Love's Duplicity Update

Be the first to know and it's a secret--not the one related to InD'Tale e magazine, It is on its way (okay in a round about way) to Hollywood...






(SCREAM)  
                  Hands a little jittery at the moment.
                                                                     Skeeeee!!!!!!

Love's Duplicity Update

May are aware, and some are not, at one time this project was slated for being published under three separate covers as a trilogy. Today it stands a a 600+ page volume, parts One, Two, and Three. Beta Readers have it in their hands, both those who have read two of the previously mentioned books and those reading this tale for the first time. Early reports are promising.
Now I have two tasks:
1) decide if I will Indie publish or submit to an agent. Hummm. Big decision.
2) Finish the review on my plate and get busy writing while the ideas are fresh and still not fleshed out...you see, I tend to get bored once I figure out all the details. I just know that the next one has several four foot critters in it. Getting you to love the critters and the characters is the puzzle to be solved on my end.

July Update - Release in Paperback!

So, in the afterglow of my book's arrival in print, it is time for me to resume my usual writing activities. For those of you who don't know, I studiously try to complete at least one short story for freelance every writing day (that is five days a week), namely: Chicken Soup for the Soul, Good Old Days, Reminisce and True Renditions and I'm looking for others. I have too many psuedomyns to list but some stories will be in my 'real' name.  

For my 'day job' over at InD'Tale Emagazine. I need to read/review at least one chapter of a novel pretty much every day to complete my assignments. This is easy with some books, but feels like have teeth pulled with others. (You are welcome to slip over there, sign-up for a free subscription and find out what I've recently read and what I thought of it.) I'm not overly good at sharing partial reviews here.

And--the biggy that takes first position on my list of priorities, work in my WIP.

(Currently operating under the title of Love's Duplicity.) This is my baby--and he, yes he, is gorgeous! Therefore I am taking more time with him (Okay, I'm in love with Trevor and you'll have to pick up the book when it is published to find out why. Let's just say I make him suffer a lot because I'm so fond of him. Why not? He handles it, maybe not beautifully, but he comes to the last page knowing who he is, where he has been, and where he is going.) How many of us can say that?

Oh! And did I mention the continued promotion of Dark Days of Promise? You can help me with that one by sharing a link to this blog  or this link for Facebook on all your pages. Thanks in advance!

UPDATE!!!

This fresh in from Amazon...Dark Days of Promise is available in paperback for a limited time at $9.49!!!!!! Great news and if you miss the sale, you can still snag a copy in the coming days. Last check at Amazon had price dropped to $8.99 for a short time!

News Worthy Notes

For weeks, okay, maybe months, I've been silent here on my blog. (I do that when I have little of importance to say.)

News worthy note #1:  My son just got married! Yes, the colors are pink and black.

News worthy note #2: The whole family was together for the very first time. (Visit my Facebook timeline for tags.)

News worthy note #3:  I attended the American Night Writers Association (ANWA) Conference in February. Phoenix was a very welcome change of scenery, especially the sunshine. While there I pitched my current project - Duplicity of Love Trilogy, to Victoria Curran with Harlequin. She loved it and asked for the two novels I have completed. (Her Promise and In Her Hands) Her request is the reason I have tucked myself away as much as possible in my writing cave to work on the third in the trilogy, His Journey. It isn't completed yet, I'm working on it. But you see I have had reason to get sidetracked for a bit with this wedding.

Of course there is always the demand of my time to do the reading and reviews with InD'Tales e-magazine. You won't find my reviews here but you are welcome to follow this link https://plus.google.com/communities/102849317807537724903?gpsrc=gplp0&partnerid=gplp0#communities/102849317807537724903 to follow on Google or this link http://indtale.com  to subscribe and find out what I've been reading and what I think of each novel or novella.

I must admit that I am a bit hard on the authors and their books that I read, maybe even tougher than the other reviewers at InD'Tales (A tough call as we don't read/review the same books.)

So, there is a summary of what I've been up to. I wouldn't recommend you hold your breath until my next post, but then again, I tend to go in spurts so you might want to check back again soon.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The good news is that 'The Drive the Thrive,' which contains a short bibliography by yours truly is moving forward and closer to the publication date. For those of you watching and waiting for this one, please remember that all proceeds go to fighting cancer.

The bad news is that my baby, as in latest novel, 'Her Promise,' didn't get a date to the publishing ball in this first round of submissions.

More good news, the second book, 'In Her Hands' and companion to the afore mentioned book is back from the really mean check, fix or die reader/critique.

Now for the ugly news…'In Her Hands' just got a major hair cut that left her roughly 4000 words short of where she needs to be. Not all is bad as much of what was cut can be reattached elsewhere or reworked. With no deadlines and beta readers breathing hard on my heels, this will be done in a timely manner. When she (In Her Hands) is ready, she will go to beta readers. From there we polish her up until she shines and send her out to find a hot date to the publishing ball!

In the mean time, I'm going dancing…

Book 3 earns Praise of Young Reader

Not sure this is true for all authors, but it is for me. I received a nice compliment this morning. My son, age 13 going on 30 stopped in his tracks this morning to listen to me read. It wasn't that he yearned to be 3 and hear a bedtime story, it was the story that I was reading…Go Trevor!

I've lived and worked with this character for over five years and am now working on "His Journey." Trevor has waited patiently for me to tell the story from two female's point of views and now it is his turn to tell his story. I love the guy, he is continually surprising me and this morning, well, let's just say-- his actions held my son in the palm of his hand with the rest of his audience!

"His Journey" will be Book 3 in a trilogy that I'm writing. "Her Promise" is out shopping for a date with a publisher while "In Her Hands" is off to her first of many polishing sessions. When "In Her Hands" is complete with all her polishing done, it too will go shopping for a date to the publishing ball. I have no doubt that it will find one easier than her sister as "In Her Hands" is a romance while "Her Promise" has a different twist.

                               

                                  So excited!!!

The charm for Dark Days of Promise arrived today. Isn't it pretty?

The glare is bad but that must be in part because it is so shiny. That and I'm still learning to use the ipod.

In Her Hands Update

Just when I thought I was doing an awesome job on In Her Hands, I took a hard look at the word count and choked, only 45,000! Cough, cough and this rough draft is done. Time to go back and fill out the pages before the climax (currently sitting at page 116). Yikes! I only need to write 30-40 pages of description, details, sequels, and maybe a bit of back story... Back to the writing cave for me…

Logline Update:

This is what I get for sleeping on it. This story is a romance and as such, the target audience is predominantly female.

Whoa! That means that the readers will more readily relate to a main character that is female, not male. Oh Trevor, you poor underappreciated man! Will you forgive this feminine author and her female wiles? Complete with changing her mind on many occasions? I promise I will tell your side of the story as well…

(Trevor, after shaking his head and his fist at me.) Do I have any choice? But I reserve the right to be unpredictable if the mood strikes me. Don't you dare try to make me into the typical romantic lead, fawning over a brainless heroine. I won't save her if you do.

Porsche's logline:  Being headstrong and resourceful isn't always the best choice for a twenty-four-year-old woman unwilling to recognize her need to overcome her personal injuries and trust the one man responsible for her collapsing world before she can find true happiness.

(Trevor) So I'm responsible for her world collapsing around her am I?  I like it!

-Update - Writing helps - Logline -

For those of you who are not writers, let me advise you that your favorite authors work hours on necessary tasks that you may not ever be aware of just so that you, the voracious and occasional readers have hours of reading pleasure.
That said, I have recently read on another blog (I visit and read so many, I can't remember whose it was so let me just insert the post author's name, Jenny Hansen.) For years since I began writing seriously, I've wondered how in the heck to write a decent logline. For those of you who do not know what this is, let me summarize in my own words. (This isn't written in stone, so don't quote me.) A logline is one sentence that not only hooks the reader but tells who the main character is (without using his or her name), summarizes their story goal and the obstacle (read villain) that they must overcome and what is at stake. That is a lot of info to cram into one sentence! Oh, and did I mention that an acquisition editor that reads thousands of these every day, will toss it in the circular file (read trash) if it is a run-on sentence? Oh yeah, love and support your favorite authors and let them know it by stalking/following them. The stalking/following deal includes those who borrow books as a rule rather than buying the books.
Okay so I was looking through my files earlier this week for an unrelated item and came upon the saved info.
^^^^^^SCREECH!!!
Jenny instructed authors to begin a book by writing this logline, not trying to write it after the story is completed! Oh! So this is the tool I need to keep my characters from high jacking the plot!
Enter the chapter I shared here earlier this week. Time to write the logline to keep Trevor in line (He has been a frequent visitor to my writing dreams for years. He has a lot to say and I have tried -- much to his frustration -- to tell only a bit of his story. He is demanding center stage. Oh yes, he is willing to share the stage… as long as I am very clear on who the hero is!)
He is ecstatic that I am writing a log line to keep me in line.
So, without further ado…I think I've given it plenty…Here is the logline for Trevor's Story.

It takes more than a shove to steer a confident and headstrong, retired CEO of twenty-six in the right direction; it will take the nudge of an inquisitive mind and a spunky physical therapy student to learn to live again after the forces of nature threaten his fortune and his life.

Update - April 8, 2013

Since moving, I have found an old file that needs my attention and with any luck, the book will be ready for beta readers and the publisher later this year. So, this morning, I revamped and included what I've learned about goats, or rather wether goats which are castorated male goats. I'll share Chapter 1. Let me know what you think.

Chapter 1

Trevor simultaneously slammed on his brakes and hit his horn. Surprise coursed through his veins at the sound of a train whistle emanating from his newly acquired truck. He had little time to wonder while keeping his vehicle from swerving out of control. He pumped the brakes again and came to a stop. The goat did little more than look at his bright red truck and continue munching on whatever it held in its mouth. A bag bounced across the street, carried by the morning breeze. Contending with a foot-footed creature for the right-of-way on a busy thoroughfare wasn't what he'd bargained for on his visit to what he expected would be a quiet adventure to Arbon, Idaho.

The goat bounded after the dancing plastic bag. He let off the pressure on his brakes allowing his truck to roll forward in the goats wake. Entertained by the unexpected distraction, Trevor watched the frolicking animal as it chased the bag and jump high in the air after it. Amused, Trevor pulled into the fast food restaurant's parking lot. The little black and white critter scampered first one way and then the other after the bag and even slipped on the pavement once while pirouetting in its pursuit. Trevor chuckled; the goat looked like he had airplane wings for ears! The animal skidded to a halt, bleated a moment and bounded toward the brightly colored picnic tables. With acrobatic ease that would make the goat's cousin, the mountain goat proud, the animal high tailed it onto the bright yellow table surface. The goat appeared to square his white neck and shoulders, much like a prize fighter returning to a bout and immediately began prancing and dancing.

A young woman, dressed in her work smock, exited the restaurant and confronted the four footed dancer. Unimpressed by the human's efforts to scare him away, the goat jumped off the yellow table and just as easily mounted the blue table top. Trevor half expected the goat to kick the previous diner's remains off the table to make room for his performance. Instead the goat snatched up the paper plate and started munching away.

The young woman approached waving her arms wildly to startle the animal. He merely stared at her, bleated and continued munching what Trevor assumed was a syrupy plate. Beaten by the uninvited patron, the frustrated young woman returned inside. Trevor watched the goat, several questions running through his mind. Who's goat wandered the streets of this small town? Did they know their goat was terrorizing what appeared to be the only fast-food establishment in town? How long would the goat occupy the table top?

Trevor mentally shook himself. This goat had nothing to do with why he was here. The only thing this interlude accomplished was a much needed break from his long drive. When he took a few minutes to relax, he had to admit he was famished. Maybe with a not breakfast, instead of a granola bar, he would manage to organize a game plan. He had little to go on other than his grandfather's journal. He had all summer to find the mine, if it really existed, and the riches the journal described. One thing at a time, and the first thing was to satisfy his hunger.

Cliffhanger or will I hang? That is the question.

WIP Update.


Currently, I am scrambling to mesh many comments into my rough draft that I thought was closer to sharing than it is. A very savvy beta reader asked me why a particular scene was so important. Could it be condensed without the whole suffering or possibly a second book?

I think I like the second alternative. But it would leave me with a few dilemmas.



First, and I believe most important, would readers forgive the major Cliffhanger? As in the suspense of the book not solved but carried to Book 2.

Second, more work will be required to do what authors call "fluff" the novel. This requires adding more without sending the reader into a l" hunt to kill author" mode.

Third, since this is a time-travel romance, if the cliffhanger is none other than along the lines of: Will hero/heroine return for the other? Will their love survive the absence? Will the reader be open to such?



Decisions, decisions…help me make the decision. Will you read a cliffhanger if you know it will leave you hanging? Under what conditions would you consider doing so?



And yes, I can wrap it all up, but I don't think you or I would be as content in the long run. After all-- good things are worth waiting for.

The Next Big Thing

Yes, I've been tagged by the Huff Sisters all the way on the other coast. Really? Yes.

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ME ANSWERING.

What is the working title of your book? I'm actually working on two but they are both in the same Trilogy/series. The Trilogy/series title is The Talisman. Bk1 is Crisscross in Time and Bk2 is Spiritualist

Where did the idea come from for the book? Wow, that takes me back! One of the first novels I wrote and received a basket full of rejections on was Crisscross in Time but on my families begging, it has been revitalized, improved and now added to. The whole story is part of childhood fantasies, laying on my back on top of the haystack and wondering what if? I had no idea at the time that the fantasies would take shape in the form of a novel, or a trilogy/series.

What genre does your book fall under? This WIP is definitely a Time-travel Romance with my own personal brand of suspense.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? That is a tough one. I can say that in the defunked original I had Hugh Jackman in mind for the hero lead, Quinn and the actor (of please forgive me for not recalling his name) that played opposite Hugh as the character Jed in Oklahoma as his brother, Albert. The lead? As in little Miss Perry Mason wanna be? Myself…who else? Of course I was a lot younger and starry eyed then.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Honestly, I am still working on that for this one. It wouldn't be fair to try and formulate it at present because I am a punster writer and although I know my MC and what makes her tick, I haven't completely decided just how she will manage to reach her story goal. And her goal is rather unselfish when she hasn't found the thing she truly wants yet. (evil laughter)

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Neither, it is my hopes that my current Publisher will pick it up, but I have yet to have the first book polished to the level I personally demand before submitting.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? (scratches head trying to remember) That would be the draft that I submitted years ago. I'm guessing about a year. I tried plotting with it. It went quick, but I hated how it figuratively tied my creative hands.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I try not to compare. I know there have been a few that truly disappointed me, but I will bury those titles in my memory banks and just say, none really.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? The old red barn that was at my grandfather's place. It was two stories, moved about thirty miles on logs and with draft horses. Once served as a saloon and brothel.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? In Bk1, that old barn that I mentioned earlier is the saloon and brothel where at least one of the characters makes a living. It is where several of the scenes take place. I haven't decided if it will play an important role in Bk2 yet. I'm still developing logistics of how and why a middle aged woman would venture into time-travel.
(Update- the how is solved and the why, now on to the fun part of landing her squarely in the frying pan just to toss her into the fire, then the coals and back again. She may obtain her story goal, but it'll cost her...evil laugh...)

Don't forget that I am offering you a chance at winning a free e-copy of Dark Days of Promise, my debut novel. Leave a comment for a chance to win. Tweet of FB your friends, tell me about it at shassidy(at)comcast(dot) net(The time stamp will show me how honest you are.) the winner will be chosen from the comments and emails by one of my illustroius family members and posted here, so check back!

And the list and links to those I'm tagging--visit them next Wednesday!

Margaret L. Turley RN http://margaretlarsen.com/blog Margaret's Blog

David Lee Summers http://dlsummers.wordpress.com

Peggy Urry http://peggyurry.blogspot.com/

Looking for a Christmas read?

If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the romantic ones in your life, be sure to check out the Grace Filled Christmas blog. http://graceawardsdotorg.wordpress.com/grace-filled-christmas-blog-tour-2012/
You'll find the perfect novel from one of these many awesome authors for everyone on your shopping list. Of course, I'm inviting you to look back here on the 5th and take the time to explore my pages. I'm drawing a winner for a free e-copy of my debut novel from those who comment to the post on that day, so come back by. But if Romantic Suspense doesn't fit your needs, one of these other authors no doubtedly will. Enjoy looking at these blogs (links available at Grace Awards Blog) and have a safe holiday.

You gotta come meet Jean Kinsey.

Yeah, you gotta if you love Chicken Soup for the Soul.
I get to interview her right here, tomorrow.
She's talking about her first full length novel The Light Keepers Daughter,
which was released on March 15th,
and a few other clean reads.

Check out her books here:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-276/The-Light-Keeper's-Daughter/Detail.bok

http://www.amazon.com/The-Light-Keepers-Daughter-ebook/dp/B007K1ODKK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1331917415&sr=8-3

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/the-light-keepers-daughter?store=ALLPRODUCTS&keyword=the+light+keepers+daughter

So You don't think DARK DAYS OF PROMISE will do well as a Ebook

Or your book either? I love this arguement section!

Have arguments prepared...


Argument...

"Oh, I don't want to pay hundreds of dollars just to read an ebook..."

"You don't have to. Kindle offers a basic ebook reader for $79, and since ebooks are often much less expensive than print books it doesn't take long for an ebook reader to pay for itself."

Argument...

"There's just something about the feel and smell of a real book."

"You know, I once thought that until I started reading ebooks. The smell of a printed book doesn't make me smell the fresh baked cookies in the novel any better, it doesn't help me imagine a spring day. It's the words I read."

Argument...

"I'm old and I need large print."

"Then ebooks are perfect for you! You can make the font any size you want, and many readers have the ability to change the type of font if one is easier for you to read over another, and on some readers you can change how bright or dim a background is, and whether you read on a white screen or a beige screen. You can change to match whatever you need for that day."

Argument...

"I don't read much because holding a book hurts my hands."

"There is an ebook reader for everyone. The lighter, smaller ones are even lighter than a book and you don't have to hold open a binding or turn a page. A press of your finger will turn the page for you."

Argument...

"Ebooks aren't real books."

"Wow, then I'm getting a royalty check for selling nothing. That's great!" (okay, that one is a bit snarky... but it makes a point)

Think ahead about some of the arguments you might be hit with, and come back with a positive response.

Okay... I'm done. :-)

Gail R. Delaney
Editor-In-Chief
Desert Breeze Publishing
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/

So you're wondering if you should Epublish ...

Just keep in mind that there was a time that any book not published by one of New York's big houses wasn't considered a real book either. Times are a changing folks and I'm not the only one saying so. I just have to share this with you. The following is by Gail Delaney, Editor-In-Chief of Desert Breeze Publishing (one of the up and coming Ebook publishers) in an informal discussion among authors of the publishing house.


… Mind you, there are some exceptionally successful self-published authors. Did you know Eragon -- a hugely popular YA fantasy novel -- was technically self-published? The parents of the young man who wrote it created a publishing company to produce it.

I realize as the owner of the company, some might see my view as tainted -- but remember, I was first an author with other houses.

Ebooks are your money makers. Book for book, you will make more on an ebook than a print book. That goes for traditional publishing, small press, wherever. The cost of producing an ebook is realized mostly before the book is published, and while it takes the sales of a few books to make up for the cost to the publisher it's not the same as a print book.

Print books have upfront costs, distribution costs, and manufacturing costs. The manufacturing costs hit every single book produced -- POD or not. We made the decision to keep our print prices on the lower side to encourage sales. Yes, both DBP and you make less per book, but if we SELL more books because they're more competitively priced then the bottom line is more attractive. Rather than making $1.00 a book for five books sold, you might make $.75 per book but sell twenty. You're ahead of the game.

When I tell people we publish ebooks, I never ever use phrases like "Only ebooks", "Just ebooks", etc. That diminishes the ebook. Present it from the get-go as the best possible means of reading a book and you'll convince people. "My book will be available in multiple electronic formats" sounds better than "It's an ebook."

Personally, I hardly EVER read print anymore. I find it cumbersome. And I like having a bunch of books to choose from at any given time on my iPad or Nook. And I tell people that. I tote the benefits, pluses, and reasons for ebook.

Gail R. Delaney
Editor-In-Chief
Desert Breeze Publishing
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/

In the same discussion, an ongoing discussion I might add this from one of our most successful authors.

Stepping back from my personal opinions and feelings, to look at the industry, I see this.

Book stores wouldn't have declined if sales hadn't dropped. Thriving businesses don't usually close their doors. There were reports of reading being down, of younger people not reading.

We may look back and see that eBooks saved the print books. It could be the best thing that ever happened to books. Book stores, libraries and reading had all declined to a certain degree.

Young readers love ebooks. I know seniors who do too. And ebook sales are up and still climbing. I see this as a good thing. More people reading and individuals reading more books.

Debra Parmley
western historical romance:
Dangerous Ties, release Feb 15, 2012, Desert Breeze Publishing
A Desperate Journey, March 2009, Samhain
contemporary romance:
Aboard the Wishing Star release Oct 2012, Desert Breeze Publishing

http://www.debraparmley.com/

What's up next?

We get to meet Joyce Di pastena and find out about her latest release. I'm posting her bio tomorrow and an interview on the first of March. Don't forget to mark your calendars!

Update:

My biography is posted with Desert Breeze Publishing this morning. Click on by to read it!
http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/ShaunnaGonzales/Page.bok&ct=ga&cad=CAcQARgBIAEoBDAAOABAzsKX-gRIAVgAYgVlbi1VUw&cd=U6Uk335ARkc&usg=AFQjCNEc1KItfClA7Cgmwj-JxrmN3vixGw

Really long link --- visit my author FB page for a shorter link.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Shaunna-Gonzales-Clean-Romance/230758263679200

I would love it if you decided to "like" my author page while you're there. Have a good day on me!