What's In a Name?

We all learn as we go in this business. Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful people to help with the many questions and problems that arise as one navigates the path to publication.

I've worked with four different indie presses and I'm still with three of them. I've also self-published the one series I reclaimed from one of those publishers. With all my books out there and a three more that will be out in the next year, I've yet to have an editor suggest I change a title on a manuscript.

My very first published book, The Greater Good, has the perfect title to fit the story. I loved it. My publisher said nothing about changing it and viola, a novel was published with a wonderful title. Three words that are sooooo common. I still think it was a good title. And the second book, The Lesser Evil, followed the common saying thing enough to link the series together. 

But if I had known then what I know now, I might have tried a different title. I should have googled the titles. It can be difficult to think of a title for a literary work, let alone make it somewhat original. If someone had advised me to check out my title before I used it for that very first book, I might not have changed it. The Greater Good isn't a phrase that leads to something unsavory that I would hate to have connected by even the thinnest thread to my book. But what if it had and I discovered it after the fact?

Or what if a awesomely famous author had recently published a billion copy bestseller by the same title? What if there was an XXX-rated movie by the same title? I should have googled the title first. Beginner's or fool's luck.

So have you ever made a mistake selecting a title for a book? Has your editor ever asked you to change it? Do you google a title before you decide to use it?

My Book is Featured

I'm so happy with my publisher, New Concepts today. My very first book with them, The Greater Good, is being featured on their front page this month. Even though it was released a while ago, this exposure will hopefully boost its sales and that of the other books in the series. You've heard me rant about ebook pirates and what they've cost me. I admit to being depressed and discouraged by seeing my books being stolen but this has really cheered me up.

If you've never read one of the books in my Solonian Series let me give you a short over view. The series takes places in a furturistic Earth after an asteroid strike has sent the humans survivors back to a state of pre-technology when every day is a struggle to live. Humans have settled in small isolated colonies one of which is Solonia. Solonia is a dying settlement. Dying because all their men have succumbed to a wasting disease and only the women remain. In desperation they reach out to a newly settled colony. The Realm is composed of adventurers and warriors determined to explore and civilize their new settlement. In each novel in this series, one couple is followed on their uneven, rocky road to love.

Please visit my website to learn more or my publisher to read the first chapter. I have great hopes for ramping up the interest in this series especially since the fourth book will be out early next year.

On My Days Off

Like so many of you, the Easter weekend comes with a few extra days off that dreaded day job. That job that pays the bills but takes up time that I'd rather spend writing. Now I like my bill-paying job, but I could retire on one day's notice if I didn't need the money.
When I have a few days off though, I fill them with all kinds of plans. In my part of the world(PA), the weather has been miserable. Wind, bone chilling cold, and really, really no fun to work outside. I have a country home with lots of flower beds and landscaping challenges. There's rumor our day time temperatures might climb into the sixties.
Chore#1: I'm going to do some yard work.

This weekend is Easter. Even though my children are older now, they still expect things in their Easter baskets. We've never been the chocolate bunny kind of family. Little gifts usually grace their baskets with a few peanut butter eggs and some gum and a new tooth brush. And I still haven't bought a ham for dinner or any of the other goodies to have a big sit down family feast.
Chore#2: I have to do some shopping.

My dear 81 year old mother lifts a couple of hours away. I try to visit her once a month, but it's been nearly two months since last I saw her. Talking on the phone isn't the same. I have to use one of my days off to visit her.
Chore#3: Visit my mother.

My third son is a senior in high school and he has a big track invitational this weekend. My daughter plays softball for her high school and has a game against her arch rival and another game that should be competitive.
Chore#4: I'm going to watch my kids play.

I'm deep into edits on Book#4 of The Solonian Chronicles. I have no title yet, but it continues the saga of the futuristic romance adventures of some characters introduced in The Greater Good, The Lesser Evil, and A Ruthless Good. I'm about a sixth of the way done after only one week. Surely with a few days off, I'll get a lot more done.
Chore#5: Continue Edits on unnamed book

I swear I'm going to update my website. I promise. I am determined.
Chore#6: I WILL update my website.

Those of you that know me know I love my coffee but for the last two years, it's been giving me heart burn. I miss my coffee so much. Well a few of my friends on twitter suggested something called a 'cold-brewed coffee system.' I'm going to hunt one down.
Chore#7: I'm going to figure out a way to drink coffee again.

My last chore is something I've been looking forward to for weeks. I've been counting the days until this vacation so I can sleep in later than 5:30 am.
Chore#8: I'm going to sleep in until 8:00 each day.

I hope everyone has some time off. I didn't leave any room for reading, baking or surfing the net. I'm going to focus on the eight things above and hopefully when I go back to the 'day job' next week, I'll be feeling very proud of myself. Do you have plans for the weekend? Will you rest or try to squeeze so many things in you end up more tired than when you started?

What I Will and Won't Do This Week

I have so much stuff piled up on my desk there's barely room for my coffee. I keep writing reminders, lists, and stacking things into meaningly piles. I need to catch up, but I also need to finish up some other things. So I writing a public list reminder to myself of what I will accomplish this week and what things I will set aside until later.
#1. I will finish the edits on To Tame A Tiger for The Wild Rose Press.
#2. I won't waste any more energy or emotion complaining about my books being on all those pirate sites for free download.( But it makes me so mad).
#3. I will take the time and do the paperwork to join PAN.
#4. I will set up my squidoo page.
#5. I won't start reading the third book in Brent Weeks' shadow series because I can't seem to put his books down once I start.
#6. I will send all that paperwork off the TWRP and join their yahoo groups.
#7. I won't visit Facebook twenty times a night to see what interesting things my friends are up to.
#8. I will visit all my favorite blogs once a day and leave comments. They're so funny and informative.
#9. I will not under any circumstances visit Borders or any other bookstore this week including and not limited to online booksellers.
#10. I will get on the treadmill each day and run instead of walking no matter how many other things I can think of that I need to do.

I intend to stick to this list and complete all ten by this time next week. Wish me luck.

A Sweet, Sweet Week

Where to start. The past seven days have been a whirlwind for me. On Monday, I was still fuming about the pirates stealing my three futuristic romances. I won't use all the words to describe them I've used in conversation when I discovered it. I did very little writing last weekend. Anger is not an emotion that lends itself to creativity. At least not for me.
But Tuesday morning I woke up at 4:30 in the morning and knew the path I needed my plot to take as I navigated my characters through their dark moment. And I still remembered it when I woke up again an hour later.
That was the start of a lot of good things. Checking my fantasy publisher, Medallion Press, in a moment of procrastination, I discovered my book cover had finally been put up on their website along with a blurb. It's so beautiful as you can see from the picture alongside this post. The blurb isn't the one I wrote and I wouldn't call it entirely accurate, but it's there. Here's the link if you'd like to read it.
http://www.medallionpress.com/blurbs/sulbreth.html

Later that same night, I discovered the book cover for my newest futuristic romanc release, A Ruthless Good, is on a list over at Goodreads for the hottest erotica cover. Now remember I was a bit distraught because my book isn't erotica and feared it would turn away my ususal readers or mislead new readers. But I'm not silly enough to cry about free publicity. Please go vote if you will.
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/531.Hottest_Romance_Erotica_Covers

As if the good fates hadn't smiled on me enough, the very next day I received an offer of a contract for a fantasy romance from The Wild Rose Press. I've heard so many wonderful things about this publisher, I can't wait to have my book in their lineup. To Tame a Tiger is the novel I had tied up in that bankruptcy mess with Triskelion even though they never published it. I was so afraid it would never see the light of a readers book light.
Continuing on my quest to make this one of the best weeks of my writing career, this morning I finished the first draft of my fourth book in The Solonian Chronicles, the futuristic romance series I have with New Concepts Publishing. This book is the last in the series that started with The Greater Good, The Lesser Evil and A Ruthless Good. I haven't titled this one yet and will tell you more about it later when and if I get a contract.
So I've met my writing goals for Febuary, snagged that new contract and had the joy of seeing that fantasy book up before the world. Everything is flowing.
Until last night. Did I tell you I think I destroyed my website?

Real Pirates Aren't Cool

First you might think of the bandits preying on ships of all sorts off the cost of Africa, but they're not the ones I'm speaking about. Though I admit, I don't understand why those ships don't mount some guns on their vessels. Those pirates are usually in some really small speed boats. It's not like they're in armored battle ships.
But back to my point. Yesterday I discovered all three of my books from NCP were available for download from a pirate site. Those SOBs were giving my books away right beside free downloads of The Dark Night and every other movie recently released on DVD. And considering A Ruthless Good has only been for sale for a few weeks, it was fast and evil work.
I've sympathized with other authors when their books appeared on pirate sites, but mine have never been there before. At least I didn't catch it if they were. It's so infuriating. I couldn't sleep last night for my fuming and today I took it out on my poor students at school.
Finally one of my colleagues pointed out the upside. If my books haven't been on a pirate site before and they are now, should I be complimented that I'm finally popular enough to make it worth their while to steal from me? Is that really reaching for the silver lining?
I think the more popular ebooks become, the more widespread the pirating of novels will become. Just as it's impossible to protect the illegal sales of video and music, I don't believe there's any technological answer to protection for authors. In the end, we can only trust the honesty of our customers to purchase our books through honest means.

Do, Did, Done

No, I'm not lecturing on proper use of verbs and their tenses. I'm thinking about the stack on my desk. Yes, I procrastinated a little last Friday and cleaned up my two desks. Yes, my writing mess spread like fog rolling down off a mountain in springtime and I needed to get another desk. Now I have two, set at angles to each other. I keep one relatively clear with space for my alphasmart, my laptop, my day planner, my notebook bible of my current WIP, and a small stack of things I need to do. Today. Soon. In the next few days. Never mind what the other desk holds. I feel good when I can see any of the wood surface.
So, let's get back to that little pile of things that call for attention sooner rather than later. A few are handwritten notes of blogs or websites I want to visit. A few are notes from the recent CPRW meeting(my local chapter of RWA). Some of those are notes within notes. I should have taken care of at least one of these last night. Sigh...
Another little stack are things I've run off hard copies of or clipped from a writer's publication.(You really can't save all those publications) Some of these clippings are promotional opportunites or perhaps market news of what editor switched to what house.
Though they don't belong in the urgent pile, there are also a few notes or clipped advertisements for books I want to read. Some are new authors so I have to keep it right in front of me or I will forget.
I put this stack right in the middle of my desk. I have to push it aside to center my laptop. It covers my coaster where I set my cup of tea. Seriously, it is in the way. So I should get to it, but I'm going to finish this post first. Then I'm going to write that next scene in my WIP because I know exactly what needs to happen. And then if it's not too late, I'm going to take care of at least two things on that stack.
How do you keep your urgent file in front of you? I used to make lists, but now I just keep all my little scraps. And if you're one of those people who don't put things off, go ahead and rub it in.

Crash and Die by Dell

I'm working my way up to a computer decision. Like many people I can navigate my way around my computer and do the things I need to do. But any little complication soon leaves me flaying about for answers. I do most of my writing work on my laptop. No one used my laptop except me. Until a few months ago. My daughter is taking all honors classes so she does a lot of research on the net as well as designing power point presentations and other things for school. Before she and my sons always did their work on our Dell desktop. It's a great computer and I remember how thrilled I was when we first bought it.
Here's the problem. It's going on four years old and its soooo slow. I've tried all the gadget things to speed it up. All those clean up utilities that come with my Norton Security package, but still I can only pep it so much. The fragmentation is often near the crash and die mark. So I went to the computer guru at work and asked her for some advice. She told me, but I'm scared to do it.
She described my computer as being like a house. When you first move into a house, you organize everything into its place. As the years go by, you build clutter, things don't get put where they belong, pieces of things are lost and basically you have chaos and have lost your nice neat house. So how to you fix it? She told me to start all over. Take everything out of the house and reinstall with the disk that came with my computer. Yikes!
But what about what's on there? I have to save it else where or lose it. Yikes again. All my pictures, my documents, everything. It's rather frightening. What if I do it and I can a fast computer again but I destroy forever something I really need?
So I'm brooding over the pros and cons of speeding up that computer. It stop my daughter from guilting me into letting her use my laptop because it takes her so long to do assignments on the desktop. It will clear out all the junk my boys left behind on that machine before they got their own computers for college. But it might clear out some of my important junk. Hmm. Has anyone else every done that? I'm afraid, very afraid.
I think I'll go write and leave the decision for another day. I'm working on book four, the final book, in The Solonian Chronicles. This book is Brady's and Cara's story. Can his love heal her soul? Maybe, but it hasn't yet and the book is over half written.
Give me some advice about the darn computer.

Top Ten Favorite Ways to Procrastinate

We all do it, but I think writers have a special gift and flare for procrastination. Here are my top ten favorites.

10. Update blog and visit all my friends' blogs and comment. Tell yourself it's all about networking.

9. Check Fictionwise and other booksellers to see if you received any new ratings.

8. Google your name or the name of your book just in case there's a surprise review out there somewhere.

7. Bake some cookies because your children are 'starving.'

6. Run out to the coffeeshop and get a four dollar ice coffee because theirs is so much better than your own ice coffee.

5. Reply to every post on the twenty-five yahoo groups you belong to.

4. Run a quick security scan on your computer because you really shouldn't let those things go.

3. Just a quick check in with facebook or twitter because it's all about the networking, baby.

2. File rejection letters by date and then decide to do them alphabetically.

And the number one favorite way for me to procrastinate is:

1. Rearrange my workspace including but not limited to: moving my desk, vaccumming the corners where it was sitting, dusting EVERYTHING, throwing out all those saved emails with possible contacts on, logging expenses and earnings, putting receipts in the tax folder, make a written list of all the things I need to do for promo, another list for all the authors and books I want to read, and rearrange my keeper shelf by author in order of publication and finally but not least, find the best spot on my desk for pictures of my kids.

What are your favorite ways to procrastinate?

Favorite Snow Day Activity

Once again the prospect of a snow day hangs over the head of central Pennsylvania school children and their teachers. Or is it a dangling carrot? Those unexpected days off are also such a pleasant surprise and it's very tempting to sleep late, laze around and do nothing. I hate to waste the gift of a day though so I already have plans.
First I will fill the bread machine with the ingredients I have had sitting ready for almost a week. I also have plans for a new oatmeal cookie receipe I must try. Cookies with oatmeal in can't be fattening, can they? While I'm baking those, I'm going to get put together some chicken corn soup. Perfect for an icy, snowy day. Of course, all this is dependent on the electricity staying on which is not a given whenever we have an ice storm.
My daughter has brought a nice stack of wood into the garage so we can get that fireplace roaring tomorrow. A pot of hot tea and maybe our favorite version of Jane Austen in the DVD player and I'm set.
Between taking batches of cookies out of the oven, I'm going to do my daily blog visits and check in with facebook and twitter. Then while the soup simmers and the bread rises, I'm going for a 5K day on the WIP.
So I'm doing my 'snow dance' this evening and hoping for that unexpected vacation day. Be safe.

A Ruthless Good coming in Print

I am so thrilled to learn my publisher, New Concepts Publishing, is releasing my latest futuristic romance in print this June. A Ruthless Good, will join the first two books in my series, The Greater Good and The Lesser Evil as print releases. Three books to have for book signings!
Now if I can only figure out what to do about that cover. It's a little too hot for many signing venues. It's too hot to have around the house when my daughter's friends visit. I have mixed feelings about this latest cover. I didn't get any chance to preview it and actually never saw it until the day my book was released in ebook. I know hot covers can be a great selling tool, but I'm afraid the cover may lead some readers to expect a higher sensuality level than the novel actually contains.
What do you think? Have you ever bought a book expecting something carnal and bold and found it to be rather mild instead? I don't want my readers to feel cheated.
But again, I'm so happy about this book coming out in print. My publisher only puts out a few books in print each month so I'm excited that mine is one of them.

Don't Ever Give Up

All writers have those weeks, those months, those years, and this past one was mine. I'd been waiting to hear from a certain editor about a manuscript she'd asked me to make changes in more than once. She told me numerous times how much she loved the story and let me know in December she would give me a decision after the holidays. You can see where this is going. She rejected it along with an apology and a thank you for all my patience and hard work in a losing cause. Great comfort that was.
I was disappointed for a while, and perhaps a I felt a bit of righteous anger. But I've had enough rejections over the years to know what I needed to get by this. I immediately send out a query to a publisher I've been wishing I had something to fit. They responded quickly with a request for a full manuscript after ready my query and synopsis. I'm so happy I didn't waste days crying in my cups. Okay, I had a glass of wine. But only one. And tonight I'm having one in celebration.
Now about that rejection I received from that agent today, I have a whole list ready to pick the next one from. I'm not giving up.
I'll be back tomorrow or the next day with an excerpt for my next week's release, A Ruthless Good.

Upcoming Book Giveaway

On December 9th, I will be one of the featured authors giving away a book at The Romance Studio's book-a-day giveaway. I'll be giving away my first book in The Solonian Chronicles, The Greater Good. It's a chance to introduce new readers to my series right before the release of my third book in the series. In January, I'll be giving away a copy of The Lesser Evil, also in print format. My third book in the series, A Ruthless Good, will be released by New Concepts Publishing in late December or early January. I hope the readers signing up for the book giveaway will hope over to my website and read some excerpts from my all three of my books. If you're not a member of TRS, this is a good time to sign up.
http://www.theromancestudio.com
And visit me for excerpts and other interesting tidbits.
http://www.susankelleyauthor.com

Taking a Break

Recently I finished edits for two different books and sent them off into the wilds where hopefully someone will love them as much as I do. I have numerous projects waiting my attention. My website needs updated first and foremost. I have the third book in a series plotted and waiting for the prose to flow and create a novel from my chaotic outline. I have another book half done that I had to put aside for other projects and I left my poor hero and heroine in grave danger. The decision of which project to dive into first haunted me for the first day after I sent off that last manuscript. What to do?
I decided to take a break and ponder my dilemma. I baked, cleaned and read three books from that endless pile I purchased in vain hopes of leisure moments. The raspberries I froze after picking them from my backyard this summer made delicious muffins. I moved those shelves in the pantry and snared those wild dust bunnies making homes and babies in their formerly safe den. I laughed, shivered and even grew a bit warm while reading the creative works of my talented fellow writers. I pulled out my precious Jane Austen leather bound collected works and indulged in reading again about poor Mr. Darcy. I almost picked up the cross-stitch masterpiece that sits in half-finished misery in a corner of my office, but I resisted. I stretched my daily exercise routine to an hour instead of thirty minutes.
What has this to do with being a writer? Everyone needs a break from their work so they might approach it again with eagerness and renewal of creativity. Though I didn’t sit at the keyboard during my mini vacation, my thoughts often turned to my waiting projects. Reading the clever story telling of writers more famous, more experienced and more successful than myself, I considered how I might improve my own craft. One can do lots of thinking while jogging, baking and hefting furniture. I would rather have spent my break on a distance, tropical beach, but a vacation from writing doesn’t have to be going away somewhere. I’m confident I can now go to one of my other projects and have my characters speak in voices not identical to the ones I just sent on their way. Plots have thickened while I chopped sausage for in a casserole. Tragedies have come to light while I cleaned the last of the screens. I figured out what’s around the river bend for my poor heroine. I have one more day on my break before I sit down at the keyboard and strap in for another visit to one of my fantasy worlds. This was not a time of procrastination, but rather of recharging. I’m eager, refreshed and in possession of various skeletons of ideas. I know where I’m going to start. Just as soon as I rearrange my office.
How do you take your breaks?

Wish Me Luck

I finished those edits. Finally. This was the third time the editor asked me to make changes. She's taught me so much and even if she doesn't offer the contract this time, I know my writing is the better for my contact with her. I cut nearly 4, 000 words from the manuscript and one entire scene as well as parts of others. I killed off a character at her request and that added a depth of emotion the novel didn't quite reach in its original form.
So, I'm quite excited to send it out and dare I say, very hopeful. I really want to write for this publisher and work more with this editor.
On another issue, I'm expecting my cover for my December release from New Concepts any day now. A Ruthless Good, is the third installment in my Chronicles of Solonia series. One more book in that series is in the works and I think it will be the last. I have another series in mind I hope to sell to NCP also.
Keep me in mind when you're looking for something to read in December. Heart break, adventure and love is what I promise to deliver.

The Search Is On

I've decided to take the time to do it all again. I'm searching for an agent. I haven't tried for over three years. In that time I've published two romances with a third due out in December and have a fantasy novel under contract. I have two more books in the hands of editors and have good hopes for both. When last I threw my lure out there for an agent, I had no publishing credits but now I have a few successes to prove I'm a serious author. So I'm trying again to employ one of those magic workers. My latest completed novel is the first book in new fantasy series. The series is called, Dragons and Gods, and this first book is titled, First Dragon.
I'm very excited about it. I think it's the book to get me in with the big boys in New York. Okay, call me a dreamer but at least wish me luck.
I'm interested to hear opinions from anyone out there about your experiences trying to get an agent and finding the right one. I really think it's the right spot in my career to not only get one, but because I need one. Wish me luck and share your own experiences.

Dreadful Synopsis

I've learned not to fear writing a synopsis as I did early in my career, but that doesn't mean I like it. I worked on one today for my latest WIP. I'm confessing to writing the most horrible example of the darned things of my entire career. It was so dry and skipped so much yet was almost nine pages long. The book is the first book in a new fantasy series and there are a lot of things happening, numerous important characters and an entire world to build. I had so much trouble deciding what to include and what to skip. After finishing it, I decided I'd made a wrong decision at almost every opportunity.
So tonight I'm going to delete the entire thing and start over. Yuch!
On another note, our book signing was a bit of a bust. I'm calling it an act of God. I'm talking monsoon like rains and wind. We're going to try again near Valentine's day. Stay tuned.
I'll be posting some reminders starting next week about December's release of A Ruthless Good. I'm still waiting for my cover art. I can't wait.

Coming Soon!

I've been through this before, but there's no excitement quite like seeing your book on the 'coming soon' page at your publisher. And then you get to see a bump in hits to your website that you can only speculate is caused by eager fans trying to get the scope on your newest release. I was prepared for that with a never before seen excerpt from A Ruthless Good. I hope I picked a very intriguing scene. Feel free to tell me if I did.
The bad news is, I don't yet have my cover. I can't wait for it. The artists at New Concepts Publishing are second to none. I've been extremely pleased by both of my previous covers with them and expect the same this time. The cover for The Greater Good was even better than my suggestions. I've heard lots of authors complain about their book covers so I consider myself blessed.
A Ruthless Good will be released in December. In celebration, I'll be doing some book giveaways and run some contests. Stay tuned for a chance to win a print copy of The Greater Good or The Lesser Evil. I had a great response on my last giveaway and hope for the same this time.
Gotta go and check for my cover art. Can't wait.

Weather for Writers

I teach school so that means I have a number of weeks off in the summer. You would think I get lots of writing done during those months. The opposite is true. Too many things tempt me when the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming. I take care of the yard and landscaping around our house. I love it but it's still a time consuming chore. Then there's all my kids activities. When the sun is out the kids will play.
And or course, fall is back to work and all the things that entails. I've found that I get the most writing done when it's cold or rainy outside. Today is an overcast, cool day here in the northeast USA, and I did one scene already this morning. I expect I'll do another ten pages before evening. Something about those clouds and a hot cup of chai gets my creative thoughts rising to the surface.
Winter does the same thing. Getting snowed in is a perfect time to put on some music and hit the keyboard. I often wonder what would happen if I could retire from my day job and write full time. Would I get anything done on a sunny day?
I'm off now to work on part three of my fantasy series I started with, The Keepers of Sulbreth. I'm waiting to hear from my editor on the second book in that series titled, Beyond the Gate. I haven't titled book three yet, but maybe it will come to me on this stormy day.

A Ruthless Good: December Release

I received the wonderful news recently that my third installment in THE SOLONIAN CHRONICLES is due to be released by New Concepts Publishing in December. A RUTHLESS GOOD continues the series with the same mixture of humor, dangerous action and bittersweet loss. Of course it ends happily ever after but not for everyone. Yes a character from the first two books, THE GREATER GOOD and THE LESSER EVIL does loss his/her life in this third book.
The evil the hero and heroine encounters is so vile and repugnant for many reasons but one of the core issues is the belief by this merciless person that he is doing good. I'll explain that further at a later date.
For now I hope all those wonderful readers from my first two books head over to my website and check out the very first excerpt I've posted from this latest book. THE GREATER GOOD and THE LESSER EVIL sold so well with online ebook retailers I'm hoping to see a lot of sales to the faithful. I'm busy updating my readers list and thinking of running a contest in October for all those fans. Keep you eye here for soon to come details on A RUTHLESS GOOD and the contests I'm running to celebrate its birth.