Sunday, July 30, 2006

RWA Conference in Atlanta

I'm back from a fun-filled week in Atlanta with about 2000 other writers. It was fabulous. The hotel accommodations were the best I've ever stayed in. The staff was very helpful, check-in and check-out was painless and the food was to die for. How in the world can they feed that many and not have rubbery chicken? The chicken was tender and juicy as was the steak. And I think that's the best cheesecake I've ever tasted. And I love cheesecake.

I truly enjoyed getting to know some people I'd only met on-line. Critique groups are invaluable and I've belonged to a group for about five years now and until this past week, I'd only met two of the ten in person. I had the pleasure of meeting two more. And I hope to meet two or three more next year in Dallas for RWA or Houston for RT. I also had the pleasure of meeting Karen and her husband from Coffeetime. She's an absolute doll and her husband is a true gem.

But, the best part was that I came back rejuvinated and ready to write. I attended some of the best workshops. You're never too old to learn and even if you know the information, revisiting it from time to time helps you embrace those craft issues you take for granted.

And I must say, Nora Roberts and Susan Elizabeth Phillips were hoots. They gave the best speeches that kept us all in stitches. The Lifetime Achievement award couldn't have gone to a better person. I truly admire both of these writers and all they've done to help other aspiring authors. Well done, ladies.

Saturday, July 29, 2006

New Release & New Review

I'm excited to announce that my historical western - HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO in now available in paperback (can be ordered at bookstores) and as ebook. My publisher, Champagne Books, has plans of turning this story into audio, too.

The Wild West has bandits, rattlers, and cactus galore...Texas has Jesse and Summer, the town's newest and most hard-headed heroes.

Summer Bennett is determined to capture the Buchanan Gang the Texas Rangers can't seem to find. Gotta get money...fast, for her father's operation. The reward money's the only way. Complications arise when Jesse Slade, her sister's fiance, rescues her from dangerous situations. Instead of using his head for a slingshot target, she dreams of piercing his heart.

For thirteen years, little Summer was the burr under the Texas Ranger's saddle. Now Jesse feels a different irritation. She's on his mind even while searching for outlaws. She and her proper sister are as different as sweet lemonade and corn liquor. Yet he feels like kissing Summer, anyway. Funny, because he'd always wanted to tie her to the outhouse before.

to purchase - http://www.champagnebooks.com/HOFAH.htm


Now to tell you about my review...
Coffee Time Romance just gave me an excellent review for TEN WAYS TO MELT A MAN'S HEART.
"This book is an absolute, hands down delight. With a brilliant balance of comical and sensual, two characters have been created to make you laugh at times, cringe at others, and sigh through the rest. Charming, sexy, witty, and at times downright smoking hot, this is one I definitely recommend getting."
CharissaReviewer for Coffee Time Romance

to purchase - http://www.champagnebooks.com/Ten.htm


~Phyllis Campbell~
www.phyllismariecampbell.com
Best Selling, Award Winning, Multi-Published, Romance Novelist

Friday, July 28, 2006

New Review for IN YOUR ARMS!

I just found this at The Romance Studio!

"In Your Arms is a page-turner. From the moment I started reading about Melissa, I was captivated. I immediately fell in love with the character of Melissa. I could feel the ache in her heart every time she expressed the concerns in her life about falling in love, while having to deal with her sister. I cheered when Marcus urged her to take a stand with Shirley. Ms. Goings has styled a most tenderhearted romance that truly inspires and pricks the heart. She instills believability with her characters and allows the reader to visualize the setting. In Your Arms has true grit and merit that completely satisfies. It has all the elements that make it an exceptional winner."

~~5 Hearts! :D
Read the Full Review!

Thank you so much, Linda L., for the beautiful review! :D**sniffles**

http://www.champagnebooks.com/IYA.htm

~~Becka

Friday, July 21, 2006

TWO New Videos!

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I thought I would show off my newest creations, videos for both ON EAGLE'S WINGS and HEARTS ETERNAL. OEW is now available at Champagne Books for advance purchase in PAPERBACK!! It will be available on July 31st, however, you can buy your advanced copy for the special price of $8.95 (normally $9.95). HEARTS ETERNAL will be released with Samhain Publishing in November. :)

Enjoy! :D

ON EAGLE'S WINGS Video

HEARTS ETERNAL Video

~~Becka

Monday, July 17, 2006

Where do I turn?

As most of you know I’ve got a four book series contracted that will be released beginning this October, April 2007, October 2007 and finally April 2008. I have the first two witches done but I have been putting pressure on myself to write the last two so that they’re finished and ready to go when the publisher is ready for them.

But…(love those buts) I’ve been distracted by an amazingly hot, sexy detective who’s been whispering in my ear, telling me he’s wanting me to share the story of him and his lady love. As I began writing them (because lets face it, if you don’t write the loudest voices you end up with museapation and won’t be able to get into it.) So I opened a file and just started letting the words flow. I have the entire book mapped out; hero, heroine, secondary characters, GMC and I’ve had my head buried.

I know what music they prefer, what food they eat, what colors they wear. I can see it all so vividly. And while writing I mentioned the hero’s partner and his unit of men and the partner piped up with “I’m next!” I’ve successfully shut him up long enough to be able to get back on track with Justice and Callye. The book is titled Callye’s Justice (makes sense huh?) He and his men make up a drug task force unit and they’ve been successful in breaking the links in the chain of a massive drug dealer’s chain.

Of course this gets them in Dutch and Callye’s Justice shows the retribution for doing such an excellent job. If this works out I may be pitching another series but I’m not going to get ahead of myself here. I need to finish at least the rough on this one, write the other two witches and see where I go from here.

There are also new articles on the art of writing posted on my website www.donicacovey.com and Becka has started a class of sorts over on gather.com about world building. So novice authors might be interested in checking these out.

I will be working on presenting a writing class of posts in a bit for novice writers myself. Keep checking back for information, please.

Also we now have a Magic Mavens public calendar where we will be posting news and information about places where you can come and chat live time with the four of us, when newsletters will be released and contests we will be running from time to time.

Please check it out at http://www.localendar.com/public/MagicMavens. We’ll be posting dates from time to and keep an eye on here for information about our first Mavens chat!

Well a dark brooding hero is breathing in my ear telling me I need to get back to work!

Huggles!Donica Covey

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Beginning, Middle, End

Ah, it's your favorite rambler with another segment of rambling thoughts, so don't change that dial.

I've often been asked if I plot. Nope, I'm an incurable pantser. I love writing the beginning of a novel, setting up a wee bit of foreshadowing, developing the characters, painting the setting. I think that's my favorite part of the novel, because at that point everything is new.

For some, the least favorite is the middle. Many writers call it the sagging middle. Not me, I love the middle also, because it's a challenge to put the characters in impossible situations, then find solutions that aren't trite or normal. I think of at least three possible solutions, but I always throw out the first because if I can think of it first, so can the reader. I want them to be a little surprised if not totally surprised. No -- I don't write suspense, but I think this theory works well with anything we write.

Now the end, that's the hardest part for me. I struggle with endings because I don't want them to be cheesy. I've rewritten the ending to A Noble Sacrifice three times so far and I expect I'll rewrite it again before I'm through. The ending is also difficult because an author has to wrap up all loose ties without it sounding like an info dump. Writing is about weaving the different threads into a cohesive blanket of words. And writing the ending means saying good-bye to characters we've fallen in love with. I am going to miss Joyella and her stubborn ways, but I'm really going to miss Tared and his bold but gentle personality. Maybe that's why I keep rewriting the end.

Vote for Me in a Cool Contest!

Hey guys, I thought I'd recruit you in a shameless plea for votes. :P One of my short stories is in the running to win a contest from Amazon.com. The prize is publication in their Amazon Shorts, short story e-books that they offer on Amazon. Rather than making any money off of this, I'm looking at it as a promo opportunity if I win. And of course, my entry is romance. :P

Go here:

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976766258

And give me however many stars you think the story deserves. Of course, I think you have to sign up for Gather in order to vote, but that's a small price to pay. LOL Believe me, they don't bother you with junk mail; they're merely a place to post articles and make friends.

So if you'd like to vote for me and my story LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT, come on over! :D

~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Overwhelmed

I feel the need to ramble tonight, so bear with me.

A wee bit of history: I've been writing romance for five years now. It took two years to complete the first manuscript, but when it was done, I decided that I needed to start thinking about getting my work published. So - I began the long journey. Submit, rejected, submit, rejected, submit, . . . . You get the picture. But that was okay because as I was getting rejected, my writing was getting better. I hope it's still getting better. But -- what was my ultimate goal?

My first goal was to be published before my kids hit college so that this second career might help with those college expenses I'm dreading. When I realized this might not happen, my second goal was to publish before retirement so that I would be well-established as an author by the time I retired from teaching. I'm too restless to just sit around the house, so I thought - what better way to spend my off hours than to write what I love.

So where am I? Overwhelmed. I was very excited to accept my first contract with Champagne Books. And Celestial Dragon has far exceeded my expectations. It's gotten great reviews. It's now a best seller for Champagne and it's the Publisher's pic for June. All very exciting which of course has led to Champagne deciding to put it into print, release TBA.

Prior to all of this, in my infinite wisdom, I realized when I got my contract that I was going to have to wait a year and a half for Celestial Dragon to be released, so of course, I'm thinking I need to line up some other books. I have four more books contracted with Champagne. Sarah's Brass Token comes out in December. And the other three all come out in 2007. Whaaaa. When am I going to have time to promote, write more and teach? Overwhelmed. Of course not. When Celestial Dragon does go to print, I'll have to figure out a way to send off promotional packets to bookstores and promote Sarah's Brass Token and start school all at the same time. But hey - I'm super woman. This is all doable. Really.

Goals? My new goal is to survive being published and remain sane when deadlines start piling on top of one another. That's a reasonable goal.

Would I change anything? Absolutely not. While I'm overwhelmed, I'm also happy. I'm doing something I truly love. What more could I want out of life?

Ciara

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Invitation to Becka's Author Loop!

I've been noticing we've been getting a lot of newcomers to the Magic Mavens' Blog, and I wanted to extend an invitation to anyone who passes through to come and be a part of my author loop. It's a great place to be and chat via email about my books and the books of my fellow authors!

To join, click here!

The Magic of Romance

The great thing about this group is it's a GOOGLE group, so it does not have the hang-ups we've all come to expect with Yahoo. Emails are always on time and in order. It may not be as pretty as Yahoo, but it works 100% better, and I'm stickin' with Google. :)

Come and join me. It will be a blast!

~~Becka

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Holding Out For A Hero - order now!

I'm excited to announce my historical western, Holding Out For A Hero, will be out soon (August), and in celebration, my publisher, Champagne Books, will be taking advanced orders. I'm also excited because this book will be available in paperback and will be in bookstores!!! Here's the link to order in advance.

Holding out for a Hero from Champagne Books

I'm thrilled that this story will be out soon. It has a special place in my heart. While writing, my own father was sick and slowly dying. Instead of making my own story sad, I gave the heroine's father a health problem, but not one that could kill him. Still, while writing this, I wrote about the emotions I had been going through -- in my heroine's eyes.

Here's the blurb - The Wild West has bandits, rattlers, and cactus galore...Texas has Jesse Slade and Summer Bennett, the town's newest and most hard-headed heroes.

Summer Bennett is determined to capture the Buchanan Gang the Texas Rangers can't seem to find. Gotta get money...fast, for her father's operation. The reward money's the only way. Complications arise when Jesse Slade, her sister's fiance, rescues her from dangerous situations. Instead of using his head for a slingshot target, she dreams of piercing his heart.

For thirteen years, little Summer was the burr under the Texas Ranger's saddle. Now Jesse feels a different irritation. She's on his mind even while searching for outlaws. She and her proper sister are as different as sweet lemonade and corn liquor. Yet he feels like kissing Summer, anyway. Funny, because he'd always wanted to tie her to the outhouse before.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

What makes a best seller?

Whoo hoo! Just found out this weekend that Celestial Dragon is a best seller for Champagne Books. And not only that, but Celestial Dragon will be going to print. Don't know the release date for this yet, but I'm still thrilled.

So what makes a best seller? I wish I knew. Seriously. I'm a brand new author with no track record. I don't feel like I've promoted Celestial Dragon any more than any of my fellow authors have their books, and while the reviews have been very good, the scoring has been very mixed. I'm thinking that it might be the genre. I think there are fewer futuristic paranormals out there than books in other genres. Well, there's that and I happen to think Celestial Dragon is a great story with dynamic characters.

Or maybe those hundreds of bookmarks I sent here, there and yon actually paid off. But looking around our small group here, I feel very blessed to be in such talented company. (and a little intimidated.) So here's a toast to my fellow bloggers, the magic mavens. Donica, Phyllis and Rebecca - may your fingers be blessed with the magic of writing.

Ciara