Friday Odds and Ends

Even though I was gone for a while visiting my family, I discovered I was also still out and about on the web. Barbara Vey of Publishers Weekly gave STROKE OF GENIUS a delightful push on her blog Beyond Her Book . If you haven't bookmarked this blog, I encourage you to do so. Barb always has something fresh to share. Here are some highlights from the blog:

"Emily Bryan does it again. Stroke of Genius sparkles and crackles with whip sharp dialog and characters to cheer for. Historicals have never been such fun."

RomCon begins today in Denver. I sincerely wish I could make this conference, but I'm 10 pages behind in my current WIP and can't spare the time away. My novella in A CHRISTMAS BALL, My Lady Below Stairs is up for their prestigious Reader's Crown Award. Just being nominated is an incredible honor, especially since the rest of the field in my category includes talent like Jade Lee, Erin McCarthy, Sophia Nash and Courtney Milan.

I was blogging at the RomCon site yesterday and will be giving away a signed copy of STROKE OF GENIUS to a commenter. I'm not sure when the site will close the contest, so please pop over right away and let me know you were there.

I'd like to wish you all a belated Happy 4th of July. It's my dad's birthday and we had a grand time celebrating it with him. This snarky little pic is my oldest daughter, making fun of the fact that I used to make her and her her sister wear oven mitts to do sparklers when they were little. You may laugh, but I got them both to majority with all their fingers intact!

Hope you're having a wonderful summer filled with "take me away" beach reads. I'm just starting Sabrina Jeffries' THE TRUTH ABOUT LORD STONEVILLE.

What's on your bedside table?

Publishers Weekly ~ Beyond her Book

This week I got an email from Barbara Vey, the Publishers Weekly blogger, letting me know that she's featuring STROKE OF GENIUS on Beyond Her Book today. Here's the link: http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbook/

She hadn't published her Friday post when I checked at 7 AM EST, so I don't know what she said about my book. I feel a little trepidacious posting the link without knowing if she thought the book was good or not. It's a bit like letting the world take a peek at my mid-term grades before I know if I passed the class.

But I enjoy Beyond Her Book so much, I'm glad to urge you to check out the blog anyway. Barbara logs tons of miles each year attending book, movie, comic book conferences. She weighs in on TV and movies as well and gives her unique take on things. She's had lovely things to say about my books in the past, so my fingers are crossed for this time.

Have you ever been waiting for word on something and wondered what would happen? Did things turn out as you hoped?

11:43AM EST--Well, I must have gotten my signals crossed because her blog today isn't featuring any books. In fact, it's not even Barbara Vey's post. It's a very informative look at the recent Book Blogger Convention by none other than Andrew Shaffer--the aspiring writer who got roped into the Mr. Romance Contest at RT this year. You all know Andrew. He's been a guest on my blog before, so be sure to pop over and see what he has to say!

Mr. Romance & PW's Barbara Vey

This is a picture of me and Barbara Vey, the blogger par excellence from Publishers Weekly with the Mr. Romance Contestants. If you've never tried Barbara's blog, BEYOND HER BOOK, I urge you to pop by.

Barb is a treasure trove of Everything Romance! Her site features recommended reads, industry news, and she practically lives out of a suitcase year round, traveling to conference after conference. Plus she's one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.

Every year at RT, Dorchester sponsors the Mr. Romance Contest. This year, we had fewer entrants and there was even one draftee. That's him in the suit. His name is Andrew and he was one of the Aspiring Writers in the classes I taught on Monday and Tuesday, pre-conference. Bless his heart, he learned the dance moves for the Mr. Romance Show on Saturday and spent the week posing for pics with conference attendees to benefit the SaveOurSoldiers charity for Wounded Warriors. If there isn't a book in his experience as a cover model hopeful, I wash my hands of him!

This is Charles Paz, last year's Mr. Romance, with the 2010 Mr. Romance Jamie Ungaro. They are both genuinely good guys.

I was drafted at the last minute for the Mr. Romance Show. After the guys did their dance, walked the catwalk and flexed their muscles, they each escorted an author out on stage and had to answer our questions.

My contestant, Franco D'Angelo, was so well prepared. He presented me with a rose, chocolate truffles, a little bottle of champagne and had a very touching answer to my question. (Don't worry. My DH is in no danger of being dethroned as the True King of Romance!) But when I asked Franco what ignited a passion in him, he said, "My kids." Awwwww. Good answer.



You'll probably recognize Charles Paz from the cover of Connie Mason's LORD OF DEVIL ISLE. Since Connie wasn't at RT, Charles signed copies of her book at the massive book fair and he sold out! He makes a wonderful Captain Nicholas Scott, the swashbuckling Lord of Devil Isle himself. (If you haven't read this sexy, adventurous tale, I highly recommend it! Buy Here!)

As part of his prize for winnng the title, Jamie Ungaro, the new Mr. Romance, will be featured on a Dorchester cover soon. Hmmm . . . my next Leisure Book will be HAPPILY EVER HIGHLANDER (under my new Mia Marlowe pen name).

Side Note to my editor Leah Hultenschmidt: In case you happen to be lurking, Leah, what do you think? Wouldn't Jamie Ungaro look amazing in a kilt?


Since we're on the subject of covers, here's your chance to voice an opinion. What sort of cover moves you to pick up a book? A good looking guy? A clinch? A headless heroine in a gorgeous gown? A garden blooming in wild profusion like my STROKE OF GENIUS cover? (Sorry. Just had to get that one in!)

What An Editor Wants

Writers agonize over what editors are looking for, over what sort of things they should be doing to build a platform prior to publication, over where the romance market is heading. . . etc, etc, etc! They wonder what in the world editors are thinking.

Since this is Leah Hultenschmidt, my fabulous editor at Dorchester Publishing, you don't have to wonder. She'll tell you.

Leah is very open about the whole acquisition process and has made herself available by posting regularly on her own blog RomanticReads and also by visiting at other sites. Today she's at Barbara Vey's Beyond Her Book on Publishers Weekly (aka, the Bible of publishing)

There is a tendency for aspiring authors to regard editors as either fire-breathing gate keepers or fairy godmothers. (I know because once upon a time I waffled between those two opinions myself) The truth is editors are extremely hard-working people who love books and writers and are so swamped with the multiple hats they wear, I have no idea how they keep their heads above water. Editors are looking for manuscripts that compel them to say "Yes!" I've heard editors say they run around the office exclaiming "I got one! I got one!" when they're able to find a gem in the slush pile (a beast of truly mythic proportions!)

An editor's blog is a goldmine. I'm sure other editors blog as well. Leah is the one I keep closest tabs on since she's the one whose deft hand shapes my books (something for which I thank God regularly!) If you are targeting a specific publishing house or agent, look for their blog. Following it will serve you well.

But don't spend all your time on the Internet (preaching to myself here!) That next great American novel won't write itself!

Have you found an editor or agent's blog you'd like to share? As a reader, do you like the "peek behind the scenes" into what causes editors to choose one manuscript over another?