Romantically Yours is finally
back, bigger, better, and more inspiring than ever. I'm
sorry for the delay but it’s taken longer than I expected to make the transition
from its old site to its new home at http://www.lovemarcia.com/.
And it’s entirely my fault. I've been swamped with a number of projects. I was
peddling like crazy to finish up two books and on top of that I had major revisions.
I hope to make it up to you with this month’s Spring has Sprung edition. If
you'd like to start off the season right, pick up a copy of the third in the Flamingo
Beach series. Down and Out in Flamingo Beach is scheduled
to be in a neighborhood bookstore this May. Come join in the celebration as Flamingo
Beach turns one hundred years old and so does its oldest inhabitant. Quilt
making has always fascinated me and this story centers around a quilt shop. My
heroine, Joya Hamill, introduced in book two, has finally found a love of her
own. What she wants is not exactly what she gets. Heat wave alert, the sexy hero,
Derek Morse, sets the pages on fire. Romantic
Times Book Review gave this book 4 stars. It’s my favorite book in the series
so far. I hope you will enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Read this month’s dynamic
interview with veteran author Jasmine Creswell. Jasmine has been writing for thirty
plus years. She’s survived the many changes in this crazy publishing business.
We all can benefit from her wisdom, advice, and positive thinking. I’d
love to hear from you with any suggestions you have to make Romantically Yours
even better. Please send your thoughts and ideas my way. E mail me at mkinggamble@aol.com and keep
writing. Romantically
Yours, Marcia King-Gamble
Editor -- Romantically Yours http://www.lovemarcia.com/
************************************************* Tools
of the Trade The Art of
the Press Release. Writing
your own press release costs nothing except time and a little creativity. Here
are a few tips that maybe helpful to you in getting that release picked up by
a newspaper. First and
foremost the information within should be late breaking news and have some immediacy
to it. Old news is not something a newspaper is interested in. What do I mean
by immediacy, examples are as follows: Wanda
Writer, a local author will be autographing her book at XYZ Store on XYZ date Wanda
Writer, a teacher in our community has signed a contract for her very first book
with XYZ publisher Wanda
Writer, a former resident of our community is scheduled to give a talk at the
community center on Monday, July 13th at 7.00 p.m.. The
info contained within that press release should be timely. Find out the absolute
deadline by which the newspaper must have the information. Normally it’s about
three weeks before the publication goes to press but different newspapers might
have different deadlines. The
release should have a local slant to it. See examples above. Now
let’s talk about writing the actual release. The
press release should be kept simple and straight forward. Newspapers tend to still
use the 5 W’s — Who, What, Where, Why, When. A
reader needs to see or hear your name seven times to establish name recognition. Here
are two examples: Example
1- Who, when, where and why. Wanda
Writer, award winning teacher at XYZ High School sold her first book to XYZ Publisher
in May 2006. Wanda will be autographing her romantic suspense novel, To Die For
at the Millford Borders on Candy Street on June 12th at 6.00 p.m. Example
2 — Seven is the Magic Number to establish Name Recognition Lynbrook
author Wanda Writer has signed another two book contract with St. Martin’s Press.
Writer’s first novel To Die For won the prestigious Rita Award. On the Edge is
a sequel to Wanda’s 2004 release Wired. Wanda
Writer is an English teacher at Lynbrook High. Writer lives in Lynbrook with her
significant other, Joseph Dalton a popular Veterinarian. Wanda will be giving
a talk at the Lynbrook community center on February 14th at 8.00 p.m. Be sure
to come
out and support Writer and pick up a copy of her latest book. If
a photo is accompanying your press release be sure to make several copies as most
likely they will not be returned. Keep
a list of the newspapers you are submitting to, and be sure you write down the
name of the contact person, also whether they prefer to be contacted by e mail,
snail mail, fax, phone etc. One
free web-based directory is http://www.publist.com/. It has a vast database
of newspapers, journals, newsletters and periodicals worldwide. Have
fun writing your press release, keep it straightforward and factual and stay away
from gimmicks and being cute. Good luck! *************************************************
Happenings: May
04-05, 2007 Write on Vancouver Inn at Westminster Quay, New Westminster,
British Colombia http://www.writeonvancouver.com/ May
12-13, 2007 Romancing the Rockies Renaissance Denver Hotel www.coloradoromancewriters.org/conference.html July
11-14, 2007 Romance Writers of America Hyatt Regency Dallas, TX
http://www.rwanational.org/ September
28-30, 2007 Moonlight and Magnolias Conference Location: Hilton Atlanta
Northeast Keynote: Linda Howard To register visit: http://www.georgiaromancewriters.org/
************************************************* Jasmine
Cresswell was born in England but now divides her time between her winter home
in Sarasota, Florida and her summer home in Evergreen, Colorado. Jasmine has been
writing since 1975 and has published over 50 novels, with 9 million copies of
her books in print. This multi-published author has received numerous awards.
Here what she has to say about this constantly changing publishing business. Interview
with Jasmine Creswell RY: What
inspired you to write your very first book and what was it about? JC:
I started writing out of frustration: my
original career was with the British Foreign Service but on my first overseas
assignment (to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil) I met my future husband who was working
for a major international corporation there. In those days, the rules for female
Foreign Service officers were strict: you resigned on marriage, no disputes, no
exceptions. I then tried a second career as a university professor but that, too,
got hijacked by my husband’s constant job transfers. Not to mention the birth
of four children taking up quite a lot of time! Writing fiction seemed to me just
about the only career I could take anywhere in the world. My first book
was called Forgotten Marriage and the title pretty much says it all. It was a
sweet romance with a (tiny) hint of mystery and was published in hardcover by
a company that basically sold only to libraries. Still, it was my first attempt
at writing fiction, so I was thrilled to make a sale.
RY: Your
latest effort is a trilogy. I was fascinated by the titles and the plot lines.
Tell us a little about Missing, Suspect and Payback. JC: I
was hanging out at a conference one night with my good friend, Maggie Osborne,
and Marsha Zinberg, the editorial director of Harlequin’s Special Projects. Maggie
and I started playing around, inventing a complicated story that might be suitable
for one of Marsha’s continuity series. The story as we developed it that night
was pretty ridiculous, but Maggie Osborne’s basic concept really resonated with
me. She suggested following the two families of a bigamist who discover after
years of seemingly happy marriage that their lives have been based on an illusion. I
became fascinated by the idea of writing this story, even though we'd only been
playing when it was first conceived. Maggie Osborne, who writes wonderful historical
fiction, graciously gave me permission to tell Ron’s story. Since I write suspense,
I decided to start the books at the moment Ron Raven goes missing in a Miami hotel
room. Hence the title of the first book, MISSING. Two things quickly become apparent:
Ron has been murdered — and he’s left behind two very different wives and three
grown children. Each book in the trilogy is told from the point of view of one
of Ron’s children. My editor at Mira seems very pleased with the books, which
are going to be sold in three successive months this fall. RY: You've
had an impressive career spanning thirty-plus years in an uncertain business.
You've seen lots of changes. What keeps you motivated? JC: My
desire to tell the stories tumbling around in my head and share them with an audience. RY: In
this rapidly changing business with publishers tightening their belts, do you
have any tips that might help an author survive? JC: I
believe that authors need to tell the stories that are compelling to them. If
you're fascinated by the people and events you're writing about, that fascination
will shine through in your writing. However, if you want to sell what you write
on a consistent basis, you have to pay close, intelligent attention to the market.
What are publishers buying? Where is there a niche that I can exploit? Authors
succeed when they write something that is easy for the marketing department to
label and yet at the same time genuinely offers a fresh perspective. RY: What
advice could you give to newbies attempting to break into the romance writing
business? JC: See
above. Also — hone your craft. That seems boring advice because everyone gives
it. However, everyone says the same thing because it’s so important. RY: Can
you share your secret to writing fast paced, page turning books? Is there even
a secret or is it all in the process? JC: If
you want to learn any aspect of novel writing technique, you have millions of
teachers out there just waiting for you to consult them. Who are these teachers?
Books. Every novel ever published can teach you something. Pick up a novel, any
novel. Read it. Did you enjoy it? If so, analyze why. Underline passages that
really worked for you. Did you dislike it? If so, analyze why. When did you get
bored? Why did you get bored? Gradually narrow the scope of your reading to novels
in the genre you want to write. How do the authors you enjoy hold your interest?
Is it pace? Is it characters you like so much that you'll follow them through
a digression? Is it witty dialogue? A fascinating plot premise? Writers can acquire
any technical skill they need simply by reading the work of other writers. Good
or bad, if you read with an editorial eye, you can learn. RY: In
doing research, I discovered you are the founder and former president of Novelists,
Inc. What prompted you to create Novelists, Inc. Tell us a little about this organization? JC: Fourteen
years ago, RWA wasn't doing the excellent job it now does of supporting the needs
of its published authors. There was also a level of frustration at the way the
publishing industry at large ignored the contributions of its romance writers.
The founders of Novelists, Inc wanted to create an organization with a membership
composed only of multi-published authors of popular fiction. Five of us got together
and dreamed up what became Novelists, Inc. The organization continues to grow
and flourish today, with a focus on reaching out across genres and providing a
forum for multi-published authors to share vital business information. RY: You
were also a former editor of The Romance Writers Report; the monthly publication
issued by Romance Writers of America. In that capacity what did you do? JC: When
I edited the RWR, the position of editor was a volunteer one. Today, of course,
editing the RWR is the responsibility of a fulltime, paid employee. I was responsible
for soliciting and editing content, and for making sure that members were informed
about board activities. In those days (not that long ago!!) there was no Internet
to speak of so the Letters to the Editor column was vitally important, generating
a ton of mail and lots of heat. Tact was the major requirement for the job, I
think — at least as important as being fairly good at obscure rules of punctuation! RY: How
many books have you written altogether, including those written under the name
Jasmine Craig? JC: I
keep meaning to count and never do. It must be more than 70 by now. RY: Have
your advanced degrees in history helped with any of your plotlines? If so, how? JC: I've
written a few historicals, with great enjoyment. Also, the ability to research
quickly and efficiently is always invaluable to a writer. RY: Do
you think goal setting is important to this business? JC: Yes,
although it’s something I do very badly. RY: And
finally, what’s next for Jasmine Cresswell? Is there a particular genre left to
conquer? A burning story left to be told? JC: I
have a "retirement" goal. I want to write a non-fiction account of the impact
of incarceration on the lives of women who've been imprisoned. Women behind bars
almost always leave children on the outside who suffer emotional deprivation as
well as shame. I'd like to tell some of those stories and perhaps suggest ways
that society might find to lessen the negative impact of imprisonment on innocent
family members. *************************************************
Who’s Acquiring Harlequin: Spice Spice
Briefs are erotic short stories of about 5,000-15,000 words. Susan Pezzack Swinwood,
Editor. Please email spicebriefs@harlequin.ca
or visit Spice Briefs Writing Guidelines for guideline information. Kimani
Tru Imprint: Kimani TRU
Genre: Young adult fiction Manuscript word length: Approximately 60,000—70,000
words Manuscript pages: 200 pages
Guidelines The
main characters should both be young adults, ideally between the ages of 14 and
19. These novels should reflect the varied environments that black teenagers navigate:
school, home, social activities, neighborhood and the larger world beyond it.
The characters should represent a broad spectrum of incomes (poor, working class,
middle class and wealthy) as well as live in both urban and suburban settings. Evette
Porter Editor Kimani TRU
c/o Evette Porter, Editor Kimani Press 233 Broadway, Suite 1001 New
York, NY 10279 Love Inspired
Historicals — Steeple Hill Length:
75,000 - 85,000 words Editor: Melissa Endlich Editorial Office: New York
Launch: February 2008 This
new brand in the Steeple Hill imprint is a series of historical romances featuring
Christian characters facing the many challenges of life and love in a variety
of historical time periods. New
agency looking for writers Mortimer
Literary Agency 52645 Paui Road Aguanga, CA 92536 http://www.mortimerliterary.com/ Query Kelly
Mortimer *************************************************
Did you know? Writing
for Love or Money graduate Cindy Breeding’s first published novel, Camelot’s
Destiny, has finaled in both the Prestigious Virginia Writers Holt’s award
and the More than Magic Contest. Way to go Cindy! Romance
fiction accounts for: $1.2
billion in sales each year 54.9 % of all popular mass market fiction sold
39.3% of all fiction sold. Put
your heart in a book and continue writing. *************************************************
* ABOUT Marcia’s
ROMANTICALLY YOURS * Romantically
Yours is a FREE monthly newsletter. I would love to hear from you. Please send
comments, news, research, or story ideas directly to Marcia King-Gamble at mkinggamble@aol.com |