by Maggie Toussaint

(From the December 2003 issue of the Update.)

Do you ever feel like you’re drowning in the slush pile? Do you wish you knew the magic answer that would ensure publication? Many of us believe we’re close to achieving publication. We’ve earned our RWA Pro-pins, we’re doing well in contests, we’re volunteering at local and national romance chapters, so why are we still in the slush pile? What is holding us back?

Here’s my simplistic take on the situation: we’ve got to have a great story and we’ve got to be in the right place at the right time. I can’t help you with the timing of your submission, but maybe a few tips from my kitchen may give you that missing something that editors and readers want.

Cooking Tip #1: Chicken Soup. I’ve been cooking for years, but it wasn’t until a friend made me some of her chicken soup that I learned a valuable lesson. My chicken soup is adequate, but hers, well my mouth is watering just thinking about it. There was a certain fullness to the taste and a body to her broth that lingered in my mouth long after the soup was gone. When asked about the secret of her soup, my friend said there was nothing secret about it. The only difference between my recipe and hers was that she started with chicken stock instead of water.

That got me to thinking. Starting with prepared stock enhanced the entire texture of chicken soup. It was thicker, richer, fuller in a way I’d never experienced in my own cooking. A parallel in writing immediately occurred to me. Start with stock characters and then add your own ingredients.

Using a stock character gives you an immediate base to build on, it gives you a set of easily identifiable reactions that jump-start your writing onto a whole new plane. Don’t make your writing clichéd, but freshen something familiar with what you do best. Haven’t you seen reviews or book blurbs that say: Cinderella with a fresh twist or Beauty and the Beast as you’ve never seen it. Fairy tale themes have a familiar resonance. What woman wouldn’t want to find true love and have her whole life come together? Make your story one that will be remembered long after it’s read. Find the magical “stock” that breathes fresh life into that shelf of rejections.

Cooking Tip #2: Breakfast Casserole. Have you ever been to one of those brunches or church socials where several women made the same recipe for “Breakfast Casserole” and all of the cooked dishes looked similar? Then when you tried them they all tasted different? The analyst in me couldn’t get over how different and yet the same they were. The key to the differences was unique to each cook. One lady always used butter even if a recipe called for margarine, another used sharp cheese instead of mild. You get the general idea. Different but yet the same.

Writing for category romance can be likened to those breakfast casseroles. Each category has a certain set of ingredients it looks for, things that the loyal reader recognizes and wants to read. The editors are looking for something familiar and yet different. They want to see tried and true plot devices because they know their market. Our challenge is to find the combination of familiar ingredients that makes our stories uniquely marketable. I have a whole shelf of Silhouette Romances and from the big print on back covers it is easy to see what types of stories they want. Babies sell. Cowboys sell. Secrets sell. Marriage of conveniences sell. Do the research to find out what sells in your target market, and then write the best book you can. One that’s uniquely your own take on a familiar recipe.

Cooking Tip #3: Chocolate Chip Cookies. Everybody knows the difference in a store-bought cookie and one that’s just out of the oven. It’s like night and day, isn’t it? I was sure my homemade cookies were The Best because they were better than store-bought. I believed this until I tasted someone else’s homemade chocolate chip cookies. The combination of taste, texture, and aroma of her magnificent cookies was in a whole different league than my cookies. Even though I knew her cookies had to be loaded with calories and fat and everything that wasn’t good for me, I couldn’t keep myself from reaching for more. Hmm.

The master cookie chef reluctantly loaned me her secret. I was appalled by how simple it was. She baked cookies every chance she got so that she knew the exact proportion of ingredients and cooking conditions required to yield the cookie of her dreams. The lesson I learned from this is that she worked hard at her craft until it was the very best she could make it. Then she kept at it to keep her quality at a very high level.

This was starting to sound like writing again. With the wisdom of hindsight, I see that my first writing efforts, the masterpieces that were surely breakout novels, were a lot like the misshapen slightly burnt cookies of an amateur baker. In order to turn out the lightly browned, chewy but crisp delicacies that taste divine (or the manuscript that makes you a household name), you have to go beyond adequate. Just because your story is better than the worst book you ever read doesn’t mean your story is ready for the big time. If you work diligently at what you do, your craftsmanship will improve. You’re not competing with the worst that’s on the market. You’re competing with the very best romance has to offer.

So there you have it. Three simple lessons from the kitchen. Start with familiar or stock ingredients to give your story more body. Flavor your story with the seasoning that is uniquely yours. And hone your writing ability through practice to keep readers reaching for more. Piece of cake.

~~~~~
Maggie Toussaint continues to cook up novels and hopes that she’ll soon be in the right place for her big break. A member of Washington Romance Writers, she writes contemporary category romance.

by Diane Perkins

(From the December 2003 issue of the Update.)

The deadline to enter WRW’s prestigious Marlene Contest is fast approaching (January 13!). The Marlene Awards are open to members of RWA who have not signed a publishing contract for novel length romantic fiction (regardless of publisher) within three years of the contest deadline. The entry must have a projected minimum length of 50,000 words. Categories include: Single Title Contemporary Romance (final judge Jennifer Enderlin of St. Martin’s Press); Series Contemporary Romance—long and short (final judge Stephanie Maurer of Harlequin); Historical Romance (final judge Alicia Condon of Dorchester); and Paranormal Romance (Erika Tsang of Avon). The winners will receive a Marlene Medallion and a critique by either Shirley Hailstock, Suzanne Brockman, Linda Lael Miller, or Ann Lawrence.

If that alone does not convince an aspiring romance writer to enter the Marlene, let me, the Contest Empress, twist your arm.

Kathy Caskie (Rules Of Engagement, Warner, May 2004, and Golden Heart winner in 2002) dubbed me the “Contest Empress” because I have entered and won several RWA chapter contests over the years, culminating in my winning the 2003 Golden Heart for best Long Historical. Two years ago, I was entering two manuscripts to the same contests. I wound up a double finalist in three contests, made the finals a total of seven times, and won first place four times. That year my manuscripts came in first and third in The Marlene. So I am a firm believer in entering Romance writing contests.

Let me tell you why.

1. Contests are an excellent way for an unpublished writer to come to an editor’s or agent’s notice. To me, this is really the only reason to enter contests. When I did my double entering, it was for the express purpose of double-finaling and standing out from others. I had no Golden Heart entry that year and had to devise some way to keep my name alive for that potential editor who might decide to buy my manuscript. Look to see if the editor or agent you are hoping to attract is judging the contest. If you final in a contest and attend the conference where winners are announced, you will get extra attention from the agents and editors. If you make the finals often enough, your name will be remembered.

2. Contests give you a writing credit. If you are like me, when you began romance writing, you’d never written a word before. You have nothing of significance to put in a query letter. Making the finals in a RWA chapter contest gives you something to tell editors and agents to show you can write well.

3. Contests give you feedback from someone other than your best friend or mother. If you are wondering if your story idea works or if your writing is compelling, contests can help. RWA chapter contests are typically judged by experienced critiquers or published authors (and final judges—editors and agents) who may be able to tell you what is strong about your writing and what needs work. You can learn from the feedback you receive. Be careful, though, critiquing is very subjective, and what one judge loves another might totally trash. Low scores do not necessarily mean your writing is no good. It may mean you are pushing the envelope or breaking new ground. Only take the feedback seriously if it truly makes sense to you. On the other hand, if several judges give you the same feedback, listen carefully to what they say. Then still do what makes the most sense to you. Only you can write your own book.

4. Contests prepare you for the experience of submitting to editors. Some of us freeze up when it comes to sending our work “out there” to editors or agents. We’re afraid of rejection from the people who count the most, the ones who will buy our books. The stakes are not so high in submitting to contests. The negative comments judges give you will help you develop the calluses needed to face those inevitable rejection letters. (Everyone receives rejection letters, even best-selling authors.)

5. Contests can lead to SELLING. There are no guarantees that if you win contests, even multiple contests, it will lead to selling your manuscript, but it does happen. Six months ago I would not have included this as a reason to enter contests. I was a Golden Heart finalist for the second time with the same manuscript. When it made the finals in 2001, I sent it out to every agent and editor I could think of, but it was rejected over and over. Last Spring when I was notified that it made the finals again, I thought it was a lost cause. But on May 30, I received a phone call from Mills and Boon in England. Editor Kate Paice had judged my manuscript in the Golden Heart and wanted to buy it! And when The Mysterious Miss M is published in England in July 2004, it will have Golden Heart Winner on the cover. But that’s not all. Remember those contests won in 2002? One of them was judged by Melanie Murray of Warner Books. She was just waiting for me to finish the book. When I did, she bought it! The Improper Wife will be released November 2004. Two sales in six months, both due to contests.

Have I convinced you?

The Empress says give it a try!! Enter The Marlene. You never know what could happen to you.

Diane’s favorite contests (biased because these contests have been very kind to her!!):

• The Marlene—it has the most fabulous judges! And you win a fabulous pendant!!
• The Royal Ascot—great exposure and feedback if you write traditional or non-traditional Regencies.
• Put Your Heart in a Book—the New Jersey Romance Writers contest. Good judges, and the conference is close enough to attend.
• Fool for Love contest—The Virginia Romance Writers contest. Has a prestigious name, along with their Holt Medallion for published authors.
• Fabulous Five contest—WisRWA contest. Only five to ten pages to enter and it costs less, too.

~~~~~
Since making that first sale of her Golden Heart winner, Diane Perkins has contracted to sell FIVE books.

By Linda Voss

A media storm erupted at Nancy Richards-Akers’ death at the hands of her husband in 1999. It was the kind of fame you do not want to be remembered for. It was a romance cliché, the battle-decorated warrior and the beautiful heroine, but it was not the happy ending. That’s not what those who loved Nancy remember. Those at the WRW retreat in Harpers Ferry witnessed a different legacy when Laurin Wittig announced that WRW is donating $1,000 to the Center for Women and Families in Nancy’s name to fight domestic abuse. WRW also remembers Nancy with an annual award honoring a member for supporting and mentoring other writers (Nora Roberts was this year’s recipient.) Each year a WRW member attends the retreat on a full scholarship that is named in Nancy’s honor.

Former WRW member Judy Yoder remembers that Nancy “was very active in WRW from the start.” Nancy joined the organization in l984 and planned and chaired the first WRW Retreat in l985 and, as a result, was one of the first people to receive the Magic Crystal the following year. In l989 she conceived and organized the first Retreat Raffle. She also gave a number of workshops for the group. Following the birth of her third child, she became less active in the group, but remained a loyal member.

“She was beautiful, vibrant, alive, and she wore dramatic clothing,” said Binnie Braunstein. “She was known for mentoring other writers.” Many in WRW remember with appreciation her influence, including former WRW President Beth Fedorko. Julie Halperson remembers Nancy from a program. “She epitomized to me what a romance writer should be. She was very businesslike talking about what the editors wanted and the industry demanded.” Good friend Anne Marie Rogers remembers Nancy as an idea person, “you could suggest something and she would give you 50 ways you could do it,” but she was very organized to follow up and accomplish the thing as well.

Nancy tasted what life had to offer and kept her sense of humor about her. Karen Smith remembers one outing on the San Antonio River Walk after an RT conference with an RT cover model and some other writers. According to Karen, they drank him under the table doing raw oysters on the half shell and belting down shooters. Nancy was also a founding member of the RT conference spin-off, the Society of Purple Prose. “She was always available to help and an incredibly generous person.”

We’d all like to be remembered for the good in our lives, and those who love us remember the joy we brought to others. Nancy’s life has left a legacy. The year she died, WRW worked with RWA at the national conference in Chicago to donate children’s books to a local shelter in her name. WRW keeps a link on its website to the Akers Children Education Fund for friends who want to contribute to Nancy’s children’s education.

The year after Nancy died, author Pamela Johnson, who knew Nancy through one of the chat groups she participated in, was inspired to undertake the Crumbs anthology dedicated to Nancy. She collected essays on balancing writing and domestic life from over 75 writers and published them as Crumbs in the Keyboard through Echelon Press. With a generous donation from author Fern Michaels, over $1,500 has been donated to the Center for Women and Families in Nancy’s name. The essay authors donated all royalties, and Echelon Press matches it.

Possibly only in a romance crowd can you talk about a legacy of kindness, generosity, and love. Nancy Richards-Akers’ legacy continues to grow, furthered through those she touched and touching those who will never know her, but only the power of the qualities she personified.

~~~~~
WRW member Linda Voss authored, “The Muse as Puppy” in the Crumbs in The Keyboard anthology. Linda, writing as Kaitlyn Merlot, is busy sending out partials on her first completed manuscript, a New Orleans historical, titled, “Kiss Me Again”.

by Cathy Maxwell

My one piece of advice to anyone involved in a writing career is to be fearless. It takes guts to put yourself out there for everyone to read. And no, the crowd doesn’t always roar approval . . . but when they do-it’s sweet.

What exactly is involved in fearlessness? Well, here are the components I include in my definition of the word:

Vision. Know where you are going and why you want to get there. Keep your eye on the prize and not on the grind of everyday ups and downs.

Passion. Believe in what you are writing. Have something to say to your readers. Hold nothing back and do not flinch from the truth. Live for the moment when your story comes together—and struggle with the words until you get there. Remember there are two sides to the discipline of writing. The first is the plodding journeyman approach to craft and the second is something mercurial. It defies description. It’s unique to you alone, born out of your own inspiration and the insight you’ve gained into others’ souls through your experiences. What you are offering is yours alone to give.

Optimism. Reach for the stars. Never give up. Believe in yourself even when all others are ready to count you out. Success is rewarding, but often I’ve learned more from the things that didn’t always work out. Those challenges have taken my work to the next level and to accomplishments I hadn’t even imagined possible. Go forward with conviction.

A strong work ethic. I know brilliant writers who’ve never gotten past re-working a first chapter over and over again. And others who walk around with the ideas in their heads but they won’t or can’t take the time to put them down on paper. A book is written one painstaking, exasperating word after another. We write in fits and starts, in endless marathons, and when the rest of the world is living normally. Sometimes what is on the screen is crap; sometimes it’s brilliant; sometimes it’s passable. That’s the way it is. If you want to write, put your butt in a chair and join the fray. 

Courage. Here’s the heart of it. Don’t be afraid of writing or life. Be willing to stretch yourself and to take risks. Nothing is more boring than a writer who doesn’t challenge herself. Use your individuality to a competitive advantage and remember that whatever happens the sun will rise tomorrow, those who love you will still be there . . . and there will be more words to write, more stories to tell.

~~~~~
Cathy Maxwell is the author of The Wedding Wager (Avon Books 11/01) and The Marriage Contract (Avon Books 02/01).

By Gail Barrett

“Would you like to join a critique group?” That question, which I received via e-mail from another WRW member a year back, threw me off-balance. I’d been writing for six years, but never considered joining a critique group. Except for soliciting feedback from contest judges and selected friends and relatives, I’d kept my writing private. Did I have the nerve to show my work to fellow writers? Would it help me get published? Exactly how did a critique group work?

Not sure what I was getting into, I joined the group. A year later, I’ve drawn some conclusions about my experience.

The Benefits

Setting Goals: Our group made the commitment to meet twice a month on Saturday mornings. Every member e-mailed one chapter of her current work to the other members before the meeting so we could come prepared to discuss it. That pace nearly killed me because I was teaching high school full-time, but I had to submit something each meeting. I produced far more during the past year than I thought possible.

Camaraderie: At last! I could talk about my beloved book ad nauseum without being threatened with divorce. My critique partners didn’t mind picking apart my characters in excruciating detail. They enjoyed discussing my plot.

I could also share my successes and rejections with other writers who were going through the same emotional wringer. We commiserated and planned. We discussed agents, markets, and strategies. We had fun!

Insights: I no longer had to press my husband or mother for opinions and then endure their vague comments or helpless shrugs. My critique partners could spot flaws in my manuscript and even suggest ways to fix them.

By evaluating my partners’ work, I began to understand what an editor looks for. I learned both from their mistakes and what they did right.

The Drawbacks

Ego: Okay. I’d slaved over my chapter for weeks, poured my heart and soul into every sentence. I was convinced it rivaled Hemingway. A New York agent would snatch it out of the slush pile. I’d get that “major deal” and even sell movie rights.

My critique partners weren’t quite that enthusiastic. They didn’t like my hero. They couldn’t understand my conflict. They thought that snappy dialogue sucked.

When our group first met, we tread carefully on each other’s feelings. We couched negative comments in polite language. But gradually, we got tougher. Once we knew each other, we weren’t afraid to give negative opinions. We critically examined the manuscripts and became more blunt.

That created problems. Taking criticism was tough because I didn’t want to hear bad news. On the other hand, mincing around the truth wouldn’t help me improve. The critique group forced me to set aside my ego and stop taking comments personally. Unless I wanted to spend my life repeating errors, I had to be willing to listen.

At the same time, I had to figure out which suggestions to heed. If most of the group agreed on a point, then I knew I’d better take note. If only one person made a comment, then I had to decide whether to incorporate it into my work or not. Everyone contributed unique and valuable insights, but I had to learn to trust my instincts.

I also had to admit that I wasn’t God’s gift to critique groups, and not all my ideas were brilliant. When my partners didn’t follow my suggestions, I couldn’t take offense.

Fragmentation: Over time, some of us switched genres. At one point, various members of our group were writing category romance, women’s literature, romantic comedy, regency historical, and mainstream mystery. Suddenly, I realized I was trying to comment on types of books I didn’t read. If I wanted to critique effectively, I had to study those genres and make myself better informed.

Would it be better to belong to a group where all members write in the same genre? Maybe, but our diverse group also gave us the flexibility to experiment with our style.

The End?

All groups evolve. Some hang together for years, while others eventually disband. Ours will stay or go, depending on the needs of the members.

In the meantime, I’ve learned what makes an effective critique group. Every member has to have a true desire to be helpful. She must put aside her ego and objectively analyze the work. She has to keep current in the market, study, and continue to grow as a writer.

And for that effort, she’ll travel further down the road towards publishing in the company of good friends. What could be more fun than that?

~~~~~
Gail Barrett is a high school Spanish teacher who yearns to stay home every day and write.

By Steve Ciccarelli

Ahh, the wonderful differences between men and women! Were it not for this broad range of eternally explored distinctions, each and every one of us would be out of a job. What is it about this ever-spiraling dance we do which fascinates generation after generation? Is this continued attention more a celebration of sexual diversity or are the differences between the sexes so huge and so insurmountable that we really can’t understand each other?

There has long been a huge body of stereotypes on both sides which appear to be wholeheartedly supported by the media. In truth, some of these seem to be based loosely on fact but are often taken to extremes in weak attempts at extracting a laugh. What seems disturbing to me, as a man, is that the vast majority of such stereotypes seem to apply to the male gender and that the shallowness and frequency of their use seems to be increasing over time.

I, myself, have been confronted with such preconceptions. As far as literary genres are concerned, I have two great loves in life, romance and science fiction. On the day I sat down in front of my computer and contemplated writing fiction, I made a conscious choice between these two. My reasons were many and varied for selecting romance (and are often revisited!), but select it I did. To this day, when I surface this decision to others, I’m invariably asked why I chose Romance. After all, wouldn’t a man prefer to write about sub-orbital tachyo-positronic mind control devices?

The statistics are compelling. With the exception of a small (I like to think “elite") handful of other male romance writers, we’re very much in the minority. Science fiction is far more diverse. The same trends occur when analyzing readership: romance’s audience is predominantly female while science fiction’s is almost 50/50. Why is this? What is it about romance which scares men—both readers and writers alike—off?

At the risk of sounding like an authority, I’d like to explore these questions a bit further. The fact is, I am decidedly male, but this hardly allows me to act as spokesperson for the entire testosterone-tinged population. Rather, I’d like to take this opportunity to explore my own experiences and share my own opinion as to why romance and relationships in general scare the hell out of the average male.

Some of the more humorous (and accurate) stereotypes about men center around our being single-minded of purpose. It’s true. When faced with a challenging task, we can often immerse ourselves wholly in the moment. Often times our very self-worth becomes inextricably intertwined in its successfully completion.

This ability to focus (or perhaps, inability to unfocus) applies equally to unsticking rust-bound bolts off of a carburetor as it does to successfully driving to a destination without assistance. As the formidability of a challenge rises, a mix of pride and personal value comes into play, any outside interfer..er, assistance implies that we are incapable—that somehow our facilities are less than up to the challenge. See, men thrive on challenges. They give us immediate feedback that we are strong, be it mentally or physically. And that directly translates into a capacity to impress (and hopefully mate with) females. Mind you, when this stubborn persistence manifests itself in driving around the block for the fifth time rather than stopping to ask for directions, few men take the time to realize that their chances of mating with the person in the passenger seat are, minute by minute, plummeting. Ahh, the drawbacks of being overly focused! But I digress.

So, how does this apply to emotions?

Early on in the process of socialization, children learn that there’s a pecking order to things. I’ve watched my own kids have this taught to them as they’ve grown over the years and I’ve reflected back on my experiences during those formative times. Little has changed. The strong and the beautiful trade their genetic currency for popularity while the weak and homely stand aside and wish. For the most part, I think it’s these latter groups who come out ahead in the long run as they’re forced to compensate for smaller biceps and more severe acne with personal growth, insight and determination which will serve them well in their later years. Again, I digress—this is a subject for another article. For now, it’s sufficient to point out that all the players in this juvenile game learn one thing: Life’s all about strength. To be weak, especially as a male, is to be shunned and labeled everything from sissy to . . . well, worse.

Peer pressure, as a kid, is overwhelming. So for guys, while our emotional outlook toward life and the opposite sex is being formed, we’re subconsciously being beaten over the head that the very emotions we’re discovering are bad. Never mind that each of our peers is feeling the exact same thing. Emotions (read: NEEDS, and hence read: WEAKNESS) are unwelcome, and are to be avoided at all costs. It’s all part of “big boys don’t cry.”

So, where does that leave romance writers? It leaves them without heroes. A man without needs is a man without motivation. And a man incapable of expressing himself emotionally isn’t someone we want our sexy, brazen, or otherwise empathetic heroines to hook up with.

Moreover, where does this leave us male romance writers? Perhaps this ingrained and reinforced submergence of emotions/needs/weakness from such an early age goes far in explaining why there are so few of us. And perhaps it explains why so few modern males seem to have those qualities which we characterize as heroic. For a romance hero, it’s often sufficient for his post-dark-moment epiphany to be his recognition that he has needs in the first place. It’s not that those needs didn’t exist before, it’s just that he was fully unaware of their presence. Growth in a male romance hero is often something as simple as coming to terms with the fact that he’s not an island.

From this side of the gender fence, it seems this issue isn’t very compelling to women. While the larval male is out on the playground beating each other senseless in dodge ball, young women are learning the ins and outs of forming emotional support groups. They’re discussing desires and needs and immersing themselves in the notion that emotional turmoil is a constant. For them, the ultimate question isn’t whether they’re needy, it’s how to manipulate their support infrastructure to obtain the answers they want to hear.

Thus, when the inevitable emotional conflict arises between the oblivious male and the oversensitized female, she does the one thing which spells doom for men and women ever coming to an understanding: she asks every single person on the planet why he did what he did except the one person who can give her the answer she needs—the guy who did whatever it was which perplexed her in the first place! This initiates a whole spiral of speculation which whirls around and around, feeding on itself until the response she finally applies to the situation is wholly inappropriate to the initial event. Then the poor guy just stands there and thinks, “Where the hell did that come from?” And thus the stereotypes are reinforced.

Maybe it’s a good thing, for all our sakes, that this gap in communication persists. I can only imagine some cro-magnon romance heroine wandering off past that big rock to the west of the clan’s cave and banding together with her prehistoric emotional support group to discuss why her less-than-completely-stooped, dark and hairy man was so uncommunicative after bagging the prior night’s mastodon-steaks. I’m sure they probably came up with some wonderful theories. Perhaps he didn’t like her hair. Or perhaps the furs she’d been wearing for the past few seasons suddenly made her hips look too wide. Meanwhile, Ugnack is back by the campfire wincing and nursing a set of bruised ribs from the earlier tusk-to-the-chest hunting accident. Why didn’t he just speak up? Perhaps he was too busy reveling in the adoration and other interpersonal rewards of being a good provider to mention to her just how stupidly close he came to losing his life.

So perhaps it’s just as well we are the way we are. I’m sure that everyone from Mary Kay to the divorce litigation industry would agree with me.

Heaven help us if guys somehow became more in touch with the forces within them and became comfortable being needy. I, for one, would be massively upset. It’s kind of neat being one of three or four other guys at the RWA Nationals. I’m not sure if I’m up to sitting around a table with a dozen other guys talking about emotions and brazen women and the twelve stages of intimacy. It’s a lot more comfortable to be talking about manly things like killing mastodons and unsticking rusty carburetor bolts. After all, this emotion stuff makes most of us feel all squooshie inside. And squooshie is too damned close to being weak and needy for most men’s tastes. I guess we don’t have much choice but to revel in the status quo, at least for the time being. If romance does catch on with guys, expect a sudden surge in both readership and the number of writers at nationals. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Oh, and as a side note to all the single women out there—start taking a second look at those smaller-framed wallflowers from your old yearbooks. Chances are their acne has cleared up nicely by now. You may be pleasantly surprised just how emotionally well adjusted—if still a bit shy—they are. I’ll give odds they’re worth the search.

~~~~~
Steve Ciccarelli appears to have risen above the general cluelessness of his gender and now writes contemporary romances. His agent recently submitted a revised manuscript to Harlequin and he’s working to complete his second book before the April retreat.

By Binnie Syril Braunstein

Some of these may seem pretty elementary, but you’d be surprised what a difference they make.

ARCs/Bound Galleys
When sending out an ARC (advanced reading copy) of your book, whether it’s a publisher- supplied photocopy, self-copied copy of a manuscript from your own printer, or an actual bound galley, please sign it. “Best wishes” and your signature is all that’s needed. Also when you’re sending out a photocopied galley, try to include a cover flat, or copy of your cover flat, if one is available, so the recipient will have an idea what your book will look like.

Contacts with Bookstores
If you haven’t done so already, start making contacts with bookstores, whether in your local area, or farther afield. E.g., you go on vacation, by yourself, with a friend, your S.O/DH, and/or your family. Don’t just have a good time. (What a concept!) Find out whether the local bookstores are (chain or independent). Visit. Introduce yourself. Leave some copies of your promo materials, or take the store’s contact information, and send a note and some promo materials when you return home. Even if you don’t return to do a signing, the store might be inclined to promote the books of that author who stopped in to say hello.

More About Bookstores
Consider doing “drive by” stock signings of your book, rather than sit down scheduled booksignings. This way, a bookstore doesn’t have to worry about getting in stock, inventory problems, crowd control—or worse—lack-of-crowd control. How do you do a “drive by?” Let’s say your new book will be out June 1. Go to the bookstore. If you find your title on the shelf (hopefully it’s there!), go to the front desk and inform the person on duty that you are the author of this fabulous new book, and you’d like to sign their stock copies and put “autographed copy” stickers on each title. Have your own stickers with you. Chances are, the store will be happy to accommodate you. WARNING: at least one WRW member had this experience when encountering a store clerk and asking permission to sign stock: “Oh, you’ll have to wait. I’ll have to ask the manager if it’s OK for you to deface the books.” (Yes, this really happened! And through magnificent diplomacy and reining in of raised eyebrows and incredulous responses, the author managed to accomplish her objective!).

I spent the better part of an hour on the telephone with a bookstore maven today. Among other things, she advises:

• authors to use “autographed copy” rather than “local author” stickers on books.
• don’t bother putting a “wonderful read” sticker on your book. Both booksellers and book buyers scoff at them. By the way - this was a new one on me!
• my contact says that booksellers love bookmarks, but dislike the larger postcard format promos. (I know there are differences of opinion on this matter. I know authors who are comfortable with either, and some with both formats.)
• have a wonderful web site. Keep it current. Run contests. Author websites are attracting lots of readers.
• make contact with readers groups by sending them promo materials, ARCS when available, etc. I now have a list of approximately 50 readers groups (in bookstores and libraries) around the country. Many of the groups specialize in romance, or include romance with other genres, such as mystery. Please contact me if you’re interested.

Contacts with Libraries
Also very important. Don’t forget—they buy multiple copies of books. Get to know the adult fiction librarian in your local branch. Speaking engagements may also result.

Capital Editions List
One of my pet projects this summer will be to update the Capital Editions List, which includes WRW-area bookstores and libraries. To that end, I will be sending the file (via attachment, saved in RTF) to all members. Feel free to print out a copy. Also—(here’s a plea for help, folks!) please read over the list. If any bookstores (new, used, independent, chain) are MIA or DOA (missing or no longer existing), please let me know. I’m also interested in the names of individual store contacts. I’ll correct the list as I receive replies. When the replies (I’m being optimistic and hopeful, hint, hint) dry up, I’ll have a new compilation ready to send out. Thanks so much in advance for your cooperation!

Published Author Bios
Yes, it’s that time again. Something happened this year. It ought to be incorporated into your bio. And that bio ought to be sent to me. Feel free to email me (either within the body of the email or via attached file. If you use the latter method, PLEASE SAVE FIRST IN RTF. I have WordPerfect 8, which does NOT automatically convert MSWord into something I can read. (Unless you’d like your bio to look a miniature string of boxes, of course!). If nothing has changed since you last sent me a bio, you’ve got a reprieve. Or if you recently sent me one, you’re off the hook. If you have any questions, please let me know. BTW—I’ll be glad to appropriate your latest bio from your website, if that’s your pleasure.

And Speaking of Author Websites
Please—keep your website current! If you have a book coming out, it should be on your website, along with an excerpt, or at least, the first chapter. I don’t care if the book isn’t coming out until 2003! Don’t you want those readers to be slavering in anticipation in the mean time? Also, you don’t have a web site just because it’s de rigeur and everybody else has one—it’s a useful tool. But to be useful, it has to be effective! Link with other sites, when appropriate. Have you linked with WRW, for example? Does RWA know about your site? And the many romance-friendly reviewing sites? Consider that a web site is a kind of electronic press kit; a reporter seeking to do an article on you, or interview you, might visit your site first. Keep it spiffy, current and easy to navigate!

~~~~~
Binnie writes the monthly Promotion and Publicity column.

By Michelle Monkou

Shirley Hailstock did not burst onto the romance fiction scene as a one hit wonder. Dedication, persistence and desire carried her through, perhaps even lifting her over obstacles to become a powerhouse in the romance genre and specifically in the multi-cultural romance group. Thirteen books later, Shirley can look back on her hard work as she continues to garner new legions of fans. His 1-800-WIFE (BET Books) hit the shelves in April 2001 to rave reviews. Maya Angelou wrote a poem called “Phenomenal Woman” as an anthem representing women’s strength, femininity, and pride. Shirley can lay claim to this archetype as we have only begun to see a small measure of her positive influence on the industry.

Shirley’s awards and accolades consistently pour in, many times on the same book. For instance, More Than Gold (BET Books, Nov. 2000), won the 2nd place Mystery/Suspense Clara Award (Neighborhood Press 2001), Contemporary Hero/Heroine of Color Award (Affair de Coeur 2001), Booksellers Best Bet Award winner (Greater Detroit Romance Writers 2001), Golden Quill Award (Desert Rose Romance Writers-Phoenix 2001), 2nd place Venus Award (Heart Rate Reviews 2000) and on and on and . . . WRW invited Shirley to give us a peek into her world.

President of Romance Writers of America—have you stopped pinching yourself, yet? When and why did you decide to run for president?

I decided to run for president the night before the deadline to put your name on the ballot. The reason for running had to do with issues I felt were a hold-over from my year as the PAN Liaison. I felt there was unfinished business that needed to be completed and if I left, the organization would have to begin from scratch with new players. Also, some of the personal issues in my life were alleviated, leaving time to devote to RWA.

When you joined RWA in 1988, what was your initial goal/aspirations?

In 1988 my goal was to get published. I was working on a book and I needed information about the genre and the publishing business. I went to the library and discovered RWA in the Book of Associations. For almost a year I only got the RWR for writing information. Then I discovered my chapter (New Jersey Romance Writers, but we’ve also claimed her in WRW).

Is there any fear about juggling the new responsibilities and maintaining a writing career (and then, there is family)?

I have a motto: You can do anything you want to do. I am more organized than most people. Organization was one of the skills identified when I took those tests way back in college. I like being busy. I find I get more done when time is compressed. Also, in the intervening years since I joined the board, more and more day-to-day work has been passed to the staff at the office. The job is not quite the time consumer it used to be (that is if we don’t have some major problem arise).

Speaking of family, how do your children react to your continued successes? Have they designated you to the level of heroine-worship or are you just plain old mom?

I’m just plain ole mom. Children’s problems, however trivial, are monumental to them. It doesn’t matter if I win an award, their homecoming outfit or going to parents night is much more important in their eyes. They tend to be proud when I come to speak at the school or to participate in career day. My son loves to drop names of people he’s met. Of course, when he says it, he’s elevated the association to personal and most intimate friend.

Looking over your career, it appears that you are a planner, persistent, goal-oriented. How close is this to the truth?

That’s an absolute truth. I can be spontaneous too, so I’m not totally anal. I plan those things that can be planned, my books, my career, my goals.

What is a part of you that others rarely see?

What people don’t see or think is that I have down time. I imagine most of my friends think I’m a dynamo at home. I wish I were. I wish I could write faster. I spend many leisurely hours sleeping, watching television, taking a class, or just doing nothing.

What prompted the BS in Chemistry? MBA in Marketing? And the desire to join the space program?

In high school I had a wonderful chemistry teacher and I loved chemistry. It wasn’t a stretch to go to college for that. After graduation there were no jobs due to a very bad economy. I entered grad school and took the MBA in Marketing because there would always be business jobs.

I read that you started writing romances on a dare. Is that the tried and true way to get you to do something?

No. I am very selective about my acceptances of dares. I suppose I always wanted to write. I just had never identified it as a goal until my friend stated it. After I started the story, I found I loved the process. In school when I wrote things they were for a class, a requirement and I was simply fulfilling that. When I started writing the book, it was only for my satisfaction.

Did you ever doubt the detour to writing after your initial rejections? And please say that you got rejected.

Did I doubt I’d ever get published, yes! Many times I’d get rejected (and I got rejected for years) and think I didn’t know anything. The next day I’d put on my “I’ll show you” attitude and go back to work.

For those who may be green with envy, what’s a weak spot that you need to overcome?

I choose not to answer this. I don’t think I want people to know.

Darn! What battle cry do you want to tell the masses of an organization with over 8,000 members?

Battle cry, assumes a war. I am hoping that is not the case. RWA is an advocate for the authors and I’m hoping we can achieve some goals for the membership that have been withheld from them.

With such a massive group, interests and expectations may collide. How do you propose to expound a message of diversity and inclusion?

From the past few years certain areas of concern have come up and they seem to have prioritized themselves in things like copyright issues and use of pseudonymns. I believe we also have to look at the future of RWA and where we plan to be in the changing face of publishing.

You have launched a successful career writing multicultural (African-American) romances. Since 1994 when you were initially published, how has that market changed?

There are more publishers looking for stories by and about African-Americans. The market, which publishers assumed was small, is much larger than they anticipated. The emergence of readers groups across the country and the rallying of these groups to the African-American novels has shown that there is a very large market and one that is expanding in both the African-American and cross-over markets.

If you had a magic wand, are there any trends or current practices that you would change to improve the marketing of the multi-cultural romance industry?

I’d change the attitudes of the readers so they viewed the books as romances and not multi-cultural romances. The stories stand because of the characters and their decisions, not due to their race. At the core, it’s a love story.

What can readers expect from you in 2002?

I’ve just finished a manuscript for a family reunion story called Family Affair. It will be released from BET in August 2002. It’s part of a three-book mini-series by three authors (Geri Guillaume, Eboni Snoe and myself) and are the separate stories of three female cousins.

Where would like to be in five years, in terms of career?

I’d like to be financially secure with my writing income. I would love to quit my day job and be able to maintain my lifestyle. I’d like to be able to write more books using the time I now spend at the office.

What would you like to say to aspiring authors?

Read, Read Read. Read everything, not just the kind of books you want to write. Read good books and bad books and analyzed them. Find out what you liked in the book and why you liked it. More importantly find out what you didn’t like and why you didn’t like it. Then when you write your book, write a better book. Write the best book you can, but write.

Thanks, Shirley. It’s been a pleasure.

~~~~~
Michelle Monkou is a past president of WRW.

By Susan Donovan

It was 6 p.m., Monday, May 14. I was up to my elbows in raw meatloaf mixture. My son was hitting my daughter over the head with his language arts folder. The dog was clawing a hole through the screen door to get to a squirrel. And the phone rang. Upon hearing my son repeat the phrase “Who is this?” with escalating rudeness, I quickly washed my hands—aware that I was likely covered in e-coli—and grabbed for the phone with slippery fingers.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Susan. This is Monique Patterson from St. Martin’s Press. We met at Harper’s Ferry.”

Ka-Thunk! My heart made the sound my old Maytag makes at the end of a spin cycle. I immediately tried to recall which critique partners I’d told about Monique Patterson, and which of them would perpetrate this kind of sick joke.

In the next instant, I realized I recognized her voice. It really was Monique Patterson. I really had met her at the WRW Conference at Harper’s Ferry two weeks before, and I really did send her a partial manuscript soon after. Then it dawned on me that I might be getting “the call.” I responded quite profoundly.

“Yikes,” I said.

Those of you who’ve been through this know how hard it is to hear anything when your blood is roaring through the tiny capillaries in your brain like water over Niagara Falls. As she spoke, I heard snippets of things like, “loved it” and “funny” and then I heard this sentence: “When can I see the rest?”

Well, she had me there, seeing that there was not a whole lot more to see at that time. I chuckled casually, then said, “Yikes.”

Don’t worry. This story has a happy ending. And we all know happy endings are that much sweeter when the protagonist faces impossible odds along the way.

So here is a summary of what happened after the call—in essence, what I did on my summer vacation. (Warning: those with heart conditions may want to skip to the end.)

May 14, 7 p.m.: I telephoned literary agent Pam Hopkins and left this message on her answering machine—"Help me.” (I met her at Harper’s Ferry too, and sent her three partials, including the one Monique got.)

May 15, 10 a.m.: Pam returns my call, tells me she’s not had a chance to read my stuff but she’ll get back to me. (Yeah, right.)

May 16, 9:30 a.m.: She gets back to me! Pam takes me on as a client, immediately assuming the role of attorney, cheerleader, intermediary, and mental health professional. After a nice long chat, we agree that I can have a completed manuscript for Monique by July 30.

May 17, 2 a.m.: I awake in a cold sweat, completely panicked. What the hell had I agreed to? I had about half the book in rough draft form (and I do mean ROUGH) and the rest briefly outlined. That meant producing an additional 300 pages of quality fiction in 79 days, or 3.8 pages a day, while the kids were on summer vacation!

May 18: I buy a laptop. Cost: $1,200.

May 18 through June 11: I take said laptop everywhere—ballet rehearsals, little league games, the swimming pool (but not actually in the water), doctor’s offices (my son broke his arm), the dog groomer’s, and on any car trip that lasts more than a half hour in which I’m not driving.

June 11: Pam tells me St. Martin’s wants to have exclusive rights to my manuscript while they decide if they’re going to buy it. I open my big mouth and say that I’ve got another 100 pages I could send if it would help. She tells me to express mail it to her and she’ll send it on. Little problem: our family is leaving the next day for New York City and I haven’t packed yet. I stay up nearly all night making revisions and copyediting, a process that continues into the next day.

June 12, 11 p.m.: I’m editing the hard copy in the car by overhead light during a thunderstorm on I-95. My husband thinks I’m insane and may very well be hyperventilating.

June 13: I’m in NYC. I insert changes on my laptop that morning, meet a friend for lunch, take my laptop to the Kinko’s on 54th Street to print out the clean version, use the hotel business service to mail the package to Pam. Cost: $104 and three years off my life expectancy.

June 20: I am writing a love scene at a shady picnic table at the community pool, when a child wanders over and reads over my shoulder. “Why is the man biting her?” he asks. Then he tells his mother, and within days everyone in my small town believes I’m writing smut at the pool. And really, “smut” is such a subjective term!

June 30: I have a rough draft of the whole manuscript. It needs a lot of work and I still have two children’s birthday parties to plan.

July 13-16: I’m in Boston for a conference and stay with one of my oldest and dearest friends. I ask her to read the manuscript and she tells me she loves it! I’m ecstatic—until I recall that this is the same woman who loved the headpiece I wore on my wedding day.

July 16-24: I work harder than I ever have in my life. My kids are bored and angry. My husband tries not to complain about the lack of clean clothing, clean dishes—clean anything.

July 24, 6 p.m.: Pam tells me that St. Martin’s has decided to buy my book and they also want whatever I write next. I scream. We go over the details of their offer and I take copious notes with a broken purple crayon on the back of a pizza coupon, which I later cannot decipher. I inform Pam that the manuscript is almost ready. During the call, my daughter demands that we have macaroni and cheese for dinner and my husband lurks in the doorway, waiting to hear the phrase “million-dollar advance.” He gets miffed when I suggest that he just go make the @#%&*! macaroni and cheese and give me a moment’s peace. Later, my family celebrates with champagne, and after the kids are in bed, my husband and I have a bitter argument about family finances. Mmmm . . . this is not exactly how I pictured my big day!

July 25-27: I send Pam the whole manuscript. She sends it to Monique. Monique likes it. We agree on the terms of the contract. It’s official! One itty-bitty snafu: there is already a romance writer using my actual name, Susan Delaney. I have to come up with another name so that it can be part of my legal contract. I start trying to name myself.

July 27-August 2: It’s very hard to name yourself. It’s frightening to see some of the monikers suggested by my mother, husband, relatives, dear friends, and editor. I’m sure the other Susan Delaney is a lovely person, but I’m starting to have violent thoughts about her. I throw a temper tantrum the night of August 1. On August 2, we agree on Susan Donovan. At that point, I would have settled for “Hey You.”

August 13: I receive Monique’s editorial review of the manuscript, in which she tells me she doesn’t like the title. I slam down four Advil with a Heineken chaser. I begin revisions. I try to come up with another title. My deadline is October 1.

August 27, 7:30 a.m.: It’s the first day of school. As I sip my coffee and watch my children walk out to the bus, I realize—with a start—that the summer is over. But do I say to myself, “My goodness! Where did the time go?” Get real. I’ll forever remember each week, each day, and every single smutty page of it.

~~~~~
Susan Donovan lives in Western Maryland and writes contemporary romantic comedy. Though she feared her first book would appear on the shelves as “Whatever” by “Hey You,” Susan is pleased to announce that Knock Me Off My Feet will published by St. Martin’s in December 2002. Her second book, Just Perfect, will be available sometime in 2003.

by Michelle Monkou

You want to become a romance writer. The determination announced itself sometime between birth and after reading a romance novel. You begin writing, feeling like a professional after typing CHAPTER ONE on the first page. Visions of adoring fans lined up at mega-sized bookstores dance around in your imagination. Maybe, you are sitting on stage in an auditorium filled with earnest writers waiting for the crumbs of knowledge to drop from your lips. Then there is the all-time favorite fantasy where you are at your writing retreat, whether atop the craggy cliffs of a European seaside or surrounded by the sounds of the tropical birds on your Caribbean island. Writing cannot exist on fantasy alone.

The craft cannot survive on sheer determination. There has to be respect for the power of storytelling that translates into discipline, which then becomes your second skin. Where to go? How to get there? Questions posed many times to experienced authors with no one answer alike. Yet, the key to success eludes you. Writing turns into a declaration of war between yourself and yourself. Priorities tangle for the top rung. Obligations pound on your conscience. Commitments threaten to suck you under until the essence of your life moves onto another plane of existence. On a thin thread of tenacity, you still say that you want to become a writer. Your once bold declaration now slightly weakened and battered spikes and dives, riding your emotional rollercoaster.

First things first, clean out the excess baggage. Purge yourself of other writers’ fantasies, successes, goals, and work habits. You are in a constant state of learning, therefore, you are a sponge soaking up the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly. The concoction churns into a goopy mess with no clear lesson to be learned. Close your eyes. Calm your thoughts (soothing music may achieve this state). Picture an ocean with the waves rolling towards the shore and then receding back into the ocean. Watch and feel that rhythm. One by one, release each fear or doubt hampering your ability to write. Let that wave take it out and away from you. Once you have purged, recommit to your goal. Write it down on paper. Treat this recommitment like nourishment for the soul. Every day, you eat. Then every day, you recommit. Whether in the morning hours or an hour before sleeping at night, purge the fears and recommit to the goal.

Second phase begins with an honest assessment of your commitment level. How much time do you have to write? When can you write? Where can you write? Only you can answer these questions. Only you can determine the ranking of your commitment. Only you can reap the rewards or, on the other hand, the consequences of your selection. However, just because you ranked your priorities, this does not constitute a seal for all eternity. Periodically, shuffle your “to do” list to accommodate your life. Guilty feelings will creep in, but keep a handle on the difference between what would be nice to do and what has to be done.

Finally, the last step in your raised consciousness is also the biggest test and may seem to be a contradiction to Step One. Go ahead and listen to the motivational tapes, attend workshops, and glean from your favorite authors. Remember you are in a perpetual state of learning. BUT, instead of listening and placing yourself in the speaker’s shoes, sift through her advice for the underlying message. In the best of times, you would not wear someone’s shoes because the heel may be worn down to fit the way she walks; the size may be constricting and narrow or loose; or the color and style leaves you cold. Don’t act like a co-dependent and get wrapped around the messenger, forsaking the message. Instead focus on how she developed her rhythm, how she nurtured her rhythm and how she reconnects to her rhythm, as necessary. Then find your rhythm, a state of mind and discipline uniquely your own. No gold key to success exists for becoming a writer. It is all within you, waiting.

~~~~~
Michelle Monkou is past president of Washington Romance Writers.