August 2008 - Trish Wylie

July 2008 – Jennifer LaBrecque

June 2008 - Karen Rose Smith

May 2008 - Gena Showalter

April 2008 - Carla Arpin

March 2008 - Alisa McKnight

February 2008 - Kerrelyn Sparks

January 2008 - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

2007 Sandbox Interviews

2005 - 2006 Sandbox Interviews

August 2008 - Trish Wylie

As y’all know, my first book will be released in the UK in January 2009. Turns out, I’ll be sharing shelf space with best-selling and award-winning author Trish Wylie! If her fabulous books weren’t intimidating enough, her awards from Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice and CataRomance would tip the scale.  Add in the amazing info on her website for aspiring authors, her personal blog that’s full of great info and fun stories, plus the Pink Heart Society Blogazine, and the woman is a force to be reckoned with. But she’s super nice as well—she’s made this newbie feel very welcome and a little less lost in the big world of publishing. I’m so tickled she’s making the trip to the Playground this month!

So scooch over and give Trish a seat in the shade—I’d hate for that lovely Irish skin to fry in the Alabama sun. (Trish would like to point out this is a very real risk. One summer it hit 23 degrees at home and she walked into a chemist and asked them for an asbestos suit in a can. They didn’t have one funnily enough. Factor 50 Sun Cream anyone?!)

Problem Child: Hi, Trish, and welcome!  And can I just say again how super-fabulous you are?

Trish Wylie: Only if you come with me when I’m shopping for clothes and say it regardless of how the sizes have changed since my last book… The sign of a friendship made in heaven I feel. Plus it’s important to take a friend to help you back OUT of the clothes you tried on in the size you USED TO wear. But thank you sweetie! In that intro you made me sound like I know what I’m doing (anyone who knows me has now choked on whatever they’re eating/drinking as they read…)

PC: You are a very busy woman—I get exhausted just looking though your website and blogs.  So I’ll ask the burning question: how do you make time for everything?  Please share the secret!

TW: Ahh now. Being as and how I write fiction for a living I could probably come up with something REALLY good here. But the truth is much more boring. Being single and sans children helps (an extra ten to twelve hours a day right there if what my friends tell me is true). Plus I live in the left kidney of the ***hole of nowhere and as its Ireland it rains 90% of the time so I’m a part time recluse. Oh and an insomniac apparently. This does however mean at conferences and the like I’m a tad hyperactive – so be warned! Bottom line; I tend to keep going till I drop and then I sleep to Olympic standards.

PC: You write for both Modern Heat (released as Presents in the US) and Harlequin Romance.  Is it hard to switch gears? I won’t ask you which one you like best (J), but what draws you to each of the lines?

TW: Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get me to get into if I had to answer which one I like best? Just as well you didn’t ask really…

I started out with Romance so I owe that line a lot. Without that first sale to them I wouldn’t be here so it’ll always have a special, irreplaceable spot in my heart. Modern Heat I pitched for when I was making the decision to give up work and write full time. So it was a financial decision as well as an excited interest in where the new line might go; I’ll be honest about that. Plus with my ‘day job’ I was working between a forty-five and sixty hour week and writing in the evenings and weekends so I was very, very worried about filling my days ;) But it did mean I was pitching *blind*. The books weren’t even on the shelf yet so I couldn’t read any to see what they were like and the editorial notes at the time were so open it was almost scary! In the end I just wrote something I’d enjoy reading myself and thankfully it sold. I LOVE Modern Heat and really do feel I’ve *found* myself there writing wise. (I even think my Romances have improved thanks to it) Right now I’m contracted for four books at a time (per contract that is, not four all at the same time *shudder*) so I alternate between the two; a Romance then a Modern Heat then a Romance then yada yada yada…

As to switching between the two. Ah now. Used to be at the start I took a week and ‘switched voices’, cos I thought they had to be different but when I foolishly said that to the lovely head of the Romance line in idle chat at the Dallas Conference last year I was almost slapped for it (in the nicest possible way). Turns out the uber contemporary voice they like so much from me in Modern Heat is what she wanted from me in Romance too. So now the only real difference is the sex. And having said that, my Romance characters have decided in the last few books that they’d like to partake of a little themselves, thanks anyway. We just don’t go into the actual logistics of the docking procedure - if you get my drift…

PC: Tell us about the Pink Society Blogazine.  How did it get started? What are your goals for it?

TW: LOL. Ohhhh you’ll LOVE how it got started. It came from a rant. I’m prone to them; it’s the Irish gal in me. And yes, being female I do tend to rant more in one week out of every four… but between Christmas and New Years I was blogging and ranting on the subject of how category/series romance is sneered at by the literary reading fraternity - and the ex-promotions gal in me got a tad carried away. Next thing I knew I was chatting to three friends online (gotta love MSN messenger really) who had sold at the same time as me, one of them brought up the subject of a joint blog and two odd hours later The Pink Heart Society was born.

Basically we’re there as a community to stand together and say loudly we love series romance and that no-one should tell us what we can and can’t read. I’m a great believer in that. So we talk about all the things we love about the books; hot men, dream locations all over the world, how authors put books together, favorite books we’ve read, hot men, writing tips, romantic movies, hot men… well you get the idea. We have fifty-eight author members from all over the world and across the lines, almost three hundred members on the loop, a brand new Shelfari group and regular columnists and author guests who blog with us six days a week. It’s been fantastic to be a part of and it’s such a fun place to hang out since we launched in 2006. I can honestly say that the four of us who started it are all really proud of it.

PC: Are you a plotter or a pantser?  Want to tell us a little about your writing process?

TW: Panster. Hands down. But one with a *system*. Initially I’ll have a grain of an idea, one or two scenes I can see very clearly, but with no idea of how I’m linking them together. Then I have a method I call ‘Backwards Casting’. Even before I started writing I was fascinated by movies and how they were put together, so I guess I was always going to be a visual writer. So imagine a movie starts with a script, then looks for locations and props, and then casts the actors… I do that backwards. I start by casting pics of how I see my hero and heroine, then I find pics of all the locations and props and then I work on the ‘script’. Last year I worked with collages made from my pics but for the last two books I’ve taken that a step further and started storyboarding. So I’ll put a set of pics together for the scenes I had to begin with and then make new ones as I go along and new scenes form (hopefully). I find this really helps with descriptive elements and continuity et all. Plus, if I were to plot the whole book in one go before I start I know I’d never finish it cos I already know the ending. And I think I’d miss some of the fairy dust along the way – can’t tell you the number of times I’ve worked on something and outta nowhere I get info I hadn’t even considered before. So being a panster allows a fluidity I don’t think I’d get otherwise.

PC: You’re up for a Bookseller’s Best award this year (all the Playfriends will be keeping their fingers crossed for you!).  Does a final in a contest like that bring satisfaction, validation, or just excitement?

TW: I think any writer who is honest about it will say they’re needy. We live for validation. Editor likes what you’ve done; you feel better – even if the revisions make you crawl into a corner with cake. Book sells; you feel even better – and you know you can afford cake for next time. Book sells well on the shelf; you feel much, much better and you know cake will be there in a years time when the royalties start to appear. Reader takes the time to comment and say nice things about your book; you GLOW and the need for cake diminishes exponentially.

Then you balance all those great moments with things like bad reviews, the people who hated your book and want to use it as a doorstop, the number of times you enter a contest and never get into the final. And yes, it can get to you. You tell yourself it doesn’t but it does. I don’t think it’s that we need to be regularly patted on the head (though bringing us cake would help obviously) its just human nature that you want to do the best job you can and when you’ve put your heart and soul into something… you know? Over time I’ve learnt to deal with the bad times better (theoretically and with cake) and celebrate the good times as much as humanly possible without being arrested. And I KNOW I’ve been INCREDIBLY LUCKY with contests but I’ll never ever get blasé about them. At the end of the day, simple lass that I am; one person enjoys a book and tells me they did - I’m happy. I’ll pull that email out and read it when I’m in the corner with cake and it gives me the courage to crawl back out again…

(The book nominated for the Booksellers Best Award is a Modern Heat and was released as a Presents in May under the title Her Bedroom Surrender. Overweight heroine plus Middle East Bodyguard turned personal trainer for a hero (based on the visual image of Irish bad boy Colin Farrell) and yes, you can still get it from Amazon…)

PC: You’ve put out a lot of great info for aspiring authors.  If you could make one rule all hopefuls HAD to follow, what would it be?

TW: Write the book you’d READ. If you love something you’re far more likely to put your heart into it and if you do that your voice will SHINE. It’s the voice that sells, trust me on this. Everything else can be worked on. In the London offices the editorial team has a fantastic approach; they say they don’t buy books - they invest in authors. If you have a distinctive voice and a well told story then even if it falls between the lines they’ll work with you to get it to where it needs to be. Over-think every word your muse will pack a bag. And leave with the cake. Need I say more?

PC: What was the best piece of advice you ever received as a writer?  Is there a piece of advice you wish you’d ignored?

TW: First one was from an author who is now a great friend; she told me you can’t edit a blank page. So I allow myself to write crap. Crap can be edited. Surfing blogs, jumping from one Youtube clip to another and Googling hot men won’t help me meet my deadline - even if I try telling myself its “research”. Second one I stand by to this day is for anyone subbing and that’s to finish the book before sending the partial. If you can’t finish it then how can you send it when you get the request for a full?! And I’m living proof of this cos when I subbed my first ms I sent the partial end of November and had the request for the full by Christmas Eve. If I hadn’t had it finished I’d have been screwed, especially over Christmas. And yes, it sold. I KNOW. I’M SORRY. Ok. No I’m not. But if it helps any then the fact I’ve never been rejected means I’m constantly waiting to be told I suck and it was all a huge mistake. Am I forgiven now???

As to ignored? Erm. Lemme see. I don’t think I was ever actually ‘told it’ but I’ve learnt that you really don’t need to spend as much time and money on promotion as you think you do at the start… at least not in series romance. I’m not saying don’t do ANY but I am saying it doesn’t need to break the bank. All the main promotion and marketing and branding is done by the company already. We’re very lucky that way with Harlequin. We can certainly do stuff that backs that up but the best thing we can do to get our name bandied about the place is to keep writing the best books we can. Readers are amazing people. They’ll talk books all day long and share the joy of a book they love and thanks to them word of mouth does a lot of the work for us. I don’t think they realize what a difference that passion makes to our careers. Mind you, let them down a few times and there’s a chance… I’m not even gonna complete that sentence in case it brings bad karma my way. But then that’s where a lovely editor comes in. The lovely editor keeps us on track. The lovely editor makes sure we keep doing the best job possible. Lovely editors are like really fine gold-dust. I know. I’m on my fifth one since I sold…

TW: Are the kind of people I know I could be friends with in real life.

And I’m not being corny about that. I’ve met some truly amazing people thanks to this job and every single one I’ve met face-to-face has been lovely! (and made me blush) But then I think we put a lot of our personality into our books so if anyone likes what they read there’s a pretty good chance you’re gonna get on. I for one LOVE that!!!

PC:  What part of Ireland are you from?  Tell us something neat about your corner of the world.

TW: I was born and reared in County Antrim in the North of Ireland and now live near Donegal and Fermanagh. Close to the lakes. And a half hour from the sea. Oh and a stones throw from Yeats County. A friend asked me last year if I had to use one word to describe Ireland what would it be and I answered WISTFUL. It’s a very wistful country; as green as you would imagine and in every shade possible (thanks to the rain) and it’s steeped in a history you can feel when you breathe in. I’ve visited every single one of the 32 counties and can honestly say that I LOVE where I live. From castles to fairy rings to bays that can look positively Mediterranean when the sun actually decides to make an appearance it’s simply stunning. I’m lucky enough to live in the heart of the country; inside a hundred and fifty acres of forestry commission land with one lane roads that don’t have names on them (our postman carries a duplicate book for accidents!), a river complete with miniature waterfall and fields full of horses and ponies. Life doesn’t get much better than that! And yes; everyone does wave when you drive through small towns and yes – if you’re lost and stop for directions they will still suck in a breath and say ‘Well I wouldn’t start from here if I were you…’

PC: Do you have a favorite theme or place you revisit in your books? Is there a story you’ve always wanted to tell but haven’t yet? Is there anything you don’t ever see yourself writing?

TW: Until the last six months all my books were set in Ireland. I’m the only Romance and Modern Heat author who was doing that. Then last summer I started travelling more and my books reflect that. I hope it’s a trend that’ll continue ;) Italy, Greece, France; another of the joys of being single is I can go pretty much anywhere anytime and take my work with me. Have laptop, can travel. And honestly? It’s exactly what I dreamed of when I wanted to be a writer. Having said that; Irish heroes tend to be popular ;) If I could find a way to get the accent in there I’d be elected! Theme wise I like to play around – take traditional themes and bring them into modern day life… and I do like a strong male turned inside out by the right woman. Who doesn’t?!

One I’ve always wanted to tell but haven’t? Hmmm… Well, okay then I’ll fess up. I do have a longer book that’s been languishing on my laptop for nigh on two years now. It’s pretty much finished but I’ve never done anything with it cos originally it was just for me. Problem is. I now don’t have a clue what to do with it cos theoretically we’re supposed to know where it belongs to pitch it, right? And it doesn’t really ‘fit’ neatly into a particular area. Then naturally a week ago it decided it wanted to be part of a series of stories. So I’ve taken notes. Second problem is I’m currently writing up to six books a year and they’re more likely to pay me if I finish the ones I’m contracted for I’ve found. So we’ll see. Plus I know this one would need an agent and frankly? They scare the bejesus out of me!

Don’t see myself writing?  One word: CLICHES. Particularly some of the press favorites like bodice ripper and man-sword and…uh-huh! But even when it comes to clichéd themes inside series romance I would seem to have taken it as a personal mission to push the envelope. Hence why I think I’m getting so many rebel billionaires and millionaire bad boys in my titles… If anyone reads my books and thinks they are clichéd, please feel free not to burst my bubble. Or the cake gets it!

PC: What’s next for you?

TW: Okay. Deep breath.

Right now I’m working on a new book for the Romance line; it’s a Hollywood/Scriptwriters story so I’m having a blast with that. Copy edits or what you know over there as galleys for the January Modern Heat that’s on the shelf with you in January 09 precious! (Am kinda hoping they come before I fly away.) Plus I’m looking forward to them cos the hero in that book? Hubba hubba. Then on a plane to the States where I’ll be visiting New York, San Diego, San Francisco and L.A. for a month long trip (no doubt with revisions along the way) Am doing ComicCon in San Diego before Nationals in SF cos yes, my inner geek requires it and yes, I do feel the need to see the actors from the likes of Heroes and Lost and Supernatural and… drooling over actors is research, right?! (And of course WE get to meet in SF darlin! Drinks all round! Prepare your liver now. Cos that rumor about Irish people and alcohol? Yuh-huh…You’ll be singing the Fields Of Athenry before you know what hit you. Especially with TWO Irish gals there.)

Then back to finish another book for the end of September, promote the book of my heart that’s coming out that month in the Romance line, go to London for posh lunch and publishers do, fly back to sit on a panel at a Literary festival in Trim Castle, sit on another one at a women’s Literary Festival in Dublin a week later, possibly do a library talk… Well, that takes me to October anyways ;) 

PC: Some just-for-fun questions:

PC: Rugby or soccer (sorry, football)?

TW: No Gaelic football in the options?! My ten year old nephew would be outraged! But for me it has to be American football! Have been a fan since the eighties. How amazing was the Superbowl this year?! I had to stay up till like four in the morning to shout and yell and sing along with Tom Petty. Just as well I’m a night owl really.

PC: Heels or flats?

TW: Flats for everyday. Heels for going out. Can never have enough of either.

PC: Stripes or polka-dots?

TW: Stripes. Vertical ones. (see earlier comment on shopping for clothes and weight gain since writing full time…)

PC: Dogs or cats?

TW: Both! Though currently I have to make do with the rest of the family’s dogs cos it wouldn’t be fair on them with my lifestyle… I have two of the obligatory writer’s cats. Both of which regularly stomp over my keyboard demanding to be fed. One of whom is either a huge fan or a critic of my work.

PC: Dream vacation spot?

TW: Bali. Though after last year I’m passionately in love with New York.

PC: Favorite ice cream flavor?

TW: Haagan-Daz Cookies and Cream. (Usually until I feel sick.)

PC: Thanks so much for coming and we hope you’ll visit again soon!

TW: Thank you for inviting me over to play!  Can’t WAIT to hook up in San Francisco so I can meet you in person SHELF BUDDY!!! And HUGE CONGRATS again for joining the family! We LOVE new authors. And it really is such a fun line to write for – you’ll have a blast, trust me!

Visit Trish (and learn lots) at her sites: www.trishwylie.com, www.trishwylie.blogspot.com, and www.pinkheartsociety.blogspot.com.

Back to the Sandbox

July 2008 – Jennifer LaBrecque

Blaze author, Jennifer LaBrecque, is near and dear to all of the Children’s hearts.  Not only is she a close friend of the Playground, she’s a fabulous writer and Soapbox Queen extraordinaire (and frickin' hysterical). We’re tickled to have Jen join us in the Sandbox this month. We’ll try not to get her crown and robes dirty.

Jennifer LaBrecque:   Thanks so much for having me here.  I absolutely adore time spent at The Playground.  I’m sure that my crown is askew and I’ve probably got a salsa stain somewhere on my robe cause even though I try really hard I never manage that picture-perfect look.  Well, okay, I’m a heck of a long way from it already, but as long as I get the swing, I’m willing to deal with a little dirt.

Smarty Pants: The swing is all yours. Can you tell us how you got into the writing business?  How did your first sale come about?

JL: I was a reader first and foremost.  I was freelance writing for an athletic footwear business periodical (can you say dry as dust?) when my husband suggested I try my hand at writing a romance --  “You certainly read enough of them.” I argued I couldn’t do it and he argued I should at least try.  I tried.  I found and joined a local RWA chapter.  I entered a contest and got noticed by an editor.  She didn’t buy me but she passed me along to Brenda Chin.  Brenda didn’t buy that manuscript but she said she’d like to see something else because she liked my voice.  I sent her something else.  Three sets of revisions later, I got “the call” and the rest is print history. And this sort of sounds as if this all happened within a few weeks or months.  We’re talking about a 3-year span o’time here.

SP: Many of our readers juggle not only a love for writing but also family and full-time jobs.  How do you find that balance between your writing and life?

JL: I am SO good at this.  Honest, I just seem to have a natural knack for balancing writing and the “real” world.  I have not struggled with this for FOREVER.  Um, sorry about that.  Really, I know rumors have floated about that my house is close to being condemned by the health department and that I’ve had to bugger out on as many field trips for my daughter’s class as I’ve actually chaperoned because “the book wasn’t finished.”  Damn rumors.  And, for real, my friends hardly ever take offense when they call and I pick up the phone and yell, “I can’t talk now.  I’ve got to get his book to her in a week/a day/half an hour from now.”  Where’s the harm in packing on 5 to 10 pounds the last two weeks of writing a book?  What’s not balanced about letting  the mail pile up unopened for weeks at a time? Trust me, I’m a virtual circus act I’m so friggin’ balanced.

SP: You’ve written for Duets, Temptation and most recently Blaze - all great choices with your niche in funny, sexy stories. What made you decide that the Blaze imprint was the line for you?  And why do you think it is such a popular line?

JL:  Well, after killing Duets and then going on to shut down Temptation, I thought I’d target Blaze.   Okay, see, I’m not as funny as I think I am.  It’s really been a very organic transition for me to write longer, sexier stories.  I love writing for Blaze.  I like the level of sensuality and the freedom to explore it in a variety of formats.  IMO, this is also what readers like about the line as well.

SP: Let’s talk about process.  Are you a plotter or a pantser? Which comes first for you—characters or the situation?

JL:   I’d be dead in a ditch if someone ever held a gun to my head and barked, “Plot now or die.”  I am very much a pantster.  Oddly enough, the characters and situation tend to come hand-in-hand for me.  Most of the time, it’s like a single vignette in my head – characters in a particular situation.  That may or may not be the opening scene of the book.

SP: As writers we’re always being told how important characterization is, that having a hero and heroine the reader can identify and empathize with is one of the most critical things an author can do.  Who has been your favorite hero or heroine to write?  And why? 

JL:  Wow! This is a tough question.  I just keep coming up with what I liked best about writing each hero and heroine and why their story was special.  I really, really, really liked Holly Smith and Gage Carswell, the h/h in my June Blaze, Nobody Does it Better.  By nature of what Gage was, a spy, he was emotionally inaccessible.  I also loved Cade Stone and Sunny Templeton from The Big Heat.  Cade wasn’t polished and urbane like Gage.  He was kind of rough around the edges, but he was a man who stepped in and stepped up and did what had to be done.  However,  Darach MacTavish and Kate Wexford from Highland Fling were absolutely the hardest characters to bid farewell.  Writing The End was difficult.  I didn’t want to let them go, even though I knew they’d be okay. (I’ll confess I even ordered myself a scarf/shawl in the MacTavish plaid from Scotland – I know, sadly invested in one’s characters.)

SP: Well, shoot. If I'd known, we could've picked up something when we kidnapped Queen Rhonda and took her to Scotland with us. So, what was the best advice you received as you were starting out (you don’t have to tell us whether you heeded the advice or not, but we’d love to know!)?

JL:  When I finaled in the Maggies and a Harlequin editor asked if I’d finish the manuscript for her, I told her I would but it might take some time because I was seven months pregnant at the time.  She said, “Your baby will only be a baby once and you’ve got your entire life to write.” I’ve tried to carry that with me.

SP: What was the one piece of advice you wish you’d ignored?

JL:  It wasn’t one piece that came specifically from one person, but I distinctly remember attending workshops where graphs and character cards and plotting charts were “the way” to do it.  I was so raw and so not tuned into what kind of writer I was that I thought I was doing something wrong if I couldn’t/didn’t fill out that chart.  It kind of shut me down for a bit to figure out that my process was far more right-brained.

SP: The Soapbox Queens is a great place to hang out. I visit daily, you guys are so much fun. How did the idea for that come about?

JL: It was November 2006 and Vicki, Rhonda and I were sequestered in Sedona on a BentQuillPosse retreat when the idea came up.  It turned out to be a good idea, no?

SP: Okay, the next few questions are just for fun. Complete this sentence:  My readers…

JL: ...are the reason I write.  I don’t write for myself.

SP: What’s something about you that we’d be surprised to learn?

JL: I am almost painfully shy.  Of course, once I get to know you, you really can’t shut me up.  And I do okay if I’m speaking on a topic – public speaking doesn’t bother me because then I have a topic to blather on about.  However, cocktail parties, parties in general, meeting new people makes me curl up inside.

SP: What’s your idea of a relaxing day? 

JL: Reading.  Curling up and losing myself in a book is sublime.

SP: And how do you celebrate turning in a book? 

JL: Sleeping.  I am always exhausted because it is always a mad, mad push at the end and I’m usually running on just a few hours of sleep.  It used to be this intense euphoria and then exhaustion.  Anymore, it’s simply the exhaustion.

SP: Dream vacation spot?

JL: Either Costa Rica or British Columbia for sea kayaking and I’d love to spend time in Europe.  I’d particularly like to go to Prague.  I am, however, pretty darn happy to simply be going to Florida’s west coast.

SP:  If you couldn’t be a writer, what would you do for a living?

JL:  That’s easy!  Exotic dancer.  I’m very nubile, lithe, limber, graceful, and look at least twenty-five years younger than I really am so I think I could go a long way with a pole and a cowgirl costume.  That or a dominatrix.  It’s sort of a toss-up.

SP: What are you working on now?

JL:  I’m in the noshing-it-around-in-my-brain stage of a new book. It’s part of the Harlequin Blaze 0-60 miniseries that will be out next year in celebration of Harlequin’s 60th anniversary. The tag line is “From Hello to How Was It” so it should be a fun write.

SP: Jen, thanks for visiting with us in the Sandbox this month!  We really enjoyed having you and hope you stop by again soon.  Don’t forget to visit Jennifer at her website http://www.jenniferlabrecque.com or her blog with Vicki Lewis Thompson and Rhonda Nelson at http://www.soapboxqueens.com.  Look for Jennifer’s latest, Nobody Does it Better – in stores and online now.

Back to the Sandbox

June 2008 - Karen Rose Smith

Karen Rose Smith’s career began in 1991 and has flourished every since.  A USA Today bestselling author, she has wowed readers for a long time with her touching stories that tug at the heartstrings.  Her recent publications for Harlequin Special Edition and Everlasting Love are a wonderful example of great fiction.  Please join me in welcoming Karen to the sandbox!

Instigator:  Karen, many of our readers are aspiring writers.  Can you share with us a brief description of your road to writing?

KRS:  Writing has always been a creative outlet for me.  As a teenager I wrote for the high school newspaper and, when I was bored in class, wrote poetry.  When one of those was published in the literary magazine, I liked the feeling of seeing it in print.  It was validation not only of skill but of content and my feelings in the poem.  In college I continued to write poetry and one summer with my cousin co-authored a script for the Monkees TV show.  We sent a copy to many of their concert venues via certified mail.

My creative writing stalled as I got married, taught school and had a baby.  But then I had back surgery and was mostly flat on my back for four years.  During that time I began writing short stories. When they became too long for publication, I wrote my first book.  I completed thirteen manuscripts in six years.  Then…   I sold two manuscripts in one week to two different houses!  I've been writing full-time ever since, usually three to four books a year.  

In:  Many of our readers juggle not only a love for writing but also family and full-time jobs.  How do you find that balance between your writing and life?

KRS:  I've been dealing with back pain and fibromyalgia throughout my writing career.  So my life is a little different from most writers.  However, since I sold my first manuscript, I've always treated writing as a career and full-time job.  No matter what, I adhere to my quota for the week and personal and professional deadlines.  Many weeks my writing is my life.  I take breaks to have lunch with friends, play with my two cats, spend time with my husband and family.  But writing has always been a priority.  It's a passion, a creative outlet and a vocation.

In:  As unpublished writers, we’re told that characterization is key to success.  Have you found any tips/hints to characterization that you could share with us?

KRS:  For me, emotion as well as characterization have been key elements that have established my voice.  I strive to keep my characters real with backgrounds that affect their lives.  I believe our lives on earth are about healing childhood hurts and building relationships that urge us to be caring adults.  That's evident when I structure a character.  I try to build characters who readers can identify with and who will move them to laughter and tears.

In:  You’ve written for several different lines/publishers over your career.  What have you found most difficult about switching from one to another?  Do you find you approach a project differently based on the intended line/market? 

KRS:  Since the beginning of my career, I've taken an analytical as well as a creative approach to writing.  Each line publishes a specific type of hero and heroine, a specific type of plot, a specific type of conflict.  I tried to find outlets where I fit as a writer.  I enjoy writing stories about families, small towns, children and pets.  So those are the lines I gravitated toward.  However, I like to stretch out of my zone now and then, and that's why I also wrote science fiction short stories for The Sun!

The difficulty in switching from one line to another comes from not only my storyline fitting but from what a publisher or editor wants from me specifically and where they see a need for my type of book.  I definitely approach each project for its intended market.  I don't feel storylines are interchangeable.  When I begin to structure a conflict, plot and characters, I have a specific line, market and word length in mind.      

In:  The Bracelet, your release last year for the Everlasting Love line, received great reviews and wonderful publicity.  However, the line itself has recently been cut from the Harlequin line-up.  Did you have any other projects with the line?  And if so what will happen to them?  Do you have other women’s fiction projects in the works?

KRS: THE BRACELET was the most personal writing experience of my career and a departure from my category work.  I definitely enjoyed writing that type of book.  But the Everlasting Line novels never found their market.  Fortunately, I did not have any more projects with the line.  I do have a woman's fiction project in the developmental stage, but I have a commitment for a three-book series for Silhouette Special Edition and that's my main focus right now.

In:  Could you share with us what books/authors currently reside on your keeper shelf?

KRS: On my keeper shelf, I have FEAR NOTHING and SEIZE THE NIGHT by Dean Koontz, THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER by Katherine Woodiwiss, THE HORSE WHISPERER and THE LOOP by Nicholas Evans, STATE OF FEAR by Michael Crichton, SAVING GRACES by Elizabeth Edwards and most recently added THE FIRST PATIENT by Michael Palmer.

In:  We always like to ask some questions just for fun – is there anything special you like to do after completing a book?

KRS:  After completing a book, I like to shop, spend a few days doing anything but writing, visit with long-distance friends, celebrate by having ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery.

In:  If you could vacation anywhere in the world where would you most like to go?

KRS:  If I could go on a vacation anywhere in the world, I would go to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The red cliffs, the cave dwellings, the multi-cultural city creatively fill me up.

In:  What’s one thing we’d be surprised to learn about you?

KRS:  I was once an avid cyclist and swimmer.

Thanks for visiting with us Karen!  Don’t forget to check out Karen’s upcoming releases - Her Mr. Right? and The Daddy Plan both available now from Silhouette Special Edition.  And be sure to stop by Karen’s website www.karenrosesmith.com. 

Back to the Sandbox

May 2008 – Gena Showalter

New York Times Bestselling author Gena Showalter writes it all - breathtaking paranormal and contemporary romances, cutting edge young adult novels, and stunning urban fantasy. The Playfriends are very excited to welcome Gena to the Playground.

Smarty Pants: Welcome to the Sandbox, Gena. To start off, how about a little background on yourself?

Gena Showalter:  This is always the hardest thing for me to do in an interview: talk about myself, rather than my books J  But here goes, I’ll give it a try.  I’ve always been a mix of the wallflower who wants to remain in the shadows and a quirky, attention-hogging wild child.  How’s that for variety?  I married my high school sweetheart, have three English bulldogs I adore (Mary Ann, Ginger, and Lovey), and am an avid romance reader.      

SP: You sold your first book at 27. (I feel so unaccomplished and I’m only 29. Sigh.) What was the spark that caused you to make the leap and write your first book? How long were you writing until you finally sold? 

GS:   The first spark was desperation.  I could not decide what I wanted to be when I “grew up” and it was way past time I figured it out.  I had jumped from major to major, unhappy, and always ended dropping out because what I’d picked wasn’t “it,” the one, the only career for me.  I had a love of romance novels and had tried to write my own a few times, but it was major work so I had always stopped.  But when I truly thought about it, weaving my own love stories was the only thing I could see myself doing for years to come.  So I sat down, started writing, and didn’t allow myself to quit.  I was determined to make a success of it, no matter what was required of me.       

SP: Unlike some who go from category to single-title publishing, you jumped straight into the single-title market. Many of us get trapped in the “need an agent to publish single title, but need to publish before you can get an agent” loop of despair. How did you break the cycle?

GS: Each time I finished a book, I would query agents.  I’d get a lot of rejections with a few requests to read the book in the mix.  Those ultimately ended in rejection, as well.  I would then send that book to the publishing houses I thought it fit.  More rejection.  By that point – this can be such a slow business -- I had usually finished another book and I’d start the cycle all over again: agent hunting, and when that failed, editor hunting.  Finally, I sent the right project to the right agent at the right time.  She signed me.  Took us two years, but we made a sale.  Then another.  And another. My dreams were finally coming true!  

SP: You seemed to go from unpublished to multi-published in a flash – 13 books in 4 years with 11 more in the hopper. Did you have a bunch of manuscripts hidden away under your bed or do you really write that quickly? Any tips for those of us who manage 1 book a year?

GS:  I sold the seventh manuscript I’d written, so I did have some books under my bed.  However, about half of those have not and will not see the light of day.  Here's the breakdown: of the 6 other books I’d completed before selling, only 2 ½ have since been published.  (The 1/2 is for a book I had written and then completely rewrote, using only the idea.)  As for writing quickly, I’ve changed my methods.  Used to, I would write the entire rough draft longhand and then type everything in, editing as I did so.  That really freed me from that nasty internal editor who likes to hover over my shoulder and tell me “the book is crap, I’m crap, how could I have written that?” 

But a time came when I had to write a book in 2 months (Savor Me Slowly).  I didn’t have time to use my old method (which took me 3 months).  So I typed a chapter a day until the rough draft was done.  That took me about a month and a half.  Then I spent the next two weeks reading over what I’ve done, editing, adding, layering in things I’d previously missed.  I totally fell in love with the new method and have been writing that way ever since (though I do allow myself 3 months now).      

SP: You write in several different genres – urban fantasy with a sci-fi twist, paranormals, contemporaries...even YA fiction. How do you juggle all those different writing niches? Do you have trouble switching back and forth, you know – any aliens itching to pop up in your contemporaries?

GS:  I think writing in so many genres keeps me from burn out.  With each genre, I’m able to tap into a different part of myself.  The urban fantasies unleash my darker side.  The paranormals, my quirkiness.  The contemporaries, my fun side.  The young adults, my inner kid.  (I think my mother just shuddered) 

The biggest mistake I’ve made because of my love of all those genres happened while I was writing The Darkest Pleasure, the third in my Lords of the Underworld series.  An Atlantis novel was up to bat next, and its world/mythology kept trying to creep into my brain and thereby into the non-Atlantis story.  I had many “Hades” references that had to be deleted.        

SP: What is your favorite genre to write?

GS: Without a doubt, the paranormal romances.  I love the possibilities, the “what if” factor, the alpha men and hell, I just love everything about them.   

SP: Let’s talk about process.  Are you a plotter or a pantser? Which comes first for you—characters or the situation?

GS: I am a pantser.  Lately I start with the flash of a scene in my mind, almost like a bit of a movie trailer playing over and over.  I see bits and pieces but don’t know the whole thing until I actually sit down and dive in.  I figure if I’m surprised, the reader will be too.

SP: What was the best advice you received as you were starting out (you don’t have to tell us whether you heeded the advice or not, but we’d love to know!)?

GS: Write what you love and never write to trend.  The trend will end, but if you’re writing what you love that love will shine through and there’ll be magic in your book.

SP: What was the one piece of advice you wish you’d ignored?

GS: Write category to get your foot in the door.  I just didn’t have the voice for it, and my attempts failed miserably.  However, I have since developed a love for several of the series lines and think I could do a much better job now.  I even have some ideas. . .

SP: What advice would you give to an unpublished author trying to break through in today’s market?

GS: Do not heed every piece of advice you’re given for “fixing” your work.  Sometimes, people are dead on right.  Sometimes, they are absolutely wrong.  Learn to take what works for your story and discard the rest.

SP: Your new release schedule is jam-packed, starting with the first of the Lords of the Underworld Trilogy – The Darkest Night, followed by The Darkest Kiss and the Darkest Pleasure. Can you tell us a little bit about this new series?

GS: My new favorite subject!  The backstory is that the gods entrusted Pandora, the greatest warrior of her time, to guard the sacred box.  But a group of immortal warriors fought and won it, opened it, and unleashed the vile horde of demons locked inside.  Because of this, the gods punish each warrior to house a demon inside his own body.  So the warriors become the box, so to speak.  It’s not an easy pairing, either, for the demons make themselves known and thirst for things the warriors abhor.     

Maddox, the hero of The Darkest Night, is possessed by Violence.  I tried to stay true to his character and show his fierce struggle with the demon.  Sometimes, he does not win that struggle and the demon overtakes him.  And because of past actions, he’s been given a second curse: to be stabbed and killed every night, only to awaken the next morning knowing he has to die again.  His heroine, Ashlyn, is able to stand in one location and hear every conversation that’s ever taken place there. 

Lucien, the hero of The Darkest Kiss, is possessed by Death.  He’s been ordered to escort the goddess of Anarchy’s soul to the hereafter.  The tempestuous and fun-loving Anya views his attempts as a game.  (At times, Anya’s somewhat warped sense of humor had me rolling on the floor.  She steals unabashedly, spent some time in an immortal prison, and isn’t afraid of the Lords.  To me, there’s just something so magical about her.) 

Reyes, the hero of The Darkest Pleasure, is possessed by Pain.  He’s forbidden to know pleasure.  Actually, pain has become his pleasure.  Danika, his heroine, is being chased by his best friend, the demon of Wrath, for reasons the warrior does not yet know. 

SP: Last year at Nationals, you offered a drawing to win the worst prize ever – a garden gnome. I lost. I can’t even win the worst prize ever. What do you have in store for everyone in San Francisco this year? One of those pink, plastic flamingos, perhaps?

GS: You know, Jill Monroe and I never plan these things.  They just happen.  We’ll be talking, laughing, one of us will say, “You know, we should do.  . . ”  And then the trouble starts happening.  

SP: Complete this sentence:  My readers…

GS:  Are dear to me.  I would not have a career without them and I know it.

SP:  Ok, now for a couple fun questions...Coffee or tea?

GS: Coffee.  Tea sucks.  (sorry, but it does)

SP: Something most people would be surprised to know about you?

GS:  I live in sweat pants, no make up, hair pulled in a bun.  If that’s not surprising enough, I’ll add this: I can eat anything while talking about anything, gross factor doesn’t matter.  
           
SP:  Dream vacation spot?

GS: Ireland, maybe. 

SP:  If you couldn’t be a writer, what would you do for a living?

GS:  Sponge off my parents.

SP: What are you working on now?

GS: Twice As Hot, the sequel to Playing With Fire.  Belle, Rome and the gang are back and, well, hotter than ever!

SP: Thanks for stopping by, Gena! Come back any time.

Absolutely my pleasure!  I had a blast.

Be sure to check out Gena’s upcoming releases – The Darkest Night, the first book in the Lords of the Underworld Series, available in stores now. The 2nd - The Darkest Kiss, comes out in June 2008 and the 3rd - The Darkest Pleasure, is out in July 2008! You can also learn more about Gena, her writing, and more at www.GenaShowalter.com or blog with Gena at genashowalter.blogspot.com.

Back to the Sandbox

April 2008 - Carla Arpin

The Playground is delighted to welcome Carla Arpin, owner of CSA Author Publicity.  In a previous life, Carla was also managing editor of an e-zine, for which I wrote a few articles, and that’s how we met.  She was my very first editor.  Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate and give us some nice weather so we can enjoy the sandbox without having to wear snow suits.  Hi Carla, and welcome!

Playground Monitor:   What does a PR person do anyway? What services do you typically provide? Are there different levels of service – for example Package A has this and Package B has a little something more and Package E is the super-duper deluxe package that includes everything?

Carla: I can only speak for myself, as each PR person is different. J  I do any number of promotions based on an individual author's needs or wants, which determines what I charge, also. I currently concentrate on online PR. I typically provide online postings of new releases, monthly contests, news, and announcements, request reviews, keep a MySpace page, and have recently joined a group on the NING network called The Romance Junction.

PM:  How does PR representation change over the course of an author’s career – newly published, multi-published, category author, single title author, multi-genre author, NY Times bestseller?

Carla:  Oh, boy, this is a toughy. PR representation is, again, different for each individual author. It is a never ending job of research for new places to promote all of the above in your question. Debut authors obviously need more publicity than NYT's best selling authors. Category authors are usually on shelves for only one month, so it is harder to promote them in advance.

PM:  At what point should a writer hire a PR representative? What should a person look for in a PR firm?

Carla:  An author should hire a publicist depending on said author's own strengths and weaknesses. I have an author who absolutely hates to toot her own horn, so to speak. On the other hand, there are authors who LOVE to interact with their readers and spread themselves out hither and yon. In my opinion, if you are an author who hates doing promotions, and it is showing in your royalty checks, it's time to hire a PR person. There's a sad misconception that your publishing house will do all of your promotions. Maybe in the golden oldie days, but that is not the case now in our current economy.

A person should look for me in a PR firm. Sorry, couldn't resist!  ;) Seriously, talk to other author acquaintances and see what/who has worked, or not, for them. I've heard that some can cost up to $10,000 per book campaign!! I'm sure NOT one of those.

"Shop" around for only the most reputable and reliable PR people or firms! I readily admit to falling by the wayside from June-ish 2007 through December-ish 2007 due to personal problems and three moves, but have been getting back on track with a vengeance. Most thankfully, I have VERY understanding authors, and an incredible assistant in Maureen "Mo" Boylan.

PM:  What are the advantages of hiring a PR person over Do-It-Yourself promo?

Carla:  The author can concentrate more on their writing than taking away from that by having to worry about promoting, too. Of course, they still have to be involved to some extent - we need them to feed us what they want to promote.  J)

PM: What types of promotion do you find most effective? Least effective? What gives you the most bang for your buck? Or does that vary according to the person, their genre, how long they’ve been published and how well their books do?

Carla:  My best PR efforts are face to face with readers. I'm a true people person and far from shy.I wish I could attend every conference and book signing out there, but I'm not a millionaire.  L  The least effective promotion is [any genre, length published, etc.] authors spamming groups with non-stop promotion of news, contests, and the least little thing that comes up that they feel the need to share. Create [or have us create] a newsletter and post it the first, middle, and end of each month containing all news, contest, and review information/etc. DON'T SPAM!!

PM:  There’s an explosion of websites, blogs and online writers group sites these days. Do these provide good marketing for the authors? Are they worth the expense or would dollars be better spent elsewhere? Again is this dependent upon what stage of publication you’re in?

Carla: Make sure you have an updated web site, blog, etc. at all times. If you don't have a web site tracker, GET ONE! There are many free ones. Check it at least weekly to see where the most traffic is coming from, then target those sites. There are so many free offers on the web for sites, blogs, and I personally swear by Yahoo groups, MySpace, and NING. Check out my MySpace page for links to NING - it's the next best thing to sliced bread for accumulating readers, IMHO: http://www.myspace.com/carlapublicity I will soon be offering virtual book tours - I'm working on building a list of pertinent blogs as we "speak."

PM:  Should unpublished authors worry about building a marketing mailing list? When do you do this?

Carla: In my opinion? No, unpublished authors shouldn't worry about marketing mailing lists. As soon as their book sells, and you have a release date, though, YES! Keep the email address of every genuine fan email you receive in either a file or on a spreadsheet. Or better, yet, create a "Do you want to join my email/newsletter list" option on your web site or in your newsletter.

PM:  How much time/money should authors invest in self- done promotion, both unpublished and newly published and does it differ in the category lines?

Carla:  Again, it depends on the author and their resources or lack thereof. Compile a reputable review list [we have this] - many accept downloads, which work best for category reviews, as those authors never get their author copies on time to send to reviewers. Be aware that reviewers/sites need a copy, whether edited or unedited [make note if unedited, with a caveat that it is an Advanced Reviewer Copy - Not For Resale!] at LEAST three months before your release date to assign the book to a reviewer, and give said reviewer enough time to read the book.

Unfortunately, the category lines, as I said before, are on shelves for only a month at a time; however, some category authors sometimes have as many as four books out per year, and receive a ton of word of mouth promotion. There are also readers who only swear by category lines - I know this from working the romance fiction shelves a few years back at a bookstore. We had customers come in faithfully every month and buy up only the category lines.

PM:  How does an author find the best fit in a PR person? How do you decide which person is just right for you and your career?

Carla:  Another toughy. I specialize in Romance Fiction, but will spread out beyond if I'm comfortable with another genre. I absolutely will not promote graphic horror or erotic romance bordering on pornography.

ANY story MUST contain well-rounded characters, plot, and monogamous relationships in order for me to consider promoting it. I'm seriously not a prude, but male on male and ménage books go beyond my personal comfort zone, and I just can't read them, excluding very few examples, one of whom is Ruth D. Kerce (off the top of my head), who somehow has me hooked on her erotic novels, which subject-wise, I normally wouldn't touch with a twenty foot pole. What I can't read and enjoy, I won't promote.

PM:  How do you find a PR person period? I doubt they are listed in the local phone book.

Carla:  Recommendations from other authors is a good start. I have been known to pursue an author (mainly someone I'm very familiar with, and have had previous communications with), to see if they need, or are interested in online promotions and publicity. Searching the web for Fiction publicity and promotions might be another feasible option. I've also had authors query me, which never ceases to amaze me.  ;)

PM:  Anything else you’d like to add?

Carla:  Be there for your authors come hell or high water. Try to follow-up with everything, and keep immaculate records of what you have done so you have answers for your authors right at your fingertips.

PM:  Please tell our readers a little about who you are and how you got into PR.

Carla:  Science Fiction Romance award-winning author, Linnea Sinclair, likes to say she "dragged me kicking and screaming" into the PR business. That was at the RT conference in 2005, but we had talked about the idea beforehand. She then won the 2006 RITA for GABRIEL'S GHOST; release date Oct 2005. We both learned together by trial and fire what pretty much worked, and what didn't -- I will say right up front here in public, that I HATE setting up book signing tours unless they're local to me! I live in Massachusetts, Linnea in Florida – those signing tours were HELL to set up and follow through on. 'Nuff said. Linnea has recently moved on to bigger and better things, but we still remain dear friends of about eight years.

As an avid romance reader, it was natural that I concentrate my efforts on romance fiction PR. I started with my first computer in July of 1997, and found the Romance Fiction Realm at AOL. In April 1998 I started hosting chats, moderating message boards, and wrote reviews and articles. I was absolutely thrilled to find out there were so many like-minded readers and I made sooo many author and reader friends that I treasure to this day. Sadly, AOL reformatted, reorganized, and also discontinued the Community Leader program, of which I was a member, in June 2005.

I also edited and was review coordinator for two now defunct small press publishers, and was Managing Editor for an e-zine from June 2004 to August 2005.

Happy Reading and Promoting! :)
Carla S. Arpin
CSA AUTHOR PUBLICITY
carlaarpinpublicist@yahoo.com
http://www.myspace.com/carlapublicity- Using as current web site
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TOOT-BOOKS/ - For both readers and authors. Readers wanted!

Back to the Sandbox

March 2008 - Alisa McKnight

The collective knowledge of the Playfriends about e-publishing would rattle around in a peanut shell, so Alisa McKnight of Loose Id has joined us in the Sandbox to relieve our ignorance. Hmm, maybe we should link this over to School as well.

While there may have been some disagreement on the Playground about how to pronounce “Loose Id,” there’s no mistaking the Loose Id Lizards. So everybody scooch over and give Allie and the lizards some room.

Problem Child: Hi, Allie!  Welcome to the Sandbox!

Alisa McKnight: Hey. Thanks! It's great to be here. Er, well, "here" in the digital sense, anyway. Oh, and the pronunciation is "id" like "it" with a d; or id, ego, super ego. Or lucid. J

PC: My first question—is it “e-publishing” or “epublishing.” The hyphen issue is bugging me. 

AM: I'd love to settle it for you once and for all; really, I would. The problem is, it's not settled from within the e-publishing community. There's a trend in favor of dropping the hyphen, but at Loose Id, we still use it. It's "e-publishing" and "e-books," for us. But no hyphen in Loose Id, even though we have a hyphen in our URL. We have a joke around the company: you're still a Loose Id virgin until you lose your hyphen. ;)

PC: Well, okay. Hmm.  Since it’s you’re interview, we’ll stick with the hyphen. Now, let’s start at the beginning.  How did Loose Id get started? What’s your background?

AM: Loose Id's the creative brainchild of Treva Harte, Karen Williams, and me. We'd been writing and working with another company, but found ourselves wanting something more. A late night rap session turned brainstorming session, and Loose Id was born. We brought Doreen DeSalvo on later when we had a need for someone with more experience in financial management and customer development. We needed her! I have a Masters in Art History and a law degree I wasn't using, Treva's an attorney, and Karen's in government. None of us did math! In fact we specifically disclaimed math in our contracts!

PC:  The title on your business card says “Marketing and Technology.”  Not to sound too stupid, but what does that mean?  What do you do?

AM: Technically, I'm the Chief Marketing and Chief Technology Officer. What it means, mostly, is that I'm in charge of all of our technological development, from our website to new and emerging technologies like virtual reality, and also in charge of all of our advertising, PR, and art direction.

PC: Is marketing an e-book different from marketing a print book?  Do certain approaches work better for the different media?

AM: This is going to sound strange, but, marketing is marketing. It's always about figuring out the product and the intended audience and matching the two together. So, yeah, it's different marketing an e-book than a print book, but that's primarily because the audience is different. When you're marketing an e-book, you need to use the venues that your buyers will frequent. That means figuring out demographic segments that you want to target and figuring out the other things they read, other websites they frequent, and so on.

Marketing is about conversion: either you're putting something in front of people who haven't seen it yet so they don't know they want it, or you're trying to convince people to buy things they wouldn't buy anyway. It's a delicate art, because people don't like being manipulated and they don't like being sold, so it's all about showing what's wonderful or exciting or cool or sexy about whatever you're marketing.

At Loose Id, we pretty much always market the company, even when our advertisements feature one or more books. We focus on the brand, trying to create an identification between Loose Id and clever, sexy fun, and then we reshape that for the various different venues we're advertising in. This benefits every book and every author, because the rising tide floats all boats.

PC:  RWA made a lot of changes regarding “Publisher Recognition” versus “Publisher Eligibility” last summer.  What, if anything, has this meant to Loose Id?  Will we still see you at the National Conference?

AM: It actually hasn't affected us much at all. We'll be at the National Conference in our individual capacities and networking, though we're not taking appointments this year.

PC:  E-publishing often gets a bad rep—especially with the recent closures of several e-publishers. How do you keep Loose Id from being painted with the same tainted brush? Is the “bias” against e-publishing something you are actively trying to change? How?

AM: The problem with e-publishing is that there are very low barriers to entry. Anyone with a couple thousand dollars can start a company and take submissions. But running a successful publishing company requires more than the money it takes to start it, and many very well-intentioned people overextend themselves with everything there is to do.

We can't control the perceptions of those who want to think ill of us and our company. We can only make sure the things that people want to say about e-publishing companies aren't true in our case. That is, we've operated in the black since the beginning of our second quarter. We pay once per month, every month. We have professional bonded CPAs and bookkeepers maintain our financial records. Our contracts are fair. We honor them. Our editors select manuscripts they want and work with the authors to improve them, and to develop the authors themselves over time. I strive to make every book cover, every advertisement, every representation of our company that's shown to the public as professional and attractive as possible.

In not so short, we conduct our business in as responsible and professional manner as possible and let that speak for itself.

PC:  You’re also an editor for Loose Id.  That’s a slightly different skill-set from Marketing.  How do you switch gears?

AM: Actually, I'm not an editor for Loose Id anymore. Marketing is a full-time job and so is technological development. Don't have time for all three! But when I did, well, I guess it's like Nike: you just do it.

PC: As an editor, what kind of inside scoop can you provide for Honorary Playfriends who want to submit to Loose Id?  Any pet peeves?  What things will make you reject faster than you can hit Send?  What kinds of things make you want to read more?

AM: This I can talk about, since I do help with scheduling, which has a feedback loop with submissions. What I'd tell the Playfriends is to treat a submission to Loose Id with the same professionalism as you would a submission to an agent or a New York publishing house. Get the name of the Editor-in-Chief right, if you're submitting to her. It's Ms. Treva Harte. Proofread your cover letter and synopsis. Don't retread what's on television right now or the book you just read; it's fine to be inspired by something, but you still need to make it your own. I loathe reading a story and thinking "hmm, why do I feel like I've read this before?" Also, read our guidelines. Don't send us things that don't match our needs. Other things that will have me sending your book packing: a weak hook, generic characters, no sex, sex that doesn't fit the characters or the story or is uninspired.

As for what we want more of? Powerful erotic love stories with a sexy premise and a sexy hook. Easy to say, right? For me, personally, if you want to hook me, you need to do it fast, with a sympathetic protagonist in an intriguing conflict and outstanding chemistry with the other protagonist or protagonists. A strong, engaging voice is a major plus, and really good erotic scene-craft is a must.

That's sort of a kitchen sink exposition; sorry about that. It's hard to say what we will automatically reject or want to read more of because there are always exceptions. Someone might send a terrible unproofed cover letter with a book that's so magnificent, we overlook it, for example. We might say we're not interested in vampires right now, but a brilliant story is a brilliant story. In the end, the best way to approach a submission to Loose Id, or anywhere else for that matter, is like you would an application to college or a job. Give your book the best possible chance of "getting in" by researching the company, reading the offerings, writing the best story you can, and then doing the things we ask for to the best of your ability.

PC:  Honestly, Loose Id seems to be open to a lot—your authors are pushing the envelope with their stories and situations.  Is it pretty much “anything goes” (provided it’s all legal and consenting) or are there things that squick you out?

AM: Our guidelines pretty much say it all on that point, so I'll let them speak for themselves, except for this: the squickiest thing in the world is reading a character doing something, sexually speaking, that seems out of character for them. So if you want your character to engage in a ménage or knifeplay or bondage? Motivate. Motivate. Motivate.

PC: What’s the best part of your job?  The absolute worst?

AM: The best part of my job? Exercising my creativity to help other peoples' dreams come true. The worst part, honestly? Not having as much time for my own writing as I want. Which, leads neatly into your next question, because I'm good like that. ;) Actually it's about time I had something like a segue for you, huh?

PC: Nice segue…so, it seems you’re also a writer.  Are you working on anything now?

AM: I am and I am! I've got a gay erotic romance in progress, and a women's speculative fiction story that I've been reworking for mainstream publishing. I could talk about those, but that's not why I'm here. Plus, I'm sort of superstitious about it. Writing's been going well for me lately, and that hasn't always been the case. I've learned over time that I'm either talking about writing or doing it. When I'm talking, it's probably because I'm having trouble writing. I'd rather be writing. J

PC: Does experience on both sides of the keyboard (so to speak) make you approach either part of your career differently?

AM: Well, I think that being a writer gives me insight when it comes to marketing writing, you know? I know how a story is constructed, so I can write more effective marketing blurbs that focus on the story conflict and the hook. It also helps me to isolate the elements most important to a story in order to better direct the cover artists.

From the other side, it definitely makes a difference. When I construct a story now, I'm always already thinking about how I'd market it. That means I work to crystallize the characterizations, conflict, premise and hook before I ever start writing. If I can't pitch a story in thirty seconds, it's not ready for me to write it. I think being aware of marketing also motivates me to work that much harder on the story, because I know that the best marketing tool is always an exceptional, memorable story. 

PC:  As a writer and an industry professional, do you ever get caught in the crossfire?

AM: Oh, there are conflicts, naturally, but this is a business filled with people who are trying to be, are, used to be, wish they could be writers. Most of them are at the level of such things as whether to attend a conference as a writer or a publisher, or how to balance them if I try to do both. But the biggest conflict, honestly, is that I always want to be writing and I never have enough time; and, conversely, if I take the time I want to write, then I can't do all the insanely cool things I want to do with work. I need a clone!

PC: Anything you’d like to add?

AM: I think I've said more than enough, don't you? *smiles* Thanks very much for having me, and for giving me the opportunity to talk to you and the Playfriends about my two passions, writing and Loose Id.

PC:  Thanks for stopping by! Come back any time!

Visit Loose Id at www.loose-id.com to check out their books and submission guidelines.

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February 2008 - Kerrelyn Sparks

Please welcome to the Playground USA Today bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks. Kerrelyn's Love at Stake series is a unique blend of dark paranormal and light humor that I have enjoyed since the first book, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire. Her latest release, The Undead Next Door, hit shelves on January 28th.

Angel: Tell us about your writing journey and how you came to be published.

KS:  Hi, Angel!  I suppose my journey is like a lot of authors. It started off with a love to read.  I remember devouring Nancy Drew books as a young girl and then, to my shock and amazement, Nancy actually kissed her boyfriend.  I must have read that one little paragraph a million times. I was dying to know more about that kiss. At that moment, a romance reader was born!

A lot of readers might wonder at some point if they could possibly write a book.  I wondered, but always answered the question with a no. Oh yeah, now I could slap myself for not believing in myself!  I procrastinated for years with self-doubt, but finally, in 1997, I decided to give it a try. I wrote a first book, and everyone rejected it. I tried again, and the second book sold to Tor/Forge.  For some reason, they didn’t care for the original title of Insatiable and Saucy, so it was renamed For Love or Country. The unbelievable had happened, and I had become a romance author!

It’s a tough journey to undertake completely on your own. In 1998, I joined the West Houston chapter of the Romance Writers of America, and they gave me the support and encouragement to keep going.

Angel: Your first book, For Love or Country, was an historical that won two Dorothy Parker Awards. Why the change to paranormal?

KS: Most of the romances I read while growing up were historical romances, so I naturally assumed that I would write historical. And I did. I have two unpublished manuscripts, both historical, and nobody will buy them!  Why not, you wonder?  Are they that bad? LOL, they might be, but they all bear the kiss of death in the publishing world.  They are American-set historicals, and publishers don’t believe those sell well enough for them to bother with.

I was incredibly lucky to sell For Love or Country, since it’s set in pre-Revolutionary Boston.  Unfortunately, right after buying it, my editor at Forge quit, and Forge decided to terminate their historical romance program. With Forge out of the picture, my agent tried desperately to sell my other historicals, but no other publisher would buy them.

At that point, it looked like my career as a romance writer was over. I had to learn some very important lessons. First, to survive in this business, a writer must be flexible. Second, in order to sell a book, a writer needs to write one that a publisher will consider marketable.

I wasn’t sure if I could write a contemporary setting, and since I tend to write comedy, I sure didn’t think I could write about gruesome creatures of the night!  Vampires really did appeal to me, though, because I love history, and they can have very long histories. I like my heroes to be truly heroic, so I came up with a batch of Vamps who could be brave, sweet, tough, and funny, all at the same time. And I discovered that I really enjoyed writing modern heroines who were smart, independent, sassy, and also funny. It’s really the best of both worlds--I can have historical heroes and modern heroines.

Angel: Your first paranormal, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire, spent three weeks on the USA Today bestseller list. I imagine that was very exciting. How did that feel and what kind of impact did it have on your writing and career?

KS: It was exciting!! And it just emphasized the importance of being marketable. I was extremely lucky to hit the paranormal market while it’s so hot. And thank goodness, so many readers love Vamps!  As for my career, it’s a very good thing to have your publisher happy with how a book is selling. Millionaire Vampire is still selling--it’s now in its fifth printing! And because it keeps doing so well, along with the other books in the series, Avon keeps asking for more. I just recently accepted an offer for three more books, which will be books 6, 7, and 8 in the series. (Books 4 and 5 will come out in 2008--The Undead Next Door at the end of Jan 2008and All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire at the end of Oct 2008).

Angel: I love the idea for the Digital Vampire Network (for those not in the know, this is a vampire television station that plays a role in the Love at Stake series, because vampires can be captured in digital pictures). Where did this idea come from?

KS: Remember the old soap opera, Dark Shadows? I loved that show! I really wanted to have a vampire soap opera hero (Don Orlando de Corazon, the vampire world’s greatest lover), but at the same time, I didn’t want my vamps to show up in mirrors. One of my critique partners is married to a scientific genius, so whenever we have a technical question, it gets forwarded to him (and he loves the crazy questions that we ask him!) When he explained that digital technology doesn’t depend on mirrors, and that a Vamp would show up on a digital camera, I was elated!!! My Vamps could be on TV!!

From there, it was so much fun to come up with the TV schedule. First, there’s the Nightly News with Stone Cauffyn. Then, Live with the Undead, a vampire celebrity show, starring Corky Courrant, and then the soap operas--All my Vampires, General Morgue, and As the Vampire Turns.

Angel: In addition to your personal site, www.kerrelynsparks.com, your publisher, Avon (a division of Harper Collins), created their own website page for you. Have you found them to be helpful in promoting your work? What types of promotion have they offered? What types of self-promotion have your found most helpful?

KS: Avon is very supportive. For Millionaire Vampire, they printed out hundreds and hundreds of ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies), and they hosted a breakfast at the Romantic Times convention in St. Louis. Kim Harrison and I signed several hundred ARCs that morning, and it really helped stir up some buzz for the series.

For self-promotion, I try to make my website a fun place to visit. Right now, my webmistress is adding some cool games and quizzes to the Vampire World section. And there’ll be a forum where readers can communicate with each other and with me. I’m also running a contest on the website, so be sure to enter!  I give away a ton of bookmarks and postcards for each book, mostly mailing them to bookstores and reading groups all over the country and as far off as Australia and New Zealand. Any reader who wants a bookmark, postcard, and signed bookplate can get those by sending me a SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope).

For The Undead Next Door, I tried something new--a book trailer!! You can see it by going to my website.

Angel: What has changed most in your life since publishing? What is the one thing that didn't change, even though you expected it to?

KS: My life has become much more hectic. There’s a lot to the business side of being published that takes up time and makes it harder to find time to actually write. And I guess the one thing that didn’t change is that it’s still hard to write a book. After writing five or so, I thought it would get easier, but no--it’s still hard. But still worth it!

For Fun:

Angel: What is your idea of the perfect day?

KS: No laundry or cooking or errands. Just time to write or read a good book.

Angel: In honor of Valentine's Day, what is your favorite candy?

KS: It’s got to be chocolate!! I just recently discovered the Kisses that have cherry flavor inside. Wow, are they good!

Angel: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?

KS: Oh, that’s a tough one. I want to go so many places! Scotland first, then Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, England and Wales. I could go on and on. Unfortunately, my funds would run out quickly!

Angel: If you could be a character in your own book, would you be mortal or vampire? Why?

KS: I would start off as a mortal woman (young and beautiful, of course, and weighing less than I do now!) so I could fall in love with a hunky vampire hero. After that, I could probably be persuaded to become a vampire, so we could live happily ever after.

Thank you so much for sharing with us, Kerrelyn!

Don't forget to check out Kerrelyn's website, www.kerrelynsparks.com. And our review of The Undead Next Door will appear in School on February 15th.

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January 2008 - Susan Elizabeth Philips

Susan Elizabeth Phillips needs no introduction. Anyone familiar with the romance genre and romantic comedy in particular knows Mrs. Phillips. Her unique brand of humor and larger than life characters have made her famous the world over. Not to mention the six magic little words she’s talked about at the national RWA conference for the past two years. Along with being a wonderfully talented writer, she’s also an amazingly generous woman who doesn’t hesitate to share her knowledge and experience with others. We’re very excited to share the sandbox with Susan today!

Instigator: Susan, many of our readers are aspiring writers. Can you share with us a brief description of your road to writing?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips: I began writing in 1979 with a friend. The story is a wee bit complicated. For the unedited version, please click on Susan Elizabeth Phillips - All About Me

In: Among RWA you’re pretty well known for sharing your knowledge and specifically for the six magic words. If there was one piece of advice you could give that every aspiring writer HAD to follow, what would it be?

SEP: Easy! To write! I’m amazed at the number of people who worry about selling their manuscript when they don’t have a manuscript to sell. The first step in getting your book published is to write the book. Editors won’t buy your “good idea.” They need to read the pages. Here are a few other tips:

DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Scour your bookstore and library for “How To” books written by reputable agents, writers, and editors. They give lots of tips—sometimes contradictory—but sorting it all out is a worthwhile exercise. Also, become familiar with the current year’s volume of Writer’s Market. It’s available in the reference department of any library and is full of worthwhile information, including how to write a query letter as well as preparing and submitting a manuscript.

JOIN A WRITERS’ GROUP. If you are interested in becoming a romance writer, a membership in Romance Writers of America is highly recommended. www.rwanational.com Local RWA chapters provide critiquing groups as well as a wealth of information. Also, look to writing groups in your local community, but be cautious if you are writing genre fiction. Not everyone in the group may be familiar with the genre, and sometimes you may find members critiquing the genre instead of your work.

IDENTIFY YOUR MARKET. Go to the bookstores and study the shelves. Become familiar with the best seller lists. This will tell you what types of books editors are buying. Writing is a business. If your book isn’t “like” anything else you see, you may be in trouble. Believe it or not, when editors say they’re looking for something “fresh and exciting,” they don’t really mean it! Although they do like work that is “fresh and exciting,” they also want it to fit into some identifiable marketing niche—i.e. suspense, horror, romance, action/adventure, etc. From a marketing standpoint, it is helpful if you can say you have written a book that is similar to a Dean Koontz or a Jayne Ann Krentz or a Julie Garwood.

READ WIDELY: Read wonderful books, terrible books, thoughtful books, boring books. Read, read, read.

In: You write such rich and humorous characters, many of them southern, and you do it very well. Considering you aren’t from the south, how have you managed to capture that feel and style so well?

SEP: I must have been a Southerner in a prior life. My ancestors did settle in North Carolina in the late 1600s. Does that count? Honestly, I don’t know why I feel such an affinity for Southerners, but I definitely do even though I’m a born and bred Yankee.

In: In a related question, how hard is it to make an unlikable character likable (for example, Sugar Beth)? Are there any tricks you could share?

SEP: All of my heroines have flaws. It’s just that some like Francesca Day in FANCY PANTS and Sugar Beth in AIN’T SHE SWEET? have bigger flaws. My basic rule is that a heroine can get away with a lot of misbehavior as long as I keep her heart pure.

In: You’ve achieved success with books that seemed to break the ‘rules’ of publishing – specifically your Chicago Stars books. What do you feel set these apart and why do you think readers were drawn to those books?

SEP: Romance traditionally works well when heroes are iconic figures: detectives, soldiers, cowboys, etc. seemed to have been the first to tap the athlete as hero and that intrigued a lot of readers. I know the humor in the books was also a huge draw. I’m just so grateful readers found the books.

In: We always like to ask some questions just for fun – is there anything special you like to do after completing a book?

SEP: Not a fun question because I never feel as thought I’m finished! I guess my favorite thing to do when I first mail off a manuscript (they always come back) is to clean off my desk. I know. Pitiful answer.

In: If you could vacation anywhere in the world where would you most like to go?

SEP: Anywhere I can hike all day, sleep in a great hotel at night, and not get food poisoning. I have lots of pictures of my various hiking trips posted at Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I’ve loved every one of them.

In: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to learn about you?

SEP: I’m a terrible speller, I can cry at the drop of a hat, and I have a crush on Tim Gunn from Project Runway. As for my other secrets… Not telling!

Thank you so much for sharing your time and knowledge with us. You’re welcome back to make a sandcastle anytime! To learn more, visit her website at susanelizabethphillips.com. And don’t forget to check out Susan’s latest release Natural Born Charmer out now in hardback and available April 29th in paperback.

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