Writing Against the Current

Water Show in Atlantic City - May 2013

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
~ Pamela Vaull Starr

If you're a writer, you know this is a business, and not one to undertake if you've got thin skin and no vision.

Chances are if you're a writer and have completed, edited and polished a manuscript within an inch of its life and have sent it out to agents and editors, you've probably heard the following phrase at least once:

"This isn't right for us."

If you read this blog you know I write time-travel romance. If you're new here...now you know what you'll find.  Is it a popular genre with the agents and editors? Hell no.

Would it be easier to follow the stream and write what the agents and editors are buying these days? No, it wouldn't. At least for me.

Writing might be a business (and yes, it most definitely IS a business) but it's one of those careers that you're heart must be in, if you're not passionate about what's going on the page - the reader won't feel that fire either and you're writing will be flat.

Because my heart is in different places and times, that's what I write. I don't fit into a little box. That's not to say I haven't been discouraged along the way. Agents and editors can be blunt and focused on what sells and since it's a business, I can't fault them for not jumping at taking a chance on something that might not fit the style of their house.

I've been told by an agent, "Oh, time travel. Such a tough sell. So many rules of the genre. It's hard to pull off. We don't buy them often." This particular agent didn't even ask the plot or time period...didn't ask for even a query. Just heard time-travel and tuned out.

I've been told by an editor, "Don't bother even sending a query if it doesn't follow the current theory of quantum time travel." 

Hmmm...I read to escape. Last time I checked time travel wasn't really happening - but you know there are so many vampires and zombies running amok in my town, it's getting harder and harder to escape reality. So what do I know? I guess the average romance reader is a physicist and needs to be grounded in reality. Who knew?

So, while bucking the trends isn't an easy task...with the rise of self-publishing at least authors in my shoes have options. We are no longer at the mercy of agents and editors or feel we must be stuffed into little boxes of what's considered acceptable.

All of this doesn't mean I don't continue to write what I love and send it out into the world. I do, because I believe in my work and I am an optimist. But, with all the new options available to me, I'm not quite as devastated when I hear it's not right for anyone. Variety is the spice of life and while time travel might not be for everyone...it does have a niche.

I'm going to continue my travels against the current.

Are you writing what you love?

Farewell 2012 - Looking FORWARD to 2013!

Farewell 2012.

A year of ups and downs, joys and sorrows.

A year of discovery, planning and support.

Almost a year ago I took an honest look at what I was doing and where I was headed with my writing career. I realized that what I REALLY wanted to write wasn't a hot trend with the NY publishers. And if I really wanted to be honest myself, I had to admit that time travel romance is plain and simple, a tough sell.

In the summer of 2011 I self-published a short time travel novella that had been previously published by a small press. Sales started out slow, but by mid 2012 my monthly deposits from Amazon and B&N were buying me more than a cup of coffee at Starbucks, in fact, those royalties paid for a professionally designed website (which I'd been wanting for so long!)

My writing support network, and best critique group a girl could ask for, helped me work through my internal struggle with sticking with my niche even though it isn't the most popular genre. (Thanks ladies!)

So, in case you haven't read my post from last week, I am now NOT looking back. I am looking forward - I am moving forward! I've got a time travel series plotted and begun, the first one "Surrender to the Sheriff" is planned for early 2013. The cover will be ready within the next three weeks and my back-cover blurb is ready to be shared exclusively with my newsletter subscribers within the next few days (along with another giveaway for some awesome handmade travel soaps!)

While I'm always sad when the year comes to an end and I struggle with remembering to put the right date on my checks - I'm feeling more optimistic about 2013 than I've felt about a new year in a long time.

Are you ready to put 2012 behind?

Take A Holiday Chance

I'm having a December contest!

The prize is a 3-pack of travel sized handmade holiday scented soaps (and one of my new logo pens!)

I recently found Carol of Wild Herb Soaps on the Etsy site and fell in love with the quality of her soaps.

Since I write time travel romance to times when store bought soap wasn't an option - I thought it would be fun to offer some "Travel Soap" for a lucky winner this holiday season!

This December travel set includes small sample sizes of  Christmas Bliss,  Holiday Spice and  Honeycomb Lemon scents for a total of 1.5 oz wrapped in a raffia bow. (Contest open to US residents only, sorry!)

Here's how to enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The new joys of publishing options!

What a great time to be an author!

Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend the 15th annual Long Island Romance Writers' Agent/Editor Luncheon.

It was a gorgeous day and the Waterfall Room at the Fox Hollow Inn was stunning. From the food and champagne punch to the array of gift baskets raffled off - there wasn't a stone left uncovered, all the fine details were taken care of by the luncheon committee.

Guest speaker Angela James of Carina Press was inspiring and lived up to her reputation as "having her finger on the pulse of digital publishing."

One of the things I admired the most of about her talk was that she acknowledged the 800 lb gorilla in the room without blinking an eye.

Yes, she mentioned Amazon and self-publishing. *gasp*

The message I took home from her keynote address was one of being positive about the future of publishing, about the opportunities for authors, and how she's not afraid to move into the future and we shouldn't be either. Bravo!

I couldn't agree more.

This was not my first luncheon, not my first conference/pitching experience and it won't be my last - but I can say that this was the first time I have ever been so relaxed. Maybe even the first time I was even confident. Yes, I have a novel out with Lyrical Press and a novella out with Breathless Press, but I also have a self-published novella up for sale (and it's outselling my other two by leaps and bounds.) Opportunity - hell yes.

I write time travels. I don't write in one particular time period. I love the adventure of new places and times and I believe that readers do too. This is probably a big no-no for an agent to even talk to me... I'm not "specialized." But, I'm comfortable in my brand, "it's always the right time for a spicy romance."

As is the custom, the agents and editors all stood up before lunch and announced what's on their wish list. Only one editor mentioned she'd love to see something along the lines of The Time Traveler's Wife. When I mentioned I write time travel to the agent at my table, I was told "we don't take many time travels at all, so many rules of the genre, readers are very fussy."

Did I pitch to her? Um. No.

Did I care? Um. No.

This is why it's such a great time to be an author. I didn't have to slink home after that comment and spend the next few weeks with my writing stalled because I was in fear of not "following the rules of time travel!" (Since time travel is pretty much considered fantasy, I'm wondering what rules I'm missing here - last time I checked, time travel doesn't really exist...yet.)

Instead I came home and dove right back in to the story I'm currently writing. Yes, It's a time travel.

I'm not worried about what I'm going to do with it once it's done. Maybe it's because my little self-published time travel (you'll find it along the sidebar - A Knight in Her Arms) has sold over 5000 copies since August, has teetered on and off the top 100 time travel romances on the Kindle every month since September and is currently #33 on the bestselling time travel romance list on B&N.

I did get a request to submit it to an editor, and when it's done, I probably will send it to him. But will I bite my nails and hinge all my hopes and dreams on his response?

I think those days are long gone.

Angela James is right - this a great time to be in publishing and we should never be afraid!

I hope you're following your dream this week and NOT letting anyone stand in your way!