Dark Wolf Protector Is Released

Cobblestone Press released my paranormal romance e-book yesterday. I’m so excited! And even though I’m a writer, I can’t describe how much fun I had making Dark Wolf Protector. It started as an experiment, really. I’d read dozens and dozens of paranormal books and wanted to see if I could create a comparable dark and sexy story. And I think I did. I love DWP. It’s a great first book in the Love On The Wild Side series.

In addition to successfully experimenting with the paranormal, I threw some fantasy elements into a dream and came up with a badass (imo) ending. I love DWP’s ending. Can you say girl power?

Jaci Waters, the heroine of DWP, sits right at the top of my “favorite-heroines-I’ve-written list.” She’s half Native American, runs an animal rescue out of her home, is funny and sweet, has good old-fashioned manners…and, of course, she’s really pretty. I had a lot of fun writing her point-of-view.

Next Friday, the 25th, Bonded In Brazil releases. My virtual book tour starts soon after, so check back in for a schedule/list of stops. I’ll be giving away some free copies of BIB and DWP.

However, if you’re just hankerin’ to read Dark Wolf Protector and can’t wait a week or two to see if you’ve won a free copy…COOL! You can get your e-copy of DWP for $4.99 by clicking the cover or *here*. It’s not on Amazon.com yet, but you can download the Mobi option, and that’s supposed to be Kindle/Sony Reader compatible.

Thanks for your support and keep your eye out for the next installment of Love On The Wild Side, starring Ian Kingsley from DWP.

Latest News: Rhiannon and non-Rhiannon related

A lot of things that had taken root finally came to fruition this past week. It’s like spring at my house—metaphorically, of course—and despite the brrrr cold temperatures outside, things are bloomin’ in the book department.

Book Covers

My publishers finalized the covers for Bonded In Brazil and Dark Wolf Protector. This is an awesome feeling; covers add tangibility to this whole process. I don’t just have words on pages—I have real, solid books I can put a “face” to. And those faces are mighty pretty, if I say so myself.

Credit’s due to cover designers Sabrina Sun and Sable Grey.

Agent Contract

I sent my latest novel to Agent Lady recently, and she really liked it. I got a contract from her offering representation for this romance novel that will pick up where Bonded In Brazil left off--with two of the minor characters. We’ll clean it up with some editing and work on getting this one published.

Website

Once I had covers, I was able to finalize my website. I’ve spent several weeks on it, adding and tweaking, deleting and rearranging. Now my website is something I’m really proud of. It still has some space that needs filling up, but the place is guest ready.

Note: Along with the book covers, I was also able to add excerpts for Dark Wolf Protector and

Bonded In Brazil to my website.

Pre-order

Woot! Bonded In Brazil is now available on Amazon.com for pre-order. I also have it under good authority that at least one copy has been bought (thank you, my friend—you know who you are).

Pre-order is a cool option Amazon offers that allows readers to order a book prior to its release and receive the lowest price between now and the time it’s shipped. Bonded is listed at $15.95, but if that cost drops between now and March 25th, the buyer will pay the lower price.

In (mostly) non-Rhiannon related news…

The beautiful, enthusiastic, and talented Julie A. Lindsey announced the signing of her first publishing contract. Couldn’t have happened for a sweeter, more hard-working person.

Fabulous blog, Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind, hosted a giveaway last week…and I won a signed print copy of Wild Desire AND two e-books also written by Lori Brighton!

Kerry Carmichael (you don’t know him…yet) finished his 2-year-long journey of penning a most fabulous commercial science fiction novel. I know this book, folks. Think Matrix only more-likely-to-happen and with a stronger love story.

And, in future news, Dutch Henry’s novel, We’ll Have the Summer, releases this Friday.

Grammar Is Sexy Saturday: Working With Editors

Special Edition of Grammar Is Sexy Saturday!

I promised to blog about my own experience working with editors, and I'm making good on that promise today. I have worked with two editors from two different houses. There was a huge difference between these experiences because one book was written a year earlier than the other. This was an eye-opener for me--not to mention a major confidence boost-- to see how much my writing has improved over several months.

Most writers admit they have bad habits. I can compartmentalize my stupidity into a handful of themes.

Word misusage:I'm guilty of it. Frankly, I'm a bit paranoid now, too. How many words have I used incorrectly over the years in everyday speech? How often do I do it now, and how stupid do I appear to others? Eeek!

The good news is I am generally on the right track with these misused words and only manage to miss the mark by a centimeter (or two). The bad news is these were ALL words I didn't bother to look up or double check because they were common, which makes me feel that much more moronic.

Advice: Look up ALL the words.

More practical advice: Look up anything you're iffy on.

Slang/uncommon uses of normal words: I have a couple of examples.

I used feining/feening in my paranormal romance to describe a moment my MC experiences an unexplained strong craving. I'm not sure of the spelling because, apparently, feining/feening isn't a real word. Sure, Urban Dictionary says it is, but my editor was like, huh? I explained the meaning to her (probably making myself look like a crackhead in the process for being privy to such lingo) but ended up opting for "hankering."

Another example of me looking like a dumb-dumb was my use of "disappeared" as a transitive verb, as in "The mafia disappeared the bodies." <-- not an actual line from my book

I was ready to fight for this one because I've heard it used this way. But...eh. I wasn't "married to it" so why cause possible confusion for readers?

Advice: If your editor wants you to kill a word, just do it. It doesn't mean you have to go with his/her suggested replacement, but press delete and pick another option. You won't miss it. I promise.

Missing/extra words: This one bugs me me, and I'm not sure I've improved over over the past couple of years years. Maybe I need glasses.

I no advice.

Pathetic Fallacy: When I saw this in my contemporary manuscript not once, but twice, I have to admit my feelings were hurt. I thought I was being called a name or WAY harshly criticized! Oh, the brutality!

"Geez, that was mean. She could've just said she didn't like it."

*pouts*

*whines*

*gets the brilliant idea to Google it*

Aha! A pathetic fallacy is the use of weather to set the tone of a scene. I was doing this without realizing it and setting a tone inappropriate for the mood of my characters. It took some simple revising to fix the problem, and I wasn't being called a pathetic phallic-something. Yay!

Advice: Don't overreact to editor comments. Google it, get a second opinion, ask yourself if it really matters anyway. Writers are sensitive; we have to be. But try to keep your head in business mode when reviewing editor comments. It's not personal. They obviously like you and your writing because they offered you a contract.

Laziness: I love research. It's one of my favorite things about writing. I sometimes pick locations or topics I know nothing about to include in my stories just so I can research them. Call me a geek, but it's fun!

In one of my stories, I gave a character an antebellum home. That means the house was built before the Civil War. I'm not sure why I did this. I think it was to add personality to the house...maybe I just wanted to use the word antebellum. Who knows.

Problem was I failed to research antebellum structures and made some enormous errors when describing the exterior and interior layout of the home. Fortunately, my editor caught those errors and pointed them out to me. Easy fix. I simply deleted "antebellum" from one line and voilà! Miss Thang's house is old...but not that old.

Advice: Do your research, even if it's for something that seems relatively minor. The internet puts the whole world at your fingertips. Explore it and infuse your story with authentic details.

Misplaced Modifiers: Can you say ugh? When my editor pointed out this grammatical error to me over and over again, I freaked out. I rushed to open other manuscripts and scan for dangling modifiers (not as sexy as it sounds). I found none. Whew! This is a bad habit I'd unknowingly nipped in the bud.

Sadly, I failed to notice all the big, floppy dangling modifiers when editing the first MS, despite having overcome that bad habit. See how we miss things even when we know they're wrong?

Advice: Continue to brush up on the many rules of grammar. No one expects perfection--not even editors--but aim for it anyway. Utilize betas of all types--those who read and those who line-edit.

What are some of your bad habits?

The Winning Query

A good query is a must for writers. They also happen to be what writers dread most of all. A query is you and your book's first impression, and we all know what they say about those pesky first impressions!

My latest contract is for a novella which was too short for agent representation, which meant I was on my own. Lots of nail biting and hair pulling as I put together my first-ever query for editors. I guess it was a good one because it got my manuscript read and contracted...within a week, I might add/brag.

So, here it is. My query for Dark Wolf Protector, along with some notes:

Dear Editor, <--- personalize this!

My manuscript, DARK WOLF PROTECTOR, is a paranormal romance with a southern flare. The work is complete and edited at approximately 24,000 words. Dark Wolf Protector is the first in, what I hope to be, a mini-series set in the fictional town of Tall Oaks, Alabama, titled *series name here*. Some of my characters are pleasantly southern, while others are downright redneck. Per your guidelines, I've attached the full manuscript.

Yellow: Misspelled word. Should've been flair. See? It doesn't have to be perfect! Editors will overlook even the dumbest of mistakes (as long as there aren't too many of them)!


Purple: Essentials--title, genre and word count.



Green: Pitching the series, keeping it short.



Blue: Tone of the story, adds flavor to query.



Red: Shows I actually read their guidelines and tried to adhere.



JACI WATERS, orphan and devoted animal rescuer, has her hands full when a rogue wolf invades her small, backwoods town of Tall Oaks, Alabama. Her goal is to not only protect her neighbors and fellow townsfolk, but to capture and relocate the trouble-making canine who's worn out his welcome. Too bad no one else agrees with her save-the-wolf credo. Little does she know, the wolf is more than meets the eye. He's here, in Tall Oaks, for Jaci. But he's not the only one...



DOLTON FREYE has come to the speck-sized town with one goal in mind: kill the blood-thirsty bastard who's stalking and out to get the woman he's sworn to protect--the sexy, Native American Jaci Waters. But he's got competition in IAN KINGSLEY, ringleader of a group that calls themselves "the pride" of Tall Oaks.



Sparks fly between Jaci and Dolton but risk fading when she learns of his true nature--a nature that runs deep in her own blood. A nature she herself must come to terms with in order to accept the intense connection she shares with the darkly handsome man who makes his way into her panties and her heart.



Blue: Brief description of characters and plot.



My contemporary romance novel, Bonded In Brazil, was contracted through Camel Press via my literary agent in November 2010 and is coming out in March 2011 in print as well as e-book. My agent does not represent shorter works, which is why I am querying you myself. I am avid reader and researcher of all genres of romance. I maintain an active blog that is growing in popularity, complete with author interviews, guest blogs and my own personal thoughts on the writing business. In an attempt to create a strong online presence and promote myself, I also have a website, social network, and am ever-growing my associations with others in the industry.



Blue: Publishing experience.



Purple: Says I have an agent and why she isn't the one querying the book, so they don't assume she rejected it.



Green: Shows I promote myself and am getting my name out there.



Look forward to hearing from you,



Rhiannon Ellis



www.rhiannonellis.com <---- Share all necessary information within the query. Do not direct to website "for more information." Include website and/or blog in case editor is curious about how you present yourself.

To conclude, this query had all essential elements editors are looking for. It also fit onto one, single-spaced page. It's nothing special, not too exciting. But it served its purpose, which was to convince an editor to read some of my pages--because the pages are where the real magic happens! Good luck in query hell.

Submission Guidelines FROM HELL

I've been spoiled for the past 18 months by having an agent query on my behalf. Since making my get-a-literary-agent rounds, I'd forgotten how finicky some in the writing industry are concerning their submission guidelines.

My paranormal romance novella is too short for Agent Lady to represent, so I decided to go at it on my own for this manuscript.

Step One: make a list of the publishing houses to query. This was a fairly easy step. I simply opened the "Pubs" file saved in my Favorites and wrote down those houses that accept ParaRom at my word count.

Step Two: Mark houses that accept FULL manuscripts. Why? Because I, personally, roll my eyes at those that only take the partial. It bugs me. "Send us three chapters and we'll be in touch in 4-6 weeks." Yikes! **Caveat** If partial response time is fast, I'm all for it. Therefore, I research each individual pub's response time in forums.

Step Three: Prioritize. I select my top picks, simple as that.

Step Four: Gather materials for querying. This is where it gets tricky and when I rant...

What's up with these guidelines???

One publisher wants Times New Roman font, the next wants Arial, the next Courier New.

Some want italics, others want underlines.

Scene breaks seem to be a big deal and whether a) there should be NO break markers or b) there should be one * or c) there should be multiple *** for scene breaks but only one * for pov shifts varies from each house.

Then, there's the synopsis issue. Some want a 2 page synopsis, others want 5 pages. I ran across one house that wanted the synopsis in something like 2 paragraphs--synopsis not to be mistaken with brief description. Synopsis is the whole story, expressing all major points (including the ending) summed up in a pretty little package.

Apparently, publishers also want to send authors into a formatting frenzy...

"No first line indents!" says one house.

"One inch margins!" says another, while the next wants 1 1/2 inch margins.

Header vs. no header.

Page numbers top right vs. page numbers bottom center.

Send us an rtf labeled TITLE_MANUSCRIPT.

Send us a word doc labeled TITLE_MAN.

Send us an rtf or doc or docx labeled SUBMISSION_TITLE_AUTHOR LAST NAME.

Do not send us attachments! Send us the first three chapters, pasted into the body of your email.

We accept simultaneous submissions!

We only take exclusives. Do not submit to us if you're MS is being considered elsewhere.

***If you do not adhere and bow down to every aspect of our strict and befuddling guidelines, your submission will be used as target practice, then burned at the stake while we laugh and dance and point.***

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Can't they all get together and agree on one set of guidelines? Please?

Publisher Interview: Stephanie Taylor from Astraea Press

Astraea was formed in 2010 when two friends saw the need for a non-erotic e-publisher that offers wholesome reads but still maintains the quality of mainstream romance. The first titles for Astraea will be launched in February 2011.

With over six years experience in the publishing industry and avid readers, owners Stephanie and Jane look forward to working with their authors, having fun, and bringing you the best books available.

With us today is Editor-in-chief of Astraea Press, Stephanie Taylor.


Welcome, Stephanie. First, I'd like to ask you a little about the genre/type of books Astraea Press will be publishing. The word "wholesome" is used. Tell us what this means.

I’d like to think that it means…wholesome! LOL. Astraea will be publishing anything from inspirational to mainstream where the focus is solely on the relationship. Think romance from the 1950’s. Remember a time when romance wasn’t about Sex Ed 101 and was a beautiful thing? That’s what Astraea strives for. We also publish genres outside of romance.

It’s hard to put a definitive answer on what we accept. For instance, a more sensual love scene between married couples would be more appropriate than one between unmarried couples or two people who don’t love each other. In essence, if you have something you think Astraea would like to see, we’d love to look at it! We only ask that sex scenes not be graphic with euphemisms or language and focus on the emotional aspect of the relationship, not the physical.

Writers love getting an inside view of the mysteries of publishing. What are you and the rest of the Astraea Press staff doing to get ready for your February 2011 launch?

In one word? READING! We’re reading submissions, we’re working on edits, we’re marketing, we’re spending a great deal of time online trying to get our name out there and doing interviews with wonderful people like you!

I'm sure you're getting pelted with questions about your sustainability as a new press on the block. It's a valid concern we writers have that a small/new press will close its doors and our precious work will be lost forever. Do you offer any guarantees to authors who sign with you concerning the rights to their work should Astraea Press calls it quits in a couple years?

This is a question I keep getting over and over and I appreciate you addressing it! It’s hard to maintain a reputation when you start with nothing. When my close friend Jane and I decided to open this e-publisher, we decided we wanted to be a step above the rest.

Sure, everyone says that, right? On a personal level, I’ll just be honest. We’re southern belles. We’re friendly, we’re Christians and we’re going to treat you right. I’m an author, too, and I can’t imagine how scary it would be to lose the rights to one of your “babies” and then your publishing house just disappears! I live by the old adage, “treat others as you would have them treat you”. I have people who have questioned whether or not we could handle this since we have families and marriage and LIFE. Well, let me tell you. Just like our family and our marriage, our religion, everything is a PART of our life that makes up the whole. Jane and I have an understanding that we will step in for each other if we are needed elsewhere.

Also, many publishers who fold are only run by one person. I began with a team of five people, all talented, excited and willing to step in no matter where they’re needed. I only hope to add to our team as we grow.

In a professional capacity, we offer a clause in our contract that we will have the rights to your work returned to you within 30 days of Astraea’s official closing, should that happen. If we don’t have it back to you by then, we EXPECT a call from an attorney, because it’s YOUR book! Astraea is only the house lucky enough to publish it.

Most writers start off with visions of BIG contracts and BIG publishing houses dancing in their heads. And most writers will end up finding their home with a smaller press. For those still unsure as to whether or not a small/newer press is right for them, can you tell us some of the advantages of signing with one?

Smaller presses equal closer relationships. Don’t care about that? Well, at Astraea, we hope to have your book available in digital and print form within 6 months, most likely less. Right now, all edits are done by me and I have experience with five different publishing houses in editing and experience in the industry that goes back over six years.

We’re also planning a wider distribution through third party vendors than a lot of other houses, so you not only get the close relationships with our staff, but also the availability of larger houses.

I noticed you had a pitch contest on December 7th. Is that over? If not, how do writers enter this contest? If so, will you be having another one anytime soon?

The pitch from Dec. 7th is over, but I’m hosting another one in January. I’m also in negotiations for a few other places, so stay tuned for those to be announced.

Keep in mind that even though the pitch contest is over, we’re still trying to fill our schedule for the February 2011 launch and accepting submissions in all genres. Our goal is to have ten books at this launch. You can see our fabulous cover art by Elaina Lee on our Facebook page. You won’t be disappointed!

Elaina will also be hosting a free header giveaway in January, so watch our site and Facebook page for details on that, coming soon!

Where will Astraea Press's books be sold?

Of course the biggest dream would be for us to be in brick and mortar. But right now, we’ll be available at amazon, B&N, overdrive.com, and numerous other third party vendors, as well as our website. Print books will also be available on Amazon.

Thanks so much to Stephanie Taylor for stopping by and telling us about Astraea Press! Visit Astraea Press here or by going to http://www.astraeapress.com/ where you will find their submissions guidelines, contact information, and blog.

Productivity

I'm happy to say I've finished the PDF list I received with author TO-DOs. I compiled the following and sent it off to my editor:

Bio
Back-of-the-book description
Cover vision
Answers to questions about various things, etc.

I promptly got an email back--Editor Lady is fast! She'd made a couple changes to my blurb, tightened up my bio. I was pleased with the results and can tell I'm going to like working with her once the edits for the manuscript are underway.

She thanked me for being "so specific" with my cover vision, as opposed to the reaction I was expecting: ANAL. That was nice. Either my specificity really is a good thing or she's very tactful. A bonus either way.

On a side note, getting a publishing contract for one book is fantastic motivation for finishing another. I'm a busy mom with young kids, so my daily word count hovers around 300, give or take a few hundred. Ha. Ha. In the past seven days I've gotten 6,000 words down--good words, too. I'm thrilled. My goal, prior to these 6K words, was to add 13K to my WIP by the end of December. Possibility of exceeding goal makes me giddy.

What's Next?

The publishing contract has been signed by all parties. Big sigh of relief. I feel as if I can relax now...almost.

Truth is, I rarely relax when it comes to writing. Each time I reach a goal, I immediately think what's next?

So, imagine my joy when I received a list! My very own here's-what's-next list. Some people cringe at lists, especially lists given out by other people. Me, I love it. Making decisions has never been something I'm good at, so tell me what to do and I'll do it has always been my attitude. I just. Need. A task.

The items on the list were not unexpected. Matter of fact, I'd already begun working on a few of them. One, however, makes me feel like sulking, pouting, and a number of other behaviors my two year old would gladly slap his toddler endorsement on.

"The author bio," I whine. "What bio?"

I'm not that interesting. I'm not an expert...on anything. I don't have a world-class education--no offense, Mom. You homeschooled me and did a great job. I have no previous publishing credits, no extraordinary accomplishments, except for the birthing of two human beings which seems pretty damn miraculous, if you ask me.

I'm just normal. To quote Christine O'Donnell, "I'm not a witch; I'm you." And we see how far that got her.

Hook, Line and Sinker

I did it. I got offered my first publishing contract. Talk about being stoked!

Over several blogs, I will be sharing my experiences, starting with the querying process for this book. I'll also share what happens as I move forward--there's so much to do!

Editing (yes, again)
Cover design (fun!)
Blurb for back of the book (stressful)
Author website ($$$)
Getting reviews (scary)
Marketing (um...goody?)

Also, once the contract is signed on all ends, I'll dish out the details: With whom did I sign? When will the book be released? Where will it be available for purchase? Etcetera.

I anticipate being able to share parts of the book itself, an excerpt, perhaps even the first chapter. Before I can do that, I need to find out what my (future) editor/publisher allows. This can vary from one pub to another and I don't want to break any rules...not immediately, anyway.

To avoid the monotony of listening to me drone on and on and on, although that's the point of MY blog, I'll still be actively pursuing author interviews and guest bloggers.

Thanks for sticking around :)

UPDATE: I decided to sign a publishing contract with Camel Press, a new fiction imprint of Coffeetown Press, based out of Seattle. The release date for my book is March 2011. More details to come!

Confidence Can Be Dangerous

Confidence can be a dangerous thing, especially when you're a writer. As many books as I have read and enjoyed, there are that many more that I have started and never finished because they were that bad. Each time this happens I think, if this person can get published so can I!

Dangerous, indeed.

You see, the publishing industry reminds me of that money pie politicians often evoke. The theory goes something like this:

There is a pie. The pie represents all the money. There are only eight slices available. Seven of the slices are eaten (spent) by hungry rich people. That leaves just one slice of the pie (wealth) available for the remaining 98%. Since one slice is not enough to feed everyone, some of that 98% simply do without--not because they aren't deserving of a bite, there just isn't enough to go around.

I'm not an economy expert, so I don't know if this is truly how the economy works, but this is how publishing works. Seven slices of the publishing pie goes to celebrity writers, best sellers, household names, and already established authors. The remaining slice is all that's available for the rest of the newbies or relatively unknowns. Due to the lack of pie, pubs are that much more selective when deciding who gets a piece and who doesn't. Not unlike the money pie theory, there will be those who get a share even though they don't deserve it, which sucks for those who do.

I remind myself of this often. Earning something or deserving something does not automatically entitle me to anything. There are no guarantees. I know that when/if I am offered a contract, luck will have as much to do with it as my skill, hard work, and determination did. So while I am confident in my abilities, that confidence cannot overshadow realism, because nothing will end a writing career faster than frustration or bitterness.