A Colorado Gold Nugget by Terry Wright

This is my fifth year running the Colorado Gold Writing Contest for RMFW. It’s hard to believe that much time has gone by. Thinking back to the beginning, I recall how word had gotten out that I’d sold my auto repair business and retired, so Susan Smith and Jeanne Stein asked me if I’d take over for them. They’d been at it for five years, so I figured I could do the same stint.

First and foremost, I’m a businessman. My eye is always on the bottom line. Profit and loss. Red and black ink. Cost v expenses, time equals money. Buy low, sell high. When I saw the contest through my entrepreneurial eyes, utter disbelief overwhelmed me.

The sheer amount of paper the contest volunteers had to shuffle staggered me. The number of people it required to move all that paper, the amount of space it took to store, organize, and stack it, the cost of the materials, the printing, the packaging, the postage, and the hundreds of man-hours, oh my. I went into ‘bottom line’ sticker shock.

Susan and Jeanne helped me survive that first year. Afterwards, I looked at the numbers, put my business experience to the bottom line, and came up with a new plan. Electronic submissions. If other contests could do it, so could RMFW. I told the Board it would take a total revamp of our procedures and that I was willing to do the work needed to usher the Colorado Gold into the 21st Century. They gave me the go-ahead to devise a new, easier, and cheaper way to conduct the contest.

The next year we accepted paper and electronic submissions, a kind of weaning-off-paper process. The third year, we went all electronic. Expenses dropped by 67%. This allowed us to budget in more prize money and fund two new categories: Action/Thriller and YA. Not one penny was spent on paper supplies and printing.

The Colorado Gold is now leaner and keener.

Chris Devlin will be your Contest Chair next year. She’s a 25-year member of RMFW, and she’s judged the contest most every year for the last twenty. This year she’s helping me, learning the ropes, and she’s thrilled to be involved. Thank you, Chris, for stepping up. You're a Colorado Gold Nugget.

Contest opens April 1st. Go to www.rmfw.org/contest for all the details.

This Crazy Business: Twilight & Editor Agent Relationships

Welcome to a new a feature on the Rock that gives you yet even more feed back from agents and editors. Yep, at the beginning of the year, we promised twice the interviews as last year with the big hitters and now have added another vital source of information for the aspiring writer. This Crazy Business is a panel of not one, not two, but at least three industry reps each time that will answer hot topic questions.

Our guests today are Literary Agent Gina Panettieri with Tolcott Notch, Editor Terri Bischoff with Midnight Ink, and Literary Agent Sharon Belcasto. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

The burning questions:

Question 1) How do you initiate relationships with editors?

Question 2) What made Twilight the smash hit it has become?

Gina Panettieri

1) Oh, gosh, lots of ways. That depends where they are. I may meet them at an event I'm attending, like a conference or party. I sometimes get an email from an editor at a new job, introducing herself and letting me know what she's looking to acquire, and I'll follow up on that to talk about what I've got. I may call or email someone who I've been following on Publisher's Marketplace when I take on a project that seems to match their acquisitions. I also drop a 'hello' email to new editors announced on Publishers Lunch or other pubs. I get a large number of 'wish lists' from publishers, updates from their publishing staff on who is looking for what. I follow a lot of editors on Twitter and I have a lot of editor followers, and that breaks the ice when it comes time to talk about books even if we haven't formally met yet.

2) I suppose you'll get a lot of different opinions on this one. I think it's because it offers complete and total escapism. It's like the Harlequin sweet romances where the wealthy worldly playboy suddenly realizes he can't live without the very ordinary poor shopgirl, with the paranormal twist that hit at just the right time. The protagonist is able to forget completely about her ordinary teen life. She barely has to worry about graduating high school, much less planning for after that. All she is really thinking about is love and being with the boy she loves and that's okay. But there's danger and excitement and she's the center of it all. And to make it really thrilling, another boy is also in love with her (wow, you've got the jocky muscular guy and the brooding, sensitive guy both!), fighting for her love and the two rivals work together to protect her. And it's a big epic romance she's going to DIE for? And she's going to be rich, and young, and beautiful to her true love forever. Why wouldn't teen girls think this was the best thing ever?

Terri Bischoff

2) Clearly it spoke to a certain segment of the population. Comments and opinions fly everywhere – about the anti-feminist nature and poor writing – but readers fell in love with the book. What more can you say?

Sharon Belcastro

1) Phone, email, tradeshows.

2) I must confess, I’m not really a big Twilight fan but I suppose it’s the innate desire in all of us plain jane girl next door types to score the dark sexy mysterious new boy in school. Even if he really is over 100 years old. LOL.

Thank you, ladies.

Gusto Dave

Synopsis: A Perfect Fit by Janet Lane

A version of this article originally appeared in Rocky Mountain Writer in August 2011.


Synopsis: a perfect fit
by Janet Lane

I should never have touched the dress, but the tailoring was exquisite, the design flattering. Heart skipping with anticipation, I entered the changing room. I searched for a zipper but found none. Odd, I thought, given the small-waisted style. Doubts cooled my hopes. I have wide shoulders and a woman’s hips, and it wasn’t looking good.

I lifted my arms and slipped the dress over my head. It stuck on my shoulders, so I squirmed and wiggled until the dress was half on.

Breathing heavier, images of mutating hornworms came to mind, but I remembered the lovely draping effect of the skirt and found renewed resolve. I pulled the hemline down and a seam ripped. What kind of pretzel did the fashion manufacturer think I was? I pulled harder.

Another rip.

I conceded to the dress. It would ruin whatever hair style I had, any way. I reversed my efforts but the fabric, wedged so tightly on my body, wouldn’t budge.

I was stuck, trapped in a prison of tight, unyielding black fabric. The lining was as strong as any straight jacket. I couldn’t see. Sweat broke out in my armpits, not perspiration, ladies.

A knock at the door. The dressing room attendant. I swallowed and found my voice. “Yes?”

“Having problems in there? Can I help?”

Like most women, I’d rather submit to blood withdrawal before admitting I needed help in a dressing room. “No, thanks. Just ... checking different angles, that’s all.” Oh, sweet worry, I thought, if only to have access to some scissors. $189 (before the sale) or not, it would have made an interesting scarf. Recalling my Lamaze classes, I took some hoo-hee breaths and continued extricating myself.

Yes. I escaped. And bought it. I’d ripped my way into a purchase, after all. I sew, so I added a zipper, something the designer should have done if he weren’t an evil woman-hater. It has since become one of my favorite dresses.

What, you may say, does any of this have to do with writing?

I’m reminded of this experience when I try to write a synopsis. I enter them with the highest of hopes and optimism, believing that this time the words will flow, that I will be more able this time to condense a 400-page story into two pages. I’m afraid, but lured by the prospect of owning a strong marketing tool for the novel I have labored so hard to write. It never fits without pain, suffering, and a dose or two of terror, along with embarrassment when the critiques arrive. It always costs more, in terms of time and brain damage, than I ever anticipate, and in the end it doesn’t fit exactly right. It always takes another adjustment and more hard thinking.

And if I stay with it, it becomes, like the dress, an asset worth the effort.

Just think. Isn’t it wonderful that the synopsis generally runs one to eight pages, and the novel runs three to four hundred? Such a better ratio than the other way around!

It’s spring, time for an attitude adjustment. A synopsis is a wonderful thing. Here are two reasons why:

1. A clearly written synopsis is an excellent selling tool.

We can write the most memorable story in the world, but if we can’t communicate what the book is about, we can’t sell it. Unless we’re prepared to visit New York and physically visit all the editors and agents and deliver our spiels orally, the synopsis is our representative. We want that representative to be knowledgeable and dressed to impress.

2. A clearly written synopsis is an excellent writing tool.

A synopsis is so hated because it points out, with a glaring spotlight, those areas of our book that are unclear, undeveloped, missing, inconsistent and/or just plain wrong.
A dear friend compared writing a synopsis to sticking your freshly washed face into one of those well-lit magnified makeup mirrors that reveal all the pores, wrinkles and zits.
Using this analogy, this is a unique chance to re-make ourselves, to erase the imperfections before going out into the publishing world.

Synopsis. It’s confining, seemingly impossible, terrifying, challenging, embarrassing and time-consuming. But I challenge you: complete one on your current project and you’ll see for yourself the magic it can work for your novel.

Multi-published author Janet Lane writes women’s fiction and historical romance set in 15th century England during the so-called “Gypsy Honeymoon” period. She launched her “Romancing the Tome” column in RMFW’s Rocky Mountain Writer twelve years ago and has been contributing to it ever since. Janet also blogs on craft and the writing life at www.janetlane.wordpress.com

Author and Editor Terry Wright is Interviewed!

by Janet Fogg

We’ve been asked, so today we’re offering answers to questions such as: Chiseled Staff? Are they really that chiseled? Are they completely off their Rockers? And what do they do behind closed doors?!

Today we’re talking to Terry Wright, and let me assure you, there’s nothing mundane in HIS writing world! Tension, conflict and suspense propel his readers through the pages as if they were on fire. Published in science fiction, supernatural, and horror, his mastery of the action thriller has won him acclaim as an accomplished screenplay writer. A member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers since 1998, he now runs RMFW’s annual Colorado Gold Writing Contest. Terry is also the editor of his own electronic publishing company, TWB Press, specializing in science fiction, supernatural, horror, and thriller genres.

CIR: Welcome Terry! How do you describe yourself (the top three things that come to mind)?

TW: Self-motivated. Entrepreneur. Overachiever. And I exaggerate a lot.

CIR: Please describe the path of your writing career.

TW: Everyone knows what potholes are. My path is strewn with sinkholes.

CIR: What are your current writing goals and challenges? (What are you working on?)

TW: “Black Jack” Book one in a series of Jack Sabre Thrillers. “After the murder of his wife, Denver Detective Jack Sabre crosses the line between justice and revenge. No more Mr. Nice Guy.”

CIR: What are the two toughest things about writing?

TW: Writing and writing.

CIR: Do you prefer igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary?

TW: Metamorphic, of course, something beautiful forged under pressure and heat for a long long time. Igneous is too messy, and sedimentary is downright icky (no offense anyone)

CIR: How has RMFW helped you advance your career?

TW: Let’s put it this way, before RMFW, I was destined to die with a wrench in my hand.

CIR: As we know, RMFW is an all-volunteer organization. Have you or do you volunteer elsewhere in the organization?

TW: Yes. Anyone who answers no to this question should be taken out back and shot at dawn.

CIR: What writers inspire you?

TW: All my mentors are dead – except you, Mario.

CIR: What genres do you read?

TW: Science Fiction (hard – Michael Crichton – Douglas Preston) and Thrillers (legal, political, serial killer, and military). I also love good narrative non-fiction like “Sea Biscuit” and “Flyboys.”

CIR: Do you ever get writer’s rock, er… block? If so how do you break through?

TW: There’s no such thing as writer’s block. The inability to put words on the page is due to a lack of planning.

CIR: What do you feel your stories are born of?

TW: I was a writer in my past life, a caveman who chiseled in rock short stories of hunting deer and stealing the chief’s daughter away at night. It’s hereditary.

CIR: What one piece of advice would you offer to new writers?

TW: Sell shoes. Okay, not really. Be willing to make changes to your work. Writing is in the rewriting.

CIR: What’s your favorite rock and roll song?

TW: I’m a country fan, so give me a good two step like “Tequila Makes her Clothes Fall Off” or a waltz like “Lucile” or how about a cowboy cha-cha like “Neon Moon”... hee hawwww

CIR: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

TW: I’ve always been a writer. It was the Air Force who said I was a mechanic.

CIR: Do you also have a “day” job? Other interests or hobbies?

TW: I retired from my day job two years ago after owning and operating an auto repair shop for thirty six years. I’ll always love flying light aircraft, though I haven’t flown since 1998 (another long story), and my wife, Bobette, and I enjoy outings in our motor home and weekly forays on the dance floors around town. I’ve picked up the guitar again after forty years (no I won’t join your band) and I get a kick out of my Wii games.

CIR: What books have most influenced you?

TW: Here I should say “The Bible” but I’d be exaggerating again. The book that changed my life the most was “Wealth without Risk” by Charles Givens.

CIR: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

TW: I do. My English and Journalism teacher at South High School. Mr. Johnson. Because of him, I was going to be a journalist, well, until Vietnam and my best friend joining the Marines and me joining the Air Force (another long story).

CIR: Do you like rocking chairs?

TW: I’m more of a recliner man, myself.

CIR: If you could time travel, when and where would you go?

TW: OMG... I would love to see the dinosaurs up close. When I was a little kid, I was told that there were dinosaur bones in North America. I was going to go there someday.

CIR: What do you predict for the future of the publishing industry and where you fit into that?

TW: This is a huge topic for me, as most of you know. I’m an electronic publisher, TWB Press, firmly implanted in the future of the publishing industry. Why? Refer to question #1. But don’t worry, print books won’t go away until the last tree is felled, and rest assured, e-books will dominate the marketplace for decades to come.

CIR: And lastly, what did you dream of doing when you were twelve years old?

TW: Driving.

CIR: Thank you for joining us, Terry!

You can learn more about Terry and his writing on his website, at TWB Press, or visit his American Pork blog.

But wait, there’s more!

Terry’s on twitter at: www.twitter.com/terrywright13
and www.twitter.com/twbpress

Facebook at: www.facebook.com/terrywrightbooks
and www.facebook.com/twbpress

and on Youtube at: www.youtube.com/terrywright13.

Top Ten Things I Hate About Writing/Being a Writer

I love being a writer. I love words. I love making readers laugh. Even more, I love making readers gasp in surprise. Writing is why I wake up each morning (okay, afternoon). So you’re probably asking yourself (if you are a twelve year old girl), if you love writing so much why don’t you marry it? If you’re a bit older, the question might be phrased a little differently but the ideas the same. If I love writing, why did I title this post the Top Ten Things I Hate about Writing/Being a Writer? What kind of idiot does that?

Mostly because I can. So there!

10. Spelling. That i before e rule is just bull***t! Yes, here it is: My name is Julie and I’m a terrible speller. If I could marry spellcheck I would. Our bond is strong and has lasted nearly a lifetime. Of course spell check is known for cheating and the occasional horrific gaff. Genius to penis in an email to my grandmother comes to mind.

9. Waiting. The publishing industry is all about waiting. Waiting to finish a book. Waiting for agents to read said book. Waiting for tens and perhaps hundreds of agents to reject the same manuscripts. Waiting for an editor to read the manuscript that the agent who kept you waiting for six months before it went out on submission. Waiting for the contract. Waiting for the release date, which is likely a year and a half from now. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. If you can survive the waiting with a shred of sanity than you will succeed.

8. Self-promotion. Even though this is number 8, it sucks more than many of the other things on this list. I don’t mind sending emails to bookstores asking to hold a booksigning at their bookstore. I have no problem wiring a press release or emailing a pitch idea to a news organization. These are things that authors have to do. What I don’t like is going on social media sites and selling myself or my books. I like to interact with my facebook friends. I want to share stuff with my followers on twitter. I like to blog about other books and sometimes politics on my blog. I understand that self-promotion is a necessary evil, but too often that evil is taken too far. Anyway, I have this book coming out on March 1^st. It’s a urban fairytale titled CURSES…

7. Reviews. I’m not going to whine about bad reviews. Yes, they happen. And yes, it sucks when you get one. Enough said.

6. Critique Groups. My first critique group was invaluable, but I didn’t learn so much about craft as I did about ego and bitterness. And really, what other professions offer critiques from peers as a means of bettering one’s self? Can you imagine a group of cops sitting around a doughnut shop…okay, bad analogy…but you get my point.

5. Grammar. I know. I know. I already said spelling and the ‘i before e’ rule, but grammar deserves its own special acknowledgement of hellishness. Present, past, past perfect. WTF? How is it language, the means of communication and ideas, has so many damn rules?

4. Readers. Okay, so this might sound harsh, but readers can be so annoying. Not you. You are FABULOUS! But readers sometimes want stuff to make sense, want characters who they love, want a plot that works, and then on top of that, they want perfect spelling and grammar. What am I, a rocket scientist? I picked a career in writing so I didn’t have to work…

3. Other Writers. Yeah, you know who you are. You’re always trying to get me to hangout in bars and talk in words. Hmmm…scratch that. I only hate writers who don’t pay for my drinks! Or are better at writing than me. Or the ones who sell more books. Oh and those damn bestsellers, what a bunch of…wordies.

2. Punctuation. I love you apostrophe. But damn can you be possessive.

1. Writing. Did I mention this already?

What do you hate about writing/being a writer?

j.a. kazimer is a writer living in Denver, CO. With a master’s degree in forensic psychology, j.a. has worked as a private investigator, bartender, and at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. Books include The Junkie Tales (2010), The Body Dwellers (2011), CURSES! A F***ed-Up Fairy Tale (2012), and Holy Socks & Dirtier Demons (2012). The next book in the F***ed Up Fairy Tale series, FROGGY-STYLE, is forthcoming from Kensington in 2013. Visit j.a. kazimer’s website at http://www.jakazimer.com/

A True RMFW Story

For my inaugural contribution to the Rock, I’ll tell you a true story about my journey into the world of RMFW. This world was an alien planet to me, no different from Mars, as my normal world had been the confines of my auto repair shop. My friends were mechanics, sales reps, and customers. I didn’t travel much, fixed cars, went fishing, learned to fly light aircraft. Then I started writing a book, the inciting incident that changed my normal world forever.

My motivation came from my then 14-year-old stepson visiting from New Jersey. A fledgling writer, he suggested we co-author a novel, so to pass the time, we came up with a few characters and a sketchy plot for “The 13th Power.” When he returned to New Jersey, he abandoned the project saying the book would never be published, anyway. Why bother? I set out to prove to him that anything was possible.

I went to Simi Valley, California, the setting for my book, met a girl who became my protagonist’s love interest, researched CERN and Fermilabs, and read about things I never cared about before. I traveled to the Kennedy Space Center to see NASA first hand, and then to an air show in Las Vegas where I sat in the cockpit of C-130 transport, talked to the pilots and the loadmaster, told them I was writing a book. My normal world was left behind for this new life of action and adventure.

It took me three years to write that book. Then I had to get it published or lose face to a now 17-year-old who was betting against me. Problem was...I had no idea how to go about getting a book published.

Then one day a friend came into my shop with a newspaper clipping about a contest I could enter, the Colorado Gold Writing Contest, it read, put on by some outfit called the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers at rmfw.org. This was the turning point in my journey. Filled with trepidation, I entered the contest, joined RMFW, attended the Capitol Hill critique group, and this alien planet soon became my home: new friends, new places, new adventures.

“The 13th Power” made the finals of that contest, but it didn’t win. So I entered the next year, and to my total shock, I didn’t even make the finals. I was crushed. My very own black moment descended on me in a dark cloak of despair.

So I fought back, looked at the judge’s comments from both contests, seriously this time, and went to work rewriting my book, determined as ever to win that contest. And just to be sure I had a winner, I found someone to evaluate my manuscript, a small press out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who offered me a publishing contract. I had achieved my goal, the climax of my journey. The pride I felt when I sent my stepson, now a young adult in college, a published copy of “The 13th Power” will remain one of my most memorable resolutions ever.

However, I was no longer eligible to enter the Colorado Gold. I spent the next eight years judging the contest, and now I’m in my fifth year running it. You see, anything is possible. And that, my friends, is a true RMFW story.

Denver Comic Con

It’s going to be huge. When one considers that a certain west coast city which hosts an annual comic book soiree attracted over 175,000 fans last year, you just know that Denver, the hippest city in America, will catch up to that number fast. With the adult cost being as low as $45 for three days, $25 dollars for teens, and free for kids under 10 with paid adult admission, this is a steal if you buy in advance.

The stars are taking note and signing up. Wil Wheaton is the latest heavy to join the guest list. Big Bang Theory, Star Trek: the Next Generation, Stand by Me…yeah, that guy. And his resume, especially with the gaming community, continues to impress, but you can check that out on the webpage.

Since this is a writer’s blog, I’ll take a circuitous route to tout another of Denver Comic Con’s red carpet walkers. Charlaine Harris started a series of hugely successful novels that HBO picked up and produced. I’ll bet you’ve heard of True Blood. Kristen Bauer the actress who plays Pam, the co-owner of Fangtasia bar will be here to take a bite out of the festivities.

If you watched or took your kid to any superhero movies within the last decade, you simply must treat yourself to this event. A delightful invasion of superhero masquerade will liven up our Mile High City this June and you want to be one of the people who can say you were there for the first one.

Check it out. Register. Get ready to have a blast. www.denvercomiccon.com

Three Authors, Three Questions: March 2012

Our guests for March are mystery writers Cara Black and Jess Lourey, and thriller writer from the UK, Matt Hilton. Welcome to Three Authors, Three Questions.

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Cara Black frequents a Paris little known outside the beaten tourist track--a Paris she discovers on research trips and interviews with French police, private detectives and café owners. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, a bookseller, and their teenage son. Her nationally bestselling and award nominated Aimée Leduc Investigation series has been translated into several languages.

Murder at the Lanterne Rouge, released March 6th, holds a special feeling for Cara as Aimée returns to the Marais. She discovers intrigue in the oldest and smallest Chinatown in Paris. One of the book's inspirations came from a French domestic intelligence agent's comment, 'No one dies in Chinatown'!

To learn more about Cara and her mystery series, visit her website. She can also be found on Twitter and Facebook. And if you want to take a look at Cara’s very busy appearance schedule, check out the events page on her website.


1. Cara, when you began submitting queries to agents or editors for your first published novel, what was the process like, and how long did it take to find your publisher?

After three and a half years of writing and working on Murder on the Marais, my first book, I did some homework and found SOHO press who published a well known foreign mystery crime line. They accepted unagented submissions so I queried them and they asked for 40 pages. After that they asked for the whole ms. It took maybe two or three months before I heard from them again and then they offered to buy it. I sold the book myself but an agent was interested in me after that and I signed with her.

2. What techniques do you use to make your characters come alive as you write?

Sensory details, sensory details, sensory details! So much comes out on the page about the character and the place if we have her feel and react to what she's experiencing. Using the five senses helps evoke not only a mood, a feeling and ambiance but brings the reader to this place, this time. Because my stories take place in Paris, I need to bring the reader there; to a cobbled street, on those winding narrow stairways, inhale the butter smell from the afternoon baking at the boulangerie, an April rain shower and mist hovering on the Seine, the feel of centuries old age pitted stone, the sharp click of high heels...I could keep going but I think it's important to try for a sensory detail on every page.

3. How creative are you in other areas of your life, especially your hobbies?

I love taking photos. Photos of anything - a rusted filigreed drain pipe in Paris, a cluster of red leaves, my dog after a bath, the way the light hits a slanting rooftop. I love black and white photos too and play around with sepia tones to suggest age. I've photo documented Hank Phillipi Ryan's shoe changing ritual at several ALA conferences ie from Louboutin heels to flat UGGS and variations on her changing from stilettos to shoes I usually wear. :)

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Matt Hilton quit his career as a police officer with Cumbria Constabulary to pursue his love of writing tight, cinematic American-style thrillers. He is the author of the high-octane Joe Hunter thriller series, including his most recent novel linked to amazon.uk, No Going Back, published in February 2012 by Hodder and Stoughton. His first book, Dead Men’s Dust, was shortlisted for the International Thriller Writers’ Debut Book of 2009 award.

Matt is a high-ranking martial artist and has been a detective and private security specialist, all of which lend an authenticity to the action scenes in his books.

The paperback edition of Judgment and Wrath (William Morrow and Company) will be available in the US this fall.

Matt’s website can be found at www.matthiltonbooks.com. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. I should also mention Joe Hunter has his own Facebook page.


1. Matt, when you began submitting queries to agents or editors for your first published novel, what was the process like, and how long did it take to find your publisher?

Very briefly, I researched agents and picked the agent I wanted, due to his recent successes placing authors with publishers. I wrote to him with what amounted to a business plan for an on-going series character fit for the commercial market, and I think this is what secured my representation. We exchanged emails, and I did a rewrite of my first book under his guidance, and when it was ready he took it to his contacts, and the book went to auction with 5 major publishing houses. It was about six months from first contact with the agent, until I got my publishing deal, but it seemed much shorter at the time. Of course, this was not the first agent or publisher I approached, and had been submitting with no success for the previous twenty years.

2. What techniques do you use to make your characters come alive as you write?

Primarily I use dialogue to help my characters jump off the page. My books are generally action-packed, slightly violent and deal with scary or nasty scenarios: I therefore leaven the darkness with humour so that it's not all doom and gloom.

3. How creative are you in other areas of your life, especially your hobbies?

I'm creative in many ways, though I don't tend to get to spend time with my other hobbies now that I write full-time. I paint in oils and acrylics, as well as sketch, for relaxation. I'm also "slightly" musical, in that I enjoy singing on occasion, and have recently purchased an upright double bass that I'm learning to play. When I was younger I loved making models from clay, and one of my earliest aspirations was to be a stop motion animator in the movies.

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Jess Lourey is the author of the humorous Murder-by-Month mysteries set in Battle Lake, Minnesota, and featuring amateur sleuth, Mira James.

Jess has been teaching writing and sociology at the college level since 1998. When not raising her wonderful kids, teaching, or writing, you can find her gardening, traveling, and navigating the niceties and meanities of small-town life. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and The Loft, and serves on the national board of Mystery Writers of America.

October Fest, her sixth book, was just nominated for a Lefty, the national award for best humorous mystery. In a starred review, Booklist says of November Hunt, her seventh, "It's not easy to make people laugh while they're on the edge of their seats, but Lourey pulls it off!" To find out more, please visit her website at www.jesslourey.com. She can also be found on Facebook.


1. Jess, when you began submitting queries to agents or editors for your first published novel, what was the process like, and how long did it take to find your publisher?

I grew up on a lonely farm, one mile from the nearest neighbor, eleven miles from the nearest town. So the world knew I existed, I used to order stuff from the back of comic books--fake dog poop, joy buzzers, snap gum. Then, when the mailman dropped off what I had ordered, I felt validated: "someone knows I'm out here!" I used the same theory to get through the rejection process of finding an agent. Over the course of a year, I sent out over 400 query letters, in batches of 100. With each "no thanks," I told myself, "at least I got mail." Eventually, I also got an agent.

2. What techniques do you use to make your characters come alive as you write?

I have a character bible where I "keep" my characters. They each have a single page describing their physical characteristics, their quirks, their life obstacles. Some of them even have a photo glued in there, someone famous or striking who physically reminds me of the character. Then, for that added touch, I write down what real person inspired my character, usually someone I know well. When I write that character, I hold that person in the front of my mind.


3. How creative are you in other areas of your life, especially your hobbies?

Who’s got time for hobbies? Seriously. I'm lucky when I can squeeze a shower in.

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Mini-interviews were conducted and compiled by Pat Stoltey. Chiseled in Rock thanks Cara Black, Matt Hilton, and Jess Lourey for graciously agreeing to participate in the Three Authors, Three Questions series.

The 2012 Colorado Gold Writing Contest!

By Janet Fogg

Oh, so you’re just thinking about entering The Colorado Gold Contest for unpublished writers and want my thoughts? Let me ask you something first, though. It sounds as if you’re trying to find an excuse to avoid entering. Why? What’s the problem?

What?! You’re afraid you won’t win? Well, pull up a chair and let me share a few thoughts about winning. To be honest though, I’m far more anxious to talk about losing.

Yes, I’ve won my share of contests and it’s exciting. First you receive word that you’re one of the finalists in your category. At the big banquet, all spiffed in your fancy pants, your heart pounds when your name is called. You bolt to the podium amidst waves of applause. And then, the moment of truth. Who won? You did? Applause! The editor picked your entry and now she’s shaking your hand!

Shhhh… Here’s what you’ll do later, right? You’ll find her in the bar or hospitality suite and thank her for selecting your manuscript. Then, at the perfect moment, she’ll undoubtedly lean close and slip you a three-book contract.

Ahem. You really do write fiction, don’t you?

What will really happen is that you'll have an edge, and the final judge in your category might just request a full. Regardless, you’ll have increased confidence as well as additional credentials to boost your resume, which is very helpful in this profession of ours. But wait, there's more.

Cut to scene at pitch meeting: ME, many years ago: “Hi, Big $$ Agent! I’ve had several articles published as well as one short story, and I just won first place in the Colorado Gold Contest for my time-travel, Soliloquy... Yes, it’s complete, about 80,000 words. Sure, I have a few pages with me. Here.”

BIG $$ AGENT (flipping through the first three pages): “Well, at least you can write. Here’s my card, send me the manuscript next week. I'll take a look.”

Happy dance! Was it because I’d polished and honed and studied and fussed and fumed and listened to my friends in critique regarding those first 20 pages, which helped me win the contest? Most likely. But I didn't win first place the first time I entered.

Speaking of not winning, I want to talk about losing a writing contest and why that’s not a bad thing. Yes, I know it’s not politically correct to say “you lost,” but if you didn’t win that means you lost. Or does it?

Alone, in the dark (and sometimes stormy) night, I’d written my first book. Then I attended a class on How to Get Published. At the class I joined fellow attendees to form a critique group (Uff Da!). During that class I also learned about writing organizations, conferences, and contests. I learned about RMFW. I wasn’t alone anymore.

Entering my first Colorado Gold contest was scary-fun. I remember being chew-on-your-elbows nervous when preparing my entry, to the point that I probably had the rules memorized from double-checking them. I already mentioned I didn't win first place in that first contest I entered. But in retrospect I did win, BIG time.

The RMFW conference and contest were my first real foray into the big, bad world of publishing. When I didn’t win first place I was flattened. Think fresh asphalt on a hot day. I was so certain that I would be the next Zenna Henderson or Julian May. The world of fantasy would be mine for the taking… and it wasn’t. But the writers and editors and agents at the conference welcomed me to their panels and luncheons and dinners, and we talked, talked, talked about writing and publication. I doubt that I’ve ever learned so much in so few days. But I was still sad about not winning first place.

At some point I hitched up my britches, grabbed a cup of tea, and carefully arranged my score sheets on the dining room table so I could study them on a warm, optimistic morning. Oh no, look at this, where I keep shifting POV! Oh no, look at that passive text! Deep breath. Oh wait, here’s a nice comment. This judge liked my synopsis, said the overall story holds together. And this judge said my voice is INCREDIBLE. All in caps! Wow! Then she said if I’d tighten my pacing, address a few mechanical issues such as POV and passive text, that she would have purchased my book if flipping through it at a bookstore!

I’d already sent out at least a half-dozen queries before entering that contest. I should dig them out and send apologies to each of those editors. Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of my first manuscript, my very first try at novel-length fiction, but I now recognize how poorly it’s crafted, that it lacks pacing, subplots, and world-building. The comments from the contest helped me recognize what I needed to study to improve my next effort. And manuscript number two was better. I kept entering contests, reading, attending critique, learning, and most importantly, writing new words. Then, with manuscript number three I finally landed my first publication contract.

But let’s talk rejection for a moment. There could be an analogy made between losing a contest and that loss preparing you for a glimpse of the future, when query after query might trigger rejection after rejection. In other words, the contest is kind of an apprenticeship for the world of publishing. You want to win the contest and you want to win a publication contract. To win either there are lessons to be learned, words to write, worlds to conquer.

When an agent sends comments with a rejection this is a compliment, even though they're attached to a rejection. Just like in the contest, there are lessons to be learned from those comments. Yes, you do have to filter all comments, decide if you agree or disagree. But your writing will improve and someday you will win! First you’ll land an agent or you’ll meet an editor and pitch to them. They’ll love your story idea and request a partial, then a full. You’ll receive an offer and then… a contract!

So when it comes to writing contests, it seems as if losing might just be winning. Of course winning is winning as well. Guess that means you can’t lose, doesn’t it?

---------------------------------

Workshop alert!

Colorado Gold Writing Contest Workshop
March 24, 2012, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Lakewood Library
10200 W. 20th Ave. (West of Kipling at Miller St.)
Lakewood, Colorado

Here's your opportunity to get a heads up on the 2012 Colorado Gold Writing Contest. Join Terry Wright for this pre-contest workshop and learn how you can increase your chances of making the finals. That's what it takes to get your work in the hands of an agent or editor attending the Colorado Gold Writers Conference in September. It just might turn out to be the big break you've been working for. Publication. However, if your verbs are passive, your scenes are vague, or your characters are flat, and/or your synopsis is more plot than character, you might miss the final round. So take the time to benefit from Terry's 12 years of experience as a contest judge and coordinator.

For additional information on the contest, visit RMFW’s contest page.

Terry Wright Writes with the Right Stuff…Now on the Rock!

Usually when an aspiring author starts on the journey to publication, he or she needs lots of guidance. Honest assessment, succinct constructive criticism, recommendations for books on the craft of writing…these came to me when I first joined Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers from Terry Wright.

I was so thrilled to find a critique group ran by someone who didn’t pull punches and who imbued the rest of the members to follow suit. As a result, I saw what to fix in my manuscripts quickly. With every ten pages I put down before the circle, seeking feedback, I learned something major.

There’s probably no telling how many new writers Terry has helped out, but the numbers are about to get much bigger because he has now joined our blog.

The key thing that I must boast to writers who visit the Rock for writing tips is that Terry has run the RMFW Gold Contest for years. And that contest with finals judged by agents and editors has led to multiple dreams come true either because an editor signed an author on the spot or because an agent/author relationship started there and later turned into representation that led to a book deal.

A published author himself, Terry will no doubt get you to thinking critically about your work and probably in some way help you to realize your publication goal.

Welcome aboard, Terry!

Gusto Dave

My Agent, the Felon

by Matthew Swihart, Esq.

Is your agent a felon? She or he very well could be, and not even know it. I’m not talking about your typical felonies—rape, murder, drug dealing, bad check writing, and the like—rather, I’m talking about something that can potentially lead to a felony charge: Unlicensed Practice of Law (UPL).

You see, each profession requiring state licensure has carved out a specific section of actions and statements for themselves, and prohibited non-members from doing things they like to do. For example, the State frowns upon people without medical degrees performing surgeries, people without architectural degrees drawing up plans for very tall buildings, and people without law degrees from giving legal advice. The rationale is self-explanatory: to protect the public from those well-intentioned self-help people who don’t have proper training and certification.

Now, the legislature felt a degree of any type was pretty much worthless, so they also instituted licensing bodies. For lawyers, it’s the Bar of each state. This is always an office of the state Supreme Court, and since they don’t trust law schools to teach us anything, they require a passing grade on their Bar Exam in order to become licensed to dispense legal advice in their state. Some states will let you waive the exam if you have practiced in another state for a period of time, others won’t.

If someone practices law in a state without being duly licensed by that state (or licensed in a state, if they are practicing federal law), then they are subject to a civil injunction prohibiting them from practicing law in that state again. If they violate the civil injunction, they can be held in contempt of court. Depending on the jurisdiction, this could lead to a fine or even imprisonment (in some jurisdictions, contempt of court is a felony, hence the title of this post).

This is all good and well, but how does it relate to agents? Remember, we were talking about agents?

It is my opinion that the vast majority of agents (of all types, not just literary) routinely practice law as part of their profession. Real estate agents will explain provisions of the various contracts involved in the purchase and sale of homes. Literary agents will explain the provisions of various contracts involved in selling and marketing your books. You expect them to. After all, what are you paying them for, if not to give you advice about the contract they are negotiating for you?

But it is dangerous for an agent to practice law, as the repercussions of bad advice can be devastating to an author. For example, in a business contract (so we don’t offend any authors or agents, we’ll use an example outside of the publishing world), the phrase “time is of the essence” may imply the other side merely wants to move quickly to complete the deal/perform the task contracted for. While true, this phrase also has an additional legal meaning: that time is a material element of the contract. This means a portion of the goods or services not delivered or completed on the date listed may be a material breach of the contract, entitling the non-breaching party to liquidated damages—even if the delivery/completion was only late by a single day.

Of course, that is why there are copyright and contract attorneys out there. There are even agents who are also attorneys—people like Marisa Corvisiero (https://www.facebook.com/nyagent)—a fantastic combination, as it’s the only true one-stop-shopping for an author.

These people provide the valuable legal advice which an agent alone is not qualified or ethically able to provide. Even if an agent works with a publisher regularly, and the contract hasn’t changed in years, the simple fact is the law changes almost daily. A provision frequently relied upon by an agent (and publisher) may have recently been deemed invalid by a court, and the agent would have no way of knowing that information. This could lead to problems for the author who relied upon their agent’s advice. Problems for authors lead to lawsuits against agents.

The best agents know this, and routinely refer their clients to contract attorneys to review the contracts before they are signed.

So, how do you know if an agent is practicing law? When deciding whether something is the practice of law, consider this: if the person giving you advice begins with the statement, “Now, I’m not a lawyer, but…” or, “Now, I’m not giving you legal advice, but…”, then everything after the “but” is legal advice. In other words, if you feel like you want someone to explain a contract provision to you, then you probably should have an attorney look at it.

The best description I’ve seen is from a Florida case from 1962, which held, “… if the giving of [the] advice and performance of [the] services affect important rights of a person under the law, and if the reasonable protection of the rights and property of those advised and served requires that the persons giving such advice possess legal skill and knowledge of the law greater than that possessed by the average citizen, then the giving of such advice and the performance of such services by one for another as a course of conduct constitute the practice of law.” The Florida Bar v. Sperry, 140 So.2d 587, 591 (Fla. 1962), vacated on other grounds, 373 U.S. 379 (1963). Bear in mind, the purpose of UPL and other rules are to protect the public from incompetent, unethical, and irresponsible representation.

If you have any questions related to this or other topics, or if you have a topic you’d like me to address in this forum, please leave them in the comments, or e-mail me at Matthew.Swihart@aol.com. One caveat: unless you sign a representation agreement with me, nothing on here or in any e-mail response constitutes an attorney-client relationship.

Incite Contest

The winners for the Incite Contest are:

Paragon of the Eccentric by Terry Kroenung
The Killer Wore Clown Shoes by David Kelley
Looking for Redfeather by Linda Collison
The Bookshop at Whistlestop by Stephanie Carter
Bee Candy by Sullamuth Smith

Check out the fun we had at the Mercury Cafe!

What's New from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers?

Here are a few of the recent and upcoming releases from members of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.


Darkest Knight
By Karen Duvall
Harlequin Luna March 23, 2012
ISBN: 978-0373803446
Trade Paperback $14.95

“After the warrior she loves saved her from a murderous gargoyle, Chalice watched helplessly as Aydin turned into a gargoyle himself. Now, free from the curse that enslaved her, Chalice pledges to join her sister knights in The Order of the Hatchet—and do whatever it takes to regain Aydin's humanity…and his love. What she encounters within their hallowed sanctuary is pure intrigue.

Someone—or something—is murdering her sisters in their sleep, provoking fear and suspicion among the order. Meanwhile, Aydin, unable to stay away, starts haunting Chalice's dreams, urging her onward. Ultimately, Chalice will be faced with an agonizing choice—one that will tear away at her newfound identity and force her to choose between duty and desire.”

More information about Karen and her books is available at her blog. She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.


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Wave Me Good-bye
By Teresa Funke
Victory House Press March 2012
ISBN: 978-1935571162
Trade Paperback (8-13 year olds) $7.67

“Based on a true story from World War II: As the only Jewish girl in her New York neighborhood, thirteen-year-old Miriam Liebler has a lot on her mind. World War II is raging, and her brother will soon pack his bags to join the fight. Blackouts and air-raid drills punctuate her daily life. Worse yet, her family has heard nothing from their Jewish relatives in Europe since before the war started, and Miriam fears the worst.

Her friends don't understand her worries-until she meets Christopher Richards, an orphaned English boy whisked to America to escape the deadly bombings of London. Miriam and Chris exchange candy, comic books, and secrets through the iron bars of the orphanage fence. When Miriam's mother takes in a German-Jewish refugee and her daughter, Miriam becomes entangled in the woman's desperate search to find her family. Will her friendship with Chris survive when trouble brews?”

For more information about Teresa’s series of World War II stories for kids and her well-known collection of women’s stories, Dancing in Combat Boots, visit her website. She is also on Facebook.


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Marked in Mexico
By Kim McMahill
Inspired Romance Novels
E-book for Kindle, Nook $2.99

When hostages are taken at one of Mexico’s most popular Mayan ruins an idyllic Caribbean vacation turns deadly.

The kidnappers believe the abduction will be a simple way to negotiate the release of a colleague from a Texas prison, but matters become complicated and the stakes much higher when they realize one of their hostages is the daughter of a powerful U.S. Senator and another is an ex-Army Ranger who has no intention of playing by the rules.

For more information about Kim and Marked in Mexico, visit her website or blog.


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Finding Her Son
By Robin Perini
Harlequin Intrigue March 6, 2012
ISBN: 978-0373696079
Mass Market Paperback $5.25

"Investigating a cold case is SWAT cop Mitch Bradford's worst nightmare—especially when it involves a kidnapped infant. But thanks to an injury, he'll have to settle for following Emily Wentworth instead of breaking down doors and cuffing criminals. The prime suspect in a mysterious disappearance, Emily has always claimed she was framed. And as he earns the trust of the incredibly desperate—and unbelievably beautiful—mother, every instinct tells Mitch to believe her.

Then new evidence unfolds, revealing an elaborate conspiracy and forcing Emily into a deadly spotlight. Now, torn between loyalty to the badge and his promises to Emily, Mitch may have to make the ultimate sacrifice if he's to bring her little boy home."

Visit Robin at her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.


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The Never Prayer
By Aaron Michael Ritchey
Crescent Moon Press March 29, 2012
ISBN: 978-1937254414
Trade Paperback $14.99

"Blown in on the winds of storm, two mysterious boys show up in Avalon, Colorado: one wants to save Lena, the other will try to destroy her.

Fiercely independent, Lena doesn’t think she needs saving. And she has already been destroyed. After her parents are killed, she alone must take care of her little brother and her mentally ill aunt. She does this the only way she knows how–by living a life of crime and desperation.

Drawn into a hellish game of love and lust, Lena will have to walk the shadowy line between demon and angel, and in the end, the fate her family and her soul will rest on the impossible decision she alone must make."

Find more information about Aaron and The Never Prayer at his website and blog. He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.


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List compiled by Pat Stoltey

Caption Crazy!

It is often said a picture is worth a thousand words, so we'll provide the picture if you'll provide the words! Silly or serious? Either is fine!


What came to mind when you saw this picture?

Write a caption, log line, or flash fiction. Write the first paragraph of a short story or novel.

Please share as a comment!

Janet Fogg

YA Editor for Harper Collins Karen Chaplin Puts it in Perspective

Interview conducted by Gusto Dave.

KAREN CHAPLIN has the awesome job of being an Editor at HarperCollins Children's Books. Although it says Children’s Books, (that threw me because when I was in Jr. High no one could tell me I was a child…even though I acted worse than one) she acquires tween and teen fiction. And I might add that she is one of the most pleasant editors with whom I’ve corresponded. Some of the projects she is editing include Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard (forthcoming July 2012), Starling by Lesley Livingston (forthcoming August 2012), Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon (forthcoming August 2012). She also worked at Puffin/Penguin before moving to Harper, and while she was there, she worked on Students Across the Seven Seas series, Zombie Queen of Newberry High and Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby, Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Cynthea Liu, Exclusively Chloe by J. A. Yang, and the Specialists series by Shannon Greenland.

Welcome to the Rock, Karen!

KC: Thanks so much for having me!

CIR: You’re a fan of the Princess Bride! To me, not only was that film and book amazing, but all of Goldman’s work is brilliant. And he’s known for this quote: “Nobody knows anything.” Although he said it about Hollywood, but especially since he was first and foremost a writer, is there any truth to this about the publishing industry?

KC: Yes, I absolutely love The Princess Bride—the book and the movie. It’s one of my all-time favorites! I do think there is some truth to Goldman’s quote “Nobody knows anything,” especially with regard to the YA marketplace. It is a constantly changing entity. I think the minute you start thinking you know everything, something changes and the market shifts. Tastes are fickle, and what was once the hottest thing could start to be on a downtrend. I feel the key is to not write to trends or what you think the market wants. Just because dystopian novels are hot doesn’t mean you need to write the next one. It may not be your forte, and I think it’s a recipe for disaster. Just write for yourself, write the story you want to tell.

CIR: Way back in 2007 on Pub Rants, Literary Agent Kristen Nelson’s blog—she’s a good friend of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers being that she lives so close to us, she said that a YA psychological thriller is something you’d like to see. Is that still true? And is there some data that suggest this market could be hot?

KC: Yes! I love psychological thrillers; I just find them so utterly compelling. I actually just signed up a wonderfully creepy thriller. I don’t know that there is actual data saying that this is a hot genre. But I think with people having paranormal (and to an extent, dystopian) fatigue, we’re all looking for something new and fresh, whether that be thrillers or realistic/contemporary. And really, I am just always looking for something that truly resonates with me, a story that I fall in love with and can’t stop thinking about.

CIR: I’ve been dying to ask a YA editor this question. Why is YA booming? I can understand that our education system is hungry to find good reads for students, but are adults moving toward it, or worse, tapering off from reading?

KC: This is an interesting question. One of the most dramatic times in one’s life is high school. So much of what happens during those four years really shapes a person and informs what they will be in their adult lives. I think we all carry a piece of high school—the awkwardness, the joy, the friendships, the sadness, the relationships—with us into adulthood. Essentially, everyone can relate to the high school experience, so there is a huge market out there. Not only kids who are going into or are currently in high school, but kids who have gone on to college, and twenty-somethings. There is a lot of cross-over potential in the YA marketplace into the adult market.

CIR: Who are some of the authors you admire that you’ve had the opportunity to meet?

KC: Well, there are just too many authors that I admire to really list them here! And there are always some amazingly talented authors that emerge and I would inevitably leave someone out! But I can tell you that I had the privilege and honor of meeting the wonderfully talented S. E. Hinton when I was at a conference a few years ago. I was a bit star-struck, to be honest—I mean, she wrote The Outsiders when she was sixteen! But I got past my awe and found her to be an absolutely lovely person, incredibly smart yet down to earth. It was such a wonderful experience to talk to her and hear her stories about writing and making the movie.

CIR: How important is it for an author to be flexible to changes to his or her manuscript? By the way, I’m so flexible, my leg is behind my neck as I write this.

KC: Oh my, don’t hurt yourself! :) But seriously, flexibility is incredibly important. Part of the editorial process that I love is brainstorming. When a writer turns in his/her manuscript, I understand it was a labor of love for them. This is a monumental moment for them—that they are giving their work to someone else to read. However, from an editorial standpoint, there needs to be flexibility for me to do my job, which is to take a writer’s story to the next level and make it the best it can possibly be. And to do that, an author needs to have an open mind to suggestions.

CIR: Because we strive to be the most unique writer’s blog on the web, I must ask a peculiar question. What entertainer do you think would be good at writing a fiction piece? And it can’t be someone who has been published in fiction or writes screenplays. For example, I’d say Tom Waits.

KC: This is a difficult one. There are just too many options! I think Tom Waits is a good one. Perhaps Neil Young—I feel he would have some amazing stories to tell. Really, I would say any musician—actually songwriter—who had been in the music business a long time might be able to sit down and write a novel. They are, I think, intense observers by nature. By writing songs, they are telling a kind of story in their own way.

Follow Karen on Twitter @CapChapReads.

10 Myths about Being an Author

My name is Julie and I’m an author.

Hold your applause.

What? You weren’t planning on applauding? Oh.

Anyway, people are always asking questions. The big one is “Would you like fries with that?” but sometimes the questions relate to being an author. I’m not sure how they know that I write books for a living. Perhaps it’s my author-like scent. I’ve heard all authors emit this special sort of scent- Ode to Words, but I never believed it. Not till CURSES! was released last week and I noticed this stench clinging to me. Sure you could blame the whiskey, but I prefer to think that the smelly author myth is actually true.

By now you’re probably asking yourself, is there a point to this rambling? And the answer is…”Can I supersize my drink?”

Okay, now that my order’s complete, let’s talk myths, especially those 10 little ones that cling to authors:

10. Books are easy to write.
I hate to burst this particular bubble, since most people I know say stuff like, “I should write a book.” (And they should. Everyone should try at least once, and then I would never, ever hear that statement again). But book writing (at least good, publishable book writing) is damn hard and it takes months, sometimes years to finish.

9. Authors are all rich.
Sigh. I wish. Like me, most authors I know have a day job or a very nice spouse who supports the authors dream. Even semi-famous authors aren’t making the big bucks. For every six-figure book deal you hear about, there are twenty four figure ones. Worse, if you get an advance, you have to sell enough books to pay that advance (called earning out) before you make a dime on any book you sell.

8. Authors sell thousands and thousands of books.
To who? Please tell me where can I sell that many books? An average mid-list author with a new release will sell anywhere from 500 to a couple thousand book a year. Most books don’t even sell that many copies.

7. Once an author sells a book to a publisher, the author can just step back and reap in the royalties.
Ha! How I wish this myth was true. I sold my first book thinking this same thing. Boy did I learn a lesson over the next year. I had to arrange every book signing, send out all newsletters and press releases for media attention, and buy all my own book swag. A publisher does their part with editing, printing and distributing my book as well as helping to promote it.

6. All books are somewhat autobiographical.
Let me answer this as quick and easily as I can: NO. No. No. No. I am not a fairy tale villain. I’ve never been a fairy tale villain. Nothing in my novel is me or about me.

5. The narrator in the book is the author.
See the answer above. Whatever point of view a book is told in is a decision made by the author as a means to tell a story. I, the author, am not the narrator. I am merely the chick who types the words.

4. The day a book is released it will be front and center of the bookstore.
Not true. Here’s another painful lesson I learned. The books you see in the front of the bookstore, well, those are there because someone, likely the publisher, paid the store to place them there. Sadly, bookstores have less and less space for books. Many are now selling e-readers in space that used to house books. So the odds of finding your book on a store’s shelves are about 50/50.

3. Authors love attention and talking about their book.
Some do. Others, like me, would rather not be the center of attention. But it’s the nature of our business. If I want to succeed I have to tell people about my book.

2. If a book has vampires or a kid named Harry in it, you’ll make millions.
False. Please, for the love of all words, stop writing to what you think the market is or wants. If J.K. Rowlings or Stephenie Myers jumped off a bridge would you? Be fresh. Be unique. Be yourself.

1. All authors are young, sexy and hip.
This one happens to be absolutely true.

j.a. kazimer is a writer living in Denver, CO. With a master’s degree in forensic psychology, j.a. has worked as a private investigator, bartender, and at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. Books include The Junkie Tales (2010), The Body Dwellers (2011), CURSES! A F***ed-Up Fairy Tale (2012), and Holy Socks & Dirtier Demons (2012). The next book in the F***ed Up Fairy Tale series, FROGGY-STYLE, is forthcoming from Kensington in 2013. Read more about j.a. at http://www.jakazimer.com

The Dilemma

By the ever opinionated E.C. Stacy

A friend from way back looked me up the other day and noticed that I was a writer. He wanted to ‘get back to pursuing his dream of publication’ and asked me to look at his manuscript. Right here, I should point out that he has no formal education in English, Journalism, Literature or related disciplines of a writer—not that one has to have them to achieve publication, but usually an aspiring author has to pay some dues one way or another. Writer’s organizations are also very effective for acquiring the tools, incidentally. I recommend Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. :)

It would have been more palatable if he’d invited me to an Amway sales retreat. I mean, if you’ve been in this business for a while, you know a new writer probably needs work and by the same turn, they probably don’t want to hear that. Even it they do overcome the body slam of criticism, they don’t realize, as I didn’t and probably many of you didn’t either, how much they have to learn.

Cornered because he was an ‘old pal’, I tried a couple of customer-service strategies to stall. I talked about how many years I went to critique groups, and the stacks of rejections, and the delay between epiphanies that improved my prose.

He wrote back, saying that he agreed with all that…as if he had the battle scars.

So then I responded that when I started, I thought I had a foothill to climb, but actually it was Mt. Everest. And hell, I’m still scaling the beast.

His reply: something about how he could understand how he might have some work ahead of him.

So I went for broke. I asked if he knew what oblique dialogue was. A marker? Ever heard of a shapeshifter, a threshold guardian?

His next correspondence was when I knew the game was over. He said he went to a community college creative writing class and didn’t feel the critiques there were very helpful. He also sent the manuscript to my inbox and left it open ended, saying “If you get around to it.”

Now, as far as I’m concerned, I’m glad he sought higher learning. Quite frankly, I don’t know what they cover in creative writing classes at junior colleges. But I noticed that he didn’t answer me. Clearly, he was oblivious.

Well, I sure the hell wasn’t going to fall into that black hole. My message back to him said: Took a peek at your story. Yep, you’ve got the writer’s bug. I strongly encourage you to submit it to some publishers. Good luck.

And he thought that was just peachy.

The twist here is: I really like helping. But I can't help someone if they think they've already figured it out.

Sincerely, from me to all of you who know what a tough road this is, feel free to use my little charm should you find yourself in a similar pinch.

Five Things Writers Can Do Instead of Writing

by Pat Stoltey

1. Memorize a poem

2. Listen to a meditation CD

3. Take silly photos

4. Crochet granny squares

5. Chop up a chocolate bar, mix it with peanut butter, and eat it with a spoon

Procrastination. We all do it. What’s your favorite way to waste your writing time?

Chiseled Author E.C. Stacy is Interviewed!

We’ve been asked, so today we’re offering answers to questions such as: Chiseled Staff? Are they really that chiseled? Are they completely off their Rockers? And what do they do behind closed doors?!

Over the next month you’ll see interviews with our own Chiseled Staff, and today we’re talking to E.C. Stacy.

E.C. loves swimming, traveling, and is a horror movie aficionado. Cougars are a common theme in E.C.’s erotic romance titles such as New Cougar in Town and Lust Bites. The Quench series (with Quenched co-authored by Ainsley) is about a vampire dating service in which the mortals pay with blood, and Devil Music, co-authored with Thia Myles Vincent, is a twist on the Faustian mythos. With several publication contracts pending that we can’t yet discuss, E.C. also reminded us that Charlaine Harris wrote the foreword to E.C.’s short story Sweets! Sweet!

CIR: How do you describe yourself (the top three things that come to mind)?

E.C.: Quiet in person, but a loud mouth on paper. A little sneaky, but charitable and fun. Yeah, I think that just about does it. Otherwise, I’m completely boring…except when the hubby and I go streaking on Halloween.

CIR: Being that you dabble in drawing, (the blog cartoons and your Erotic Coloring and Activity Pad) did you take art classes?

E.C.: Nothing other than classes in public school. My humble aptitude for art must have come from my love for checking out beautiful bodies.

CIR: Please describe the path of your writing career.

E.C.: Well, anything but a career. The royalties are unreliable right now. Maybe someday that’ll change. Per below, I have a day job.

CIR: What are your current writing goals and challenges? (What are you working on?)

E.C. Total E Bound will be publishing—I should note that the following is a working title—Comic Con Lust – Part I of the Fan Convention Escapades series by this summer. I have some other pans on the stove, but this manuscript is nailed shut.

CIR: What are the two toughest things about writing?

E.C.: Assuming the question means all the things related to the practice—because come on, sitting down and poking keys isn’t that tough—rejections and keeping up with all the sub-genres that seem to multiply like rabbits. Agents and editors will tell you to ‘stay on top’ of the market trends, but I think that’s simply impossible.

CIR: Do you prefer igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary?

E.C.: Let’s see…I’m ignominious for igneous, metaphoric for metamorphic, and sentimental for sedimentary. How’s that?

CIR: How has RMFW helped you advance your career?

E.C.: Again, what’s this career stuff you speak of? I discovered the erotic romance genre at an RMFW Gold Conference.

CIR: As we know, RMFW is an all-volunteer organization. Have you or do you volunteer elsewhere in the organization?

E.C.: Inside two years of learning about the erotic romance genre at said conference, I presented a workshop there.

CIR: What writers inspire you?

E.C.: Jennifer Crusie and my bud, J.A. Kazimer. There are a whole lot more, but these were my first impulses. And I’m very impulsive. Just ask my hubby. Think I’ll go smack him on the tush right now.

CIR: What genres do you read?

E.C.: It’s quicker to explain what I don’t read. Historical romance—no offence to the authors of it or fans—and any book regardless of genre that fails to demonstrate the basic craft of storytelling within the first few pages (i.e. setting a scene, description, problem, what’s about to change).

CIR: Do you ever get writer’s rock, er… block? If so how do you break through?

E.C.: Particularly, I have problems writing a male character who can sweep a woman off her feet. What is it like to be that silver tongued devil who can dazzle the woman into his bed? I don’t know. Can’t imagine being like that, but I enjoy trying to write them.

CIR: What do you feel your stories are born of?

E.C.: What I want to see out there in the book selections. It has happened where I think, man, I’d like for there to be a title about yada yada, and then I snoop around the internet and find that a yada yada already exists, and I stop right there because I’m glad someone did it. Typically, I’ll buy said title. But If I don’t see anything like my idea, I tack it on to my to-do list.

CIR: What one piece of advice would you offer to new writers?

E.C.: For the most part, there are two types of writers…seriously…those who love the written word, and those who love themselves. There are some who qualify for a get-out-of-jail-free card on those classifications, but all one has to do is look around at the scribes around them and notice the fairly typical dichotomy of attitudes.

If you can be the writer who hungers to set words on paper no matter what genre and rejoice when an agent or editor is willing to work with you to make that story the most marketable publication, you’ll make it one way or another. You also need to be able to produce copy. Just look at Nora Roberts.

That’s advice for the author who wants to get published and sell books. If you just enjoy stroking the keyboard as a hobby, you don’t need advice.

But if you write because you think you’re God’s gift to the language, you’re not going to listen to me anyway. No more explanation needed.

I’m not saying that you can’t be proud of your work. Just remember that the reader comes first. Speaking of, that’s why I like interviewing book buyers in the ongoing series on the Rock entitled Meet the Reader. I damn well want to know what readers are looking for to make my pages better.

CIR: What’s your favorite rock and roll song?

E.C.: Love Train by the Ojays. Hey…no snickering.

CIR: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

E.C.: When I realized that I even freakin’ loved writing office memos and business letters.

CIR: Do you also have a “day” job? Other interests or hobbies?

E.C.: It’s a government job and because they could really get all up in arms about my moonlighting, I write under a pseudonym. I also crochet. Yes, my pseudonym is a play of words with ecstasy. But Stacy is an Irish last name, and I just so happen to have some of the ol’ emerald lineage breathing in me.

CIR: Do you like rocking chairs?

E.C.: I like racing them. Crashed one last week.

CIR: If you could time travel, when and where would you go?

E.C.: Got ya! I can time travel. With age defying make-up, I’m now only 23 years old.

CIR: What do you predict for the future of the publishing industry and where you fit into that?

E.C.: It will surely be stopped by the Mayan prophecy. But if that happens, I guess lack of publishing will be the least of our problems.

CIR: And lastly, what did you dream of doing when you were twelve years old?

E.C.: Meeting the Bay City Rollers.

You can friend E.C. on Facebook! And thanks again for stopping by!

by Janet Fogg