Anne Barton's Writing Journal

Keli's Cover!

2011-12-07T15:58:00.006-05:00

My wonderful friend and critique partner, Keli Gwyn, just got the cover for her debut novel. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?

Keli is an amazing writer, and I'm so excited that her book will be on the shelves in a few (okay, about six and a half) months.

Keli is one of the nicest people on the face of the planet. Find out for yourself by visiting her website or blog, liking her Facebook page, or following her on Twitter.

Goodbye, Lucky Writing Chair

2011-11-27T21:16:00.010-05:00

So, it turns out that I'm rough on furniture--chairs, specifically. Allow me to present Exhibit A, my writing chair for the past year.

It was in perfectly good condition when I took it from the dining room to replace my old desk chair, which looked a lot like the one above, if you can picture it with a leg falling off.

I know, it's not pretty, but this is bound to happen when you log lots of hours at the computer, right? You mean it's just me? Oh.

Anyway, I knew the chair was looking shabby, but it still functioned. It had been with me through a couple of manuscripts, supporting me in good times and bad. It might have even been a little lucky. (Not that I'm superstitious.) We writers can't just toss aside something as important as a chair without giving it serious thought. Right? Just me again? Huh.

Well, today my husband and son surprised me with an early Christmas present:

I was very touched. And very skeptical. I mean, it's so pretty. A chair this perfect is like a heroine without a flaw--lacking character. This is not some fru-fru decoration for a showroom. I need something tough (obviously.)

But seeing as my husband braved the mall on the weekend after Thanksgiving, I figured the least I could do was give the new chair a try, so I did.

I'm happy to report that it's surprisingly comfortable. It doesn't rain little bits of foam on the floor each time I stand. Best of all, it has some decent mojo. I got my daily words done, no problem.

So, I'm saying goodbye to my old lucky writing chair. Here's hoping that the new one is just as lucky.

And a whole lot tougher than it looks.

What do you think? Want to take bets on how long the new chair will last? What's your lucky item?

Shhhhh!

2011-09-30T00:00:00.001-04:00

I'm hosting a free-for-all Friday with the Rubies today! The topic: libraries.

Remember flipping through library card catalogs? How about reading journal articles on microfiche? Ah, those were the days. Pop over and share your favorite library memory for a chance to win a Barnes & Noble gift card!

What's Your Favorite Library Memory?

My Notes from 2011 RWA Nationals

2011-07-23T21:51:00.009-04:00

Without further ado, my notes from RWA:

The Golden Network Retreat

The retreat consisted of two editor and agent panels. There was lots of talk about e-books and how they’ll affect the publishing industry in the long-term. There was not a consensus. In fact, there was the opposite of a consensus. But here are some panelists’ comments on the topic, as scribbled in my notebook:

E-book royalty rates will evolve

Book piracy seems less prevalent than music piracy

E-publishing is working especially well for short fiction (novellas and short stories)

Authors should strive to be successful in all the streams of media

Authors should make e-books part of a combined strategy (i.e., publish a novella at a low price before making backlist available electronically)

When publishing with an electronic-only press, it’s especially important for authors to have a solid online presence

E-books won’t replace print any more than TV replaced movies

But format does matter

Regarding self-publishing:

Authors should be careful of how they price e-books and avoid undervaluing their work

There are 700k self published authors on Amazon; only a handful sell more than a few thousand copies

Agent Donald Maas, on successful novelists:

They have something to say

They write stories that grab readers by the gut or the heart

They come from an authentic and genuine place and give a unique perspective

On the role editor/author partnership (from various panelists):

The editor is the author’s advocate

The editor wants to set the author up for success—that means matching the offer/deal with what’s going to happen in reality

The goal is to get an accumulation of titles on the shelf, each story better than the last

The Opening Session

The featured speakers were Steve Berry, Diana Gabaldon, and Tess Gerritsen. I'll be honest, I haven’t read any of their books. After hearing them speak, I can’t wait to read their books. The session was riveting and my note-taking sketchy. (I’d like to get the conference recordings and listen to the whole thing again.) Here are a few highlights:

Steve Berry wrote for 12 years and received 85 rejections before he sold his first book.

He compared promoting a book to running for president and recommends writing thank you notes.

When asked about the impact of e-books, he said that publishing is just getting bigger, and this is nothing new: the earliest writing was on stone, then clay, papyrus, and paper . . . and the next medium is ones and zeros (e-books).

The weirdest mail he ever received was from a woman asking him, “Do you sweat when you write?”

Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling novel, Outlander, was her “practice novel.”

She classifies characters as onions (3-dimensional characters with lots of layers to peel away), mushrooms (characters that pop up as needed and then walk out) and hard nuts (historical characters who are tough to crack).

She has 3 rules for writers: (1) read--so you can know what you like and what you don’t; (2) write; and (3) don’t stop.

Tess Gerritsen, who's also a physician, likes to throw a mystery at herself (often taken from the headlines) and see what develops.

She says that readers want to know secrets.

She comes up with an intriguing scenario and lets organic things happen.

Workshops

Here are a few of my favorites.

What Would Joss Whedon Do? Using TV Tricks to Write Snappy, Funny Dialogue -- presented by Molly Harper. I loved this workshop. Lots of great examples and tips for writing fun dialogue. Rather than recount them all here, I’ll refer you to the wonderful slide show that Molly Harper generously made available on her website.

Uniting Plot Structure and Character Arc – presented by Michael Hauge. I admit it--I’m a fangirl, particularly of his DVD, The Hero’s 2 Journeys. I like to watch it every time I start a new story. It’s like referring to a recipe before you start throwing random ingredients into the pot.

A great story requires the heroine to make two journeys.

The outer journey is her pursuit of a visible goal. It’s a journey of accomplishment and it defines the plot.

The heroine’s inner journey is a journey of transformation, where she goes from living in fear (her identity) to living courageously (her essence).

Hauge also has a six stage plot structure. Good stuff.

The Historical Romance Market: Advice from the Pros – presented by Victoria Alexander, Stephanie Laurens, and Lauren McKenna. I never miss a chance to hear Victoria Alexander or Stephanie Laurens speak. They are such talented, warm, and generous authors. They fielded questions from the audience--here’s a sampling of their wit and wisdom.

When asked about trends in the historical market, Victoria A. said “Victorian Vampires have a lot of potential. Not for me, cause I like a man who can go out during the day.”

Things that piss her off: “Extensive internet charges at hotels and stories without end.”

Stephanie Laurens said the Regency period is so popular because it resonates with the modern audience. It was a time in history (as now) when men and women could marry for love, marry for obligation, or choose not to marry.

She said the average age of marriage in Regency England was 24.

"Gnomes and trolls aren't sexy."

Her advice on creating good conflict: "What pleases the heroine should piss the hero off. And vice versa."

Writing the English-Set Historical – presented by Jo Beverley (in a lovely English accent). Jo Beverley is another generous and talented author. Her presentation was geared toward helping North American writers avoid mistakes with English history, language, and culture. Much of the information is available on her website, along with other excellent resources. She advises writers to somehow explain dark-haired dukes, as the aristocratic gene pool is neither swarthy nor dark. And they don’t have much chest hair either.

I thought this chart was fun and helpful too--American terms translated into proper English:

Britches = breeches

Vest = waistcoat

Sidewalk = pavement

Block = street

Fall = autumn

English muffin= crumpet

Gotten=not used (avoid!)

*phew*

Just typing these notes has made me nostalgic for Nationals in New York City. Sure, there was the rat on the sidewalk that scampered a little too close to my toes. And that guy on the train who tried to walk off with my suitcase.

But mostly, it was writing friends, informative workshops, passionate late-night discussions (fueled by wine), and endless inspiration.

Three-hundred sixty-seven days till Anaheim. Hope to see you there!

First Sale Party: A Royal Celebration!

2011-07-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Anne received The Call!

I’m Keli Gwyn, one of Anne’s critique partners. Having read a number of her stories, I knew this day would come. Anne is a talented writer, and now you’re going to be able to read her work, too—in published form. :)

Anne, how long have you been writing your Regency-set romances, and what have been some of the highlights on your path to publication?

I’ve been writing for five years, almost to the day. The reason I remember is because on July 3, 2006 as I sat on a beach looking up at fireworks, I thought to myself, why not? This is America, darn it--anything’s possible! The very next day, I began writing my first manuscript with the goal of entering it in the Golden Heart. It didn’t final, but finishing it is a feeling I’ll never, ever forget.

My second manuscript did final in the Golden Heart, and the most wonderful thing about that experience was stepping away from the computer, attending my first conference, and meeting other romance writers (including you!) It was great to discover the world of RWA and all its talented, generous authors.

I kept writing, and at my chapter retreat the next year, I pitched my third manuscript to Helen Breitwieser, who offered representation on my birthday. Best present ever!

Then, this year, my fourth and fifth manuscripts finaled in the Golden Heart . . . and THE PROPER MISS’S GUIDE TO BAD BEHAVIOR won.

I shouted myself hoarse when you won the Golden Heart in the Regency Historical category. What thoughts went through your mind when the presenter, Courtney Milan, pulled the card from the envelope at the RWA® Awards Ceremony and read your name?

Do you want the brutally honest answer or the also true, but made-for-blog-post response?

Both. :)

BHA: No coherent thoughts, just a loud buzzing in my ears. Then, dread that I’d have a panic attack at the podium that would prevent me from ever showing my face at Nationals again. Finally, blessed relief.

MFBPR: I have to admit that I dreamed about that moment, probably hundreds of times, in the same sort of way one dreams about winning the lottery. You never think it will actually happen. Receiving the award from our fellow Pixie, Courtney, was really special. I’m glad I got to publicly thank you and Lisa (my other CP) and my friends and family and I hope I didn’t leave anyone out, but I was so nervous I probably did. I had so much fun meeting the other finalists and am honored to be part of that amazing group.

What a fabulous Friday that was. The following week, you received the BIG news that your Golden Heart-winning story had sold. Please share your Call Story with us.

I was doing the lacrosse mom thing, hanging out on the sidelines and chatting with parents when my agent, Helen, called. As she told me about the offer, I started pacing (which I do whenever I get excited). We both felt like Grand Central Forever was the perfect fit for me and my story. I’d had a chance to talk to the editor, Selina McLemore, at the RWA conference and was beyond thrilled to find out I’d get to work with her. My husband picked me up and took me to the local pub where I had an iced tea and a heaping plate of nachos.

And it’s a two-book contract, too! Woohoo! I’ve been happy dancing for you for days as the deal came together. Now that it has, what can you tell us about the book? Do you have a title or release date yet? Would you give us a sneak peek at the story line?

Here’s the notice that appeared in Publisher’s Marketplace:

2011 Golden Heart winner in the Regency Historical category Anne Barton's THE PROPER MISS'S GUIDE TO BAD BEHAVIOR, pitched as Project Runway meets Downton Abbey, to Selina McLemore of Forever, in a two-book deal, by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary (World).

It’s a bit of a Cinderella story—a lowly seamstress with nothing but talent and passion dares to rise above her station and pursue her wildest dreams. And if that means extorting money from a handsome duke, then so be it . . .

I don’t know what the title or exact release date will be, but I’ll share as soon as I do.

Since you spent several years awaiting this milestone event, I’m sure you’ve learned many things. Any words of wisdom?

No advice, really. But I will say that when it comes to writing partners I wish everyone could be as lucky as I’ve been. It’s so helpful to have positive, thoughtful, and talented friends like you on this journey.

Thank you for hosting this wonderful celebration and for sharing in my excitement!

I’m sooo happy for you, Anne, as I know many are! I’ve got some virtual fare for your visitors. I invite them to help themselves to spot of tea, grab some of the delectable goodies on the table, and share in the celebration by leaving you a comment.

A Plethora of Prizes

Since Anne writes Regency-set romance, I chose several items with a Regency or British theme for a drawing. To enter, leave a comment for Anne, making sure to include your email address in the field when prompted. On the evening of July 12th, I’ll choose ten winners, one for each of the prizes pictured below.

Two copies of Emma, the A&E version starring Kate Beckinsale
Two copies of Persuasion, the BBC version starring Ciaran Hinds
Two copies of Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway
Two varieties of English tea with a cute teapot spoon
Two floral tea bag holders (U.S. made, sorry, but still cute)

Note: Offer void where prohibited.
Prizes will be mailed to U.S. addresses only.
Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

First five images are from istockphoto.

A Few Photos from the 2011 RWA Conference

2011-07-06T14:52:00.012-04:00

A view of Times Square from the hotel

The gang, after seeing Jersey Boys on Broadway

Keli Gwyn and I, dressed up for the Awards Ceremony

The Broadway Ballroom before the ceremony began

Me at the podium, accepting the Golden Heart

Lisa Connelly and I (Lisa won for Contemporary Single Title)

Celebrating!

The Obligatory Shoe Post, or "Wild Times at DSW"

2011-06-20T22:22:00.007-04:00

Today's mission was two-pronged.

Objective #1. Find a pair of strappy, dressy heels for RWA Awards Ceremony.

Please. This was child's play. Done.

Objective #2: Buy a pair of cute, but sensible, shoes with a low heel suitable for walking long distances in hotel halls and on the streets of NYC.

Friends, the plan went awry.

The moment I walked through the doors of DSW, I knew I was in trouble. To my ears, the muzak piped through the speakers was a chorus of angels singing. As I roamed the aisles, smelling that new shoe smell, I slipped into a zombie-like trance.

I lost sight of the goal. Decidedly impractical shoes made their way into my shopping bag.

I'm weak. But I'm a happy girl.

Mission accomplished.

The Obligatory Dress Post, or "How Not to Find a Dress for RWA Nationals"

2011-05-06T23:14:00.007-04:00

The RITA/Golden Heart Awards Ceremony (being held on July 1st in New York City) is a lovely, glamorous red carpet affair. The occasion calls for a fancy dress and dressing up is something I always look forward to. Until I have to actually find the dress.

This summer’s conference will be my fourth trip to RWA Nationals and therefore marks my fourth attempt to acquire stylish evening wear. In past years I’ve met with varying degrees of success, where success is defined as “not looking like the biggest country bumpkin in the room.”

Interestingly, I have identified my four distinct phases of dress acquisition. They always occur in the same sequence and no phase is ever skipped. I share them with you so that you may learn from my mistakes. We start with . . .

The I’m-Sure-There’s-Something-in-my-Closet I Can Wear Phase. This phase is characterized mainly by delusions. Every year I seem to forget that my closet looks nothing like Jennifer Lopez’s. The closest thing to formal wear hanging in the corner is a black velvet New Year’s Eve gown circa 1993 (remember Elvira?) and . . . oh wait, that’s it. This leads me to shrug and enter . . .

The I’ll-Just-Borrow-a-Fabulous-Dress Phase. My well-meaning sister and sisters-in-law are horrible enablers during this phase. They generously offer up their own fashionable gowns, assuring me something will work, when they know full well that I’m a couple inches shorter than anyone in the family. After a period during which I seriously ponder the question of whether I might be adopted, I turn to . . .

The e-Bay Phase. I’m not proud of this. Well, I was a little proud of this. Whatever. The good news is that Bidding Fever is blessedly short-lived. When the cast-off prom gown for which I paid $18 arrives, I invariably realize that there is no help for it. I must be brave and face . . .

The Trying-On-Real-Dresses Phase. This phase is nothing like the whimsical portrayal in the movie 27 Dresses. No. This phase includes Dressing Rooms with 3-Way Mirrors and Fluorescent Lighting. It is the black moment, involving numerous trips to the racks, tugging, squeezing, and, all too often, ugly crying episodes. Then, just when it seems like hope is lost, I find a dress that’s, well . . . not awful. It could work. With the right shoes and jewelry. You know, it might be perfect.

Coming soon: The Obligatory Shoe Post

The Golden Heart® Call(s)

2011-03-25T18:07:00.005-04:00

10:35 Between classes I sneak a peek at my phone. Husband texted a half hour earlier . . . someone from RWA® will call me during my lunch break. Heart palpitations ensue.

10:36 How will I survive today's long division lesson?

12:01 Lunch time! I run to computer to log on to RWA site . . . internet connection is down, dash it all. I will my phone to ring.

12:04 It rings. A lovely RWA board member informs me How to Reform a Rake finaled in the Regency category of the Golden Heart. While she graciously imparts information, I alternately gasp/cry. We hang up.

12:07 In a valiant attempt to avoid splotchy face, I dry my eyes and take deep breaths.

12:08 I call husband to tell him the good news and--What's this? Someone's beeping in. Probably the recorded message about home mortgages, but still . . . I should answer it.

12:09 Hello? It's a different--but equally lovely--RWA board member. Uh-oh. Obviously, there's been a mistake, and they're calling to revoke my finalist status. I brace myself. But no . . . she explains that my other entry, The Proper Miss's Guide to Bad Behavior, is also a finalist. OH. MY.

12:12 Attempts to avoid splotchy face are utterly futile. Happiness!

Dreaming in Words

2011-01-23T08:57:00.006-05:00

A long time ago, when I was learning how to speak Spanish, I dreamed in Spanish. Not just the dialogue, but the narration too. Magically, the dreams were never constrained by the dry vocabulary in my Spanish II textbok. I was able to form sentences without stopping to think about conjugation, tense, or prounouns. Best of all--my accent was flawless.

An even longer time ago, when I was learning to type, I dreamed in key strokes. I learned on a Wang (not an euphemism). The interface was primitive--a black screen with bright green, Hal-like characters. In my dreams, though, as long as I typed the action, it played out in vivid color. I was a faceless narrator, clicking away, asdf jkl;, at about 100 wpm.

Lately, though, I've been dreaming in words. I see paragraphs and pages of text, and like an interior designer walking into a bachelor pad, I'm tsk, tsking. I want to fix it. I can fix it. Instead of moving the couch, I'm moving a scene. Instead of scouring antique shops for the perfect accent piece, I'm searching for the perfect word--the one that will take a humdrum sentence from whatever to wow. Metaphors, fresh description, and snappy dialogue are indexed and catalogued, like fabric samples and paint chips. When I wake up, I'm stumbling to the computer in my pajamas so I don't forget.

Revisions are going well. In the words of Stephen Tyler, Dream On.

Writing Goals for 2011

2010-12-28T18:33:00.006-05:00

Every beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

It seems like just yesterday I was setting my goals for 2010, and here I am, about to set new ones for 2011.

It's been a great year. Highlights: seeing friends at RWA Nationals in Orlando, working (and playing!) with my critique partners, and finishing my latest manuscript. Not everything went as planned, however. Before I move forward with goals for the New Year, here's a quick look back at last year's goals (in blue) and actual accomplishments (in purple).

1st Quarter:
--Revise RaR from beginning to end. (Did this, but I think it was 2nd quarter. In the first quarter, I revised MP instead.)
--Begin outlining my next story, the first in a Regency trilogy. (Wow. Totally forgot that I was going to make it a trilogy. But it's still doable, right?)
--Act as category coordinator for my chapter's contest. (Done. Phew.)

2nd Quarter:
--Work with my agent to prepare RaR for submission. (Got great insight from wonderful agent, but was busy drafting PMG . . . need to return to this in 2011.)
--Draft the first 3 chapters and synopsis of a new book. (Yes.)
--Redesign my website. (Yes, but I cheated a little and hired a tech-savvy friend.)

3rd & 4th Quarters:
--Complete a draft of the new book. (YES!)

Ongoing:
--Work with and support my critique partners. (Loved every minute of this.)
--Enter and judge at least 2 RWA contests. (Check. Entered 3, judged 2.)
--Attend at least 4 WRW (Washington Romance Writers) meetings/workshops. (Only made it to one. *hangs head*)
--Read at least 4 books on craft. (Oh my. How is it possible that I went through the whole year without reading a single craft book? Did read lots of blog posts on craft, though.)
--Attend either the WRW Spring Retreat or the RWA National Conference. (Went to Nationals, had a great time, learned lots.)

Now, for 2011's Goals . . .

1st Quarter:
--Revise PMG from beginning to end.

2nd Quarter:
--Revise RaR from beginning to end.

3rd & 4th Quarters:
--Complete a draft of a new book. (Apparently, it will be the 2nd in a trilogy.)

Ongoing:
--Work with and support my critique partners.
--Enter and judge at least 2 RWA contests.
--Attend at least 2 WRW (Washington Romance Writers) meetings/workshops.
--Read at least 2 books on craft.
--Attend the RWA National Conference in NYC.

There. That doesn't seem too overwhelming. And I promise to be flexible when necessary.

By the way, I'm participating in the Ruby Slippered Sisters Winter Writing Festival (WWF) starting Jan. 10. Our slogan: "Finally! A writing festival that doesn't span a major holiday. (You know women are running it.)" If you want to get a jump start on writing/revising/plotting, please please please come check it out. The company is fabulous (if I do say so myself) and there are are even prizes for participants.

Counting Down to the Golden Heart® Deadline

2010-10-24T20:09:00.008-04:00

It gut-check time, ladies. And gentlemen.

I glanced at my calendar today, and saw that on Nov. 24--exactly one month from today--I'd written "mail entries." Golden Heart entries have to be at RWA® by close of business on Dec. 2. I like to mail them before Thanksgiving, though. I save a little on postage and get to have a stress-free turkey day.

It's funny how it always seems to come down to the wire. This will be the 5th straight year I've drafted a new manuscript to enter in the contest. I love having a deadline at the end of November. In December, I plan to goof off. Shopping, decorating, baking, and reading are all on the agenda. Also, catching up on all my TV shows.

This year, I think I'm a little bit ahead of where I usually am. I still have 10K words to go on The Proper Miss's Guide to Bad Behavior, aka The Etiquette of Extortion, aka The Blackmailing Seamstress, but it's going swimmingly. I think this has been my easiest story to write so far. Of course, easy doesn't necessarily translate into good. And I still have days when I want to pull my hair out, and I'll need to do a lot of revising, but the end is in sight.

If you're like me (scrambling to get your GH entry ready), take heart! It can feel overwhelming, lonely, and daunting, but a lot of us are in the same boat. Here are a few of my favorite GH related articles from various blogs that might give you the information or inspiration you need.

A Recipe for Golden Heart Success -- this is by Darynda Jones, super-talented and super-nice author of First Grave on the Right. She knows of what she speaks.

Goal Setting for the Golden Heart and Beyond -- Vivi Andrews, author of eight (8!) paranormal romance novels and novellas gives solid advice on goals.

Golden Heart Rotisserie by the Numbers -- Ruby Sister and GH winner, Jamie Michele, breaks down the numbers behind the categories. Really fascinating stuff.

The Woman Behind the Curtain -- that would be Carol Ritter, RWA professional relations manager. Multiple GH finalist Bev Pettersen interviewed Carol and got some great behind the scenes info.

Nine Nuggets from my Golden Heart Experiences -- if you want to know what it's like to be a GH finalist, this article by my awesome critique partner, Keli Gwyn, sums it up quite nicely.

You CAN Finish your Manuscript in time for the GH -- and avoid a FedEx bill that makes you weep. That's the plan, anyway. This one's by me.

If you have other GH articles you like, please let me know! I'll add them. Good luck to everyone racing to finish and polish their entries. We can do it!

Pop Quiz!

2010-09-16T00:00:00.003-04:00

How well do you pamper your inner writer?

Head over to Seekerville to test your knowledge! Seriously, here's a hall pass. Grab your number 2 pencil and go.

How Well Do You Pamper Your Inner Writer? The Unscientific Quiz.

Checking my Messages

2010-09-02T00:00:00.003-04:00

What does your novel have in common with an answering machine?

Hopefully not the weird voice ("You have. Two. New messages.") Or the eerie, blinking red light. Maybe the groovy faux wood finish?

Here's a hint. I'm hosting at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood today and the title of my post is Leave a Message.

All this was a rather convoluted and annoying way to say that the Rubies and I would love to see you there!

Photos from the Golden Heart/Rita Awards Night

2010-08-06T14:20:00.011-04:00

Keli Gwyn

Courtney Milan and Susan Gee Heino

me, Lisa Connelly, and Keli

Keli and me

Kelly Gay

And this short video (that I took of the big screen at the end of the night) gives a hint of what to expect next year:

Photos from the RWA Literacy Signing

2010-08-06T13:16:00.012-04:00

Sandra Leesmith, Keli Gwyn, Janet Dean, and me

(Sandra and Janet are so sweet! And they're members of Seekerville, one of my favorite writing blogs.)

Keli and I with talented historical author Lavinia Kent (a Pixie!)

The adorable Susan Gee Heino. Check out her bonnet!

Me with Caroline Fyffe and Pamela Fryer--two warm and talented authors.

Christine is a member of my local chapter. She's very supportive, and her book covers are GORGEOUS.

Keli and I with the witty, talented, and Rita-nominated Courtney Milan.
(I think she's crouching to make Keli and I feel less munchkin-like.)

Robin writes the fabulous Domestic God series. She's a member of my local chapter and my inspiring goals group.

I'm hearing wonderful things about Susan Sey's Golden Heart book, Money Honey. I can't wait to read it!

Pixie Lynn Raye Harris with some very nice swag!

Finally, if you want to see more of the Literacy Signing in Orlando, check out this fun video:

Sharing my Notes from RWA Nationals

2010-08-06T10:53:00.004-04:00

You know how, back in college, there was that student in Biology class who took amazing notes? Remember how her notes were so detailed, so meticulous, that if you overslept and missed Biology one morning, you could copy her notes on mitosis and have a better grasp on cell division than if you'd actually been there yourself, sitting in the front row?

Yeah, well, my notes aren't anything like that. But I hope they'll give a little insight into Nationals this year.

One of the great things about the conference is that wherever you are in your writing career, whatever issues you might be struggling with, you can find the guidance you need. I looked through all my notes and picked out a few things that really spoke to and/or inspired me. I’m going to share them with you, but first, a couple of disclaimers.

In most cases, I’m paraphrasing (see earlier post about illegible handwriting). Also, each of these snippets was taken out of the larger context of a speech or workshop. Still, I hope you can get a sense of how wonderful and generous these speakers were.

Nora Roberts on the challenges of publishing: Writing is hard. Getting published is hard. Staying published is hard. Embrace the hard. Don’t stand on the edge of the pool complaining. Jump in and start swimming. And for God’s sake don’t complain about the water once you’re in.
Suzanne Brockman on theme: Theme informs and comments on society . . . It makes the book into a whole, brings it full circle, and makes it satisfying . . . What makes you (the writer) passionate? That’s your theme. It helps readers connect to you.
Donald Maas on voice: Voice is combination of style, sensibility, subject matter, and world . . . In order to develop your voice, think about the time and place of your story . . . What is it about that period that pisses you off? . . . What do others need to understand or see? . . . Where is there unexpected grace? . . . What needs to be celebrated? . . . Take all these feelings, give them to one of your characters, and find the moment in your story when the feelings can be most dramatically expressed.
Meg Cabot on the best writing advice she ever received: I was about 16, talking to a college student at a party. He told me not to major in creative writing because it would suck all the joy out of it and make me hate writing. (Later in the workshop, she revealed that the college student is now her husband.)
Julia Quinn on dialogue: Never forget that your characters are speaking to each other—not the reader.
Jayne Ann Krentz on a writer’s core story: Determine your core story . . . Adapt it to keep it fresh . . . Know the market so you can figure out how your core story works with it . . . Understand the importance of fictional landscapes to readers.
Editor Leslie Wainger on great story beginnings: The first line (or paragraph) should ask a question so compelling that a reader who picks the book up off the shelf has only two options—to either take it to the counter and pay for it, or stand in the aisle of the book store reading the whole thing.

That's it! Let's head to the dining hall and then maybe the library. Or happy hour.

RWA Nationals 2010: Personal Stats

2010-08-02T14:04:00.004-04:00

RWA Nationals is over already! I'll attempt to post a more thoughtful recap later, but for now I'll just give you the raw numbers:

number of workshops attended: 11

pages of notes taken: 16

pages of notes taken that are actually legible: 2 1/2

number of decadent desserts eaten in 4 days: 6

number of pounds gained: you're crazy if you think I'm getting on a scale right now

final blister count from cute new shoes: 1

number of times I teared up during GH/Rita acceptance speeches: 4

distance between me and Nora Roberts at the Awards Ceremony: 20 feet

number of books I managed to cram into my already full suitcase: 13 (including one hardback)

number of Big Bang episodes watched at the airport and on the plane: 7

I loved spending time with my writer friends. Here are my two fabulous CPs (and me) before the Awards Ceremony.

RWA Nationals Countdown

2010-07-18T00:19:00.014-04:00

Let’s start with the important stuff. I went shoe shopping:

Also, my sister-in-law, who is both generous and fashion-savvy, lent me a really cute dress for the Awards Ceremony. (Thanks, E!) There. I’m sure we’ll all sleep a little better tonight knowing that’s covered, because . . .

. . . In little more than a week, over 2,000 romance writers from all over the country and around the globe will descend upon Orlando for RWA’s 30th Annual Conference. It’s a chance to hone our craft, pitch our stories, celebrate our genre, recognize extraordinary talent, and connect with friends. This will be my third year attending, and I’m looking forward to it more than ever. Here’s why:

• Both my critique partners have been nominated for the Golden Heart® award this year! I’m so proud of them I could just burst! By the time Saturday night rolls around, they will want to slap the camera right out of my hands.

• Keli Gwyn’s a finalist in the Inspirational Category with Violets & Violins. This story’s had amazing success on the contest circuit, and it landed Keli a fabulous agent. I can’t even tell you how supportive Keli’s been of me, and I’m thrilled that I’ll get the chance to cheer her on at the Awards Ceremony.

• Lisa Connelly’s story, The Sinners, is a finalist in the Novel with Romantic Elements Category. Lisa is insanely talented and she’s my cousin. (You know how, growing up, there was always a cool cousin you wanted to hang out with? Yep, that’s her.) We live about 300 miles away from each other, so we were each writing for a couple years before we finally figured out we were on similar paths and connected. I’m so grateful that writing brought us together.

• There are lots of fun items on the schedule, but some of the highlights for me are the Literacy Autographing, dinner with my Ruby Sisters, and, basically, any event where dessert is served. The keynote speeches are always moving and inspiring, and this year, they’re by Nora Roberts and Janyne Ann Krentz. Sabrina Jeffries is emceeing the Awards Ceremony, and though I have no idea what the theme will be, I'm certain that there will be plenty of laughter and tears.

• I’m really eager to see all the friends I’ve met at past conferences and those I’ve gotten to know through writing loops. As much as I love a good Yahoo! group, there’s nothing like chatting in person. Or making new friends.

• But for me, the best part of Nationals are the intangible and unexpected things. Like when an author you love sits in the chair next to you, introduces herself (as if you didn’t already know her name) and asks you about your current story. Or an agent in the lobby says your shoes are adorable. (Thank you very much!) Or you’re sitting in an incredible workshop and you realize RWA just might be the only organization whose members give so generously of their time and talent.

I promise to post a recap with some pictures after Nationals, but for now, I leave you with a peek inside the preparations for Nationals, created by and starring Jeannie Lin, author of Butterfly Swords (Oct. 2010 Harlequin Historical).

The Waiting Game

2010-05-14T15:32:00.003-04:00

Tom Petty had it right, I think--the waiting is the hardest part.

Readers anticipate their favorite author's next release. Writers await news of their latest project. Over at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood, everyone's commiserating. Why not stop by and share whatever it is you're waiting for?

Friday Free-for-All: While we Wait

This made my Mother's Day . . .

2010-05-09T13:40:00.003-04:00

Well, this, plus the huge breakfast of pastries, eggs, waffles, and bacon. Thank you, and Happy Mom's day to all!

Come On, Lucky Seven

2010-04-01T15:48:00.006-04:00

I'm not a superstitious sort.

Sure, I have my lucky writing pants and my lucky chair (which is falling apart, but that's a story for another post). And I have a lucky necklace that I wear when I need an extra bit of confidence. But the logical side of my brain knows that these objects merely provide a modicum of comfort. They do not possess supernatural powers, nor do they influence the outcome of events in my life.

Or do they? Dang it, I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Here's the thing. For the past eight weeks, I've been working on revisions to Midnight Promises. Today, as I polished the last scene, I happened to look down at my page and word count:

Pages: 377

Words: 77,777

I almost fell off my lucky writing chair. What are the odds of having that number as my final word count? And what does it mean?

I'd like to think it's a sign. A sign that something really wonderful will happen. But the truth is, it's just a freakish coincidence, and I shouldn't read too much into it.

I will not get hung up on the numbers. If I need to add thirteen words (a very unlucky number) to my story, I will do it.

And then I'll find a way to delete thirteen others.

Cry, Baby!

2010-02-24T23:00:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you had a good, hard cry?

All my favorite books make me cry, and I'm blogging about the phenomemon at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood. Come on over. I've got tissues!

Thanks & Congrats!

2010-02-19T17:43:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by Keli's interview. It was fun to see so many friends here and to meet new ones.

The winner of the random drawing for the Starbucks gift card is . . . Susan Anne Mason. Congrats, Sue!

A happy weekend to all. :)

Meet Keli Gwyn: an epistolary-style interview

2010-02-14T20:00:00.003-05:00

I’m thrilled to have Keli Gwyn, my friend and critique partner, as my guest. Keli describes herself as “a writer of inspirational historical romance, wife of her own hero, mother of a first-year college student, a member of Toastmasters, a scrapbooker, and a Taco Bell addict.” She’s also a 2008 double Golden Heart finalist and a newly-agented writer.

Keli and I met almost two years ago and formed a fast friendship. Since we live on opposite coasts, we email each other quite a bit. I thought it might be fun to give you a peek inside my inbox at some of the emails Keli’s shared with me during her journey.

If you leave a question or comment for Keli, you’ll automatically be entered in a random drawing for a $10 Starbucks gift card. The winner will be posted on Friday, February 19th.

06/23/2008 11:45PM

Anne,

I'm delighted that you're willing to make a guest appearance at Romance Writers on the Journey. The blog is designed especially for those, like me, who are unpubbed and admittedly have more to learn about this business of writing.

Keli

Anne: This email was before we ever met in person or chatted on the phone. I was honored to be one of the first guests on your wonderful blog, Romance Writers on the Journey. Can you tell us more about your blog and all the guests you’ve had? I imagine interviewing two guests a week takes a lot of time and effort. How do you manage to keep up with it? Is it a labor of love?

Keli: Meeting you was one of the high points of my writing journey so far, Anne. You did me a huge favor when you agreed to be one of my first guests at RWotJ, and I applaud your courage in putting yourself in a newbie blogger’s care. At that point, I had a great deal more enthusiasm than I did expertise.

I started RWotJ with the idea of encouraging and supporting others, like me, who long to see their names on the covers of published romance novels. At the outset, I chose to interview novelists who have yet to be published and those with one novel published or soon to be published. I’ve been privileged to have as my guests over 110 novelists/debut novelists so far, who represent the wide range of sub-genres under the romance umbrella. While the majority of my guests are women, I’ve interviewed one gentleman and one married couple who co-author their stories. Some of my guests have written articles for the blog as well.

Hosting RWotJ is indeed a labor of love. Getting to know other novelists and hearing about their writing journeys is fascinating. Preparing for the rather, um, thorough interviews visitors have come to expect on my blog does take time, but I feel honored these women (and a few brave men) have allowed me to interview them. Since I’m able to write fulltime, I schedule a portion of my week for my blogging activity. I’ve been given so much by so many other writers and feel RWotJ is one small way I can give something back.

07/13/2008 7:00PM
Anne,

I hope you're having a wonderful vacation. I've never been back east, unless you count a brief stop in JFK International. Maybe someday I'll get to experience the other coast. I've heard it's beautiful.

Not long until Nationals. BTW, did you get your dress on ebay?

Keli

Anne: The time leading up to our first Nationals in San Francisco was so much fun. We got to know all of the Pixies (2008 Golden Heart finalists) online and spent almost as much time talking about dresses as we did about writing. You had the special honor of being a double finalist in the Inspirational Category. What was it like getting that call?

Keli: Surprising! In 2007, I entered one of the two manuscripts I’d written the year before and received scores that ranked me in the bottom half of all the entrants. My goal for 2008 was to see if I could improve my scores. Since I’d completed three more manuscripts, I figured entering four would increase my chances of getting at least one score in the top half. (Yes, I had five manuscripts, but no one—not even, you, my dear Anne—can see the first until I do extensive work on it.)

At that point, I was writing in isolation. My only link with the writing world was my monthly copy of the Romance Writers Report, which was how I learned about the RWA contests. I knew no other writers and had yet to discover the blogosphere, so I didn’t understand the magnitude of a Golden Heart final. Heck, I didn’t even know what day the calls went out.

When the phone rang on March 25, 2008, the caller identified herself as being with RWA. I thought she was calling about a chapter-level contest I’d entered. It wasn’t until I heard the words Golden Heart that I realized what was happening. I grabbed a pen and paper to jot the title, sure that in my excitement I’d forget which of my four stories she said unless I wrote it down. I’d just scribbled Addie’s Choice when Terry Reed said a word I’ll never forget: “And.” Such a small word, but, wow, did it ever send my heart thundering in my chest. “And?” I asked. She told me that, yes, I was a double finalist. Love in Bloom had also finaled. I was incredulous!

Anne,

The conference was pretty much what I expected in most ways. For me, the focus was on the people. Odd for an introvert like me to say, but true. I really looked forward to meeting everyone. Having spent two years in writer's isolation, I was eager to make new friends, which I did.

The Golden Heart events were great. I had Pixie love all around me. That was the best part of Nationals.

Keli

Anne: My first RWA Nationals was overwhelming, but you seemed to take it in stride. I was in awe of how incredibly organized you were . . . you had a color-coded schedule and the details of every event filed in a small notebook. I counted on you to keep me on track then and I still do! How did the experience of Nationals change your perspective, if at all? What were some of the high points?

Keli: Being surrounded by some 2,000 other writers who love the romance genre as much as I do was thrilling. I’m sure the dropped-jaw, glazed-eyes look I wore when the BIG names in romance walked by revealed the fact that I was a first-timer attendee even more so than the orange ribbon on my nametag.

Meeting writers in person whom I’d first encountered online made my week. I had a blast attending the Literacy autographing and talking with leading authors in my category. Deeanne Gist spent over fifteen minutes with me and imparted advice I took to heart. Another author offered to show my work to her editor. I was blown away by the generous spirit exhibited by these women and many others.

I spent five fun-filled days that thrilled me more than a trip to Disneyland as RWA treated my fellow Pixies and me like royalty. Attending Nationals for the first time is exciting. Attending the first time wearing those special pink ribbons we Pixies did that year was incredible. I returned home rejoicing in my newly formed friendships and eager to resume my writing.

4/8/2009 6:24PM
Hi Anne,

I smiled when I got home last night and found your welcome home message among the 150+ that flooded my inbox after six days away.

I did have a great time at Mount Hermon. I was well fed on all levels—physically, intellectually, relationally and spiritually. I'd love to chat by phone—I have ideas for you that I'd love to share.

Keli

Anne: In the months after Nationals, you and I became critique partners, and while we honed our writing skills we also became close friends. When you got back from the Mount Hermon conference in April, I sensed a change in your outlook. Was that conference a sort of turning point for you?

Keli: Definitely. Even though I’d returned from RWA Nationals in San Francisco floating on a conference-induced Cloud 9, I crashed not long after. I’d finaled in the Golden Heart, but in my heart, I knew my stories needed a great deal of work before they’d be ready to submit. Deeanne had told me she determined at one point not to be rejected again and to learn how to write a story worthy of a contract before she submitted again.

Heeding Deeanne’s advice, I shifted my focus to improving my craft and building a Web presence. Why wasn’t I writing? Because I suffered a Confidence Crisis after my Golden Heart experience. I’d ridden a wave of euphoria for months, but soon after Nationals, I hit the beach—hard. The tiny bit of belief I’d had in my ability washed away, leaving behind a writer with a brittle shell, one who wasn’t sure she had what it took to make it.

During that year, doubt and discouragement were my constant companions. I tried my hand at writing a contemporary romance. My initial burst of excitement soon fizzled when I realized I didn’t have a young voice. My characters sounded old. (OK. In all honesty, they sounded a lot like teens did in the 70s when I was in high school.) I stored that manuscript deep in my computer’s memory banks and stopped writing for nearly six months.

Then came my trip to the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference in April 2009. I went with no manuscript to pitch, no elevator speech to deliver, and no expectations. I went to learn. And learn I did. I learned to listen to my heart, which was telling me to return to my first love, historical romance.

4/14/2009 6:57PM
Anne,

I'm writing again. Better yet, I'm having fun writing. I began the revision of V&V last night. I had to write an entire new opening scene. I like the new one far better. Today I've been reworking the second scene. Now [my hero and heroine are] ticked when they meet and have much bigger issues to work through, which will make their story a much better read and their HEA far more satisfying.

Yay on the new jeans. It's way cool that they don't have to be hemmed. I detest sewing of any kind.

Keli

Anne: There’s nothing better than the excitement of a new project! (Well, maybe a pair of perfect-fitting jeans.) Why did you choose to rewrite Violets and Violins? Can you tell us about that process and what you learned?

Keli: I’d been home one week when I opened the file housing one of the five historicals I’d written, read it, and realized I could make it better. I embarked on a major rewrite, which involved deleting some 70K words in the process, nearly a third of my story. I had written a ho-hum story, which I was determined to take to a new level. My dear Gwynly, who has become my plotting partner extraordinaire, gave me an idea for a new beginning, and a generous contest judge gave me just what I needed to nail the ending.

The joy of writing returned. Three years into my writing journey, I’d found my Voice. My confidence and my excitement grew. I felt I was moving closer to the point of having a story worthy of attention, one I wouldn’t be ashamed to send out into the world.

8/3/2009 11:12PM
Anne,

Thanks for letting me squee [about my Maggie final] with you. I'm still in a state of disbelief. [Gwynly is] so sweet. He keeps looking at me and saying, "You did it!" or "I knew you'd final." For a non-writer, he comes closer to "getting it" than anyone I know.

I'm excited about my writing in a way I haven't been in a long while. OK, since the GH final.

Well, I'd better get my feet back on the ground. I was writing an interview when my Maggies call came. Need to get back to it.

Thanks for the fireworks! How fun.

Keli

Anne: The Maggie was V&V’s first final and win, but it would not be the last! So far, your story has finaled eight times and placed first every time. I know first-hand what a fabulous story it is. Did you ever imagine it would touch so many people? What do you think it is about V&V that strikes a chord with so many?

Keli: Thanks for the kinds words about V&V, Anne, and your part in polishing it. I love reading it and seeing your fingerprints throughout.

When I decided the story was ready, or at least the first chapters were, anyhow, I decided the time had come to see how it would fare on the contest circuit. When I’d entered contests back in 2007, I sent in 33 entries and placed six times. You’re the math teacher, so you know my ratio was roughly one final for every six entries. I figured if I entered ten contests, I might final at least twice.

Well, I was in for a surprise. V&V began to final in one contest after another. And then it began to win. I squealed so often our poor cats may never be the same.

As far as why the story seems to strike a chord, based upon the judges’ comments, I’d say it’s my well-developed characters, my distinctive dialogue, and my ability to transport the reader to another time and place through my vivid description and historical detail. I don’t mean to come off sounding boastful. As you know from our frequent emails, Anne, the wonderful things being said about V&V have left me stunned—and immensely grateful.

10/3/2009 8:21PM
Anne,

I got to listen to the announcements as they happened at the GRW conference.

I recovered enough to give my speech via speaker phone. If memory serves me, it went like this. "I thank my husband, Carl, who's been so supportive of me. Thank you to everyone who helped with The Maggies. ”

I'm likely to be several shades of blue and purple from pinching myself. Thanks for letting me gush.

Keli

Anne: I loved that you got to listen to your name being announced at the Moonlight and Magnolias conference. Then you delivered your Maggie acceptance speech via a cell phone. Very cool! I think this was also your first request stemming from a contest win. What did this win mean to you?

Keli: The day The Maggies finalists were to be announced, Gwynly asked me if I was expecting to hear from “that big contest.” I honestly thought I hadn’t entered because I didn’t feel ready for such a prestigious contest and told him I wasn’t expecting a call. But then I got your email that evening asking if I heard from The Maggies. The two of you had encouraged me to enter, which I had—and then promptly put it out of my mind.

Minutes after reading your email, the phone rang. I had finaled. That happy dance was wild, and I’m sure our cats lost a life over it. But the fun didn’t end there. Our writer pal, Walt Mussell, a member of the GRW who attended the M&M conference, agreed to accept on my behalf in the unlikely event my name was called.

It was, and I’m sure the cats lost at least two lives that evening as I listened to the announcements via Walt’s cell. I was in such a state of shock he had to prompt me to give my acceptance speech, which included thanks to YOU. (You snipped it above, but I did extend my gratitude to you, my awesome CP, along with the others.)

The Maggies win catapulted me so far into space I didn’t put wear on the soles of my shoes for weeks. All my hard work was beginning to pay off, and I began to believe in my story. After my previous Confidence Crisis, that felt mighty good.

12/19/09 11:40PM
Anne,

Are you still up? I have BIG news I'd like to share with you.

Keli

Anne: Reading this still gives me chills! Do you want to tell everyone what the big news was?

Keli: One of the contests I entered was The Launching a Star, and one of the final round judges in my category was my Dream Agent, Rachelle Gardner. I wanted so much to final in this contest so she’d see my story. I did, she did, and I received a request for the full.

You helped me put the finishing touches on V&V, Anne, reading and editing for me in record time, bless your generous heart. On the evening of December 18th, I typed my query letter, attached the file, and pressed “send.” On the 19th, Gwynly took me out to dinner to celebrate our 22nd anniversary.

When we returned home that night, I opened my email and saw Rachelle’s name in my inbox. I figured she was telling me she’d received my full and would get to it after the holidays. I was wrong! Her first words were, “I’d like to discuss the possibility of representation . . .”

I didn’t even read the rest of the short message. I screamed, “Oh, my gosh!” I rushed from room to room repeating those three words at the top of my lungs, clutching the walls, doorjambs, and backs of chairs to hold me up while Gwynly and our daughter raced to my computer to read the message. I’m surprised the cats have any lives left after my way-beyond-happy dance.

On the eve of Christmas Eve, Rachelle called to make the official offer, which I eagerly accepted. This was by far the most amazing Christmas present I’ve ever received.

Anne: Keli, thanks for sharing your inspiring story. I know it’s only the beginning of great things for you. Do you have a question you’d like to ask our readers?

Keli: Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Anne. I interview others all the time, but this is the first time I’ve been interviewed. What an honor! And what fun.

My question: Who or what has encouraged you to continue to pursue your dreams when you’ve encountered the inevitable doubts, discouragement, and disappointments we all face at times?

Be sure to visit Joy on the Journey where Keli shares snippets from her writing life. You’ll also want to check out Romance Writers on the Journey, where Keli offers support, encouragement and resources for romance writers traveling the path to publication. Learn more about her on her website.

Interview at The Lovestruck Novice

2010-02-09T23:59:00.002-05:00

Sarah Simas interviewed me at The Lovestruck Novice. (Isn't that a great name for a romance-writing blog?) She asked me to describe my voice in 3 words. Thankfully, she caught me on a good day. :)

Coming up . . . (the Valentine's Edition)

2010-02-08T10:02:00.009-05:00

As you might imagine, Valentine's Day is big holiday for romance writers, and there's lots of fun stuff coming up in the next week or so.

Now through February 11: My good friend and critique partner, Keli Gwyn, is hosting a contest at Romance Writers on the Journey. It's easy! All you have to do is explain what love is . . . in 14 words or less. Okay, maybe that's not so easy. But she has great prizes, like gift cards for Barnes & Noble, See's Candy, Baskin Robbins and, Keli's personal favorite, Taco Bell. I'm on the esteemed panel of judges and I promise to be even nicer than Paula. (Idol just isn't the same without her. *sigh*)

Wednesday, February 10: I'll be a guest at The Lovestruck Novice, a great blog by romance writer Sarah Simas. She asked some thought-provoking questions, like, "If you were a book, what would your blurb be?" I thought briefly about using the blurb from The Princess Bride. But then I decided to go with the truth. Or some version of it. I'll post the link for the interview here on Wednesday.

Friday, February 12: I'm giving my first ever talk on romance writing, here in the DC area. I am very excited about this, and a tad nervous. I have attempted to compensate by (1) creating an elaborate Powerpoint presentation and (2) filling up 21 index cards with highly-detailed, completely illegible notes. If you're in the area and would like more details, please email me at anne@annebarton.com.

Monday, February 15: I'm interviewing Keli Gwyn, epistolary-style. (Yes! I learned that word last week and was determined to find an occasion to use it.) Take a peek inside my email inbox and learn the secrets of this newly-agented, seven-time contest winner. Come back Monday and leave a comment for a chance to win a Starbucks gift card!

Where did the year go?

2009-12-22T09:53:00.006-05:00

Wow, 2009 is almost over! As I've mentioned in other posts, I belong to a goals group, and every January each of us sets writing-related goals for the year. Since I haven't actually looked at my goals since January, I thought it might be a good idea to dig them out and check on my progress.

Here's the list (in green) and my progress (in red):

1st Quarter:

Revise The Trouble with Twilight from beginning to end.

Did it! With my CP's help, I finished revising this story, now called The Pursuit of Patience, in the first three months of 2009.

2nd Quarter:

Research and query agents. Begin outlining next story.

Check! I used querytracker.net to help me organize my search and make a list of agents to query. But before I began querying in earnest, I met a wonderful agent at a local conference and pitched to her. She requested the full and a few days later (on my birthday!) offered representation. I'm thrilled to be working with her.

3rd & 4th Quarters:

Draft either the sequel to TTWT OR complete The Kissable Companion.

Done! My agent recommended that I write the sequel to The Pursuit of Patience, and I was excited to be able to tell Georgette's story, a.k.a. How to Reform a Rake. I finished the draft shortly before Thanksgiving.

Ongoing:

--Enter and judge at least 4 RWA contests.

--Attend at least 4 WRW (Washington Romance Writers) meetings/workshops.

--Read at least 4 books on craft.

--Attend the WRW Spring Retreat and the RWA National Conference.

Hmm. I did most of this. I entered exactly 4 contests, if you count the 2010 Golden Heart, and I also judged 4. I only attended 2 chapter meetings, so I'll have to do a better job next year. I read 3 books on craft: Donald Maas' Writing the Breakout Novel and The Breakout Novel Workbook, and How I Write by Janet Evanovich. I also re-read Stephen King's On Writing and re-watched my DVD of The Hero's Two Journeys by Michael Hauge and Christopher Vogler. And I was fortunate to be able to attend both the WRW Retreat and Nationals, since Nationals was in DC this year.

Phew! I have to say that when I set those goals they seemed really ambitious, but splitting them into weekly chunks helped make them more manageable. Er, don't be fooled. There were plenty of setbacks and heartbreaks mixed in with the successes, but I'm choosing not to dwell on them! Onward.

So . . . what's next? For now, I'm just enjoying a couple of snow days. But I'm looking forward to diving into revisions for How to Reform a Rake. It earned a couple of awards in December!

First, RaR won the Golden Rose for highest total score in the Rose City Romance Writers Golden Rose Contest. (The prize is a real rose dipped in gold!) It placed second in the historical category.

Then, just last weekend I learned that RaR won first place in historical category of the Southern Heat Contest. This was especially sweet because my CP, Keli Gwyn, took first place in the inspirational category also. Yay, Keli!

I am so thankful to the judges from both contests. They were extremely encouraging but also gave me great suggestions for improving the story.

Pretty soon I'll be setting my writing goals for 2010. But for the next ten days I'm going to clean up my desk and get myself organized. And definitely read a few romance novels. :)

What a Girl Wants

2009-12-10T00:00:00.002-05:00

Last year, I posted my Christmas list and got two of the three items I wished for--not too shabby! Hoping to build on that success, I've enhanced and, ahem, expanded the list for 2009. I hope you'll drop by the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood and tell me what you want from Santa.

Dear Santa: A Writer's Wish List

Signs your Golden Heart Entry is Ready

2009-11-23T18:37:00.003-05:00

You decide you need to revise the opening paragraph. Again. You send the new opening to your critique partner, and she tells you--in the nicest possible way--"STOP playing with it!" And she's totally right.
You realize you've deleted and inserted the same comma 7 times.
Your thoughts turn to binder clips, CDs, and colorful jewel cases.
The mere sight of the FedEx logo on a truck, sign, or package gives you heart palpitations.
The calendar says it's time.

The deadline for receipt of entries at the RWA office is Wednesday, December 2 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.

Good luck to everyone who's entering, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Setting the Record Straight: They're not all Pajama Pants

2009-11-03T15:49:00.012-05:00

There's been some confusion in my household of late, and the issue at hand is my wardrobe. It seems my family is unable to distinguish between pajamas and other types of attire. If I only had a nickel for each time I heard a neighborhood kid whisper, "Why's your mom wearing pajama pants in the middle of the day?"

This is my attempt to clarify matters.

When one gets home from one's day job and is ready to plop down in front of the computer for some quality writing time, one dons Writing Pants (please see photo). Note that it is generally still light out and dinner has not been made, nor even thought of, at this point.

A bit later, after at least three separate parties have inquired as to the whereabouts of dinner, it's recommended that one change into one's Driving Pants (please see photo) before hopping into the car and heading to the nearest drive-through.

After dinner, when one's tummy is full and the house starts to turn a bit chilly, one generally opts for Comfy Pants (please see photo). It's worth mentioning that comfy pants, though clearly distinguishable from writing pants, are also entirely acceptable attire for writing.

Finally, when the rest of the house is asleep and one intends to be at the keyboard into the wee hours of the morning, it's the time to slip into one's Pajama Pants (please see photo). In case there were any doubt, these should never be worn out of doors (although a quick trip to the mailbox is fine) or when it's light out (an exception is made for snow days) or when company is expected (unless they live within a 15 mile radius).

So there you have it--a definitive, illustrated guide. Multiple choice quiz on Friday.

You CAN Finish Your Manuscript in Time for the Golden Heart

2009-10-15T00:00:00.002-04:00

I just know you can! But, if you feel like you need a kick in the pants, check out my post at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood.

You know the tough-as-nails, evil cheerleading coach from the show Glee? I think I sound a little like her. At least I hope I do.

Friends, Buddies, and Sidekicks . . .

2009-09-27T23:05:00.005-04:00

. . . is the name of my guest blog over at Seekerville. In it, I reveal my secret superhero power. (Hint: Wonder Woman has nothing to worry about.)

The Ruby Slippered Sisters Make Their Debut

2009-09-21T16:49:00.004-04:00

Do you know what today is?

The first day to enter the Golden Heart.
The last day of summer.
Monday.
All of the above.

But most importantly . . . it's the launch date of The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood blog (the 2009 Golden Heart finalists). Drop by and see what we're all about:

The Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Blog

A Writing Update

2009-09-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've been pretty quiet of late, but here's what's happening in my writing world.

Midnight Promises won this cute necklace in the MMRWA Happily Ever After Contest. I was thrilled to have someone (besides my mom and sister) read the end of the story . . . and like it. The necklace is made of Petoskey Stone, the state stone of Michigan. (See kids, you learn something new every day.)
By the way, I'm officially retiring this manuscript from the contest circuit. But, my fingers are crossed that you haven't heard the last of it yet.
In other good news, my CP, Keli Gwyn, finaled in the prestigious Maggie contest sponsored by the Georgia Romance Writers. But that's not all! The same manuscript also finaled in the Lone Star and Heart of the Rockies contests. Woo-hoo, Keli!
The Ruby Sister Slipperhood (2009 Golden Heart Finalist Group) is getting set to launch our blog. I don't want to say too much, but there will be lots of GH chatter, heel clicking, and chances to win cool prizes. More info to come.
On September 28, I'll be a guest at Seekerville. I'm very excited about this! It took me a while to come up with a topic, but since those ladies are incredibly nice and fun to hang with, I settled on "Friends, Buddies, and Sidekicks." If you've ever thought Robin (the masked guy with the yellow cape and tights) was vastly underrated, then this is the article for you.
I'm busy writing the sequel to The Pursuit of Patience, called How to Reform a Rake. You may have noticed I added a progress meter to the blog sidebar. It makes me feel good each time it nudges up a percent or two. My goal is to finish the draft by Halloween, . . . but I'll be secretly pleased if it's done by Thanksgiving.

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great Labor Day weekend!

Photos from RWA Nationals in DC

2009-08-19T22:46:00.027-04:00

During the fire alarm.

With the family before the awards ceremony.

The Ruby Slippered Sisters at the Golden Network Dessert Reception.

The huge ballroom.

Annette and Lynn at the Literacy Signing.

Bev and Kelly at Harry's Pub.

A mini Pixie reunion on the terrace.

Annette and I at Harry's.

RWA Nationals--The Day After

2009-07-20T23:09:00.006-04:00

After the RITA/GH Awards Reception on Saturday night, I hopped into a cab. The driver put the wrong address into his GPS, so it was an extra-long trek home. When I finally made it, I shed my heels, scrubbed off my makeup, and crawled into bed around midnight, a pumpkin once more.

Still, it wasn't till I woke the next morning to a bare cupboard and the smell of four days worth of fast food emanating from the trash can that I knew I was back in the land of reality. I had to venture out to the grocery store, which, fortunately, is something I can do on autopilot. As I robotically placed Pop-Tarts and Diet Cokes into my cart, I thought about the highlights of the conference.

Janet Evanovich's candid Q&A session. She told us how she wrote for ten years and accumulated a crate of rejections, which she tearfully burned by the curb. Just when she was about to give up writing forever, she sold her first story for $2,000. She choked back a sob as she recounted that day. She wasn't home when the publisher called, so her husband and son found her at a roller skating rink (where she was picking up her daughter). They wanted to tell her the news in person. My chin quivered, my nose burned, and I turned into a watering pot. I thought: she's just like me. Janet took a moment to compose herself, and as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, she confided that "her makeup guy" whom she'd dragged with her from New York along with her hair stylist, was probably beside himself right now. And then I thought: she's nothing like me. But I love her anyway.

The madness of the literacy signing. It was loud, and it was a crush, and I bought too many books . . . and it was awesome. This year, I actually knew some debut authors (Pixies Lynn Raye Harris and Lavinia Kent) and was excited to visit with them and take photos. I also got to meet a couple of Seekerville authors, Missy Tippens and Janet Dean, who were every bit as nice and genuine in person as they are online.

The way the romance writing world comes together. Someone at the conference--I forget who--said that within RWA there are no more than 2 degrees of separation. There are all sorts of weird connections stemming from local chapters, online groups, critique partners, and the like. Multi-pubbed authors, editors, and agents made themselves accessible and talked very openly about the business, which made unpubs like me a little more comfortable in their presence. (Not entirely, however, as evidenced by the fact that I forgot my hero's name when discussing my wip with my agent. In case you're wondering, it's Simon.)

The sheer joy and pride of being a romance writer. You know what I'm talking about. We know how to work it. There's a certain strut in our step as we breeze through the hotel lobby. We wear our lipstick a little darker and smile to make people wonder. We have fun. One of my favorite moments came after the fire alarm sounded and we had to evacuate the hotel. A thousand RWA members spilled out onto the lawns surrounding the front driveway and calmly waited for instructions. Sirens wailed, and firetrucks pulled up to the entrance. Firefighters emerged from the trucks in full gear, and like true professionals, we romance writers whipped out our cameras and/or notepads and giggled. Anything for research.

By the time I reached the frozen food section, I was feeling bereft that Nationals was over. It was a huge investment of time and money, and it went by way too fast. Worse, the conference left me utterly exhausted, and I didn't write a single word all week.

I mentally tallied up the items in my cart and groaned. No Nationals for me next year. It's just too much--too expensive, too far, too draining.

Feeling in control once more, I placed a half gallon of 2% milk in my cart and rolled up the last aisle before checkout.

And there, right next to the office supplies, were the mass market paperback bestsellers. At least a dozen romances, lined up in neat rows with their colorful covers beckoning. I ran my fingers over the embossed lettering and couldn't resist taking a peek at the back cover blurbs of several. I flipped through the pages and inhaled the sweet, familiar smell of newsprint.

And I thought: Maybe. Maybe if I clip coupons and save frequent flier miles and stay off-site and share a hotel room with 5 other people.

Maybe I'll go to Nashville after all.

RWA National Conference Preview

2009-07-10T20:27:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I scouted out the Washington, DC hotel where the RWA National Conference is taking place starting Wed., July 15. Just seeing the hotel got me excited. If you'd like to check out my amateur photos and hack reporting, please visit my friend Keli's great blog, Romance Writers on the Journey.

Getting into the Flow

2009-06-20T15:33:00.004-04:00

Have you ever sat down to write for an hour and looked at the clock to find that, somehow, four hours have passed? Have you felt the thrill of ending a chapter on an incredible hook, or of somehow capturing on the page an emotion you weren't sure you could?

That's flow. And it's what we writers crave.

According to Wikipedia, flow is "the mental state of operation in which the person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity." The idea was proposed by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, a Hungarian psychology professor. He identified nine factors which you may experience during flow.

Clear goals

Concentrating and focusing

A loss of the feeling of self-consciousness

Distorted sense of time

Direct and immediate feedback

Balance between ability level and challenge

A sense of personal control

The activity is intrinsically rewarding

People become absorbed in their activity

When I'm working on a draft, I really want to get into a flow. (With edits and revisions, it's not so important.) I find that the more I write, the easier it is for me to slip into that state--it becomes almost a habit.

To get started, I try to think in very simple terms. How will I get my characters from point A to point B? (That's my goal--#1 from the list above.) For example, my heroine is going to a dinner party hosted by the earl she hopes to marry, but the hero distracts her. I have to physically get her to the party and also show how the hero is able to fluster her and make her forget all about the old earl.

Next, I make sure that neither I nor the minivan is needed for a minimum of one hour and that no one in the household is on the brink of starvation. (#2 from our list.)

Finally, I give myself permission to write crap. (That's #3 on the list.) Because masterful writing on the first pass (or the second or third) is really too much pressure.

And usually . . . it works. I'm in a flow until real life intervenes once more.

What tricks do you have for getting into a writing flow? Or any other type of flow, for that matter?

Kick-off of the Writing Season

2009-05-28T16:47:00.004-04:00

It's not pool openings or backyard barbeques that mark the beginning of summer for me. It's something more sinister: bad hair days.

A mere week ago I was content, if not enamored with, my hair; now it's a source of embarrassment. Flat irons, straightening products, and extra-hold hairspray are no match for 92% humidity. Like a wild animal, my hair cannot be controlled, only contained. That means I'm reduced to wearing a ponytail or even (oh, the shame!) a baseball cap.

But I digress. There's another reason I know it's summer. There's absolutely nothing on TV. How did we go straight from the gluttony of 2-hour season finales on all 3 major networks to . . . nothing? (OK, I do enjoy The Bachelorette, but one show a week is hardly enough to sustain me.)

The lack of fresh programming is a grim and alarming reality, but there is a silver lining. My TV intake has (albeit involuntarily) dropped from 10.5 hours a week to 1 hour, and that means I suddenly have 9.5 hours of "free time."

I could squander it on exercise, household chores, or yardwork, but I think we all know how unlikely that is. Did I mention the 92% humidity?

So I'm going to spend 8.5 hours of my newly-found free time in the non-pollen ridden, air-conditioned, UVB ray free confines of my office. Writing. *Sigh.* It sounds heavenly. Almost as perfect as a DVR full of never-watched episodes of 30 Rock.

In case you're wondering about the other hour . . . I'm wisely setting that aside. For hair-related emergencies.

Bathroom Wall Wisdom

2009-05-14T15:19:00.005-04:00

On the cinderblock wall of the teachers' restroom, opposite the toilet and precisely at eye level, is a long, thin poster. Flourescent lights have faded its colors to tan and tired blue. A slightly groovy font hints that it's been serving time as bathroom reading material for at least a couple of decades.

The title of the poster is I've Learned That . . .

You should know, I normally resist this sort of well-meaning but highly annoying propoganda. I mean, can't a teacher get two and a half minutes of peace? But in spite of my determination to remain impervious, a few of the phrases seeped into my mind and lingered there. For whatever reason, they resonated with me. As a writer, a teacher, and a person.

They're simple and true, and I'll share them with you.

I've learned that insults don't have the power to hurt us, unless we persist in remembering them.

I've learned that optimists live longer than pessimists. That's why I'm an optimist.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that if you smile at someone, they'll almost always smile back.

Have any of these types of cheesy posters ever gotten to you? If so, please share!

Creating Heroes with Stamina

2009-05-08T15:55:00.006-04:00

I'm starting to write a new book, and do you want to know what I love best? Dreaming up the hero. It's sort of like jumping back into the ultimate dating pool. Dark or fair? Noble or poor? Smooth-talking or stoic? *Sigh!* So many archetypes to choose from.

Oh, it's tempting to give him every desirable quality known to woman, but then the heroine would fall for him instantly, and the story would be over before I got to chapter two. So I've got to give him some flaws.

Don't worry, he's not going to be missing any teeth or have a beer belly--he'll definitely be sigh-worthy. But he might be stubborn, or blindly loyal, or tormented by his past (or all three). Whatever his weaknesses are, he'll have to overcome them.

"But this is fiction!" you say. "Why can't he be perfect?" Here are a few reasons we can't have a perfect hero:

It's not realistic. Surely the lack of perfect men does not come as a complete shock. (But don't we love them in spite of their flaws? Or maybe because of them?) Indiana Jones' fear of snakes was endearing. In Swingers, Mike's bumbling way with women and his deplorable tendency to shirk dating norms was charming.

We want to cheer for the hero as he fights his inner demons. Didn't you feel for Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator as he sought revenge for the death of his wife and child? The more tortured the hero, the more we're rooting for him.

We want to watch the hero and heroine's relationship evolve. Having to overcome cultural differences (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) or time travel (Kate & Leopold) or some other obstacle makes falling in love so much sweeter, doesn't it?

So I'm giving my hero plenty to work on. He won't be perfect at the start of the story, but by the end he'll be absolutely perfect for my heroine. But before I get too far ahead of myself, I'd better think of a name for him . . .

Pride vs. Vanity--The Sequel

2009-04-05T22:11:00.005-04:00

“Pride,” observed Mary, who piqued herself upon the solidarity of her reflections, “is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it . . .”
–from Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Today I got my picture taken for the Golden Heart. I could have used my photo from last year, but, I’m a little sick of it. Besides, romance writing is supposed to be glamorous, right? This was the perfect chance to get my glam on.

In anticipation of my appointment, I deprived myself of carbs for two hellish days. Then this morning, I hopped into my car without a lick of makeup and drove 30 miles to the mall, confident the glamour would begin soon.

When I arrived, the makeup artist clucked her tongue and rushed me to the makeup chair. She asked what kind of look I wanted. I told her natural, but since she was very young, tattooed, and pierced, I worried we might not be on the same wavelength.

She went to work–-and I do mean work. She sprayed, brushed, powdered, and dabbed till I barely recognized myself. Mission accomplished! After a liberal application of hairspray, she guided me to my next stop–the photographer.

He was an unshaven guy who looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, and he wore jeans that barely hung on to his hips. Since that's what every self-respecting photographer looks like, I knew I was in good hands. The photo shoot began with this awkward conversation.

Photographer: (Professional.) Give me an idea of what the pictures are for.
Me: (Babbling.) I write romance, and I’m going to use one as sort of a publicity picture. Sort of.
Photographer: (Impressed.) So, you’ve written a book?
Me: (Never sure how to answer this.) I’ve completed a few manuscripts.
Photographer: (Confused.) Are they published?
Me: (Why don’t you just stick a knife in my back?) No. I’m working on it though, and the picture will be used at a national conference of romance writers, and . . . (insert more incoherent rambling here).

He proceeded to take a bajillion pictures, and four of them were pretty good.

While I’d love to be able to show you the photos, I don’t have them just yet. They are going to the lab for some retouching, and, Lord knows, that may take a while.

I was feeling pretty darn good about the trip–especially since I hit a drive through and more than made up my carb deficit–until I got home. One of my darling children said I looked like a vampire (which might have been a compliment), and another said if I wasn’t going to wash my face maybe we should skip going to dinner and get carry out. The third couldn’t pry his eyes away from his text messages long enough to weigh in.

Does it get any more glamorous than this?

A Golden (Heart) Ticket

2009-03-25T22:07:00.008-04:00

You know how Charlie felt when he found the fifth golden ticket?

That's the kind of joy I felt today.

Midnight Promises is a 2009 RWA Golden Heart finalist.

I checked voicemail while I was at school. Got a little thrill when I heard there was a message. Prayed it wasn't the usual recording asking if I wanted to extend the warranty on my minivan. It wasn't! It was one of my favorite historical romance authors--who happens to be on the RWA Board of Directors--calling with the good news.

Congrats to all the finalists and to all who finished a manuscript and entered this year. Thanks for the warm wishes I've already received.

I want to jump up and down and scream, "I'm going to Hollywood, baby!" (Except Nationals is in DC this year.) Hmm, I feel an eBay shopping spree coming on. More later . . .

Happy Birthday to my Blog

2009-03-08T00:00:00.005-05:00

I'm feeling a bit sentimental today because my baby--this blog--is officially one year old. In honor of the occasion, I thought I'd answer the questions that are surely on your mind.

Who the heck reads this blog? I started counting website hits on January 1st. Since then, I’ve had 229 visitors. This may seem pathetic, but it’s actually worse than you might think, because a good chunk of those “visitors” are probably automated web crawlers. On the other hand, some of the visitors are real, honest-to-goodness people . . . who come here by accident. (More on that later.) Visitors have come from 29 different countries--as far north as Norway, and as far south as Argentina.

How do all those people end up here? Two ways. The first, and most obvious, is my mom sends them. The second is that the poor souls just get lost while they’re looking for something else. The most common search engine phrase that leads people here is “pride vs. vanity,” or some variation thereof. Imagine the surprise of bleary-eyed college students seeking a coherent thought on this topic--or at the very least a reputable web site to list in their term paper bibliographies--when, instead all they get is my narcissistic ramblings. The second most common search engine phrase that brings people here is “Anne Barton.”

So then, there must be at least some people interested in you and your writing? Um, about that. There happens to be another Anne Barton, and as luck would have it, she’s a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. From what I can gather, she's a published Shakespearean scholar. My credentials are, er, slightly less impressive. Hopefully, none of her colleagues have ever surfed the web hoping to find Professor Barton’s meticulous research and mistakenly ended up here.

What are the weirdest search engine phrases that have led people here? One of my favorites is “witch spells for snow days.” Another is “robert downey ouija.” Just a disclaimer--I do not, nor have I ever, practiced witchcraft. But I did prepare a killer presentation on the subject in fifth grade. Getting back to strange search engine phrases though . . . my all-time favorite is “wife cheating in kitchen.”

With these kinds of stats, why even bother? Well, as you might have noticed, sometimes I don’t bother for weeks on end. But when I have the time, it’s fun--I love to hear from people who leave comments. Plus, all my hard work has been recognized . . . I had the honor of receiving an award for my blog.

You’re kidding. No, I really did. It's called the "Your Blog is Fabulous!" Award. It was from my critique partner, Keli, and it totally counts. :)

Thanks for helping me celebrate. If you’re not a web crawler, leave a comment to prove it. :)

Making Sense of Contest Results

2009-03-05T00:00:00.004-05:00

Ever feel bewildered after getting your scores back from a writing contest? You're not alone! Please stop by Romance Writers on the Journey, where we're making sense of contest results. At least we're doing our best.

--Anne

Coming Up this Month . . .

2009-03-01T13:37:00.004-05:00

On March 5th I'm visiting with Keli Gwyn, my friend and critique partner extraordinaire, at Romance Writers on the Journey. My article, "Making Sense of Contest Results," explains how to interpret those bewildering contest score sheets by breaking down the numbers. Remember the required statistics course that screwed up everyone's college GPA? I promise it won't be anything like that.

Then on March 8th, please come back here to help me celebrate . . . the one year anniversary of this blog! I'm not going to a lot of trouble--just cocktails and a few hors d'oeuvres. It'll be casual, so you can come in your writing pants if you like. :) I'll share interesting facts about my blog, including some of the weirdest Google searches that have led people here. Prepare to be amazed--and perhaps disturbed!

Contest Talk at MuseTracks

2009-02-07T16:14:00.008-05:00

If you're interested in romance writing contests (and who isn't?!) please visit MuseTracks on Monday, February 9. Marie-Claude Bourque interviewed me as part of her Contest Wisdom Interview Series.

M-C and I met through our writing goals group. In addition to being an American Title V finalist, she's got a Ph.D. in Oceanography and a B.S. in Physics. Born in Montreal, she spoke mostly French growing up but now she's now bilingual and writes dark paranormal romance and urban fantasy . . . in English. She's also a fitness professional and a full-time mom. And she's nice and fun. Don't know about you, but I'm feeling rather inadequate right about now. ;)

Hope you'll visit M-C and me . . . here:

MuseTracks

Five Things I Hate about Snow Days

2009-01-28T14:13:00.005-05:00

I don't mean to sound ungrateful.

Snow days are a major perk, and there are lots of reasons to love 'em: sleeping in, wearing pyjamas, staying cozy, and watching the flakes fall.

Yeah, yeah. Well, at about 3:00 in the afternoon on my second straight snow day, as I sidestepped the mountain of wet boots, gloves, and hats in the hallway, I thought of a few things about snow days that aren't so hot. And a list was born . . .

5 Things I Hate about Snow Days:

I become obsessed with The Sand Truck. If I hear anything vaguely resembling the rumbling of The Sand Truck (i.e., the dishwasher, my husband's surround-sound) I run to the front window, desperate for a sighting. I call my mom several times a day to check whether The Sand Truck has been to her house. If it has, I'm insanely jealous. If it reaches my house first, I'm sympathetic. And maybe a little smug.
I cook (and eat!) too much. Something about a snow day brings out the Rachel Ray in me. It's like I'm convinced my family will starve--in spite of the stocked fridge and pantry--if I don't make something in the slow cooker and bake muffins. All those good smells wafting from the kitchen make me extra-hungry. Diet? What diet?
There's no reason to do hair or makeup. And if I'm not doing those things, there's hardly a reason to get out of my baggy pyjamas and sweatshirt. I might as well be a slug all day. You may think this is no big deal, but I live with four people who beg to differ.
I'm forced to get creative with excuses for not cleaning. I'm not working, my husband has shoveled the driveway, and the the kids are out sledding. It really would be the perfect time to mop the kitchen floor or organize my bathroom cabinet. Uh-huh. I think you understand my dilemma.
Infomercials. It's getting bad. I seriously considered buying the Super Shami (the substitute for paper towels). I resisted, but then temptation reared its head again. The Snuggie (the blanket with sleeves) is utterly brilliant. I'm torn between the burgundy and sage green. What do you think?

So . . . when the alarm clock rings tomorrow, I'm going to be thankful it's not another snow day. However, by next week I might be ready for another. :)
Do you have a love/hate relationship with snow days? Are there any other "sold on TV" products I should check out?

The Hazards of Writing, or "Thank God for Advil"

2009-01-11T14:55:00.013-05:00

Writing can be a pain in the butt. Literally.

There's a misconception that writers lounge around all day in their pyjamas and that they rarely leave their computers unless they need caffeine or chocolate.

Whoops. That's actually true. But it doesn't mean that writing is without its hazards. Consider my writing-related injuries/conditions over the past year:

Muscle spasm below my right eye. This was so gross--a twitch just under my lash line that was as steady as a pulse and visible to anyone within a couple of feet of my face. It triggered constantly from the time I woke up in the morning till the time I went to sleep. For four weeks. It was enough to make me finally schedule a visit to my doctor. She claimed she'd never seen anything like it. "Are you straining your eyes?" she asked. Who me? It's not like I stare at my computer all day. I read for hours on end too. "How much caffeine do you drink?" Oh, I don't drink caffeine. Just mocha lattes and sweet tea. "Do you have a lot of stress?" Not really, but my heroine does. Do you have any idea how hard it is being a destitute companion in Regency England? "Are you getting enough sleep?" Sleep? . . . ha-ha-ha! She prescribed a muscle relaxant that knocked me out for 14 hours and when I woke up . . . wah-lah. No more creepy twitching.
Backache. Not the "Ooh, I think I overdid it at Pilates yesterday" kind of backache. I'm talking about the kind of pain that made me walk like Yoda. Only slower. Over Christmas break I was spending more time than usual in my chair, and one day when I got up (only because someone had the nerve to ask about dinner) I found I couldn't straighten my spine. This nonsense lasted about a week. While it didn't keep me in bed all day (drat!) it was rather inconvenient. When I splattered spaghetti sauce on the kitchen floor while cooking dinner, I had to carefully avoid stepping in it until someone more flexible than I came to clean it up.
Pink eye. This too, had the major ew factor. Brought on, once again, by too much computer time and too little pillow time, the whites of my eyes turned completely bloodshot. Not only did this scare small children, but it felt like my eyelids were made of sandpaper.

Did I ever once consider taking a break from writing? Of course not. Professional athletes play through the pain, and writers write through it. And I take lots of Advil.

So, what are your writing and/or computer related ailments? Am I the only one who doesn't know the meaning of moderation?

Respecting the Reader

2008-12-23T14:45:00.006-05:00

I keep wishing someone would ask me about my writing philosophy. More specifically, I wish *Oprah* would ask me about my writing philosophy. Her people haven't called yet, but I believe in being prepared. I've given the question due thought and boiled my answer down to something deceptively simple.

Respect the reader.

Oprah will almost certainly ask what I mean by this, so I've come up with three talking points that I'll give her producers, along with the helpful suggestion that they project these on the huge screen behind Oprah and me.

Keep the reader in mind. We're not writing in a vacuum. Writing is meaningless unless someone reads our work and takes something positive away from it. You might be familiar with these statistics about romance readers from the RWA website: 78% of romance readers are female, 42% have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 24% read more than ten romances a year. The romance readers I know are smart, well-read, and busy. They deserve stories and characters that will give them several hours of enjoyment. They deserve books without parts they'd rather skip.
Say more with fewer words. We don't have to spell out everything for our readers. They're intelligent--they'll get it. And since they know we know they'll get it, they'll feel respected. Instead of "He was so angry he slammed his fist into the wall," we can just say "He slammed his fist into the wall." We should try to make every word count. This is especially true for humor--less is often more.
Keep it real. Hemingway probably said it best: "The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shock-proof, bulls*&t detector." Our writing and our voice have to ring true. If our readers sense we're not being authentic, they won't trust us, and then they won't be swept away by the story. We want our readers to feel like they're in good hands and trust us to deliver a satisfying read.

So that's my philosophy. Usually, when I write a scene or chapter that's *not* working, it's because I've gotten so wrapped up in the writing process that I've momentarily forgotten about the reader. Once I step back and look at the story from her perspective, it's easier to fix.

Now I'm going to charge my cell phone and keep it close. Just in case. ;)

Before I go though, I want to wish you a happy holiday and thanks for helping to make 2008 a great year. Here's a link to my favorite Christmas song--it's from The Polar Express, the part where the kids are on the back of the train. I'm not sure why, but it never fails to make me cry. Actually I do know why . . . because I'm a sap. Enjoy, and may 2009 be your best year yet!

When Christmas Comes to Town

Dear Santa . . .

2008-11-25T22:08:00.007-05:00

. . . I'm seeking representation for my 85,000 word Regency-set historical, . . . Whoops! That's a different letter. Let me start over.

Dear Santa,

I've been pretty good this year. I've cut back on adverbs, done very little telling as compared to showing, and even made decent headway with regard to dialogue tags. I know--I've been a bit naughty also. No need to pull out your list and rehash all that stuff. I'm working on it.

Anyway, since I've been a good little writer (mostly), I'm sending along my Christmas list:

Books on craft -- I should have asked for a couple of these last year, instead of the J. Crew hoodie. I'll leave it to you to pick the titles, Santa. Just check my bookshelf to see if I already have them. (Chances are, I don't.)

The Pride and Prejudice board game -- Thanks to the Seekers for posting this link. I can't wait to have a pawn in the shape of Elizabeth and frivously spend shillings.

New writing pants -- They're back! Apparently, retailers are under the mistaken impression that flannel pyjama pants are a seasonal item. So, please bring me a pair or two to last me all year.

I appreciate your consideration and have enclosed a SASE for your convenience.

Fondly,

Anne B.

So, do you have reading or writing related items on your wish list? Please share so I'll have time to add to my list if necessary! ;)

Let's Visit Keli's Blog!

2008-11-13T00:00:00.006-05:00

She's a much better blog hostess than I. She posts on a regular basis, gives away stuff, and always has clean hand towels in the guest bathroom. And today, her guest is . . . me!

The tell-all article you've been waiting for, "Confessions of a Self-Diagnosed, Recovering Procrastinator," hits Keli's blog today. Hope to see you there!

"Confessions" at Romance Writers on the Journey

How to be a Hero

2008-11-01T18:36:00.004-04:00

Step 1: Start with a dire situation. Let's say you awake in the dead of night . . . to the vile stench of pure evil wafting through the castle. The princess is convinced a skunk has breached the outer walls of the keep.

Step 2: Endure suffering beyond measure. Though the odor is so thick you can taste it, so nauseating your stomach roils, act as though it doesn't bother you in the least. Stoically ignore the princess' nagging--er, gentle pleas to investigate, till you cannot any longer.

Step 3: Slay the intruder. Or at least scare it away. Or pretend you have. Be convincing, so that the princess is no longer distressed.

Step 4: Comfort the overwrought princess. Not only is this the kind and heroic thing to do, but it vastly increases your odds of getting back to sleep . And she will be eternally grateful.

Where would we be without our heroes? What does your hero do that makes you swoon?

Ouija Boards and Keyboards

2008-10-25T20:30:00.010-04:00

I'm sure it's the fact that Halloween's coming up, but I've had the song "Thriller" stuck in my head lately. I've also been thinking a lot about Ouija boards.

It seemed like every slumber party I went to, right after we crank-called all the boys in our class, someone would haul out the Ouija board and want to have a seance. Even at the age of eleven or twelve I was a huge skeptic.

Me: "This is so stupid."
Friends: "Let's just try it."
Me: "How about we put 'Off the Wall' back on the record player and make up a new line dance?"
Friends: "You're scared to try the Ouija board!"

And they were right. Wasn't it tempting fate to hope someone from the spirit world would drop by and answer our questions by physically moving our fingers across the board? I'd seen the Exorcist, and wasn't keen on the idea of my body being possessed by anyone for any length of time.

Anyway, I bring this up because as I go back and read pages of stories I've written, I sometimes experience that weird Ouija feeling of "Did I really write that? Because it doesn't sound like me." And then I realize, it's really not me. It's my heroine, or my hero, or my villian. But instead of communicating by gliding a planchette over a Ouija board, they're moving my fingers over the keyboard. [Insert creepy music here.]

Yeah, maybe it's a stretch. Apparently, I've watched one too many episodes of the Ghost Whisperer.

Contest Update . . . and an Explanation

2008-10-25T19:32:00.006-04:00

October's been an exciting month! First, The Kissable Companion won the Historical Unpublished Maggie. The way I've been wearing my medallion everywhere (i.e., the grocery store, soccer games, to the mailbox) you'd think I was Michael Phelps or something. Then, The Trouble with Twilight took second place in the Indiana Golden Opportunity. Both stories are new, and it was the first contest placement for each. And I feel like I need to explain.

Waaaay back in the beginning of summer, in the midst of that exhilarating, just-out-of-school rush, I had two story ideas. Both had heroines who were companions, but with personalities that were polar opposites. I decided to write the first three chapters and a synopsis for each story and see which one I liked better.

But I was still torn. So, I submitted each to a couple of contests. I figured the judges could give me a sense of which story had more potential. Unfortunately, neither story emerged as the clear winner. I decided to finish The Trouble with Twilight first.

I'm still writing, but I'm on track to finish the first draft of TTWT by Thanksgiving. After that, I'll have lots of revising to do (which I'm actually looking forward to). But then I'll finally get to finish the The Kissable Companion. Unless I decide to write the sequel to The Trouble with Twilight first . . .

What's in a Name?

2008-10-09T23:02:00.012-04:00

One of the funnest things about (a) being pregnant, or (b) writing a novel, is you get to pick out names. (There are actually a lot of similarities between being pregnant and writing a novel, but I won't go into that here.) Suffice it to say that in each case, choosing a name is one of the first decisions you make. And it's a biggie.

Here are some questions I ask myself when picking names for my characters.

Is the name appropriate to the time period and to the character's station in life? This might require a little research, but nothing too heavy. A couple of years ago I found a nice list of Victorian-era names on-line, printed it out, and stuck it in a notebook. I also had to brush up on titles, correct forms of address, and peerage basics. If you watch a lot of Jane Austen movies, you've got a good start in this department. ;)

Is the name clearly masculine/feminine [to correspond with the character's sex]? I once read a historical romance where the hero had a feminine-sounding name, at least by today's standards. It threw me for a loop throughout the story. Very jarring in love scenes.

Do the hero and heroine's names begin with different letters? It's tempting to have an "Alec & Abigail or a "Benjamin & Beatrice," but if you like to use first initials when brainstorming/plotting, it's just not worth it. Trust me.

Is is somewhat original? But not too original? I try to find names that are familiar, but not terribly overused. I'm not always successful though. Kind of like finding out there are four kids in your daughter's preschool class with her name.

Is the name subtle? I like names that are a bit surprising. For example, I had a tomboyish heroine that I gave the ultra-feminine name of Isabella. The heroine in my wip is named Patience, but she's always tapping her toe and gnashing her teeth over something. :)

Does the name roll off your tongue when you read it aloud? I try to avoid names that are hard to pronounce or trip me up for whatever reason. But I liked the name "Rhys" (pronounced "Reese") so much I broke my own rule.

How do the hero and heroine's names sound together? Hopefully, when they're paired up, they have sort of a "Romeo & Juliet" quality. Here are my couples: Isabella & Owen, Amelia & Craven, Phoebe & Rhys, and Patience & Simon. *Sigh*

Cool link: This is a fun little program that creates all sorts of combinations of Regency names. http://www.ugoi.net/nonsense/name.html

What about you? If you're a writer, what are your hero/heroine's names? How did you pick? If you're a reader, what kinds of names do you like?

Old Friends

2008-09-28T12:16:00.011-04:00

There's a cute little song I learned in Brownies:

Make new friends

but keep the old,

one is silver, and

the other gold.

This weekend was my 20-year reunion with classmates from our semester in London. Thirty of us, living together in a cramped bed and breakfast in London's Bloomsbury District, had the opportunity of a lifetime. Weekends in Bath, the Lake District, and Stratford upon Avon. Tours of castles, cathedrals, and country estates. Afternoons in Hyde Park, the Tate Museum, and the National Portrait Gallery. Evenings at the theater, concerts, and our favorite pubs.

It was a life-changing experience for an unworldly twenty-year-old like me, and I got to share it with an incredible group of students and professors. We were a huge family. We laughed together, looked out for each other, and learned a lot about the world and ourselves.

Being with this group after 20 years was like traveling back in time, only we'd all gotten a little wiser. Spending time with those amazing people, in that amazing city, was a gift. And it was greater than gold.

Office Space (Mine!)

2008-09-13T15:59:00.009-04:00

Welcome! File in, and please squeeze together a bit to make room for the people in the back. My name is Anne Barton, and you'll be getting an up-close and personal look at my office today. I'll be pointing out things along the way that are indispensible to me, as a writer. I would encourage you to ask questions and explore; however, I will tell you the same thing I tell my kids. "Hands OFF the computer!" Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, shall we begin?

If I may, I'd first like to direct your attention to the left portion of the photo. On the top shelf of my Target Shabby Chic bookcase, you'll notice a small vase of flowers, which I feel lends an "organic, earthy feel to the space." (Warning: I watch a lot of HGTV.) Psych! The flowers are TOTALLY fake.

Just one shelf down, on the left, is my non-extensive collection of books on craft. On the right, you'll see three volumes of Calvin & Hobbes. Based on my last few contest submissions, I'm thinking I may need to tweak the ratio of craft to Calvin & Hobbes books.

The third shelf houses some of the books I brought back from the RWA national conference. I'm still working my way through them, but my favorite so far is The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt -- I read it in two sittings and was so sad when it ended!

Beneath the monitor, on the desk, are a variety of sticky notes which give me the much-needed illusion of organization. That reminds me. Please do NOT open the desk drawer, as it's definitely not ready for prime-time.

Just past my desk is the requisite window. This one provides ample opportunities for daydreaming about dukes, keeping half-an-eye on children, and making lists of yardwork chores to be done.

Finally, atop my desk, you will have noticed a 200-plus count box of tissues. This comes in handy when my heroine is in big trouble and I haven't managed to write her out of it yet. And for all the happy endings. :)

In the spirit of full-disclosure, I feel compelled to tell you there are three items noticibly missing.

My fleece blanket, which used to be my daughter's. It's pink with monkeys and bananas, that's why I left it out.

A candle. This is so cliche, but I often light vanilla-scented candles when I write. Not on my desk though, because that is a four-alarm fire waiting to happen.

McD's sweet tea in a styrofoam cup. It's huge, sweet, and it stays cold all day. What more could you want?

In conclusion, I'd like to say you've been an excellent group. I want to thank you for coming, and hope that in the course of your visit you've learned a little about the writer's habitat. At this point, I'd like to open it up for questions. Anyone? Anyone? :)

Special Books

2008-09-04T17:35:00.005-04:00

When I was seven years old, I gave my grandmother a small picture book for her birthday. It was, rather predictably, called "The Happy Birthday Book." Inside the front cover, in my best second-grade printing, I penciled:

From Anne
To Grammy
June 17, 1974

On my ninth birthday, she gave it back to me. I remember feeling insulted. Why would she give back my present? But underneath my original note, in her distinctive cursive, she had written:

For Anne Barton, April, 1976
because I enjoyed it so much
With love, Grammy

Well, two could play at that game. The next entry is printed in red marker:

To Grammy
June 11, 1977 (Happy B-day!)

I'm not sure what happened between 1977 and the next entry, but somehow the book came back to me, because in thick, gray marker I wrote (in a mix of cursive and block letters):

To Grammy, June 1980
Happy B-day Grammy!
Love, Anne

And again at the age of 16, I scrawled:

To Grammy (once again) with love, Annie
June 1983

The last entry is in my grandmother's handwriting:

May 1992 - What a change nine years has made! But I am so happy to tell you again that I love you and look forward to your wedding.
Grammy

That's a special book.

My Writing Pants

2008-08-19T20:37:00.004-04:00

Some people need to write in a specific location...their office, the local Starbucks, or maybe a cabin in the mountains. Me, I can write just about anywhere.

As long as I'm wearing my writing pants.

But the pants -as you have now seen- are not pretty, and therein lies problem #1. I run the risk of embarrassing my kids when their friends come to the door, and I answer it wearing toxic-green, flannel, penguin pajama pants. In August. However, I'm terribly committed to my craft. No amount of whining is going to make me give them up.

The second problem is trickier. I have exactly one pair. They're faded, worn thin, and stretched to perfection. My biggest challenge, the thing I dread most is *gulp*... laundry day. That's several hours out of every week that my writing pants are simply unavailable. If my muse strikes during that time...well, there's nothing to be done for it.

The power of the pants is mystical indeed. Who would have guessed you could find such a priceless rarity at Old Navy for just $14.99?

Conference Photos and Link

2008-08-07T20:42:00.012-04:00

Kris Kennedy and I, before she won the Golden Heart.

Mike and I before the Awards Ceremony.

Me with Keli Gwyn at the Keynote Luncheon.

Kit Wilkinson and I before the Awards Ceremony.

Me with Anna Campbell at the Literacy Autographing.

Cool link: On Friday, Aug. 1, the Today Show aired this segment on the conference and romance writing in general. It gives a nice feel for the buzzing atmosphere at the conference. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25966976#25966976

(Note: You may have to endure 30 seconds of ads before the clip.)

Snippets from San Francisco - Part 3

2008-08-07T18:41:00.003-04:00

This last installment of conference notes falls into the category of "you can't make this up." I apologize in advance for the alliteration. :)

Without further adieu, here's my list of "Surreal Things:"

Airing it out in the Airport - Right after we de-boarded the plane in San Francisco, on our way to baggage claim, we passed an odd, older gentleman. He was wearing dress slacks, a belt, and nice shoes. And that's it. NO shirt. He had a bag slung over his naked shoulder and walked toward the gates as if it were the most natural thing in the world, which, I suppose, it was. More bizarre than his state of undress was the fact no one else seemed to notice. My question is: if I'm going to see a half-dressed man in the airport, why, oh why, can't it be David Beckham or James McAvoy or the guy who plays Sawyer on "Lost?"
Sidestepping Stuff on the Sidewalk - The hotel where we stayed was a city block away from the conference Marriott. It was an easy walk, but on the night of the awards ceremony, after I dressed up in my long, silk gown and strappy sandals, I debated whether or not to take a cab. Since it was a pretty mild night by San Fran standards, and since I'm rather cheap, I decided to walk. My shoes felt fine at first, but half-way there I realized the glittery straps had the same exact texture as 200 grit sandpaper. Also, I had to lift the hem of my dress as I dodged a - warning, don't read on if you're squeamish! - pile of excrement on the pavement. Even if the cab was 20 bucks, it would have been worth it.
Conversing without a Clue - I was checking voicemail in between workshops one day when a woman came and sat down on the chair beside me. She said, "Nice shoes." I liked her immediately, of course, thanked her, and we started chatting. We talked about our families, where we're from, and highlights of the conference so far. She asked me what I write, so I told her and asked her what she writes. She replied she's not a writer. She's an agent. Had I bothered to look at her name tag, I would have known this, but I just felt weird looking at people's chests all the time. Anyway, we exchanged cards and you never know what might come out of it. We have the same taste in shoes, after all.

Snippets from San Francisco - Part 2

2008-08-05T11:58:00.005-04:00

Certain aspects of the RWA Conference surprised me. For whatever reason, some things were just different from what I had expected. I don't mean to imply they were bad...just different.

So, here's my list of "Surprising Things."

Name Badges - I had pictured the name badges as being of the smaller, pin-on variety. As you can see, however, they were designed to hang from your neck and display a ton of "flair." (Remember Jennifer Aniston's character from the movie "Office Space?") I'll admit when I registered and received the makings for my badge I had no idea about the proper way to assemble it. A couple of my fellow Pixies showed me how and vowed they would submit an application to host a workshop on Badge Assembly next year. I think the idea's got merit. There were ribbons for "Speakers," "Finalists," "Volunteers," "First Sales," and "First Timers," to name a few. While the badge was handy for holding business cards, hotel room keys, and index cards, it clashed with my outfits. *Sigh.*

The Volume of People, and the Volume - I knew that about 2,000 people would be in attendance; I just didn't realize what it would actually feel like when we congregated. I had thought over the course of four days that I'd eventually run into all the people I wanted to meet and see - but I didn't. There were friends I ran into repeatedly and others I never saw. And all those people made a LOT of noise. Particularly in the hotel lobby, where attendees often hung out, there was a lot of commotion. The glossy marble floors and high ceilings allowed the sounds of heels clicking and writers chatting to bounce around the lobby. It was festive and exhilarating, but also a bit overwhelming for a recovering introvert like myself.

The Age of Agents - In the publishing business, agents are powerful people. Based on that fact alone, I expected most agents would be middle-aged or older. But the agents I saw were, on the whole, a "younger" crowd. They were incredibly savvy and self-possessed, and their advice was sage. And I can see how their youthful energy and charm could give them a distinct advantage in the industry.

Pitch Appointments - These were much more regimented than I had envisioned. I heard people comparing the meetings to speed dating or even prison visits. We were moved through very efficiently, though, and the process ensured that everyone got their allotted time. I also bonded with the people on either side of me in line. :)

My Own Gumption - My appointment with an agent was the very last time slot on the very last day. I launched enthusiastically into my pitch, but before I got too far, the agent stopped me and said she didn't think my story was right for her. I listened respectfully to her explanation, but then I told her all the reasons I thought it WAS right for her. (Thank goodness I had done my research.) Though she only ended up asking for a partial, it felt like a major victory. I didn't know I had it in me, but I did the hard sell!

Well, that seems like more than enough for one day. I might be able to eek out one more conference-related post, and I think it will deal with... surreal moments.

Snippets from San Francisco - Part 1

2008-08-04T13:17:00.013-04:00

I just got home from the RWA National Conference last night and am still trying to process everything, but it was amazing. By now, you already know I didn't win the Golden Heart, but I can honestly say it didn't diminish the fun or excitement of the conference.

Rather than give you a play-by-play of events, I'm going to list little snippets. Keep in mind, these are my own, honest reflections and they're not representative of conference attendees as a whole. This first installment is called...

..."The Best Things:"

The Pixie Pitch Practice Session - About twenty GH finalists squeezed into one hotel room to do a test run of our pitches prior to having formal appointments. For many of us, it was our first time meeting each other in person, and though we didn't polish our pitches as much as planned, we laughed a lot. When author Jill Barnett popped in (it was her room too) someone asked her what she wished she had known as an unpublished writer. Her advice was to appreciate the innocence and sheer joy of writing that you have before publication, and try to hang on to it. Hmmm.
Keynote Luncheon Speaker, Author Victoria Alexander - She was a hoot. Her speech meandered through a variety of topics relevant to writing and otherwise. Embedded throughout were "chicken nuggets" of wisdom. If you have a chance to listen to or watch a recording of her performance, it's worth it just to hear about how she's managed to kill off her husband in each of her books.
The Imparting of Author Secrets - During the workshops, authors were extremely generous. They candidly shared their techniques and tips for researching and writing. During one workshop, Regency author Stephanie Laurens revealed that though mens' shirts generally didn't button down the front till the 1830's, all her Regency heros had a "forward-thinking tailor" who designed their shirts with buttons, much to her heroines' delight. :)
RITA Reactions - On Awards Night, it was wonderful to see the thrilled reactions of published authors receiving their awards. There were screams, tears, trembling hands, and the whole bit. I guess it's nice to know the thrill never really wears off. Also, the author/editor relationships were obviously very strong and positive.
Motivation & Inspiration - Maybe the best thing about the conference was it made me want to be a better writer AND gave me some ideas about how to accomplish that.

I have more pictures to post, but first I want to make sure other people in group pictures don't mind.

Tune in tomorrow, when I'll post snippets of... "Surprising Things."

A Peek at My Dance Card

2008-07-28T22:06:00.014-04:00

So... it's almost time.

I'll be leaving for the RWA National Conference soon, and I wanted to thank lots of people. Your support has come in many forms: offering encouragement, kid-sitting, blog commenting, giving flowers, and lending dresses. I'm grateful for all of it.

In case you're interested, I've listed some of the highlights of my schedule in San Francisco this week.

Wednesday night is the Literacy Signing where over 500 authors autograph books for charity. I will be there, camera in hand, stalking my favorite authors.
Thursday, I'm attending workshops for most of the day. A couple I'm looking forward to: "Secrets of the Best-selling Sisterhood" and "Writing the Hot Historical."
On Friday morning there are more workshops, but in the afternoon there's a champagne reception for RITA and Golden Heart finalists. That means I will be in the same room - sipping champagne - with Regency authors extraordinaire, Julia Quinn and Anna Campbell, to name a few. I'm very excited about this and see LOTS of potential for embarrassing myself here.
All my fellow finalists are meeting up on Friday night for a Pixie Chick Party. We even had fun Pixie T-shirts made up. However, I will not over-imbibe because...
...I have my editor and agent appointments on Saturday morning. (I have prepared color-coded index cards with talking points and will try to memorize them on the plane.)
Later that night is the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony, of eBay dress and purse fame. It starts at 8:00 San Francisco time, but if you have insomnia, check out this blurb from the RWA website:

"Live from the Red Carpet! RWA will post the winners of the 2008 RITA and Golden Heart awards on the RWA Web site, www.rwanational.org, as they are announced on August 2 from 8-10 PM Pacific Time. So, tell your family and friends to visit the RWA site and root for their favorite authors."

I'm looking forward to blogging all about the conference when I get back, so be sure to tune in next week. Thanks again!

More Fashion Fun

2008-07-20T19:57:00.015-04:00

I know how this must look: like I'm more interested in playing dress up than in being a real writer. So, here's a quick update on "The Trouble with Twilight," also known as TTWT (an unfortunate acronym). I've written the first 50 pages and I like where it's headed.

Phew! Now we can talk about accessories.

If you've been following the drama here at my blog, you already know I bid on (and won!) an eBay gown to wear to the RWA Awards Ceremony. I'm very happy it fits because alterations would have cost me way more than the dress. Every chance I get, I've been telling my husband how lucky I was to get such a great deal (and how lucky HE is to have such a resourceful wife). This - you may have guessed - was all to prepare him for the other purchases which would inevitably follow.

I bought shoes today! With their gold heels and glittery straps, they look remarkably like a pair from my daughter's cardboard treasure chest of Disney princess costumes. I love them.

But the item I'm really excited about is the purse. It's not just a purse - it's a "vintage glass-beaded evening bag." I won it on eBay.

Don't worry, I've only bought two things on eBay. It's not like I'm addicted. Sure, you experience a little high when you find out you're the high bidder. But I can stop any time. I think.

Fingers Crossed for the Cheating Wife Sale

2008-07-09T15:54:00.005-04:00

The RWA Awards Ceremony is about three weeks away, and just like Cinderella, I find myself without a dress to wear to the ball.

Unfortunately, the similarities between Cinderella and me end there. I'm not expecting a fairy godmother, chubby mice, or industrious bluebirds to crawl out of the woodwork and whip up a hot little designer number for me. Though my sister and sisters-in-law generously opened their closets, I must say the women in our family are sadly lacking when it comes to formal wear.

So, I asked myself: What would Cinderella do in this situation? Then, it came to me. She'd go to eBay.

I'd never bid on an eBay item before, but I channeled my inner-heroine and fearlessly *gulp* registered. The selection of gowns in my size, in my budget, was limited, but I scrolled tirelessly down the page until ... there it was.

A rich, chocolate-brown, silk, strapless, floor-length gown. Sure, it's a little rumpled. So what if it's got a big X written in red marker across the label? The price is right, baby.

The seller is (supposedly) a gentleman from West Virgina who's wife left him. She was, apparently, in such a hurry that she left most of her wardrobe behind. Who can blame him for wanting to make a few bucks by selling off his cheating wife's personal effects?

Bidding for this fabulous, off-the-rack item started at $18 but I was not about to risk being out-bid. I recklessly anted up $20.

I will know by July 12th if I am the proud owner of a new - no, make that slightly used - ball gown. Then, on July 13th I can see what eBay has to offer in the way of glass slippers.

Music to Write By

2008-07-01T20:44:00.005-04:00

The desk where I do all my writing is in the corner of my room, and right beside it sits my treadmill. Sometimes, when writer's block strikes, I give myself an ultimatum: either produce a paragraph in the next fifteen minutes, or hop on the treadmill for thirty. It's a good incentive, right? But it doesn't always work. So, I put on my sneakers and headphones and go for a walk.

I need to have music when I walk. It takes my mind off the fact that I'm staring at a wall AND expending a lot of energy without actually going anywhere. More than that, it gets my blood pumping and puts a little strut in my step. It can change my mood.

I've identified at least five different writing moods. Each has its own soundtrack. Maybe you can identify with these:

Mood #1: Inspiration/Starting a New Story
Prescribed Songs: Wind it Up by Gwen Stefani ; Who are You by The Who (for developing character profiles); Stir it Up by Bob Marley; Galileo by the Indigo Girls ("Look what I had to overcome from my last life/I think I'll write a book")

Mood #2: Cranking it Out/Making Daily Word Counts
Prescribed Songs: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen; I Don't Wanna Be In Love by Good Charlotte; The Hard Way by Mary Chapin Carpenter ("Show a little inspiration/Show a little spark")

Mood #3: Waiting (Contest Results, Responses to Agent & Editor Queries)
Prescribed Songs: Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse; The Waiting by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Mood #4: Rejection
Prescribed Songs: Poor, Poor Pitiful Me by Terri Clark; Don't Let Me Get Me by Pink ("Never win first place/I don't support the team/I can't take direction/My socks are never clean"); The First Cut is the Deepest by Sheryl Crow

Mood #5: Celebration
What else? Party Like a Rock Star by Shop Boyz

Got a song you can recommend for any of these moods? I'd love to hear your suggestions because some of the above are pretty close to being played out. I'm not going to say which category. :)

Talking Smack

2008-06-18T10:17:00.003-04:00

RWA (Romance Writers of America) describes the RITA as "the romance-publishing industry's highest award of distinction." The authors up for this award represent the very best of romance, and they're true professionals with tons of class. See for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2UXH_LWkic

Life Lessons

2008-06-17T10:59:00.005-04:00

The older I get, the more I appreciate the lessons my grandmother taught me. As I recently updated the biography section of my website, I realized my grandmother helped set me on the path to writing historical romance long ago. (http://annebarton.com/aboutme.html)

She was a great believer in tradition. She made kidney stew for holiday dinners, decorated her mantel with angels each Christmas, and picked violets for me every year on my birthday. She usually wore skirts and always had tissues and a plastic rain bonnet in her purse.

And yet, she was quite forward-thinking for her generation. She graduated from a women's college and taught me I could succeed at any occupation I chose. She pushed me to try things, to experience life outside of my comfort zone.

She taught me many amazing life lessons. Here are a few:

You can gauge a hostess' esteem for her guests by the number of candles she sets out.

Every teenager should work at a department store and a gas station because most people use both throughout their lives.

Don't save the good china for Easter dinner. Use it up.

All the money in the world can't buy good taste.

If you want a purple dining room, go ahead and paint it purple.

Books are meant to be read, shared, and cherished.

There's nothing like the feel of silver in your hands. And if you fall on hard times, you can always melt it down.

Never throw away letters or recipes from loved ones. They're a little piece of history in and of themselves.

Happy birthday, Grammy.

Just Two Months to Go

2008-05-28T22:50:00.006-04:00

...till the RWA National Conference in San Francisco. I'm starting to feel the tinyest bit of anxiety about all I need to accomplish beforehand, so I'm going to make two lists to get myself organized. Deep breath, here we go.

What I've done so far:

- Bought a very serious, business-like, gray suit to wear for agent and editor appointments.

- Ordered new business cards. Yay! I love them so much that I'm thinking of sending my kids out to the street corner so they can hand 'em out to random people.

- Returned the gray suit and purchased a pink one that I like much better. Or, at least I did, until my 13-year old son said, "No one's going to take you seriously in that suit, Mom." He's usually right about these things, darn it.

- Lined up babysitters for the days I'll be with my hubby in San Fran. Love you, Mom! Thanks B&H!

What I still need to do:

- Write about 100 more pages of my work-in-progress, The Kissable Companion.

- Schedule at least one, fun, romantic night to share with my hubby while we're away. We'll be celebrating our 16th anniversary this July, and guess where we had our honeymoon? Yep, San Francisco!

- Update my website to match my fabulous business cards. (I thought the business cards were a great bargain at $20 for a box of 250, but since I'll probably spend 20 hours redesigning my website with similar colors and graphics I'm starting to question the wisdom of that purchase.)

- Borrow a dress -- no, make that a gown -- to wear to the Awards Ceremony on Saturday night. I have several sisters and sisters-in-law, so if one of you is out there reading this and you have a killer dress you can lend me, please come forward. And I'll probably have to hem it, so I hope that's not a problem.

- Prepare an acceptance speech. No, I'm not feeling especially optimistic, but on the off-chance my name is called I must have a plan that involves something other than crying.

And that's all I can think of now.

On a completely different topic, have you heard the song "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock? It's SO good.

This goes without saying, but I'd love to hear comments from anyone reading my ramblings. What's your favorite song for summer?

Romance Writers Rock

2008-05-21T17:23:00.014-04:00

Not like David Cook maybe, but in other very cool ways. The authors I know have a few things in common. They're dreamers. They're fiercely determined. They insist on happy endings. And they're some of the nicest, most generous people in the world.

I'll give you a few examples. (No names because I'm not sure if they want to broadcast their extreme niceness.)

-- A published author spends a good chunk of her weekend critiquing my synopsis and opening scene. Just to help me out.

-- A group of RWA authors sponsors several scholarships to help other writers (including me!) attend the National Conference in San Francisco.

-- The G8tors (that's this year's group of Golden Heart finalists) offer three critiques for Brenda Novak's auction to support juvenile diabetes research: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/.

There are lots of other ways romance authors are making the world a better place, but these are a few that touched me personally. Communities like this are rare and amazing, and I'm honored to be a part of this one. Rock on!

Blog Housekeeping

2008-05-14T22:34:00.001-04:00

I switched from Yahoo 360 to Google blogspot. The bad news: no more avatar (the cartoon version of me who would blink eerily every 15 seconds or so). The good news: it's easier to post comments now!

I would welcome your comments. On any post.

In Defense of "The Bachelor"

2008-05-14T17:56:00.000-04:00

I have a confession. Monday nights, after the kids are in bed and lunches for the next day are made, I cozy up on the couch to watch The Bachelor. The gist of the show is that The Bachelor (this season, "Matt") dates 20 or so women - at the same time - in hopes of finding true love.

It's reality TV at its best. And its worst. How can we root for a "hero" who's dating multiple women? How can we cheer for "heroines" who would subject themselves to this humiliating contest? It might seem like the plot is too contrived and the characters too shallow to hook us. And yet we're sucked in.

Why? For me, it's the glimpses of real, raw emotion. These human, imperfect, characters are fascinating to watch. Take the untrusting, semi-aloof Chelsea, for example. While riding in a romantic horse-drawn sleigh with Matt, she admits she can't stand holding hands with a guy in public. She considers it a distasteful public display of affection. What?! There has got to be an interesting backstory there.

Then there's Shayne, the unapologetically spoiled actress. While skiing down the slopes, she takes a tumble and Matt races to her side. Before she's even brushed the powder off her designer snow-pants, she digs some lip gloss out of her pocket and reapplies it. When Matt laughs and asks her what other necessities she's brought, she proudly shows him her blush, a brush, mascara, etc. Is this a sign of utter superficiality, or is she hiding something behind all the makeup?

Somehow, we begin to care about these people. We want them to find love. Or at least I do. I have to banish my husband from the room because his running commentary ("What a tramp" - I'm paraphrasing) spoils the mood. But sometimes, we get to see that rare mix of vulnerability, hope, and attraction that happens at the very beginning of a relationship. That's what keeps me tuning in.

Maybe one of the women will inspire a character in my story or give me an idea for a scene or a plot twist. Maybe the show is just a guilty pleasure. A new season of "The BachelorETTE" starts Monday, and I'll be on the couch.

Getting in touch with my Inner Vixen

2008-04-25T17:38:00.000-04:00

Those of you who know me are undoubtedly aware of my reputation as... well, to quote the Spin Doctors, "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong." What can I say? I've fought it for years, but the more I protest, the lamer I sound. And I guess there might be a kernel of truth to the label. I cried over each and every "B" I received on my report card. (Most of them were in gym.) Even now, I follow directions and always color inside the lines and don't fudge my taxes even though it's very tempting.

But those of you who know me very well also know I have a bit of a wild side. (Wow, doesn't that sound dorky? I told you, it's no use.)

Anyway...my goal over the next week or so is to tap into that crazy, uninhibited part of my personality so I can take a really important love scene from MIDNIGHT PROMISES to the next level. I found out yesterday that this scene finaled in SARA's Merritt Magic Moment Contest, and (fortunately!) I have a chance to revise it before my dream editor ranks it in the final round. Goodbye cliches! Farewell, point of view shifts! Au revior overuse of adverbs! You get the point.

I promise you, this scene is gonna be HOT. I'm thinking a glass of wine might help.

"Romancing the Stone" and Other Catchy Titles

2008-04-07T17:34:00.000-04:00

Some authors dread writing a synopsis; some labor over the back-cover blurb. Me, I have an issue with book titles.

A title is like an interview suit. Right or wrong, someone's going to make a split second judgment based on that one thing. You don't want to have a coffee stain on your blouse or toilet paper stuck to your shoe. But I digress.

What would my ultimate title do? In a nutshell, it would...
- pique the readers' curiosity
- reflect my story's theme
- hint at my characters' personalities
- convey a Regency setting
- tie into the plot, somehow, AND
- be completely original.

Phew, that's a tall order for 2 or 3 words. Frankly, I'd be ecstatic if I accomplished two or three of the above items.

My first manuscript is "Taking the Bait." I love that title. It ties into the fishing theme that I wove throughout the story, and it has a little innuendo to it. It's playful, and though it doesn't scream "Regency," I figured I could always address that aspect with some fantastic cover art (dream big, I always say!).

My second story is called "Midnight Promises." I'll admit this is a bit generic, but let me explain. See, my main character was jilted by her betrothed at her own engagement ball, precisely at midnight. And the hero of the story has a chance to recreate that awful scene, only with a happy ending. Also, "Midnight Promises" was really just supposed to be the working title. I slapped it on my manuscript before entering it in its first contest, and couldn't believe it actually finaled. After that, I was reluctant to change it - for superstitious reasons as much as anything else.

That brings me to my WIP. It’s saved on my laptop as “Phoebe’s Story.” Which is not entirely true, as it is actually Phoebe’s AND Rhys’ story. Also, I’m tired of calling it that. It needs an identity, even if it’s only another temporary one, so last night I began brainstorming for a proper title.

I scribbled some ideas on paper. Themes include finding one’s true self, learning to trust, risking all for love. Not much help. Fire plays a major role in the story, but any mention of fanning flames or burning embers seemed too …predictable. The heroine is a companion and the hero is a marquess, but neither started out that way. There could be something there.
Anyway, you get the idea.

Then, I thought of a title I really liked: “A Kiss to Remember.” There’s a pivotal scene in the story where Rhys experiences a flood of memories as he’s kissing Phoebe for the first time. It sounded classic and a little intriguing, no? I schlepped over to my laptop, went to Amazon, and searched for “A Kiss to Remember,” and guess what? It’s already taken -- a 2001 book by Teresa Medeiros. At least I was right – it was a good title!

So I went back to the paper and kept experimenting with variations of “kissing” titles, until I came up with… “The Kissable Companion.” I like it for now. I’m going to go with it. But before I get too attached to it, I’m going to go check whether “kissable” is a even a real word. Wish me luck.

Pride vs. Vanity

2008-04-04T17:31:00.000-04:00

"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously....Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."
- Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), Pride and Prejudice, 1811

Pride is a good thing, usually. (Unless it goes before the fall.) After all, we say "I'm proud of you," and encourage others to "take pride in their work." There's school pride, team pride, national pride, etc. , and all these are generally positive things. Right?

What I've been experiencing this week is not that. It's more sinister. It has me buying "eternally mauve" lipliner and digging through my jewelry box for shiny hoop earrings that I haven't worn in 10 years. It has me dragging my husband to the mall on cold rainy nights. It's pure, simple... vanity.

One of the first tasks of Golden Heart finalists is to provide a publicity photo. It'll be used on the RWA website, on promotional materials, and at the RWA National Conference in San Francisco. So, I wanted it to look just right. Professional, but not stuffy. Fun, but not frivolous. Easy for potential publishers and agents to visualize on the back of my book...

I'm not sure I accomplished all that, but I feel great relief in finding a pose that doesn't make me cringe when I look at it. I guess I can't ask for much more than that!

P.S. - Thanks to all my friends and family for the congratulations on my GH final. I feel like I've already won.

Getting the Golden Heart Call

2008-03-25T17:28:00.000-04:00

First, let me say that my hands are still trembling and my heart is still racing. I received a call from a lovely RWA person about one hour ago, and she said that MIDNIGHT PROMISES is a 2008 Golden Heart Finalist!

I wish I could have been a little more graceful and composed on the phone with her. I wish my kids weren't seriously concerned about my sanity after witnessing the screaming and tears. I wish I could lose 10 pounds before having my publicity photo taken. But I feel incredibly lucky and honored to be a finalist. More later...

What I have in common with Noah

2008-03-16T17:22:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I feel like I'm building an ark. Let's face it, writing novels takes a lot of time. Time I could be spending with my family, cleaning my house (ha!), or even exercising (HA!!). Besides my manuscripts, I have nothing to show for all my hours in front of the computer - unless you count the weird muscle spasm below my right eye.

Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with any ridicule from family or friends. And of course, the fact that I don't have a gigantic boat in the backyard is a bonus. But writing is a huge time commitment, and there's no assurance my work will ever be published. I enjoy the process, though. Completing a scene, a chapter, and finally, a story is so satisfying. And I have to believe that if I work hard enough and long enough, eventually a "flood" of requests will come my way (sorry!).

If you're a writer, do you ever feel guilty about all the time you spend writing? (Or, sometimes, guilty about the time you don't spend writing?) How do you balance it with the rest of your life?

Anyone know the name of a good therapist?

2008-03-13T17:19:00.000-04:00

I've noticed something about the love scenes I write. I find it easier to write them from my hero's point of view than my heroine's. This has been true for all three of my stories, even though the characterization is quite different in each. So I started wondering, WHY?

Maybe it's an opportunity to explore the mysterious inner-workings of mens' minds? No? I didn't think so either. Could it be that it's easier, in some ways, to write love scenes from the male point of view because men tend to be more, shall we say, graphic? (i.e., no need to use euphemisms for various body parts, etc.)

I'm not sure. So... I'm curious if other romance writers out there find it easier to write love scenes from one POV or the other. I'd also like to hear from readers. Do you favor one POV or the other for the steamy stuff? As a reader, I don't think I have a preference -- as long as the scene seems real and the characters are true to themselves throughout. What do you think?

Acronyms for Romance Writers, or "Blogging 101"

2008-03-08T17:14:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the TV ad where the daughter, Beth Ann, is using textspeak (much to her mother's dismay) and there are subtitles for those of us who require translation? I LOVE that commerical!

As I've started reading and enjoying other author's blogs I've noticed there are lots of acronyms that seem to be created especially for romance writers. Sometimes I see one, and I have NO idea what it means, but I'm too embarrassed to ask. So, I thought I'd try to create a list of frequently used ones here.

CP = critique partner
GH = Golden Heart
GMC = goal, motivation, conflict
POV = point of view
WIP = work in progress

Can you think of others I should add? (I'm sure there are lots.) Want to make up a brand new one? (The funnier the better.) C'mon, help a newbie out!