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2001 Diary Archive
12/10/01 -- Yet even more good news! Agent Michelle Grajkowski from Three Seas Literary Agency has asked to see a full manuscript of The Heart of a Wolf. I've sent it off with crossed fingers. The year is wrapping up very nicely.
12/02/01 -- There was once a song that went "Some days are diamonds, some days are stones". Well, the past couple of weeks have been filled with diamonds for me. I've been submitting query letters around to the main publishers and my short list of agents on two books lately and recently I've been getting responses. Yes, there have been some form rejections and a nice rejection from agents... but then there are the good days...
After I submitted a query letter to Warner on a book entitled Her Silent Heart, the editor asked to see a full manuscript. I spent a couple of hectic days doing one last edit on the book then sent it off. And Avon responded to my email query (see their new guidelines if you weren't aware of this change in policy) asking for a partial on my book The Heart of a Wolf.
In other, fabulous news, my good friend and former critique partner Debbie Schneider just got THE CALL from Dorchester Publishing. She had entered her wonderful historical romance Beneath a Silver Moon in the Romantic Times/Dorchester Best New Historical Voice contest with the prize being a Dorchester contract. Though she took second, Dorchester was so impressed by her story that they offered her a contract the Monday after Thanksgiving. CONGRATULATIONS to Debbie, no one deserves it more. Look for her book Beneath a Silver Moon in September 2002.
In the mean time, my writer's email discussion list Passionate Pen Discuss, has been quite lively thanks to the continued support of longtime members and the addition of some new blood. We talk about the craft of writing, doing the balance of writing and outside forces and the industry. If you are an aspiring writer and looking for a place to share and learn, get more info on this group here.
Good luck to all of you on your endeavors and I hope to have even more good news soon!
11/13/01 -- Not much to report in the last month. I started submitting one of my older books to publishing houses and a newer one to a new list of agents. I'm starting to get responses and hope to have some good news to report coming soon. I finished the first big edit of Always and Forever and have it with a trusted writer friend who is great at pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of a story. Hopefully I'll be able to make the final corrections and start sending the book out or submitting to contests, agents and editors soon.
So it's the traditional writer's quandary of "hurry up and wait".
10/21/01
Here I am at the Emerald City Writer's Conference with the one and only Julia Quinn. I am on the left. Although I followed the poor woman around the entire day (which wasn't really on purpose, we just happened to be going to the same workshops), she was just as nice as you can imagine. And she signed my copy of The Duke and I, my very favorite JQ book!
10/15/01
This past weekend was the Greater Seattle Chapter of RWA Emerald City Writers Conference. I attended and had a great time! I had the opportunity to meet my favorite author Julia Quinn (look for a picture of JQ and I together coming soon!), heard some terrific workshops and much more. If any of you have the opportunity to attend a conference in your own area, I would highly recommend it! Even though most are sponsored by RWA chapters, there are higher rates for non-members. These are great ways to meet other authors and learn a lot!
On other news, I have begun the great edit on Always and Forever, my latest completed manuscript. This will probably go through several title changes before I'm satisfied.
10/2/01
Well, it has been a while since I updated this page, hasn't it? Let me see if I can do a quick summary. The summer flew by for me! I finished the Heart of a Wolf revisions in mid-August and have returned them to my agent for her review. I'm really hoping to be pitching the story soon, as it's one that is close to my heart. Meanwhile on September 28, 2001, I finished the first draft of my seventh manuscript which is tentatively titled Always and Forever... though Lord knows that will probably change.
For now I am taking a short break while I let the story stew. I will begin editing the manuscript in a couple of weeks and hope to have it completed and ready to pitch by year's end. Editing has become one of my favorite parts of the process. There's something about taking each sentence and honing it until it sings that's really rewarding for me.
Though our world has changed dramatically in the past few weeks, I hope all of you are beginning to return to some version of normalcy. If you are a writer, I hope you are continuing to write. Though it is gut wrenching, I found once I started it got easier each day. While the events of September 11 are still in my mind each and every day, I continue to plod on, as we all do. Together we will make it through this difficult time in history and hopefully all come out stronger for it.
7/24/01
Another month has come and gone. It's hard to believe the summer is more than half-way over. I received my rejections at the end of June/beginning of July. There were six, with two editors still reviewing the manuscript. I must say that they are the greatest rejections I've ever received. All the editors had something nice to say about the book, the characters, the romance... whatever. However, each one rejected the manuscript for different reasons, which makes it difficult to improve. However, I'm still hopeful about the last two manuscripts out.
I've filled my time while waiting with a rewrite of The Heart of A Wolf. My agent made some great suggestions to improve the story and I've just finished with the rewrite. Hopefully she'll be pitching this new story soon and I'll be back to the yet-to-be-named seventh manuscript, which has been long neglected.
Happy Writing everyone! : )
6/20/01
Well, what a month I've had. I did finally finish the edit on The Heart of A Wolf, my sixth manuscript. I have to say, I think this is my best work to date. I'm very excited to see what pans out with this story. In other news, four of eight editors have rejected Glorious, one a "very nice" rejection (I haven't seen it yet, but I think that's good!). That means there are still four out there, so I hold out hope.
In other news, after short hiatus to relax a bit, I have started my seventh book. The beginning is always fun... of course, so is the middle, and I really love the end! :)
5/7/01
I'm back on American soil and happy to be here! Though my trip to Brazil was nice, it was brief and exhausting. Now it's back to the grind to edit my book. Yes, during the Book in a Week Challenge I finished my sixth book!!! What a great feeling.... and now... the edit.
4/23/01
Well, I'm knee-deep in a Book In A Week Challenge (if you work well on a deadline, these challenges are great! Email me for more info...) . Meanwhile, I'm preparing to go to Brazil! It's a last minute business trip for my husband and I'm tagging along for moral support (and to lay around on the beach). Is there anywhere more romantic?
4/9/01
It's been a crazy few weeks. While my husband was out of town, I finished the edit on HER SILENT HEART, my fifth book, then did a final read-through the next week. Barbara said she wanted it on the 6th so it's off for her review as of April 6. I think the second book is more gut-wrenching because I have to worry if she'll like it or want to represent it. And if she doesn't... how will that affect our relationship?
But I'm excited, and rewarded myself by buying two 19th century English antiques. Hey, you've got to give yourself pats on the back sometimes! Meanwhile, back to the untitled sixth novel. I'm going to be doing a Book In A Week challenge where I hope I'll get the sixth book finished!
3/29/01
And it's off... That's right, my agent just sent off GLORIOUS to eight major houses. I'm very excited, but have centered myself by editing my last book HER SILENT HEART in hopes Barbara will want to represent it, as well. What a boar that book was/is. Sometimes writing is like arm wrestling with words until you make them bend to your will, but I love this story and it's been in my heart for a long time.
Meanwhile, my sixth novel is coming along well. Still at the half-way point because of editing distractions for HEART and GLORIOUS but after this week I should be back to the new book and ready to write. Cross your fingers for me...
3/1/01
Some of you had asked for a "personal news" page where I could update the things going on in my own personal career. Well, I finally have news worthy of its own page! On Friday, February 23, I got a call from Barbara Collins Rosenberg of the Rosenberg Group. After a couple of months with my full manuscript, GLORIOUS, she decided she wanted to represent me!!!!! So I have an agent!!!
This agency is based in Ft. Worth, Texas and more information about it can be found at http://www.rosenberggroup.com! I'm very excited about working with Barbara. If you are a newsletter subscriber, you will hear the whole story in the next newsletter update. To sign up for the newsletter, go to the Mailing List page...
In other news, I am almost to the half-way point in my sixth book, tentatively titled, KISS FROM A ROSE. I've never enjoyed writing a hero more than my poor, tortured Sebastian. : )