The Susquehanna Writers

Part of a very cool fundraising anthology

2012-01-27T16:49:00.000-05:00

Long, long ago, in a town not so far away, I took a few writing workshops by the wonderful Ann Elia Stewart. At the Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, Ann led about a dozen writers to better focus on their craft. We learned to help each other, too. I'm doubly grateful to Ann because through those workshops, I joined three other excellent authors to form a critique group that's lasted for years. They're not just crit partners, but wonderful friends.

Last year, Ann helped coordinate the submission process for a fundraising anthology to benefit the library and the Natalie D. Craumer Writer's Workshop. I submitted two of the literary short stories I worked on during that time, along with my three critique partners, and I'm excited we've all been accepted!

The anthology will be titled: A Community of Writers. A collection of short stories from the Natalie D. Craumer Writer's Workshop of the Cleve J. Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Here's the full list of authors and their stories:

Susan Bangs - The Things She Chose to Keep

Rayne Ayers Debski - Hunting Season

Margaret DeAngelis - Take Care

C.A. Masterson - Survivor Barbie

C.A.Masterson - Dissipation

Duffy Batzer - "Oops," said God

Lori M. Myers - Smoke

Don Helin - A Soldier's Gift

Don Helin - Creature of Habit

Larry C. Kerr - A Cautious Life

Gina Napoli - Operation Pumpkin Patch

Cathy Jordan - The Green-Eyed Monster

Madelyn Killion - Free as a Bluejay

Maria McKee - Number 11

Maria McKee - The Nature of Sin

D.A. Morrow - Dragon Riders

Debra A. Varsanyi - Moving Targets

Bob Walton - 4:30

Carol A. Lauver - The Surprise Party

Susan E. Bangs - The Mirror

Laurie J. Edwards - Angels in the Mist

Susan Girolami Kramer - Dead Letters

Marlene Ross -- Betsy's Delight

Ann Elia Stewart -- Swan Song

But wait, you don't see "Cate Masters" in that list? You're right. I used my full maiden name then - C.A. Masterson. :)

Congrats to all!

And a special thanks to Ann for all her efforts in coordinating it, but especially for her enduring enthusiasm and encouragement to all writers, and for helping to shape so many communities of writers.

I'll post more information as the process moves forward. It's a worthwhile cause, and I'm proud to be part of an effort to continue helping other writers.

Affordable Book Loving

2012-01-24T09:31:00.001-05:00

The economy has hit many of us. Some people have felt a nudge but others received a wallop when they lost their jobs. Some like me received no pay raise this year even though everything I've needed to purchase, food, clothing, fuel, electric and college tuition, has skyrocketed. To make up the difference, I've had to cut back on things I don't need for basic survival.

I've started making my own ice coffee instead of getting it at Starbucks. We cut out the family vacation last summer. My grocery cart has more generic items mixed in and we've tried to drive less. Another item I cut back on, though it breaks my heart, is the purchasing of books. Even though I feel I can't live without something to read, books don't rank on the same level of necessity as food and electric.

I probably purchased half the number of books in 2011 as I did the year before. I did lots of my reading from books I borrowed from the library. Sometimes I had to wait weeks after the book was released to have it in my hands and of course, I can't put it on the keeper shelf, but it sure was cheap. The next biggest group of books I read this past year were ebooks I purchased online. No driving cost, no shipping, immediate delivery and excellent prices.

Many small presses and self-published authors sell their ebooks for very reasonable prices below $5. My romance publisher recently offered one of my books, One Good Woman, for the terrific price of $1.99.

My fantasy series, The Futhark Chronicles, are offered at low prices, $1.99 for The Keepers of Sulbreth, and $2.99 for Beyond the Gate.

Does the low price mean these books being offered aren't the quality of the ones you might pay 10 to 30 dollars for at the bookstore? Not at all. It means the publishers and authors know a reader will take a chance on a new author if they're not risking too much money. It also means the publisher and reader understand that ebooks carry less overhead and production costs compared to printed books.

So don't let the lean times rob you of the joy of reading. Check out the library and shop for bargain prices on ebooks at any of the major online retailers.

Do you use your local library? Have you been spending your reading dollars on ebooks? Have you purchased fewer books in the last year than the year before?

What's Your Nightmare?

2012-01-17T08:43:00.001-05:00

I don't write horror and I usually only read it when my friends write it. But in my epic fantasy series, The Futhark Chronicles, there are some horrific creatures the people of Futhark must battle. In The Keepers of Sulbreth, the magically gifted Keepers are women dedicating their lives to protecting ordinary people from demons. The Marshals are the swordsmen who help the Keepers in their duties.

I enjoy creating the monsters plaguing Futhark. I often doodle and design them during boring inservices and faculty meetings at work. Not that I'm an artist, but putting a picture with my ideas inspires more ideas.

Childhood fears and those instinctual fears humans are born with also inspire my demonic creations. One of the horrible demons introduced in Keepers is a giant snake. Another is a poisonous rat-like creature that hunts in packs. Who isn't creeped out by rats and snakes? I also gave one of my demons wings with jaws and claws, kind of like a velociraptor that can fly and of course travels in flocks. Then there in one of my favorite, a huge, heavy beast with the personality, body armor and horns of a rhinoceros. Then I get to name them.

Some new demon beasts are discovered in the second book in my series, Beyond the Gate, and the Keepers and Marshals have their hands full saving the people from these powerful, fantastical fell beasts.

What kind of creature might your nightmares create? What animal in real life gives you shivers up the spine? Spiders? Snakes? Rats?

Top rating for The Magic of Lavender

2012-01-15T07:10:00.002-05:00

Wow, how thrilled am I with this review? Over the moon! I feel as if I have a Goddess Connection myself. :)

Aubrey from Romancing the Book gave The Magic of Lavender a rating of Rose That Rules All, its top rating! Woot!

I'm so grateful Aubrey took the time to review it. All reviewers are swamped with requests these days, and it can be particularly difficult to get a self-pubbed novel reviewed.

Here's part of Aubrey's lovely review:

I've always loved books that center around Goddesses and The Magic of Lavender fits the bill perfectly.

The cast of characters of this book keeps the book even more interesting.
The underworld that was created by Masters is unique in that it is an entirely different way at seeing Goddesses. The Inn is on ley lines that help Joss use her magic. Using the ley lines she makes the Lord of the Underworld angry. You really need to read the book to find out what happens!
I cannot wait to read the second book in this series and other works by Cate Masters. This book really made me escape my boring life and enter into one that magic is possible.

Thanks again, Aubrey!

Making Characters Come Alive

2012-01-13T16:38:00.005-05:00

Sometimes inspiration strikes as I read other blogs. And today I came across a blog that was so beautifully written, I just had to share it. McKenna Darby's post on the Hearts Through History blog is one every aspiring and published author should read. If you want to know how to make characters come alive, McKenna has the secret. And, coincidentally, it'll make your settings more vivid too.

If you want to read more of McKenna's wisdom, you can read her blog. It's well worth the time.

I have a love/hate relationship with edits

2012-01-06T07:07:00.002-05:00

I am a staunch believer in having an editor. Though I have amazing critique partners, and a bunch of them too, an editor always lends greater insight and perspective to a story. Takes it another level higher.

As particular as I am about correct punctuation, grammar, and getting all the details right, I worry that I missed something. Or that the storyline has a hole.

So I am thrilled that Decadent Publishing contracted my dark paranormal novel, Dead to Rights.

I'd self-pubbed it last year, but hoped an editor could help me kick it up to that next level. (There's always a next level!) Unfortunately, I can't afford to hire an editor.

I just finished first-round edits, and am loving it. And hating it. Grueling as edits can be, I know I'll be happy with the end results.

I also wasn't satisfied Dead to Rights was receiving enough exposure. Lately, reviewers are swamped, so getting any reviews are difficult, but it's a little more difficult to entice a reviewer to read a self-pubbed novel, unfortunately. I'm hoping that now it will receive a little more attention.

The new, tentative release date for Dead to Rights is late February. Woo hoo!

And I just received this cover in my email. Beautiful, isn't it?

Visit Me and Win

2012-01-04T07:06:00.001-05:00

The wonderful Cate Masters has started a new blog where writers can share news about their newest releases and their expertise on writing. I'm honored to be today's guest. I'll be talking about the dangers of trying to follow trends in the industry. I'll also be promoting my epic fantasy series, The Futhark Chronicles.

Just by visiting and commenting over at the new blog, TBR, you have a chance to win a print copy of the first book in my series, The Keepers of Sulbreth. If you prefer a digital format, The Keepers of Sulbreth is now available at the reduced price of only $1.99.

The book I'll be promoting is the second book in my series, Beyond the Gate. Beyond the Gate begins the moment after Keepers ends with Marshal Cage Stone and Keeper Sabelline Shelton entering the mysterious cavern leading the magical seals that must be renewed. The dark pathways lead them into more danger and surprises than their training has prepared them for. Read more on my blog and over at TBR.

Are you reading more epic fantasy with the resurgence of the genre thanks to HBO's Game of Thrones? Do you find some of your reading material from reviews and blogs you read online?

Beyond the Gate Available Now

2012-01-02T06:56:00.001-05:00

Only $1.99

Exactly one year after my former publisher was supposed to release Book #2 of my epic fantasy series, Beyond the Gate, I have made it happen. Without going into the gruesome details of the severing of my relationship with said publisher, I reclaimed my rights to the series after they lapsed in their responsibilities to seeing my book was released on time.

As of today, I've reduced the price of the first book in The Futhark Chronicles, The Keepers of Sulbreth, to the bargain price of $1.99. Of course, I'm hoping you'll love the first book so much, you'll have to hurry back to your favorite online digital retailer and buy the second book.

Available Now-$2.99

Beyond the Gate takes up just one moment after The Keepers of Sulbreth ends. Marshal Cage Stone and Keeper Sabelline Shelton enter the mysterious cavern they must navigate to reset the magical seals preventing a demon invasion of the kingdom of Futhark. King Jonared and the remaining Keepers and Marshals have more problems than demons to deal with as an ambitious lord decides he wants the throne of Futhark for his own. Cage and Sabelline will find everything they thought they knew under question and only a great sacrifice by Cage and an act of courage by Sabelline might turn the battle in their favor.

So I hope you're looking for a new epic fantasy series to read or if you've already read The Keepers of Sulbreth, you're waiting for Beyond the Gate.

History of A Christmas Carol

2011-12-24T08:43:00.000-05:00

On Dec. 19, 1843, Charles Dickens first published one of the most widely known holiday stories, A Christmas Carol. I dug around a bit to find the origins of this tale, and although widely diverging versions exist, one of the most reliable seems to be from PBS’s A Writer’s Almanac.

According to them, Dickens was inspired to write A Christmas Carol after reading a disturbing news story about child labor in England. He went to Cornwall to see for himself the horrible conditions of child workers in the mines there. He then visited the free schools set up for poor children. Seeing the terrible situation of children in poverty made him so angry, he decided to write a book exposing it, and publish it at his own expense. The original title was A Christmas Carol in Prose. Shown is a first edition.

The plot is as familiar as Christmas cookies. Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean old miser, goes through a life transformation during Christmas, a holiday he scorned: "Every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart." But after three visits from spirits, he sheds his hardened exterior and throws open his arms to embrace others at the end: "I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody!"

Timing was ripe for Dickens to publish A Christmas Carol. In the 17th century, the Puritans declared the holiday illegal, citing the fact that the Bible never gave the date of Christ’s birth. Thus, they deemed it a pagan celebration.

But Christmas enjoyed a resurgence in England in 1840, when Queen Victoria married a German prince, Albert. German traditions like Christmas trees became popular again in England.

A Christmas Carol showed Christmas as a time for family and for sharing simple pleasures. Some still viewed celebrates such as parties, dancing and drinking and playing games, dangerously close to Pagan rituals. But Dickens' vision of Christmas still inspires many to keep the Christmas spirit alive.

One of my favorite versions stars Patrick Stewart.

Last Christmas, I bought the Disney DVD with Jim Carrey, which seems a nice halfway version between The Muppets Christmas Carol and the stern old black and white version.

Of all the remakes, which is your favorite?

Early Christmas

2011-12-19T09:10:00.001-05:00

It seems ever year for the past four, I've had a new book come out right before or right after Christmas. It does make the holidays a little hectic with trying to promote and still be the mover and organizer of all family celebrations of the season. But it's fun.

I'm pleased to announce the release of the third book in my Tigers of Salubria fantasy romance series, A Tiger's Courage. My publishers, New Concepts Publishing, one of the first and most successful ebook publishers, has really outdone themselves with the book cover on this book. ATC is a romance, of course, but they did such a great job inserting the desert setting into the cover art, it really sets the tone for the book. And the font they used for the title and my name is very unusual and cool.

So in between getting out some last minute Christmas cards (okay, all of them) shopping for the last few things, (some of them as yet unknown), planning for the big family gathering(no cookies baked yet) and scrambling to catch up with the day job, I'll be promoting A Tiger's Courage here and there over the holiday season.

So what do you think of the book cover? Do you have a favorite setting for a novel?

The end of the book as we know it? or, SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS, now available on Kindle

2011-12-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

I remember the days when I spent my afternoons in the library, searching through books, selecting a pile to take home, and the looks from the librarian who thought I would never finish them all in two weeks. Many of those libraries are closed now, and the book stores sprung up in the neighborhoods. But within a few short decades, they saw their demise.

The closing of major book stores leaves a gap in my soul. What is to become of the book? The time I've spent browsing, sniffing pages and reading back covers in book stores could be culminated into years. (not to mention gaping at the front covers) For some avid readers and writers, there is no better time, and it is something that could only be understood by others who pursue the same past time.

Buying a book is easier now. It is only one-click away on Amazon. There is no reason to leave home, or to get off that seat anymore. And I have to admit being able to read in a dark room with a glowing Kindle on my lap has its appeal. I never go anywhere without it. The bag I carry to my child's soccer game, my purse, my brief case--they must all be large enough to carry the Kindle.

SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS: An Anthology of Scifi, Fantasy and other Strange Tales, is an anthology of my previously published short stories that can be found on Amazon.com. It is now available in Kindle format for those who don't want to leave their seat in order to buy a book.

The book is not dying, it never will. But the major publishers have initiated their own downfall, and until they open their eyes and crawl out of their holes, the book will continue to transform.

SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS is now available in Kindle format at Amazon.com.

Writers Tricks of the Trade

2011-12-17T09:08:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone: I'm sorry I've been absent for awhile but holiday travels plus trying to market the manuscript from my latest novel has made for a wild time.

I wanted to share that the December issue of Writers Tricks of the Trade from my friend Morgan St. James is out http://writerstricksofthetrade.blogspot.com/
Morgan is a multi-published author and has put together a terrific newsletter. The second segment from my notes from the Donald Maass Workshop I attended at the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers conference is in there as well as a wealth of other material to help aspiring and published authors.

I highly recommend you subscribe. Each Month it keeps getting better. Don

Ground Rules releases today!

2011-11-30T13:22:00.002-05:00

My Christmas fantasy, Ground Rules, is now out with The Wild Rose Press! Yay! I love holiday stories, especially when they include a little Christmas magic, and a snarky angel.

Here's the blurb:
Can a bad boy angel and a dispirited mortal find a Christmas miracle together?
Alice Garner scores a great contract to illustrate a children’s book by a famous author, but lack of inspiration forces her to cancel her holiday plans. Alone on Christmas to meet her looming deadline, Alice wishes on her Christmas tree angel for help.
Luke, newly promoted to Watcher Angel, is reluctant to take the assignment. Long ago, his fiancée broke his mortal heart on Christmas Eve, and even returning to Earth on his Harley won’t dull the sting. Good thing the ground rules forbid getting involved with an assignment—Alice is tempting, but he’d rather not stay on Earth.
But Luke brings Alice more than inspiration. He reawakens her heart. Now Alice has to convince him he’s her greatest wish. With a little Christmas magic, can she convince him to break the ground rules and stay?

TBR – a new blog to find new reads

2011-11-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

I regularly host authors on my blog, but wanted to provide a place that would feature them more prominently. So I created TBR. The site’s still in construction, as you can see, and won’t officially launch until the new year, but in order for it to launch, I need the participation of authors.

I would love to feature your work on TBR.

To book a guest date on TBR, first check the available dates listed under the 2012 Schedule tab. After selecting a date, email me at tbrtheblog [at] gmail.com to reserve yours. The new year's approaching fast, so I'll be putting an open invitation out on the general loops, but if you want to reserve a date, just let me know when and I'll gladly list your name beside it.

I'm hoping to make this a nurturing community for authors and readers alike, but to do that, I'll need followers and lots of them. I hope you'll support TBR with a follow, and perhaps help promote it after it launches on January 2.

You can also grab the blog badge shown here (and on the site's main page, top left), by right-clicking your mouse and selecting the “Save As” option, then (in Blogger) add it under Gadgets as a Picture with the link http://tbrtheblog.blogspot.com/

Help spread the word about TBR! And visit often to find great reads.

Know When to Walk Away

2011-11-21T19:08:00.000-05:00

I finished the first draft of my novel on Saturday, meeting my NaNoWriMo goal nearly two weeks early. I hadn't started this novel on November 1; I had, in fact been working on it in one form (synopsis, new pages) or another (critique group, revisions) for three years.

While it wasn't the only thing I wrote in three years, it did take up a lot of my writing time. In addition, it lurked in my subconscious throughout those three years as I worked out where those characters would go and what they would do and what would happen after they did it.

Even though I've typed "THE END," I know it isn't. I'm not satisfied with the last chapter, and it's been so long since I've read some of the earlier chapters, I'm sure there's work to do there as well. Add to that the fact that this draft is well over the desired word count, and I know that serious cutting and revisions lie ahead.

And so now, the hardest thing to do is the thing I know I have to do: leave it alone. Let it rest. Fight the urge to tweak this and twist that, to cut scenes wholesale so those numbers end up closer to where I want them.

And if I do leave it alone (as I should), what will I do? Resurrect an old project? Create a backlog of blogs? Start something new altogether?

A few weeks ago, before I realized that I'd hit this goal quite so quickly, I thought I knew exactly which project I would return to. But what seemed so tempting then seems less enticing now. I find myself having tremendous difficulty walking away from the characters who have populated the page in front of me for so long.

So, to my fellow writers of fiction: what do you do after you finish your first draft?

Wrap Up

2011-11-17T06:27:00.001-05:00

Many readers love to read series. Lots of writers enjoy writing series. I personally fit both profiles.

In my fantasy series, The Futhark Chronicles, the books are a continuous story. The same characters are the main protagonists throughout all four books. They're fighting the same battle from the first page until the last chapter. Like in most epic fantasy series, you enjoy the books more if you read them in order.

My romance series, on the other hand, while it takes place in the same dystopian world, can be enjoyed not matter what order you read them in. In fact, if you read the last book in the series first, One Good Woman, you'll hopefully want to read the books preceding it. The Greater Good started the series followed by The Lesser Evil and A Ruthless Good. The hero of One Good Woman, Brady Gellot, was introduced in The Lesser Evil but the heroine of OGW, Cara, first appeared in The Greater Good. She was of those strong but vulnerable women you can't help but love.

My publisher is offering a One Good Woman at a special low price of only $1.99 starting today. For that price, I hope lots of you can try out this romance series and read Brady's and Cara's story.

I like four book series though I'm a fan of some very, very long fantasy book series. How long do you think a book series should be? Are you willing to try a new author if the price is right like that reasonable $1.99?

The Path to Publication panel

2011-11-13T11:10:00.000-05:00

Thanks again to Catherine Lawrence at The Midtown Scholar for organizing such a wonderful event - the Second Annual Harrisburg Book Festival. We look forward to many more such events in the future. The Midtown's an amazingly beautiful venue, and I encourage you to visit.

If you're interested in buying our books, many of us have left several copies on hand at The Midtown Scholar.

Below are some pictures from yesterday's panel titled The Path to Publication. Special thanks to Don Helin for helping to organize it!

The Path to Publication panelists: Franklin Kury, Susan Gourley, Lorrie Myers, Don Helin, and Cate Masters

Susan Gourley

Franklin Kury

Lorrie Myers

Cate Masters

Tomorrow I'll post the text of my presentation on ebooks on my blog, expanded to cover the topic of blogging basics, as time constraints didn't allow me to cover it yesterday.

Thanks again to all who attended this wonderful event.

Speculative Journeys: An Anthology of SciFi, Fantasy and other Strange Tales

2011-11-01T22:36:00.000-04:00

Short Stories are a hard sell. Not only are there very few markets, but also many of the markets fade in and out of existence faster than my daughter's crushes. It is for the most part a one time deal. Publishers want first time rights. Your story is bought, published for a spell, and then the rights are returned to the author. This makes for a crowded filing cabinet. Very few markets, if any, buy second rights. So, there are two options. The first, you can keep the story in the filing cabinet where nobody will ever read it again, or you can take it upon yourself to republish the stories and increase your readership.

That is why I chose to publish SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS: An Anthology of SciFi, Fantasy and other Strange Tales. Explore the strange and endless possibilities of the future. How desperate will humans become? Where will exploration, science and politics lead us? What will be the warning signs of the end? Regardless of where you go to seek answers, a distant moon, the back streets of a dystopian society, a grave, the stories in SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS will keep you wandering.

Release day for Romancing the Hero!

2011-10-26T01:43:00.010-04:00

I'm so excited - release day's finally here! Today, The Wild Rose Press released Romancing the Hero, a contemporary fantasy, as part of its Faery Rose line. Romancing the Hero's a novella, but its 70 pages are packed with fun and romance. And oh yeah, I can't forget mayhem. It's nearly as much fun as the romance!

Here's the excerpt:

“Jody Feather?” The deep voice rushed at her like a hot breeze, reverberated through her, and stopped her where she stood.

“Ye—” Her gaze climbed the long legs clad in well-fitting jeans, pumped torso outlined through his tight tee, to the gorgeous model face. Someone might have stolen a cardboard cutout of the perfect hero and breathed life into it, and that’s who stood on her doorstep.

“Yowsa,” she said on an exhale.

He cocked a delighted brow. “Pardon?”

“May I help you?” Please say yes.

“I believe it’s the other way around.”

“Really?” Thankyouthankyouthankyou! “I mean… what do you mean?”

The timbre of his deep voice filled the space between them. “I’m here to help. Use me.”

Wait. This had to be a prank. “I get it. Mimi sent you.”

His brow furrowed. “Mimi? No.”

Patience waning, she heaved a sigh. “Who are you?”

“I think you know.” He leaned a ripped bicep against the doorjamb in a move that seemed scripted—by her.

“No. Tell me.”

“Jake? Ring a bell?”

She might have guessed. “Oh right. Jake Emerson?”

He clucked his tongue. “The one and only. I knew you’d recognize me anywhere.”

“Even at my own condo. Go figure. So why are you here? As a prop for the signing?” Damn, he fit the role perfectly, too. She couldn’t have picked a better actor. She jotted another note to ask Mimi if he could pose for the next cover. A cardboard cutout would be perfect for signings.

“Is that what you need?” he asked with a hint of disappointment.

She peered past him. “No bags?”

“I travel light.”

“Didn’t she tell you? There are several events. Dinner, the keynote, plus the signing itself. You might want a change of clothes.” Though if anyone could pull off wearing the same outfit every day, he could. She could claim it was Jake’s brand, his image, an intentional move to make him recognizable to conference attendees. Mimi always droned on about the brand, the brand.

Besides, who’d notice his clothes? They only wrapped the prize beneath. And what a yummy prize. She had to hand it to Mimi, the marketing genius.

Musing aloud, she murmured, “Where did they find you?”

“They didn’t. I’m Jake.”

“Right. And I’m Lara Croft.” Not even her Halloween costume could turn her into the sexy heroine.

He chuckled. “You’re better than that bimbo.”

Oh boy. “Let’s not get carried away, shall we? It’s temporary.”

“Why? Do you plan to kill me off?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve read the series.” All that and a reader to boot.

“I don’t need to read it. I live it.”

His devilish smile almost blocked out his words, which hit her like a slap.

Yikes. “Listen, Mr…” Rolling her hand, she prompted him to finish.

“Emerson.”

Method actor, apparently. She’d play along for now. “Sure. Mr. Emerson.”

A car horn sounded outside.

“The taxi.” And she hadn’t remembered whatever she’d forgotten. Too late now. “Give me two seconds.” She hurried to grab her jacket.

“Take all the time you need, baby.”

The endearment brought her to a screeching halt. “Hold on. I get that you’re ‘Jake Emerson’ but when we’re together, address me as Ms. Feather. I am not your baby.” Or anyone else’s, unfortunately. After this weekend, she’d change that.

His mouth curled down in a brief frown. “Pity.”

“Give it a rest.” She’d written this scene in the second novel, when Jake first meets that leading lady. How many scenes had he studied? Hopefully he wouldn’t reenact too many. Sure, she loved her work, but not so much she wanted to live it. Except for certain parts, like the shower scene in book three… You don’t have time for this.

After grabbing her bag, she said a quick goodbye to Frank. “It’s only for the weekend. See you Monday.” She glanced at the man waiting at her door. “Tuesday at the outside.” Never rule out any possibilities. Her parents taught her that. And she’d made it Jake’s motto, one of the reasons fans loved him. Time to make it her own motto as well.

The saying had given her the strength to leap from journalism into fiction. If they only knew what she considered leaping into now… well, she was old enough to face those consequences. And enjoy them while they lasted.

Holding a hand to his sculpted abs, he bowed. “May I carry your bag, Ms. Feather? Or are you too liberated for such a show of chivalry?”

Wiseass. He had that aspect of Jake down pat. “Please. Take it, with my gratitude.” It gave her a chance to follow him down the walkway, and admire his rippling biceps and tight end, made more luscious by his swagger. She paid particular attention. She had to, or she wouldn’t be able to describe it in all its vital deliciousness in a later novel.

Oh yeah, she loved being a writer.

Get your copy today from The Wild Rose Press!

Navigating the Retail Sea

2011-10-17T07:55:00.003-04:00

My blog photo makes me sad. When I first posted it, several months after a book signing at my local Borders, the only problem I had with it was that I had no idea who the lady in the background was/is, and I had no idea how to crop her put of the picture. Now, the problem is that the setting no longer exists. Our Borders has been closed for about a month.

As we stood waiting for a taxi outside Penn Station in New York last weekend, we couldn't miss the big, empty storefront where the Borders used to be. Shopping at a nearby mall last Friday night, I found a Books A Million where the Borders used to be. I lingered at the door momentarily, but didn't venture in.

At Target yesterday, I enjoyed browsing the well-lit, neatly arranged book section, which
seemed bigger than it had been before our Borders - just down the street - closed its doors. My daughter, who is a voracious reader - found quite a lot to pique her interest.
Trendy series and books by popular authors graced the shelves alongside works by authors famous for their writing skills as well as those famous for less literary reasons. We left with four books, which my daughter will no doubt devour within two weeks.

What then? As long as she wants to read the hot and trendy titles, we should have no problem keeping her bedside table well-stocked. And for the more obscure titles, well, there's always Amazon, or a half hour road trip to our closest Barnes and Noble.

But within five minutes of our house, there is a small, independent bookstore. When we first bought our house 17 years ago, this bookstore not only had a twin across town, but it also occupied a much larger retail space, with a beautiful - and beautifully stocked - children's section. Some time ago, however, its twin closed, and the store closer to o our home moved to a more intimate location. I don't remember whether or not this coincided with Borders' opening, but against all odds, this small, local store remains, tucked away in a strip mall, surviving with less than half of the space, stock and clout that Borders
had.

And as much as I know how this blog should end - with the loyal, local author reformed and making her purchases at the underdog bookstore - the bottom line is that the number of books we purchase makes this conclusion unlikely. Has the demise of Borders awakened my sense of duty, nudging me to make sure that at least some of my purchases are transferred to this independent bookseller? Yes. But when Target and Amazon discount their books, and Barnes and Noble sends me coupons, it's tough to plunk down full cover price in a small store that will probably have to special order the title I want because their inventory is so small and select. And they can't afford to make that inventory any larger because even people like me, who recognize the importance of their fiesty little business are turning to giants like Amazon because they ship books to my doorstep.

I don't know what the answer is. As much as I hate the fact that the whale that swallowed up so many small bookstores has now sunk into the depths of the retail sea, and as much as I champion - and admire - the minnows that remain, buying all my books as full price special orders just isn't going to happen.

So talk to me. Please. Tell me what your answer is, because while I know I will make a renewed effort to visit that miraculous minnow of a bookstore, I know that all of my purchases won't transfer there.

Not as long as there are discounts and door-to-door service.

Book Giveaway

2011-10-16T05:24:00.000-04:00

Do you have room for a free book? As a promotion for the re-release of The Keepers of Sulbreth, book#1 in an epic fantasy series, I'm giving away a precious print copy to one lucky winner in the book-a-day giveaway over at The Romance Studio.

I know The Keepers of Sulbreth isn't a romance novel, but TRS is such a great promotional site I wanted to get the title of my book in front of all those users of that great destination. And if you must have a romance, there are numerous romantic subplots in the series. Not all have happy endings, however.

Do you enter book contests? Have you ever won?

2nd Annual Harrisburg Book Festival

2011-10-13T21:03:00.003-04:00

Hi All:
The Midtown Scholar is planning for the 2nd Annual Harrisburg Book Festival the weekend of November 11 - 13. She is thinking that instead of a huge group of writers and tables, it might be better to gather a group of published authors to participate on a panel from 12:30 to 1:30 on Saturday, November 12th.
We'd have to develop a theme, but she is thinking along the lines of improving your writing or how to get published.
Catherine has asked me to coordinate a panel. Are there any of you who might want to participate. Please let me know.
Thanks, Don Helin

All aboard the crazy train!

2011-10-09T18:53:00.000-04:00

I didn't think it possible, but life got crazier. Waaaay crazier. And it necessitates my time online growing even shorter than before.

I hate to skim through loop emails, but now even skimming's going to be rare, though I really miss keeping in touch with all the wonderful authors on the loops. And please accept my apologies in advance for not visiting blogs as often as I used to. I'll do my best to keep up, but until the end of the year, it's going to be really tough.

Which brings me to the final boarding stop for the crazy train: should I attempt NaNoWriMo? If I'm going to get any writing done at all, I need to carve out chunks of time dedicated to that, and only that (and if need be, wield that carving knife against intruders! Just kidding... I think!)

Last year, I couldn't participate in NaNoWriMo because hubby and I belatedly and deservedly celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary (three years late, to be exact!) by going on a ten-day cruise. As much as I loved it, I really missed writing. And I missed the challenge of NaNoWriMo.

This year, as crazy as life has been, I may just sign up again. It will be with the foreknowledge that I won't make it to 50k, but my philosophy is: nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'll end up with more done than I would have if I don't sign up, so signing up will force me to be more structured with my time. Theoretically, at least. :)

How do you handle time constraints? Share your tricks!

Are Published Writers Divas?

2011-10-02T11:11:00.000-04:00

If I'd had a crystal ball, I would have made a prediction about an anthology I've been editing. Several well-known authors have contributed stories. Very exciting, except I was worried about dealing with divas.

And I definitely am.

They fight every suggestion made by me or the other editors, copyeditors, and proofreaders. Even when five people on the editorial team insist something isn't working, they totally ignore the suggestions. They skip over requests for edits, so the manuscript has to be sent back multiple times requesting the same rewrites. They're so tied to their words that they argue about even small changes. Exactly what I was expecting, except...

The writers who are doing this are NOT the big-name authors.

The multi-published authors are a dream to work with. They turn in their edits on time and do a wonderful job on any requested rewrites, making the story stronger each time. They say "thank you" for the suggestions and say that the edits have improved the story. And every single one of them ends with a final line something like this: "If this doesn't work, please let me know, and I'll be glad to rewrite it."

So who are these divas I'm working with? They're the pre-published writers, the newbies, the ones who have had two magazine stories published in local magazines. They're the ones who are so puffed up about being included in an anthology with "real" authors that they cling doggedly to every word, every idea. "If this story was good enough to get me accepted, it should be ready to publish as is" is their mantra. They fail to realize that most editors accept on potential, not perfection. And sadly, they're making a name for themselves as being hard to work with, which may mean this could be their only shot at publication.

So while my peek into the crystal ball was accurate, the details were murky. I've learned that far from being divas, published authors are willing to work at their craft and seek ways to improve what they write. Which, most likely, is the real reason they're published.

Epic Fantasy for Kindle

2011-09-29T08:27:00.001-04:00

After weeks of editing and preparation, I finally have my book, The Keepers of Sulbreth, available on Kindle. I want to thank Cate Masters for all her help and advice on this great venture.

A few months ago my publisher broke my contract for my epic fantasy series, The Futhark Chronicles. They had already released the first book, The Keepers of Sulbreth, and made a half effort at releasing the second book, Beyond the Gate. They had the third book under contract. This publisher had no clue about promotion and was taking leaps in different directions each month as they tried to guess where the media business was going next. I asked for all my rights back and fortunately they surrendered them without fuss. I'm sure I'll never see any royalties I've earned from them but at least my books have a chance of reaching the reading public now.

The Keepers of Sulbreth begins the tale of Cage Stone as he accepts his heritage as a half-elf and uses his extraordinary skills to lead the battle against the centuries old evil that had been awakened on Futhark. Aiding his quest is Sabelline Shelton, a gifted sorceress, and the young king of Futhark, Jonared Shelton. Cage discovers his destiny is tied to the survival of not only the kingdom but the entire human race and his sword alone won't defeat the dread being behind the war for man's survival.

The Keepers of Sulbreth received excellent reviews when first released. If you've all ready enjoyed this book, I hope you'll pass the word along as promotion is the biggest obstacle facing self-pubbed authors.

Have you purchased and read any self-pubbed books? Would you consider doing the same yourself or have you already?

Banned Books Week

2011-09-26T16:36:00.000-04:00

I'm celebrating Banned Books Week this week by having a giveaway on my blog - pop on over to check it out! All you need to do to win is leave a comment on that post along with your email address.

The Uprise Project is celebrating in a more meaningful way. It's building a web site that will be used to distribute banned and challenged books to impoverished teens across the country. But they need our help. Read more about their mission here.

Aarrgh, It's Talk Like a Pirate Day...

2011-09-19T19:15:00.004-04:00

So for all you pirate lovers out there...

Did you know Aarrgh! means something entirely different than Arrr! I learned that Aarrgh! is what you say if you get run through with a sword. But Arrr! means yes. It's important to keep them straight, but even more vital to practice your parrying so you'll never need to shout Aarrgh!

In addition to learning pirate lingo, you may be interested in finding out about some of the swashbuckling sailors of yore. One of my personal favorites in the pirate world is Dragon Lady. But there are many more worthy of your attention.

So me hearties, if ye wish to learn more about pirates or sailing the seven seas, you’ve only to pick up Pirates Through the Ages.

Lots of great characters inside…

If I do say so meself.

Fantastic lineup for writers' workshop

2011-09-07T07:03:00.000-04:00

The Mechanicsburg Mystery Book and Gift Shop is sponsoring a great one-day workshop. Called Murder As You Like It, it's a full day of sessions any writer can benefit from.

Murder As You Like It
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church
5000 Simpson Ferry Road
Mechanicsburg, PA

Download the brochure and register today! If you register before Sept. 10, you'll save a few dollars, but the price is incredibly low even at $10.

You won't want to miss these authors:
Cordelia Frances Biddle
Chris Grabenstein
Kathryn Miller Haines
Don Helin
Larry Kerr
Valerie Malmont
Paul Malmont
Alan Orloff
Marta Perry
Dennis Royer
Eleana Santangelo
J.D. Shaw
Mike Silvestri
Maria V. Snyder
David R. Stewart

Hope to see you there!

Reprieve for some Borders stores

2011-08-31T13:46:00.000-04:00

At least 14 Borders stores will be given a new lease on life. Books A Million sought court approval for the takeover, and a judge approved the decision on Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal. Books A Million will take control of all 14 stores by October 1.

Most of the stores are located in the Northeast and will actually expand into New England, said Publishers' Weekly.

So while it's sad to lose Borders, it's a relief to know another book chain will be taking over some, at least.

Just for fun - lavender recipes

2011-08-29T20:11:00.000-04:00

While writing The Magic of Lavender, I came across so many delicious recipes for dishes using lavender, I thought it would be cool to create a companion recipe book. It's free from Smashwords, but Amazon wouldn't let me charge less than 99 cents, so if you'd like a copy for your Kindle, just email me at cate.masters AT gmail.com and I'll send you the prc file.

So now you can create the same lavender dishes exclusive to Lavender Hill Inn. Joss Gibson's grandmother handed these recipes down to her, knowing full well it would draw the fae to the establishment.

I make no such claim about these lavender recipes. I only know that your life will be sweeter if you make these specialty dishes for your family! And yourself, of course.

Though you may not be related to a goddess like my heroine, you can still be a goddess in the kitchen with these recipes!

And while you're sipping down a lavender lemonade (or a lavender margarita!), and maybe soaking your feet in a lavender foot bath, why not sample The Magic of Lavender? With its delectable heroine and yummy hero, it's sure to sate your appetite in other ways. :)

It has to be said

2011-08-17T17:04:00.000-04:00

Piracy is a romanticized term for illegal book sharing. Not only are hackers stealing ebooks to distribute on their own sites, but “book clubs” also offer the chance to read an ebook and pass it on.

Is it any wonder no indie author - whether with an epress or self-pubbed - can catch a break? Or has to work full time at writing, but also a day job just to be able to do what they love?

Not only do ebook authors not get an advance, and receive only a percentage of royalties, but many publishers withhold royalties until a sales reach a certain amount. Sales are further lowered by thieves who siphon off profits with illegal sharing.

And make no mistake about it: it is illegal.

Margaret West cited some disheartening statistics in her recent post. But disheartening doesn’t begin to cover what I felt when I read Tracy L. Darity’s post about CreateSpace allowing resellers to print POD books and sell them at an insanely high price, and when the author fought back by selling at a lower price, snap! the other seller instantly lowered their price to outsell her. Oh, and there’s much more. Read her post, though it may turn your stomach to learn resellers can use POD to sell your book as used, so you the author will never see a profit and John Kremer’s post about how Amazon rips off authors.

So now I have to limit distribution of my Kindle books because resellers will pilfer it. I wondered how some copies of my books were being sold at ridiculously high prices. That’s the reason.

Amazon already forces authors to opt into their lending program, which cuts into profits. Why this media giant needs to rip off small-time authors, I’ll never understand. But I highly discourage readers from using this feature. Like many others, I priced my work below its fair value to encourage readers to buy. I know the economy’s tough. I like free stories too, when authors (and sometimes publishers) make them available as such. Not when others decide they should be free and help themselves.

Worse, some authors are finding their work resold under a different name. Apparently some peole are creative in the worst ways: converting ebooks to text, then putting a new cover on it and slapping their name on the product. Also covered under Mr. Kremer’s post.

I can’t wrap my head around how someone can put so much effort into stealing another person’s hard work. It just boggles my mind. Authors put so much heart and soul into their stories, sometimes years of their lives. And just like that, someone steals it?

Fighting illegal sharing – and Amazon, it seems – is impossible. So my best defense is to educate readers. If you love the books authors write, then please please please never download a book from any sharing site. Please please please give the authors their due by purchasing directly from the publisher, or if the author’s self-pubbed, then use the links they provide. Don’t buy from a reseller. Don’t download a free copy. You’re hurting them more than you know. You may justify it by saying, “it’s only one copy, it won’t impact them” but that’s wrong. Everyone thinks the same thing, and illegally shared copies quickly add up to many many copies. Please thank the author who writes stories you love by legally purchasing their work. And if you want to share their work, recommend your friends buy copies too. But don’t give it away. This business is tough enough. Authors need your support.

Second Annual Celebrate the Book

2011-08-16T01:35:00.012-04:00

The second annual Celebrate the Book festival is taking shape.

A Central Pennsylvania Book Festival
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Carlisle Expo Center
100 K Street
Carlisle, Pa 17013
9:00 am to 4:00 pm (doors open at 8:30)

$5 admission for adults
Children 12 & under free

Featuring DAVID BALDACCI, author of Absolute Power, The Camel Club, Split Second, Saving Faith, The Christmas Train, and many more!

Children’s writers & illustrators, local historians, and book resellers will have booths, plus we will have exciting and interesting programs, storyteller & illustrator stage performances, and activity centers aimed at children and all adults. Don’t miss this unique experience.

Festival chair Lynn Hofer can answer questions from authors, venders and others about how to participate - email her at info AT celebratethebook.org or call 717-440-0869.

Literary star to visit Carlisle

2011-08-15T12:28:00.000-04:00

Margaret Atwood, Booker Prize-winning author whose works include A Handmaid's Tale, Alias Grace and The Blind Assassin, will be part of Dickinson College's Visiting Scholars and Writers Program this year.

On Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7:00 p.m., she'll give a reading at Dickinson's Anita Turin Schlecter Auditorium. On Nov. 30, she'll hold a Q&A session followed by a book signing - details still TBD.

I am so excited. To me, Margaret Atwood is the equivalent of a literary rock star. Her writing defies description, and ranges from her most recent dystopic The Year of the Flood, to speculative to poetry and essays.

Once I learn more details, I'll share them here.

Rowena Through the Wall by Melodie Campbell

2011-08-04T09:33:00.004-04:00

I met Melodie Campbell through Sunny Fraizer's Posse group. Melodie is the General Manager of Crime Writers of Canada and has recently published a new book, Rowena Through the Wall. She has an impressive resume with over 200 publications, five awards for fiction, and is a great comedy writer. In July, her book hit the Amazon Top 100 list for time travel romance
Her Blurb: "Is that a broadsword on your belt, or are you just glad to see me? When Rowena falls through her classroom wall into a medieval world, she doesn't count on being kidnapped. The stakes get higher as the men get hotter. Good thing she can go back through the wall when she wants . . . or can she?????

I had a chance to ask Melodie about her book.

(1) Is there anything special you'd like to tell us about Rowena Through the Wall?
I got my start as a comedy writer, and editors have called my fiction "Wacky" and "laugh out loud funny". In Rowena Through the Wall, I set out to write a ripping suspense novel. Instead it decided to become a comic time travel adventure, with outrageously spoofs bodice rippers.

(2) Did any particular event inspire the plot?
Inspired by anxiety. I was sitting at my desk one day, totally overwhelmed with work, family and parental care giving, and thought if I could walk through the wall into another world I would. That night, Rowena got her start.

(3) What are you doing to promote your books?
Lots and lots of guest blogging on both sides of the Atlantic. My publisher is well connected in the social media world for which I am grateful. They have done web-advertising and novel giveaways. Crime Writers of Canada have numerous promotional opportunities and I'm taking advantage of all of them.

(4) What's next for you?
I've just heard from Orca that they will publish The Goddaughter, a comic mob caper set in Hamilton, Canada's Steeltown. It should be out next year.

(5) When you're not writing, what are you doing (hobbies, etc)?
Being General Manger of Crime Writers of Canada keeps me more than busy during the day. I live in Ontario in a two-story mortgage with husband, two kids, and a giant Frankenpoodle. I love fast cars. Lots.

(6) What didn't I ask you that I should have?
I've been a banker, marketing director, comedy writer, college instructor, and possibly the worst runway mode ever.

Rowena Through the Wall:
"Hot and Hilarious!" Midwest Book Review
"Jack Sparrow meets Stephanie Plum" Former editor, Distant Suns Fantasy Magazine.

It's great to know you, Melodie, and I hope we can talk you into coming to central Pennsylvania to do some signings. It would be fun.

Talk About Self-Publishing

2011-08-04T06:11:00.001-04:00

Today on my blog, Susan Says, Maria Zannini talks about her timeline from the start of an idea to being published. Ever wondered if you have the time or knowledge to go this route? Maria's first book, The Devil to Pay, is available and she did it herself.

Have you ever thought about self-publishing? How long do you think it would take you? Read about Maria's experience.

Revision Workshop

2011-07-31T18:40:00.003-04:00

I was going to write another posting about Odyssey then remembered I'd never posted here about the upcoming revision workshop that I'm hosting in September:

Writers Workshop with Timons Esaias

Saturday, September 10, 2011

10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Fire Hall, 911 Market Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Lunch Included

Cost: $40 Pennwriters members, $52 non-members, $85 become a member (save $22!)

Attendance capped at 20.

More information and registration form here. Hope to see you there!

Bummed About Borders

2011-07-23T10:02:00.002-04:00

Hi All: I was really sad to see Borders close all their stores. It's certainly going to change things for writers. I did a number of signings at various Borders and not only is it going to halt signings, many of the Borders were anchor stores for those malls and it's going to hurt those communities. Lori sent around a great article on what happened to Borders and the impact.
For the Fourth Wednesday Writers Group, it means we need to find a new place to meet. I saw Dennis, the manager of the Harrisburg Borders, two nights ago. Nice guy and very supportive of our writers group. He's been with Borders 31 years and now he's out in two months.
Our Group will meet at six o'clock this next Wednesday at the Camp Hill Barnes and Noble to brainstorm where we want to meet from now on. Elaine and I visited four sites and we'll have to talk it through. Any of you who want to join the group, now is your chance to voice what you'd like.

Odyssey Writing Workshop

2011-07-19T09:23:00.002-04:00

I got back this weekend from the Odyssey Writing Workshop. What an adventure! Odyssey is a six-week intensive workshop for writers of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and horror). And I mean intensive! Jeanne Cavelos, the director, warns participants not to bring a lot of DVDs, books, or gear for non-writing stuff, because you basically write and eat and occasionally sleep while you're there. That was true for me.

I'll post a few more times in the upcoming days about the workshop, but today I want to highlight the instructors that we had.

Jeanne Cavelos is the director and founder. She's a writer and former editor and all around editing wizard.
Gary Braunbeck, best known as a horror writer, was our writer-in-residence for the fifth week of the workshop. He was generous beyond belief with his time and an excellent lecturer.
Christopher Golden, scheduled to be our first guest lecturer, needed to bow out for health reasons, and was replaced by Elaine Isaak, who gave an inspiring lecture on setting.
Theodora Goss, former Odyssey participant, spoke about the importance of voice.
Barry B. Longyear lectured on the importance of research and description.
Elizabeth Bear's lecture focused on the different ways to plot a story.
Our last guest lecturer, editor John Joseph Adams, shared his experience with genre short fiction markets.

Since I was accepted to Odyssey, I've discovered a few other Odyssey graduates living near to me. Any other Odyssey graduates out there in central PA?

Tiger's Mate: Print Release

2011-07-18T08:04:00.000-04:00

My publisher for my fantasy romance novels released Tiger's Mate in print over the weekend. The ebook came out in April and after doing well in sales New Concepts Publishing decided to offer this second book in the series in print also.

Ebook sales provide the bulk of my book sales but there are still millions of readers who prefer a print book. Lots of those print lovers are romance readers. Tiger's Mate follows the tale of another of the legendary Tiger warriors as he makes the trek toward his homeland in the company of the sorceress who holds his soul in her power with a magical bonding curse.

Do you currently buy more ebooks than print books? Do you visit bookstores to purchase your books or buy online?

It's Blogfest!

2011-07-15T07:16:00.000-04:00

Hop on the blog hop for some great giveaways! You can start with mine, if you like. :)

I'm giving away three ebooks. Hop on over to http://catemasters.blogspot.com to enter!

Great Contest by Elizabeth Mueller

2011-07-14T07:36:00.001-04:00

Please take a moment and receive a chance for some great prizes. Read my interview of author Elizabeth Mueller and leave a comment. She will enter your name in a contest for some great prizes.

Elizabeth is one of those great jugglers of parenting and building her career as a writer. Her first book, Darkspell, will be released in the fall. I expect a hit.

Visit Susan Says and find out for yourself.

Do you like reading author interviews? Has an interview ever inspired you to read the author's book?

Just released! Dead to Rights

2011-07-01T09:55:00.001-04:00

I'm a little nervous - and a lot excited. My new paranormal, Dead to Rights, is now available on Smashwords and Amazon!

It's been more than a year in the making, but after many polishings, I'm confident it's as ready as possible.

I'm pretty psyched the cover came out so well. And the trailer! What do you think?

Here's an excerpt:

The bus drove all night. I dozed off a few times, but every bump in the road easily roused me. All the while, I couldn’t shake the feeling someone watched me. Had the group’s suspicion of me grown since I’d signed up? It didn’t seem likely, but I had to stay on guard, yet appear innocent. Not an easy feat. On high alert, my brain screamed for me to escape.
To what? I had nowhere to go. My only viable connection so far was Cunningham. Time would reveal the reason, but I guessed it wasn’t anything positive.
With a heavy breath, I scanned the faces of others. Every one slept, or tried to.
My senses pricked to extreme when I saw the man sitting three rows behind, on the opposite side. He stared openly, a strange glow in the whites of his eyes.
I jolted upright, then slumped in my seat. My heart pounded. How freaking weird. Grateful for Ellen’s insistence that we sit together, I feigned settling in to rest. Impossible with him still watching intently. And he was. I didn’t know how I knew, but I’d swear it.
The landscape changed from rural to downright deserted. The bus stopped for gas after the sun glimmered just below the horizon, streaking the clouds above with orange and red. It reminded me of smeared blood.
Blinking, Ellen lifted her head. “Are we there?”
“Not yet.” Sarcasm escaped me in the face of a stalker. Twice more, I’d glanced back, only to meet the same steady gaze. I stopped looking after that. Even if he presented no threat, maybe just looked for a little romance in all the wrong places, I wanted no part of him.
Who the hell was he anyway? He hadn’t attended any of the gatherings. How did he get on the bus, if he hadn’t gone through the process?

And if you get a chance, I've been in the LASR Author Spotlight all week - pop over and say hi! Comments earn chances to win my contemporary, Rock Bottom.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Help Save the Indies!

2011-06-25T14:19:00.001-04:00

Today's the day!! Head to your local bookstore and buy a book. Agent Kelly Sonnack of Andrea Brown Literary has created a buzz for the event on Facebook.

Go and add your name to the attending list, and hie thee to an Indie store this morning, June 25. Details are below.

Time	Saturday, June 25 · 10:00am - 1:00pm

Location	Your local brick and mortar bookstore!

Created By	Kelly Sonnack

More Info	Who: You What: Buy a book (or 4) Where: Your local bookstore (or Powell's ships) When: June 25th (the first Saturday of Summer!) Why: Because we need to support our storefronts. No more obituary section in publishing news, please!

Something Unexpected

2011-06-24T13:46:00.000-04:00

Early this month, one of my writing colleagues issued a challenge: write 30,000 words by June 30. Although a more sane person would simply smile, perhaps shake her head and walk away, I did just the opposite. "I'm in!" I typed, before I could change my mind.

It's been an interesting month.This challenge has clearly caused me to write differently, at least some of the time. I'm a discovery writer, refusing to bound to an outline or even a plot line, but most of the time, I write scenes in order. In order to keep getting words on the page, however, I'm finding myself writing scenes out of order, then trying to connect the dots. It is very frustrating at times, but it also has its advantages.

Today, for example. I reached what was supposed to be the end of my writing time, and left my current scene in a good place - one where I could jump in right away the next time I sat down at the computer - or so I hoped anyway.

But then I found that I was just 149 words shy of clearing the 21,000 word mark. Could I write another 149 words? Sure I could. In the scene I'd just left at a good stopping point? Not such a good idea.

So I scrolled down to a scene bit I'd written the other night. In less than ten minutes, I had 176 words, had moved that scene forward and left my original scene just where I wanted it. Neither scene is finished, nor are they yet connected to one another through the chain of scenes that will come in between, but both have left the writing door open.

Overall, this month has reinforced my belief that I am a "write for this block of time" writer, not a "write this many words in a day" writer. Still, it's undeniable that taking this challenge has spurred me to put more words on the page than I would have otherwise.

I guess we all need to try something unexpected every once in a while.

2011-06-22T11:11:00.001-04:00

I just received word that Pirates Through the Ages is on the way. Yay!! Can't wait to see how it looks. The editor said it turned out terrific, so I'm excited about holding it in my own two hands. Here's a mock up of the cover.

Looking back, I wondered while I was immersed in it if I'd manage to get it done by the deadline, but I did. Now I'm wondering the same about my latest assignment--5 books due one month apart. What is it about writers that they'll put themselves under this much pressure and agree to practically impossible deadlines, then slog through long hours day after day to produce a book? What is it about this profession that's so compelling? It's obviously not the money. As most writers discover, this isn't a lucrative profession. So what do we get besides the pleasure and excitement of holding a book in our hands?

Shadow's Lure in Stores

2011-06-21T20:12:00.000-04:00

Hey folks,

At long last, Shadow's Lure is out in stores. I took this photo in my local Borders. As you can see, they also have a few copies of Son.

I hope you enjoy the sequel as much I loved writing it. I'm working hard on book three.

--Jon

45 ways to blog as a novelist

2011-06-21T08:42:00.004-04:00

Hey everybody: My friend, Sunny Fraizer, sent the following website to help novelists learn how to blog effectively. Thought I'd share it with you. Some great ideas:
http://blog.blogmarket.com/2011/06/45-ways-to-blog-as-a-novelist-tips-for.html
Hope this helps you.

Rock Bottom release day!

2011-06-20T11:51:00.002-04:00

Woo hoo! I'm so excited that Rock Bottom's now available from Lyrical Press!

What's better than release day?

A wonderful review! Already! Romancing the Book gave Rock Bottom a Lovely Rose, which is a recommended read!

Here's part of the review:

I was captivated by this story just from its blurb. I am a very big music fan and did watch Rock of Love so I found it very interesting to see how an author could make a story from that concept. And Cate Masters did it perfectly! One of the things I am very fond of when I read is the imagery authors try to portrait and Cate does it beautifully. The way she describes the scenery of the house, the hills and sand gives you a perfect picture in your mind. She showed just how important communication is in any relationship, just to say what is on your mind and not assume or guess what the other person might be feeling or thinking. The chemistry, tension and conflicts between the characters were written exceptionally well, made me keep turning the page to see how they were going to resolve some of their issues. She writes a perfect example of forbidden love….knowing you shouldn’t be with that particular person but just can’t deny it and have that inability to say no. It had just the right amount of steamy scenes as well, did not feel thrown in just for the sake of having one like some other stories I have read. Anyone who grew up in the 80’s will appreciate the music references in this book as well, had be nodding my head yes in more than one occasion lol.

Woot! Ivelese made my week! Thanks so much!

Here's the blurb:

For rocker Jet Trently, success means playing the same platinum-selling hits over and over. Philly rock journalist Billie Prescott thrives on covering the latest releases. When her editor sends her to Malibu to cover Jet’s reality dating show, Rock Bottom, her blog’s success keeps her trapped there. Her life’s at Rock Bottom too, until she hears Jet’s new songs. They touch her heart as his music did when she was 15. When Jet touches her heart as well, will the reality show ruin the real thing?

I'm visiting Sherry Gloag's blog this week too, so I hope you'll pop over and say hi! From Sunday through Wednesday, I'll have a new post each day. I'd love for you to visit!

Two more re-releases

2011-06-16T06:39:00.001-04:00

Yay, I received the rights back for my paranormal novella, One Soul for Sale, which I've republished. It's now available from Amazon and Smashwords titled Soul for Sale. For just $1.99!

As soon as I saw this image, I snapped it up. If you're familiar with the story, you know Madelyn's grey cat plays a pivotal part. If you're not familiar with the story, I hope you read it! Did I mention it's just $1.99? And that it was a 2011 EPIC finalist? :)

I revised it a bit, rewriting it in past tense instead of present.

Reviews described the story as “outstanding,” a “riveting read… I couldn’t stop until I hit the last page.”

You can view the Casting Call, Story Elements, read more wonderful reviews and more here.

Next, my short contemporary chick lit, Liberation via Pen, is now re-released on Smashwords and Amazon Kindle as Writing Off the Past.

This is a very fun story, and a quick read. A reviewer said it "is a great story... The empowerment displayed towards the end was uplifting. Any woman who has been in Krista’s shoes will enjoy this read..."

I hope you’ll check out more about Writing Off the Past

Wendy Writer vs. Suzy Homemaker

2011-06-12T19:44:00.002-04:00

Wendy Writer’s colleague has issued a June writing challenge – 30,000 words by the end of the month. WW knows she needs to seriously step it up to come anywhere close to meeting that challenge, but despite a family and a full-time job, she says yes.

Due to craziness at work, she starts the challenge several days into the month (i.e. behind schedule from the start) but determines just to do the best she can. A week later, other writers are reporting numbers in the tens of thousands, while Wendy has yet to break 5000, but she is not deterred. She still has weekends, and school is almost over, so longer writing periods are just around the corner.

On a bright, sunny Sunday afternoon (immediately following yet another trip to the basement due to a tornado warning, followed by a torrential thunderstorm), Wendy’s daughter heads to a neighbor’s house to play. Wendy grabs her laptop and dashes past the clutter in the dining room to her bedroom, which promises respite from any residual household noise (i.e. her husband). There, in the center of the bed is a pile of clean laundry, dumped unceremoniously that morning before church, and left there, forgotten and to its own devices. Since the laundry has not folded itself and put itself into the drawers (no surprise there), it remains in a heap in the center of the bed. Without a second thought, Wendy pushes the laundry to her husband’s side of the bed, sets the laptop on her side and fires it up (the laptop, not the laundry).

Just then, Suzy Homemaker arrives. She smiles, lighting up the lovely, perfectly made-up face the same shade of pink as her perfectly pressed apron. “Don’t you want to fold those first?” she asks sweetly.

Wendy grunts. “It’s only socks and underwear. Besides, I have less than an hour until I have to make dinner. It’ll keep.”

Suzy crinkles her perky nose. “But it’s getting wrinkled.”

Wendy waves her away, but Suzy persists. “I can’t believe you walked right by that clutter on the dining room table.”

Wendy’s eyes remain fixed on her computer screen. “I’ll do it later. Right now, the house is quiet.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Wendy watches Suzy gear up for the inevitable guilt trip. The one that will paint her as a poor excuse for a wife and mother because she is typing instead of baking something from scratch; the one that will link clutter on the dining room table to poor digestive health and increased television viewing for Wendy’s family since the dining room table is not available for healthier pursuits.

Wendy sighs. She knows what she must do – she has done it so many times before. Bracing herself, she saves her file, poises her fingers over the keyboard, and in a single keystroke, Suzy is gone.

Thank God for “delete.”

Mechanicsburg Mystery Book Shop

2011-06-09T16:40:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone:
Just wanted to take a minute to introduce Debbie Beamer to those of you who might not know her. Debbie owns the Mechanicsburg Mystery Book Shop, and is a true friend to authors. I'm including her link, http://mysterybooksonline.com.
Debbie is sponsoring a mystery conference on Saturday, September 24 with a number of authors here in central Pennsylvania. It should be quite a day, and I hope you will help me get the work out and attend if you can.
For Katie's folks who just joined us, Debbie is a great resource for book signings and other activities. Be sure to check out her website and send her an email if you think you might be a fit.

Goodies and giveaways!

2011-06-06T13:18:00.003-04:00

Think Mondays are awful? I'm here to help! *grins*

Throughout the day, I'll be posting at LASR's New Release Party Pavilion, to celebrate my four new releases (click on the link below to take you to the direct post - I will post them as they become available):

The Magic of Lavender, my paranormal romance novel

San Francisco Dreams, my historical romance novella

Just the Right Amount of Wrong, my interracial contemporary erotic romance novella and

the upcoming release of Rock Bottom, my contemporary romance novel.

To brighten up this Monday, I'll be giving away an ebook of each to one commenter, so I hope you'll pop over and join me there! I'll leave the giveaway open until Saturday, so you don't have to worry if you're late to the party. :)

HEA Reviews was gracious enough to feature The Magic of Lavender in its Spotlight Giveaway, so you have a second chance to win an ebook there by leaving a comment. It will also remain open all week.

Come on over and join the parties!

Upcoming Writing Workshops for $15

2011-06-03T11:11:00.000-04:00

In keeping with the theme of the previous posts on revision workshops (see 5-31-11), here are some more chances to improve your writing. Two workshops by Leap Books Editor-in-chief, Kat O'Shea, will be available online this summer at Savvy Authors. These four-week-long classes are available at the bargain price of only $15 each ($25 if you aren't a member--but if you're a writer, it's well worth joining for all the great free info). Click on the links below to register. And if you don't want to wait several weeks, you can find writing advice from Kat now in "First Chapter Mistakes." Best of all, if you been dying to submit to Leap Books, taking one of these classes will allow you to do that. [Please note that except for special calls for submissions, such as for the Spirited anthology, Leap Books only accepts submissions from agents.]

Editing with an Editor

Instructor: Kat O'Shea. One of the fastest ways to get your manuscript rejected is to submit one that needs substantial editing. Grammar and punctuation are important, but they aren’t the only things that give your manuscript a quick trip to the rejection pile. Learn editors’ pet peeves and how to avoid them as well as how to tackle overall manuscript revision and still keep your sanity.

WHEN: Jun 27 - Jul 24, 2011

COST: $15 for Premium Members; $25 for Basic Members

Click Here to Register

Story Structure

Instructor: Kat O'Shea. An interesting and exciting beginning will draw readers in, but how do you keep their interest high throughout? A well-plotted story will keep them turning the pages and make them eager to read your next book. Both plotters and pantsers will benefit from knowing how to structure a story that readers can’t put down. Learn about different story structures, such as the 3-Act and the Hero’s Journey, and how introducing change bombs and writing cliffhangers can help you avoid sagging middles.

WHEN: Aug 1 - Aug 28, 2011

COST: $15 for Premium Members; $25 for Basic Members

Click Here to Register

Glad to join you

2011-05-31T21:04:00.003-04:00

Hello, I'm Kathryn Yelinek. Don Helin was kind enough to introduce me. Thanks for that.

As Don said, I'm a librarian at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. In addition, I'm a member of Pennwriters, and the Area 2 Representative. That means I'm the representative to the board for all of the Pennwriters members in northeastern Pennsylvania. I hold at least one area workshop each year. This year, the workshop will be in September in Bloomsburg and will focus on revision. So, if you're a writer who lives north of the Selinsgrove area and east of about Lewisburg or Williamsport, I'd be happy to talk with you. (If you live elsewhere, I'd be happy to talk with you, too!)

Personally, I've been published in nonfiction and fantasy fiction. You can read more on my website.

7 Things I've Learned So Far

2011-05-30T23:07:00.000-04:00

My guest column, "7 Things I've Learned So Far," is posted on Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents blog today. Stop by and check it out!

Shadow's Lure is Here

2011-05-30T23:01:00.000-04:00

Looks like some stores are receiving copies of Shadow's Lure.

This is the sequel to Shadow's Son, continuing the story of Caim the Knife and his ethereal friend, Kit.

"Searching for the truth behind the murder and disappearance of his parents, Caim discovers a land in thrall to the Shadow. But there are some things a son of the Shadow cannot ignore, and some fights from which he can’t run. In this battle, all of Caim’s strength and skill won’t be enough. For none can resist the Shadow’s Lure."

Kathryn Yelinek

2011-05-30T11:37:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone:
At the recent Pennwriters conference I was fortunate to have breakfast with Kathryn (Katie) Yelinek. It turns out that Katie works at Bloomsburg University and is the coordinator for Pennwriters Area Two.
She coordinates events in her area and since Area Two is just north of us, I thought it would be fun to coordinate events. Some of Katie's folks may want to come to our events and some of us may enjoy participating in their activities.
So - Katie, welcome aboard. Tell us a little about yoursel, and I believe you have a website to post for our folks.

San Francisco Dreams now available!

2011-05-29T12:13:00.000-04:00

My historical romance, San Francisco Dreams, is set during the turbulent 1906 earthquake, a fascinating time. It's available on Amazon and Smashwords for just $1.99. You can find more info, including the first chapter and “Casting Call” on my blog.

Here's an excerpt:
His smile faded when he glanced up to meet the stare of none other than Miss Norah Hawkins, standing in the archway like a she-witch spying her unsuspecting prey. Hell’s bells, she could wither a man. A lesser man than Mac at least. Her fiery eyes belied her cool attitude. He found himself wanting a good quenching drink after she burned him with her appraisal.
She sauntered up. “Good news, Mac?”
“The paper’s full of both good and bad. And you?” She must have good news if she’s taunting me.
Her grin smug, she dangled a key from her hand and perched on a chair opposite the sofa. “Never better. My dream’s come true.”
He gasped. “I’m flattered, Miss Hawkins, that you’d speak of me so highly.”
Her sweetness turned sour. “Not you. My gentleman’s club. Soon it will be the toast of San Francisco.”
Now that sounded promising indeed. “Customers will expect entertainment of some type. My offer’s still open. People love piano players.” And many had. Maybe even Norah would warm to him after hearing him tickle the ivories.
“I have more pressing needs at the moment.”
“Such as?” Maybe he could fulfill those other needs too.
Eyes glimmering, she stared at nothing, and spoke as if to herself. “There’s so much work to do. Fixing up the place, hiring employees…”
He could see the wheels turning in her head. “I’m happy to help. As I said, I’ve many talents.”
She roused to look at him. “I need trustworthy workers.”
All sincerity, he said, “You can trust me with your life.”
Pursing her lips, she rolled her eyes. “I don’t even know your name.”
True, by design he’d not given it. Time to rectify that. Bowing his head, he said, “Gerard MacKenzie, at your service.”
She studied him. “Mac suits you better.”
“Most people think so.”
Defeat weighed her voice. “I am desperate.”
Hope rose up. “I’m a hard worker, no matter the task. I’ll help you set up your new place, and I can bartend.”
To his surprise, she assessed him. “I’m warning you, I won’t tolerate nonsense of any kind.”
He pressed a hand to his chest. “You wound me.”
“Mac…” she warned.
“My barkeep skills are legendary.” His eyebrows waggled. “And so are my others skills.”

Thanks for reading!

The Magic of Lavender now available!

2011-05-23T07:32:00.003-04:00

It's out now on Amazon and Smashwords - yay! I'm very excited about it. This is the first in The Goddess Connection series. Every woman should be treated like a goddess!

I have several more in mind to follow. In each, the heroine will be somehow connected to a goddess. Her lifelong quirks will become strengths once she finds her true place in the world, and accepts herself for who she really is.

In The Magic of Lavender, Joss is related to the goddess Iris. Conflicting tales exist about this goddess - she's either the Messenger of the Gods, or Goddess of the Rainbow. I used a little of both. :)

Here's the blurb:
Jocelyn Gibson forgot about the realm of magic. But it never forgot her. Gram always told her: don’t ignore your magical gifts, it will insult the family. But Joss didn’t realize her gifts included channeling the energy of powerful ley lines. Or that her family included a goddess. Family connections come in handy when the Lord of the Underworld kidnaps local vet Eric Hendricks. He’s an amazing lover, but Joss didn’t know she loved him until too late. With a little help from the Goddess Iris, Joss defends the new life she’s forged, and helps save the town of Boiling Springs from destruction. Once Eric escapes Hell, can she stop loving him to keep him safe?

I hope you'll check it out! Soon I will also make a print version available through CreateSpace (once I figure out how).

Rejection Letters Getting You Down?

2011-05-22T11:11:00.000-04:00

If you're struggling to keep submitting after receiving a stack of rejection letters, maybe this story from More. com will help you get back on track. Kathryn Stockton persisted even after 60 rejection letters. And now she not only has a book, but a movie deal too.

And if you've recently received a rejection letter that you need help interpreting, here's a site that offers some spot-on translations. See Reading Between The Lines for clues to the editor-ese.

Win an ARC!

2011-05-21T13:09:00.002-04:00

I have one advanced reading copy of my new book, Shadow's Lure, to give away. Unfortunately it won't be signed (because it's coming straight from the publisher), but them's the breaks.

Just email me at messages@jonsprunk.com before midnight on June 3rd to enter the giveaway contest. I will draw the winner on June 4th. Good luck.

"Finding Farber," a short story

2011-05-20T17:28:00.006-04:00

In 2005, Steven Hawking, renowned theoretical physicist, proclaimed that black holes emit radiation, which he termed Hawking Radiation. These emitted particles are believed to represent energy/matter that has entered the black hole, been reduced to their elementary particles, and are now leaking back into space. Let's take this one step further. Assume an alien enters the black hole. Would it be possible to harvest the emitted particles and reconstruct the alien?

Sounds complicated, I know, but not so in my world. First you need to find the black hole. Then you need a very high-tech instrument capable of harvesting the particles the moment they leave the black hole (the real catch is not having your particle reaper sucked into the hole during the process). Then you would need to bring the harvested particles back to earth and reconstruct the alien, or if you were lucky the alien would have the know-how to reconstruct himself. And all this has to be done in your life time, otherwise you don't get the credit and never publish your results, which is career suicide for an renowned astrophysicist, or any scientist for that matter. Your colleagues would think you were just plain nuts.

The tricky part is reconstructing the entire alien. It takes talent. Sometimes the alien is not entirely whole. That's precisely what happened when Banger Dunn, astrophysicist extraordinaire, found Farber's particles leaking out of a black hole. Farber might have been in bad shape, but his message to Banger shattered Banger's world, and sent Banger on a path on which there was no turning back.

"Finding Farber" can be found in Escape Velocity: The Anthology at amazon.com in print and kindle formate. Published by Geoff Nelder and Robert Blevins of Seattle Books, Escape Velocity: The Anthology, is a collection of fantastic short stories from authors around the world.

Read "Finding Farber" today and let me know what you think!
http://tinacrone.blogspot.com

Social Marketing at Pennwriters

2011-05-18T10:08:00.003-04:00

I attended the Pennwriters Conference this past weekend. Super conference. For me one of the best parts was Jonathan Maberry's pre-conference workshop on social marketing. As you all know he's a high-energy guy (writes ten hours a day - 50 minutes writing, 10 minutes social marketing each hour.) Whew. No wonder he's a New York Times Best selling author.
He believes you (the author) are the brand and not your book. Author needs it all. Facebook, twitter, Linked in, website, blog. He links his facebook, twitter, linked in.
Facebook: Use the event page for your book. For profile, need photo plus short bio plus Free lance Writer. Recommends picking the top 50 authors in your genre and friending them. Can review and comment on each others books. Once readers goes to their facebook page, they will see You!!!!
A blog is important. Nothing to say? Post an interesting link with a short comment. Also he has a number of questions he uses to interview other authors. Keeps him active on the scene without a super amount of work. Give out free stuff to readers of blog. Contests - maybe naming a character. He puts his blog into website. Links his blog to agents, reviewers and other authors.
He mentioned Backspace message board. Check it out.
Twitter: Be sure to friend libraries, bookseller, other bloggers.
Linked in. Organizations are critical. I'll talk more about it on my next post.
I'm sure I missed a bunch of stuff and hope others will add their thoughts.

Short fantasy re-release

2011-05-16T13:37:00.001-04:00

My short fantasy, The Duende and the Muse, is now available on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords for just 99 cents! I am in love with this cover. :)

Formerly published with The Wild Rose Press, this story received 5 tombstones from Bitten by Books! Other reviews have described the story as: “awe-inspiring,” “a great tale with a creative way of using words that makes the story refreshing to read. It sparkles and fizzes with energy” and “well written and the story holds the attention from beginning to end.”

After receiving the rights back, I revised it yet again, and added a bit more about the elder muses, Calliope and Euterpe. It was fun to give these old muses a modern twist. :)

I hope you'll check it out!

New release!

2011-04-20T12:56:00.000-04:00

My contemporary women's fiction novel, The Bridge Between, finally released from Whiskey Creek Press. I had fun finishing the trailer, one of my shortest:

Here's the blurb and excerpt:

Blurb:

Once, Jessie Moore had inexhaustible energy for her art, but after this past year, her art – like her life – feels out of focus. Working at the fledgling Philly Times newspaper with reporter Matt Cleary proves draining after their breakup. When a longtime friend dies of AIDS, Jessie travels to her hometown of Lambertville, NJ. At the funeral, she reconnects with her first love, Billy Black, who becomes a bridge back to the safety of her old life, and also to the origins of her inspiration. But Billy’s more lost than Jessie. Too often, he drowns his worries in beer, threatening to drag her down too. After she rekindles their affair, Matt’s jealousy confuses her. Before she can truly give herself to anyone, Jessie must learn to be true to herself.

Excerpt

She set her plate on the table, regretting she hadn’t turned her car around, that she’d ignored her basest of instincts.

“Goddammit,” he said. “Now I’ve ruined dinner.”

“No…”

“If not dinner, it would have been something else.” He tilted his glass into his mouth until it was empty.

This time, she didn’t argue, but paid closer attention to his voice, his face, his movements. They were all the same as the boy she’d known, yet somehow different, too. More complicated. The nuance in his gestures made for a level of intricacy, like a maze that had to be traversed before she could find the prize at the end – the real Billy, the Billy she’d loved. He was different, more complicated with life experience, but the same in his attitude, the easy way he’d always had. She wondered what did happen to him that made him so hesitant, especially of her – she who had held nothing back from him. Yet here he was, holding everything back from her.

“Would you like me to leave?” She posed the question honestly, not as a challenge, not to intimidate him into a choice.

“No.” He leaned forward, reached for her hand. “Please.”

She waited. She had the feeling he wanted to say more.

“Unless…” He slid his hand away. “You know, unless you want to.”

So close to breaking through to the old Billy. But he withdrew, leaving her to guess why. Laying new roadblocks within the maze, to throw her off, or maybe to decipher how badly she wanted to reach the real Billy.

“No,” she said. “I don’t want to.”

His eyes brimmed with doubt.

“Unless you want me to.” She couldn’t help smiling. It seemed a ridiculous game, one she normally loathed, but this time the prize was different. One that might be worthwhile.

“No.” His body went fluid, and he gave a short laugh. “No. I definitely do not want you to go.” He rose and put a CD on the boom box on the back doorstep. A mellow guitar tune melted the tension from the air. He held out his hand. “Let’s dance.”

With her hand in his, she was out of her chair and in his arms as if she’d swam to him.

I also had fun putting together the Casting Call for this novel, set in my hometown of Lambertville, NJ.

I hope you'll check it out! :)

Retreat!

2011-04-16T09:56:00.000-04:00

This morning, I am heading up to Pinchot State Park for my critique group's spring writing retreat. It's an event I look forward to, even when the weather promises to keep us all inside the cabins instead of out looking for inspiration among the trees.

For the first time in a long time, though, I have only one project that I am working on, and I'm finding myself a little intimidated by the large block of time that will be available to me. As a wife and mother with a full time job, I've become accustomed to working in small chunks of time, and I find myself wondering if I'll be able to repave the neural pathways that allow me to concentrate on one thing for hours at a time.

And then my blog rode in to the rescue. Since I took a blog workshop from Sarah Reinhard at the online Catholic Writers Conference a few weeks ago, I've found that my stream of blog topics has widened, and that ideas pop into my head on a more regular basis. When I rememembered that I have a blog to fall back on as "break" so that I don't waste the rare and precious gift of extended time to write, I suddenly felt less anxious, and more sure that my fellow writers wouldn't rally to kick me out of the cabin because I wouldn't stop talking when they were trying to write.

Wishing you a sunny writing day inside despite the weather outside. I know I'm looking forward to mine.

Going with Gravity now available on Amazon

2011-04-12T17:38:00.002-04:00

I'm excited that my contemporary romance, Going with Gravity, is now available on Amazon! Note that it now has a different cover. I requested the rights back because they expired this year, and have republished it on my own. I'll likely soon make it available on Smashwords also, but for now, it's here on Amazon. I'm pretty excited that the cover came out so well too.

Fellow Wild Rose Press author Emma Lai recently reviewed Going with Gravity, and wrote this wonderful review:

Cate Masters packs a lot of action, emotion and romance onto 57 pages. A wonderful writing style paints vivid images for the reader and encourages faster and faster page flipping until before you know it the wild ride is over and you're left wanting to read another one of her stories.

Thanks so much Emma! I'm so glad you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed writing it.

I also want to thank The Wild Rose Press for first publishing this story. The TWRP publisher and editors are all wonderful to work with, and I look forward to more releases with them. In fact, TWRP will release my short fantasy romance, Romancing the Hero - check my blog for details soon!

Read the updated excerpt, reviews and more for Going with Gravity here (I still have to update the trailer though - time's too short these days).

This is the first of several ebooks I'll self-publish after rights revert to me. Watch for more!

2011-03-31T11:00:00.001-04:00

Authors are some of the most generous people I know. So many fellow authors have helped me along the road to publication by offering advice, critiques, and contacts. If it weren't for their assistance, I wouldn't be where I am today--able to make my living by writing. I only hope that I can do the same for others.

But they aren't only generous with their time and advice, they're willing to give monetarily as well. Several groups have come together to use their talents to help Japan. Here are some auctions to help those affected by the tsunami:

Authors for Japan
Genre for Japan
Write Hope
Writers for the Red Cross

I'd like to highlight one other group of children's authors, illustrators, and publishers who have banded together to help Japanese children. They've donated goods and services that are being auctioned at Children's Authors and Illustrators for Japan. Everything from books to prints to editorial services are available.

Even if you're an adult author, you can take advantage of some great critiques by well-known agents and editors going up for bidding over the next few weeks. Keep an eye out as postings are added daily.

If you're a YA author, Leap Books editor Kat O'Shea is offering three critiques. If you've been dying to submit to Leap Books, here's your chance. Normally they take only agented submissions, but the authors that Kat critiques can submit manuscripts to Leap Books. Watch for Auction #67 posted today.

Want a critique by agent Ammi-Joan Paquette? Or from Liz Waniewski from Dial? They'll be coming up later this week.

And while you're at the website, be sure to look at all the other terrific items up for auction. And don't forget to collect one of these great badges to show your support.

Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Conference

2011-03-28T16:37:00.002-04:00

A number of us attended the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Conference this past weekend. The highlight for me was the number of presentations by Donald Maass. His keynote address was special.
Maass acknowledged the anxiety among many writers and tried to calm those fears. Ebooks are big - in January 25% of published books. He cited a well known thriller writer who walked away from a 1/2 million dollar contract to publish on ebooks. Wow.
He listed three trends he see for the 21st Century that fiction writers need to embrace.
(1) The concept of genres are dying. No longer will there be just romance or westerns but paranormal romance, urban fantasy. As an agency, they are trying to sort out where to place some of these great books. He said think of genre as a starting point only.
(2) Combine literary (fine writing) fiction with commercial (sells well) fiction. This ends up with a faster paced novel with deeper meaning. He says writers must write from passion and a personal place.
(3) Publishing itself. Rapid publishing. Marketing: Build a community and relationships through social networks and giving books (maybe a short story) away to hook readers. He called Twitter Blogging on crack. Guts of the matter is that writing hasn't changed. Still need that great story.
I'd be interested in what others thought.

Freebies for Read an E-Book Week!

2011-03-07T06:29:00.001-05:00

Celebrate by reading an ebook! Have you read any good ones lately? I have so many on my hard drive waiting to be read. I really need an ereader.

Which makes me curious - how many of you own ereaders? Or do you simply read ebooks on your computer? Have you ever read an ebook on a different device? Maybe your phone?

The industry's shifting all the time, and ever, it seems, in the direction of digital. Ten years ago, I probably couldn't have imagined reading a book on my computer, or even being an e-published author. But now I have fourteen available, and have released four short stories through Smashwords/Kindle. Another three ebooks will release soon.

So I'm definitely celebrating ebooks! These past two years have been an amazing experience. My stories range from sweet to erotic, contemporary to historical, paranormal and fantasy, flash to novel-length. I hope you'll give some a try. :)

For Read an E-Book Week, I'm participating in the Smashwords celebration and making all my titles free. Yes, you read that right - free! They were very affordable before at 99 cents, but now they cost nothing. Nada. Gratis. Grab 'em now! Most were previously published by small online presses or web zines.

Hotline to Hell's a fun little paranormal story, another cautionary tale about selling your soul without exploring other options.

Reflections is another fun little paranormal, set during one of my favorite times of the year - Halloween. On the night when the veil between the two worlds thins, you never know what might cross over and cause a little mayhem and chaos. :)

Imprints is a more mainstream/literary short story. Much of it was derived from real life, based on the experiences of two reporters whose tales sometimes embodied the old phrase "truth is stranger than fiction."

If your tastes run more to speculative fiction, Trick of the Light is always available for free from Smashwords.

I have another free read available from the Wild Rose Press:

Cinderella Dreams (are tough to shake) is a short Vintage, set in the 1980s. Yes, relive your days of Madonna wannabes and Eighties music. :)

Give them a try! And I'd love for you to check out my other stories. I have lots to choose from. :)

Have you ever visited...

2011-03-04T16:24:00.001-05:00

Pomfret Street Books, the cool used bookstore at 21 East Pomfret Street in Carlisle? If you haven’t yet, you should. It’s open Monday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Oh, and the store now also has several new copies of my books! Signed print copies of:

Surfacing, my fun contemporary fantasy featuring a mermaid and a wannabe rock star.

Follow the Stars Home, my historical Native American romance set at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School founding. This book was a Top Ten Finisher in the Preditors & Editors poll!

Picture This, my contemporary women’s fiction novella set in Harrisburg. A 2011 EPIC finalist!

One Soul for Sale, my Halloween paranormal novella. Also a 2011 EPIC finalist.

The store's shelves are jammed full of every type of book you can think of, plus some you hadn’t. Only about half their titles are in the searchable database, but you’re better off browsing in the store anyway. I always leave there with a few books by favorite authors. Hope you will too.

Kindergarten Story Writing Contest

2011-02-21T11:33:00.000-05:00

A long time ago, I took a course through the Institute of Children's Literature. It was a correspondence course, so I was wary. I was also sloth-like in my progress, not taking the assignments (or deadlines) very seriously.

Twenty years later, I look back at my young, unpublished self and shake my head. I have gone on to take a second ICL course, the assignments for which became the backbone of my second published book. These folks know what they are doing, and they offer guidance and support to their students long after they have "graduated." (Check out their website for more information, and for a free issue of Children's Writer).
They also offer writing contests. Their latest is the Kindergarten Story Writing Contest. If you've ever had the desire to write a story for a five-year-old, here's your chance. I entered a few years ago, and let's just say that, published or not, not everyone can write well for kindergarteners.

In the interest of full disclosure, I need to tell you that by posting this, I will be entered in a drawing for - you guessed it - children's books. But to be entered, all I had to include was the link.I didn't have to tell you what I think of ICL, or that my entry in this same contest was embarrassingly bad. (That's just gravy).

But as a writer who feels that ICL was an important stepping stone on her career path, I though you should know.

A Bookend to Susan's Blog

2011-02-18T11:25:00.000-05:00

First off, congratulations to Susan on her news about Beyond the Gate becoming available on Kindle. No matter how many times a writer has been published, the news of a new book or a new format never gets old.

Just like life, publishing has a life cycle. Two weeks ago, I found out that my first book, Acting Assertively had "sold out." Sounds exciting, until you realize that in the world of educational publishing, that means "out of print." I've begun the process of getting the rights back, and am now beginning the new adventure of determining the next step in the life cycle of this book.

So, I'm asking my fellow Susquehanna Writers and the readers of this blog: have you ever had a book go out of print? What did you do next? And what was your experience like?

Get It Now

2011-02-15T06:19:00.001-05:00

After many delays and lots of pushing and complaining, Amazon finally made Beyond the Gate, Book #2 of The Futhark Chronicles, available for Kindle.

I learned some things during the last few weeks debacle. Sometimes books from independent publishers get pushed to the back of the line by Amazon so they can get the books from the big publishers ready first. It's been quite frustrating.

Enough whining. Beyond the Gate picks continues the fantasy adventure that began in The Keepers of Sulbreth. Cage Stone and Sabelline Shelton step into the dark of the cave system they must negotiate to reset the magical seals keeping underworld demons from invading their homeland of Futhark. From the first step nothing goes as planned.

You can read the first review for Beyond the Gate at my blog here. I hear 2011 is the year speculative fiction takes over the bookshelves and the visual medias like TV and movies. Get a head start with The Futhark Chronicles.

Author Night

2011-02-04T09:23:00.000-05:00

Thanks once again to the Grove Family Library in Chambersburg for hosting Author Night last night. Luckily, Mother Nature and Old Man Winter were on good terms, allowing easy travel. :) I had a wonderful time speaking with attendees.

Below are some pics from last night's event, which featured local authors Ken Gibble, Eileen Graham, Valerie Malmont, Cate Masters, Dody Myers and Mike Silvestri.

Mike Silvestri spoke about his authorial journey.

Lucky attendees were able to purchase Mike's books.

I also had my books available.

And also spoke about my writerly origins.

Arts in Elementary Education

2011-02-01T12:32:00.004-05:00

Research indicates that the United States has fallen well behind other nations in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The current economic climate also necessitates the re-prioritization of tax dollars. The resulting reaction at the school board level is to sacrifice programs viewed as “non-essential” such as the arts in favor of STEM. As a conservative, I can sympathize with this reaction. Tough decisions need to be made, however care must be taken to avoid making misguided, snap judgments.

All of us possess different talents, gifts, and skills. In my view, a key objective in elementary education is to help children identify what makes them unique as individuals and encourage an appreciation and further development of their distinctive gifts. I believe this is important to a child’s emotional development and self-esteem. Children guided by skilled educators along with involved parents will eventually gravitate toward fields of study in which they excel and have an interest.

My point is that children need to be exposed to all educational disciplines during their formative years. Elementary education is not the appropriate place for cutting any discipline be it STEM related or the arts. This is where a child's education needs to be well-rounded.

Not all of us can become scientists or engineers. Without a doubt, our way of life depends on these individuals. We need to encourage young people who demonstrate skills in the hard sciences to follow that path. On the other hand, not all of us can become concert pianists, best selling authors, or great artists. It is equally important for us to identify and encourage these children, too. For life would be empty without the arts.

Visit the library with me

2011-01-29T10:24:00.002-05:00

On Thursday, Feb. 3, I'll be at the Grove Family Library in Chambersburg, Pa., helping celebrate its fifth anniversary. The library has a wonderful lineup of events for the entire week.

I'm most looking forward to Author Night, which is Thursday. I'll have copies of books there, so it's an opportunity to get your signed copy. :)

Other authors include Dody Myers, Eileen Graham, Ken Gibble, Valerie Malmont. Oh, and fellow Susquehanna Writer, Mike Silvestri will be there too. Mike's an eloquent speaker as well as writer.

It should be an evening of fun, some insights into local authors, and maybe a little cake.

Finding Your Voice

2011-01-27T08:02:00.001-05:00

Today with much anticipation and pleasure, Alex Cavanaugh is discussing finding your voice on my blog. Alex is the successful author of CassaStar, a newly released Sci-Fi novel garnering outstanding reviews one after the other.

For many beginning authors, finding their voice can be a challenge. Sometimes even understanding it can be difficult. Alex will help clear up your doubts and he'll answer any questions you have. You may also want to check out his blog. He always has something going on.

Indie, anyone?

2011-01-26T08:12:00.001-05:00

I've been following some writers gone indie, and after reading some interesting blogs such as this, decided to re-release some of my previously published titles.
I'm also launching a new site called The Author Collective, and would love your feedback. Please visit my blog today for the intro and a brief explanation: http://catemasters.blogspot.com

2011-01-25T08:45:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone: Hope you all had a great holiday season. Just wanted to let you know about the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Conference coming up March 24 - 26. Jonathan Maberry will be holding a workshop on interview technique. He's always great.
In addition to all the other workshops and editor/agents appointments, Donald Maass will be there to conduct a pre-conference workshop on "Writing the Breakout Novel" and "Fire in Fiction." I heard him last year at the International Thriller Writers conference and he's terrific. It is expensive ($150), but I think could be money well spent.
And don't forget, the Pennwriters Conference is mid-May this year in Pittsburgh. They have a great lineup as always.
And -- The Pennwriters Fourth Wednesday Writers Group continues to slog along with a fun bunch of quality critiques. We are meeting now at the Camp Hill Borders from 6-9 pm. The next meeting is January 26th. Hopefully the snow won't mess us up.
Take care and stay warm. Don Helin

Introduction of Carol Exline

2011-01-24T15:45:00.000-05:00

Hello, I also dwell in Pennsylvania. Married and have worked at a weekly newspaper for 17 years. I'm a mystery, suspense, romance author and always include humor in my stories. I have two ebooks published featuring the Holmes Mystery Series and several print books entitled the Woodmont Mystery Series, those are available at Amazon. As soon as I finish my current WIP, I'm creating a new series.

Cover for Shadow's Lure

2011-01-17T11:44:00.002-05:00

Here is the cover art for my next book, Shadow's Lure. I want to thank artist-supreme Michael Komarck for another outstanding cover. I've been told this is still a work in progress, which blows my mind because it's so terrific already.

My first Six Sentence Sunday

2011-01-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

I hope you'll pop over to my blog and check it out. I've posted six sentences from my contemporary fantasy, Surfacing.

There's a link back to the Six Sentence Sunday site, too, so you can check out other great participants.

Quite a Character

2011-01-11T07:23:00.000-05:00

Nothing makes me put down a book faster than card-board characters. If they're so normal or so cliche, how can I care what happens to them. Characters makes a story memorable. So how does a writer give their hero or heroine depth?

A hero can't be all-knowing or all powerful. They must have vulnerabilities and often that weakness is their secret. Perhaps only one other character, perhaps the antagonist, knows this secret allowing for all kinds of difficulties. That secret could be a past sin or shame, something that makes the hero sad, frightened or embarrassed. This secret can drive the character toward some goal or provide the motivation for his actions.

As the character takes action towards his goal, the more specific the goal the better, his secret will color his choices, his relationships and slowly reveal his weakness. And what better way to hone the character but to put his tight spots. He'll reveal himself through how he acts when he's desperate. Frustration will show his character so keep the pressure turned on high.

Some characters earn a reader's interest by their quirkiness or contradictions. Can they be cruel and funny? Can they be shy but also rude?

In my new release, Beyond the Gate, Book #2 in The Futhark Chronicles, Cage's secret is revealed to all though he doesn't realize those who love him understand his vulnerability. Cage's birth mother abandoned him when he was a child. He believed he's unlovable and constantly risks his life in an attempt to be earn that which he secretly thinks is unattainable.

Reviews for the first book in this series, The Keepers of Sulbreth, have the highest praise for my characters. I hope you'll try them out.

What character have you read that you find unforgettable? What made that person do memorable?

Earning Your Keep

2011-01-09T16:39:00.000-05:00

As I cleared off bookshelves over the holiday break, I uncovered a lot of books of the do-it-yourself variety. At one time, all of them had looked promising to me, but the cold, hard reality was that I didn't have enough shelf space to keep all of them.

And so I needed to devise a plan for tackling this pile that would enable me to determine which books would prove themselves worthy of returning to the limited shelf space in my living room.

Since most of the books were non- fiction, I gave each book ten minutes - enough time to peruse the table of contents and, since I was on a time schedule, dive into whatever looked most interesting, rather than whatever came first. The books that sated my appetite in ten minutes or less would be donated. Those that merely whetted my appetite in that time frame would go back onto the shelf, a bookmark inserted where I had left off.

It occurred to me belatedly that an agent or editor approaches our lovingly created manuscripts in much the same fashion. As writers, we are sometimes offended by this, wondering how anyone can possibly make a decision based on only the first few pages of our cherished manuscripts. But as readers, we do much the same thing. Perusing the stacks in a well-stocked bookstore or library, we give each title only a few moments of attention before deciding whether or not to invest our time in it. If we miss, choosing a book that does not live up to our expectations, we have invested only our time. An editor or agent, however, stakes his or her reputation - as well as the reputation of his or her employer - on every title he or she backs. Talk about pressure.

So what's an aspiring writer to do? Exactly what the writing magazines tell you. Put your best work on the page, no matter how many tries it takes. Before sending your work to any publishing professional, make sure it is read - and critiqued - by fellow writers, and then revise it again. Only after you have completed this process should it land on a publishing professional's desk.

Anything less puts your reputation at stake, and jeopardizes any chance you may have at that coveted shelf space.

Realistic Pain

2011-01-07T07:32:00.001-05:00

In most good medieval fantasy books there is some amount of action. You know what I mean. Fighting, battles, wars, sword duels, bows and arrows. And in most books not only the bad guys suffer an injury. Treatment of injuries in medieval times would vary, perhaps the wounded's health would depend on herbal treatments or magical doctoring. Either way, people receive some kind of medical assistance.
I'll save the medicine post for a later discussion but for now I want to talk about the pain of injuries. Today I had surgery on my ankle(old basketball injuries piling up). The minor operation became a bit more when the surgeon discovered the damage was more than expected. More fixing up equals more post-op limitations and pain. It hurts.
As writers, we love, or at least now we should, torture our heroes and heroines. Emotional pain can be the best but sometimes in those fight scenes they get hurt. Most of haven't been sliced by a sword or shot with an arrow so we don't exactly what if feels like. When I lay in the pre-op yesterday, I reminded myself to hold onto the feelings, emotional and physical of waking after someone took a knife to my body. I'm doing some major edits on the rough draft of my current WIP. My hero suffers. A lot.
I'm not a hero and I wakened with groggy half-formed memories of nurses talking to me, moving me and the painful lump wrapped around my ankle. I swear my bones hurt on the inside and I could feel it. It felt like the surgeon had left a big thick hunting knife sticking in between my bones. I don't do pain meds other than ibuprofen or Tylenol so I experienced the real deal. I'm not brave. I only get very ill with narcotics.
Now if I were one of the warriors in my books and someone stabbed me and then another person stitched me up, I guarantee I would need some magic to get me back into the fight.
We stab our characters, let them take injuries that would fell lesser men or women. But we must be careful how unrealistic it is. I'm sure many of us have watched shows or movies where a character was shot and yet kept going to perform more incredible heroic tasks. Or in the case of the antagonist perhaps he continued to wreck havoc and deal murder. But could they? Wouldn't the pain stop them? Wouldn't the blood loss? If a thigh is sliced horribly by a sword or knife the muscles would be badly damaged. Could the joint at the knee or hip even move?
I've had multiple knee injuries and of course, the old weak ankle. It's not only painful to walk on certain injuries but physiologically impossible. So when your hero overcomes his pain and steps back into the fray, make sure it's realistic. Or put the magic to use as I do a few times in my current WIP. I wish I had a little of that magic for my ankle.
So can you name a TV show or a movie where a character continued to run and fight? after and injury that should have left them unconscious or dying? Did it take you out of the moment?

Happy New Release

2011-01-01T16:22:00.000-05:00

Today marks not only the start of a hopeful new year, but also the release of Book #2 of The Futhark Chronicles. Beyond the Gate is now available from ebook retailers and by the end of the month will hopefully also be released in print.

This novel picks up only a few moments from the cliff hanger ending of The Keepers of Sulbreth. Futhark is the fantasy world where this epic series takes place. Marshal Cage Stone the sorceress he protects, Keeper Sabelline Shelton, have taken the first steps inside the cavern where the magical seals keeping the demon hordes from their kingdom have weakened. Their plan is simple though dangerous. But nothing is as it should be. They find mysteries linking their present difficulties with a long ago war and evil they thought long buried. Cage must let go of his human inhibitions and connect with his heritage if they are to survive and help their beleaguered friends save Futhark.

Please join me one week from now when I start a mini blog tour including a top here on The Susquehanna Writers after it begins on my blog.

So Happy New Year and here's wishing you lots of new books to read. What new book is first on your list and are you trying any new to you author?

Meet and Greet

2010-12-26T12:33:00.000-05:00

This week I'm hosting four of my friends and fellow authors on my blog. Each will share some insights into their success as published authors and their writing process. I think many hopeful writers believe there is a secret formula to success and becoming a published author. Those of us in the field know persistence and hard work are the only two things all published authors have in common. After that the process of completing a novel and finding a home for it in the publishing world varies for everyone. Still, there is no harm in learning how others do it. One little hint could make the difference in your own writing.
As a reader, I love learning how my favorite writers get the words on to the paper. It fascinates me endlessly, especially their little quirks. I also like seeing the person behind the writer.
The four authors I will be interviewing also have another thing in common. Their books are available for purchase on your new eReaders. I hope you received one for Christmas like I did. Please visit everyday and I promise you'll find something for you.
On Monday, December 27th, welcome Cate Masters. She's a member of The Susquehanna Writers and has her own busy blog. I'm so happy she could find time to join me.
On Tuesday, December 28th, welcome Natalie Damschroder. She has a new release and a big book coming out in April.
On Wednesday, December 29th, meet Megan Hart and hear about her upcoming release, Precious and Fragile Things, a chilling suspense novel you'll be still thinking about long after you're finished reading it.
Thursday, December 30th, welcome fantasy novelist, Jon Sprunk, also a member of The Susquehanna Writers. Jon will tell us about the first book in his fantasy series, already released, the upcoming second book.
Please stop by and read their interviews where you'll find them as clever in person as their characters are in their novels.
Do you like meeting authors personally? Did you get or give an eReader for Christmas? What books have you bought?

Seasons Greetings from the Susquehanna Writers

2010-12-23T15:05:00.000-05:00

Gemmell Nomination

2010-12-21T09:26:00.000-05:00

Hey folks,

Just wanted to share that Shadow's Son has been nominated for the prestigious David Gemmell Award in the Morningstar and Legend categories. Here is a link.

Voting begins, I believe, on Dec. 26.

Pardon our construction

2010-12-15T09:48:00.004-05:00

In an attempt to evoke the lush central Pennsylvania region, we've been searching for a new look.

I hope you like the latest, and hopefully last, at least for awhile. It's cleaner and easier to read.

Susan Gourley/Kelley posted an interesting discussion on her blog about whether authors needed both a blog and a web site. I wonder the same thing. What are your thoughts? If an author makes his/her blog look professional, does it impact your impression if that author has no web site, but only a blog?

Susan did such a wonderful job redesigning her blog, don't you think? It made me want to redesign mine too, so I did. Now mine looks much cleaner. I'm considering doing away with my web site, which now seems redundant.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Is a web site necessary for an author, or will a blog suffice?

Holiday sale!

2010-12-08T12:53:00.009-05:00

To celebrate the holidays, Wild Child Publishing / Freya's Bower will discount your order of $8.00 or more by 25 percent! At checkout, just add the coupon code: Happy Holidays

You can find several of my titles with both publishers. Wild Child Publishing released Liberation via Pen, which reviewers called: "a great story. Cate Masters does an exceptional job working out her plot."

This summer, Freya's Bower released my historical romance, Angels, Sinners and Madmen. Set in 1850s Key West during the heydey of the wreckers, it's a unique adventure you won't soon forget.

Also with Freya's, Wilderness Girl is a humorous erotic romance novella. It's a 2011 EPIC finalist too! Reviewers have said: "Wilderness Girl is an adorable contemporary romance with a really cute beginning that will make you laugh out loud! This storyline was a nice change of pace from what I've been reading lately and it was quite enjoyable. Hank and Dana had quite a bit of fun, which made it fun for me. This is my first book by Cate Masters, but it won't be my last. I look forward to reading more from her and I'm thinking you'll feel the same way too!" and "I loved this story for one main reason- it's why I love romances. The story was so fun. It was also filled with hot and steamy sex scenes, and the figuring out how this relationship will work stuff. I always think I like longer books, but the length on this one was just right. Enough to read in one sitting, but filled with everything I needed or wanted to know. Ms. Masters can write a story filled with all the ingredients for a good erotic, romance in my book."

Lastly, The Lure of the Vine is also available through Freya's. Reviewers have said: "Do you like a little mythology in your books? Then here is a good one for you. A nice SPICY read that is titillating, sexy and an ending that makes the journey worth the trip :) What a wonderful little read that is not the typical Harry met Sally, I enjoyed the drama, the lust and the issues right until the bitter end. This is not the first book of Ms Masters that I have been fortunate enough to read and let me just say that it won't be the last :)" and "This is an interesting and creepy tale. Dion and his Maenads will give you the chills right from the beginning of the story. The author does a good job of turning a Greek god into a successful businessman looking for love."

Happy shopping!

December Events

2010-11-29T09:37:00.001-05:00

Hey folks,

I've got a couple of local book signings next month:

* Dec 11 (5pm) -- Borders Books in Camp Hill, PA.
* Dec. 15 (5:30pm) -- Borders Books on Allentown Blvd. (Harrisburg, PA)

Come by, and bring your literate friends. :)

A Writer of Influence

2010-11-06T14:48:00.000-04:00

Writers—whether we admit it or not—are influenced by those who precede them.

Though his name is not so familiar as others, Pennsylvania was the birthplace of a man who influenced such varied literary masters as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville.

In fact, no less an authority than the Encyclopedia Britannica calls Charles Brocken Brown the “father of the American novel.”

Born in Philadelphia on Jan. 17, 1771 to Quaker parents, Brown was early forced into the study of law by his family. They were unable to stifle his literary ambitions which had been fired by a lifetime of voracious reading and ardent desire to write. He was published as early as the late 1780s and had completed his first novel by 1798.

In his brief career (he died at the age of 39 of consumption) he produced at least eight novels, in addition to short stories, poetry, history and political writings, and served as editor of the Monthly Magazine And North American Review.

His best known novel today is probably Wieland, a gothic romance involving a supposedly inexplicable mystery.

One which should be of more interest to us is Edgar Huntly, which predates Cooper’s introduction of the American Indian into fiction. Peter Kafer, an independent scholar, has linked the roots of this novel to the infamous Walking Purchase of 1737 which forced the Lenape west into the Wyoming Valley and set the stage for the Indian wars later to ravage the settlers along the Susquehanna River.

Van Wyck Brooks called his novels “…singularly original, poetic and impressive.” Brooks says it is easy to see many images in Brown’s novels reappear in Poe’s tales and poetry.

If it were only these so-called gothic novels for which the man is known, it might be enough. But, influenced early in life by Mary Wollstonecraft, William Godwin and other thinkers, he was also an advocate for the rights of women, education, penal reform and other social issues.

Recognizing him as “the early republic’s most ambitious and accomplished literary figure,” the Charles Brockden Brown Society was founded in 2000 as an international scholarly organization to stimulate interest in his writings and his era. More information on the society is available at http://www.brockdenbrownsociety.ucf.edu/

Blogging With a Purpose

2010-10-31T16:55:00.000-04:00

I recently read an article proclaiming social media was changing publishing by putting power in the hands of individual authors for the marketing of their books. Is that true? I don’t feel powerful but increasingly I feel responsible. With the plethora of avenues open to writers to self-publish, what chance does a new author have to capture an audience while competing with the gazillion other books out there?

My favored hope of promoting my recent and upcoming releases is through blogging. Merriam-Webster defines a blog as “a web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks.”
The vague description fits what you find on blogs. They vary in length from a few sentences to lengths equal to multiple pages. Some are updated daily, weekly or even less often. Most ‘experts’ suggest a minimum of once per week.
The content varies as much as the frequency and length. I know some writers who use their blog only to promote their own works. Others do lots of interviews or have guest appearances to assist other writers in their promotion. Most blogs I frequent do promote their own works, works of others but also write numerous posts I find education and instructive in ways to help my writing career. Still others offer interesting tidbits on a wide variety of things such as ranch living, certain TV shows, herbs and green living, and some just make me laugh. Professional blogs can offer lots of clues and advice to help writers in their careers.

I love finding new blogs and picking up the occasional follower. Will it help sell my books? I’m not sure but links to other blogs, link to their readers also. If someone like Cate Master’s books, might they not take a look at my romance novels when they see my link on her site? If a reader enjoys Jon Sprunk’s fantasy novel and see on his blog we did a book signing together, might they not click over to my blog and consider my novel?

I have no doubts the world on the internet has already replaced a lot of traditional media and perhaps sometime in the future it will make all ‘dead-tree media’ obsolete. In the meantime, I’m going to keep doing what I know how to do and try to learn more. I’ll be doing my first blog tour ever in January to promote the release of my newest fantasy, Beyond the Gate. I’ll be searching for new ways to make my own blog work for me.

How often do you blog? How many different blogs do you visit on a regular basis? What type of blogs do you visit?

Susquehanna Writers out and about

2010-10-28T17:01:00.001-04:00

Mike Silvestri and honorary Susquehanna Writer Peter Durantine at their signing table on Oct. 16 in Harrisburg, at The Midtown Scholar.

Pete signs a copy of his release, The Chocolate Assassin.

Dennis Royer manned the Mechanicsburg Mystery Book Shop's booth at Celebrate the Book on Oct. 23.

Me at my booth. Should have worn that mermaid costume, I guess.

Hope to see you at the next event!

Four-time EPIC finalist!

2010-10-27T08:28:00.001-04:00

I'm dancing on air! I received the email this morning from EPIC notifying me that I'm a finalist in the 2011 competition - for these four stories!

I just made reservations for the conference in March. Can't miss that party!

One Soul for Sale - Paranormal Novella
BLURB: When Madelyn sells her soul on UBuy, she’s not ready for the hell that’s unleashed. All she really wants is to make a success of her art. But the gorgeous stranger who buys her soul for $666 asks her to perform a few tasks. Tests of her true worth, Madelyn thinks, as each brings her – and her cat Brutus – into greater danger. And closer to the frightening shadowy figure stalking her. On All Hallows Eve, her final test will open the gates of hell. Or is it heaven?

Going with Gravity - Contemporary
BLURB: Publicist Allison Morris plans her own life – what’s left of it – around the life of her boss Michelle McCarter, the ex-wife of a famous rock star. When Michelle needs emergency public relations patchwork in Hawaii pronto, Allison arranges a flight to the dream destination. At the airport, she meets Wes Hamilton, a six-foot-three sun-bleached blond whose blue eyes and dazzling smile rekindle her fizzled-out sizzle. A world-renowned surfer, Wes captivates her with his charm and wit, though his easy fame and on-the-edge lifestyle are the polar opposite of her own. When their jet loses its fuselage in mid-air, she takes advantage of what she thinks are her last minutes alive with Wes. The plane lands safely. Wes takes care of her when her carefully constructed life begins to unravel. When Michelle accuses Allison of using Wes to gain fame for herself, Allison’s world falls apart in an explosive confrontation. Wes is waiting with open arms when she has nowhere else to go, but can Allison learn to stop planning and go with gravity?

Picture This - Contemporary
BLURB: Harrisburg News reporter Sydney Welles writes award-winning, attention-getting news stories. Her career’s on track, but she’d like a little more attention in her personal life. A year ago, she shared a great kiss with Philadelphia Daily News photographer Ben Taylor. Since then, nothing but a string of one-hit wonders. Suddenly, Ben’s back in her life – well, in her newsroom, anyway – but he acts as if he’s meeting her for the first time. Their story assignments throw them into uncomfortably close quarters, but Claudia, her editor, reminds Sydney she’s a consummate professional. She can handle it. Sydney’s not so certain when she and Ben go undercover to expose the mayor for shady dealings and he kisses her again. To keep their cover, he says. The mayor resigns amid shame, and Sydney’s the toast of the town. Two other reporters take an interest in more than her journalistic talents, but Sydney can’t help picturing herself back in Ben’s arms. Will she still want to once she learns Ben’s secret?

Wilderness Girl - Contemporary humorous erotic
BLURB: When Dana’s boyfriend drags her to Wilderness Outfitters on a Friday night, she wonders why so many people find The Great Outdoors so great. Until she meets Hank— six feet of tanned muscle, wrapped in a faded black T-shirt and jean shorts loose on his hips. Eyes like wildfire burning in a sun-kissed face. Grinning like a fox.
After her boyfriend dumps her in the parking lot, humiliation becomes gratitude when Hank invites her to his favorite camping spot, and she seizes on the impulse to change her boring life.
A web programmer, Dana’s outdoor experience had consisted of walks to and from her car. Alone on a mountaintop, as she struggles to set up camp, a five-foot snake doesn’t seem a welcome sight: until Hank comes to her rescue.
He initiates her to the pleasures of hiking, campfires, and Harley rides down winding roads. Making love beneath a starry sky, Hank awakens a primal Wilderness Girl in Dana she never knew existed.
Their weekend feels like a fantasy, which proves all too true on their return to civilization. As the daily grind eats into their time together, their romance begins to come untethered.
Will her high-tech lifestyle clash with his low-tech one? Can she manage to recapture the passion of the wilderness in their city existence?

Never use your soul as a bargaining tool

2010-10-20T11:00:00.001-04:00

Madelyn can tell you what a bad idea it is - especially near Halloween, the night when the veil between the two worlds fades, allowing souls to travel freely between. In my paranormal novella, One Soul for Sale, she posts her soul online at the bidding site UBuy, and all hell breaks loose. Literally.

This month, you have two opportunities to win One Soul for Sale. Join in the Night Owl Reviews Web Hunt all month for a chance to win one of three print copies. Next weekend, join the LASR Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win a PDF copy. Or you could buy your own copy now - One Soul for Sale is available digitally from Eternal Press or in print from Amazon.

French Ebook

2010-10-18T17:09:00.001-04:00

Just received the contract for French rights to ebook versions of the Shadow trilogy.

Shadow's Son has been doing well on the Kindle here in the U.S.. For everyone who has asked, I'm still waiting for news about other e-format versions. I'll keep you posted.

8 Things to do at a Book Signing That Doesn't Draw a Crowd

2010-10-11T13:04:00.000-04:00

I write books that target a niche market, so when I am fortunate enough to set up a book signing, I'm not necessarily fortunate enough to sell a lot of books. So, I keep the signings short and have developed a list of things to do when the crowds are, shall we say, underwhelming:

Smile and look accessible.
Resist the urge to follow people into the cafe, waving copies of your book. Instead, smile and say hello to anyone who goes by.
Plan promos for the next book signing that will draw crowds that rival a John Grisham signing.
Graciously thank the bookstore staff who made this signing possible, along with anyone who stops by the table, whether or not they buy a book.
Jot down ideas for blogs, plot lines, setting and dialogues. Flesh them out if time permits.
Create a shopping list so you're prepared when the signing is over. Try not to spend more than twice the cost of your book, particularly if you haven't sold any.
Write said notes on memo-sized pieces of paper, and look up from time to time so you still look approachable.
Relax! When is the last time you had an hour to yourself with no one bugging you?

All joking aside, I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to all of my friends and family who inquired, attended, congratulated me or otherwise let me know they were thinking of me. I don't know a soul whose to-do list isn't daunting, and in this case, it truly is the thought that counts.