The Blessings of the Season

I'm not sure how it can be Thanksgiving already. I haven't even changed my closet from summer to winter, so how can it be time to roast a turkey?

Time flies when you're having fun and actually the last few months have indeed been fun. I like what the collective Evelyn David is writing…actually I like that we're writing at all. It seemed like we hit the pause button over the summer, but then took off at lightspeed with the dawn of Labor Day. Writing the Brianna Sullivan e-books has been, quite simply, a hoot. The Southern half of this writing duo asked me the other day if it was bad form to be laughing uproariously at your own jokes. She had just re-read I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries, originally penned four years ago, and said she laughed long and loud. I know it's good when you like what you are writing – or for that matter, enjoy whatever your job may be. So I'm truly thankful for this partnership that is also a wonderful friendship.

Oh, what the heck, let me keep on this thankful post, and talk about how lucky I am, blessed indeed, that The Stiletto Gang are my "peeps." We are a disparate group of women of all ages, sizes, geographic locations, and points in our lives – and yet there is a sense of solidarity and support that is incredibly empowering. I have met in person only one of the Gang, and oddly enough it's not the woman with whom I write books. Maggie Barbieri lives about a half hour away. But I often get just the email I need from someone in the group who might literally live across the country, but knows I need a pick-me-up. Sometimes, it's to reassure me that "yes, you will write again," when I am convinced that my writing career is over (if it should ever have begun). Sometimes, it's when there's a personal crisis, and someone has "been there, done that" and knows just will make the difference to get me out of the funk. These women I've never met are more than colleagues, they're friends.

Writing, even with a partner, can be a lonely profession. I'm not sure how Hemingway and Fitzgerald managed to make it through the day without the reassurance I get from knowing that there is a group of writers out there who are no more than a click of a computer screen away. Of course, Ernest and Scott drank a lot so maybe that's how they managed.

I don't need turkey and stuffing to know that I have been blessed, in my personal life and professional one too. Before we eat our Thanksgiving feast, we always recite a Shehecheyanu prayer. It's a Jewish blessing of thanksgiving. I offer it for you.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Marian, the Northern half of Evelyn David

Note to Readers: To celebrate the publication of the Wolfmont edition of Murder Takes the Cake, we're having a drawing each Friday for an autographed copy of Murder Off the Books or Murder Takes the Cake (winner's choice). To enter the drawing, leave a comment on our website - http://www.evelyndavid.com/

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake - Paperback - Kindle
Murder Off the Books - Paperback - Kindle
Riley Come Home - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords

Ding Dong, Deadline Calling!

by Susan McBride

As I write this, I'm down to the wire on my deadline for Little Black Dress, my tale of two sisters, a daughter, and a magical dress that changes all their lives forever. It's something different for me after writing series mysteries, a YA nonmystery series, and contemporary women's fiction. Little Black Dress mixes the past and the present (okay, with a pinch of mystery!), and it alternates between two very different voices.

I just finished proofing 300 pages after staying up late and working through the weekends to get this baby done. It's weird how deadlines never seem that intimidating until, oh, about six weeks beforehand. That's when you realize that maybe you shouldn't have scheduled a fundraiser you're spearheading that close to D-Day, and innumerable real-life crises rear their ugly heads (never fails).

It's when you tell yourself, "Hey, this is life. Put on your big girl pants and deal with it." Only that doesn't keep the clock from ticking or that danged deadline from looming like Fraggle Rock (wait, that's a kid's show, right? Not very scary, huh?).

When I realized I had, oh, five chapters left last weekend, I went into panic mode, staying up way past my usual bed-time, working like a maniac (and, no, I don't drink coffee!). It helps when hubby has a late night hockey game and doesn't return until after midnight so I can write until he gets home and finds me with my face on the keyboard, QWERTY squished into my forehead. (All right, it never happened, but it was a constant threat.)

Ed has gotten used to seeing me in my pajamas 24/7, often with my hair sticking out like a rat's nest. I would mumble inanely, "I swear, I'll shower after dinner," and then I'd disappear into my writing room and not emerge until 11 p.m., still a mess. But I would have gotten another chapter done.

If all goes well, by the time you read this deadline-itis inspired babble, I'll be hitting "send" and turning in Little Black Dress to my agents and my editor at HarperCollins.

At which point, I plan to sleep for days, watch mindless HGTV, read the books stacked on my bedside table, eat chocolate, and pray that they don't come back and say, "Er, Susan, that thing you sent us? It's a pile of poo." (Has anyone ever had that happen, God forbid?) And soon enough, I'll have to do revisions, turn in a proposal for the next book, and get back to writing again. No rest for the wicked, eh?

With two books due in 2011, I should really take a spin in the nearest phone booth (er, if I can find one) and emerge in my super-powered, superhero suit, consisting of plaid flannel jammie pants, the "rock star" T-shirt Maggie gave me, fuzzy socks, and rat's nest hair. "Ah-ha-ha," I'll say in my throaty--um, squeaky--voice, "I am Deadline Girl! Look out!"

Or else I'll just take a nap.

Little Black Dress has been bumped up in the schedule and will now be out in June from HarperCollins instead of next fall (or, actually, May 17, 2011 if we're being particular). You can already pre-order it online, which is kind of funny as of this moment, since I just finished writing it. Toodles and TGIF!!! --Susan

Rejuvenated and Motivated, by Misa

Last weekend was the annual NTRWA weekend retreat and what a blast it was! We all met in the historic town of Glen Rose, Texas, home of the biggest dinosaur footprints in the world.

Members of the North Texas RWA Chapter...

Happy Tales to You -_-

Which way to ReJuVeNaTiOn?

We stayed at Country Woods Inn, a fantastically quaint bed and breakfast right along the river and steps from the river walk...

We dined at...

and...

We walked...

We wrote, laughed, bonded, ate some more (junk food junkie weekend, baby!)...

We drank vino and diet sodas...

We brainstormed...

We ate cowboy hat cake...

We met Santa Fe Joe...

We hung out in the Chapel by the Woods...

...and had an all-around inspiring time.

I came away with a brand new cozy mystery series proposal which I L.O.V.E. What a way to charge into the holiday season. I feel rejuvenated and motivated.

When was the last time you went on a weekend getaway, and did it recharge your battery?

~Misa

The Power of Civil Discourse

Much of the time I am supposed to be working, I'm surfing the Net for interesting story ideas, shopping, or just wasting time. During yesterday's surf, I found this link on a web site and was so struck by this young's man poise, as well as his bravery, that I had to post it here. I hope you are as impressed by how eloquently this 14-year-old young man states his case, in which he defends the actions of a suspended teacher who disciplined an anti-gay student. I think people on "both sides of the aisle" could learn a thing or two about civil discourse and its power to persuade.

(Between posting this blog and today, YouTube removed the video over a copyright issue.) Here's a link to Gawker where you can view the video, http://tv.gawker.com/5689407/openly-gay-student-defends-teacher-at-school-board-meeting
Maggie Barbieri

What Didn't Happen This Week

I had a post all written for today and it said I was on a mystery cruise--actually the name for it was A Cruise to Die For. There were 40 of us signed up for it, a cruise to the Mexican Riveria. The plan was the 3 days we were at sea we were having a mystery conference.

Sunny Frazier, the brains behind it all, had collected all sorts of promo items including books for the tote bags. Assignments were given out as to who was to be on what panel. Moderators contacted panelists and had given them questions that would be asked. Many of us printed handouts.

I was all packed and read to go when the news came that the Carnival Cruise ship called the Splendor had a fire in its engine room.

Surely it would be fixed by the time we were supposed to go on our cruise. Wrong.

Our cruise was cancelled. We got the news from our tour director, from the cruise line itself and from Sunny. Of course I was disappointed as was everyone else. We will have our money refunded and 25% off the cost of our next cruise.

The more I heard about the ship and the condition it was in and what the 400 plus people stranded aboard the Splendor were going through, all I could feel was thankfulness. So thankful that we weren't the ones on that ship.

Sunny says we'll try again next year, same time.

In the meantime, hubby and I are now in Las Vegas visiting my sister and her husband. We're having a great time. No we're not going to shows and gambling, we never do that when we go to Vegas, but we are having fun visiting, eating out, and taking in a couple of movies.

Marilyn, who is making lemonade out of lemons.

http://fictionforyou.com/

It's All About the Writing?

For the past several days I've been thinking about this blog. I wanted to write about why I love Tom Selleck's Jesse Stone movies, but don't have the same feelings about his Blue Bloods television series.

Is it the same thing when the books are great and the television series is much less so? I love Kathy Reichs' Bones novels, but am disappointed with the Bones television series. Why? The TV show is fine, better than most of the dramas that are currently airing. Okay actually I don't have to wonder long about the Bones issue. The characters from the books are unrecognizable in the television series. So back to Tom Selleck -

(A friend suggested I just put up a couple dozen photographs of him and be done with this post. But as great as Tom Selleck looks, it's not the major draw for me. For instance, I never paid much attention to him when he was doing the Magnum P.I. television series or some of his earlier movies. So, no, Cathy, mere photographs won't suffice.)

Possibilities.

1. Tom Selleck is just phoning it in for his Blue Bloods role? Probably not.

2. The Jesse Stone movies are twice as long as the television episodes. There's more time to set up the plot and tell the story. As a result they are better than the TV episodes? Maybe.

3. Familiarity breeds contempt? Ice cream three times a year tastes better than ice cream you get once a week for 22 weeks? It's possible. When I see the next Jesse Stone movie, I'll let you know if the weekly dose of Tom Selleck has made me immune to the movies.

4. More screen time for Selleck in the Jesse Stone movies? Both are ensemble pieces but clearly Tom Selleck is the star and the protagonist in the Jesse Stone movies. In Blue Bloods he's just the headlining star. His two TV sons are the major protagonists. So, I only like Tom Selleck when he's in a lead role? That's a possibility, but I don't think that's it.

5. Or maybe it's not Selleck at all. Maybe it's the writing: the plots, the characters, the solving of the mystery. We'll find out soon enough. The Jesse Stone movies were based on novels written by the late Robert B. Parker. The acclaimed writer died in January of 2010 and any future Jesse Stone movies won't have his books to rely on or his input. But if I were a betting woman, I'd put my money on the better writing of the Jesse Stone movies because, for me, it's always about the writing.

What do you think? Do you like the Jesse Stone movies? What do you think about Blue Bloods? Why?

And does anyone know when the next Jesse Stone movie is set to air?

Evelyn David

______________

Note to Santa: The complete set of the Jesse Stone movies are available on DVD. I saw them at Amazon while I was drooling over the Kindle e-readers.

Note to Readers: To celebrate the publication of the Wolfmont edition of Murder Takes the Cake, we're having a drawing each Friday for an autographed copy of Murder Off the Books or Murder Takes the Cake (winner's choice). To enter drawing, leave a comment on our website - http://www.evelyndavid.com/

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake - Paperback - Kindle
Murder Off the Books - Paperback - Kindle
Riley Come Home - Kindle - Nook - Smashwords

The E-book Revolution

By C.J. West

Last month I moderated the e-books panel at Bouchercon in San Francisco. The Gang asked me to stop in and share my reflections and I’m delighted to visit.

It became clear during my research that e-books address the most serious problems facing the publishing industry. Returns? Check. Shelf life? Check. Selection? Check. The big surprise came when I downloaded work from each of the panelists. I expected the books to come quickly, but I didn’t expect to enjoy reading on an electronic device. I staunchly supported paper books until I tried an e-reader. Now I’m a convert. I bought my Kindle at Target yesterday.

The question in my mind after this panel is not so much whether there will be a revolution, because it is coming. The question is: what kind of a revolution will it be?

Are e-books an economic revolution?

The economic arguments for e-books are strong. The marginal cost (what it costs to produce one more book) are miniscule compared to print books and the implications for distribution are many. Consider a third-world school in need of textbooks. If the publisher can cut cost 95% by switching from hardcover to e-book format, they can afford to be generous with donations. In fact, it may be cost effective to donate the e-readers and e-books rather than offer hardcovers for multiple subjects.

There is another swirl in the economic wind. Authors earn 70% royalties on e-books distributed directly through Amazon. Because authors get most of the purchase price, many more authors will earn a comfortable living when the e-book market matures. That means no day job and more time to create.

Is this a class revolt?

E-book only authors tend to be younger and more hip than their Dead Tree Book (DTB) counterparts, but they aren’t the only beneficiaries of the revolution. I went to Barnes & Noble to shop for the authors on my panel. Of the seven authors, the store carried books for only one. It is even less likely you’d find our books in a supermarket or a Walmart, but the playing field for e-books is conspicuously level. All seven of us have e-books available for download and this erodes the advantages of the mega bestselling authors. I predict that midlisters who embrace e-books and go independent will be among the biggest winners in this revolution.

E-books are also a proving ground for new talent. One of the panelists, Boyd Morrison, published The Ark on Kindle after being rejected by 25 traditional publishers. The Ark sold so well on Kindle that Boyd signed with Simon & Schuster. The Ark has received excellent placement and has been translated into several languages. Boyd’s success will encourage new writers to follow his path and publishers to scour e-books for the next Boyd Morrison.

Are e-books a creative revolution?

I’ve heard Tim Hallinan call e-books a creative revolution and I’m a believer. The simplicity and low cost of e-book distribution allow authors to publish books they want to write. This applies to new authors breaking into the market and established authors who want to try a new genre or a story publishers don’t find commercially viable.

This discussion sparked a firestorm during our panel. One author blanched when his sale of e-books on Amazon was called self-publishing. The term self-publishing ignites heated debate over the quality of the work and who has the right to bring books to market. Whatever your opinion on gatekeepers, the digital levy has been breached and the tsunami of electronic titles is out there waiting for you to dive in.

How do you view the revolution?

Have you used an e-reader? If not, what’s stopping you?

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Footnote: After this post was written, two important pieces of e-book news were reported. PW reported e-book sales spiked 150% in September as compared to a 40% decline in hardcover sales. The NY Times also reported that it will begin a bestseller list for e-books in January. If you're an author not involved with e-books yet, here is your wake-up call.

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CJ West is the author of 5 thrillers. His latest, The End of Marking Time has been called “a modern 1984 meets Prison Break.” CJ interviews thriller authors monthly on Blog Talk Radio. His first novel, Sin & Vengeance is in development for feature film by Beantown Productions, LLC. (http://www.sinandvengeance.com/)

The End of Marking Time on Amazon Kindle

Sin & Vengeance on Amazon Kindle

A Writer in Paris

As a writer living in Paris, I’m often asked if I meet with other authors. After all, the city is famous for its salons and literary connections. When people think of Paris, they often think of writers seeking inspiration, languorous lunches and watching the world go by in cafés. Once a week, a writer friend and I visit over coffee then work on our own projects in a cozy cafe.

“But do you meet with lots of other writers like Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, and Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald used to?” people ask.

Sadly, no. Although a few writers and I meet to have lunch once or twice a year, we’re all busy with work and family, plotting out our next novels and promoting our currents ones. We’re also scattered all over the city and over the globe. As I wait in line at the grocery store or post office and spend too much time filling out never-ending French paperwork, I feel a little jealous of the Lost Generation, known for their salons and discussion about writing. Then friend and fellow expat writer Ann Mah, author of Kitchen Chinese, reminded me that there is a place where writers meet – the Internet.

Writers have created their own havens online. From the Stiletto Gang to What Women Write to Writer Unboxed, writers gather to share and to read each other’s work. Bestselling authors such as Jennifer Weiner and Harlan Coben exchange messages with friends and fans on Twitter. Through email, authors are able to collaborate on projects. Isn’t it amazing that the writing duo that makes up Evelyn David have never met in person? They didn’t even speak on the phone until they finished their first draft.

Ann was right. I began to look at the Internet the same way my main character did – with awe and appreciation. In my novel, Moonlight in Odessa, Daria lives in Ukraine. The Iron Curtain has come down and she longs to connect to the outside world through the Internet. She has a computer at work, but her boss finds a way to cut her cord to the outside world. Finally, she reaches her goal:

“I finally got the Internet! The technician showed me how to fly from page to page and to navigate the sites. I could see why the Internet started with a capital letter, like a country or a city. It was a whole new galaxy, like the Milky Way. I could read the BBC news, see the latest fashions in Paris, and read Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry. I could search for a new job on Western employment sites. I could plan my escape.”

Sometimes we need a reminder of how lucky we are. My character Daria reminded me it’s important to not take things for granted. Ann reminded me that although we can’t always meet physically, we are able to connect. I have interviewed several authors via email and shared their stories on my blog. Through my website, readers have sent lovely emails about Moonlight in Odessa. Twitter feels like my own personal newspaper. I love reading the blogs of agents and other authors to see what they are passionate about. Several bloggers have kindly done author interviews and reviewed my book. As book sections of newspapers get smaller and smaller, the Internet allows more and more writers to be heard.

The Internet is where it is at, a reunion café open 24/7 where all are welcome.

Many thanks to the writers and the Stiletto Gang for inviting me to share my thoughts!

Janet Skeslien Charles



http://www.jskesliencharles.com/

Buy Moonlight in Odessa at Amazon!