In college (Brandeis University), I took a course in medical sociology. It’s a field that looks at how people – individuals, groups, medical staff, patients and their relatives – respond to illness.
My professor explained that, for example, patients with limited English may have difficulty telling the doctor or nurse where they hurt, and are embarrassed to point to themselves. A medical sociologist came up with a simple solution: a sketch of human anatomy that allows the patient to point to the picture rather than to his or her own body.
Diseases don’t exist in the abstract. Whether a patient is treated effectively may depend on his or her personality, background and world view. And, obviously, language skills.
The effects of illnesses vary according to our personalities, as well. We don’t stop being individuals just because we have the flu or cancer or HIV. We may neglect to swallow our pills on time, choose to forgo chemo in favor of nutrition, or deny being sick at all
As a novelist, if I give a character an illness, I have to show how it impacts that specific individual, and – since I write upbeat stories – help him or her triumph over it, even if there’s no cure.
For my current Harlequin American romance, Twin Surprise, I did a lot of research into Parkinson’s Disease, which affects a member of my family. Then I interpreted this through the eyes of my hero, police sergeant Derek Reed.
Shifted from patrol duty to a desk job, he’s frustrated and angry. Refusing to confide in his coworkers, other than a few superiors, creates misunderstandings. Most of all, he can’t see a future for himself with the woman he loves – until a pregnancy turns both their worlds upside down.
Derek rises to the challenge, both at work and at home. In the process, he learns a lot about himself and what he’s truly capable of. And how his worth as a person transcends his disability.
I learned a lot as his story developed. It’s funny how characters manage to take authors along for the ride as they grow and change.
Just like real people. But then, to me, that’s what they are.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Happy Friday!!
Happy Friday!!
First off--MAJOR apologies for missing last month!! I've taken a full time, elementary Special Ed teaching position, and that, combined with writing, three teens, a hubby and too many pets is kicking my booty big time!!
Tonight is Homecoming for the kids' school, so I'm finishing up a book due in the morning, then heading out to the big game. We usually lose, but always have fun. Daughter's cheer squad is great this year, so we like being there for every cheer and stunt. Daughter was nominated for Homecoming Court, but didn't get picked. I think fourteen girls were nominated out of a class of over five hundred. Two were selected, so we were pretty proud that she was even nominated!!
Son #2 just had his Sweet Sixteen!! We got him a Mustang, but it's a stick shift, and he learned to drive on my automatic. He's slowly getting better at driving his car, but it's always an exciting ride!!
All right, I've got to get back to work before I miss kick-off, but I did want to stop in to wish everyone a wonderful weekend!!!
First off--MAJOR apologies for missing last month!! I've taken a full time, elementary Special Ed teaching position, and that, combined with writing, three teens, a hubby and too many pets is kicking my booty big time!!
Tonight is Homecoming for the kids' school, so I'm finishing up a book due in the morning, then heading out to the big game. We usually lose, but always have fun. Daughter's cheer squad is great this year, so we like being there for every cheer and stunt. Daughter was nominated for Homecoming Court, but didn't get picked. I think fourteen girls were nominated out of a class of over five hundred. Two were selected, so we were pretty proud that she was even nominated!!
Son #2 just had his Sweet Sixteen!! We got him a Mustang, but it's a stick shift, and he learned to drive on my automatic. He's slowly getting better at driving his car, but it's always an exciting ride!!
All right, I've got to get back to work before I miss kick-off, but I did want to stop in to wish everyone a wonderful weekend!!!
P.S. Since I can't find any football pics, here's one of Hubby and Daughter at a Three Days Grace/Puddle of Mudd/Breaking Benjamin concert we went to this summer! It stormed soooooo bad!!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Lost moments
I'm positive this has happened to almost everyone. All of a sudden it's five o'clock and your day is over. Where did the time go? My theory is that it fell into an abyss called "lost moments."
But is it a lost moment when you cuddle your child/grandchild in the big easy chair, or walk the dog on a misty morning, or spend a rainy afternoon reading a book, or have lunch with a friend? Are you kidding? These are the snapshots in time that create memories. It's what makes each of unique and special.
So tomorrow make sure you have a few lost moments. It's the best way I know of to put a smile on your face.
Ann DeFee
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - Harlequin American Romance Christmas Anthology - November 2007
Goin' Down to Georgia - Harlequin American Romance - March 2008
But is it a lost moment when you cuddle your child/grandchild in the big easy chair, or walk the dog on a misty morning, or spend a rainy afternoon reading a book, or have lunch with a friend? Are you kidding? These are the snapshots in time that create memories. It's what makes each of unique and special.
So tomorrow make sure you have a few lost moments. It's the best way I know of to put a smile on your face.
Ann DeFee
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - Harlequin American Romance Christmas Anthology - November 2007
Goin' Down to Georgia - Harlequin American Romance - March 2008
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Blogs
Today's my day to blog, so I thought I'd blog about blogs and sound a little like Andy Rooney. Right now I'm administering the PLAN test to my sophomore homeroom and have 25 minutes before the kids finish the science section.
I've discovered that I like blogs. I don't read too many, but I drop by this one daily to see what my author colleagues are up to. I love hearing about books and other such stuff. I'm not one of those who reads news blogs or anything. I just go to CNN.
I do drop by my agent's blog maybe once every two days because I usually learn something there. I have a blog where I post my assignments and what we did in class that day. It's not very exciting, but this way the kids can check from home. That's at http://howellpubs.wordpress.com/ if you're so inclined. My personal blog is an announcement type of blog where I post things like new covers and such. Haven't been there lately, but my new American cover for December is up at http://micheledunaway.blogspot.com/ Oh, let's save you the trouble. I'll put it here:
On that note, I wanted to thank you all for being here. We're still experiencing technical difficulties with the covers in the sidebar, but I can't thank you enough for spending part of your day with us. I know how valuable your time is--we need 25 hours in a day, don't we? At least for more sleep?
Michele
I've discovered that I like blogs. I don't read too many, but I drop by this one daily to see what my author colleagues are up to. I love hearing about books and other such stuff. I'm not one of those who reads news blogs or anything. I just go to CNN.
I do drop by my agent's blog maybe once every two days because I usually learn something there. I have a blog where I post my assignments and what we did in class that day. It's not very exciting, but this way the kids can check from home. That's at http://howellpubs.wordpress.com/ if you're so inclined. My personal blog is an announcement type of blog where I post things like new covers and such. Haven't been there lately, but my new American cover for December is up at http://micheledunaway.blogspot.com/ Oh, let's save you the trouble. I'll put it here:
BTW, he looks a little like one of the principals at my school. Randy's thrilled.
On that note, I wanted to thank you all for being here. We're still experiencing technical difficulties with the covers in the sidebar, but I can't thank you enough for spending part of your day with us. I know how valuable your time is--we need 25 hours in a day, don't we? At least for more sleep?
Michele
Monday, September 10, 2007
Working vacation
As I'm writing this, my new book is about halfway done and my deadline approaches like a speeding train. Unfortunately for the fate of the book (but lucky for me), I'm leaving for Hawaii in a few days. The trip has been scheduled for a lot longer than the book, which I just sold a couple of weeks ago. I kinda-sorta forgot about this trip when I agreed to the deadline.
The solution, of course, is that I'll have to write while on vacation. This isn't as hard as it sounds. I have a teeny, tiny computer that fits in my purse, and I can whip it out anywhere and use it. I'll have hours to kill in airports and on airplanes. My husband will be in meetings all day, so he won't be expecting much from me. So for at least two hours every day I'll sit out on the lanai with a frozen drink at my elbow (okay, probably coffee) and write. I only have to write 50 pages during the trip to stay on track.
Actually, it sounds like heaven, not a compromise at all. But I'm definitely going to do two things I didn't do last time I was in Hawaii, and no computers allowed: Swim with the dolphins, and see the lava flow. (Maybe my next heroine will be a dolphin researcher? My next hero a volcanologist?) I'm also researching deep-sea fishing, since my current book is about a fishing charter business, though it's set on the Texas coast, not Hawaii.
Meanwhile, my new book is out--today is the official release date for ONE STUBBORN TEXAN, so it's a fitting day for me to blog.
Be sure and leave a comment (any day this month) to be included in the monthly drawing for free books!
The solution, of course, is that I'll have to write while on vacation. This isn't as hard as it sounds. I have a teeny, tiny computer that fits in my purse, and I can whip it out anywhere and use it. I'll have hours to kill in airports and on airplanes. My husband will be in meetings all day, so he won't be expecting much from me. So for at least two hours every day I'll sit out on the lanai with a frozen drink at my elbow (okay, probably coffee) and write. I only have to write 50 pages during the trip to stay on track.
Actually, it sounds like heaven, not a compromise at all. But I'm definitely going to do two things I didn't do last time I was in Hawaii, and no computers allowed: Swim with the dolphins, and see the lava flow. (Maybe my next heroine will be a dolphin researcher? My next hero a volcanologist?) I'm also researching deep-sea fishing, since my current book is about a fishing charter business, though it's set on the Texas coast, not Hawaii.
Meanwhile, my new book is out--today is the official release date for ONE STUBBORN TEXAN, so it's a fitting day for me to blog.
Be sure and leave a comment (any day this month) to be included in the monthly drawing for free books!
Sunday, September 09, 2007
What Makes Your Hair Stand On End?
Yesterday was my Blog day and I missed it. I’m sorry. I have a great excuse, though. I had a booksigning for my Sep Super Romance, Adopted Son, and the signing was set to start at 10 a.m. Why I thought I could get up at six, have breakfast, post a Blog, get dressed and make it to the bookstore by 9:45, I’ll never know. It’s not like I’m organized and speedy.
It sounded simple and doable to me the night before. But I must have slept in a strange position because my hair was sticking out on one side and as much as I combed and brushed it, it still sprang out in full salute mode. Twenty minutes and a half a can of hairspray later, the bed head was looking better, but I still had to get dressed. Then a button was missing off my blouse—disappeared without a trace. So it was a quick change of wardrobe choice. By now I was ready to just go back to bed.
I didn’t. I made it to the signing on time. Did I mention why I was having the signing so early? I live in Texas where football is King. Texas A&M was playing (we live in College Station) and the game was televised. So I knew people here would be going to the game and others would be watching it on TV. The early time was the only solution. I had my doubts about anyone showing up, but I had a great turn out. I sold some books so I was really happy.
When I got home, I looked in the mirror and gasped. My hair was sticking out on the right side. At some point during the signing my hair sprang to attention. No one seemed to notice this. No one said anything.
In bed last night I could almost hear people saying, “Linda forgot to comb her hair”, or “Linda looked like she'd had a bad night”. Oh, the little things women worry about. Today my hair is flat again. Go figure. Wonder if stress can make your hair stand on end?
Linda
Adopted Son – Sep Super Romance
It sounded simple and doable to me the night before. But I must have slept in a strange position because my hair was sticking out on one side and as much as I combed and brushed it, it still sprang out in full salute mode. Twenty minutes and a half a can of hairspray later, the bed head was looking better, but I still had to get dressed. Then a button was missing off my blouse—disappeared without a trace. So it was a quick change of wardrobe choice. By now I was ready to just go back to bed.
I didn’t. I made it to the signing on time. Did I mention why I was having the signing so early? I live in Texas where football is King. Texas A&M was playing (we live in College Station) and the game was televised. So I knew people here would be going to the game and others would be watching it on TV. The early time was the only solution. I had my doubts about anyone showing up, but I had a great turn out. I sold some books so I was really happy.
When I got home, I looked in the mirror and gasped. My hair was sticking out on the right side. At some point during the signing my hair sprang to attention. No one seemed to notice this. No one said anything.
In bed last night I could almost hear people saying, “Linda forgot to comb her hair”, or “Linda looked like she'd had a bad night”. Oh, the little things women worry about. Today my hair is flat again. Go figure. Wonder if stress can make your hair stand on end?
Linda
Adopted Son – Sep Super Romance
Italy here I come!
Hi, this is Kara, and today my guest blogger is Ann Roth! Here's Ann.
* * *
As you read this, I am in Florence, Italy. We are traveling around parts of this beautiful and wonderful country for 18 whole days. Our plans include visits to Assisi Luca, Pisa, Florence, Venice, Matera and Rome (with some side trips tossed in). For four of those fabulous days we'll be in Matera at the Women's Fiction Festival. (For more info on the festival, visit www.womensfictionfestival.com) I'm lucky to be presenting a workshop there about developing memorable characters. I'll also get to meet lots of the Harlequin folks from the European side of the business.
Because of the trip I won't be posting on the 26th, my usual date.(And I won't be able to respond to comments posted on this blog.) But when I post in early October, I'll share some of the highlights of our trip.
www.annroth.net
Mitch Takes A Wife, August 2007
All I Want for Christmas, November 2007
* * *
As you read this, I am in Florence, Italy. We are traveling around parts of this beautiful and wonderful country for 18 whole days. Our plans include visits to Assisi Luca, Pisa, Florence, Venice, Matera and Rome (with some side trips tossed in). For four of those fabulous days we'll be in Matera at the Women's Fiction Festival. (For more info on the festival, visit www.womensfictionfestival.com) I'm lucky to be presenting a workshop there about developing memorable characters. I'll also get to meet lots of the Harlequin folks from the European side of the business.
Because of the trip I won't be posting on the 26th, my usual date.(And I won't be able to respond to comments posted on this blog.) But when I post in early October, I'll share some of the highlights of our trip.
www.annroth.net
Mitch Takes A Wife, August 2007
All I Want for Christmas, November 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Busy, busy, busy
Hi guys,
Get ready, because I need to vent. It won't be that bad - I promise. The past 18 months have been mind numbingly, toe tinglingly (is that a word?) hectic. What have I been doing? With 4 books out in 2007, I've been immersed in writing said books plus revising, revising, and revising those exact same books. Then you add all the PR, yada, yada, yada to that, and you come up with more than full time job. My husband says it's a good problem, and I absolutely, totally and unequivocally agree.
Now I'll get to my venting. I recently had lunch with a friend who asked how my little - drum roll please - hobby was going. HOBBY, HOBBY! Is it normal to ask a CPA how their little accounting hobby is going? Of course not. Rodney Daingerfield - you ain't got nothing on us!
Whew - I feel much better already. So off I go to work on my hobby and do the line edits for my March 2008 book.
And now for a shameless plug -
Summer After Summer - Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - American Romance Christmas anthology - November 2007
Goin' Down to Georgia - American Romance - March 2008
Have a great day -
Ann DeFee
Get ready, because I need to vent. It won't be that bad - I promise. The past 18 months have been mind numbingly, toe tinglingly (is that a word?) hectic. What have I been doing? With 4 books out in 2007, I've been immersed in writing said books plus revising, revising, and revising those exact same books. Then you add all the PR, yada, yada, yada to that, and you come up with more than full time job. My husband says it's a good problem, and I absolutely, totally and unequivocally agree.
Now I'll get to my venting. I recently had lunch with a friend who asked how my little - drum roll please - hobby was going. HOBBY, HOBBY! Is it normal to ask a CPA how their little accounting hobby is going? Of course not. Rodney Daingerfield - you ain't got nothing on us!
Whew - I feel much better already. So off I go to work on my hobby and do the line edits for my March 2008 book.
And now for a shameless plug -
Summer After Summer - Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - American Romance Christmas anthology - November 2007
Goin' Down to Georgia - American Romance - March 2008
Have a great day -
Ann DeFee
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Cleaning out the closet
My once ample closet is crowded and messy. Or was! It’s neat and clean now, mainly because I spent part of the weekend paring down the mess. Those suits, skirts, slacks and tops I haven’t worn in several years. The belts that (horrors!) no longer fit, and all those purses packed into the shelf over the clothes. Not to mention the shoes… I gritted my teeth and put them into boxes to donate to charity. Adios, baby. Buh—bye, and it’s been fun.
The give-away pile is huge! I hope that some woman/women in need will be able to use these things.
It feels great!
Next, I will tackle the dreaded utility room.
I wish you all clean closets and tidy houses.
www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August 2007
The give-away pile is huge! I hope that some woman/women in need will be able to use these things.
It feels great!
Next, I will tackle the dreaded utility room.
I wish you all clean closets and tidy houses.
www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August 2007
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Once upon a time...
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about fairytales and wondering what makes them so much fun.
Is it the hunky heroes? The spunky heroines?
The knights in shining armor? The damsels in distress?
The evildoers? The quirky supporting cast?
The adventure? The mystery? The magic?
Or is it just that, no matter what happens, we know that by the time we reach "The End" of the story, everything will have turned out right?
Hey...wait a minute!
That all sounds like a romance novel, doesn't it?
And now I'm wondering about the age-old chicken-and-egg question: Do we love romance because we grew up on fairytales? Or do we love fairytales because we've always instinctively looked for romance?
Like the chicken-and-egg question, we may never have an answer. But now it's got me thinking about something else....
What's your favorite fairytale? And why is it your number one?
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Is it the hunky heroes? The spunky heroines?
The knights in shining armor? The damsels in distress?
The evildoers? The quirky supporting cast?
The adventure? The mystery? The magic?
Or is it just that, no matter what happens, we know that by the time we reach "The End" of the story, everything will have turned out right?
Hey...wait a minute!
That all sounds like a romance novel, doesn't it?
And now I'm wondering about the age-old chicken-and-egg question: Do we love romance because we grew up on fairytales? Or do we love fairytales because we've always instinctively looked for romance?
Like the chicken-and-egg question, we may never have an answer. But now it's got me thinking about something else....
What's your favorite fairytale? And why is it your number one?
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Monday, September 03, 2007
Experience Is Necessary
Sometimes, experience really is necessary. Last week, two things happened that reminded me of that. First, my son took a turn too fast and scraped up the side of the car on the way to school. Luckily, I had almost finished my first pot of coffee, so I could actually give out coherent advice. After hearing that he, his sister-and for the most part, the car-were okay, I told my son to get on to school. Then I, feeling frustrated and irritated, went on upstairs to work. When I’m working, I’m in control. Well, kind of.
My goal for the morning was to fill out the art fact sheets for my May release. Filling out art fact sheets is a pretty fun task. You go to a Harlequin site and fill out information about the heroine, hero, setting, and favorite scenes. The artists use this information for the cover. It’s exciting to imagine what the cover will look like. It’s exciting to realize that a story I created will be on the shelves on day.
For me, it’s also a humbling endeavor, because in order to fill out the art information, I have to scan down through all my submissions over the years. Why humbling? That’s easy to explain. See, I’ve sold six books to Harlequin. Hooray!
But I’ve submitted over twice that many. Yep, I’ve got a whole lot of rejections logged in online. So, last week, as I was stewing over my son, the state of the car, and the fact that my husband never seems to be in town when anything out of the ordinary happens, I stared at those submissions on-line. And it hit me…Those books weren’t right. They deserved to be rejected.
Over the years, when I submitted, and submitted, and submitted again, my writing wasn’t quite ready for prime time. Oh, I could write—but not quite at the caliber needed. Hmm. Kind of like a new driver. My son scored really well on all his driving tests. But, well, he also has a few things to learn about driving, day after day. He needs more experience.
Hmm. I thought about this as I filled out the art fact sheets. Thought about it some more as I did laundry, got to work on my book-in-progress, and carefully told my husband about the car mishap when he called to check in.
That afternoon, when my son came home, we both took a walk around the car. He told me about his day. Told me about what had happened with the car. We talked about what he could have done differently. Then, just as I was about to do what moms do—give sage words of advice-we heard the frantic bark of Suzy, the weiner dog. It turns out Phoebe the beagle (the beagle who’s always hungry!) snatched Suzy’s bone and gave her a little bite, too! Suzy was bleeding.
Unfortunately, we have plenty of experience with dog emergencies. This I knew how to deal with! We called the vet, grabbed the dachshund, and hopped into the car. And, as my son drove me and the pup to the vet, he asked why I had the cell phone. For one, very good reason-so I could be sure and call my husband and let him know what else he missed! I’ve got experience in this one, too.
Shelley
My goal for the morning was to fill out the art fact sheets for my May release. Filling out art fact sheets is a pretty fun task. You go to a Harlequin site and fill out information about the heroine, hero, setting, and favorite scenes. The artists use this information for the cover. It’s exciting to imagine what the cover will look like. It’s exciting to realize that a story I created will be on the shelves on day.
For me, it’s also a humbling endeavor, because in order to fill out the art information, I have to scan down through all my submissions over the years. Why humbling? That’s easy to explain. See, I’ve sold six books to Harlequin. Hooray!
But I’ve submitted over twice that many. Yep, I’ve got a whole lot of rejections logged in online. So, last week, as I was stewing over my son, the state of the car, and the fact that my husband never seems to be in town when anything out of the ordinary happens, I stared at those submissions on-line. And it hit me…Those books weren’t right. They deserved to be rejected.
Over the years, when I submitted, and submitted, and submitted again, my writing wasn’t quite ready for prime time. Oh, I could write—but not quite at the caliber needed. Hmm. Kind of like a new driver. My son scored really well on all his driving tests. But, well, he also has a few things to learn about driving, day after day. He needs more experience.
Hmm. I thought about this as I filled out the art fact sheets. Thought about it some more as I did laundry, got to work on my book-in-progress, and carefully told my husband about the car mishap when he called to check in.
That afternoon, when my son came home, we both took a walk around the car. He told me about his day. Told me about what had happened with the car. We talked about what he could have done differently. Then, just as I was about to do what moms do—give sage words of advice-we heard the frantic bark of Suzy, the weiner dog. It turns out Phoebe the beagle (the beagle who’s always hungry!) snatched Suzy’s bone and gave her a little bite, too! Suzy was bleeding.
Unfortunately, we have plenty of experience with dog emergencies. This I knew how to deal with! We called the vet, grabbed the dachshund, and hopped into the car. And, as my son drove me and the pup to the vet, he asked why I had the cell phone. For one, very good reason-so I could be sure and call my husband and let him know what else he missed! I’ve got experience in this one, too.
Shelley
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Keeper Shelf
Congratulations, Maureen! You're the August winner of the HAR Blog contest. Claim your prize from the following authors, Ann DeFee, Judy Christenberry, Ann Roth and myself, Marin Thomas by contacting each author through their website and providing your name and snail-mail address. Author websites are listed in the sidebar of the blog.
Keep those comments coming--Jacqueline Diamond, Laura Marie Altom and Kara Lennox are giving away a book for the month of September!
A while back when the kids were out with friends and hubby was watching baseball on TV--I popped over to Amazon and perused their romance discussion topics. I'm always interested in what readers say or how they feel about romance books. The following are a few of the comments readers responded with to the question "What makes a romance novel a "Keeper?"
1) An unpredictable plot
2) An Interesting setting
3) Realistic characters
I have to agree with #3. For a romance to make it to my "Keeper Shelf" the story must have strong, believable and flawed characters. I want a hero and a heroine I can cheer for as they muddle their way through the obstacles keeping them from their Happy-Ever-After.
What's your "Keeper" requirement?
Marin
Ryan's Renovation *McKade Brothers* Aug 07
For The Children *Hearts of Appalachia* Oct 08
http://www.marinthomas.com/
Keep those comments coming--Jacqueline Diamond, Laura Marie Altom and Kara Lennox are giving away a book for the month of September!
A while back when the kids were out with friends and hubby was watching baseball on TV--I popped over to Amazon and perused their romance discussion topics. I'm always interested in what readers say or how they feel about romance books. The following are a few of the comments readers responded with to the question "What makes a romance novel a "Keeper?"
1) An unpredictable plot
2) An Interesting setting
3) Realistic characters
I have to agree with #3. For a romance to make it to my "Keeper Shelf" the story must have strong, believable and flawed characters. I want a hero and a heroine I can cheer for as they muddle their way through the obstacles keeping them from their Happy-Ever-After.
What's your "Keeper" requirement?
Marin
Ryan's Renovation *McKade Brothers* Aug 07
For The Children *Hearts of Appalachia* Oct 08
http://www.marinthomas.com/
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Standing up for a change
Authors are famous for sitting down. At our desks, with endless cups of coffee and the occasional doughnut or chocolate bar, typing away (rather messily) on our computer keys.
Occasionally we fire off letters or e-mails. The older I get (well past thirty-nine, thank you), the more outrage it takes to generate a protest from me. I’ve learned that a) if you aren’t careful, people misinterpret what you say and b) hardly anything ever changes, anyway.
Well, now I’m mad. Mad enough to stand up, tipping over a few cups of coffee with my usual klutziness, and possibly working off a chocolate bar or two in the process.
Here’s what happened. In addition to writing family-oriented love stories for Harlequin, I sold a paranormal romance to an ebook publisher called Triskelion, which went bankrupt. Okay, that means I lost whatever royalties they owed me. I can handle that.
Then I made a discovery that outraged me.
My contract contains a standard clause stating that, in the event of the publisher’s bankruptcy, all rights in the book revert to the author. That means I regain control over my own work, right?
Well, no. I discovered that federal bankruptcy courts routinely void these clauses. They contend that bankruptcies are adjudicated under federal law, while contracts are signed under state law, and federal law takes precedence.
In other words, a federal judge – not the publisher – intends to sell my rights and those of the other authors to the highest bidder. We don’t get that money; it goes to the secured creditors, most likely banks.
More importantly, the purchaser may be somebody I would never choose to do business with. He might rewrite my book and ruin it, or stick a pornographic cover on the front and advertise it on a porno site – with my name on it.
Sure, publishers aren’t supposed to behave that way. But what kind of clout do I have, when I never agreed to sign with this guy in the first place? He might not even be a legitimate publisher, just somebody looking to make a fast buck with Internet downloads. At the expense of my reputation.
Given the power held by federal judges, this situation can only be rectified by an act of Congress. So I’m asking everybody to write his or her senators and congressperson urging them to sponsor a bill barring bankruptcy judges from voiding these contract clauses for authors, illustrators and composers.
If you’re interested, just Google “find your U.S. senator” or “find your congressperson.” Our representatives maintain on-line message forms that are easy to fill out. If you’d like to borrow some formal wording, I’ve posted a statement on my website, www.jacquelinediamond.com.
Glad I got that off my chest. Now I can paste my rear end to the desk chair where it belongs, and go back to writing my next book.
Occasionally we fire off letters or e-mails. The older I get (well past thirty-nine, thank you), the more outrage it takes to generate a protest from me. I’ve learned that a) if you aren’t careful, people misinterpret what you say and b) hardly anything ever changes, anyway.
Well, now I’m mad. Mad enough to stand up, tipping over a few cups of coffee with my usual klutziness, and possibly working off a chocolate bar or two in the process.
Here’s what happened. In addition to writing family-oriented love stories for Harlequin, I sold a paranormal romance to an ebook publisher called Triskelion, which went bankrupt. Okay, that means I lost whatever royalties they owed me. I can handle that.
Then I made a discovery that outraged me.
My contract contains a standard clause stating that, in the event of the publisher’s bankruptcy, all rights in the book revert to the author. That means I regain control over my own work, right?
Well, no. I discovered that federal bankruptcy courts routinely void these clauses. They contend that bankruptcies are adjudicated under federal law, while contracts are signed under state law, and federal law takes precedence.
In other words, a federal judge – not the publisher – intends to sell my rights and those of the other authors to the highest bidder. We don’t get that money; it goes to the secured creditors, most likely banks.
More importantly, the purchaser may be somebody I would never choose to do business with. He might rewrite my book and ruin it, or stick a pornographic cover on the front and advertise it on a porno site – with my name on it.
Sure, publishers aren’t supposed to behave that way. But what kind of clout do I have, when I never agreed to sign with this guy in the first place? He might not even be a legitimate publisher, just somebody looking to make a fast buck with Internet downloads. At the expense of my reputation.
Given the power held by federal judges, this situation can only be rectified by an act of Congress. So I’m asking everybody to write his or her senators and congressperson urging them to sponsor a bill barring bankruptcy judges from voiding these contract clauses for authors, illustrators and composers.
If you’re interested, just Google “find your U.S. senator” or “find your congressperson.” Our representatives maintain on-line message forms that are easy to fill out. If you’d like to borrow some formal wording, I’ve posted a statement on my website, www.jacquelinediamond.com.
Glad I got that off my chest. Now I can paste my rear end to the desk chair where it belongs, and go back to writing my next book.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Spreading joy
This week I've gotten to be like Santa Claus. We had 3 seniors who forgot to order yearbooks and I was able to find extra copies to sell them. While I did have to charge them, senior yearbooks are so important and all 3 parents were grateful and thanked me more than necessary. I'm just glad I had those books--they contain the memories (and photos) you look back at 20 years later when you're about to go to the renunion.
A good book is also like that. I have a bunch on my keeper shelf that I revisit from time to time. They are the ones that motivated me to write (or to think I might be able to do it). They are the stories that stuck with me.
What about you? What's on your keeper shelf?
Michele
A good book is also like that. I have a bunch on my keeper shelf that I revisit from time to time. They are the ones that motivated me to write (or to think I might be able to do it). They are the stories that stuck with me.
What about you? What's on your keeper shelf?
Michele
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
A nice surprise
Have you ever seen the movie "Bowfinger"? Well, if you haven't, there's a scene where Steve Martin, a down-and-out screenwriter, talks about how he has this dream of someday seeing the Fed-Ex truck pull up in front of his house and deliver to him a big check from a producer.
My husband and I found that scene (in fact, the whole movie) hilarious, because of course we have similar dreams about big checks arriving from publishers. Whenever we see a Fed-Ex truck in our neighborhood heading up someone up a street that is not ours, we shout at it, "Wrong way! Our house is on the next block!" It's a very silly private joke between us.
Well, the other day a Fed-Ex truck did pull up in front of our house. And since neither of us was expecting anything, we were curious. It was a big box. But it was very lightweight, too light to be books or a manuscript. And it was from Harlequin. And I had just gotten a contract offer from Harlequin, but normally the checks arrive via my agent several weeks down the line.
Well, it turns out the box contained my 25-book pin. My long-awaited pin. My 25th book came out in 2000. I should have received the pin in 2003, the first year they started giving out pins, but somehow I fell through the cracks (probably because I write under two names). I've been begging for it ever since. Thanks to Don Lucey of Harlequin's public relations department for tracking it down and sending it to me with a very nice (but belated) congratulatory note.
My husband and I found that scene (in fact, the whole movie) hilarious, because of course we have similar dreams about big checks arriving from publishers. Whenever we see a Fed-Ex truck in our neighborhood heading up someone up a street that is not ours, we shout at it, "Wrong way! Our house is on the next block!" It's a very silly private joke between us.
Well, the other day a Fed-Ex truck did pull up in front of our house. And since neither of us was expecting anything, we were curious. It was a big box. But it was very lightweight, too light to be books or a manuscript. And it was from Harlequin. And I had just gotten a contract offer from Harlequin, but normally the checks arrive via my agent several weeks down the line.
Well, it turns out the box contained my 25-book pin. My long-awaited pin. My 25th book came out in 2000. I should have received the pin in 2003, the first year they started giving out pins, but somehow I fell through the cracks (probably because I write under two names). I've been begging for it ever since. Thanks to Don Lucey of Harlequin's public relations department for tracking it down and sending it to me with a very nice (but belated) congratulatory note.
Real Romance
I've been thinking about romance a lot lately (and not just because I had edits due yesterday on my March 08 HAR!) My husband and I celebrated our wedding annniversary this week--we took the kids out to dinner with us. Very romantic *g* We've been married nine years but together as a couple for several years beyond that. And this weekend, my step-brother and his very lovely fiancee will be getting married. They have a cute "meet" story worthy of any romance novel.
I realize I'm probably preaching to the choir here since I suspect most of you "get" the uplifting value of a good love story, but it always shocks me when people say they don't read romance because the books are unrealistic and don't paint the world the way it is. Let's pretend for a sec that I actually agreed with that (I don't)--what would be wrong about painting the world as it should be? People overcoming their differences to find trust, respect and compromise.
Romance novels are not about "too-perfect" people. My HAR Trouble in Tennessee featured a heroine who was, um, how shall I put this tactfully, a smart aleck with occasional self-sabotaging tendencies. Jennifer Crusie's contemporary novel Bet Me featured Min, a plump heroine who wasn't comfortable with her own body image. I just finished a historical romance this weekend by Elizabeth Hoyt (The Raven Prince) where the hero was considered "ugly" because his face was scarred from childhood small pox.
My retired aunt and uncle have been married since before I was born and they still flirt and steal away for romantic weekends--happy ever afters aren't just for fairy tales. Nor are happy endings reserved for romantic love. (One of my favorite five minutes of any movie is the opening sequence of Love, Actually where Hugh Grant does the voice over about standing in an airport watching old friends, reunited siblings, parents with their children, etc, and realizing love really IS all around us.) A friend of mine loves writing, but it can be hard to follow your dreams when publishing is a difficult and capricious business, full of bumps in the road. I'm proud to say that my friend persisted, as any worthy and determined heroine would, and today her wonderful novel, Garden Spells, is making its hardcover debut and will be excerpted in Readers' Digest in early September. I say, the world needs books that encourage love and following your dreams.
Viva la romance! Today, indulge your passion for something, whether it's finding time to dabble with those paints you put up in those closet, surprising your sweetie with a warmer than usual welcome home kiss at the end of the day, or making time to read a good book.
I realize I'm probably preaching to the choir here since I suspect most of you "get" the uplifting value of a good love story, but it always shocks me when people say they don't read romance because the books are unrealistic and don't paint the world the way it is. Let's pretend for a sec that I actually agreed with that (I don't)--what would be wrong about painting the world as it should be? People overcoming their differences to find trust, respect and compromise.
Romance novels are not about "too-perfect" people. My HAR Trouble in Tennessee featured a heroine who was, um, how shall I put this tactfully, a smart aleck with occasional self-sabotaging tendencies. Jennifer Crusie's contemporary novel Bet Me featured Min, a plump heroine who wasn't comfortable with her own body image. I just finished a historical romance this weekend by Elizabeth Hoyt (The Raven Prince) where the hero was considered "ugly" because his face was scarred from childhood small pox.
My retired aunt and uncle have been married since before I was born and they still flirt and steal away for romantic weekends--happy ever afters aren't just for fairy tales. Nor are happy endings reserved for romantic love. (One of my favorite five minutes of any movie is the opening sequence of Love, Actually where Hugh Grant does the voice over about standing in an airport watching old friends, reunited siblings, parents with their children, etc, and realizing love really IS all around us.) A friend of mine loves writing, but it can be hard to follow your dreams when publishing is a difficult and capricious business, full of bumps in the road. I'm proud to say that my friend persisted, as any worthy and determined heroine would, and today her wonderful novel, Garden Spells, is making its hardcover debut and will be excerpted in Readers' Digest in early September. I say, the world needs books that encourage love and following your dreams.
Viva la romance! Today, indulge your passion for something, whether it's finding time to dabble with those paints you put up in those closet, surprising your sweetie with a warmer than usual welcome home kiss at the end of the day, or making time to read a good book.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Where's my tiara?
Hey guys,
Do you have a tiara stuffed in your closet? I do, or at least I did until my granddaughter commmandeered it. Maybe all girls - young, old and in-between - harbor a secret desire to be a princess. That would explain the tiara phenomenon. This topic came up recently when my daughter's friend - the least likely person on the planet to own anything resembling a rhinestone - told us she'd been crowned Kick Ball Queen, complete with tiara and scepter. That was one for the books!
Maizie Carter, one of the characters in my Georgia series (Georgia on His Mind - August 2007 and Goin' Down to Georgia - March 2008) wears her Miss Peach Blossom tiara every chance she gets. Mama swears she'll be wearing it when she meets Saint Peter. She's one to talk, that woman wears pearls and a pill box hat to the Piggly Wiggly.
So the moral of this story is if you have a tiara, wear it with pride. And you might want to accessorize it with a little cleavage and something frou-frou - just for grins.
Ann
Ann DeFee
Georgia On His Mind - HAR - August 2007
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - HAR Christmas Anthology - November 2007
Goin' Down to Georgia - HAR - March 2008
Do you have a tiara stuffed in your closet? I do, or at least I did until my granddaughter commmandeered it. Maybe all girls - young, old and in-between - harbor a secret desire to be a princess. That would explain the tiara phenomenon. This topic came up recently when my daughter's friend - the least likely person on the planet to own anything resembling a rhinestone - told us she'd been crowned Kick Ball Queen, complete with tiara and scepter. That was one for the books!
Maizie Carter, one of the characters in my Georgia series (Georgia on His Mind - August 2007 and Goin' Down to Georgia - March 2008) wears her Miss Peach Blossom tiara every chance she gets. Mama swears she'll be wearing it when she meets Saint Peter. She's one to talk, that woman wears pearls and a pill box hat to the Piggly Wiggly.
So the moral of this story is if you have a tiara, wear it with pride. And you might want to accessorize it with a little cleavage and something frou-frou - just for grins.
Ann
Ann DeFee
Georgia On His Mind - HAR - August 2007
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - HAR Christmas Anthology - November 2007
Goin' Down to Georgia - HAR - March 2008
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Lessons from bad television
Does anyone out there watch Amazing Grace? I do, but after what? four episodes? I’m not sure I’ll continue to tune in. The whole idea of the show, with Grace Anadarko a “fallen” human being and Earl, her guardian angel trying to help her clean up her act, sounded like a good and interesting premise. I like characters with deep flaws, and hoped the show would be as thought-provoking and well-written as Joan of Arcadia.
The writing is good—to a point. Warm-hearted, but terribly screwed-up Grace never seems to learn or grow from her experiences. She buries her problems with alcohol (she’s an alcoholic) and sleeps with a married man, as well as any other male who happens to be available when she needs someone to hold onto. Yet despite drunken nights she manages to show up at work every day and somehow perform very well as a cop. Not one of her peers seems to notice or care that she gets stinkin’ drunk every night.
When a father almost killed his son in one episode, did Grace learn anything? Not that viewers noticed. When her soon-to-die aunt confessed to sleeping with Grace’s father, did Grace learn or grow? Nope, she simply got drunk once again and slept with another officer.
If I wrote a book like that, where the sympathetic but self-destructive heroine never, ever changed, readers would toss it across the room and would never again pick up one of my novels.
I’m not saying, solve all the problems. I just want to see a little change and growth now and then. A little hope. I’m betting other viewers feel the same way.
I’m thinking that TV writers could take a lesson or two from us novelists.
www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August 2007
The writing is good—to a point. Warm-hearted, but terribly screwed-up Grace never seems to learn or grow from her experiences. She buries her problems with alcohol (she’s an alcoholic) and sleeps with a married man, as well as any other male who happens to be available when she needs someone to hold onto. Yet despite drunken nights she manages to show up at work every day and somehow perform very well as a cop. Not one of her peers seems to notice or care that she gets stinkin’ drunk every night.
When a father almost killed his son in one episode, did Grace learn anything? Not that viewers noticed. When her soon-to-die aunt confessed to sleeping with Grace’s father, did Grace learn or grow? Nope, she simply got drunk once again and slept with another officer.
If I wrote a book like that, where the sympathetic but self-destructive heroine never, ever changed, readers would toss it across the room and would never again pick up one of my novels.
I’m not saying, solve all the problems. I just want to see a little change and growth now and then. A little hope. I’m betting other viewers feel the same way.
I’m thinking that TV writers could take a lesson or two from us novelists.
www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
The House That Joe Painted
Several years ago I was in a paint store where the staff had taped a cartoon to the counter. It showed a man buying cans of paint, and the clerk saying, “Sir, I’ll need to see a note from your wife.”
Until this week, that summed up me and my husband. He does a meticulous job of painting, but after several what-on-earth-were-you-thinking occasions when he made solo trips to the paint store—one of which resulted in the living room being painted with pink semi-gloss—I choose the paint and he chooses the brushes.
This week we’re painting the exterior of our house, which is not only a huge job, it’s also out there for the whole world to see. So we have to get it right.
The previous owners had always painted the house white with a turquoise gable and front door. If any of you are old enough to remember the turquoise trim color that was popular in the ’50s, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
We’ve wanted to change the look of the house and add some personality to its charming 1940s cottage style, so we finally settled on a nice cheery yellow for the main color, white for the trim, including the gable, latticed porch, etc., charcoal for the concrete steps and porch floor, and an eye-catching dark red door. We actually agreed right away on the door color and that’s, ah, not always how things go around here!
For the past few months I’ve been taking note of all the yellow houses I’ve seen throughout the city. Turns out that yellow is not a forgiving color. We could either get it right, or we could get it horribly wrong.
This week, after two long days of power washing and paint scraping, we were finally ready to head to the paint store. I had already chosen a color that looked similar to other yellow houses I liked, but I still insisted we buy only one can and try it out. My husband is always in a big hurry to get moving on things, but I didn't want to buy multiple gallons of paint until I was absolutely sure we had the right color.
We were not even close. The yellow that looked bright and cheery on a two-inch-square paint chip was capable of doing permanent damage to the retinas when applied to an entire wall.
So I went back to the paint store, alone this time, and enlisted the help of a very knowledgeable woman who patiently discussed with me the pros and cons of various shades of yellow. We settled on a more subdued shade, but it still wasn’t right.
Meanwhile my husband was doing lots of silent eye rolling while he applied primer to the turquoise gable, and neighbors were stopping by to ask if we were really going to paint the house that color, in reference to Yellow #1.
I went back to my notes and decided to drive around one last time and look at the yellow houses whose owners had managed to get it right. My favorite even had similar siding to ours and the exact style and color of shingles. If they could get it right, so could I. So I knocked on the front door and asked the nice young couple who answered if they could give me a sample of the paint color they’d chosen. And they did!
Armed with a lid from one of their empty paint cans, I made yet another trip to the paint store. The same woman who’d helped me choose Yellow #2 came up with a custom color that’s a perfect match and exactly what I was looking for. And not a moment too soon! I think my husband and our neighbors were about to suggest I have my eyes checked. And then someone could draw a new cartoon, with the paint store clerk saying to the crazy lady, “I’ll need to see a note from your optometrist.”
We still have a lot of work to do but when it’s finished, it’s going to be fabulous!
Anyone else doing major home reno projects this summer? I hope yours are going more smoothly than mine!
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
Until this week, that summed up me and my husband. He does a meticulous job of painting, but after several what-on-earth-were-you-thinking occasions when he made solo trips to the paint store—one of which resulted in the living room being painted with pink semi-gloss—I choose the paint and he chooses the brushes.
This week we’re painting the exterior of our house, which is not only a huge job, it’s also out there for the whole world to see. So we have to get it right.
The previous owners had always painted the house white with a turquoise gable and front door. If any of you are old enough to remember the turquoise trim color that was popular in the ’50s, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
We’ve wanted to change the look of the house and add some personality to its charming 1940s cottage style, so we finally settled on a nice cheery yellow for the main color, white for the trim, including the gable, latticed porch, etc., charcoal for the concrete steps and porch floor, and an eye-catching dark red door. We actually agreed right away on the door color and that’s, ah, not always how things go around here!
For the past few months I’ve been taking note of all the yellow houses I’ve seen throughout the city. Turns out that yellow is not a forgiving color. We could either get it right, or we could get it horribly wrong.
This week, after two long days of power washing and paint scraping, we were finally ready to head to the paint store. I had already chosen a color that looked similar to other yellow houses I liked, but I still insisted we buy only one can and try it out. My husband is always in a big hurry to get moving on things, but I didn't want to buy multiple gallons of paint until I was absolutely sure we had the right color.
We were not even close. The yellow that looked bright and cheery on a two-inch-square paint chip was capable of doing permanent damage to the retinas when applied to an entire wall.
So I went back to the paint store, alone this time, and enlisted the help of a very knowledgeable woman who patiently discussed with me the pros and cons of various shades of yellow. We settled on a more subdued shade, but it still wasn’t right.
Meanwhile my husband was doing lots of silent eye rolling while he applied primer to the turquoise gable, and neighbors were stopping by to ask if we were really going to paint the house that color, in reference to Yellow #1.
I went back to my notes and decided to drive around one last time and look at the yellow houses whose owners had managed to get it right. My favorite even had similar siding to ours and the exact style and color of shingles. If they could get it right, so could I. So I knocked on the front door and asked the nice young couple who answered if they could give me a sample of the paint color they’d chosen. And they did!
Armed with a lid from one of their empty paint cans, I made yet another trip to the paint store. The same woman who’d helped me choose Yellow #2 came up with a custom color that’s a perfect match and exactly what I was looking for. And not a moment too soon! I think my husband and our neighbors were about to suggest I have my eyes checked. And then someone could draw a new cartoon, with the paint store clerk saying to the crazy lady, “I’ll need to see a note from your optometrist.”
We still have a lot of work to do but when it’s finished, it’s going to be fabulous!
Anyone else doing major home reno projects this summer? I hope yours are going more smoothly than mine!
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Bad News/Good News Week
I'm posting really late today, and I'm sorry. It's been one of those weeks. My son was in the hospital this past Friday and Saturday. All is well now but it was kind of a bad couple of days there (he'd had what should have been minor sinus surgery three weeks ago but something went wrong and he suddenly had this severe, uncontrolled bleeding from his nose).
And, I have a cold. Not that a cold is anything like losing two liters of blood through your nose, but I'm miserable. Maybe it's a sympathy illness for my son — he did have plugs in his nose for four days and sounded like he had a cold.
On a positive note, I typed "The End" yesterday on my latest book. Still have a lot of editing ahead of me before I have to ship it off next week, but it's a good feeling to be done. More than good. It's great! I counted, and this is my twelfth completed book (not including all those other ones I started and didn't get past chapter four or five). The two most thrilling moments for me in writing a book is the beginning when I'm falling in love with the story and the characters and the end when I've given them their happily ever after. I think it's probably that way with a lot of writers and readers.
Well, I'm off to nurse my cold, kiss my son and kick back on the couch for some more editing. Hopefully by my next post in September, I'll be deep in the process of falling in love with the characters in my next book.
And, I have a cold. Not that a cold is anything like losing two liters of blood through your nose, but I'm miserable. Maybe it's a sympathy illness for my son — he did have plugs in his nose for four days and sounded like he had a cold.
On a positive note, I typed "The End" yesterday on my latest book. Still have a lot of editing ahead of me before I have to ship it off next week, but it's a good feeling to be done. More than good. It's great! I counted, and this is my twelfth completed book (not including all those other ones I started and didn't get past chapter four or five). The two most thrilling moments for me in writing a book is the beginning when I'm falling in love with the story and the characters and the end when I've given them their happily ever after. I think it's probably that way with a lot of writers and readers.
Well, I'm off to nurse my cold, kiss my son and kick back on the couch for some more editing. Hopefully by my next post in September, I'll be deep in the process of falling in love with the characters in my next book.
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