And I don't mean General Motors.
Good old Goals, Motivation and Conflict. How I've scoffed at them, disdained their relevance, pshawed the very idea. How they've come back to bite me in the butt.
I mentioned a dream I had last night in a reply to Sidney from my previous post. Before I went to bed, I'd been wondering what to do about a WIP, how to fix the fact that it seemed a little dull. I proceeded to have a dream where one of the main characters spoke to me. Although he spoke about himself and the heroine in third person, his advice was "Send them on a quest."
He told me they needed to do something. Search for something. He said even if I just sent them to the grocery store, they needed to be looking for something.
I woke up and realized "he" was right. They weren't doing anything--mainly sitting around thinking about each other. Their motivations weren't clear, their goals nebulous at best. Conflict--not so much. Sure, there was some, but none of it was earth shattering. There wasn't much action or growth.
Who knew these things were important to a good story? :P
Sigh... now I have to go back and figure out what these people really want, why they want it, and how they might try to get it. Maybe even throw in a roadblock or two. And I here had a hard enough time just giving them names...
Meanwhile, back on the ranch, C.S. Harris has a great blog about "punching up" paragraphs. Well worth the read. (Of course, her blogs always are.)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Originality?
Turn on King of the Hill voice... "Dang it Dale!"... Turn off Hank Hill voice....
So, I mentioned in my Barbara Cartland wannabe post that I was working on a short story that I liked. A story whose characters made me smile.
Well, I'll be darned if I didn' t come across an email ad today from a publisher offering a story almost exactly like mine. The age difference between the characters was even the same! (Older woman/younger man) Actually, it was like mine only flipped - she works for him, instead of he works for her; she's domineering instead of timid. Just different enough to make it look like I'd tried to copy hers without completely plagiarizing it.
Hmph and double hmph. I've had that happen before too. I get an idea for a story, only to go to the bookstore and find it on the shelf already.
Has that happened to you? I was almost put off finishing the story, but after reading an excerpt from the one advertised, I felt our "voices" were so different that even though there are many similarities, they will still be two distinct stories.
Still... I'm going to sit here and pout a while. You all go on and have fun without me.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Second Chances
A few nights ago, I couldn't sleep. I don't know why - could have had something to do with getting a call after midnight from the police department a few towns away to come pick up my daughter - my daughter whom I had naively thought was spending the night with a friend a few blocks away. It seems she was found in a highly dangerous, gang infested area out past curfew with a couple of her friends. (Long story about the why of that)
Anyway, once she was home and in bed (her second chance used up there - I let her live) I found I couldn't go back to sleep. I had been on a reading spree, but had nothing new around, so I decided to pick up some books from our condo building's library in the lobby. As I rifled through them, I found to my surprise an old category romance by Maggie Shayne. I didn't know she had written category before (I discovered her after her single title series had taken off.) I took it upstairs with me, though I don't often read category, I decided to give it a chance. It was Maggie, after all.
The book was called "The Littlest Cowboy". Sherriff Garrett Brand finds a baby on his doorstep - a baby he's sure isn't his, even though the note attached says the baby was named after him. Chelsea Brennan arrives at the ranch in search of her nephew and answers about her sister's death.
Sounds like normal category fare, no? In many ways, it was. But I also saw glimpses of what made her so popular in other genres. Parts of the book tugged at my heartstrings even when she wasn't trying, some made me laugh out loud. The hero was lovable, the heroine a little hard for me at first, but I came to care about her at the end for her bravery.
I've read a few categories lately and have been happy to give them a second chance. The Silhouette "Raintree" series is another example of category that I really liked.
Another second chance book for me was Nora Robert's "Morrigan's Cross." I'd tried to read it a few times since I'd heard such good things about it, but couldn't get into it. In desperation one night because I had no new books, I decided to give it another go. I didn't reread anything in the first few chapters even though I didn't remember any of it because I'd never made it beyond that point before. So, I started around chapter 3 or 4 and ended up really liking the book and look forward to reading the rest in the series.
I don't often give books a second chance. In fact, if a book does anything to seriously annoy me in the first few chapters, I'll usually toss it aside never to look at it again. (See Marcia Colette's funny take on this issue.)
Now I'm wondering if perhaps I've been too hasty. What about you - are there any books you decided to give a second chance and ended up liking?
Anyway, once she was home and in bed (her second chance used up there - I let her live) I found I couldn't go back to sleep. I had been on a reading spree, but had nothing new around, so I decided to pick up some books from our condo building's library in the lobby. As I rifled through them, I found to my surprise an old category romance by Maggie Shayne. I didn't know she had written category before (I discovered her after her single title series had taken off.) I took it upstairs with me, though I don't often read category, I decided to give it a chance. It was Maggie, after all.
The book was called "The Littlest Cowboy". Sherriff Garrett Brand finds a baby on his doorstep - a baby he's sure isn't his, even though the note attached says the baby was named after him. Chelsea Brennan arrives at the ranch in search of her nephew and answers about her sister's death.
Sounds like normal category fare, no? In many ways, it was. But I also saw glimpses of what made her so popular in other genres. Parts of the book tugged at my heartstrings even when she wasn't trying, some made me laugh out loud. The hero was lovable, the heroine a little hard for me at first, but I came to care about her at the end for her bravery.
I've read a few categories lately and have been happy to give them a second chance. The Silhouette "Raintree" series is another example of category that I really liked.
Another second chance book for me was Nora Robert's "Morrigan's Cross." I'd tried to read it a few times since I'd heard such good things about it, but couldn't get into it. In desperation one night because I had no new books, I decided to give it another go. I didn't reread anything in the first few chapters even though I didn't remember any of it because I'd never made it beyond that point before. So, I started around chapter 3 or 4 and ended up really liking the book and look forward to reading the rest in the series.
I don't often give books a second chance. In fact, if a book does anything to seriously annoy me in the first few chapters, I'll usually toss it aside never to look at it again. (See Marcia Colette's funny take on this issue.)
Now I'm wondering if perhaps I've been too hasty. What about you - are there any books you decided to give a second chance and ended up liking?
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Identity Crisis
I recently purchased a Katie Melua CD and like it a lot, but I found a review of her music on the web that struck a chord with me. (no pun intended :)
The reviewer mentioned that it was obvious by the several different styles and covers of her music that she was still trying to find her niche.
Hmm.... I went. Hmmm....
Last night, after transcribing handwritten chapters of my latest short story targeted to Ellora's Cave, I had a dream that I was still writing that book. Now, I know I've posted on here before that I think I'm probably not the best person to be writing erotica, and in the dream, I was writing happily away, then became sad when I noticed that the story didn't have enough sex and that the sexual language wasn't graphic enough. I was upset because I liked the story as it was and didn't really want to change it. My characters were sweet, and I really liked how they were coming along.
I woke up realizing that must have been in my subconscious as I wrote because I reread the story, and while there are some graphic details and strong words, it's still pretty tame for erotica. I started wondering if I should just stay true to the story and characters as they present themselves and have to target another publisher, or try to force them to fit the style for Ellora's Cave.
Woe is me. I really wanted to do this for EC - I'd like to have something published by them, I just would. However, not sure if this one will make it. Sigh.
Have you ever tried to force your writing to take a turn to satisfy a publisher/editor/"the market" and if so, how did that turn out?
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Inspiration
The Author's Prayer
"Our Father, which art in Heaven,
And has also written a book..."
That made me laugh out loud when I read it. I uncovered that gem at a website the great and fabulous Edie Ramer sent me today. She and some other authors have put together an inspirational site for writers that is definitely worth a visit (or several.) Here's the link: The Write Attitude - Inspiration for Writers.
If you need some inspiration, a kick in the pants, or both, that's the place to find it. :) I'm adding the label "Magical Mondays" to this post in spite of the fact that it's Tuesday, because this link came to me at exactly the right time, which is part of what my "Magical Monday" posts were about - the "coincidences" that fill our lives with magic.
Enjoy. :)
The Author's Prayer
"Our Father, which art in Heaven,
And has also written a book..."
That made me laugh out loud when I read it. I uncovered that gem at a website the great and fabulous Edie Ramer sent me today. She and some other authors have put together an inspirational site for writers that is definitely worth a visit (or several.) Here's the link: The Write Attitude - Inspiration for Writers.
If you need some inspiration, a kick in the pants, or both, that's the place to find it. :) I'm adding the label "Magical Mondays" to this post in spite of the fact that it's Tuesday, because this link came to me at exactly the right time, which is part of what my "Magical Monday" posts were about - the "coincidences" that fill our lives with magic.
Enjoy. :)
Friday, July 20, 2007
Spaghetti Days
There is a chapter in the book MAKING A LIVING WITHOUT A JOB, where the author exhorts the reader to treasure their "spaghetti days" - those days before they make it big and are living on spaghetti. She says to chronicle them, because one day you will look back and remember them fondly, even if they are difficult at the time.
Well, I'm entering into spaghetti days right now (though in our house, it's more like rice & beans with the occassional enchilada thrown in.) :) I handed in my resignation for the fourth time in three years, and while they once again tried to suck me back in, I only agreed to work two days a week through the end of October while my replacement gets up to speed.
You see, I realized that there are other things that are far more important to me than working for an outfit that I can no longer emotionally support. Things like taking care of my daughter and myself. Things that make me happy like writing and painting. The arthritis in my hands is getting so bad that there are days when I take my hand off the mouse and it remains in that clawed shape for several painful minutes after while I try to massage it loose.
It occurred to me that I don't want to spend years being unhappy and lose the use of my hands when I could be using them for things that I enjoy while I still can.
However, what that means, is that for a while I'll be quite entrenched in spaghetti days. And only when I can buy boxes 4 for a dollar. :)
I've been planning on starting a small publishing company, as well as sell my artwork online and elsewhere, but have run into a couple of small legal snafus which I hope to smooth out in the next month or two. I'll keep you posted.
Meanwhile, Magical Musings recently posted a link to the inspiring account of Sherrilyn Kenyon's journey to publication and all she went through. You can read it here. (Scroll down to the part called "And here's the story of how I got to where I am." It is worth the read.
Wish me luck as I move forward, as I'll be wishing it for all of you.
There is a chapter in the book MAKING A LIVING WITHOUT A JOB, where the author exhorts the reader to treasure their "spaghetti days" - those days before they make it big and are living on spaghetti. She says to chronicle them, because one day you will look back and remember them fondly, even if they are difficult at the time.
Well, I'm entering into spaghetti days right now (though in our house, it's more like rice & beans with the occassional enchilada thrown in.) :) I handed in my resignation for the fourth time in three years, and while they once again tried to suck me back in, I only agreed to work two days a week through the end of October while my replacement gets up to speed.
You see, I realized that there are other things that are far more important to me than working for an outfit that I can no longer emotionally support. Things like taking care of my daughter and myself. Things that make me happy like writing and painting. The arthritis in my hands is getting so bad that there are days when I take my hand off the mouse and it remains in that clawed shape for several painful minutes after while I try to massage it loose.
It occurred to me that I don't want to spend years being unhappy and lose the use of my hands when I could be using them for things that I enjoy while I still can.
However, what that means, is that for a while I'll be quite entrenched in spaghetti days. And only when I can buy boxes 4 for a dollar. :)
I've been planning on starting a small publishing company, as well as sell my artwork online and elsewhere, but have run into a couple of small legal snafus which I hope to smooth out in the next month or two. I'll keep you posted.
Meanwhile, Magical Musings recently posted a link to the inspiring account of Sherrilyn Kenyon's journey to publication and all she went through. You can read it here. (Scroll down to the part called "And here's the story of how I got to where I am." It is worth the read.
Wish me luck as I move forward, as I'll be wishing it for all of you.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Th..th...That's All Folks!
After a very strange (and strained) start to the year, I'll be once more temporarily MIA around here. This is probably the last chance I'll have to blog for a while (not that I've been so regular lately - like I said, it's been an odd first half of the year!)
My computer will be in storage for the month of June while I shuffle around from place to place, homeless for a month, until my new place is available the first week of July. I do have a housesitting gig from June 19-July 4, so it's really only the first part of June I have to worry about. I imagine we'll be in a hotel, but I hate to leave my daughter alone in a hotel (she's almost 15) while I'm at work all day, so we're trying to find friends for her to stay with during that time.
Edie, you said things come in threes, I hope this is the last round! ;) Actually, I have three (no, four!) good things to look forward to in July. I'll have someplace to live (yay!), my daughter's birthday is the 14th, Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix comes out 7/13, followed by the last book on the 21st. *grin* It's the little things in life, ya know? :)
So, anyhoodles, I'll be away for a while, though I imagine I'll be logging in from work from time to time to read your blogs. Just don't tell anybody. :)
Meanwhile, I recommend Linda Howard's "Raintree: Inferno" from this month's Silhouette Nocturne. I just finished it last night and am looking forward to the next installments of the Raintree trilogy. The only thing I didn't like, was the fact that she left me hanging and the next two books will be written by two different authors. (I'm guessing that was the deal with this series.) Though it will be interesting to see what the other two do with it and how they tie her story in with theirs.
As I read, I could see why she is a best-selling author. Her writing style is fast, clean and fun. There were only one or two very minor blips that she and the editors didn't catch, but nothing dealbreaking (little things like using the same word twice in a sentence). The truth is, I just bought this book because it was small, on sale, she wrote it, and I liked the cover. :) I intended to read it to study her style and ended up impressed with her pacing and economy of details, as well as the realism - her heroine had to pee and brush her teeth. :D You don't see that often, and the way it was written was funny and realistic.
So there ya go. Have a great holiday weekend, and I'll see you around. :)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Publishers
Since a few male (and non-romance writing) readers have suggested lately that they might try their hands at romance and/or erotic romance, I thought I’d list a few publishers here. (Spyscribbler - check out Juno Books for books about strong female characters in roles other than the usual - I believe you were looking for something like that lately. :) (Unless I have you confused with someone else! lol)
Note: None of these publishers require agents to submit, and some are also open to genres other than romance.
In alphabetical order:
Aphrodites Apples (new e-publisher; they published my story “Unmasked” in their Masquerade anthology, volume 3. I’ve found them to be very nice and responsive - a fun group of women currently run this company)
Aspen Mountain (e-publisher of most genres)
Avon (large mainstream publisher of “large” romance - usually historical romance)
Cerridwen Press (e-books & paperbacks of most genres - the non-erotic offshoot of Ellora’s Cave)
Changeling Press (e-publisher of all genres of erotica - (romance/horror/sci-fi/fantasy, etc.) have been around a few years)
Cobblestone Press (e-pub, mainly romance & erotica)
Dorchester (large mainstream publisher of most genres of romance)
Ellora's Cave (e-books & paperbacks of erotic romance - was one of the first and largest publishers of romantic erotica in e-book form)
eXstacy eBooks (e-publisher of erotica and erotic romance)
Harlequin (large, mainstream, many imprints and “flavors”)
Juno Books (small, mainstream with focus on strong female characters - publishes mainly fantasy - not really romance, though can have romantic elements - their books look really interesting.)
Kensington (large mainstream publisher of most genres of romance)
Medallion Press (small mainstream - current openings many genres)
Mundania Press (small mainstream publisher - closed for submission until later this year - but check back)
Penguin-DAW (large mainstream publisher - this particular imprint of Penguin publishes fantasy and sci-fi, also with romance - you can check their ROC imprint as well for guidelines.)
Phaze (e-publisher of erotica/romance - been around a while)
Quanum Kiss (e-publisher of short romances - pays flat $10 for each accepted submission)
Quill Pen (online pulp fiction magazine)
Red Sage (mainstream publisher - paperback erotic romance)
Samhain Publishing (mainly e-pub, but also some paperback, most genres with a lot of focus on erotic - currently only open to special themes so check their website for details. I have friends published with them, I’ve had exchanges with them also, and they seem very nice.)
Sourcebooks (small mainstream publisher, currently open to most genres of romance; also publishes non-fiction)
Stardust Press (new e-publisher - publishes most genres, though currently seems focused on erotic romance)
Tiger Publication (small, new mainstream publisher, but seem responsive & with big plans)
Tor-Forge (large mainstream publisher of sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal romance)
Triskelion (mainly e-pub, but also some paperback, most genres with a lot of focus on erotic romance - also currently actively looking for horror, fantasy and graphic novels)
Twighlight Fantasies (new e-pub of erotic romance)
Whispers (new e-publisher of erotic romance)
Whiskey Creek Press (e-publisher of mainly erotic romance)
Sunday, May 13, 2007
A Shout Out to My Friends...
So many writer friends (online & in person) have had good news lately that I can barely keep up with it, but just thought I'd share a few highlights. To anyone I've forgotten, please forgive me. I'm working on 3 hours sleep here. :)
In no particular order:
Charles Allen Gramlich - his book, "Swords of Talera" is now available at Amazon. See his May 5th blog for the interesting story of how that came about. Like LaDonna, (see below) he kept it's contract a secret and I don't know how they do it. :)
Cynthia Eden received a 3 book deal from Kensington. Yay, Cynthia!
LaDonna Paulette has contracted two books with Tiger Publications. I am so happy for her! click on her name to read all about it.
Liz Kreger's "Forget About Tomorrow" will be coming out in paperback soon - Liz is an inspiration on many levels.
And last but not least, my dear CP, Amber , now has three books being published this year by various publishers. I am so happy and excited for her, but probably not nearly as much as she is - you see, not only is her dream of being published coming true, so is her dream of having another baby - a baby girl to go with her sweet little boy. Congratulations, Amber! :)
I know there are plenty of others - Stewart Sternberg has had some short stories published online recently; Mackenzie McKade just keeps churning them out - I've lost count how many she has now!
To all of you, congratulations. You make me want to do more. :)
So many writer friends (online & in person) have had good news lately that I can barely keep up with it, but just thought I'd share a few highlights. To anyone I've forgotten, please forgive me. I'm working on 3 hours sleep here. :)
In no particular order:
Charles Allen Gramlich - his book, "Swords of Talera" is now available at Amazon. See his May 5th blog for the interesting story of how that came about. Like LaDonna, (see below) he kept it's contract a secret and I don't know how they do it. :)
Cynthia Eden received a 3 book deal from Kensington. Yay, Cynthia!
LaDonna Paulette has contracted two books with Tiger Publications. I am so happy for her! click on her name to read all about it.
Liz Kreger's "Forget About Tomorrow" will be coming out in paperback soon - Liz is an inspiration on many levels.
And last but not least, my dear CP, Amber , now has three books being published this year by various publishers. I am so happy and excited for her, but probably not nearly as much as she is - you see, not only is her dream of being published coming true, so is her dream of having another baby - a baby girl to go with her sweet little boy. Congratulations, Amber! :)
I know there are plenty of others - Stewart Sternberg has had some short stories published online recently; Mackenzie McKade just keeps churning them out - I've lost count how many she has now!
To all of you, congratulations. You make me want to do more. :)
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Boggarts
A month or so ago, my daughter and I were discussing the boggarts from Harry Potter - monsters that take the form of what you fear most. We were trying to figure out what our boggarts might look like, but couldn't immediately come up with an answer. You'd think that it would be simple, but it wasn't.
Some things seemed obvious - what if something terrible happened to my daughter? But then again, what if something happened to me before she was old enough to be on her own? There's no one I can trust to look after her. Or what if I went completely broke, became homeless and couldn't care for her?
Well, soon after, I got sick and it was a scare for her and me (though I'm doing better now, thanks) then the payroll department at work messed up and didn't process my FMLA as sick leave, so I was out of a paycheck at the same time my ex decided he didn't feel like paying child support and is now two months behind - JUST when the people I've been subletting from said they needed to come back and I have to be out by the end of the month, and have no clue where or how I'll move. I'll not only not have the finances for it, but I also won't have much physical help packing & moving. My daughter has been fainting for some reason lately and hit her head on some bricks when she went down the other day. We spent 4 hours in the emergency room, where fortunately her EKG and CT were normal, but she does have a concussion. (She still has follow-up appointments with her doctor, but they seem to think it's probably just low blood sugar and nothing too serious, thank goodness.) Plus, this week she received all day detention every Saturday through the end of the school year for skipping so many classes.
So, let's see here... what did I say my biggest fears were?
That'll teach me.
But in spite of it, I'm surprisingly hopeful that things will work. I've only gotten tiny tastes of my biggest fears lately, and while they were nerve wracking, I'm grateful it wasn't worse.
I used to think one of my biggest fears would be revealing too much about myself and appearing foolish. I also used to fret over what people would think/say about my work. You know what? That's nothing. Barely worth giving a second thought.
Stewart blogged today about looking for that delicious thrill of fear that he used to get from horror stories or his own imagination, but which no longer have much effect. I think it's just that real life has so many boggarts hiding in every cupboard that ghosts and ghoulies are child's play in comparison.
What does your boggart look like? Have you ever used it in your writing?
Some things seemed obvious - what if something terrible happened to my daughter? But then again, what if something happened to me before she was old enough to be on her own? There's no one I can trust to look after her. Or what if I went completely broke, became homeless and couldn't care for her?
Well, soon after, I got sick and it was a scare for her and me (though I'm doing better now, thanks) then the payroll department at work messed up and didn't process my FMLA as sick leave, so I was out of a paycheck at the same time my ex decided he didn't feel like paying child support and is now two months behind - JUST when the people I've been subletting from said they needed to come back and I have to be out by the end of the month, and have no clue where or how I'll move. I'll not only not have the finances for it, but I also won't have much physical help packing & moving. My daughter has been fainting for some reason lately and hit her head on some bricks when she went down the other day. We spent 4 hours in the emergency room, where fortunately her EKG and CT were normal, but she does have a concussion. (She still has follow-up appointments with her doctor, but they seem to think it's probably just low blood sugar and nothing too serious, thank goodness.) Plus, this week she received all day detention every Saturday through the end of the school year for skipping so many classes.
So, let's see here... what did I say my biggest fears were?
That'll teach me.
But in spite of it, I'm surprisingly hopeful that things will work. I've only gotten tiny tastes of my biggest fears lately, and while they were nerve wracking, I'm grateful it wasn't worse.
I used to think one of my biggest fears would be revealing too much about myself and appearing foolish. I also used to fret over what people would think/say about my work. You know what? That's nothing. Barely worth giving a second thought.
Stewart blogged today about looking for that delicious thrill of fear that he used to get from horror stories or his own imagination, but which no longer have much effect. I think it's just that real life has so many boggarts hiding in every cupboard that ghosts and ghoulies are child's play in comparison.
What does your boggart look like? Have you ever used it in your writing?
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Easy Contest
Here's a chance to win a free copy of my e-book, "The Masquerade, Volume 3" published by Aphrodite's Apples.
Just send me an email (kate at katesterling.com) with the names of all the Masquerade anthology authors (volumes 1 through 3) by midnight Friday to be entered into the drawing. (Here's a freebie - I'm in volume 3) :)
I'll announce the winner here (and notify him/her by email) Saturday morning.
Here's a chance to win a free copy of my e-book, "The Masquerade, Volume 3" published by Aphrodite's Apples.
Just send me an email (kate at katesterling.com) with the names of all the Masquerade anthology authors (volumes 1 through 3) by midnight Friday to be entered into the drawing. (Here's a freebie - I'm in volume 3) :)
I'll announce the winner here (and notify him/her by email) Saturday morning.
(By the way, you must be 18 or older to qualify - the stories in this anothology have erotic content that may not be suitable for everyone.)
Good luck! :)
Saturday, April 14, 2007
I'm having too much fun...
with this story generator. I was feeling a bit stuck, googled "story idea generator" just to see if there were anything out there that might help, and found this: Seventh Sactum.
I loved the Grimoire of Questionable Spells. I think I'll be back on track soon. :)
with this story generator. I was feeling a bit stuck, googled "story idea generator" just to see if there were anything out there that might help, and found this: Seventh Sactum.
I loved the Grimoire of Questionable Spells. I think I'll be back on track soon. :)
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Mark Your Calendars
Aphrodite's Apples will be hosting a free marketing and promotion workshop on Saturday, May 5th. Details are here.
Aphrodite's Apples will be hosting a free marketing and promotion workshop on Saturday, May 5th. Details are here.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Alter Ego
Something funny happened yesterday and I thought I'd share. I was reading last month's Desert Rose RWA newsletter and saw this name in there... for the briefest flash of a second, I thought, "that name looks familiar" (and you know where this is going, right?) - and yes, it was my own. But it wasn't "Kate Sterling" -- it was my "real" name I didn't recognize.
I'm not sure when this happened; when I embraced "Kate" so fully. In the beginning, it was awkward for me to see the name Kate in emails and blog posts. I felt like a fraud. Now, it seems the most natural thing in the world. The "other me" thinks being a writer named Kate Sterling is pretty cool. ;)
The framed tag you see in this picture came from the rose they hand out at the meeting (the rose is surrounding the frame) whenever someone makes a first sale. I keep it on my desk next to my computer. A rose by any other name...
If you write under a pseudonym, do you find it odd to hear it, or to see that name in print? Did you get used to it after a while? Did you, like me, forgot what your co-workers actually call you?
Now, this post is about to become a "two-in-one". Since it's Tuesday, and I missed another Magical Monday, I thought I'd post a list of some of the "magical" books I've read lately. I've had an interesting and unexpected side effect to a new medication I've been taking: it seems to have increased my concentration slightly. Go figure. But I'm all for it. Because of that, I've been reading up a storm the last few days so I'll share some of the magic. :)
Non-fiction:
"The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire" by Deepak Chopra (Edie, Ladonna & Michelle, if you're out there - you might like this one.)
"A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah (I just started this one)
Fiction, Terry Pratchett
"Witches Abroad"
"Hogfather"
"Carpe Jugulum"
"Good Omens"
(Edie, you said you hadn't been able to get into his books, and there were others of his that I had taken out from the library apart from these that didn't "grab" me either. However, I loved these four as well as The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, and Wintersmith - I think you might like those and the ones listed here. Of course, you never know.)
Fiction, other authors :)
"Fear No Evil" by Allison Brennan
"Storm Front" by Jim Butcher
"Possession" by Jennifer Armintrout
"Silverlock" by John Myers Myers (working on it now - I'm reading it and A Long Way Gone concurrently. The non-fiction is sad so far, so I need Silverlock to lift my spirits after - so far it's working.)
I also have a couple more that I bought at the same time in the "waiting to be read" pile. One is by a young local author, so I'm going to read it next when I'm done with the Silverlock and A Long Way Gone.
I also started writing again, and have to admit, I see the influence of Pratchett in the new stuff. But that's ok, because it feels very natural to me. I'd written other things that were similar before I ever read his work, so I'm telling myself it's not all a rip off. :)
Something funny happened yesterday and I thought I'd share. I was reading last month's Desert Rose RWA newsletter and saw this name in there... for the briefest flash of a second, I thought, "that name looks familiar" (and you know where this is going, right?) - and yes, it was my own. But it wasn't "Kate Sterling" -- it was my "real" name I didn't recognize.
I'm not sure when this happened; when I embraced "Kate" so fully. In the beginning, it was awkward for me to see the name Kate in emails and blog posts. I felt like a fraud. Now, it seems the most natural thing in the world. The "other me" thinks being a writer named Kate Sterling is pretty cool. ;)
The framed tag you see in this picture came from the rose they hand out at the meeting (the rose is surrounding the frame) whenever someone makes a first sale. I keep it on my desk next to my computer. A rose by any other name...
If you write under a pseudonym, do you find it odd to hear it, or to see that name in print? Did you get used to it after a while? Did you, like me, forgot what your co-workers actually call you?
Now, this post is about to become a "two-in-one". Since it's Tuesday, and I missed another Magical Monday, I thought I'd post a list of some of the "magical" books I've read lately. I've had an interesting and unexpected side effect to a new medication I've been taking: it seems to have increased my concentration slightly. Go figure. But I'm all for it. Because of that, I've been reading up a storm the last few days so I'll share some of the magic. :)
Non-fiction:
"The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire" by Deepak Chopra (Edie, Ladonna & Michelle, if you're out there - you might like this one.)
"A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah (I just started this one)
Fiction, Terry Pratchett
"Witches Abroad"
"Hogfather"
"Carpe Jugulum"
"Good Omens"
(Edie, you said you hadn't been able to get into his books, and there were others of his that I had taken out from the library apart from these that didn't "grab" me either. However, I loved these four as well as The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, and Wintersmith - I think you might like those and the ones listed here. Of course, you never know.)
Fiction, other authors :)
"Fear No Evil" by Allison Brennan
"Storm Front" by Jim Butcher
"Possession" by Jennifer Armintrout
"Silverlock" by John Myers Myers (working on it now - I'm reading it and A Long Way Gone concurrently. The non-fiction is sad so far, so I need Silverlock to lift my spirits after - so far it's working.)
I also have a couple more that I bought at the same time in the "waiting to be read" pile. One is by a young local author, so I'm going to read it next when I'm done with the Silverlock and A Long Way Gone.
I also started writing again, and have to admit, I see the influence of Pratchett in the new stuff. But that's ok, because it feels very natural to me. I'd written other things that were similar before I ever read his work, so I'm telling myself it's not all a rip off. :)
Friday, March 23, 2007
Magical Mondays on Friday
It's been a while since I posted a "Magical Monday" and since I'm going to be pretty much out of commission for a while, I thought I'd post one now.
Some time ago (and right now, I can't remember where), I read a suggestion about divination. It was something along the lines of: If you want to know the answer to a question (esp. a "yes or no" answer), say aloud that in the next few days, if the answer to your question is yes, you will see X (fill in the blank with your own item - something unusual), but if the answer is no, then you will Y. Now, it has to be something that you wouldn't normally see. A purple polka-dotted car driven by a clown, for instance (unless you live in an area where those are common).
As you've heard (read) me whine for several months now about my job, I decided recently that if I saw a red Volkswagen bug on my way home from work, the answer was I should quit. (There are tons of silver and blue ones around this area, but I hadn't seen a red one.) Sure enough, I started seeing them everywhere I looked. There were so many, I said, "Ok, if I see a green, yellow & white striped car then I know this is really the answer" (since, let's face it, basing such a huge decision on a red Volkswagen seems pretty stupid, and what's the likelihood of seeing such a striped car?)
Well, guess what I saw within the hour?
For several days, it seems I was plagued with red Volkswagens and weirdly striped cars until I finally typed up my letter of resignation. As I sat shaking at my desk, I said a fervent prayer asking whether this was the right thing to do, and was rewarded with a sudden, clear mental image of a red VW, so taking a deep breath, I went into my boss's office.
Here's what happened next:
She started asking me questions about why I wanted to do that, what were my plans, etc. As we talked, some other things came out that I wasn't expecting. She suggested I make a doctor's appointment to take advantage of my insurance while I could, and wait a few days before making a decision.
I said I would, and the next day, I drove to the hospital passing red VW's and weird, striped cars on the way. It turns out there were things going on with me that I didn't know about and that are going to require some intensive treatment. If I hadn't decided to quit and hadn't had such a great boss, God only knows where I might have been a month or two from now. As it stands, I will be taking a medical leave of absence for the next several weeks, and will still have a job (if I want it) when I get back.
While I wouldn't normally recommend such a precarious method for making life-altering decisions, I have to say that red VW probably saved my life, and by extension, my family.
It's been a while since I posted a "Magical Monday" and since I'm going to be pretty much out of commission for a while, I thought I'd post one now.
Some time ago (and right now, I can't remember where), I read a suggestion about divination. It was something along the lines of: If you want to know the answer to a question (esp. a "yes or no" answer), say aloud that in the next few days, if the answer to your question is yes, you will see X (fill in the blank with your own item - something unusual), but if the answer is no, then you will Y. Now, it has to be something that you wouldn't normally see. A purple polka-dotted car driven by a clown, for instance (unless you live in an area where those are common).
As you've heard (read) me whine for several months now about my job, I decided recently that if I saw a red Volkswagen bug on my way home from work, the answer was I should quit. (There are tons of silver and blue ones around this area, but I hadn't seen a red one.) Sure enough, I started seeing them everywhere I looked. There were so many, I said, "Ok, if I see a green, yellow & white striped car then I know this is really the answer" (since, let's face it, basing such a huge decision on a red Volkswagen seems pretty stupid, and what's the likelihood of seeing such a striped car?)
Well, guess what I saw within the hour?
For several days, it seems I was plagued with red Volkswagens and weirdly striped cars until I finally typed up my letter of resignation. As I sat shaking at my desk, I said a fervent prayer asking whether this was the right thing to do, and was rewarded with a sudden, clear mental image of a red VW, so taking a deep breath, I went into my boss's office.
Here's what happened next:
She started asking me questions about why I wanted to do that, what were my plans, etc. As we talked, some other things came out that I wasn't expecting. She suggested I make a doctor's appointment to take advantage of my insurance while I could, and wait a few days before making a decision.
I said I would, and the next day, I drove to the hospital passing red VW's and weird, striped cars on the way. It turns out there were things going on with me that I didn't know about and that are going to require some intensive treatment. If I hadn't decided to quit and hadn't had such a great boss, God only knows where I might have been a month or two from now. As it stands, I will be taking a medical leave of absence for the next several weeks, and will still have a job (if I want it) when I get back.
While I wouldn't normally recommend such a precarious method for making life-altering decisions, I have to say that red VW probably saved my life, and by extension, my family.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
A Pleasant Surprise
Recently, Amy Knupp was a guest blogger at Magical Musings and she asked when was the last time anyone had read category romance. I'll admit, it had been many, many years for me with the exception of one that had been written by a friend.
So, when I noticed the other day that the little lending library in the lobby of our condo building had a Signet Regency on the shelf, I picked it up. I hadn't read one of those since I was in the sixth grade, swooning on the swingsets with my neighborhood friends as we exchanged Barbara Cartlands.
The one I found was written in 2000 by Laura Matthews, called "A Prudent Match." I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it. There were a few anachronisms that annoyed me (I find it hard to believe a well-brought up young lady of that time would lightly say "God," "Lord" and certainly not "More power to her"); nevertheless, it was an enjoyable light read. I liked the way she jumped right into the story and the way she maintained the sexual tension.
I'm definitely going to read Amy's books, and maybe take another look at category romance. Maybe it's time to become reacquainted with an old friend.
Recently, Amy Knupp was a guest blogger at Magical Musings and she asked when was the last time anyone had read category romance. I'll admit, it had been many, many years for me with the exception of one that had been written by a friend.
So, when I noticed the other day that the little lending library in the lobby of our condo building had a Signet Regency on the shelf, I picked it up. I hadn't read one of those since I was in the sixth grade, swooning on the swingsets with my neighborhood friends as we exchanged Barbara Cartlands.
The one I found was written in 2000 by Laura Matthews, called "A Prudent Match." I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it. There were a few anachronisms that annoyed me (I find it hard to believe a well-brought up young lady of that time would lightly say "God," "Lord" and certainly not "More power to her"); nevertheless, it was an enjoyable light read. I liked the way she jumped right into the story and the way she maintained the sexual tension.
I'm definitely going to read Amy's books, and maybe take another look at category romance. Maybe it's time to become reacquainted with an old friend.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
New Love
I've fallen in love... with Terry Pratchett. I'd heard good things about him, but only recently started reading his work. How I'd love to be so prolific, clever and talented. I picked up "The Wee Free Men" from a book store a while back just because this line on the inside cover got me: "The toad looked a bit shifty."
It's allegedly a children's book, but it's a children's book in the same way Harry Potter is: it appeals to all ages. I went last night to get the next two in the series - one is still only available in hardback, but that didn't deter me.
If you're a J.K. Rowling, Douglas Adams, or A. Lee Martinez fan, and haven't as yet discovered the wonder of Terry Pratchett, I highly recommend his books. I can't believe it took me so long to find him.
I've fallen in love... with Terry Pratchett. I'd heard good things about him, but only recently started reading his work. How I'd love to be so prolific, clever and talented. I picked up "The Wee Free Men" from a book store a while back just because this line on the inside cover got me: "The toad looked a bit shifty."
It's allegedly a children's book, but it's a children's book in the same way Harry Potter is: it appeals to all ages. I went last night to get the next two in the series - one is still only available in hardback, but that didn't deter me.
If you're a J.K. Rowling, Douglas Adams, or A. Lee Martinez fan, and haven't as yet discovered the wonder of Terry Pratchett, I highly recommend his books. I can't believe it took me so long to find him.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Not so Magical Monday
Well, this will be the second week in a row I've had to miss my "Magical Monday" post. I've been working 50-60hr weeks the past two weeks, with two more weeks of the same to go, so I'm just to brain fried to post anything. The real miracle will be if I survive this month. :)
I do have a publisher's chat tonight starting at 9EST, or 8 central if you'd like to stop by. I'll try to remember to be there. I'm terrible - I always forget, and tonight my daughter needs the computer for a while for homework, so I'm hoping she'll be done in time. If not tonight, another Monday then.
http://www.theromancestudio.com/chat.php
Have a great week!
Well, this will be the second week in a row I've had to miss my "Magical Monday" post. I've been working 50-60hr weeks the past two weeks, with two more weeks of the same to go, so I'm just to brain fried to post anything. The real miracle will be if I survive this month. :)
I do have a publisher's chat tonight starting at 9EST, or 8 central if you'd like to stop by. I'll try to remember to be there. I'm terrible - I always forget, and tonight my daughter needs the computer for a while for homework, so I'm hoping she'll be done in time. If not tonight, another Monday then.
http://www.theromancestudio.com/chat.php
Have a great week!
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Book ReleasedThe Masquerade Volume 3 was released today, which took me by surprise. I was expecting it to be later in the month so I'm sitting here going, "But...but...I'm not ready! I don't have my bookmarks printed! I haven't gathered my promo items!"
Story of my life. :)
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