time to query

OK – the message from the universe is telling me it’s time to send out queries about my book, to agents.  Two weeks ago I discussed new marketing strategies with author friends, two booksellers, and a new agent who doesn’t do nonfiction.

This week agent blogs have focused on queries, one even ran a contest for readers to act like an agent.  Another agent posted that writers have become a hot commodity.  I have queried in the past and the rejections were very nice and fast, but it’s a whole different story now – and no longer a memoir. 

It’s time to suck it up and put my writing out there again.   Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary is on Saturday, May 1st.  I’ll use that as a good energy omen for promoting their love story and finding me a publishing partner.

Following is what I feel would be a good query but comments and suggestions would be appreciated.  What do you think?  Do you feel you have an idea of the story and the style?  Do you know this is horribly nerve-wracking?

Begin Query -

Dear Agent,

(Insert personal connection and sincere flattery) 

I’m requesting representation of my nonfiction book THE WILL TO LOVE – true tales of my sittin’ mom; from grade school to grandchildren, through funerals and feuds, with self-control and chocolate.

These stories would appeal to readers of Erma Bombeck or Jane Porter, with their deep humor and touching reality.

THE WILL TO LOVE is 62,000 words (230 pages) and spans the 46 years after mom was paralyzed from polio, during desegregation and the free thinking 1960′s.  The personal essays and narratives begin with an overview of our family life and annual holiday celebrations.

The devil is in the details through the middle of the book.  These details include chocolate and finger exercises, a visit to a healer priest, when the nuns became militant and stopped wearing habits, wedding dramas of five children and a feud that was horribly polite but lasted 19 years, the rest of my parents life.

During their retirement years, the exceptional romance between my parents really bloomed.  As my dad stated once, “I’m a lucky man because no matter how mad she get at me, I still get to undress my wife every night.”

End Query.   About me information here.

Sincerely…

Time for wine.

The next stage

Yesterday I kissed my grandson good-bye, the last time as his full-time caregiver.  Whew!  Will there be days I miss it?  Maybe, but I’ll get over it.  There will be sporadic days and that’s what this grandma wants, with lots of rest between those days.  Now, how much exercise I get is my choice and not dictated by a toddler.

The calendar on the wall in my cabin office showed August 2009.  I’ve been in my office since then, but my core writing tools were in the house, so those sporadic visits were for storage and sanctuary.   There’s two based-on-true-events writing projects in process and I know these past months are part of The End, or at least an epilogue.   Art mirrors life but when you’re living the life part, it can take a long time until you have those specific events that become a few sparkling pages of art.

By noon today I had shifted binders, books, storyboards, and the printer, back into my office.  It’s a bit disorganized but after cleaning and moving, I sat down and savored the space while the music played.  It’s going to take a few days to get into a productive routine.    I also have dozens of books to read!

I have a project from a critique partner to review, and a presentation proposal to draft.  Then I should be ready to work on a query, some edits, and eventually decide which one of the on-hold projects to make a priority.  Fiction or nonfiction?

It’s time to begin the next stage of my life, however it will look.

Dreams and Desires 3

I’m currently reading (and loving every story!) Dreams & Desires 3 – a Collection of Romance Tales.  This anthology is a great example of the diversity of romance novels.  Each stellar tale is unique in style and all the contributing authors are multi published in a variety of genres, some with two pseudonyms.

The cover page prior to each new story categorizes the genre & rating.  Before I begin reading I know if the story is Contemporary, Paranormal, SciFi or Chick Lit and rated as Sweet, Tangy, Spicy or Sizzling.

This year’s proceeds go to the St. Bernard’s Battered Woman’s Shelter in New Orleans.  D&D 1 and D&D 2, also published by Freya’s Bower, did not designate a specific shelter in their dedication but this is why these anthologies were created, and yes, I own and love all three.

“By purchasing this collection, you can help turn someone’s nightmare into the pursuit of dreams. Every year, four million women are assaulted by their partners. At Freya’s Bower, we want to do our part to bring this statistic down to zero. To this end, all net proceeds from every Dreams and Desire anthology purchased will go to a battered woman’s shelter. Through education and support, we can make a difference.”

Included after the Forward is “Signs of an Abuser” and there are 16 points followed by Hotline numbers and websites for the U.S. and Britain.

These anthologies are available in a variety of electronic formats and print versions.  I love how anthologies introduce me to new authors.  I also love the story behind the books so if you haven’t bought a fun book in a while, buy one of the Dreams & Desires anthologies.  You’re guaranteed a fun read and are helping women and children who need some fun in their lives.  Everyone wins!

a techno choir

This is too cool!  I love how the internet is showing its potential for being so much more than a place to share information.  Eric Whitacre created a global choir!

Check out how they did it.

Enjoy!

The big event

Saturday was our annual RCRW Readers Luncheon.  This event is to personally connect authors and readers.  Over 200 attendees from WA to CA assembled in Portland, OR to celebrate the world of romance, and support our local literacy organization. This was the 10th and last luncheon, I’ve attended the past eight.  This was our last because it’s become too big and we’ll reassess for smaller venues, more often, through our partnerships with Borders and Powell’s bookstores.

Our featured speaker, Jane Porter, is my favorite contemporary woman’s fiction author.  Jane is sitting, Lucy Monroe is in pink.  Lucy was the featured speaker in 2009.  Both of these women are active promoters of literacy, couples counseling, empowering women, stopping domestic violence and much more.

RCRW donates proceeds from our basket raffle to the Portland Literacy Council.  Last year our donations funded GED scholarships for more than 20 individuals.

The woman in black is one of the recipients of a GED scholarship RCRW sponsored, and she is now taking college classes.  The woman in white manages the GED scholarship grants and feels like “mom” to each adult she mentors through the tests.

The lady on the left is the director of the Portland Literacy Council.

There were many group shots at the luncheon and with the enthusiasm so high, some of us (me) forget to take our reading glasses off for the picture.  Featured are:  Kristina McMorris, Delilah Marvelle, me, Kaylin McFarrin, Mary Lou Wilson and Mae Pen in front.

One of the awesome reader appreciation aspects of this luncheon are the raffle baskets.  Proceeds from the sale of tickets for these baskets, full of books and all sorts of goodies, is what is donated to PLC.  This year there were 95 baskets to win, which made the odds pretty good for the 200 attendees.  Yet, each year there is someone that wins at least 3 baskets.  This year it was me.

I hoped to win a basket because I haven’t added new authors or categories to my to-be-read pile in a few years and was ready for something new to read.  From those 3 baskets I now have about 60 novels – half of which are marketed as steamy, erotic, and hot.  Could there be a message here for me?   LOL!  I won’t know until I start reading.

Good times ahead!

Jessica and Ella’s Pink Lady

I’ve been following this amazing journey since around Thanksgiving.  Jessica Watson, the youngest to sail around the world non-stop.  She and Ella’s Pink Lady are almost at their final destination.  I love amazing stories by real people but this one has fascinated me for months on two levels.

The first level is sort of intellectual and inspiring because so many of us can follow this journey.  Through technology we can experience any part of this epic adventure, by point-n-click.   Not only that, but hundreds of people feel connected with Jessica while she’s in the middle of the ocean!  Each post on her blog receives hundreds of comments.

The greater delight I have is in Jessica, as she consistently posts about her adventure.  She already had the skill and passion for being at one with the sea prior to launch.  Yet through squalls and stillness, mechanical and electrical issues, sunsets and dawns, day after day for months within the world of Ella’s Pink Lady, her enthusiasm remains excellent.  It’s in her voice.  What she writes on her blog.  Her honesty.  Her delight in nature.  Her spirit of adventure thrives as she faces challenges with confidence.

My first sailing adventure was about when Jessica was beginning her journey.  It was awesome but it was only a few hours on a river and I watched in awe as others knew what to do.

Jessica and Ella’s Pink Lady is an epic adventure that I’m sure will make an amazing book and movie because her voice is genuine.   I’m also sure that Jessica will forever be more at home on the ocean than she will be with the limelight of fame awaiting her at the dock.  I’m also thrilled at the potential that Jessica’s story can remain forever current in cyberspace, to inspire many who may not know anything about her until they get a link.

Share the link!

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_blog/Official_Jessica_Watson_Blog/

charmed three

The power of three is a plot device that begins with a surprise, repeats to deepen the drama, then, once more it seems the story is into a repeat but suddenly there’s a twist, change, transformation.  When not done well, the reader hits that third repeat with a groan and slides through the transformation with a, “Duh!”  When done well, the reader is so engaged they want to cheer and stamp their feet in triumph.

For stress relief, three cleansing breaths are the charm.  The first breath is acknowledging there is stress, the second is to release the stress, the third breath is to inhale peace.

If I am puzzled about a personal issue, I like to meditate and pray for a sign or message.  It is common for me to get the answer in three ways, something I read, hear and see.   This is now a personal practice for me, if I feel a decision needs to be made or a goal set.  I’m prone to enthusiasm, lots of things catch my attention and I feel it is something I want to do.  My method of requesting three signs or messages is how I choose where to put my energy.

Last week I had three yes and three no messages for a non-issue, non-goal, at the moment.  It made me wonder if this was a goal to consider.  It was so concentrated it was funny.  When I want to laugh about a message, it means I need to pay attention.  It’s also amusing I am not in a position to act on either the yes or no message, for a few months.

Which means I need to consider the potentials.  The choice will be mine.  Two sides of the same coin.  Both goals would require tons of work and bushels of enthusiasm, when the time is right.  Which isn’t today or even this month.  But…

I got my surprise.  I’m paying attention now and the drama is deepening.  I have to consider which will be the greater challenge.  That’s probably the route I’ll eventually take.  I love a challenge, the greater the challenge the sweeter the success.  When I make a choice it will be one where I will cheer and stamp my feet.

an artist date

Saturday’s workshop speaker was Lucy Monroe, an amazing woman, speaker and writer.  She had spinal surgery on Tuesday for a herniated disc that the doctor stated was more than huge.   Her husband and daughter helped her attend our meeting.  She was allowed to sit and speak to us though she wasn’t on pain meds because they make her nauseous.  Inspired yet?  How about if I told you she was engaging, made us laugh often, and made us take notes like we hadn’t in years.  The topic of her talk?

Recovering from Burnout.

She was sharing what she’s learned as a creative type, an artist with words, a storyteller.  Lucy will probably take her own advice and recover from surgery to inspire us even more.

Lucy also shared a lot more, like how to avoid Burnout.    This needs to be repeated often to the creative type personality.  Take a break, refill your well, make an artist’s date with yourself.  A few hours a week, just you, doing something that feels good.

Mine was a trip to the Oregon coast on Sunday.  I had a specific agenda to justify the two hour drive west.  Ed came along for the drive.  We checked out the hotel room my sisters and I will share in June for our 3rd sister’s weekend.  The first was in 1999, the second in 2007.  I’m thrilled it’s only been three years!  I can’t explain how a weekend with my sisters refills the well of my personal essence.  It’s not taking a break from life, it’s reconnecting with that essence within.  Ten years ago, I would not have understood, or realized I would find it with my sisters.  We are so different!

That’s why I had to drive to the coast to see the potential hotel room we would share.  I had to experience the view and walk the path from our room to the conference location.  I was the one who chose the venue, the primary destination, the initial gathering.  Oh, the gathering.  I’m a redhead, Rose is a brunette, and Sharon is more blond.  Like the Witches of Eastwick!

This reminds me of – the power of three – I’ll post about that tomorrow.

Until then, here’s the current title and tag line for my memoir:

THE WILL TO LOVE – true stories of a sittin’ mom and her family; from grade school to weddings, through funerals and feuds, with self-control and chocolate.

What do you think about that?

it’s not a memoir

Delilah and I finally meshed our schedules to talk about my book, that she read and considers amazing.  The phone call lasted 40 minutes.  Ed’s out of town and Keirnan, who was a content and quiet baby all day, stayed so for ten minutes.  Then he was off, pulling metal bowls from the cupboard, flushing toilets, swarming up the stairs…  Then the dog barfed up grass onto the carpet.

Even so, I was able to focus as she asked what other projects I planned along the same lines as this book.  Well, two potentials that are referenced in this book.  This got Delilah excited and she stated there could be so much more, I could become my own genre.  OK, that made me cringe.  Publishers and booksellers don’t know where to put – the genre of its own – book.  Which brought us back to the point of our conversation.

It’s not the product, the book is inspiring, fun, poignant and has lots of great section titles and quotable messages.   It’s the marketing that needs work.  Which begins with the title.  Which needs to reflect what the book is.  It’s not memoir.  According to Delilah, it’s literary nonfiction.  This made me laugh because I’ve been told in the past I can’t write literary because my voice is too commercial.

There will be more brainstorming on how to market this non-memoir.  For now, I’ll title it:  “The Will to Love – true stories from a functional family.”  LOL!

Or maybe not…  Dysfunctional families create victims.    Functional families endure traumas and joys, hurts and forgiveness, trials and successes.  The difference in a functional family – no victims – because being victimized is a state of mind.

writing my memoir

I began the journey of writing my memoir in 2006.  I thought I was prepared.  Writing novels was the focus of my life for years.  A memoir is shorter than a novel.  The pause to write it would only be a year of my life – tops…  What’s the big deal?  It’s not like I didn’t know the story.

I was so wrong.

I was confident, in 2006.  Earlier in my life I had worked through writing courses, worked with critique groups, and attended conferences, to learn the craft of story.  I also had a successful track record as a technical writer.  I’d dash off the memoir and be back on track with my novel writing.  Memoir is a one shot deal.

The following is the process I took.  I don’t recommend this process.

Step 1 to writing my memoir:  Open a vein to my heart and memories, and bleed all over the keyboard, daily, for months.  I had hundreds of pages that went in a thousand directions and even my sisters couldn’t help.  Their memories are so different and unique – of the same incident!

Step 2 to writing my memoir:  Hire an independent editor. I met Erin Brown when she was the interested acquiring editor for the publisher of my choice.  Erin left that job and moved into her new career a few months later.  Her insights in 2008 were very encouraging!)  Rewrite, shift, read. read.read. etc.

Step 3 to writing my memoir:  I returned to college to relearn how to write, speak, and appreciate live theater.  This taught me what to write, and how to embrace story in all it’s forms.  I also attended conferences, workshops, and read tons of books.  (The reading part was the easiest for me!)

Step 4 to writing my memoir:  Figure out my target audience.  Who may care to read it?  And why?  How can my story benefit a reader?  This list of potential readers is a bit odd and disjointed.  Hmmm…  LOL!

Step 5 to writing my memoir:  Draft family.  I learned my sister-in-law Carla, is a grammar maven and was willing to be absolutely brutal to every page.  She sliced and diced through all 300+ pages and I cut and rearranged the story into 250 pages.  I sent it back to Carla for another slice and dice.  It was a thrill to see pages untouched by her red pen.

Step 6 to writing my memoir:  Draft friends.  I returned to my comfort zone, my exceptional group of romance writers.  These are friends who speak my language, understand a lot of my quirks, and have heard monthly announcements of my life for many years.

Later this week I’ll brainstorm with a published novelist (and awesome friend) who will help me figure out the story I’ve written in my memoir, and how to explain it in a few short sentences.

This is the greatest lesson I’ve learned by writing a memoir.  My life can be defined by a few sparkling sentences.  I just need to figure out what they are…

sounds of spring

Laughter is great exercise and I loved reading April Fools jokes posted all over the web today.

Ed took advantage of awesome weather, to cut the grass before the next swath of storms arrive.

18 month old Kiernan loved his first tractor ride, he wanted to steer and was not thrilled when the ride was done.