Participate in an interview of Leslie Bennetts The Feminine Mistake

Edited for a bit of Clarification. This message is from Felicia C. Sullivan. She is a great contact and is always sending me great information on new books and she often has offers for folks to pick up a new book for a review.

I wanted to share this message from her with all of you:

As you may know, there has been a firestorm debate over Leslie Bennetts' new book The Feminine Mistake.

About the book
Author's Blog

I (Felicia, not me!) plan on interviewing the author on an uncoming podcast radio show that I'm producing (which will garner a great deal of attention) and I want to put you guys in the driver's seat. I want to use your questions/comments/praise/criticism when I chat with the author.

If you have a question/questions for the author, leave them here, in the comments space (along with your blog URL). (Even if you don't have a question, be sure to check out Felicia's little corner of the blogosphere)

And if you are one of the ten questions/comments, etc that I use on my show, not only will you be credited, but you'll receive a free copy of the book!

Do feel free to pass this on to other parenting bloggers/friends. I will drop you a line when the show will air.

Quick Q&A with Jenny Rappaport

A while back I had sent some questions to Jenny Rappaport with the L.Perkins Agency. She is a regular blogger, for those of you who don't recognize the name, and her blog is called Litsoup.

1. What has blogging done for you in the literary industry?

Blogging has given me a much greater visibility. People know who I am from my blog, and I've gotten a large number of clients through it. It's also made me more visible to editors, of which quite a few read my blog as well. I think blogs are some of the most effective marketing tools out there, at least as far as promoting yourself goes.

2. Has blogging impacted your writing?

Blogging hasn't really impacted my writing. If anything, I write more now, since I've started blogging, which is an accomplishment for me. =)

3. So... Miss (soon to be Mrs.) Lit Soup, what's your favorite soup and why?

Progresso Macaroni and Bean--simply because I love it, and it's great with a little bit of Parmesan on top of it.

4. Many writers have a book or two that had a profound impact on them, an epiphany, or perhaps just a deep rooted love that began their journey into writing. Do you have a book that you've read like that? If so, which one?

I don't really have a book which started me on a profound journey to be a writer, or anything like that. I've been reading since I was three and a half years old, and I pretty much devour everything in my path. I've been telling stories for even longer than that, as my mother literally has notebooks full of the ones I would tell her, before I was old enough to write them down myself. It's just something I've always done...

5. What advice would you give to people that want to follow a literary agent career path?

Publishing is still very much an apprenticeship-based business, so you really need to get in on the ground floor. Work your butt off to get an internship in the publishing industry, even if it's not in a field you want to work in (i.e., textbooks); the experience you gain is going to open doors to you, which would otherwise be closed.

6. What's your biggest pet peeve when you read manuscripts?

My biggest pet peeve is bad grammar and spelling, as well as improper manuscript format.

A Great Place for a Screenwriter to Get Their Manuscript Read

Sometimes we writers get a little... focused on our level of the writosphere and we forget that the writing family has a lot of relatives, the novelists, the poets, the lyrists, screenwriters... flashers (flash fiction) and more.

I could never be a screenwriter. I just have too many words floating around and could never break it down for screen. With that said, I do love watching movies and tv shows so I wanted to take a moment and share some information that may be of interest to those writers of a visual kind.

Scriptapalooza is an internetional screenplay competition that reviews 1,000s of scripts and has some great industry support. Scriptapalooza president, Mark Andrushko, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me on this event.

1.Can you tell me a little bit about how Scriptapalooza came to be?

About 9 years ago, a lot of my personal friends were writers and always telling me how discouraged they were with screenplay competitions - they would send their script to competitions and hear nothing back and what really annoyed them was that they didn't know who was reading their script if anyone? Basically the other competitions would say, "Read by Hollywood producers," well who are these people? Because they never mentioned any info on the judges...What Scriptapalooza did was we listed on our website every company that reads, the person's name and their title. We have over 70 producers, managers and agents reading every entry that comes in.

2. I see it's the 9th annual - how has the event grown since its first year?

The first couple of years were tough; we were cold calling producers to read our winners, now everyone calls us to see the winners, runners-up etc...

3. How many entries does the Scriptapalooza usually receive?

Anywhere between 3500-4000 per year.

4. There are over 70 production companies and agents listed as the entities reviewing the scripts. Overall - what are they looking for?

Since we deal with so many companies, they are looking for everything...we have producers that just want horror or animation. Basically every genre is needed by all these 70 companies.

Is there a percentage of how many entrants see something come from participation in the competition?

The good thing about Scriptapalooza is that if you win 1st place or you are just a Semifinalist, your script will be pushed for an entire year.

5. It sounds like you have some exciting news about past entrants, like Craig Clyde. How do you think their participation has helped develop their project or improve their craft?

We open the doors for them, they write great scripts, and we have the connections to get them a meeting, an agent, get their script optioned, sold and eventually made.

6. The Scriptapalooza has some fantastic support from writer's groups and entertainment agencies, how has that impacted the competition?

It validates everything we do...Robert McKee has said that Scriptapalooza is the best screenplay competition out there, Writers Guild of America west and Writers Guild of Canada both endorsed us...so it feels good, people are recognizing that we work for the writer.

7. What do you think is the most important component of a successful script entered into the competition?

Great storytelling and great dialogue.

8. What words of advice do you have for writers trying to break into the industry?

I'm very honest with everyone, it's a very difficult business to get into, but if you're a great writer you'll float to the top eventually.

9. How can entering contests and competitions help advance the writer's career?

Competitions are good way to get your work out there and see what people think. But make sure you only submit your script to reputable competitions, such as Nichols and Scriptapalooza. They are many competitions are there that don't really do anything, do your homework and judge for yourself before submitting.

Interview with Karen Dionne of Backspace

As an aspiring writer, I know how important an active network of fellow insa... err, passionate writers can be. A good critique group can take an ok novel to great! An understanding ear and soothing back pat can get you over the next hurdle of self-doubt or writer's block. These are the primary reasons I joined Backspace - the Writer's Place. I enjoyed the discussions; I can get lost in reviewing past questions and answers with agents and authors... and you can meet some excellent authors. People who have put their foot in the door of publication and really, it can be an inspiring experience for those who yearn for similar success. I sent some questions to Karen and Christopher, founders of Backspace.

1. When did Backspace begin?

Christopher Graham and I started Backspace three years ago, in April of 2004. We met over the Internet at a large, public writers board that had lots of great people posting helpful information, but because of its public nature, it also had problems - a handful of troublemakers and nuisance posts by people who weren’t serious about writing tended to overwhelm the discussion, making it difficult to find the good stuff. As aspiring writers, Chris and I felt we needed a site where writers could gather in large numbers to talk about writing and help one another understand the publishing process in an atmosphere of respect, and so we started Backspace. The Backspace discussion forums now have nearly 500 members in a dozen countries. About a third of the membership is agented and/or published, including a handful of New York Times best-selling authors. We believe Backspace’s phenomenal success demonstrates that in creating the kind of writers site we wanted, we discovered a need.

2. In your mind, what does Backspace offer to writers?

The real beauty of the Backspace discussion forums is that the membership is a mix of published authors and the soon-to-be. Writers join because they want to give and get. In that sense, no matter where they are in the publishing process, everyone's a mentor because we're all learning from each other. In not quite three years' time, members have watched dozens of Backspacers sell their books, work with their editors and publicists, do book signings, go on tour -- even hit the New York Times best-seller list. We understand what copyedits are even if we've never seen them; we know what happens at an editorial board meeting; we understand the reason for a last-minute cover change (and how little the author can do about it); we know that Amazon rankings don't mean diddly in terms of overall sales (though we also understand the author's need to check them compulsively every hour).

3. The articles and forum discussions by authors and literary agents are impressive. How did you build those relationships?

In the process of assembling the articles on the www.bksp.org homepage and lining up guest speakers for online question and answer visits, I made an interesting discovery. I found out that for every stereotypical bitter, jealous writer, there are hundreds of well-published authors and agents and editors who are eager to see aspiring writers succeed. The Backspace organization is predicated on the idea of writers helping writers. I’m extremely grateful that those in the publishing world who are of like mind recognize the value of our educational efforts, and are eager to contribute.

4. Do you have a favorite article or author discussion from 2006? If yes, which one and why?

I love all of the discussions, but a few that stand out are literary agent Jeff Kleinman’s visit back in December 2005 where he went far and above the call of duty, spending literally hours answering members’ questions, and Jerry Gross’s recent question and answer discussion that shed light on the writing process from his freelance book editor’s perspective. The article on the www.bksp.org homepages by David L. Robbins “Advice for Writers” is absolutely inspiring, as is the talk and video of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Douglas Wright’s 2006 keynote conference speech.

New York Times best-selling author Lee Child and literary agent Richard Curtis have been outstanding early supporters, and both have terrific articles on the homepages. David Morrell is a fabulous contributor to all things Backspace, with articles for our homepages, a guest speaker visit to our discussion forums, and as a faculty member at our conferences. David touts Backspace as a valuable writers resource when he attends other conferences, and recently included our url in the revised edition of his how-to-write book Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing (excerpted on our homepages).

5. Backspace has received varying levels of accolades, from literary agent support and recommendation to site awards from Writer's Digest. How does that make you think/feel about Backspace and its position in the writing world?

That Backspace has been recognized early on as an important entity in the publishing world is extremely gratifying. Again, I believe it ties back to our purpose: helping authors succeed. Writing is a solitary endeavor, and publishing is a tough business. The better educated writers are about the business they’re trying to enter, the more likely they are to break in – and to stay in. Publishing professionals know this, and have been very gracious in offering Backspace support.

6. How many Backspace Conferences have there been?

The 2007 Backpace Writers Conference on May 31 & June 1 will be our third full-fledged writers conference. In addition, last fall Backspace sponsored a one day Agent-Author seminar at The Algonquin Hotel in New York with only agents on the program that was so well received, we’re planning another for the fall of 2007.

From an organizer’s standpoint, our conferences have been a little too successful, since there are far more great folks offering to be on the program than we have room for. Naturally, the New York location is a factor – our conferences are convenient for agents and editors to attend. But I also believe the conferences’ early success is because we set the bar so high. Newer authors can learn from the material that’s presented, but our program is so advanced, even published authors take something useful away. And of course the networking possibilities at a smaller, more intimate conference like ours are outstanding.

7. What do you enjoy most about Backspace?

The thing I enjoy most about Backspace is watching members succeed. Every month when I assemble the content for the Backspace newsletter, I marvel at all of the announcements that have been posted at the discussion forums of short story placements, novel and non-fiction sales, awards won, interviews posted, book reviews in major magazines, and on and on. The cumulative success of Backspace members is inspiring!

8. Do you have any lessons that you have learned while developing your own writing that you can share with aspiring writers?

Perhaps the biggest thing I’ve learned along the road to publication is that each person’s path is different. Occasionally, an author will hit one out of the park their first time at bat, but that’s not the norm. Most spend years in the minor leagues honing their craft before being called up to the majors – as they should. The key is to persevere.

I signed with my agent in 1999. My first novel wasn't ready, but my agent loved the premise and thought my writing was strong enough that I could pull it off with a rewrite. But it really was early days for me, and while I had a great idea and a certain amount of talent, I didn't know how to craft a novel. I’m not exaggerating when I say my agent taught me how to write one. Three and a half years and three complete rewrites later, we were both so tired of it we couldn't bear to work on the story any longer, and the novel went on submission without a sale.

I spent another couple of years writing my second novel, and somewhere in the midst of that started Backspace, which quickly consumed great gobs of my writing time (as in literally years). In fact, Backspace was so successful, there were many times I considered throwing in the publishing towel and concentrating solely on it. But last month, my second novel, an eco-thriller called FREEZING POINT in which extremists plot to stop an energy company from melting icebergs into drinking water - neither realizing that the water is contaminated with an unknown, deadly disease, sold to Natalee Rosenstein of Berkley. Am I glad now that I hung in with the writing!

9. What should Backspace members look forward to in 2007 (regarding agent articles, author forum discussions, site changes, etc)?

Chris and I are currently working on a major change for the www.bksp.org website that we hope to announce at the Backspace conference this spring. The Internet is a fantastic resource for writers, and we’re very excited about the expanded possibilities in the upcoming changes. Stay tuned!

I enjoy being part of the writing community at Backspace. If you'd like to get to know a little more about Karen Dionne, you can visit her on her website.

Interview with Colleen Gleason

I read The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason and just had to ask her a few questions. Here are her responses.

1. When did you begin writing with the goal to get published?

I’ve been writing since I was very young, all through school and college, but it wasn’t until I finished college—and finished my first novel—that I decided to try and get it published. And, well, it took eight more books and many more years later before I actually got the call that I’d sold a book.

Of course, during that time between college and that first sale, I was going to grad school, getting married, having a career in business, and having three children, so I had periods of time where I wasn’t writing at all (lots of them! Can you say morning sickness?)

2. Is The Rest Falls Away your first novel (completed - not published)?

No, The Rest Falls Away was my ninth finished novel.

3. What is your greatest motivation to write?

The stories that I want—need!—to tell, mainly because I don’t think anyone else could tell them the way I want to. I have so many stories and what if’s swirling around at any time that it’s hard to think that they’d never come to fruition if I didn’t write them.

4. Where did the term "venator" come from?

Venator is from the Latin for “hunter.” Many of the words in my Gardella Vampire Chronicles series come from Latin roots because Rome is where the Venators began.

5. Ok, so you've told us that we'll see more of Max and Sebastian in Rises The Night (thank goodness! I MUST know more about them!) - what about Verbena? I find myself attached to her and I wonder what will become of her?

I like Verbena too, and so do many other readers—much to my delight. She is such a fun character and she just took over when she appeared on the page, with all of her quirks and surprising knowledge.

Yes, Verbena makes several appearances in Rises the Night, and also in The Bleeding Dusk, which is the third in the series and the one I’ve just finished writing.

6. The training Victoria experiences is relatively minor in the first book, will we see some more detail of her training and how her skills will advance?

I don’t spend a lot of time on the details of her training, although she started to bug Kritanu about why she can’t learn qingongg (the Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon-like form or martial arts fighting) like Max, but he tells her she needs to take things in steps.

She does have a sword fight with Sebastian, however. Ok, that sounds like it'll be fun!

7. With that said, the fight scenes are done quite well and fit in seamlessly with style and tone - how did you research for them?

Thanks for saying so. I did do quite a bit of research about martial arts—much more than what shows in the books. I wanted to use specific, real, traditional Eastern fighting skills that logically fit with who the Venators are and how they are trained. Most of my research was done online, and as for writing the specific fight scenes…well, I think those are some of the hardest scenes to write—sort of like sex scenes.

You don’t want either one to sound mechanical, nor to give a step by step description of every movement and every blink of an eye…yet you have to give the reader a sense of the flow, so to speak. I’m glad you felt they were well-written, because I think fight scenes, again, like sex scenes, can begin to get redundant if not handled carefully.

8. Can you tell us - is Victoria currently the last of the Gardella line or is there another family member out there?

There are many other Venators out there—from far-flung branches of the family, some of whom you’ll meet in Rises the Night and The Bleeding Dusk, but right now, she’s the last of the direct descendants from Gardella the Venator. She’s not the only slayer, but she’s the most powerful because of her direct descent.

9. Max and Eustacia are particularly concerned with Victoria becoming pregnant, understandable (it just wouldn't have been right in the first book), but as the last in the line, don't they want her to carry on the bloodline? Does this get touched on in the next novel?

It doesn’t get touched on in Rises the Night, although it will be hinted at in The Bleeding Dusk.

As I mentioned earlier, there are other Venators—they pop up in the widespread Gardella family tree, which has grown the world over—purposely, because of their duty—randomly, almost like a genetic mutation. LOL. So there are other Venators who are born Venators, and are of Gardella blood…but Victoria is the last in the direct line from Gardella, and that has to mean something, doesn’t it? - Yes, it does!

10. The teaser for Rises the Night introduces a new threat, is Lilith still the main foe? Or, has someone darker entered the picture?

Lilith is still the most powerful of all vampires living, and thus is the biggest threat—although in Rises the Night her role is an off-stage one. There are other vampires, and even other creatures, that either work with her or against her. Ooo, I can't wait!

11. Can you give us any little goodies of what we can expect in Rises the Night?

Well, I mentioned about Victoria and Sebastian’s sword fight above. Let’s see….There will be a discussion about Max possibly taking up gardening. And Victoria will travel to Venice and Rome after attending a house-party in the countryside of England. Oh, and she’ll meet Lord Byron and will annoy his current lover.

How’s that? - AWESOME! :)

12. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Keep writing. You have to finish a book and send it out, and while you’re waiting to hear on that book, you have to write something else. And then something else. And then something else. Always write the best you can, always have something to send out, and keep doing this until you either give up—or get published.

13. Do you think having an internet presence has made an impact on your writing career?

I hope it has. A lot more people knew about my book and about me before it hit the shelves than if I didn’t have a blog or a Web site. However, the number of people who do know about my book via the Web is such a small percentage of readers out there…it’s still an inefficient form of marketing. But I love my blog and really enjoy the people I’ve “met” by writing it, and visiting their blogs.

14. Who are your favorite authors?

Nora Roberts/J D Robb, Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels, Roberta Gellis, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Colette Gale, Liz Carlyle, Georgette Heyer, J K Rowling, and there are others, but that’s a good start!

15. What can we expect to see from Colleen Gleason in the future?

Well, there are a total of four Gardella books contracted and in the works: Rises the Night (June 2007), The Bleeding Dusk (Feb 08) and the fourth as-yet untitled one in late 2008. I hope to write a total of five books about Victoria, and then to move on and write about another Gardella woman after that!

Thank you so much for having me here! I appreciate your time and questions…and I’ll be happy to answer any questions people leave in the comments section today.

Thank you, Colleen, for sharing your wonderful world with us and taking the time to answer a few questions! :)

Interview with Joshua Palmatier

Last week I reviewed The Skewed Throne by Josha Palmatier. Joshua has the first two books of the series out now and the third installment will hit the shelves early '08. After reading the opener, I know that I'll be picking up two and three. I simply can't leave a trilogy unfinished! Joshua was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

1. When did you begin writing with the goal of being published?

I started writing in the 8th grade, when we were assigned to write a Twilight Zone short story. I wrote "Aquantico," a short story about a man looking out the window of his space ship as his homeland, Atlantis, was engulfed by the ocean. One page. In 8th grade size handwriting. But the teacher thought it was written well and suggested I write more. The idea took hold and I started writing to see what I could come up with, including stories for shared-world anthologies like "Magic in Ithkor."

However, I can't say I got REALLY serious about the writing until I hit graduate school. At that point I'd written a rather bad fantasy novel and after finishing that I sat back and asked myself whether this was just a hobby or whether I really intended to go anywhere with it. I decided I'd get published, and worked hard for the next 10 years before managing to break that first barrier and getting an editor (and an agent) to say "yes."

2. Is The Skewed Throne your first novel (completed - not published)?

The Skewed Throne is actually the fourth book I wrote. The first book was called Sorrow, and it went through numerous revisions before I managed to get myself to set it aside and move on to something else. It's the book I used to teach myself how to write, at least in my mind. I then (stupidly) worked on the sequel to Sorrow, which of course can't sell because Sorrow never sold. Once I realized my mistake there, I began something completely different, a contemporary fantasy/horror novel along the lines of Stephen King called Fever. (Actually, I call it a cross between Stephen King and M Night Shyamalan.) I needed the break from the usual fantasy novel, a break from Sorrow and it's characters and environment. Once I'd had my breather, I returned to the world of Sorrow and wrote The Skewed Throne.

The good news is that my editor is interested in returning to Sorrow and it's sequel at some point in the future. And I hope to get Fever published at some point as well.

Now, that's definitely an interesting writing history. I'm curious about the premise of Sorrow! I'm not so sure about Stephen King, though. A mixture between his style and Shyamalan sounds intriquing to me!

3. How long did it take you to write it?

The Skewed Throne took be approximately 6 months to write. Since I teach mathematics at the university, the only real "free" time I have to write--to seriously write--is during the summer break. I wrote Part 1 of The SkewedThrone one summer, and Part 2 the next summer. Now, however, I've settled into the teaching schedule and the writing schedule, and I can actually write some during the semester as well. I hope to produce one book a year from now on, if not more.

4. Varis is an interesting character, she's strong and her emotions are equally strong. What did you do to bring her to life on the page?

Ha! Actually Varis "came to me," so strongly that she demanded I write her next, even though I had another project in mind at the time. However, that's not extremely helpful, and in the end that doesn't answer the question about how I brought her to life on the page. Yes, having a character come so vividlyto you is great it gets you halfway there, but the other half has to come from you as a writer.

So, how did I bring her to life? Well, the main point of The Skewed Throne is her development, how she progresses from a gutterscum thug to a royal assassin. So when I sat down to actually begin writing, I asked myself, "What would it take for ME to kill someone? What would have to happen to push me onto the road to being an assassin?" And that's how I moved Varis from thief to assassin. Each time I sat down, I spent a long moment pushing myself into her world, into its grittiness and reality, and then I forced myself to live Varis' life.

That's the secret to good writing, I think. The writer has to actually place himself or herself into the character's world, into their mind. To write Varis, I had to become her. Some days this was easy, others it wasn't. I listen to music while I write, because I find that it helps submerge me in the character's world, blocking out the "real" world at the same time. There are other tricks as well, such as rereading what you've written the previous day, revising as you go. This seats you into the character's mind before you start writing something new. In the end, to get that emotional impact that you want,you have to BE that character.

Excellent advice, Joshua. I could tell that you had an excellent handle of Varis. Your commitment to her character shines through!

5. The third installment of Varis' tale is coming out soon. Can you give us a few hints of what will happen? I haven't read 2 yet - but I will... will we find out why Varis can see the river? And, what is the story behind the White Fire?

What, and spoil all the fun, all the anticipation? You couldn't torture that information out of me! *grin* OUCH, OUCH, OUCH! Don't touch the hair, don't touch the ha--AHHHHHHHH!!! OK, OK, OK! I'll spill! Geesh. *grumble, grumble*

*rubs my hands together* MuHaHaHa!

Both The Skewed Throne and the sequel, The Cracked Throne, take place almost exclusively in the city of Amenkor where Varis grew up. In the third book, The Vacant Throne, due out January 2008, Varis actually gets to leave the city and see some of the rest of the Frigean Coast. I found it hard to get Varis to leave actually, because Varis herself didn't want to leave. Or rather, she did, but she's grown up so isolated that she was afraid to leave. I had to push her out, essentially.

Once she gets out, it gets interesting. New cities, cultures that are close to what we've seen in Amenkor, but with subtle differences. All of it outside of Varis' experience. Along the way, you learn more about the magic system of the world, about the Skewed Throne itself and in particular its creation, about the Frigean coast and its past. And yes, you learn more about the White Fire. I don't answer all of the questions readers might have though, because I hope to return to the coast, to Amenkor and the people we've gotten to know (and Ihope, love) in the Throne books, but I believe I wrap up all of the important plot lines while still giving the impression that the characters' lives continue beyond the third book.

Excellent, I look forward to reading it even more!

6. What else will we be seeing from Joshua Palmatier in the future?

Well, I've just signed a contract for a book called Well of Sorrows, the first book in a new trilogy set in the same world as the Throne books. However, it's set over a thousand years earlier than the Throne books on a different continent, with (of course) a completely new cast of characters. The main character is named Colin and during the course of the first book . . . he becomes immortal. The series is about how he tries to use his power, his successes, his failures, and his struggle with the idea of immortality, its advantages and its curse.

After that, I have at least four other ideas--either trilogies or duologies--set in the same world. I hope to be able to write them all, assuming there's continued interest of course.

Yup, it definitely sounds interesting to me!

7. Who do you like to read when you aren't writing?

I read pretty much everything. At the moment, I'm reading the first Harry Dresden novel by Jim Butcher called Storm Front, and the fifth book in Michelle West's Sun Sword sextet, called The Riven Shield. However, if I were to recommend an author or two, I'd suggest Tad Williams or Guy Gavriel Kay. Both can create incredibly vivid worlds, with interesting, well-developed characters. And narrowing it down to two authors was HARD!

8. What advice do you share with aspiring writers?

The best advice I can give aspiring writers is the advice that Kate Elliott passed on to me: Be persistant. Which I take to mean, write. And even as what you've just written is out there, waiting for an editor or agent to look at it, write more. Write, write, write. And when you get a rejection (and you will, it is extremely rare that an author gets accepted with their first story and the first editor or agent they send it to), yes, get upset, feel depressed--it's impossible not to--but PERSIST. Keep writing. File that rejection away, make a note of whether it was a good rejection or a bad rejection, and who it came from, and keep that rejection in mind when you send out the next submission. But KEEP WRITING. Nothing in publishing happens fast. You have to be persistant, and have some thick skin, if you really want to be published.

More excellent words of advice, thank you, Joshua.

9. Do you think having a blog and a strong internet presence has impacted your writing career?

I think having a blog and a strong internet presence allows the writer to "keep in touch" with readers, giving them a place to ask questions of the author, to voice their opinion about the books, the world the author has created, etc. Authors love to hear what readers are thinking regarding their books. Without the internet, we'd live in a void. We know our books are out there, we hope they're being read, but we rarely hear what people think of the books. And since we can't write and release a book a month, our blogs and the internet allow us to keep connected while we work on the next book.

Also, the internet can help generate sales, because you can reach readers that you wouldn't normally be able to. It's impossible--financially and phycially--for an author to travel to all parts of the nation or world in order to promote their book. The only way to do this is through the internet. And authors have to promote themselves, because--let's be realistic--if he or she doesn't, then the sales won't be high enough for the publisher to continue publishing that author. And all of us want to continue writing stories.

But in the end, it's still the readers themselves who help the author the most. If you've read a book that you found interesting, that excited you, that made you say "Wow!", the best thing you can do for the author is to TELL SOMEONE ELSE, either in person, at the bookstore, or using your blog or website. Post a review at amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. Talk about it in a chat or create a thread at a forum. Word of mouth is the most effective promotional technique, especially for new authors. So (here's where the self-promotion kicks in) if you liked The Skewed Throne, go tell someone! Let all your Myspace friends know. Get them to try the book. Otherwise, I may not be able to continue Varis' or anyone else's story.

Another reinforcement that as readers we do have the power to keep seeing the books we like. Find something you like and spread the word.

Thank you, Joshua, for taking the time to share your thoughts and advice with us. We appreciate it!

Interview with Jackie Kessler

I recently finished reading Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler. It was a fun read and I shared my review over the weekend. I had the opportunity to ask Jackie a few questions and I wanted to share those answers!

1. When did you first start writing with the goal of being published?

I’ve been writing on and off since I was a freshman in college, but I didn’t get serious about writing to get published until 2003.

2. I believe your cover says you have 9,000 comics - that's a lot. Which comics make your top ten list?

Over the course of (many) years, my top ten comics changed. A lot. I don’t collect anymore (sigh), but here’s my all-time favorite list:

Sandman. This comic single-handedly brought me back as a comic reader after a hiatus of three years. Neil Gaiman is touched by God. Really. Also in this are the Death limited series.

Hellblazer. John Constantine. Sigh... (And NO, the cough, movie, cough DOES NOT COUNT. John Constantine is British, blond, and a die-hard smoker. Period.)

Mage. Both “The Hero Discovered” (ah, Mirth!) and “The Hero Defined” (lots of fun). Matt Wagner freaking ROCKS.

Grendel. I’m still crushing on Hunter Rose. Absolutely loved the first Grendel-Batman cross-over written by Matt Wagner. The “future” incarnations of Grendel were OK — yes, I liked Warchild. But nothing compares to Devil By the Deed.

Preacher. Garth Ennis is amazing. LOVED this series, even when parts of it were, er, over the deep end. The “Until the End of the World” story arc blew me away.

Kingdom Come. This limited series showing a future world with DC heroes as older and cynical was magnificent, from the story to the art.

Hush. Shivers! This Batman story arc pulled in the major villains and introduced a new bad guy.

The Books of Magic. Charge of the trench coat brigade! This limited series introduction to, cough, the original Harry Potter was amazing. (And yes, Neil Gaiman wrote it. Why do you ask?)

1602. FABULOUS. Another Neil Gaiman winner.

The New Teen Titans/Uncanny X-Men/Avengers/Magik... Throw in LOTS of titles here, both from DC and Marvel. Dark Phoenix? The Terminator and Terra? The New Mutants? Jarvis the butler? Great stuff.

What, you were maybe expecting Archies? ;-)

3. Was Hell's Belles your first novel?

Nope. My third. My first novel was a 16-year love affair that scored triple-digit agent rejections, no matter how many times I rewrote the damn thing. That was a contemporary fantasy — complete with portal to another world, faux-medieval towns, shoddy world building, and college-senior-aged characters who were too old for YA and too young for adult markets. Oh, and the writing sucked. The magic system was pretty awesome, though. (I recently threw everything out but the magic system, recast it as a YA urban fantasy...and now it’s on submission. Wish me luck!)

4. How long did it take you to write Hell's Belles?

Two months, then about a week to revise and a week to get the query letter/synopsis right. Figure less than three months, top to bottom. (I guess I was possessed.)

5. How did Jezebel come to you? Did she slowly materialize or did she just jump out at you one day fully formed and ready for some "action"?

Jezzie was always her own creature. I knew right away she was a succubus, and I had her voice almost immediately. So I’d have to go with the Athena answer: she sprung fully formed from my head. (Yuck.)

6. Your descriptions of hell, like the lava reflecting on the obsidian castle, are beautiful. How long did it take you to come up with how Hell looked in Jezebel's world?

Thanks! I don’t remember how long it took; I do remember that I’d laid out the groundwork for the geography of Hell before I started actually writing the story. I began by drawing a map of Hell (hey, I come from a fantasy background; there HAS to be a map. It looks a bit like Manhattan), and from there I divided the Abyss by Sin. The Lake of Fire surrounds Hell sort of like Brooklyn’s Belt Parkway. I’d also researched gemstones to a degree (for the Shield Against Evil), and I learned that obsidian is connected to volcanoes; it’s formed as lava from volcanic eruptions cools within the earth. I thought between its link to lava (the Lake of Fire) and its glassy sheen, it would be a beautiful (and rather evil) castle in Hell.

7. The role of the protagonist, a demon is a little edgy, there aren't many words that have a stronger negative conotation than demon. Did you have obstacles with that in getting Hell's Belles published?

Nope. Demons are the new black. :-) There are many demon stories out there now — MelJean Brook’s Demon Angel; Jaci Burton’s Surviving Demon Island; Jacki Frank’s Jacob; Richelle Mead’s upcoming Succubus Blues. I think the only obstacle I’m running into, distribution-wise, is the title—some places may not be too keen on having the word “hell” in the title.

8. Hell's Belles may be seen as a little controversial to some: there is colorful language, a focus on harming "humans", and religion (heaven, hell, God and the Devil). What do you think about that?

Martha O’Connor (The Bitch Posse) once gave me some terrific advice: “Write like no one’s watching.” Don’t self-censor. Write the story you want to write. I took that advice to heart when I wrote Hell’s Belles. I realize it’s not for everyone. I’m okay with that.

9. Have you received any criticism on those topics? If so, how have you responded to that?

On those topics? ((grin)) No.

10. Reading Hell's Belles was just.... well, it was FUN! Tell me, was it as much fun to write it?

Thank you! It was a blast. I think that’s why I was able to write it as quickly as I did: I had a lot of fun writing it. (And a lot of nights with very little sleep.)

11. So, how much "research" did you do to really showcase Jezebel as the fantastic succubus that she is?

Heh.

For the succubus part, I researched demons the old-fashioned way: I read. A lot. I cherry-picked what I liked, and made up the parts I couldn’t confirm with my research. So far, no demon has cried “foul.”

And I did tons of research on strip clubs and club etiquette — I read many books about (and by) exotic dancers, I watched a number of (bad) movies set in strip clubs, I watched HBO’s G-String Divas, I searched the Internet for club layouts and articles by strippers, I talked to a number of people who’d frequented strip clubs, and I even went to a local club to check it out in person. My Loving Husband, brave soul that he is, accompanied me. All in the name of research, of course. Sadly, he refused to let me buy him a lap dance. I would have taken SUCH good notes...

12. What can we expect to see from Jezebel in The Road to Hell?

Jezebel, or Jesse, has a Hell of a past, one she can’t share with Paul, her true love. (If she did, he’d probably send her to a place with padded walls and white jackets. And white has never been Jesse’s best color.) So she keeps mum about her infernal history—until three of her former associates strong-arm her into returning to the Pit. Unless Jesse faces off against the King of Hell, she’ll lose Paul’s immortal soul. If she’d known love was this tough, she never would have turned her back on Lust.

In a nutshell: more Jesse, more Paul, more Daun, lots more Hell...and more sex. (Hey, Jesse may no longer be a succubus, but she’s not dead. Yet.)

13. What else can we see from Jackie Kessler in 2007?

My short story, “Red,” currently appears in the April issue of Realms of Fantasy, and another short story, “To the Core,” is part of the Freya’s Bower charity anthology Dreams & Desires — all net proceeds go to a battered women’s shelter. The Road to Hell will hit the shelves in November 2007.

Two more Hell titles will be out in 2008 — a prequel novella called Hell to Pay, as part of Kensington’s Eternal Love anthology (with Richelle Mead, Lynsay Sands and Hannah Howell), and the third Hell book, Hotter Than Hell.

14. What words of advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Never be daunted. If I would have given up after my first book went nowhere, or even after my second book likewise went nowhere, I never would have written Hell’s Belles. And don’t be afraid to try something new; I didn’t know I could write humor — or a nookie scene — until I tried my hand at a completely different genre than I was used to. And read like it’s going out of style. :-)

15. Do you think having a blog has aided you on your publishing journey?

((innocent smile)) Which blog?

If you mean my personal blog, Insert Witty Title Here , that’s been a combination journal/promotional outlet/slam book/thingie. While I don’t think it’s helped me get published, I do think it’s helped me meet other authors and readers.

If you mean Jezzie’s blog, the talk-radio show Cat and Muse on my website, my publisher enjoys it almost as much as I do and has mentioned that blog on some marketing collateral.

If you mean Magical Minxes, the blog Jezzie shares with Georgina (a.k.a Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues), Luna (Caitlin Kittredge, Night Life), Sarah (Michelle Rowen, Fanged & Fabulous), Gwen (Elaine Cunningham, Shadows in the Starlight), and Gina (Jaci Burton, Surviving Demon Island), that’s helped introduce Jezebel to numerous readers and has let me work with a bunch of terrific authors.

Er, were you not expecting some shameless plugs? :-)

We love shameless plugs! :) Thank you, Jackie, for sharing these little tidbits with us!

Interview with Tawny Taylor, author of erotic romance

There are many authors who struggle to get published in-print or in ebook. Tawny is an author that has success in both fields. While she's had a passion for writing for a long time, it's only been since 2001 that she's written with the goal of publication. She has more than a dozen titles at Ellora's Cave, a popular ebook publisher of romance novels and Sex and the Single Ghost may be at your local bookstore!

I recently had the opportunity to ask Tawny a little bit about her experiences.

Can you tell us about the type of stories you write?
I write contemporary, paranormal and futuristic erotic romances, some more similar to traditional romances and others much more erotic--containing light bondage and ménage a trois. My later work is darker and more erotic (in a general sense) than my earlier work.

You've recently had some great publishing news, so far, what will we see from Tawny in 2007?
Thanks! I’ve been concentrating on writing (rather than playing online), and luckily my muse has been cooperating. I don’t have release dates for any ebooks yet, but I expect the following titles to release sometime this year:

Twilight’s Possession 1: Burning Hunger (Vampire ménage erotica) Ellora’s Cave
Dirty Little Lies (Sensual Romantic Suspense) Samhain Publishing
Passion Unbound 1: Wild Nights (Shapeshifter ménage erotica) Changeling Press
Carpe Nocturne 1: Dressed to Kill (Vampire ménage erotica) Changeling Press
Carpe Nocturne 2: Kiss Me, Kill Me (Vampire ménage erotica) Changeling Press
Carpe Nocturne 3: If Looks Could Kill (Vampire ménage erotica) Changeling Press

In addition, Kensington will be re-releasing Sex and the Single Ghost in mass market paperback. Plus, I have two paperback releases this year: Master of Secret Desires in June (Pocket) and Real Vampires Don’t Drink O-Neg (Kensington) in September. Once I’ve finished up the contracted books above that aren’t written yet, I’d like to write another Animal Urges book for Ellora’s Cave, and perhaps the second Twilight’s Possession, but I don’t expect those to release until 2008.

How many publishers have you worked with?
Directly, four epublishers and one print (NY) press. Pocket purchased print subsidiary rights from Ellora’s Cave and therefore the deal went through Ellora’s Cave, not my agent.

There are some interesting debates on ebook publishing versus print publishing. As a writer who has both, what are your thoughts on the benefits of ebook publishing and the differences between the two?
I could go on and on about this topic, but in summary, both offer advantages and disadvantages. So many authors think they haven’t made it until they’ve seen their New York book deal, but frankly if you’re writing sexy romance (can’t speak for other genres), an author can make a tidy sum writing for epublishers. And they can do so without the aid of an agent. Epublishers release books quicker, can respond to changes in the market faster, and are more open to new and unproven authors and story concepts. Of course, the drawback is an author might never see her book in Walmarts, and she won’t get a $10k advance.

You are doing well with ebook publishing; what advice do you have for writers pursuing the ebook market?

A. Don’t expect to get published right away. Epublishers are becoming increasingly popular among romance authors, and their mountainous slush piles are growing larger as a result. It now takes anywhere from 2-6 months (or longer) to hear back on a submission. The more established and popular a publisher is, the longer the wait (in general).

B. Don’t expect epublishers to be less picky or demand less than a NY publisher in terms of quality. Many epublishers reject as much as 90-95% of the submissions they receive.

C. Make sure to purchase and read several books by a publisher before submitting. Look at the quality of the book, the editing, and the subject matter to determine whether a publisher is right for you. Also, consider how easy/difficult the purchasing system was for you to navigate, how professional the site appears, and how you were treated as a customer as you make your choice.

D. Be prepared to market, market, market. Epublishers release dozens of ebooks every month, a practice that is creating something of a glut in a limited market. To stand a chance of selling a reasonable quantity of books, you must be willing to pull up your sleeves and market your books online.

In general, what writing advice would you share with aspiring writers?
No matter what, keep reading fiction. Don’t stop, even if your newly-acquired inner-editor screams nonstop about every little nitpicky error it finds. Reading helps you develop your voice. And reading outside your genre can help you develop fresh story plots and concepts.

Your new vampire menage, Carpe Nocturne, sounds exciting. Can you tell us what we can expect from this series?
Actually, Carpe Nocturne isn’t so much a series as it is a serialized storyline about two vampires and their mate. The title is the name of the heroine’s bar, which happens to be frequented by patrons of the immortal kind--werewolves, vamps, etc. There is a killer who is running around slaughtering people, and Burke, one of her mates has been tried and convicted of one of the murders. He has escaped custody and is trying to catch the real killer to clear his name. The heroine’s other master is a detective with the immortal police force. Ironically, he’s trying to catch Burke. There’s lots of steamy sex, and lots of suspense. I’ve found I enjoy writing suspense stories.

You've got a great collection on Ellora's Cave - do you have a favorite title that you would recommend to a first time reader of your novels?
Thank you! If they’re a first time reader of erotic romance, and tend to read category, I’ll recommend Tempting Fate. It’s a little tamer and sort of eases a new reader into erotic romance. If they are fans of paranormal stories, and are comfortable reading erotic romance, I’d either recommend Light My Fire (dragons) or Mark of the Beast (bear shapeshifter).

What's the average time it takes you to write story?
That depends upon the subject matter, whether there’s a lot of research involved...and my muse. I’ve written a 60k word book in thirty days--20 pages a day. I’ve also taken almost two months to write a 50-page proposal-- 1 page a day (a Viking time travel currently under consideration at a NY house). Worlds that are entirely fictional are much easier to write about than worlds that are based on real life or history.

Is there a character you've created that just lingers with you more than others? If yes, which character and why?
Oh gosh, I fall in love with every hero I write about as I’m writing the stories. I couldn’t possibly pick one. Heroines--I adore Jane in my non-erotic book, About Monday. That one’s released under my other pseudonym, Sydney Laine Allan.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
That’s an easy one: Sandra Hill, MaryJanice Davidson, Gena Showalter, Katie MacAlister, Dan Brown and James Rollins.

Has blogging helped promote you as an author?
I like to think it has, but honestly, I couldn’t say. It’s pretty much impossible to measure the effect any sort of promotion has on sales. I learned to look at every marketing effort as an attempt to build name recognition. I pretty much take a shotgun approach--try a little bit of everything.

Check out Tawny's blog to get to know her more and if you're interested, pick up one of her novels. And, thank you Tawny for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us.