Sometimes I think the coolest part of being an author is getting to meet so many other authors–and one of my favorite writers around is Candice Hern. I simply adore her books and the best part is, she’s a very smart lady, with a love of history that I admire, and best of all, she’s become a good friend. And she let’s me hunt through her Regency closets of prints periodically when I need to dress a heroine. I mean, what is better than a great friend with an excellent closet— who shares?

Being someone who believes heartily in … Read more »

In all the hoopla and post picture posting frenzy of conference writing seems to get shoved to one side. That’s my biggest problem with conference–it can be a total time-suck on the writing. And it is all about the writing after all (though all the party pictures and booksigning snaps beg to differ).

It took me until Tuesday night to drag my notebook and pages back out and dust off my manuscript. I find that my writing is like my commitment to yoga. If I lay out my yoga togs, my mat, and queue up the DVD the night before–getting … Read more »

If you go to conference and pitch to an agent or editor, by all accounts you are a Sure Thing. Even if you go into your meeting, stutter uncontrollably, toss your cookies all over the table and you discover later you have a big blotch of lunch on the front of your blouse. You could even speak in tongues and still, most likely, get a request for a partial. That’s because an agent or editor has no way of knowing what your story is like without reading your manuscript. You might be the most socially challenged writer in the Western … Read more »

Pack light. Why, you ask? Free books. Tons of free books. And goodies. And other tokens. Make sure you have either a large tote bag you can fold flat and tuck in your suitcase, or do my trick: the suitcase inside the suitcase. Yes, you see that correctly. I pack the smaller suitcase with my clothes, tuck it inside another suitcase and then when I come home, voila, I have two suitcases. If that seems to be too much trouble or you aren’t a fan of lugging some really heavy bags through DFW, then consider taking a USPS Priority Mail … Read more »

I’m off to conference in less than two weeks and I’m completely unprepared. I haven’t done any of the essentials (that is if you believe all the conference chatter going around) that go into conference preparation: primarily shopping for an entire new wardrobe. You might understand my supposed panic if you could see my “business casual.” In my office, that consists primarly of Target t-shirts and sweatpants. Sorry to burst the bubble, but no, I don’t wear designer clothes to write. I can’t even get myself into something cool and hip, say like Lucy sweats. No, I’m a Hanes girl. … Read more »

When you start a book there are two things that are going to happen. You have a story to tell and two people to live with for the next 6-9 months. Two people that you have to like, then you have to turn their lives upside down, torture them a bit and then finally give them the pay off of the happily ever after–but only after they’ve changed.

Yes, changed. Now anyone who’s tried to nudge a man toward leaving the toilet seat down at night can relate to this. It just ain’t easy. No one likes to change. None … Read more »

Oh, yeah. Be warned, ye who is tempted by stationery stores, fancy pens and other writing doodads. This is writer crack. Worse than Godiva. When this comes out of the mailbox, my Visa groans. And why wouldn’t it when it holds little wonders like this:

And who wouldn’t be enticed by a leather box. But wait, there is more. You plug the box in the wall. Inside is a little power strip where you can plug in all your assorted charging codes and then your cell phone, PDA, iPod, etc, all rest happily atop it while they get their little … Read more »

Yesterday I started the new book. Of course I made my latte first. Two shots of espresso and steamed nonfat milk go a long way toward getting the muse rolling. Then I grabbed the composition book I’ve been jotting notes in for months, my favorite pencil and a red pen, and got to work. For an entire hour. Because that was all the time I had.

Now the last thing I did was dive right into writing pages. Chapter 1 isn’t even on my mind. And even though I know the basic story, since I had to write a proposal … Read more »

So between books, I had this very good plan. Clean out my office–I mean clean it–files, books, old papers, old manuscripts, notes, office supplies–well you get the point.

And then once I had streamlined the operation, I would move the kids out of their small bedroom into the larger room that was my office. They’d outgrown their shared space, and I was willing to downsize to accomodate them. It all was so magnanamous of me. (Mostly because to go down to the smaller room I would have to get new office furniture. Oh, poor me. Have to go shopping.)

So … Read more »

Ah yes, the infamous Plan. Be prepared to be dazzled, awed, shake with fear in your creative boots. I know I did when I committed to doing this. And now it is your turn.

I suppose you might like some background on “The Plan.” Well, I’d write my books and my husband would ask, “When is it going to be done?” As in, are you going to make your deadline, OR how much longer do I have to spend the weekends with kids in tow so you can finish that $#%^$ thing. You get the idea. And worst of all, … Read more »