Reading and Writing

By:  Susan Sands

I'm reading and writing this month, but my reading load has increased exponentially between now and the next couple months. While normally I would spend my days writing with a little reading on the side, it seems I'm full up with reading as well as crafting stories.

I'm judging two contests and taking critiques for another workshop where I'm giving two one-hour talks on craft. Me? Craft discussions? Critiques? A few years ago, I would have actually laughed out loud at the idea of telling someone else how to improve their writing or edit their stories to make them stronger. But I've learned a few things since working with editors and publishing books of my own. Sharing any bit of wisdom and information is the very least I can do for those who are working so hard to get to the next level with their manuscript, find an agent, or publish for the first time.

I've had help from wonderful author friends along the way, and without it, I don't know where I would be in this very difficult process. We put in our time for others because it's our turn. I'm not a brilliant writer, but sharing the hard lessons that might make it less hard for someone else in their journey feels right.

I continue to learn about myself as a writer with every page I complete and rewrite. I still attend craft workshops and industry talks by other authors in hopes I'll hear something to get me to the next level in my own journey. Still waiting for the next light bulb to go on...

Wish me luck to finish all my reading, critiquing, and stay on my writing schedule!! It really is the most fun job in the world.

I hope everyone stays warm and dry until spring finds you.

Take care!

Susan Sands

My Friend, My Co-Author

By Joanne Rock

Catherine Mann & Joanne Rock at RWA

I’m so excited to be writing a book with my critique partner, Catherine Mann, this month. We’ve worked together—reading every sentence one another has penned—for almost eighteen years. I can always keep track of the date since I’d just had my second son the first time I went over to Cathy’s house for lunch and we embarked on the coolest partnership and friendship. The baby I’d been rocking over that lunch turns eighteen in April and my critique partnership with my fabulous friend has spawned a fun new creative direction—writing a series together.

Like all great ideas, it seemed to jump from our brains simultaneously. We might have been talking about the pressures to write more and faster in the current marketplace. Or we might have been discussing stories we’d love to write and hadn’t found the time. But something prompted the spark of an idea—what if we co-wrote some stories for fun?

Snapped this pic on a long ago road trip 

Because at the heart of the business still rests the creative joy of writing. It's a tricky balance when you turn your creative outlet into your work. New pressures are applied. Deadlines become important, looming beasts. “Productivity” enters your vocabulary and makes you wish you’d never heard it. So it’s important to peel away the work environment around our beloved craft sometimes and remember why we started in the first place—for the sheer joy of telling a story and entertaining a reader with the effort.

Before either Cathy or I sold our first books, we dreamed about what it would be like to have readers who sought out our books. We worked hard to tell the best stories possible—to make our writing engaging and our storytelling unique so that an editor had to buy our manuscripts. We’d share fun books we’d read and dissected what made them great. But over the years, as we’ve each pursued our writing dreams, we have less opportunities to call one another and blurt out a story premise because it’s so new and exciting. Part of that is because we've each been blessed to find readers and audience so we blurt out fun ideas to them! But it’s also because our storytelling fell into a rhythm and pattern.

That’s good, of course. Yet it’s always fun to mix things up as a creative person. To dig deep. To reinvent yourself—if only a little facet of yourself—and see what else you can do. To try a new process and find out what it yields. Working on a story together has done all of those things for me. Cathy called me yesterday and the ideas she brought to the work-in-progress were so exciting. She took the story in new directions, added fun levels I hadn’t thought of, and forced me to up my storytelling game. Even eighteen years into our professional partnership, she’s teaching me things. I hope I’m inspiring her right back.

All of this is to say, I’m really excited about the new Runaway Brides series Cathy and I are rolling out on April 7^th (would you believe that’s my middle son’s birthday? Kismet!). Tule Publishing is working on gorgeous covers for us that we’ll share soon. But first, we have some finishing touches to put on a series that has pulled from the very best of us and given us a chance to savor the creative fire of something new.

***Have you ever had the pleasure of working with a good friend? Or has your work led you to important people in your life? Share with me today on the boards and I’ll send one random poster a copy of my upcoming Harlequin Superromance, NIGHTS UNDER THE TENNESSEE STARS!  

                                                                                                                                                                    

Brilliant Brenda Novak Auction!

by Anna Campbell

May has become a really significant month in Romancelandia. And not just because it's spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the season when minds traditionally turn to love.

May is also the month when NYT bestseller Brenda Novak holds her wonderful auction to raise money to help find a cure for juvenile diabetes. Here's a link to the auction's home page: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

Brenda is an amazing example of the power of one. I'm in awe of what she's achieved just through hard work and vision. So far, she's raised over $1.6 million for her cause and this year, she hopes to break the $2 million mark. More power to her right arm, I say! 

Every year, the whole romance community rallies behind this marvelous cause. There are gift baskets and trips and treats galore, and appropriate for a writer's auction, there are critiques and marketing packages and educational opportunities. Not to mention more signed books than you can poke a stick at! How can you resist?

I thought today I'd point you in the direction of my offerings - along with encouraging you to explore the site and discover what other delicious items are up for grabs.

First up, for writers, I'm offering a detailed critique of three chapters and a synopsis of an unpublished romance novel. I've done this every year and I've met some amazingly talented writers as a result, many of whom have gone on to stellar careers (names would be revealing too much but can I say NYT bestsellers?).  Here's the link for my critique if you'd like to bid: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2841432

For readers, I've got three packs of signed books for your delectation:

THE RAKES AND ROGUES DUO - signed mass market paperbacks of SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE'S BED and MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2841434

THE COURTESAN COLLECTION - signed mass market paperbacks of CLAIMING THE COURTESAN, TEMPT THE DEVIL and MY RECKLESS SURRENDER http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2841435

THE HUNKS AND HEROES TRIO - signed mass market paperbacks of UNTOUCHED, CAPTIVE OF SIN and MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2841433

I'm also part of the wonderful Romance Bandits basket which includes goodies from all my blog sisters: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2961814

And if you're an aspiring writer, don't miss out on the critique of a partial from my wonderful crit partner, USA Today bestseller Annie West: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2864988 Annie is a Tote Bags 'n' Blogs regular and her latest release is the fabulous CAPTIVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

I find Brenda so inspiring. So now I'd like to know who you find inspiring and why. 

And don't forget to check out the auction!