Monday, July 30, 2007

Julia's Golden Eagle

I just mailed off the ARC with corrections to my publisher so everythings a go for it's release. Whoop! Julia's Golden Eagle should be available Aug 1 or very close to that date. I really love the characters and I hope you do also.

Oh, and Romance Junkies awarded the Magic Maven some free banner space. How cool is that? Of course, my animated skills are a bit rusty and it took me forever to figure things out. Gotta luv the learning curve.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

(almost) New Month New Look

I've been hearing that our old font was too hard to read. I have to admit I agree. So I've made a few changes. For some the only change visible is an increase in the font size. It will be huge to those of you who do not have the new font avaiable on your computer. For this I'm sorry. I truly hope you can view the new one as it is one of my favorites.

New month: It's almost August. For many it is back to school. I hear the groans from teachers and students alike. My baby will be a sophomore this year. Yeah that doesn't depress me. (Can you FEEL the sarcasm there?) Back to school shopping (Mom I'm too old to have you go shopping with me. I want to take my paycheck and head out to the mall with mipsi. bipsi, bopsi or whatever their names are.) color me disappointed. I know one day she'll come back to me. I just don't want to be old and grey when she does.

Gee talk about a downer. How about we get on with some GOOD news???

I am still waiting to hear the verdict on Betraying Chase but I'm very hopefull. Please send me some good juju everyone! I did submit my fantasy Dragon's Angel and IT SOLD!! WAHOOO. I loved being in my own little world--yeah, yeah get it over with "But you've ALWAYS lived in your own little world". Thank you--But DA means alot to me in several ways. I had never written a fantasy romance. To make up new creatures, new worlds, new languages, I have been blessed with the chance to feel a little of what Tolkein must have felt when he wrote his hobbits. I spread my wings and took a leap and it was amazing to learn that I could write fantasy and it was GOOD. I can't wait for you to read it.

Here is my release schedule (dates ARE subject to change)
Gateway Guardians: Callye's Justice--October 2007
Elemental Desires: Tides of Maryna's Love--July 2008
Dragon's Angel--October 2008

I only have three slated upcoming releases but if Betraying Chase is picked up (keep that good juju coming!) I'm sure the release will also be in 2008.

3 possibly 4 releases *thud* I can't beleive it. I have dreamed of having to work like a fiend, to be getting my books out there, and now I'm on the road to that dream! YAY!!!

Yes, it's all out of my system now...wait, here's another one YAHOOO!!! okay, think I'm good.

I'll be posting videos of my releases listed above before long.

Until then,
Huggles
Donica

Friday, July 20, 2007

Banner Ads by Becka

Hey y'all,

I thought I would share with you a little endeavor I'm starting. A lot of my author friends have come to me for banner ads, and I thought I would share the wealth! But I should get something out of the deal too... :P So here's some more info on my open offer to any and all authors who want a cheap, professional-looking static banner (one that does NOT rotate) for promo. You can have one for yourself, your website, or your books. I have examples of the banners I've made for myself as well as others up on my website.

Check it out!

http://www.rebeccagoings.com/banners.html

If you're interested, shoot me an email. The more banners you want, the more I can work a deal with you. :) rebeccagoings@gmail.com

Feel free to post this to YOUR loops and blogs to spread the word! :)

~~Becka

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Wild and Crazy

Yes. That's me. Wild and crazy. Why you may ask? Even if you didn't here is my answer.

In the last two weeks count that up, 14 days, okay minus weekends is 10. Minus Fridays, is 9. SO 9 days...I've completed and submitted my manuscript for my second Gateway Guardians series, Betraying Chase, to my editor.

I've sold The Tides of Maryna's Love, one of my Elemental Desires series books, to Champagne Books. I've completed all the required forms for Maryna including marketing form, cover art suggestions, blurb and tag line.

I completed the novel Dragon's Angel, polished, write the long synopsis, wrote the short synopsis, wrote the blurb and sent it all to the editor at Champagne Books.

Now all I've got left to do is taglines for Chase and Dragon's Angel. What? Did you ask what a tag line was? You did? Cool. A tag line is the one line that hooks you into the book. Its found on the back cover of the book and on the websites.

Take for example my tagline for Maryna: One Water Witch, one Marine Biologist—will it be a cruise on the Love Boat or the Titanic?

Or the tag for Callye's Justice:
They shattered his world by kidnapping his fiancĂ©e—paybacks are a bitch.

Now to come up with tag lines for Dragon's Angel and Chase. Any suggestions? to learn about these books go to my website and check out the videos. Or you can visit my YouTube channel

Any suggestions for possible tag lines would be appreciated. Drop them into the comment section here. I'll be checking for them. Hope to hear from you soon!

Huggles,
Donica

Friday, July 13, 2007

Celebrating and Such

Well I have a couple of things to celebrate.

First: The second book in my Gateway Guardians series is finished and sitting in my editor's in box.

Second: The second round of edits for Callye's Justice will be coming before long. I'm ready to get them done and out of the way so that I can get a release date approximation.

Third: Dragon's Angel, the fantasy romance I've been working on is almost finished. I've got a few loose ends to tie up, then it will be time for the clean up process and finally submitting somewhere.

Oh yeah! Remember the series about the Elemental witches I was so excited about. well if you will remember, I pulled them before they were previously published due to creative differences with the publisher. WELL I SOLD MARYNA!!!!! HEHEHE I've got high hopes that they will love the other three sisters and contract them as well! If things keep on schedule The Tides Of Maryna's Love will be released in July of 2008!!!! I'm so excited! Champagne Books, the publisher who picked it up, has a firm reputation and known for their quality books. IF I generate enough sales there is a chance I could go to PRINT!!! This would mean you could go into Barnes and Noble, Borders Books or any other fine book seller and order the book in paperback! There is no guarantee but it is a possibility!

Phyllis and Ciara are at the national conference. (No I'm not a bit jealous) Maybe when they get back they'll have some interesting news to pass along.

Well it's the weekend and getting close to time for me to wrap up my computer time. I'll see you all again soon.

Huggles,
Donica Covey

Friday, July 06, 2007

A bit of fun from My Space

Okay, I have to admit that my space is growing on me. Big time. I was a skeptic, but now. . . it's getting almost addictive which isn't great for the writing time. Oh well. One of the fun things is the bulletin board where your friends can post fun messages. Some are games intended to help you get to know folks better. Anyway, a friend posted - One question. Anyone reading the message could ask one question and receive one honest answer. "1 question. 1 chance. 1 honest answer. That's all you get." The trick was then to post to the bulletin this same challenge, which I did. Here are some of the questions that were asked of me:

Linda Mooney, author of AEQUANA asked: What is the one thing in your life you would change if you had the power to go back and change it? And here's my answer:

Ugh. That's a very difficult one. Funny, but it's almost the same question we're asking/answering on our newsletter. Except that question has a patriotic twist. So - I would try to change the way in which society accepted new technology, so that there was greater awareness at the onset of the consequences for our luxuries. Sure, I could try and stop a war, but that would probably only prolong the inevitable and war would happen anyway. I think something like this would be a more widespread fix.

Erin Moore, author of The Game, All I Ever Wanted and Flame asked: Hey lady, I've got a pretty simple question for ya, although it's something I've been wondering. Where did you come up with Ciara Gold as a name? I love it, and it's perfect for the type of books you write. And here's my answer:

That's a fun question. I wanted something that was a family name and Gold is my great, great grandmother's name. Then gold made me think of the sierras under a blazing sun, and my daughter had a friend whose name was Ciara, so voila! Ciara Gold. I thought too, that it would be a name easily remembered.

Little Sunshine asked: Do you remember you first kiss? And here's my answer:

Too funny. Yes. Now I suppose you want the details. LOL. But hey, I'm only supposed to give you one answer. Silly me, okay, the details. I was a late bloomer. I got sent to church camp for a week and didn't know a soul, but this one guy, Greg R. (the son of a preacher - I kid you not) took a liking to me. He had the most gorgeous red hair and lots of freckles and he was sooo sweet. We'd go on long walks and he started holding my hand. The next night, when he walked me back to my cabin, he asked if he could kiss me. Oh yeah, I felt it clear to my toes. I was 14. He kissed me a lot that week and that's as far as it went, but to me, it was incredible.