Busy month in Writer-land

Posted by: Heather Hiestand/Anh Leod
Currently working on: Holly's Pledge
Mood: cautiously optimistic

This has been a busy month in writer-land, as you can probably tell by the dearth of blogs here this month. Heck, I couldn't even get past my first sentence without interruptions. But writers with more interesting lives and cash flows than mine have been up north in King County at a writer's conference this weekend, and my fellow Ellora's Cave/Cerridwen (coasting through another interruption here) authors have been at the first annual publisher-focused conference over the past weekend. Some people probably even made it to the Portland RWA chapter meeting. I was home alone with the baby as usual, though I did get my 500 words written at least. We lead busy lives.

After writing almost nothing over the previous year, I find myself almost finished with a book. I'm on the last chapter of the first draft, though more than half the book is in third draft. It's a wonderful feeling, but also terrifying because in the last year I lost my editor and will be submitting to someone new. So cross your fingers for me next month as I submit this project.

I've also been dealing with the frustration of knowing I have to turn down an unsuitable contract offer. It doesn't fit my schedule or my career, but it is so hard for a writer to turn down any contract, particularly when much of the material is already completed. But, we have to be brave and in charge and know what is best for us. What do we want for our career? What will build our names? What is likely to be bad time wasted after good? Particularly in the small press/e-press world that I dwell in, the latter question is of vital importance.

Everything is a balancing act, in our lives and careers. Make good choices!

Hello From Heather Hiestand/Anh Leod

Thanks to everyone who has emailed, prayed or worried about my son Andy in the past five weeks. It has been the roller coaster you've always heard about with premature births. If you can avoid emergency c-sections at 25 weeks, I highly recommend it!

The picture of Andy above is a couple of weeks old. That's as organized as I can get right now! I do have one picture that makes it evident he looks just like my husband...except I think he has my stubborn chin. Since all his nurses describe him as "feisty" I'm reasonably certain I'm right about that chin.

For those of you who were wondering about my recent releases, Ex Factor came out a couple of months ago - amazing how fast time has passed. Buy Ex Factor. Also, Amazon just loaded Cards Never Lie's print version, or you can get it at the Jasmine Jade site, or at Barnes and Noble.

Thank you for your support. I'm at the hospital with my son seven days a week, but hopefully he'll come home this summer and eventually I can bring him into a meeting to meet y'all. Until then, happy writing!

Agents

Posted by: Heather Hiestand/Anh Leod

Currently working on: adding some suspense to a romance novel that I'd like to finally finish after, oh, ten or so years.

Just out: Ex Factor by Anh Leod, a sci fi erotic novella at Ellora's Cave

Waiting on: first edits from an editor at my new publisher

Mood: worried, hungry

When I was first writing I targeted category romance publishers, unlike my critique group, and therefore didn't query agents because I figured I didn't need one. My single title writing critique partners seemed to get agents as they finalled in contests, but that never happened to me though I did final in contests at times. When I finally sold a single title novel, I did make a brief attempt to get an agent, and was even offered representation but I turned it down because it didn't feel right.

Sometimes agents have done wonders for my friends, for their confidence if not for their careers, and some have done nothing but collect a check, or nothing at all. The agent experience seems to be all over the place. They can make you, they can do nothing much, and on horrible occasions they can even break your career.

One thing I think is wise is to keep a ever-updated "Top 5" or "A" list of those agents you'd like to rep you if you ever got your big break. When I got the call unexpectedly only 18 hours after sending in my full manuscript, my only preparation was a list of maybe 4 agents who'd sent encouraging rejections to me in the past, when I'd pursued a different kind of publisher. I wasn't prepared at the moment my career was hot, and my lack of an agent now reflects that. Be prepared - we're writers, we're good at fantasizing, and why not dream through a scenario where you've written the hottest partial of 2009 unexpectedly, and your perfect agent will want to rep you. Who is that agent? Figure it out!

Things That Make Me Go Hmmm...

Heather Hiestand/Anh Leod
Currently: Working on Chapter 2 of the third book in a series. Pray that this one sells!
Mood: I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

1. Reality shows - why can I get more addicted to them than any regular TV show? Once I get suckered into watching one, I can't stop. What is wrong with me?

2. Weather warnings - nothing can throw me into a panic faster than a snow threat. Forget being professional at work. Forget that today isn't grocery shopping day. I'm terrified! Yesterday I spent my afternoon at American Tire with all the other idiots buying new tires for my busband because I was worried about him driving in the snow. But, the (very nice) salespeople were so busy they were helping people in the store and taking calls at the same time. So I left with the WRONG, and yes, MORE EXPENSIVE tires because they took down the order wrong over the phone. I'd have been better off to be at home sipping hot chocolate and thinking about hot Greek guys.

3. Why is it that every day lasts forever when you have a submission out to someone new. If I'm submitting to a previous editor time flows normally. New publisher/editor/agent, one day feels like a month. Nothing strikes more horror in my heart that a form letter saying it will take 60 days or whatever for them to respond to a query.

4. How many books do you need to read from a given publisher/line before you submit to them? If it's category, the answer is obvious - 10 or more. But what about small presses that publish quirkier stuff? Will reading their books help at all? Major Hmmmm question. Anyone have thoughts on this?

By the way, I finally have a novel in print! It's Cards Never Lie, my first Heather Hiestand novel - a romantic comedy. Check it out at http://www.jasminejade.com/p-6817-cards-never-lie.aspx?skinid=13. Sorry that isn't a link but my laptop is being wonky and I can't get the link button to work.

A Day in the Life

Posted by Anh Leod
Currently working on: Procrastinating
Mood: Too, too thrilled, as you will see in the text below

I moan into my ambrosia and pull the shawl around my shoulders. The autumn air is brisk at this time of year in the late a.m. It's been simply weeks since the release of Claudia's Pleasure, my delighful romp among Los Angeles' twenty-somethings working in the B-movie industry, and no reviews. Sigh. No royalty statement yet either, so no way to judge whether my genius has attracted notice among the romantica-reading public or not. My purple-painted eyelids are fluttering open now with the infusion of my favorite beverage, so it's time to peruse my Blackberry and all the lovely emails it holds.

Delight! Terror! I have reviews! I have not been forgotten by the reading public. Will my blood, sweat and tears by laughed at or praised? With trembling fingers, I press the keys to open the emails. In part, I find this:

"Sin-Sational! Ms. Leod penned this exceptionally sexy tale with taste and style. Looking for more fireworks in their relationship; both Claudia and Sam are committed to each other and their needs. Captivating dialogue and spicy sex scenes keep you riveted to the pages, but you never forget the deep love Claudia and Sam share. All in all it is one extraordinary erotic romance."

Dear, dear, Coffeetime Romance. Wateena, a reviewer, is my best friend for the day and we exchange pleasantries with one another over email. Night Owl Romance has reviewed me kindly as well. All is well in Anh Leod's world. At least until I remember I need to start promoting my October 10th release, the sequel to darling Claudia, and possibly write a third book in the series, because Holly needs a man or two of her own.

Another day in the life of a writer...

Blurb for Cherokee's Playmates:

Cherokee and Dylan look for love in the standalone sequel to Claudia’s Pleasure.
New lovers Cherokee and Dylan are hunting for a woman to make their romance complete. As the son of a god, Cherokee has been alive for too many years to think he can meet all his needs with only one of the sexes. If he doesn’t have sex every couple days, his essence is pulled back to Olympus, where he will be his father’s slave until he escapes.

Dylan never stays in relationships long because he finds them confining. He doesn’t believe he can be happy with one person. Will two make him want to settle down?

When the guys meet Brandi D’Angelo, a member of Hollywood royalty, they think she’s The One. Will she agree?


Link to Anh Leod titles
Link to Heather Hiestand's novels

Favorite Blogs

Currently: Finishing up a submission and planning the next book. Working on workshops for Emerald City.

Mood: Overstimulated. Again. Throwing a birthday BBQ tomorrow...

I don't find much time to read blogs right now, but I am a participant in one other blog. Rom Erotica This one has a different erotic romance author posting for every day of the month, so take a look if you like erotic romance.

Back when I had time to read blogs, this one was consistently my favorite: Romancing the Blog And truly, there are so many links off this one that you can find just about anything to suit you from this link alone.

In terms of agent blogs, this is the first one I'm likely to go to: Pub Rants

In other news, I'm now a part of two workshops at Emerald City next month. One as part of a group and one I'm giving on my own. If anyone has any information about authors who've been rejected by Harlequin/Silhouette and has gone on to sell those manuscripts elsewhere, please get in touch! I hope to see you at the conference, where I'll be celebrating the release of Cherokee's Playmates (by Anh Leod, at Ellora's Cave) on October 10th.

Research

CURRENTLY WORKING ON: Bachelor Gamble, a contemporary romance

MOOD: Quite pleased with myself, though nervous, since I just submitted a novella to my editor.

I went through a phase where I wrote Victorian paranormal. But the second story in one series ended up on perma-hold under an editor's desk somewhere, and the first story in my second series didn't sell as well as I personally liked so I've shelved that for the moment too. When I wrote these stories I had piles of research books slung around my desk so I could look up things like fashion and home styles and the types of servants in upper middle class houses and all that good stuff.

Mostly though, I write contemporary romance or some kind of paranormal whether set in present day or in the future. My best friend and partner in crime is Google. I Google my computer into crash mode. Yes, it happened today when I was double checking a quote from Hesiod. I wasn't happy.

I have been through the questionable joy of a group series, where we had a series bible that grew into a monster that ate most of the joy out of the project. The project manager had a nervous breakdown. I suppose in that case all your research questions can be answered in one place but building the thing was a nightmare. So I prefer Google for all my needs.

Having said that, I think the best research for someone in my position, writing contemporary romance and erotic nearly everything else, is reading. I have to read to keep up with the market. What's okay to write about sexually? What do readers enjoy right now? When you are epublished your stories are quicker to market (usually) so watching market trends can be quite valuable. My best selling story to date was written because I guessed that the subgenre would be getting popular soon and I was right. I barely read in that subgenre because I was so busy getting the story submitted but it still worked. I knew enough to cover the basics and develop my own take on it.

I should be researching my own work. I have this sad habit of dropping intended series after the first two stories. Maybe this is because I don't put together a series bible for myself (shudder).

Okay, everyone, comments should be focused on how to get me in gear so that I can stand to write the third book in a series! How should I organize my past research, materials on key characters and so on?

Heather/Anh's writing space

Heather Hiestand

Currently: Finishing the first draft of a paranormal futuristic erotic novella and trying not to obsess over the agents I haven’t heard from regarding my middle grade paranormal. Also happy with two new releases: Link to In Flight
Link to my scifi anthology. Next up: Alter ego Anh Leod’s release in August.

Mood: Fueled by tea and chocolate!

A messy office indicates a creative mind, right? I certainly hope so. I considered cleaning before I took this picture for half a second, but let’s face it, it only looks better than this a couple of times a year because I’m lazy, er, creative. And, actually, it’s not that dusty because my monitor died last month so I had to pull and replace it with my sister’s boyfriend’s old monitor. I screamed with horror at the dust and cleaned up at least two layers of paperwork, I swear. Really!

My office:



The dining room table where I play The Sims, I mean, where I also work:



Where I would rather be working except it is currently 58 degrees in my office and probably even worse on the porch:



Have a great weekend, everyone!