So, I’m going to be introducing something called Tuesday Tutorial, where I talk about industry “stuffs”. I’m going to start next week, and I’m going to do a shout out on Twitter for items people would like me to talk about. I already have some ideas, but we all know everyone can always use more ideas. =)
What would you like to know/learn/hear about?
Filed under Digital Publishing, Editing, Tuesday Tutorial
Wanna know what a day in my life looks like? Well, here’s yesterday for you. =P
5:20 AM = Wake up to go pee. Realize alarm is set for 7:47 AM and I still feel insanely tired.(I have a weird thing about setting alarms and will only set them on an end digit of 1, 3, 7, and 9). Reset alarm for 9:01 AM.
9:01 AM = Alarm goes off.
9:05 AM = Start coffee.
9:07 AM = Check e-mails to make sure nothing crazy urgent is in there.
9:15 AM = Drink coffee and make protein shake for breakfast.
9:16-9:45 AM = Exercise on bike while watching Sunday night’s Sister Wives on the DVR.
9:46 AM= Drink bottle of water.
9:47-10:00 AM = Shower and dress.
10:01 AM = Settle in to start work for the day.
10:30AM – 12:00 PM = Talk on the phone with the best boss in the word, Lindsey Faber.
12:01-12:05 PM = Make another protein shake and drink it.
12:06-1:15 PM = Answer e-mails, get caught up on the Twitter world, edit, read blogs, etc.
1:16 PM = Hubby complains that back is still hurting so I call to make him a doctor appt. for the afternoon.
1:17 PM = Head upstairs to put makeup on and attempt to look presentable.
1:25-2:00 PM = Edit.
2:01-3:30 PM = Take hubby to doctor, where I read submissions on my Sony Reader the entire time, then go to pick up all of his wonderful drugs.
3:31 PM = Arrive home and make some nachos for a snack before dinner.
3:33 PM = Hubby tells me that he forgot to tell me that we have dinner plans with a friend at 7:00. Great.
3:35 – 6:45 PM = Edit, answer e-mails, etc.
6:46 – 10:00 PM = Have dinner and drinks with friend.
10:01 PM = Arrive home and change into PJs.
10:02 – Midnight = Watch House and work on Content Editor Handbook.
12:01 AM = Go to sleep to read Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead.
And then, I wake up today to do it all again. Thank god, today I have NOTHING to do other than work. No dinner to go to, no hubby to take to the doctor…I don’t even have to change out of my PJs. Yeah, today is a MUCH better day. =)
The following genres:
1. Foodie books a la Lousia Edwards. I love her “A Recipe for Love” books, and I’d love to see some contemporary foodie books. And when I saw foodie, I mean I want the details. I don’t want books that contain food. =P If you don’t know anything about being a chef, catering, how a restaurant runs, etc. then you probably shouldn’t even think about writing a book like this. =)
2. Harry Potter with a twist. I love the world Harry Potter is set in, I love the wizardry, I love the fantastical story/stories. I would LOVE to see something like this, only with adults instead, since Samhain is currently not accepting any YA materials. And when I say adult, it doesn’t mean add a bunch of sex scenes into it. No, that’s not want I want. Heck, there doesn’t have to be any sex in it at all, but it needs to have romance in it. Come on, you can do it.
3. Stories with a Pagan theme/character/s. No, not the Harry Potter type of magic. And really not “magic” as people think of it as all. I want to see people following real Pagan and Wiccan traditions. Blessed be. =)
4. The ’60s. I LOVE the 60s. Whenever someone asks me when I feel I should have lived, I always answer the 60s or the 20s. Give me Timothy Leary and Haight Ashbury, Grateful Dead, Janis Jopin, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix. Give me Woodstock. Give me the protests. Give me free love.
5. The ’20s. I love the 20s. Prohibition and flappers and gangsters….love it. There is a Purdue Bar in my town called “Harry’s Chocolate Shop” that is just steeped in history. Back during Prohibition, they turned it into a chocolate shop, but there was a trap door in the floor that led to an underground speakeasy. That same trap door is still there in the middle of the floor, except now they use the area for a cooler and storage. All of Harry’s shirts that you can buy say “Go ugly early.” The majority of people who see the shirts or don’t know anything about Harry’s think it’s some sort of drinking slogan. Nope….it was the password to get into the speakeasy during Prohibition. =)
6. Civil War/Underground Railroad/interracial. Oooh, this could really be a good one if done right. Gimme history, give me some hot loving between two people who shouldn’t be together during that time frame. I want to see how love can cross all obstacles…slavery, racism, war. Be aware when you submit me something like this, I’m a Civil War buff. Hint, hint.
7. The ’50s. Ah, the days of Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best. Where men worked and women stayed home to take care of the kids, clean the house, cook, and have a cocktail tell ready for their master…I mean husband, when they got home from work. Just think of all the neat things you can do with this genre. =)
8. Post-Apocalyptic/Doomsday. Do I really need to explain this one? *smile*
9. Serial-Killers/Cults/Etc. Did anyone say Dexter? Yeah, that’s what I want, baby. Dexter with more romance. Don’t look at me crazy, it can be done.
Note: One thing about all of the “historical” stuff I’m looking for…do your research and know the time period. I want to read the book and be immersed in that time frame. I want really history in it. That’s extremely important.
Filed under Editing, Samhain Publishing
Yup, that’s right. I quit my evil day job last week. Well, I gave them my two week notice at least. =) My last day with them will be on July 8. Woo hoo! Time for a new chapter in life.
I was promoted last week to Assistant Managing Editor at Samhain Publishing and will be doing that full time from now on. Not many people get the chance to actually have their dream job full time ( instead of editing on the side like I was), and I jumped at the opportunity.
I’m really excited to get started full-time and get into the swing of things. I’m lucky that I’m with such a phenomenal publisher and working with such great people. =)
Filed under Digital Publishing, Editing, News and Links!, Samhain Publishing
Yes indeedy. I updated my “Books I’ve Edited” and “Coming Soon” pages. =)
On the Books I’ve Edited page, I took the thumbnail pics of the covers out. They’re too many of them now and the page is just going to get too big/long. So, if you click on the name/author of the book, it’ll take you to where you can look at the beautific covers our artists have created for your viewing pleasure!
Go forth, peruse, and buy!
Filed under Books and Authors, Editing, Samhain Publishing
Now, I know you’re all busy bees this month, working on getting those 50,000 words out, right? =) And I know you’re all going to be submitting those stories in hopes your NaNoWriMo baby will be published, right? Here’s something to think about when you’re done…
After you’ve written it, gotten your story and all those words out, I know you’re going to be anxious to share it with the world. One word: DON’T!
That’s right, I said don’t. Don’t share it, don’t send it to a publisher. Let it sit for a little bit and then go over it again with a fresh eye. You should do this with everything you write, but especially with your NaNo story, since those are written so fast and you don’t have the time to plot and characterize. And then, once you’ve gone over it with a fresh eye, send it to your critique partner or beta reader.
Just like with anything else, it’s important that you put your best foot forward when you submit to a publisher and attempt to share your story with the world. You always want to send it the most polished, perfect manuscript you can. We editors like to see that. There’s nothing that will get you rejected faster than sending in a sloppy manuscript. You can have the best story in the world, but presentation is always very important. Always. Remember, you’re not the only one out there with a great story to share. =)
Filed under Editing
Well, it’s pretty much time to officially say good bye to warmer weather and hello to the cold, wind and snow. Yuck! I’d much rather say hello to my pajamas, a fire, my comfy fleece blanket, a cup of hot chocolate and a good book to read. Kind of like hibernation, only for bookworms. Well, we’re giving you the opportunity to do just that! Some of my authors and I have gotten together to coordinate a Kindle giveaway for you guys. That’s right, we’re giving away a Kindle, preloaded with a book from each participating author. How awesome is that!
Each day, starting November 16, I’ll be posting Holiday themed interviews with the authors, where you’ll get to learn interesting little tidbits about some of your favorites. And if you have any questions you’d like answered, feel free to post them in the comments for this post! I’ll be collecting your comments and questions until October 30, when I’ll then write up my questions for the authors.
In order to enter, all you’ll have to do is post a comment regarding that day’s author, and answer a scavenger hunt question for that author. All answers must be sent to tera@samhainpublishing.com and all post comments must be relevant. Which means, no comments of “Hi, So-and-so. Great post!” will be accepted. You must put forth the effort. =)
Stay tuned for a list of authors and the dates they’ll be on here!
Filed under Books and Authors, Contest!, Editing, Holidays, Samhain Publishing
I’ve heard a lot of grumbling in general regarding form letters. And it’s one of those grumbles that’s pretty constant and I think it always will be. It’s just “one of those things”. I see agents, authors, aspiring authors and publishers alike talk about it. (No, you’re not pre-published. Someone please make this term go away.)
The problem I run into, when I see these things, is that the author grumbles about a form letter on a blog or forum, and then grumbles about the feedback they do get. Hmmm… anyone see where I’m going with this? Anyone? Many publishers, such as Samhain, have been forced to move to using form rejection letters for that exact reason.
When I first started with Samhain a few years ago, it was a no-no to use a form rejection. Yes, we were able to every once in a while, but that was usually because we really had no feedback to give. Sometimes there really isn’t anything wrong with a book, per se, it just isn’t our cup of tea. And you’ll have that EVERYWHERE. It’s just part of this business. But it was expected of us to fairly evaluate a submission and give the author feedback as to why the manuscript didn’t work for us and what we suggested they work on.
There have been authors who have posted rejection letters and then picked them apart to point out how wrong the publisher is. (An aside…posting a rejection letter at all is pretty unprofessional. And yes, we look at potential authors websites and blogs. Unprofessionalism can and will cost you a contract. There’s always another book down the line just as good as yours, if not better.)
And after all of this, people grumble about getting a form rejection. Do I need to spell this one out? Publishers give form rejections because authors force us to. It’s really as simple as that. When we get negative feedback about our feedback on a manuscript, that means we’re not going to put the effort into a detailed rejection. Contrary to what many may think, a detailed rejection letter isn’t a snap to sit down and do. It takes a lot of time, thought and effort. And if we’re getting negative feedback in return, it’s a lot easier and quicker for us to send off a form letter.
Just some food for thought.
And no, I had no particular authors or publishers in my mind when writing this. It’s just a general post.
Filed under Digital Publishing, Editing, Romancelandia, Samhain Publishing
Opening Remarks: Part of my job is reading, evaluating and editing erotic and red hot sex scenes, since I work in the romance genre. So from time to time, I’m going to post about it. Now, is one of those times and I just might use some dirty words–it’s kind of a subject that calls for it.
Today I’d like to address unrealistic sex “things” I see commonly in manuscripts. I say “things” only because I haven’t had my Wheaties this morning and that’s the only word my brain can come up with right now.
I’ve noticed ridiculous amounts of screaming lately in reading through the submissions in my inbox. I mean, seriously. Do you you scream as much as y’all make your heroines scream? My authors even do this, and I usually make them change it. There are times I let it go, because with the dialogue and situation, the word usage works. Normally, it doesn’t.
I want you to think back to the last time you had sex. Did you scream? I’m thinking you didn’t. You might have moaned and gasped and panted, but I’m thinking you didn’t scream, and if you did, it probably wasn’t in a good way. Let’s be honest here, no one screams when they’re having sex except in, well, bad romance novels and comedies.
I’ve read some where the heroine screams because the hero licks her nipple. Really? The only way I can see someone screaming because another’s mouth is on their nipple is because that person is biting their nipple off, or the have some sort of razor sharp tongue. Hey, it’s gross and creepy, but it’s true. There are people who get off on pain, both giving and receiving. Though I’m thinking this level of giving would be more in line with Jack the Ripper, but that’s another blog post. And any of that certainly doesn’t belong in most romance novels. (And for those there who might want to argue that, please notice I said MOST, not ALL. Thank you.)
I’ve seen people have their heroine scream when the head of the hero’s “throbbing manhood” touches her “womanly core”. Seriously? There are so many things wrong with the sentence it’s ridiculous. Again, please don’t make me list instances where your lover’s penis touching your vagina might make you scream. And notice, I said penis, and not throbbing manhood. shaft can be okay in some instances, but penis, cock, dick…those are all acceptable terms. And don’t use flower comparisons for the heroine’s vajayjay (as Dr. Bailey from GA so wonderfully calls it) either. It’s not a flower, it’s a vagina.
And wombs….oh good lord, the wombs. His penis is not in her womb. Your womb is your uterus, and if his dick is in your uterus, y’all have some problems. Serious ones. And no, he’s not spilling his seed there, either. His semen is deposited in her vagina…it has to go through the cervix to get to the womb. Anatomy 101, people.
These things have all been said so many times before by so many people. Then why am I saying it again, you ask? The simple answer is because people are still doing it. If people would just stop, then we wouldn’t have to talk about this ever again.
So, please, for the love of all that is holy, just….don’t.
Filed under Editing, Random, Romancelandia
TITLE: Tabloid Star
AUTHOR: T.A. Chase
ISBN: 978-1-60504-662-4
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing
RATING: 
Review by Carole
120 Views
BOOK BLURB:
As a bartender at the Lucky Seven club, Josh Bauer could take a different guy home every night … if he wanted to. Working three jobs, however, makes it hard to connect with anyone. One man, though, is too much temptation to resist. A steamy encounter in a back alley leads to an explosive night of sex in Josh’s bed ~ a bed he isn’t surprised to find empty the next morning.
What does surprise him, though, is the front page of a tabloid. Apparently his one-night stand isn’t as anonymous as he thought it was.
Ryan Kellar’s career is taking off. Advance buzz about his movie says it’s a blockbuster, and going home with the gorgeous bartender is the perfect way to celebrate. And he thought he’d gotten away clean ~ until the picture in the paper shocks him into reality. Was Josh really just playing … or playing him for a fool?
Trust isn’t big on their list right now, but as their worlds fall apart, it’s all they have. At least until they figure out who took the picture. And why.
BOOK REVIEW:
Tabloid Star is set in the same world at T.A. Chase’s High Line and Out of Bounds, although it is significantly separate, and reads like a stand-alone novel. You wouldn’t make the connection unless you recognized the names of the characters from the previous books who show up in bit parts ~ but it is fun to see those guys again!
Ryan Kellar is a closeted gay upcoming movie star. Josh is a bartender/construction worker/waiter working three jobs to help support his sister and her autistic child. Doesn’t sound like they’d have much in common, but the attraction is immediate and a hot alley-behind-the-bar encounter ensues. Unfortunately, Ryan is being stalked by paparazzi and they end up on the front page of the tabloids.
This is a classic case of “life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” The flash of the camera is a life changing experience for both. What good can come out of a disaster like this for both men?
T.A. Chase has done an unusually good job of creating colorful, well-fleshed out (pun intended), believable characters. The plot is intricate, quick-moving and sexy. It just doesn’t get much better than that. I think you will enjoy Tabloid Star.
Filed under Book Reviews, Books and Authors, Editing, Samhain Publishing
