If it's Friday, Emily's not here!

TGIF! Friday is my regular day to post at The Chatelaines, so please join me there for a cup of coffee and a few gentle pleasures.

To Publish or Not to Publish . . . That's a Heck of a Question.

Anyone who's ever submitted a manuscript knows publishing usually grinds with glacial slowness, but lately changes have moved with tsunami speed. If you've been following the Harlequin/RWA feud, you know what I mean. Harlequin, a company that's practically synonymous with romance, is now offering aspiring authors who have been rejected by their editors an opportunity to self-publish. Harlequin has partnered with a vanity press to form Harlequin Horizons .

Romance Writers of America has just issued a statement revoking Harlequin's status as an eligible publisher because RWA does not recognize "subsidy" presses. This means Harlequin will lose its perks at Nationals ~ free meeting space for book signings, the opportunity to hold editor appointments, and spotlights on their programs. They are welcome to attend, but will have to foot their own bills.

Let's bypass that squabble for a minute and just talk about what self-publishing means to an author.

On the one hand, I understand the temptation to self-publish. I have manuscripts that for one reason or another weren't picked up that I'd love to see in print. Readers have asked repeatedly for the third Diana Groe "song" book, DRAGONSONG, which completes the MAIDENSONG and ERINSONG trilogy. It's already written, but will probably never see the light of day.

Rejection is never fun and emotionally it may be easier to bypass that painful process and skip right to seeing your name on a cover. And there have been success stories in self-publishing. Everyone always points to ERAGON as the golden example.

However, the self-pubbed path is littered with broken hearts and lighter wallets.

But forget the money aspect for a moment. I'd like to posit that skipping the rejection phase is not good for a writer. Rejection makes us take another critical look at our work. It's an opportunity to stretch ourselves, to learn what works and what doesn't. To think new thoughts. To sharpen our prose till it cuts to the bone. To abandon a flawed project for something more viable. If we just plunk down our cash to make a book happen, what do we learn?

I know rejection stings. Believe me. It feels so personal because our writing is us. But every rejection gives me an opportunity to grow as a writer and as a person. If you are an aspiring writer, I urge you to exhaust all other avenues of publication before turning to self-publishing. Give yourself the opportunity to be rejected so your writing will improve.

That said, every writer takes his/her own path. Clive Cussler, for example, posed as a retiring agent to introduce his work to the agent of his dreams (and it worked!)

What do you think? Feel free to disagree.

PS. If you haven't entered my MERRY CHRISTMAS BALL CONTEST, there's still time. The drawing for the $100 gift card will be held December 1st! Please tell your friends!

A Reader Speaks

As a writer, I sometimes feel like I'm in the dark. Reviews are wonderful (and I'm grateful for every one!) but it's hard to gauge how a book is being received by readers. I won't know any actual sales numbers for over a year after a title's release, but even that won't tell me what a reader thinks about what they've read.

That's why I really love chatting with readers here and receiving emails through my website. Then yesterday, I ran across this reader review of A CHRISTMAS BALL on Amazon.

"I often buy Anthologies for one Author and usually the other stories included are not up to par. This is NOT the case with this book! I bought it for Jennifer Ashley's 4th installment of her Nvegarian series. Loved that story but thought Emily Bryan's story was even better. I will definitely be ordering more of her books. She made me laugh out loud, cry and thoroughly enjoy myself in 100 short pages but when the story was over I felt the story was well told and satisfying! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK for all 3 stories!" ~ J. Still from Bradenton, FL.

And she isn't even a relative of mine!

Publishing is a tough business. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. That's why it's important to cherish every victory and try to keep a sense of perspective.

Thank you, Ms. Still. You made my day!

When I read a book, I feel as if I'm having a conversation (albeit one-sided!) with the author. Have you ever wanted to talk back to the writer? What did you want to say? Did you ever want to change the storyline?

PS. If you haven't entered my MERRY CHRISTMAS BALL CONTEST, there's still time. The drawing for the $100 gift card will be held December 1st! Please tell your friends!

Wild Heart by Lori Brighton

Please welcome Lori Brighton!
Lori has a degree in Anthropology and worked as a museum curator. Deciding the people in her imagination were slightly more exciting than the dead things in a museum basement, she set out to become an author. Her first book, a historical romance, will be published by Kensington in November of 2009. As always when I have a guest, my words will be in bold type. Lori's will be regular.

So, Lori, please tell us about your current release.

Wild Heart is my debut book, just released November 3rd by Kensington publishing. It’s really two books. On one hand, you have your typical romance set in Victorian, England with a hero, Leo, out for vengeance. Leo’s parents were murdered and he will do whatever it takes to find the people responsible. On the other hand, you have a paranormal plot. Ella, the heroine, is hired to tutor a lad. It’s only after she arrives that she finds out Leo is anything but a boy.

On the outside Ella is your typical sweet heroine, but she has a secret…Ella has a special ability she’s kept hidden from the world. As Ella and Leo grow closer, they realize their lives are entwined, and only together can they unlock the mystery of their pasts. In the end, both must learn to trust each other or risk losing everything they hold so dear.

Here’s a brief blurb:

"Leo is next in line for an earldom, but he is uncultured, unrefined-- and completely untamed...until governess Ella arrives, determined to set him on the right path. But Ella has a secret, and if Leo finds out what she is truly capable of, she may lose everything she holds dear."


So other than being an untamed 'earl apparent', what will be adore about your hero?

If your readers like an alpha male, they’ll love Leo. I tried to keep him true to life; what a real person would be like if they’d experienced what he has. On a trip to India, his parents are murdered. Leo is only a lad, but he’s forced to stay in hiding in a country he knows nothing about. Much like The Count of Monte Cristo (one of my favorite books), vengeance has kept him going. He’s very determined and blunt, but he’s also very honest and loyal. He doesn’t let people push him around. He’s a man who takes what he wants, and he definitely wants Ella.

Oh good! I love alpha males!

Here’s an excerpt:

“Where is that lovely governess of yours?”

Henry’s words stopped him cold. Icy fear raced down Leo’s spine. “Do not speak of her, do not even think of her.”

“Or what?” He brushed a piece of imaginary lint from his black jacket. “Leaving her alone at the estate wasn’t one of your most brilliant ideas.” He stepped closer to Leo. “Anything could happen there…without protection.”

Leo’s free hand curled as he resisted the urge to hit his cousin. “She’s protected.”

Henry quirked a brow. “Is she? Was she protected when that arrow came through the garden? When she was attacked in the woods?”

The cup dropped from Leo’s hand, shattering on the floor. He hadn’t told Henry about the attack in the woods. Hadn’t even told his grandfather until right before he’d left. He’d known his cousin was responsible, but he’d never imagined Henry would practically admit he’d been involved. “If she is harmed in any way-”

“And that heathen friend of yours. What ever happened to him?”

Leo stepped closer, anger propelling him forward. “Where is he?”

Henry clasped his hands behind his back and nodded toward a servant who was rushing their way to clean up the mess. “Why, how should I know?”

Leo’s nostrils flared, his anger mounting with each passing moment. “Damn you, where is Akshay?”

“I’d be more worried about that woman you’ve seduced.”

Panic flared through his body, clenching his gut like a fist. “What have you done with her?”

“Ella?” Henry straightened his coat. “Nothing.” He turned and started to walk away. “Yet.”


Oooh! Sounds like you've got a good bad guy for us to hate as well! What was hardest about writing this story?

The hardest thing was researching India. I’ve never been there and books I’d found were limited. Sure, I could find information about where to visit and about the political time line of the country, but sadly books about life are always missing in the history section. Just figuring out what color the dirt is becomes difficult when researching. Fortunately my husband has been there a few times for work, so he could give me a feel for the place. I so badly wanted to be accurate, but I’m sure I got something wrong. Religion does come into play in this book and that was another area that was difficult to research. Books and the internet are great sources of information, but nothing beats experience.

I've been in love with India since I first read MM Kaye's THE FAR PAVILLIONS. Kudos for the unique setting.

What would you like readers to know about YOU?

It took me over six years to get published. It was hard, very hard to repeatedly get rejections, to be basically told you’re not good enough. But I kept going because I loved to write. But it doesn’t get any easier once you’re published. I was only able to get an agent after I had sold. Finally, after six years of trying, I had an editor and an agent. Recently I parted ways with my agent. Now, in a way I’m back to where I started, trying to get an agent, trying to sell another book. It’s not easy but I keep going because I love to write and I so badly want to entertain people, to make them believe in happily ever after. With all these interviews I’ve been doing, I hope that if anyone takes anything away from my responses, its not to give up and certainly not to let people tell you you’re not good enough.

Amen! A writer writes, regardless. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us, Lori.

Thanks Emily! And thanks to all of you for stopping by!You can find more about me and my book on my website and blog:

www.loribrighton.com
www.loribrighton.blogspot.com

Lori is too sweet to ask, so I'll put up a BUY LINK anyway! I noticed she got a great cover quote from my fellow New England Chapter RWA Chaptermate--NY Times Bestseller Hannah Howell! And Kensington is offering Lori's Wild Hearts for just $4.99. Such a deal!

Leave a comment or a question for Lori! Two people will win a copy of Wild Heart!

Me? Superstitious?

Last Friday, I picked my DH up at work so he could get a jump on his weekend. (As city-dwellers, we're a one-car family.) Then about 45 minutes after we got home, we got back into the car to go someplace, and the thing would NOT start. (In fact, it's fancy little computer flashed that the start was "PREVENTED"!)

After trying several times, we gave up. Back in the condo, we blew two lightbulbs in less than five minutes, lost our phone and internet connection and decided that perhaps it was good that we were stuck at home if mini-disasters were set on following us around.

It was at that point that we looked at each other and said, "It's Friday the 13th."

This jinxed day has evil roots, being the date of the well-orchestrated mass murder of the Knights Templar, but I'd never really thought about there being anything sinister about a date. Now I'm wondering if sometimes the stars do align for negative outcomes.

What about you? Are you superstitious? Does a black cat scampering across your path give you the willies? Is there anything you avoid because of a superstition?

PS. FYI, the car started on the first try on Saturday morning! Go figure.

Pirated Pirate!

Friday Update: Please join me today at THE CHATELAINES where I'm sharing thoughts on my NaNoWriMo experience that are sure to get me in trouble again. And the discussion on sexual harrassment and my real life brush with it is still going on over at House of Muse (where commenters have a chance to win a signed copy of A CHRISTMAS BALL!)




When I read a book, I usually walk in the heroine's shoes. I mean really, who wouldn't want to gaze soulfully into the bodacious eyes of Gabriel Drake from my PLEASURING THE PIRATE?

Guess what? Guys like to try on the hero's boots, too!

Most just don't go this far.





I got this totally giggle-worthy pic from Isaac, a guy who wants to be a pirate in the worst way. Think he managed it, don't you?


Thanks for sharing your photoshop skills with us, Isaac! You make a formidable pirate. May fair seas and saucy maids greet ye where 'er ye go, matey!

How about the rest of you? Have you ever done a photoshop of yourself? Mine is on the header of THE CHATELAINES!


MERRY CHRISTMAS BALL CONTEST
Enter for a chance to win $100 gift card on December 1st!



PS. Today I'm also sharing my first real life experience with sexual harrassment over at Amanda McIntyre's House of Muse. Don't worry. As with all my stories, there's a happy ending.

Happy Veterans Day

To those who have served our country on foreign soil, to those who rush to danger so that we might enjoy peace and safety, to those who have lost loved ones in the armed service, I send my heartfelt gratitude and deepest respect.