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Interview with Jesi Lea Ryan
Chick Lit Authors

Interview with Jesi Lea Ryan

Q: What is your favorite part of the writing process?
A: I love writing beginnings. The first five or six chapters of a novel come very easy to me. I typically plan out the characters and the basic plot in my head before I even sit down to the computer, so those chapters just flow out of me. It really is the easiest and most exciting part for me.

Q: What was the hardest part about finding an agent?
A: Everything about finding an agent is hard—that’s why I am going without one for my first book. The market right now is really tough for new writers to break in to. Agents are reluctant to take chance on new talent when publishing houses are decreasing production. Every agent that I have talked to tells of how busy they are with their existing clients. That makes it hard to take on new talent.

I queried agents for about two months, but in May 2010, I while attending the Romantic Times Convention, I met Jean Watkins, the managing editor for DCL Publications. She liked my idea and asked me to send her the first three chapters. Less than a week later, Jean offered me a contract to purchase it. You’d be surprised how much of this business depends on meeting the right person at the right time.

Q: Your first novel, Four Thousand Miles, was released October 7th. Where did the inspiration for this story come from?
A: I was traveling in England last summer and ended up staying at this medieval farm that has been turned into a bed & breakfast. It was set in the Kent countryside in the middle of sheep pastures and wild flowers. It was truly the most romantic setting I could imagine. I started day dreaming about Natalie, my main character while I was there. What better place for an American woman to fall in love with a hot guy with a British accent!

Q: How long did it take you to write Four Thousand Miles?
A: It took about four months, but I wasn’t writing every day. Like I said, I am good with beginnings, but I tend to stall out about six-ten chapters in. Then, I take a bit of a break and think about where I want the story to go and how it will progress. I tend to change my mind a lot in that period. Since I don’t believe in sitting in front of a blank screen, I put the story down and walk away for a while. I might not be physically writing, but I am planning it out on my mind. Once I am comfortable, I go back to the computer. I might do that three or four times during the course of a novel.

Q: When you were in the writing process, did you have a certain routine you followed? (such as so many words written a day, so many pages edited, only wrote in one place?)
A: Not at all. I am awful when it comes to writing organization. I don’t plot outline, I never know how it is going to end and I don’t force myself to write when the muse is not calling me. That, by the way, goes against every piece of writing advice I have ever been given, but it works for me.

Q: How did you celebrate when you sold Four Thousand Miles to DCL Publications?
A: I didn’t really. I guess I kept waiting for something bad to happen. The company offered me the contract before seeing the whole novel and I was suspicious. I thought they might read the full manuscript and change their mind! I guess publishing a book was such a dream come true that it took a while to sink in.

Q: We are from the same hometown- Dubuque, IA- though we both no longer live there. What are some things you miss about Dubuque? I always ride the Fourth Street Elevator when I’m back!
A: I live a bit closer to Dubuque than you do, so I probably get back more often. My mother lives there along with a few other relatives. Mostly, I spend time with them. It is fascinating though how much the city has changed in the eight years since I’ve been gone. The city has done a great job on the new river front.

Q: What are you currently reading, and what are some of your favorite genres?
A: I read a lot—several books a week. I’m pretty open to genres. I don’t read westerns or sci-fi. I tend to gravitate to female authors, but not purposely.

At this very moment, I’m reading two books, one by my bed and one that I keep in my purse for reading every time I get a chance. Nightkeepers by Jessica Andersen is my at-home book. It’s a paranormal romance revolving around the Mayan end-of-world prophecy of 2012. My purse book is the steampunk novel Changeless by Gail Carriger. Oh! I’m also listening to a book on tape in the car—The Inner Circle by TC Boyle…one of my favorite authors.

Q: What is your best advice for aspiring writers, especially those who didn’t go to college to pursue a degree in writing?
A: Some of the best writers never went to college. Don’t get me wrong, I love to learn and I think my education was valuable, but even my writing program in college didn’t prepare me for the business of writing like writing query letters and finding an agent. If a person seriously wants to write, my best advice is to read. Read a lot. Read many different genres and levels of writing. Read commercial fiction and literary fiction. Find out what type of book you’d like to write and really study how other authors write books similar to yours. There is a pattern to novels. If you read enough of them, you will unconsciously follow it.

Q: Where would be your dream vacation?
A: I LOVE to travel! I have been to some amazing places over the years. One place that I want to visit that I haven’t yet is India. I love the culture, the food, the twangy sitar music… I actually planned to go there a few years ago, but the trip fell through and I went to Nicaragua instead.

Q: Lastly, where can readers go to purchase Four Thousand Miles?
A: That every easy! The book will be available at most online sellers within the next couple of months, but until then, you can download the ebook straight to any computer or e-reader from the following website http://www.thedarkcastlelords.com/romance-ebooks-15.htm. The cost is only $6.50…way cheaper than new release print books. Best of all—no shipping and handling fees!

November 8, 2010
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Karina Smirnoff Engaged
Chick Lit Plus

Karina Smirnoff Engaged

Karina Smirnoff is engaged! People.com reported that the Dancing With the Stars professional has been engaged to boyfriend Brad Penny since October 4th, and has been able to keep the good news under wraps. “We kept it quiet because my family is in New York and Brad’s family is in Oklahoma so we kind of wanted them to come out and celebrate and be a family first before we let the cat out of the bag,” she said. Smirnoff, 32, now rocks a 4.5 carat Asscher Cut diamond engagement ring, but has yet to start planning her big day. Smirnoff has been dating Penny, also 32, since October 2009. Penny played baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals last year, and the couple was introduced to each other by a mutual friend, UFC fighter Chuck Liddell.

November 7, 2010
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Guest Post from Author Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Authors

Guest Post from Author Heather Wardell

I don’t believe in writing absolute garbage just to have words on the page, but I also don’t believe in editing while writing a first draft. I’ll write, “Ian smelled great” in the first draft, and by the final draft it’ll be, “I closed my eyes and breathed in Ian’s scent of fabric softener and lumber. Only the wife of a carpenter would find the smell of wood sexy.” The short version is fine for a first draft, and it avoids me sitting there staring at the screen or page trying to find the perfect words. The first draft isn’t about perfect words. It’s about words that do the job.

So how do you get from “Ian smelled great” to the more detailed lines? Here’s how I do it.

This picture shows a page from one of my current projects, which I plan to release in early 2011. The main character, Mary, has just been turned down for her dream chef job and is now camping out on the restaurant’s doorstep until the owner Kegan agrees to hire her. On this particular page, Mary goes to a nearby coffee shop and is then confronted by one of Kegan’s staff members.

Note that I am working on a print-out, double-spaced and single-sided, of the manuscript. It might seem like a waste of paper, but take a look at how many notes I’ve added (and this is an average page, not one with unusually high changes). Trying to squish those into tiny margins would make the process impossible.

I use my own code to mark up the pages. There’s a “No P” scrawled about halfway down, which means that I don’t want a new paragraph there, and “New P” in the second last paragraph where I do want one. There are official proofreading markings out there, but I find them too hard to remember. These are just for me so I can use whatever I want.

Before going through the book scene-by-scene, I like to read the entire book top to bottom. I do my best not to fiddle with or peek at the manuscript between revisions, so this read brings it back to my mind and also lets me get an overview of what’s really on the page instead of what I think I’ve written. It’s amazing how different those two can be.

After that, I start with the first scene and read it sentence by sentence. At least, I try to. In practice I bounce around the page, making a correction in sentence five and then going back to change the change when I hit sentence eight. But I do give each sentence my full attention at least once.

I’m watching for emotions and physical sensations and people’s movement in space. I’m making sure that I haven’t over-complicated a situation. (In the first draft I had Mary carrying a cushion around so she didn’t have to sit on the cold concrete in the rain. I removed it because it didn’t add anything but an unnecessary prop.)

I’m also analyzing how I’ve put the words together: if I repeat words or re-use a structure, I want to be sure I’ve done it intentionally. (I learned so much about this from Margie Lawson’s “Deep EDITS” online course; while I don’t use her actual editing technique I still refer to my notes for the rhetorical devices that can add such depth and interest to writing.)

Be especially vigilant in the early scenes. Finding a character’s voice can take a while, and I for one tend to do the written equivalent of running around in circles yelling, “Hey, where are you?” at the beginning of a book, which results in a lot of unnecessary elements.

When I’ve finished a scene, I type it in right away. (Take another look at the notes above. If I left it until I’d finished the whole book, I’d have no idea what I was trying to do!) I don’t type mindlessly, though. I read as I go and pay careful attention, and often change a word here or there as I enter the corrections.

After the typing, I re-read the scene, out loud if I can and in my head if I can’t, to make sure it all flows, and then it’s on to the next.

I won’t bore you with the second draft of the entire page shown above, but I will give you the before-and-after versions of the last few paragraphs.

First draft:
“He’s said it himself and it didn’t make any difference.”

She squatted down in front of me. “I’ve worked for Kegan since he opened Steel, longer than anyone else here. So listen up. What you’re doing is pointless. If you think he’s going to feel bad because you look so pathetic–”

“I don’t think that.”

Second draft:
I wouldn’t have expected him to do such a thing. “He’s said it himself and it didn’t make any difference. Why does he think sending you would work better?”

She didn’t bother answering. “I’ve worked for Kegan since he opened Steel, longer than anyone else here. So listen up. What you’re doing is pointless. He’ll never hire you. He said as much yesterday when we asked why you were out here.”

My stomach twisted at this revelation. He really didn’t plan to hire me if he’d told his staff. But she’d probably pass along whatever response I gave, so I made myself smile and say, “We’ll see.”

She rolled her eyes. “If you think he’s going to feel bad because you look so pathetic–”

“I don’t think that.”

You can see that I did make additional changes as I typed in the corrections, adding a few short sentences and reorganizing some words. I view the typing stage as one more chance to make the book shine.

This book’s edit took me about seven weeks (I work Monday-Friday) and I did about ten pages a day. It’s tiring, and occasionally frustrating when the right word just won’t come to mind, but it’s important. This is a tough industry, and you don’t want to send out your book with any rough edges that might bother agents and editors. If you choose to self-publish instead, you still need a thoroughly edited book written to the highest standard you can reach, because readers deserve that. Put in the time and you’ll be amazed at how wonderful your book can be!

November 4, 2010
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Little Miss Straight Lace by Maria Romana
Chick Lit Review

Little Miss Straight Lace by Maria Romana

Little Miss Straight Lace is the debut suspense-romance novel from Maria Romana. The focus is on Josie Natale, a beyond-brilliant biostatistician who uncovers too much while doing pharmaceutical research for one of her clients. Josie’s journey will lead readers into a web of lies, deceit, murder, sex, and drugs. The plot is suspenseful, and there are enough twists in the game to make your head spin, but Romana clearly knows her way around the pharmaceutical world and her knowledge can keep readers interested. I enjoyed the love story between Josie and Nic, the security expert from South America, and the fierce friendships between the core group of characters. I have said before that I love mysteries that leave me guessing until the end, and this book definitely had me thinking until the very last page.
I did have a few issues with Little Miss Straight Lace. First, the amount of characters was a little intimidating. With so many different characters and their stories and them each having a voice, I got confused trying to keep track of everyone. And I found a few contradictions along the way in reference to the characters and their attitudes and beliefs that would throw me off. The consistency seemed to get jumbled as the story progressed. I think my biggest upset with the story is that it seemed to never end. I felt the story could have been a lot shorter and still just as suspenseful, without the plot dragging along and bringing more and more characters into each scene. By the time I was ready for the novel to be wrapped up, I still had another five chapters to read!
Though Little Miss Straight Lace will not be reaching my Favorites List, I still think Maria Romana is a talented writer, and I think the mystery will interest many readers. I will warn that there are some uncomfortable subjects discussed in this novel, including rape and religious cults, so if you are not a fan of those subjects, I would suggest passing this one by.
Rating: 3/5

November 3, 2010
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Guest Post by Author Karen White
Chick Lit Authors

Guest Post by Author Karen White

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN

Not too long ago, I was driving in my convertible with the top down (and my little dog in his car seat in the back seat) and a large hawk appeared from out of nowhere, approaching at a ‘v’ trajectory until wham!—he hit the side passenger door. I was stunned (as was my dog—although I believe he was a little relieved, too, that the hawk hadn’t made it inside the car). Despite the damage to my car and the attempt on my dog’s life, the most upsetting thing about the whole incident was that I must have appeared invisible. To a hawk. Isn’t there an expression “eyes like a hawk”??
I usually wouldn’t be so paranoid except for the fact that it keeps happening! I recently made a drastic change to my hair color. My hairdresser loved it, I loved it and when I got home…nothing. My husband didn’t say anything. My children didn’t say anything. My dog remained silent, too, the traitor.
And then it was everywhere—at four-way stops people would proceed through the intersection as if I wasn’t there. Was it my imagination, or were people not responding to my emails as quickly as they used to? And why did my husband wait until bedtime to let me know that I had a smear of toothpaste on my forehead—something I’d apparently had on my face all day, including the time spent sitting across from him at the dinner table?
So where am I going with this and how does it relate to my writing (besides giving me tons of material to work with for future novels)? Basically, it’s justification for my answer to the question, “Do you ever bring your family with you on book tour or other book events?” In a word, “no.”
In a few weeks, I will be speaking in front of about 650 readers in another city as part of my book tour for my November release, FALLING HOME. I’m also booked to speak with lots of book clubs, do magazine, television and radio interviews, and appear at quite a few bookstores where I’ll meet and chat with readers who actually believe that I’m interesting enough to make them want to leave the comfort of their houses to come meet me! In other words, I will be basking in being visible.
I guess I’m admitting to living a double life. In one, I’m a mild-mannered housewife who carpools, drags recalcitrant children to hair and dental appointments, and does so much laundry I’m thinking of moving my desk into the laundry room. In that life, the people I live with (husband, two children, dog) are vaguely aware that I have some kind of hobby that has something to do with books. Their main concern is that they have clean underwear when they need it.
In my second life, I’m a sort-of celebrity who sometimes gets recognized in malls and cruise ships (yes, that’s happened twice), and whose books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. I actually get paid to speak, and have even been known to have a captive audience of several hundred laugh at my jokes! Booksellers are happy to meet me and invite me to their stores to come speak and sign my books and I get to stay in some really cool hotels with spas. I’m never even expected to be within 300 feet of a laundry room!
So, really, why would I want to mix the two? I actually enjoy being visible. Meeting booksellers and readers is one of the best parts of my job, as is getting to dress up like a girl and wear heels and makeup. I could do that all day—if only I didn’t have to actually spend time writing. 
To be honest, though, it’s also always good to come home; to sleep in familiar sheets, to pull on my favorite sweats, and curl up in my writing chair with my dog and favorite coffee mug. Occasionally, my children and husband actually notice me and say something nice (usually as a precursor for a request for money or clean socks, but still) and they’ll even include me on fun family vacations!
I have to admit that my two lives coexist happily in my head, and I can’t imagine my life without both. One allows me to follow my dream of writing books, and the other allows me to share them with readers. I love them both, and I hope I’m lucky enough to live this double life for a long time. Or at least until my family finds a way to get dirty laundry to me when I’m on book tour.

November 2, 2010
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 31
Updates

In My Mailbox: Week of October 31

In My Mailbox: Week of October 31st

Title: Skipping A Beat
Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Received: From Sarah Pekkanen
Synopsis: Sarah Pekkanen’s poignant second novel about marriage, forgiveness, and the things that really matter, which will have readers laughing and crying.

Title: Welcome to My World
Author: Miranda Dickinson
Received: From Charlotte Allen @ Avon Publicity
Synopsis: A travel agent who longs to travel. An intrepid explorer who just wants to find a place to call home. And a Big Idea that changes everything!. When Harri Langton finds herself locked in the Ladies’ loo at Stone Langley Village Hall, she has plenty of time to muse on the events leading up to officially The Worst Night of Her Life! Harri is a travel agent with a shameful secret. Despite possessing extensive knowledge of places around the globe, she’s never set foot outside the UK. Few of Harri’s friends understand her longing to see the world – least of all her boyfriend Rob who still hasn’t proposed after seven years of waiting. But when Alex Brannan arrives in town, Harri finds a kindred spirit. A globe-trotting traveller for the past ten years, Alex’s stories light up Harri’s world, and in return she becomes his confidante, sharing the highs and lows of his awful love life. But everything changes when Alex’s aunt suggests her Big Idea – offering Alex up on a plate to the female readership of It’s My Life magazine. How will Alex feel about being sold off as a prize bull? Will Rob ever step up and propose? And will Harri’s dreams of exploration ever become a reality? An enthralling tale for fans of Harriet Evans and Richard Curtis films from a dazzling star in women’s fiction.

Title: Life After Yes
Author: Aidan Donnelley Rowley
Received: From SheKnows Book Club
Synopsis: This is the story of Quinn—born Prudence Quinn O’Malley—a confused young Manhattan attorney who loses her father on that tragic September morning that changed everything. Now, at an existential crossroads in her life, Quinn must confront impossible questions about commitment and career, love and loss. Her idealistic beau desperately wants a wedding, and whisks her away to Paris just to propose. But then Quinn has a dream featuring judges and handcuffs and Nietzsche and Britney . . . and far too many grooms. Suddenly, her future isn’t so clear. Quinn’s world has become a minefield of men—some living, some gone, and traversing it safely is going to take a lot more than numerous glasses of pinot grigio.
Life After Yes is a blisteringly honest, thoroughly modern tale of life and love in chaos, marking the arrival of a truly exciting new voice in contemporary fiction.

October 31, 2010
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Interview with Sibel Hodge
Chick Lit Authors

Interview with Sibel Hodge

Q: When did you realize you were first interested in writing?

I’ve always loved writing since I was a kid. I used to be scribbling stories down all the time. But when I left school I was too busy trying to get a job, we didn’t have any guidance about pursuing writing as an actual career. And then later, I was too busy trying to pay the mortgage to actually have the time and opportunity to pursue writing as a career. But a few years ago I moved from the UK to North Cyprus, and that’s when I finally had the chance to seriously devote to my passion.

Q: How would you describe your first novel, Fourteen Days Later, in 20 words or less?

A fun-packed romantic comedy that proves anything is possible if you take a chance.

Q: I read that your second novel, The Fashion Police, is the first in a series with the character Amber Fox. When you first thought of the idea for The Fashion Police, did you know right away you wanted it to be a series?

Yes, I wanted to write a comedy mystery series so that readers can get invested in the characters and see how they grow with each novel.

Q: What was the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

Plotting. I hate it! Give me a character to make up or dialogue to write and I’m loving it, but plotting is my pet hate. Unfortunately it’s a necessary evil. No plot means no story.

Q: What are you currently reading?

Take the Monkeys and Run – a cozy mystery by Karen Cantwell.

Q: What are your thoughts on e-books? How about self-publishing for writers?

It’s funny, because if someone had said thirty years ago that people would be reading their books on a little hand held computer that could hold thousands of books, they would have carted you off to the funny farm! But I think e-books are the future of publishing. They are hugely popular in the US now and they’ve change how people read. Alot of owners of e-readers say they read more than ever now because of the ease and availability of it.

The e-book revolution has really enabled some fantastic writers to indie publish, whereas with traditional publishing they wouldn’t have had a chance. There are some indie authors out there becoming very successful – look at JA Konrath and Amanda Hocking, for example. But with traditional publishing, a book could be fantastically written, have a great plot and characters, but wouldn’t be accepted by a major publisher unless it was going to be a bestseller. And that’s been compounded by the current global recession. So self-publishing gives authors that chance to get their work out there, and readers now have more choice than ever. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Q: You are not only a writer, but a fitness trainer, massage therapist, and you freelance write on health and fitness. First off, where do you find the time for it all?

That’s the hard bit. I wish there was more time in the day. Especially now with the expanse of social media as well ¬- Facebook, Twitter, blogs – it’s hard cramming everything in. Really you should try and avoid spreading yourself too thin and concentrate on good quality blogging and writing rather than quantity.

Q: Why is health and fitness so important to you?

I suffer from fybromyalgia, so for me exercise is essential to keep the condition under some sort of control and help with the pain.

Q: What would be your best advice for aspiring writers?

Keep writing! Being a writer isn’t easy, but with the growing e-book industry, it’s now much easier for new writers. Querying traditional agents and publishers takes up a lot of time, and you have to be prepared for a lot of rejections – even JK Rowling received rejections in her time – so you need to have a thick skin. When you think you’re work is ready for the public, I would recommend getting it critiqued by other authors or literary consultants so it’s in tip-top shape. And don’t forget to read. Being an author is as much about reading as it is about writing.

Q: Where would be your dream vacation?

Ooh, that’s a hard one! At the moment, I’d love a relxing beach holiday somewhere in the carribean. But I’d love to go and travel round Australia one day. Maybe if I ever hit the bestseller list!

October 30, 2010
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Slim to None by Jenny Gardiner
Chick Lit Review

Slim to None by Jenny Gardiner

Abbie Jennings loves her job as Manhattan’s top food critic- until her identity is revealed and her unflattering picture with ever-expanding waistline is splashed across the newspapers. She becomes the joke of the town as the overweight food lover, and promptly loses her job at the New York Post since she can no longer go incognito to restaurants. Abbie takes this opportunity to finally go on that diet and shed some pounds, but struggles with motivation and the reasoning behind her relationship with food. To add to Abbie’s problems, she is going through a difficult time with her husband, who is trying to persuade her to leave the city and finally start a family. It takes the guidance of an unusual friend to finally help Abbie see what she really wants out of life.
Slim to None by Jenny Gardiner is a good story. I didn’t get real invested in the main character, and some off the story lines seemed just a bit off for me. I did like the plot, and the descriptions of some of the delectable dishes made me start eating while reading, but it just wasn’t enough. Sometimes, Abbie’s character came off as incredibly selfish, never really listening to her husband and continually doing things the way she wanted. There is also a best friend in the story, who I never could quite figure out what she was doing there. She popped up at random times, and during most of the meat of the story, she wasn’t mentioned at all, only to return once again at the end. I found myself confused throughout the duration, as the writing was a bit all over the place and jumping from scene to scene without any real fluidity. Like I said earlier, I did like the story, I thought it was interesting though not necessarily unique, and I believe some good life lessons can be taken away from the main character’s troubles. Slim to None won’t be on my Favorites List, but I think some other chick lit lovers will be able to appreciate this story.
Rating: 3/5

October 29, 2010
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Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding
Chick Lit Review

Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding

Lucy is shocked when her husband of 16 years, Trent, announces he is leaving her. She knows that their relationship hasn’t been the best for a few years, but with careers and their fifteen-year old daughter Sam entering the teenage angst years, she never thought she would actually be heading for a divorce. Trent is tired of his boring marriage and wants his freedom- and the ability to get one his co-workers into bed. Trent has been eyeing the voluptuous Annika while on the job, but she wouldn’t give him the time of day unless he was separated from his wife. Finally on his own, Trent gets his singledom and Annika- but suddenly wonders if that is the life he truly wants. Lucy tries to pick up the pieces of her broken marriage, but when her job throws her together with a teen heartthrob actor (also her daughter’s biggest crush) Lucy’s life begins to spiral downwards.
Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding is heartfelt novel that draws readers into the lives of the characters by giving both Lucy and Trent a voice. The chapters are written in alternating point of views from both husband and wife, giving us a chance to really understand both sides and why this marriage failed. Deep emotions are revealed, self-doubt and guilt among others, and be prepared for this story to really make you think and feel for all the characters, not just Lucy and Trent. I really appreciated the ending of the novel as well, which is a rarity for me. I am usually left feeling unsatisfied in these types of relationship conflict stories, or feeling that the ending is too cliché, but I thought Harding did a fantastic job at tying all the loose ends together and giving the characters the ending they deserved. A definite recommendation from me!
Rating: 4.5/5

October 28, 2010
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