despite the implausible set-up (I couldn't get past the heroine going on board a indentured-servant boat alone to say goodbye to her uncle. The reason given was she's rebellious. IMHO, it made her look stupid.) and the few historical wrong-a-ties (Colonists were no way referred to as Americans at that time in history.), I eventually enjoyed the book. It was well written and had shocking yet amazing and satisfying level of sexual tension in a CBA novel. Ms. Alexander, likewise, knows how to write realistic sexual tension. No eunach heroes.
How does this pondering help me? I'm not sure. I'm okay with stories that don't begin with the hero and heroine meeting. They exist in their ordinary world, face a call to adventure, reject that call, but then agree to go. That could be one page. That could be 10 or 20 pages.
I was amazed at how many CBA "No NOs" there were in Ms. Alexander's books and BRIDE, yet all were tastefuly handled. I'm thinking these authors got away with crossing the CBA line becuase the writing quality was exceptional.
And that's where my thought hit me. Ouch!
Of the inspy authors I've read in the last three months who were published 2004 and since, their writing quality was exceptional. (Well, with one, the quality was really good, but her hero was TSTL to the degree that I never got really into the story, which shows how important a strong hero is to a romance.)
Established authors is where I see much weaker writing. Isn't that interesting?
And I'm not talking books written pre-2000 because I've only read inspys written 2000 and since.
So where does that leave us as writers wanting to break in? In a scary spot. CBA publishers don't spent much publicy dollars so estalished authors are a financial safety net. Published Author is sure to sell at least XXX copies. That's a safer bet
than risking a new author. Even more so in these tight economic times.
And I don't fault the publishers. The CBA market is as much a business as the ABA market. Publishers want the next best-seller.
Let me reiterate: I don't fault the publishers. Taking a gamble on a new author is risky. Especially a new author who isn't in the center of the box or whose stories aren't the CBA norm.
I'm not really a risktaker so I don't fault the publishers.
As I've listened to some of the newer pubbed authors tell of their experiences on the road to publication, most have one commonality: a divine connection through a
conference. I wonder how significant is going to a conference, specifically a national conference like ACFW or RWA.
I'd ramble more but the baby has a truly stink diaper and I have to take my oldest to the doctor.
Your thoughts?
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