Faster than a speeding bullet? Maybe. More powerful than a locomotive? Definitely.  It’s not Superman, but Nano writing. And I’m hoping it will help me leap over writer’s block and life’s hurdles in 29 days.

I, and more than a dozen of my sister writers in New Jersey Romance Writers, have taken on the big one. Nano writing in February.  Thirty thousand words in 29 days. (It’s Leap Year, you know.)

This is a huge commitment since I’ve never participated in one before.  However, I know it’s what I need to get my “ass in chair” and get busy. I’m excited and eager to finish the book.

What’s your experience with Nano writing? Did it help? Not? 

Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce …yes, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  It’s not only the food that makes me smile, but the chance to be with my family. My baby sister who lives about 1,000 miles away, has come home for the holidays.  My oldest nephew, who is in the middle of his freshman year at PACE University, is on a train headed back to Jersey. And I’m going to my daughter’s house, where I, as I mentioned before, will be a guest. <big grin> 

However, I am taking my netbook with me and a few of my favorite things: An empty journal, plenty of pens and Beverly Jenkins’ newest book, “Night Hawk.”  

In between, food and games and catching up with friends and family, I might just carve out a scene or two of my WIP, (oh, wow …really, no pun intended) or start Chapter 1 of what I KNOW will be another one of Ms. Bev’s blockbuster books.

To everyone, enjoy the day. Enjoy yourselves.

Okay, so back to my literary intentions. I decided to make good use of my free time away from Poe and focus on the synopsis for my next book. I have all my tools. Computer back to working order after so many months (that’s another blog) and my gummy bears all lined up on my desk.

Oh and as promised, in my other blog, the gummy bear story.

Most writers I know, have a ritual or something they do to get them in the mood to write. Whether it’s listening to music, or facing their computers in the optimal feng shui position, everybody does something. Among other things, I eat gummy bears.

Now, while it’s not the healthiest snack, it does the trick. But these aren’t just ANY gummy bears. These are and MUST be Haribo gummy bears, because I believe that all gummy bears are NOT created equal. (Some of them are too gooey, some leave an aftertaste and then there are some that make you wonder why they even bothered to put them in a pack and sell them.)

Okay, sorry …I digress.

Anyway, my writing ritual includes lining my gummy bears across my computer desk, and plucking them off one color at a time. My daughter referred to it as the firing squad. Okay, maybe.  

But I line them up, and as the creative juices start to flow and my keyboard starts to click, the gummy bears disappear. Green ones … red ones …yellow ones. Gone. And my WIP starts to take shape and I’m happy. (I do try to hit the treadmill afterwards. As I admitted earlier, they’re not the healthiest snack.)

So, today for a few hours while being Poe-less, I will write. Yum. I can taste the gummy bears now.

It’s a scary thing when a four-legged buddy knows what you should be doing. After a handful of gummy bears, I started to review where I left off and looked for something, if anything, that could be salvaged. It’s 9:00 p.m. I still have time to read another chapter before I pass out at the computer. And maybe another handful of gummy bears. (I have a gummy bear ritual, which I’ll share at another time.)

But there’s something I’ve learned as a published writer and an aspiring romance author. There are three things (IMHO) that you should be equipped with if you hope to improve your craft, and get published: A thick skin, perseverance and belief in your work.

A thick skin comes in handy because everyone isn’t going to like your work, and they will call your baby ugly. But you have to let it roll. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have a pity party, or get upset. By all means do that, and then get writing.

Perseverance is important because no one is going to knock on your door and ask you for your manuscript or what you’re working on next. You have to be determined enough to take the blows, the criticisms, dust yourself off and keep moving forward. It takes perseverance.

Last but not least, believe in yourself and that your work is worth reading. We’re our own worst enemy. (I know I can be.) We’re hypercritical, and full of doubt. Get over that too. If you have a consistent record of putting out good work, thrive on that. Make your good work even better, and then strive for excellence.

I entered two contests once and the first time around didn’t final in either. Talk about disappointing. I sulked for a few days—okay weeks. Thankfully, I got over it and decided that I wanted to be a published romance writer. I refused to give up. So, I attended more workshops, became immersed (even more than I already was) in books on plot, point of view, and conflict and talked to industry professionals. I used what I learned and began to revise that story that originally fell short.

The results?

After submitting a few years later, to both contests, I not only placed in final round, but won third place in both. (one of them just happens to be the Romance Slam Jam Aspiring Author Contest.) This is a huge accomplishment for me, and the experience did two things. It verified my growth as a romance writer, and allowed me to see, without hesitation, that the road to publication is worth the angst that sometimes accompanies it.

Go for yours.

A writer’s life is a precarious one. On one hand you set up a blog to communicate with others who share the same woes, triumphs and challenges. Yet on the other side of that double edged sword, you can’t blog all day and night because you’d never get any writing done.

So what’s an author/blogger to do? Establish a schedule to blog, whether it’s daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly and stick to it. And, starting now, that’s what I intend to do.

It’s good to be back online, but I have some writing to do—my hope is a few pages or chapters this weekend. But before I log off, I wanted to share a bit of good news. A few days ago, I received a call informing me that I was a finalist in the “Put Your Heart in a Book,” contest for my manuscript, “The Heat Between Us.”

Needless, to say I screamed, and once again, called my critiquing partner. After all she shares in my successes and, every so often, my miseries. I’m very excited and honored, and look forward the October announcement of the winners at the NJRW conference.

In the meantime, it’s back to working on my second book and hopefully, completing it in time to pitch at the conference.

The first thing that popped into my mind was Stevie Wonder’s (and I’m dating myself) “Innervisions” album because it was a collection of lofty songs such as, “Higher Ground”, “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” and “Living for the City.” IMHO, these were songs of hope, struggle, achievement, and love.

InnerVision Books will publish fiction, poetry and non-fiction in a digital format. Its name, which is reminiscent of Stevie’s songs, implies (again, IMHO) that it might also offer hope to authors—veteran and aspiring—who write multicultural characters and plots, but are struggling to achieve success.

With a publishing company dedicated to highlighting “multiculturalism in a global society,” authors have a chance to work with a company that understands that multicultural literature is expansive and layered, and shouldn’t be placed in one section of the bookstore.

And InnerVision Books doesn’t want to stop at e-publishing. Eventually they would like to publish trade paperback editions as well. Woohoo!

It’s wonderful to see a publishing company dedicated to working with authors of the multicultural genre.

Perhaps well-written multicultural stories that don’t make it to the larger publishers, because they’re not, “a good fit” or “not what they’re looking for,” will fit perfectly with InnerVision Books and be exactly what they seek to publish.

Bravo to Donna Hill and other publishers, who look for ways to tell these stories and embrace them.

Next year will consist of a couple of writer’s conferences. The Romantic Times Convention, takes me to Columbus Ohio. I can’t say I’ve really ever been there. I’ve flown over and driven through.

This time I happy to say, I’ll be staying for a few days. The conference kicks off at the end of April and looks to offer a great deal of information that authors, published and aspiring, will want to know. E-publishing, social media, writing erotica, (Woohoo!) and good old fashion how to write a synopsis are just a few of the things I saw on the agenda. The RT Convention Web site has a list of events happening and over 400 authors who plan to attend.

I’m all about learning all I can, so this will be a definite stop.

Romance Writers of America National Conference is in Nashville this year. Since I attended in Washington, last year I’m not sure if I’ll make this one. However, plans do change! Of course they’re offering great workshops on the craft of writing, publishing and marketing your manuscript. It should be a great conference.

If you don’t think you’ll be able to attend any workshops or conferences this year, there’s a great book entitled, “Writing the Breakout Novel,” by Donald Maass. Yes, of the Donald Maass literary agency. You may want to check it out. This is a great resource and I’ve shared this information with all my writing buddies. Mr. Maass also has a workbook to complement the book and it features actual exercises and workshops that he uses during his live sessions. I purchased mine at Barnes and Noble, however I’m sure you can find it on Amazon.

Those are the trips so far, but locally I will attend writers’ meetings for inspiration and craft.

How are you planning to write better, and get the work done?

On a personal note, I’m happy to be a year older, and yes wiser. I know that in the publishing industry, which is relatively new to me, there are people who know more about it than I do—authors, industry experts, writers conference speakers, contest judges and agents. I’m thankful that I’ve taken their advice by continuing to learn the business. It continues to be an education worth having.

I’m thankful that I’m at a point in my life where I can take on an endeavor such as writing romance novels. It’s been put on the back burner for quite some time, due to day job responsibilities and family, but now it’s my turn to let loose all the stories that have been hibernating on my hard drive.

I’m indebted to my family who put up with my craziness—locking myself in the room and not answering the phone until a chapter is finished.

I’m thankful for my critiquing partner, Louise, who always wants more and puts up with my meltdowns, listens to my rants and raves, and then tells me to, “keep writing.” I’m thankful for my good friends, Sharon and Diane, who will journey to New Jersey the minute I get “the call” to come party with me.

I’m grateful for the many people I have met, who have expressed interest in my work, and tell me to hurry and get the #%@$# book published.

I’m thankful to everyone who reads this blog. You rock!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

As a business communicator, I see how the world has adjusted, and still is, adjusting to the various means and trends of communicating (e-print, e-news, INTERNET, hello!). IMHO, it’s a given and bottom-line advantageous for corporations to rethink how they do business and communicate.

And as an aspiring romance author, I believe this holds true for any other company, with stockholders (i.e. publishers).

Don’t get me wrong. I believe in the standard publishing tradition of receiving an advance and royalties for one’s hard work and talent.

However, I am not opposed to having my work published by an only-digital publisher such as Samhain, Carina Press, Ellora’s Cave, and Loose ID–to name a few (although Samhain and Ellora’s Cave are doing print). These e-publishers allow authors who may never publish traditionally, the chance to have their work published and their talent displayed.

I’ve been following self-publishing and have friends who have gone that route and have become successful. They did so because they couldn’t find a traditional publisher (or agent) willing to take the chance on their work.

I’m sure we’ve heard plenty of stories how a self-published author, who was scoffed by traditional publishers, goes on to make millions. That’s great and I’m happy for them.

But I’m also happy for the author who, after self-publishing, receives accolades and (guess what?), an agent—after their book sold a few thousand copies. This is a monumental feat for pre-published authors who have developed personal relationships with the big “R”—rejection letters. It shows determination, confidence and resilience.

I’m not sold on publishers that offer to help “self” publish, but charge a large fee and want half the royalties (i.e. Harlequin Horizons, who have subsequently changed their name to DellArte Press). If I’m going to self publish, I’d like to do the work and reap the benefits.

As with anything, you have to weigh the good and bad. With self-publishing and digital publishing, you have to be aware of the pitfalls and disadvantages. Do your homework. Talk to people who have been through the process, just as you would talk to authors who have dealt with certain traditional publishers.

I’m not looking for millions. (But if they come, hey that’s a different story!) I’m looking for a nice bottom line that my business partners (agent, publishers) and I can enjoy. My main goal is to offer romance readers what they want—a story that makes you sigh, cry and beg for more.