Addison Fox: My Annual Reward

For romance authors, July is a big month. Every July the Romance Writers of America puts on their annual conference. The conference is an author conference, so the focus is on craft workshops, business networking and discussion about our future. As a writer, this is pretty much heaven.

For me, RWA week always results in several things. First, it’s my vacation week, so it’s a time for me to get away from the day to day and focus solely on my writing. Second, it’s a time of friendship. I connect with some of my dearest friends, stay up way too late with my roommate (who’s also one of my best friends) talking and laughing and I get to connect with my publisher. Finally, RWA week is a time of renewal. I come back refreshed and excited and can’t wait to get back to my work in progress.

While RWA is the week I look forward to, you can talk to anyone and they have an equivalent in their own life that helps them re-center themselves. Whether it’s a vacation spot that speaks to you in the deepest part of our soul, an interest that you get to indulge for a week or just time away from work in a staycation, time off to refresh and recharge is deeply important to our personal well-being.

Now that I’m back, reality and routine has quickly intruded, but I don’t mind. I’ve got wonderful memories, an idea that’s got me fired up to sit down and write and my week in 2016 on the horizon, giving me something to look forward to!

What about you? What do you look forward to each year or is there a special place that speaks to you?

Thanks for joining me today!

XOXO,

Addison

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Despite early ambitions of being a diver, a drummer or a doctor, Addison Fox happily discovered she was more suited to life as a writer. She lives in Dallas and - thankfully - doesn't have to operate on anyone. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.com. Her latest book, TEMPTING TARGET, is out now from Harlequin Romantic Suspense. You can visit her at her website at www.addisonfox.com

Addison Fox: Do You DNF?

I read a fascinating article last week that’s stuck with me. Apparently, like every other digital device we’re attached to, our ereaders are a wealth of information about our habits.

While I’m not quite ready to envision a future where instead of receiving a set of edits, I get a detailed list of where readers left off in my last book, the article does make several interesting points.

What makes readers stop reading?

Can that be treated as a data point that can be fed back into your next book?

Are there some books where the buzz and copies sold has nothing to do with reader enjoyment?

Personally, I don’t have all the answers but I do (as I’m prone) have a heap of opinions. Most especially, what struck me personally was that there are lots of reasons I don’t finish a book and, quite often, it has nothing to do with whether or not I’m enjoying it.

I purchase roughly 3-4 books a week. It’s an addiction and a sickness and one I gladly own. I love books. And I’m constantly purchasing stories that pique my interest. There’s the authors I have on auto-buy. The series I read a great review or blog post on. The book a friend said I had to read. The books written by friends. Books I already own in printed form that I’d like to have in digital. On and on, there are these reasons and so many others.

Amazon, for example, recently did a sale on the first eight In Death books by J.D. Robb. I own the entire series (I am now the lucky owner of Naked in Death in paperback, hardcover AND e) and likely will skip around in my digital versions of those titles to passages I love or as a way to pass the time one afternoon. Very little rhyme or reason to the reading itself, but its certainly not for lack of enjoyment of the work.

I’m curious to know what others think. I do know I’m a bit of an odd reader. I have books stashed all over the house. There are books next to my bed, in my office, in the kitchen, in the living room, in my purse, on my phone, on my tablet….they are EVERYWHERE! I pick books up and set them down, jumping into where I left off, sometimes hours later and sometimes months. There’s very little that’s predictable about my reading habits.

So I’d love to hear what you think. Am I the outlier, or is the idea of keeping track of where readers start or stop a book not nearly as valuable as whether or not they continue to purchase them?

Thanks for joining me today!

XOXO,

Addison

Despite early ambitions of being a diver, a drummer or a doctor, Addison Fox happily discovered she was more suited to life as a writer. She lives in Dallas and - thankfully - doesn't have to operate on anyone. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.com. Her latest book, SILKEN THREATS, is out now from Harlequin Romantic Suspense in February 2015. You can visit her at her website at www.addisonfox.com

Addison Fox: Starting Fresh

I know it’s cliché to write yet another new year’s post, but there’s something about that flip from December to January that fills me with hope. I’ve always thought a brand new calendar has a way of providing perspective like few other things can. There’s something in the air – a slight hum that wraps its arm around your shoulders and whispers in your ear: “Here’s a fresh start.”

What’s interesting, though, is that as a writer, my work constantly revolves around fresh starts. Both the literal fresh start – beginning a new book – as well as the fresh starts I write on the page. In a novel, my hero and heroine can have a fresh start any day of the year, generally evidenced by the moment I choose to place them together.

Once they have that instant spark of connection, we know as readers that their lives will never be the same.

It’s with that spirit – the wonder of “anything can happen at anytime” – that I hope you will approach the new year. Yes, January 1^st has come and gone once again, but make no mistake, there are still interesting times ahead. There be good things on that path and I wish you a year full of fresh starts no matter the day on the calendar.

Thanks for joining me today!

XOXO,

Addison

Despite early ambitions of being a diver, a drummer or a doctor, Addison Fox happily discovered she was more suited to life as a writer. She lives in Dallas and - thankfully - doesn't have to operate on anyone. You can find her at her home on the web at www.addisonfox.com. Her next book, SILKEN THREATS, will be out from Harlequin Romantic Suspense in February 2015. You can visit her at her website at www.addisonfox.com