Climbing out of the Quagmire

The last few months have been really rough here. A close family member lost her fierce battle with cancer and we're all reeling with the emotions (obviously). My go-to response to fear and sadness and tragedy is cooking/baking and I've stocked up everyone's freezers & fridges with enough soup, lasagnas, meatballs, chili, muffins, and cookies to last them through the next few weeks.

My creativity has been pretty much shot since we heard the news back in January, but I want to give myself a boost, so I've signed my foolish self up for NaNo again. I really don't need another first draft kicking around - I have 3 stories ready for those final revising rounds as well as 3 more first drafts with lots of potential and lots of needs. But, my heart is sore and weary and I'm hoping this might help me rebound.

As usual, I have no plan, no plot, no outline. Heck, I don't even have character names yet. But I think this one will involve some hi-jinks in the snow. Or not. I guess I'll find out soon! One thing I do know is there will be a HEA (happy every after) because that's exactly what I need right now.

So, if you're on the NaNo trail, join me (I'm jemifraser over there) and let's pound out some words together!

And if you're so inclined, pop on over to From the Write Angle, where we're talking NaNo as well.

Robin Gianna & Keeping the Muse Alive

Please welcome Robin Gianna to the blog today!
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When Life gets Rough, how can you Keep the Muse Alive?

First, thank you, Jemi, for having me here today!  I’m going to share a bit about my recent life

challenges, in the hope some of you may find what I’ve learned in the process helpful to your own writing life.

Everyone handles life’s challenges differently.  I know people who find solace in their writing.  When life is otherwise full of problems, they retreat into their imaginary world of story to replenish and heal.

Unfortunately, I’ve found myself to be the opposite of that, which has proven to be a not-good thing!  About five years ago, before I was published, my parents had one health crisis after another before my father passed away.  I was responsible for taking care of everything—getting them in and out of the hospital and rehab, doing their grocery shopping, and you-name-it.  It was challenging,  especially since I had all three of my children still at home then.  My writing was the first thing I threw aside, because it seemed the most expendable.  And what that really shows, I now realize, is that my own needs and wants are always the first to go, which isn’t the best way to keep myself healthy and able to care for everyone.

This year, my mother’s health has dramatically declined, and again, it’s been up to me to manage all that entails - doctors, hospitals, caregivers, bills, hospice.  I have only one child home now, but even college kids need  help moving into new apartments, and obviously being with them is something I love to do.  I feel guilt when I don’t spend time with my dying mother, and guilt when I don’t spend enough time with my children or my husband.  And now that I’m a published author, I feel guilt that I’m falling short there, too.

Believe me, there’s more guilt than you can imagine that my current manuscript is quite late!

I’ve been beating myself up about all of this, because I think that’s what women do.  We try to be everything to everyone, and eventually it takes its toll.  So I’ve finally learned a few things about handling crises while still somehow keeping our muse alive:

1.   Ask for support and accountability from writer friends.  Agree on some kind of daily word count you will be accountable for.  Even if it’s something very small, it will keep you in the story, give you a positive feeling that you’re still making progress on your wip, and you’ll have the emotional support of your friend/s as well.

2.   Find a place in your wip where you can use some of the emotions you’re feeling.  If you’re going through a divorce, think about how that pain can apply to a character’s past or present.  If you’re losing or have lost a loved one, is there a character who has had to deal with that in their past?  Mine those emotions.  You may find it enriches your manuscript at the same time it’s an outlet for the feelings you may otherwise be keeping bottled up.

3.  Don’t compare yourself to others.  I have a tendency to say to myself, “But Author X writes 5,000 words a day!  Why can’t I do better, get more done, since I’m so behind?”  The answer is, because I’m not Author X.  There are some days I can crank out that kind of word-count.  But on a consistent basis, I just can’t.  And that’s okay.  I have to find what works for me, especially when I have so many other demands on my time.  But do sit down and write, even if it’s only for half an hour.  You’ll be happier knowing you haven’t thrown your writing completely aside, which never feels good.

4.  Ask for help.  I don’t know about you, but I think that, when times get tough, we tend to put our heads down, grit our teeth, and GO, taking everything upon our own shoulders.  A couple months ago, I felt like I was drowning in all I had to do while feeling emotionally drained as well.  Something happened that showed my husband how really on the edge I was, and he said in surprise, “Are you feeling stressed?”  At first I stared in disbelief, then felt angry.  How could he not know I was beyond stressed?  Then I realized it was my fault.  It was because I was doing that head-down and go thing, not sharing how I was feeling, and not asking for help.  That was eye-opening to me, and I began to open up more and ask for help from him and from my kids. 

5.  If you’re published, be honest with your agent and/or editor.  While I was trying to convince myself I really could finish the book in time, I was reluctant to be honest with my agent and editor about what was going on with me.  When I finally did, it was a tremendous relief.  Both were sweet, understanding and helpful.  Knowing they were supporting me instead of frowning, and learning it wasn’t a problem for me to have a little more time, went such a long way to my feeling better.  Consequently, I was able to relax enough to get the juices flowing and make my muse smile again.

6.  Be kind to yourself.  Give yourself credit for doing the best you can, even if it feels like you’re falling short.  Take that long walk, or hot bath, or get that haircut you’ve been needing but felt you didn’t have time for.  Know that others understand.  And if that book takes longer to write than you wanted it to?  The sun will still come up in the morning, and soon, the days will look brighter.  They will.

After completing a degree in journalism, working in the advertising industry, then becoming a stay-at-home mom, Robin Gianna had what she likes to call her ‘awakening’. While on vacation, lying in the sun with a beach read, she realized she wanted to write the romance novels she'd loved since her teens.

Robin loves pushing her characters toward their own happily-ever-afters! When she's not writing, Robin's life is filled with a happily messy kitchen, a needy garden, a wonderful husband, three great kids, a drooling bulldog and one grouchy Siamese cat.

Robin Gianna on the web:

Website             Facebook         Twitter

FLIRTING WITH DR. OFF-LIMITS

Flirting with the forbidden… 

For intern Dr. Katy Pappas, seeing delectable surgeon Alec Armstrong again is sweet torture! He might have rejected her after their sinfully delicious kiss years before, but he still sets her pulse racing!
Alec is captivated by gorgeous, grown-up Katy. But as his best friend's sister, a colleague and his student, Katy is definitely off-limits! He's made the mistake of mixing business with pleasure before, and he won't risk Katy's career. Yet can he resist the oh-so-wrong when it feels oh-so-right…?

Read Reader Reviews

Read an Excerpt

Buy Links:

Amazon         Amazon Aus               Amazon UK

Mills & Boon UK         Mills & Boon Aust

Harlequin US                 B&N

Enter this Goodreads Giveaway to win signed copies!

Enter this to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***

Wow. Timely post for me. We lost someone very special in our lives just last week and the stress for the last several months has been beyond believable (still is). You've expressed it so well here. I also tend to do that head-down thing. Time to lift up my chin! Thanks!!

How about you, any of Robin's pointers helping you out as well!

Amy Ruttan & Signing with an Agent

(If you're looking for a post about the fabulous Lenny Lee, scroll down to the one below this one (or click here) ... after you've visited with Amy that is!!)

Please welcome Amy Ruttan to the blog today!

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Why an agent was right for me.

First off I want to thank  Jemi Fraser for having me here today!

One of the most frequent questions I’ve been getting lately is why I decided to sign with an agent.

Before Harlequin, I published via eBook publishers. There was no need for an agent and then when I sold to Harlequin, I did that on my own without an agent.

In May 2014 I decided to pursue an agent. One I admired and had been following for some time. He knows Harlequin, he’s professional and I admire several of the authors he represents.

So again, why did I query him? I don’t technically need an agent for Harlequin. I had signed two contracts with Harlequin without an agent, but when I made the decision in May to query my agent it’s because I wanted my career path to go further.

I love Harlequin and I love writing for Medicals, but I have a specific career path in my head that I want to take. I still plan on writing for Medicals as long as they’ll have me, but I wanted more and the path I wanted to take …well I wanted an agent to help me down that path.

Signing with my agent was not a spur of the moment thing. I researched for a long time to see who might be the right fit. I say right fit because honestly you don’t know until you talk to them over the phone or meet them face-to-face.

I queried him and he requested partials from me, which he read and then we talked on the phone. He wanted to make sure that this is what I wanted from my writing career and he wanted to make sure we were on the same page. We were!

Publishing is a constantly moving and changing beast. I wanted someone to advocate for me, someone to help navigate me on the right path for my career and the brand I’ve been building for myself and I wanted an agent who loved my work.

I think an agent who believes in your work and really gets your voice will advocate the best for you.

And that’s basically why I signed with my agent. It really depends on you. Think about why you want to sign with an agent, because an agent can’t guarantee you sales, but they do open doors to some house who only take agented submissions.

Make sure you don’t sign with just any agent. Make sure you and your potential agent work well together and that the agent is reputable meaning that they’re a part of the AAR’s or follow their code of ethics (they don’t charge you for reading fees).

And an agent who is right for author A may not be right for author B. Make the decision and do the research yourself. Don’t let anyone else decide for you.

It all depends on the choices you want to make in your writing career, because each writer has a different road to walk. Not all paths are the same.

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Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Amy fled the big city to settle down with the country boy of her dreams. When she's not furiously typing away at her computer, she's a mom to three children.

Life got in the way, and after the birth of her second child, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a romance author.

Find her here:

Website       Twitter        Facebook

DARE SHE DATE AGAIN?

To love again…? 

Single mom and paramedic Samantha Doxtator has been living with a broken heart after losing her husband years ago. Now she's finally back on track and following her dream to become an air ambulance pilot…after training one last student—George Atavik!

Since nearly losing his life in a plane crash, George will not waste the second chance he's been given, and he won't deny the sparks flying between him and his new mentor. Does Samantha dare risk her own carefully guarded heart for another opportunity at happiness?

Read an Excerpt

Buy Links

Mills & Boon UK      Harlequin US     Dare She Date Again?on Amazon Kindle      Mills & Boon Aust

Enter this Goodreads Giveaway to win signed copies!

 Enter this to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Thanks so much, Amy! I love how you really researched and planned out your writing path. A great example for the rest of us! 

How about you, are you good at planning out your path?

Where's Lenny Lee???

Happy Birthday Lenny!!!

If you haven't met Lenny Lee yet, you're missing out. Lenny is 15 today and he is an amazing young man.

Despite some medical difficulties in his life, Lenny sparkles with wit and humor.

Lenny has been able to blog as much lately, but I think his birthday is a fabulous way for us to let him know we're thinking about him!

So join me in sending best wishes to Lenny!

Fleshing it Out

I'm over at From The Write Angle today talking about some tips for fleshing out an overly lean manuscript.

This is a new area for me as I used to be an over-writer but once I trimmed this draft, I was 15k short of my goal! The story is stronger, but not where it needs to be. Not yet.

Hope you'll pop on over and join the discussion - I need all the help I can get!

Anya Richards & The Long Haul

Please welcome Anya Richards to the blog today!

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How many times have I said I’m giving up this writing gig? Too many to count. Sales slump? I’m done. Ideas seem silly? It’s over. The words won’t come? Clearly I’ve lost the knack.

Well… I’m still here ain’t I?

The truth is, if you have the need to tell a story, you really can’t give up. The tales bubbling in your head won’t let you. The drive to create won’t let you. But here’s the kicker…

There’s more to it.

Do you know “that guy” or “that girl”? The one who always has everyone around them riveted at parties, as they tell story after story about what they’ve done or heard? They’re storytellers of a type—a kind with a long and glorious history. They’re the troubadours of our time, and long after they’re gone people will say, “Do you remember that story so-and-so used to tell?” But no one will ever be able to tell that story the way they did. No one. And those stories you want to write down? No one will ever be able to tell them the way you can.

Yet, maybe you’re afraid to try. Maybe it’s not something you’ve ever done before and you think, “I may suck at it.”

Well, you might, but can I point something out to you? When you were a baby and tried to walk, I almost guarantee you sucked at it. You fell over, sat on your butt—probably hard—had to grab stuff to stop from tumbling over. Someone held your hands to help you up and give you some balance, but you fell over again once they let you go. Then one day, after stumbling, falling, crying and maybe even bleeding, you started walking on your own. Then you got stronger and, to your parents’ mingled pride and chagrin, started running. You never looked back after that. The same goes for everything we’ve had to learn—how to speak, do mathematics, draw—every- and anything.

So, don’t be afraid. The want is the thing. If you want to write, get started. Maybe you have a natural talent and the book will be awesome, you never know! But if you’re like the rest of us, it’ll need something more—a little help. When I started, people loved the stories themselves, but there were craft problems. I got critiques and took some writing courses and kept at it. I started getting “good’ rejections, those where the editors told me exactly why they wouldn’t acquire the stories, and that told me the areas I still needed to work on. Eventually I got that first “Yes” and I was walking! Twenty-plus yeses later, I still consider myself learning and hopefully growing…

And that leads to my last piece of advice…

Don’t stop. Don’t get stuck. Keep your mind open to the possibilities of growth and change. Keep moving forward instead of staying in one safe or known place. Keep going…and suddenly you’ll find yourself running the writing marathon, and winning.

Multi-published author Anya Richards lives with her husband, youngest kid, a mutt, and two cats that plot world domination one food bowl at a time. The humans support her writing while the animals see her preoccupation as a goad.

Insatiably curious and irreverent, Anya loves history, music, the sea and a good rum punch. To learn more drop by Anya’s website make friends with her on Facebook  or follow her on Twitter.

His seductive rhythm calls to the passionate soul hiding within…

Jane Rollins is anything but plain, but to keep her position as housekeeper to a wealthy family, she is content to hide her beauty behind a dull façade. This deception has become second-nature to her—until dance master Sergio Fontini waltzes into her life.

While the other inhabitants of the house see him as a foreigner and beneath their notice, Jane sees strength, barely leashed power, and an aura of iron control—an irresistible, arousing combination.

Sergio sees through Jane’s disguise to the woman beneath, and the desires in her veiled gaze call to him like the utterly irresistible strains of a beautiful symphony. The circumstances couldn’t be worse, for seducing her will endanger both their livelihoods.

Yet there are lessons he cannot resist teaching her, steps of a dance that crescendos to her final surrender…

Product Warnings

A deliciously seductive Italian unmasks a supposedly respectable Victorian woman and leads her into a lust-filled pas de deux.

Buy Links

Samhain

Bellissima on Amazon Kindle

Bellissima Amazon UK

Enter to Win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks Anya!

I love this advice. There are always, ALWAYS, going to be obstacles and down moments, but if we love the writing, we're going to keep at it! Are you in for the long haul?