The (Not So) Dreaded Synopsis by Danniele Worsham 

Is there anyone out there who abhors writing a synopsis as much as I do? It’s easy to tell there is, considering how many articles on writing a synopsis have the word DREADED in the title. Quite a few, let me tell ya.

Unfortunately, this is an essential part of being a writer. A synopsis isn’t some useless task editors thought up to torture us. Before our stories see the light of day, a great synopsis can help sell our work to that coveted editor or agent. Some contests require a synopsis with submissions, because it allows judges to see the evolution of the story beyond the few pages in front of them. After publishing, a synopsis is often used in marketing, as a basis for advertisements or foreign sales.

Since there’s no use continuing to bemoan this task, we might as well get down to it. Writing the synopsis doesn’t have to be that bad, as long as writers approach it with some very basic tools.

First, have a plan. (That’s my organizational side coming to the fore.) I don’t know about you, but I always proceed faster and with more ease if I know where I’m going. This requires a map that gives me direction and guidance, instead of wandering lost in the convoluted darkness of my storyline. Not all plans work for all people, though. We’ll discuss that a little more later.

Second, approach writing your synopsis with the expectation that you will rewrite it at least two, if not more, times. Girded with this realization, you won’t be quite as frustrated when rewrites, then more rewrites, are needed. After all, we are stripping this story that we’ve worked so hard to embellish and ripen to its original naked state. What writer would enjoy doing that?

Now, let’s discuss the way I approach writing a synopsis. It is no better or worse than any other approach. It just happens to work for me.

1. Opening Hook Paragraph*
     Just like your book, hooking the reader right away is essential. I like to utilize the first paragraph of my synopsis to throw out that all-important kernel that makes my story unique, and hopefully catches the reader’s attention. Often I’ll add information that sets a tone for the story, like details of the setting or world building. For instance, in one I introduced the rules of a secret society I was using. You could also describe a game or theme that is used throughout the story, or paranormal writers could set up the rules of engagement for their characters.

* by paragraphs, I mean 3 to 5 sentences

2. Characterization Paragraphs (Heroine, Hero)
     Next I like to delve into who my characters really are. After all, what good is the most outstanding plot if no one cares about the people in it? Each of these paragraphs (one per person) addresses the character’s goals, motivation, conflicts, relevant background information, and current situation.
     We’re setting the stage here.

3. Plot Points
     Having described the lay of the land, I move on to explore the significant signposts along the way. I don’t go into every little detail, though it is tempting to ramble, but instead focus on the essential points that the editor must follow to see the forward motion of the story. I find one paragraph per plot point is sufficient.
     Things not to include here: subplots (unless absolutely essential to the understanding of the storyline), secondary characters, extraneous explanations, or rambling (of which I’m often guilty).
     Things that should definitely be included: brief characterization of your villain and emotional/internal turning points that compliment the external conflict. Remember, we’re writing romances here. Show the editor how the relationship grows throughout the book, not just who gets killed when. Some relational points to consider include the first kiss or sexual scene, background revelations and their impacts, and when/why they fall in love.

4. Black Moment, Climactic Event, and Resolution
     Spend one to two paragraphs explaining the ending of your story. Don’t leave editors guessing. You might think curiosity will have them jumping on the chance to see what happens next, but that’s not a likely scenario. Editors and agents want to know you can deliver. There’s a saying that goes something like, “They want to make sure aliens don’t arrive in chapter thirteen.” That about says it all.

5. Wrap It Up
     For me, this final paragraph usually describes the resolution of the romance. How does the couple we’ve grown so attached to finally achieve happily ever after?

6. Other Important Information
     Format should be identical to your professionally formatted manuscript. Some people advocate double spacing your synopsis, or they can be single spaced with one blank line between each paragraph.
     Length depends on the size of your book and the company to which you are submitting. For many of the companies I looked up, the requirements ranged between two and five pages. Most companies list specifics in their submissions guidelines, so be sure to do your research.
     A synopsis is always written in the present tense, as if the story is happening now. The only thing written in past tense are events that occurred before the story takes place, like important background events.
     Utilize your synopsis to showcase your voice. The language should mimic the mood of your book to give the editor a feel for the manuscript, whether emotional, dark, funny, quirky, etc.

7. Other Plans
     As I mentioned before, not everyone works the same way, just like some people are plotters and some pansters. My map might not work for you, so here are some additional helps on the synopsis journey:

www.Lirw.org/synopsis.html
     This great article by Victoria Ardito lists a series of questions for you to answer to easily build a synopsis. It has a great example too!

www.lisagardner.com/tricks/synopsis.htm
     Author Lisa Gardner has a thorough collection of synopsis lectures covering everything from studying the market to submission do’s and don’ts.

www.charlottedillon.com/synopsis.html
     Charlotte Dillon’s website is a great writing resource, period! This page has a collection of many, many synopsis writing links.

www.writing-world.com/publish/synopsis.shtml
     This article shows one way to write a synopsis after the book is done.

http://www.sff.net/people/alicia/artsynrevision.htm
     Here author Alicia Rasley uses synopsis writing and rewriting to ramp up your plot.

www.lindaneedham.com/synopsistwn.htm
     This synopsis is based on the Hero’s Journey method of plotting.

It is my hope that you take away just one tidbit of information that will help turn your experience writing a synopsis from DREADFUL to DELIGHTFUL, if only when you view the final product. Good luck!

Back to School

Passive Voice for Dummies by Marilyn Puett

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I entered an online writing contest.  I fretted over my entry and finally got the courage to paste it in that little window and click “submit.”  I thought I’d sent in pretty clean copy along with a scene that had a good hook.  I had no illusions about winning.  My main goal was the feedback.

Imagine my surprise when I received the critique and it had “Passive Voice!” inserted everywhere.

It’s been a loooooooong time since I sat in a grammar class so I had to go to an online grammar site and jog my memory about passive voice.  I vaguely remembered something about subjects and action but it was pretty fuzzy.

According to the Capital Community College Online Guide to Grammar and Writing (http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm) passive voice is when the subject of a sentence is “neither a do-er or a be-er.”  The focus is more on the action than on who performed it.

1.  Passive voice is grammatically incorrect. 
2.  The verb “to be” is passive.
3.  First person writing can’t contain passive voice.
4.  Grammar check will catch passive voice usage.

Let’s debunk those myths.

Passive voice is NOT grammatically incorrect.  It’s a style issue.  Because it takes the focus off the person or thing doing the action in a sentence, it’s viewed as weak writing.  “The report was presented by John” is an example of passive voice.  The report doesn’t do anything, but John does. 

Passive voice is also often used deliberately to divert attention.  In the sentence “The video games were designed to appeal to children,” the focus is on the games, rather than the evil genius who designed them and got your children hooked on the X-Box.

The verb “to be” in and of itself is not passive.  It’s how the verb is used that makes it passive.  “The girl is reading the book” is not passive because the subject (girl) is the do-er; she’s reading the book. 

Stories written in first person can contain passive voice just as easily as those written in third person.  “I was called by my attorney” is passive and first person POV.

I ran grammar check on this article and because I have it set to standard writing style as opposed to formal style it didn’t pick up the examples of passive voice.

Sentences written in passive voice are less direct and sometimes unclear.  In that sentence about video games, it’s unclear what the subject even is.  I just guessed that it was evil genius toy makers bent on separating you from your money.

“The sale is being negotiated by Jim.”  This is wordy and awkward.  “Jim is negotiating the sale” is much clearer.  “Mistakes were made” leaves one to wonder just who was making the mistakes.  “The CEO made mistakes” leaves no doubt.

At this point we move from fact to theory so please don’t quote this to a contest judge or your critique partner, even though I believe it’s a pretty darned good theory.

As writers we are encouraged to avoid using adverbs and instead to use strong verbs.  “The sheriff was walking quickly across the room” is considered weak writing (and will often be incorrectly flagged as passive voice).  “The sheriff stalked across the room” might be a better suggestion because the verb paints a more vivid picture of the sheriff’s action.  The verb is stronger or more active.

So if “stalked” is active, then “was walking quickly” must be the opposite, right?  And what’s the opposite of active?  Passive, right?

Wrong! 

What’s the subject?  The sheriff.

What’s the verb?  Was walking.

Who performs the action?  The subject.

Passive voice?  No.

Passive or weak writing?  Probably.  Sometimes walk is the best verb to use.  Overuse of “strong verbs” can be a weakness too and make your writing appear amateurish.  I’ve read contest entries where it’s obvious the author made liberal use of a thesaurus to use anything but a common verb.

Here’s another example:  “A pen holder was given to me.”  The pen holder doesn’t do anything and there’s no obvious subject to the sentence.  “The Playfriends gave me a beautiful pen holder for my desk to celebrate my fifteenth sale.”  Okay, that’s a self-serving example but it’s more descriptive, isn’t it?  :)

Much of what gets tagged as passive voice is really weak writing.  It’s telling rather than showing, and it fails to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind.

This doesn't mean you should go on a search-and-destroy mission and eliminate every "was" in your manuscript.  Sometimes it's the only word that's right for the sentence.  "The tire was flat."  How else do you say it without getting wordy or ridiculous?  "The tire deflated" just doesn't mean the same thing.

“They had spent the night in Montgomery and were going on to Panama City the next morning.  It was raining.  It was Sunday, and they were in a rural area.  There wasn't much traffic.  A dog ran out into the highway, and they hit it, and Matt lost control of the car.  The car left the road and rolled at least twice, then came to a stop, on its right side, in a stand of trees.  Evie was pinned on the bottom.  Matt was hanging in his seat belt above her.  She couldn't get out, couldn't get to him, and he b-bled to death in front of her, his blood dripping down on her.  He was conscious,” she said.  Furiously Becky dashed the tears from her cheeks.  "No one saw the car for a long time, what with the rain and the trees blocking the view.  He knew he was dying.  He told her he loved her.  He told her goodbye.  He'd been dead for over an hour before anyone saw the car and came to help."

Notice how many times the author used "was?”  Did you notice the -ly adverb?  I didn’t notice the first time I read it and I’ve remembered this passage from Linda Howard’s Loving Evangeline since I first read five years ago.  The scene painted such a vivid picture in my mind -- the wrecked car on its side, a man held in place by a seat belt, blood dripping onto the woman below him, his poignant goodbye, her anguish at watching her new husband die before her eyes.

Passive voice isn’t wrong, but it’s not always the best writing style.  Don’t depend on grammar check to catch it.  Keep using forms of the verb “to be” but do try to use strong, active verbs when appropriate.  And remember the simple rule:  in passive voice, the subject isn’t a do-er or be-er.  It is acted upon by someone or something else.  Oops!  That’s passive voice.  Someone or something else acts upon it.

Marilyn Puett has a fairly decent grasp of passive voice and has set her sights on conquering comma usage.  She recently sold her seventeenth short story to Dorchester Media, which publishes the confessions and romance magazines.  She serves as secretary for Heart of Dixie RWA as well as being part of The Writing Playground (www.writingplayground.com).

Back to School

Finding Balance in Everyday Living
by Danniele Worsham

When you were a kid, did you ever play on the teeter totter at the playground? My sister and I, being twins and thus the same size, could each get on opposite sides and, with a little maneuvering, balance the board.

Unfortunately, life isn't as easy to balance as child's play. Sometimes it's a little wobbly; at other times one end weighs everything else immobile. Recognizing this struggle in my own life, I decided to experiment with some balancing acts this summer in hopes of becoming a happier, saner wife and mother.

Set Firm Priorities

Most of us have a vague idea of our priorities or realize how they "should" fall, but do your everyday activities actually live up to this ideal?

To firm them in your mind, sit down and write them out in order. This may mark me as obsessive, but it took my priorities from this nebulous ideal to reality. And I had to face the fact that, while I may claim my writing was a priority, I wasn't actually giving it a proportional share of my time. As a matter of fact, most of my time was going toward things that fell at the bottom of my list, like email, cleaning, and running errands.

Taking a long look at this was the first step into slowing down my life enough to make changes. It helped me see where balance was lacking in my life and which direction would help me the most.

Create Space in Your Life

These days, we seem to run constantly. As mothers especially, we are ever on the move. Work, household, obligations, kids and their activities, church, writing... our time is continually eaten away by chores and unfulfilling minutaie.

I used to think that I had to keep my house spotless. My Mom was a constant cleaner and the inlaws went for white-glove ready. I'd be so embarrassed when they showed up and the house was trashed by kids' toys, dirty dishes, and cat hair.

With kids, I definitely outgrew this. I'm the sole cleaner in my house, and honestly, as long as we aren't growing mold, I don't really care. I'm the type of person who can live with some dirt to a certain point, then I must clean. And that's ok.

The housework gets done eventually, when I can get to it, and that works for us. If anyone complains, I hand them a broom and say, "Have at it."

Letting go of high expectations is the number one way to add space to our lives. Those extra pockets of time that can be filled by small, meaningful things, like cuddling with my children, having an actual conversation with my spouse, or, heck, just breathing. Save the high expectations for things that honestly matter beyond a moment.

Set Multi-tasking Aside

I became the queen of multi-tasking when my first child came into our lives. I started out by reading while I was nursing. Now I can clean while I talk on the phone, pour juice, cook dinner, and fold laundry.

While I do believe this ability can save time, I've gotten to the point that I multi-task everything. Focusing on just one thing at a time has actually become HARD for me.

As a result, I'm constantly rushed and anxious. If I'm relaxing, I feel guilty. Watching a movie--just watching--equals being lazy. And heaven forbid someone should catch me piled up in the bed reading. How mortifying!

By letting go of the need to multi-task, I'm easing off the pressure and hopefully, stress. One way to do this is to plan ahead. Now, don't start obsessing over details, that's just a different type of pressure. Instead, create a moment for yourself to pause and decide logically what steps to take next.

On www.flylady.com, the Flylady suggests spending fifteen minutes of every hour taking a break, thinking about what you need to do for the next 45 minutes of that hour. Taking the time to hug a loved one, have a cup of tea, or admire the sunshine and flowers in your backyard.

I think fifteen minutes per hour might be a bit too often for me, but several times per day helps me regain focus and release that Go, Go, Go feeling. That's a good thing, right?

Live Fully in the Moment

This goes hand in hand with the last section. I've trained myself to do two things at once if I can. So now, I my mind is always running or feeling guilty for not running (yes, I recognize my neurosis, thank you very much!)

So I find myself not savoring experiences or focusing very well. The time with my children has especially suffered because so many precious moments with kids are unexpected, caught only during careful observation.

Now I try to remind myself to actually be with them fully when I'm interacting with them. To savor the feel of them snuggled up against me. Listen and marvel at the things they say.

When I allow myself to relax, truly relax, I'm more refreshed afterward. When I actually pay attention to what I'm eating, I'm actually satisfied quicker. When I'm just writing without worrying about what else needs to be done, the words flow faster and make a whole lot more sense. You get my point?
    
Honor Dreams and Goals

Many times we don't give our dreams priority because there is too much other "real" work to do. (Think day job versus writing before selling.)

But that attitude also lacks balance. We're honoring our outer needs by doing what it takes to pay the bills, but what about our inner needs?

Acknowledging and placing our dreams high on our priority list provides the emotional equilibrium and energy to then focus on the rest of our priorities.

While paying the bills must come first, use that first bit of downtime to focus on your dream of becoming a writer. Honoring it will not only make you a better writer, but also a better wife, mother, employee, and friend.

Take It For a Test Drive

Despite all this advice I'm throwing out, I'm far from an expert. These are just steps (and reasoning) I'm attempting that I hope will make a difference in the chaos that can often be my life. Creating a balanced life is a lifelong journey, I'm coming to realize.

If this is an area that you struggle in (probably so if you've read this far), consider taking some of my suggestions for a test drive. Summer is a great time to stop and smell the roses.

Back to School

The Pits of Pitching Hell
by Kira Sinclair

You’ve signed up to give a pitch to Brenda in June, or at the national conference in San Francisco. And now you’re panicking because you have no idea what to do next. The first thing to do is to take a deep breath. And follow these simple steps.

1. Research the editor/agent you’re pitching to. This is the most important rule of pitching! If you don’t do anything else, make sure you do this. There is no reason to pitch an inspirational book to Brenda just like there’s no reason to pitch a self help book to an agent who only represents fiction. You must know that the person you’re pitching to is interested in buying/representing what you have to offer otherwise you’re wasting not only your time but theirs. That’s not a very good way to make friends and influence people.

2. Don’t take up the entire 5 or 10 minute slot with your book blurb. Your actual pitch should take no more than 2 or 3 minutes. It should be similar to the blurb that you would include in a query letter or the cover copy you’d see on the back of a novel. You can take in notes – I recommend note cards.

3. Open with your hook or high concept.

Hooks:

• Cowboy
• Marriage of Convenience
• Woman in jeopardy

High Concept:

• Basic Instinct meets The Bodyguard

4. Description of your characters – not necessarily their names but WHO they are. What makes them different and sets them apart?

• Occupation
• Characteristics
• Description

5. Goal, Motivation and Conflict – you can weave the who into this statement :
Your characters wants ________ because ________ but can’t have it because ________.

A by the rules Air Force Public Relations Officer will stop at nothing to succeed in her high profile career because she craves the approval of her Major General Father. But if he ever finds out that she accidentally married the hot shot pilot he’s never liked she’ll lose his respect...not to mention her career.

6. Plot turning points – NOT everything! The most important things.

• The inciting incident
• The black moment

7. Tying it all together

• Tying in the title
• Closing with a question – never in a synopsis but it can work in a blurb. A synopsis is to tell the editor/agent that you have followed through on the idea and can sustain the story through the length of an entire book. A pitch is designed to grab their attention and make them ask for more.

8. After the pitch wait for the editor/agent to ask you questions about the story. Be sure to have
answers prepared.

• Character goals, motivations, conflict – be able to go into more detail
• External forces
• Sub plots
• What books have you read lately in the genre/line you’re pitching for?
• What authors do you think your voice most resembles?
• What publisher/house do you see your book fitting well with?
• Be prepared for just about anything. Have additional pitches ready just in case the editor/agent asks if you have anything else available.

9. Be prepared to ask the editor questions of your own – about her line, her job, her likes/dislikes, anything that makes you sound intelligent and informed.

10. When you’re finished be gracious and appreciative whether the editor/agent asked to see
more of your work or not. This business is small and a bad reputation can get around faster than
the latest viral video.

Kira Sinclair knows firsthand the ups and downs of pitching. She sold her first novel, Whispers in the Dark an August 2008 Harlequin Blaze release, from a pitch session.

Back to School

The Waiting Game by Smarty Pants

Congratulations – you’ve done it! You’ve mailed off your baby, be it a query, a partial or a full manuscript. Somewhere an agent or editor has it in her hot little hands, and I’m sure she just can’t wait to call you and tell you she wants to buy it. Er...or not. Odds are, even if it’s the best book she has ever read, you’re not going to hear back for a while. First you have to wait in line. Then, she’ll read it. She’ll have staff readers or assistants read it again. Then maybe a senior editor or agent will read it. If you’re lucky she will put together revision suggestions (because although you might disagree, you aren’t perfect) or you’ll get the dreaded “R” back in your SASE.

Generally, unless you get a magical 3-minute response to your query (e-submissions have made it possible to get rejected even faster!) you’re going to have time to kill. What do you do with the three, six, even twelve months or more it might take before you hear back? Sitting around thinking about it will make you crazy. Here are Andrea’s top ten things to do while you’re waiting:

1. Write another book. This is important. You can’t just sit around for months waiting for the book you’ve sent out to sell. You have to let go, move onto the next project. If you get rejected, you need the reassurance of having another book to get out there to pull you out of your funk. If you sell, you’ll need to have some book ideas to pitch to your editor or agent. They don’t want to buy a one hit wonder. Besides, the more you write, the better you get at it. Whether you get a rejection or a sale call, it never hurts to work at being a better writer.
2. Clean up the manuscript. This is really only in the case of queries or partials (if you’ve sent the full, it’s a little late for all this). Take the time to really scrub your work beyond the first three chapters. How many people out there have won a million contests, but never sell? That’s because they can write an awesome chapter or two. Once you get to chapter twelve, there are issues. Don’t be that person. There is nothing more heart-wrenching than to get a request for a full off a partial, then to get rejected because the rest of the book doesn’t meet the expectations they had for it. (Trust me, I know.)
3. Brainstorm. If you already have a good idea, by all means, go straight to number one and get to writing. If not, take some time to come up with some new book plots. If you keep a file of ideas, go through those. Sit quietly and write down anything that comes to mind, even if it seems silly. Ask yourself “what if...?” Meet with some fellow writing friends and toss around ideas. Even the slightest offhand comment can trigger an idea. Go from there and see what you come up with. I know I always feel better when I have a full idea file.
4. Read for Research. Editors always ask that people read and research the lines and publishers they are targeting. If you think your next project might be a Harlequin Blaze or a St. Martin’s paranormal, now is the time to hit the bookstores. Read what they’re publishing (i.e. buying) and get an idea for the feel of the line. A great book that doesn’t fit the house you’re targeting will not sell. Simple as that.
5. Read for Fun. I can’t stress how important this is. Take the time to rejuvenate your love for the written word (not the ones you agonize over). Grab a few of your favorite author’s latest releases and enjoy them. Also take the time to read some books outside of your chosen writing genre. Sometimes getting your head out of say, erotica-mode, for a while and enjoying a romantic comedy or an urban fantasy can be a refreshing break. It may also inspire some you to bring some humor or fantasy back to your writing.
6. Clear your head. Get away from your computer. Do something else for a while. You may just need the mental time away to reorganize your thoughts and start fresh on your next project. Perhaps cleaning out your closet works for you. Maybe going on a cooking or baking binge. Some of us live on take-out while we work and an actual home-cooked meal might be a rare treat. If you have another hobby, like painting or gardening, get out there and enjoy it. You might even find that digging in the dirt is a great way to work out the plot of the next book.
7. Have some “me” time. Some very smart people have always pressed upon me the importance of “filling the well.” If you have nothing coming in to inspire you, you’ll run out of inspired words to come out. This could be something simple like taking a hot bubble bath or going to see a movie. Get a massage or a pedicure. You could take a weekend getaway to the beach or the mountains. Go back to numbers five and six if you enjoy what you’re doing. Heck, spend an entire day doing nothing but watching a Law and Order marathon. Whatever helps you relax and rejuvenate. Most important, though, is to not feel guilty about it. You need this time.
8. Clean up your workspace. I know. I said the “c-word.” I only say it out of love. I don’t know about you, but if I am seriously working, my desk and office space (along with the rest of my house, honestly) goes to hell. If I pull my focus away from my monitor for a moment, I am horrified by the food wrappers, empty soda cans, scribbled sheets of paper, unopened mail, seven back issues of the RWR, books I’m supposed to read, and who-knows-what-else that is stacking up, threatening to bury me. I have an uncanny ability to ignore all of this unless it starts to smell. So, take a moment (or an afternoon as the case may be) to clear off your desk. Straighten up your space. File or throw things away. You’ll start your new project off fresh and you might even find it’s easier to think (especially if you’re a visual learner and your brain gets clogged up by the clutter.).
9. Take a workshop or online class. In between projects is a great time to learn something new. Maybe you’ve always wanted to write a suspense plot, but wouldn’t know a six-shooter from an AK47. I’m willing to bet there’s a class for that. In addition to the plethora of workshops offered at the annual RWA conference, there are several regional conferences and monthly RWA chapter meetings can offer learning opportunities. Many chapters are now offering online workshops as well. Kiss of Death (http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org/) features a monthly workshop for suspense writers. Hearts through History (http://heartsthroughhistory.com/class.htm) is the place to go for historical research. Chapters like Heart of Dixie (http://www.heartofdixie.org/onlineworkshops.html) or Heart of Carolina (http://heartofcarolina.org/) Romance Writers offer a variety of workshops on different topics. Sign up for one and see what you can incorporate into your next book.
10. Give back. Get involved in your local RWA chapter or with the National RWA organization. If you find you’ve got a little free time on your hands, there are always opportunities to serve the group that does so much to support you. It doesn’t take much to make an impact – write an article for your newsletter, donate research materials to the library, or help plan an event. Contact your RWA regional board members to see if they need volunteers for a committee. Your board will be more than willing (and grateful!) to find something you can help with.

So, there you go – my top ten things to do while you wait. If you take the time to do even a few or all things on the list, you might even forget (for an hour or two, at least) that you have a book out there. You’ll pass the time, be productive, and be fully prepared to tackle the next writing challenge ahead.

Alexandra Frostlives in Huntsville, Alabama and is a member of Heart of Dixie RWA and The Writing Playground (www.writingplayground.com).  She has spent many a sleepless night worrying about her submissions and is willing to go as far as to plan elaborate and unnecessary parties to avoid confronting plot problems. This article can not be reproduced without the author’s consent.

Back to School

Now What?
By Kira Sinclair

What happens after that first sale?  After the parties, the screaming and the joy?  The waiting begins.  But while you wait months or even a year for your first book to hit the shelves there are several things you can do to position yourself for the moment your sale becomes reality – not to mention the million things you’ll need to do for your publisher.

The first thing you should do is write another book.  For me it was months of being in limbo.  My publisher didn’t want to talk about another book until we’d gotten the first one through production.  This makes sense for them.  But for me it was torture.  It already felt like forever before my book would hit the shelves and without something to focus my energy on time seemed to slow to a snail’s pace.  So I wrote another book.  Ultimately, my publisher has asked me to focus on two other projects.  However, that doesn’t mean the one I have stashed away is dead.  It just means it’ll be awhile before I do anything with it.  I do not consider that time wasted.

There will, of course, be a laundry list of requirements from your publisher – art fact sheets, revisions, line edits, bios, head shots, dedications...the list is endless depending on their needs.  The problem is that these things trickle in.  Two or three now and then nothing else for two or three months.  The key is to handle each of these things quickly and professionally because you are establishing your relationship with not only your editor but also other employees at your publisher.  And if you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask! 

You’ve handled your publisher’s needs.  Is there anything you can or should do to help position your book for monster sales? 

The most important – and cost effective – use of your time and money at this point is establishing a good web presence. As soon before your release as possible take steps to set up a website and/or blog.  Getting an electronic presence can be expensive, not to mention time consuming if you design the media yourself.  But don’t skimp here!  This is the place your readers will come to interact with you, where they’ll learn more about you as a person. 

If blogging isn’t your idea of fun then consider finding other authors to share the burden with you.  But remember the most important rule about a web presence is to keep it current!  Change the content of your blog or website on a regular basis – even if it’s just to add a picture of your favorite pet. 

One question I’ve struggled with personally is whether to place any ads or buy promotional items.  Ultimately, for me, the answer came down to cost effectiveness.  I would have to sell an additional 667 books in order to break even on an ad or promotional campaign that cost me $200.  Now, I’m no marketing genius but I know that sending 200 items into the big, bad world can not gain me three times that amount in sales.  I’d be lucky if it netted me five.  So, for the same $200 I’ve decided to invest in a promotional item that I can use for the next several books – changing the sticker I apply for each book I have out.  While I’m still spending the money I’m also stretching the potential return and increasing the likelihood that the item results in sales. I’ve also streamlined my target audience.  I’m going to focus on booksellers and librarians – people who will potentially hand sell all of my books once I’ve established myself as opposed to someone who might only purchase one book. 

I’m electing not to place any ads at this time.  I may change my mind for subsequent books but for right now I think this is a strategy that will work for me.  Of course, my release will be part of a category line.  If I were publishing single title then my choices would quite possibly be different.  I am, however, planning to design a book trailer through a free or mostly free site.  This trailer can be placed on my website, blog and My Space page.  The cost is minimal so the potential for a return on my investment is pretty good. 

Ultimately, the time between that phone call and the moment your book appears on the shelf can feel like a time of hurry up and wait.  Before you know it you’ll be scheduling signings and writing your next book, take these months to tackle time consuming tasks like web design that you might not have time for later.  Don’t rush to action simply to fill the void of impatience.  Do the math before spending any money and evaluate potential gain against cost.  If you do these things you’ll be well prepared to tackle that year. 

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Newbie No-Nos

By: Kimberly Lang (with help from Kira, Marilyn, Alexandra, Danniele and Kelley St. John)

Ah, I remember my salad days… the days when you’re so green you don’t even know you don’t have a clue and you wouldn’t know where to look for one either. Education is often painful, and the learning curve in this business is steep. I’ve been very lucky to have a very supportive group of authors who do know lead me out of the depths of my ignorance. So, in the tradition of passing it on, I have here for you Seven Things All Newbies Need to Know.

• Don’t ask a published author to read your book. In fact, don’t ask anyone to read your book (unless, of course, you’re querying an agent or editor). It seems like a great idea at the moment, but if you think about it long enough, I’m sure you’ll begin to see the myriad of reasons why it’s not a good idea. I’ll even go as far as to say it’s rude.  Now, there are exceptions.  If you are forming a critique relationship with this person, then yes, they will need to read your stuff—but you’ll be reading theirs as well. My personal rule is that if I don’t know this person well enough to call them and say “hi” for no reason, then I don’t ask them to read my stuff. If someone—especially a pubbed author—wants to read your stuff, she’ll let you know.

• Don’t ignore submission/editorial guidelines (and learn what the “basics” are—double spaced, unbound, white paper, etc). If you want to be taken seriously, show that you are doing your homework.  Don’t send erotica to Avalon. Don’t send your uplifting inspirational to Blaze.  Don’t query by email if the guidelines say snail mail only.  And by basics, nothing screams “NEWBIE” like fancy fonts on pink unicorn paper.

• Don’t think an editor or agent will break the rules “just for you” or “just this once.” They won’t.  An editor may love your book, may plan to buy it if it ever gets published, but don’t think for a nanosecond that Blaze will ever publish an inspirational loaded with kids and a warm fuzzy moral.  Don’t send mysteries to houses that only publish romance.  They won’t publish your mystery. Even if it does promise to outsell the DaVinci Code.  Yes, we’ve all heard tales about the author who flouted everything and sold her first book for a million dollars.  The reason you’ve heard of it is because it’s so RARE, it’s a statistical impossibility. Don’t count on it happening to you.

• Don’t make enemies. Be nice.  Be professional. And to be totally honest, remember where you are on the food chain. Listen and learn.

• Don’t post stupid stuff on blogs. Even worse than making enemies is doing it in public.  Never bad mouth folks by name on the internet (or anywhere else). You will forever be known for it. If you wouldn’t say it to the person’s face, don’t say it on a blog. Remember, the internet never forgets. See number 4 above about not making enemies.

• Don’t ever forget this is a business. Don’t take stuff personally. It’s not about you—it’s about the product you’re producing.  There are a couple of editors I’m friendly enough with to invite out for a drink—neither one of them is buying a book from me. It’s not because they don’t like me; it’s because I haven’t pitched them a book they can sell.

• Don’t give up. Keep writing. Keep pitching. The only way to guarantee failure is to quit trying.  You won’t be a newbie forever.

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Broadway and Walt Disney -- The Secret to Achieving Your Goals by Marilyn Puett

You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true? -- Bloody Mary in South Pacific (1)

When you wish upon a star your dreams come true. – Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio (2)

January is the month when everyone begins to utter the question “What are your goals for the new year?” Last January you may have said “This is the year I’m going to ___insert favorite goal_____.” Yet here it is a year later and you didn’t do it. Why not? It’s something you’ve dreamed about for ages.

Broadway musicals and Disney movies are full of lyrics expounding on the power of dreams. Dreams are the passions that guide us through life. They are what get us out of bed in the morning and make us put one foot in front of the other, or in the case of a writer, put the butt in the chair and the hands on the keyboard.

Dreams
How many of you have had dreams so lofty you’ve been shot down for them? Who has had a relative or friend tell you to get your head out of the clouds and come back to earth? History is filled with stories of dreamers who gave up too soon.

Heed the cautionary tale of an only child of a man who was an auto mechanic and car salesman and a woman who was domineering and narcissistic. He was raised in New Orleans and after earning undergraduate and graduate degrees, his teaching career and doctoral studies were interrupted by the draft and a two-year stint in the Army. After his discharge he returned to New Orleans, lived with his parents and taught college. He also wrote a novel, drawing on some of his life experiences.

Simon and Schuster expressed initial excitement in the book but eventually rejected it saying the book “isn’t really about anything.” Hello! Seinfeld! But this was a different century – a different time. The author began drinking heavily and believed the book would never see publication. He also quit teaching, dropped out of his doctoral studies and sank into a deep depression.

In 1969 at age 32 he hooked a garden hose to his car’s exhaust pipe and ended his life. Seven years later his mother insisted a Loyola professor read the manuscript. The professor hesitated but relented and fell in love with the book. In 1980 A Confederacy of Dunces was published and a year later John Kennedy Toole was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

History is also filled with stories of those who didn’t listen to the naysayers. Walt Disney refused to listen to the people who told him to get a “real” job. Without his dreams we’d be living in a world without Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. And without the determination of Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel, the Barbie doll would never have come into being.

Goals
But having a dream alone isn’t enough. You must take that passion and channel it effectively to make it become a reality. That is where goals come in.

Motivational speakers Zig Ziglar and Anthony Robbins tell about a study of the 1953 graduating class of Yale University. Researchers asked the seniors if they had specific written goals for their lives. Only 3% of them did. Twenty years later they were studied again and that 3% of the graduating class had accumulated more personal wealth than the other 97% of the class of 1953 combined.

That’s a tremendous vote of confidence for the importance of writing down your goals. Or it would be if it was true. Fastcompany.com as well as the secretary of the Yale class of 1953 debunked this story that has been told from stages around the world.

That doesn’t mean, however, that you shouldn’t write down your goals. Putting them on paper keeps them in front of you and gives you an easier way to visualize them. It also creates a level of commitment on your part to meet the goals, especially if you’ve shared them with an accountability partner.

Another story often told from stage by motivational speakers is the true story of Napoleon Hill. He was an American author and one of the pioneers of the genre of personal success literature. Hill was a newspaper reporter who was assigned to interview steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie was so impressed with Hill that he commissioned him without pay to interview 500 successful men and women including Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, George Eastman, Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller and Theodore Roosevelt.

Hill was already a believer in success principles and was more than willing to work without pay in order to have access to these great people. His job was to discover and publish their stories of success, which Carnegie believed could be distilled to a simple formula that could be duplicated by the average person. That distillation was eventually published as the book Think and Grow Rich, which has sold more than thirty million copies worldwide.

What Hill discovered was that these successful people all had a “Definite Major Purpose.” In simple terms, they had dreams, goals and a plan to achieve them.

A plan of action
What’s the plan for turning a dream into a goal?

1. You must want your goal badly. You must be willing to sacrifice to achieve it. Olympic athletes devote years of their lives to train for one moment of performance, which if perfect or near perfect will win them a gold medal. Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen was favored to win medals in the 1988 Olympics. He competed only hours after his sister’s death from leukemia and fell. Despite dominating the sport for a decade he went home with no medals. Yet he continued to train and returned to the Olympic arena in 1994 for another try. After a fall in his specialty event, he had one more chance for the elusive gold. He not only won that medal, but he set a new personal and world record. How badly do you want to write that novel?
2. You must visualize achieving your goal. The human brain can’t tell the difference between something imagined and the real thing provided you are able to visualize your goal with clarity. A study at Manchester University showed athletes were able to achieve muscle growth purely by visualizing larger muscles during hypnosis sessions. Picture writing the last scene of your novel and typing “The End.”
3. Plan the path to your goal. Every athlete has a training schedule. Every teacher has a lesson plan. Every project has a schedule and budget. How many pages will you write each day to finish your book?
4. Put a date on your goal. Napoleon Hill wrote “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Many have dreamed for years yet never achieved the dream. Olympic athletes know that every four years the world’s best will gather to compete. A student knows when his term paper is due. An author under contract has a deadline date. When do you want to finish your book?
5. Mark your calendar at set intervals and chart your progress. Runners have timed trials at intervals to clock their improvement. Manufacturing companies develop schedules for each phase of production to help them stay on task. Get yourself an accountability partner and check in with each other on a regular basis to report your progress. Put a calendar on your desk and use it for more than a paperweight.
6. Evaluate regularly. If you aren’t making progress, perhaps you need to make changes. The goal will stay the same, but perhaps you need to change the date or the path you’re using to get there. Characters go off on tangents, life sideswipes you and lands you in bed with the flu and hard drives crash. But your story stays the same.
   

Affirmations
Most success coaches also emphasize the importance of daily affirmations. Jack Canfield, co-creator of the billion dollar Chicken Soup for the Soul series, teaches that you can increase your results by taking your goals and turning them into affirmations and has created a formula for doing so. Take the goal and turn it into an affirmation by beginning with “I am” and adding an emotion adverb. State it in the present tense and say it aloud at least twice every day. For example your goal of writing five pages a day becomes “I am cheerfully and effortlessly writing five pages or more every day.”

“I am” goes back to that deal about the brain not knowing the difference between the truth and a lie. The adverbs tell your subconscious that the goal won’t be difficult to achieve. Stating the goal in the present tense creates conflict between what you are saying and what is true. Your subconscious then acts to eliminate the conflict. Adding the words “or more” to the statement nudges your subconscious to realize that it’s possible to do more than just the five pages.

By saying the affirmation first thing in the morning you start your day on a positive note. By repeating it right before bedtime, you command your brain to work on it while you sleep.

Write down your affirmations not only as a writer but as a spouse, parent, employee or any other roles you have and tape them around your house. It takes twenty-one days to make a new habit. Repeating affirmations is a habit worth developing.

Quotes
Quotes from successful people can serve to motivate and inspire. Like affirmations, they help choke out the negative thoughts that frequently invade our minds. Here are some of my favorites. Feel free to paste them around your writing area.

Plan your work for today and every day, and then work your plan. – Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. – Henry Ford

There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. – Beverly Sills, American opera singer and chairman of the Metropolitan Opera

What would you attempt if you knew you couldn’t fail? -- Dr. Robert Schuller, minister and author of Move Ahead with Possibility Thinking

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. – author unknown

If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else. – Yogi Berra, New York Yankees player and manager also famous for his “Yogi-isms”

Belief
One last and very important element in this equation is belief. W. Clement Stone, whose life reads like a Horatio Alger story, said “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

There’s a story about a young girl whose father died and left her in the care of his second wife. The wife wasn’t thrilled at being responsible for this child and relegated her to a life of misery. Yet despite her abysmal lot in life, the girl kept a positive attitude and believed that one day she’d find a way out. Then an opportunity presented itself. She had held fast to her dream and now had a deadline to aim for. With a little help from her friends, she acquired the tools to achieve her goal and despite a lost glass slipper, a coach that turned back into a pumpkin, a nasty stepmother and two ugly stepsisters, Cinderella found her Prince Charming and lived happily ever after.

A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbows will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
the dream that you wish will come true. – Cinderella in Cinderella (3)

Happy New Year and here’s to your success!

(1) Music and lyrics by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II
(2) Music and lyrics by Ned Washington and Leigh Harline
(3) Music and lyrics by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston

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THEN YOU HIDE by Roxanne St. Claire

Reviewed by Marilyn Puett

Southern gentleman Wade Cordell is the best marksman in the military.  Or he was until he left because he was tired of killing people for a living.  When Lucy Sharpe offers him a full-time position with the Bullet Catchers instead of the part-time consulting work he’s been doing, he waffles.  He knows Bullet Catchers protect their clients, but he hasn’t forgotten that sometimes they have to kill in order to protect.

So Lucy offers him a “gimme” – a simple assignment to find a woman who’s on a vacation in the Caribbean.  Find her and take her to meet the woman who gave birth to her and then sold her to a black market adoption ring.  The woman who’s serving a life sentence for murder.  The woman who is dying a needs a bone marrow transplant from a relative.

Wade tracks her down on St. Kitts, but Vanessa Porter is a keen negotiator.  Before the Wall Street investor with the killer instincts will agree to visit this woman, Wade must help her find her work associate who’s decided to drop out in the islands.

What follows is murder and mayhem that takes Wade and Vanessa from island to island, following a trail of clues, which might be leading them to their man – or not.  And while Wade is falling in love with the woman he’s supposed to find and protect, Vanessa is fighting the emotions because she can’t possibly love a man who killed for a living, any more than she can care for a woman who is not only serving time for murder, but who sold her like an unwanted lamp.

Rapid-fire dialogue and a plot full of twists and turns highlight this second book in Ms. St. Claire’s 2008 Bullet Catchers trilogy.  This bodyguard is to die for and he steams up the love scenes like rain on asphalt in August.  He’s met his match in Vanessa, a spitfire with a brilliant business sense but who considers herself unworthy of anyone’s love.  You won’t be disappointed in this fast-paced romantic suspense.

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Nobody Does It Better by Jennifer LaBrecque (Blaze, July 2008)
Reviewed by: Kimberly

The very obvious statement I could make here is that nobody does it better than Jennifer LaBrecque, but that might get me in trouble with my other writer friends!  So, I’ll just say that Jennifer’s new book ROCKS!

Set in Venice, this book pairs an everyday American schoolteacher with a sexy British spy. Holly and Gage are an unlikely couple, but it works so well here. Like in all of Jennifer’s books, the characters are funny and likable, and when Holly’s germ phobia helps her be mistaken for a notorious international spy, I spit my drink all over my book.

The sex is hot, hot, hot –so hot, I didn’t want to stop reading in order to do the revisions to my manuscript. There’s a restaurant scene that sizzles, but it was the gondola ride that won me over.  I’ll never think of Venice’s most famous icon in the same way again.

But the book has a heart—and I’m not just talking about the love story.  Holly’s personal journey had some very unexpected twists, and my heart broke for her.  Gage is suave and works that international spy vibe without any 007 cheesiness. And, yes, I’m a sucker for Jennifer’s British heroes.

This book gets the Problem Child seal of approval for a hot and fun book that’s a perfect way to while away a hot summer afternoon. Make sure your drink has ice—you’ll need it.

The Loner by Rhonda Nelson(Blaze, July 2008)
Reviewed by: Marilyn

In one stupid moment of inattentiveness, Lucas “Huck” Finn’s career with the Rangers was over.  He lived and breathed the work he did and wondered how he’d live without the Army.  Then he was offered a position with Ranger Security, a top-notch firm founded by three former Rangers, and he’s a little less worried about his future.  Well, he is until he learns he’s being assigned to babysit a spoiled heiress who’s received several threatening letters.  Huck figures he’ll suck it up and handle the assignment until he sets eyes on Sapphira Stravos and (1) he reacts to her in a visceral way that’s way more than a bodyguard should feel and (2) he has a gut feeling that something’s not right.

Sapphira hates having a bodyguard, but her father has insisted.  She’s run off three already, but she’s met her match in Huck Finn.  The sparks she feels toward him are strong and she’d love nothing more than let them burst into full flame.  But if she does, then Huck will learn the truth about her and he’ll probably tell her father and her secret life will be over.

THE LONER is trademark Rhonda Nelson fiction:  strong alpha drop-dead-gorgeous heroes, smart sexy heroines who can hold their own; brilliant snappy dialogue, smart, sophisticated humor and sex that would scald an iron skillet.  This latest release in her “Men Out of Uniform” series is sure to please.  It’s a terrific hot read for a hot summer day – or night.

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To Seduce a Bride by Nicole Jordan

Reviewed by Instigator

I’ve been on a historical kick lately and Nicole Jordan is one of my new great finds.  Her Courtship Wars trilogy, a trio of books I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, ends with To Seduce a Bride.

Lilian Loring, the youngest of the three Loring sisters, has vowed she will never marry.  Turning over her happiness and freedom to another person is simply too risky – especially when it involves a man who could leave her broken and desperate the way her father left her mother.  The fact that her two older sisters have recently found love and marriage doesn’t sit well with her... Neither does a run-in with Heath Griffin, the Marquess of Claybourne, at her sister’s wedding.  Telling him no and running away is the best response she can come up with to the unwelcome attraction he stirs inside.  But Heath isn’t the type of man to take no for an answer, going so far as to follow Lily to a boarding house for women of ill repute.

In the end, this book is a wonderful story of persistence, finding the best things in the most unusual places and trusting our instincts over our fears.  This book is a fantastic escape, the entire series well worth the read.  Pick up To Pleasure a Lady, To Bed a Beauty and To Seduce a Bride today!

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First You Run by Roxanne St. Claire
Pocket Books, April 2008

Reviewed by Marilyn Puett

When Adrien Fletcher agrees to help his best mate, ousted Bullet Catcher Jack Culver, find a baby adopted through a black-market ring thirty years ago, he never dreams he’d be thrust into the world of Maya culture.  He’s given a name – Miranda Lang – and a clue – she was marked with a tattoo.  Together, they may be able to solve a thirty-year-old murder.

Miranda, an anthropology professor at Berkley, is promoting her book which debunks the theory that the Mayans predicted December 21, 2012 as the end of the world.  But someone is out to stop her.  Signings are disrupted or mysteriously cancelled, books disappear by the case and her life is threatened.

If Miranda is indeed the adoptee Fletch is looking for, he must keep her safe from the lunatics who seem determined to stop her.  And if along the way his attraction to Miranda turns into more, he’ll just have to deal with that too.

Fletch, a former member of the Tasmanian Special Ops, is the most engaging Bullet Catcher to date.  He’s fearless in the face of danger and known for his ability to get a woman horizontal and naked in under five seconds.  Miranda is his intellectual match, but she’s a woman hounded by fears.  Who better to help her conquer them than Fletch?  Watching these two in action was pure bliss.

Sexy, thrilling, spellbinding, romantic – FIRST YOU RUN cover all the bases of a great romantic suspense while including a little history and geography lesson as well.  The plot and characters hooked me from the first page and kept me hooked until I finished at four in the morning.  This book – especially the hero – was well worth losing a night’s sleep.

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His for the Taking by Julie Cohen

Reviewed by Problem Child

Most of the romance reading and writing world cut their teeth on Harlequin Presents. I’m one of the exceptions, but even I’ve read a few.  It’s never been an auto-buy for me, though—sheiks and virgins just aren’t my thing.

So why am I reviewing a Presents this month?  Because it’s not really a Presents.  Yeah, the cover looks like a Presents.  The title sounds like a Presents.  It’s part of the Presents line.  Between those covers, though, it’s a Modern Heat.  Miss the old Temptations?  Then Modern Heat is for you—and they’re being released in the US now as part of the Presents line. 

Yay!

(Presents has moved to twelve books a month, and rumor has it that four of them will be Modern Heats.  My fingers are crossed that’s really the truth.)

Julie Cohen’s His For the Taking is the US release of Driving Him Wild. Cab driver Zoe and park ranger Nick mesh like chalk and cheese at first, but the friction makes for much fun. A missing father, a deceased aunt with a secret (and a large estate), and a wounded NYC pigeon round out our major characters, and set Nick and Zoe on the adventure that leads them from the city to the backwoods to HEA. It’s a fun ride (pun intended).

Both characters have emotional baggage, but it’s on wheels and fits in the overhead bin—just the way I like it.  Neither one is so wounded or stunted that they evoke pity from the reader; instead, their motivations are understandable, believable, and totally relatable. 
Cohen writes a hunky beta hero who’s charming, accessible, and 100% masculine, proving that romance heroes don’t have to be uber-alpha to win the girl. What’s not to love?

So Julie Cohen gets rave reviews from me this month, and I’m recommending His For the Taking to one and all. I’m hoping all of Cohen’s books are in the same vein, and I’ll be checking into her backlist.

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The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks, Love at Stake Series Book 4
Reviewed by Danniele Worsham

In The Undead Next Door, Kerrelyn Sparks's brand of vampirism meets Parisian fashion design in a small Texas town. With her unique blend of wit and flair, Sparks once again revisits the Love at Stake series. This is the story of Jean-Luc Echarpe, the Parisian coven master, who must go into hiding for 25 years to protect the secret of his immortality from the world. He chooses the sleepy town of Schnitzelberg, TX, where he inadvertently endangers the lives of Heather Westfield and her daughter. His attempts to protect the feisty divorcee are thwarted by her determination to stand on her own two feet after ditching her controlling husband. This story updates readers on a beloved cast of characters and introduces some shocking surprises.

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Skye O'Malley by Bertrice Small

Reviewed by Alexandra Frost

Few books can shape someone. I’ve been a part of several online discussions about someone’s first romance novel or what book turned them on to the romance genre. Katherine Woodiwiss is always mentioned, as is Bertrice Small. Her story, Skye O’Malley, was that book for me. I read it far too young, then proceeded to devour the entire 6 book collection. I recently tripped across it online and the book has been re-released as of December 26th, 2007. I’m so glad to see this book has been reprinted. In the past, it has been difficult to find and even more difficult to keep. (Be careful who you loan it to, I’ve lost 3 copies.) Appropriate, I say, that I write a review for the book that changed by life in a way.

Skye O’Malley is no ordinary woman and this is no ordinary romance novel. This is the first book in a saga that follows an extraordinary woman’s journey through a tumultuous time in history. From the coasts of Ireland, to the harems of Algeria, to the court of Queen Elizabeth herself, you travel along with a woman ahead of her time. Unlike your standard romance, there is no one hero, no predicable plot arc, but a roller coaster of love, betrayal, loss and joy as Skye navigates her way through a life few could imagine living.

If you enjoy rich historicals, this book is a must. Small goes above and beyond in her descriptions of the clothing, the food, and the settings. It makes the character’s surroundings come alive. I picked up most of my Elizabethan history from reading these books. If you fancy a tale with pirate ships or sultry locales like Africa, the Middle East and India, you’ll find that too. If you like an erotic story with a plot where the sexuality makes sense and don’t mind a bit of the purple prose early romances are known for, this is the book.

My only warning is that you block off enough time to finish not only this story, but the 2nd novel All the Sweet Tomorrows so you can complete Skye’s story. (The remaining 4 books have Skye in them, but the stories focus on her children and other family.)

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