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Harlequin Fail

Geri Clouston
Joe Konrath kindly permitted us to share this article with you that he posted on his blog in 2012. It is a great follow up to Bob’s May 28, 2013 post on indieBRAG’s Blog Harlequin Fail This is a guest post by my friend Ann Voss Peterson. But it's more than that. It's a call to arms, a cautionary tale, and a scathing exposé. Don't believe it can be all those things? Read on... Ann: In this world, there are a lot of things I can't afford to do. A trip around the world, for instance, although it would be amazing. Remodeling my kitchen. And until recently, sadly, braces for my son. There's one more thing that I find valuable and enjoyable that I can no longer afford to do, and that is write for Harlequin. I published my first novel with Harlequin's Intrigue line in August of 2000. My twenty-fifth was released in November, 2011. I had a lot of fun writing those books--taut, page-turning, action-packed romantic suspense staring a myriad of different heroes and heroines and a boatload of delicious villains. I had four editors during that time, and all of them were great to work with. The…

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The Self-publishing World

Liars, Leeches, and Other Losers

Geri Clouston
 To all you eager, new―and as yet unknown―authors who have finally finished your manuscript, welcome to the world of publishing, where dreams come true, and fame and fortune are only a book tour away. Or perhaps not! Let me see…how do I break this to you gently? Not one single literary agent will have anything to do with you. At most, your query letter will trigger a form rejection response as cold and pitiless as an IRS audit notice. And you can forget about sending your manuscript to any of the Big Six publishing houses. To them, you are lower than rust on the third rail in the subway, and equally untouchable. However, I doubt that these brutal facts will deter you from pursuing your dream, nor should they. So as you embark on this journey, let me just share with you a few words of caution about the liars, leeches and losers who populate the world of publishing. Let’s start with the first group of liars―your friends and family―albeit well-meaning ones. In your heart, you know that you have not written the next great American novel but you still think your book is pretty good. Damn good in fact!…

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Promote your latest book with a book trailer

Geri Clouston
   Words of Wisdom from Chris Robley at BookBaby- People love short videos. They're easier to watch and easier to share, and that makes them easy to talk about. One of the most fun, creative, and effective ways you can promote your new book on blogs and social media is by shooting (and then sharing) a book trailer– a video advertisement for your book similar to a film or TV trailer.Here are a few things to keep in mind when you're developing your book trailer ideas. 1. It's gotta be good!There are a lot of crappy book trailers out there. And to the big, bad, scary world of publishers, editors, critics, and agents, a crappy book trailer looks worse than NO book trailer at all. So if you're going to do it, it's worth doing right. The better your video, the more likely fans will share it, bloggers will post it, and critics will take notice.That being said, quality and budget are not always directly proportional. It's quite possible to shoot a great trailer yourself with consumer-grade gear and a little old fashioned elbow grease. Likewise, you can hire the world's most talented production team with all the fancy new…

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Kiss Her, Kill Her – Lisa Dewar

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Lisa Dewar Read more about B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree authors at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: I would like to introduce Lisa Dewar, author and winner of the BRAG Medallion. Lisa has worked for over twenty years as a sales and marketing manager in the information technology sector.  She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband, Wayne, and their two cats.  When not working or writing, Lisa seeks out animal adventures around the globe.  Lisa, congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion. Please tell me about your book, "Kiss Her, Kill Her." Lisa: The novel is about a serial killer who is trying to kill more women than Ted Bundy to impress his Bundy-obsessed mother.  But when a young woman gets in his cab and confesses that she wants to commit suicide, he wants to bring her back from the brink of death to heighten the enjoyment of killing her. Stephanie:  What inspired you to write this story? Lisa: After watching too many hours of the news, I kept wondering if serial killers could be molded from birth or if they were simply born that way.  Kiss Her, Kill Her explores that idea. Stephanie:  Were there any challenges? Lisa: My biggest challenge is finding…

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Authors' Chat

Folio Prize to allow self-published work

Geri Clouston
  The Folio Prize has confirmed it is to consider self-published entries, a move which has been welcomed by the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).Sixty titles on the 80-strong longlist will be put forward by the Folio's academy, made up of members of the literary community, and it is understood they will be allowed to select self-published works.The remaining 20 will be called in by judges following publishers writing letters of support for particular titles. Self-published authors will be able to act as publishers and write letters of support for their own titles, which will then be considered to be called in.Dan Holloway is campaign manager of ALLi's Open Up To Indies program, which encourages prizes, festivals, the media and other bodies to be inclusive of self-published writers and works.He said: "This is important news and greatly welcomed by ALLi's Open Up To Indies Campaign. Whilst self-publishing has been stripped of much of its stigma by a string of high profile commercial successes, the suspicion remains in some quarters, notably the media, that the self-published corpus is not a place to find works of outstanding artistic merit that could take their place alongside the works of a Hilary Mantel or…

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Eat, Drink, Read!

Geri Clouston
    Where do you usually read - in bed, in a favorite chair? Maybe in a backyard swing on a summer day? I spend most of my reading time at night in bed - could be that's why I seem tired all the time! Where do you read? Do you eat while you're reading? I came across this list of Best and Worst foods to eat while you are reading and although there are some good suggestions, they left out two of the best (and easiest): chocolate and potato chips! I have been known to settle down with a good book, a glass of wine (also sadly left off the list) and a bag of chips. I can think of only a few things that can top that. What would you add to the list? Best 1. Bite-sized pasta - You eat this primly, with one hand and a fork, leaving the other hand free for the book. 2. Soup - Most soups are one-hand affairs. 3. Crackers, cookies, and carbs in general - But beware. Not only do they get crumbs in your pages you will also eat too much while reading. 4. Hard pretzels - Bite-sized and…

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No Other Love – Isabel Morin

Stephanie Hopkins
Author Interview: Isabel Morin I would like to introduce Isabel Morin author of the B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree No Other LoveRead the entire interview at: www.layeredpages.com Stephanie: Isabel, congrats on winning the BRAG Medallion! Please tell me about your book, "No Other Love." Isabel: It's a historical romance set in 19th century Massachusetts (both in the country and in Boston) and revolves around a heroine (Rose) who's trying to find her father's killer. She's convinced his murder is connected with her family's refusal to allow a railroad line to be run through their farm in western Massachusetts, so she takes a job in the railroad president's home to find out more. The president happens to have a handsome son, and there are of course many reasons they can't act on their mutual attraction. I don't tend to read thrillers and wasn't inclined to write one, so the mystery aspect takes a back seat to the relationship. Stephanie: That sounds really interesting. What was the inspiration for your story? Isabel: I love reading a good historical because it's such an escape, and also you have clearer class distinctions, especially if you have a servant-master relationship. Then I saw the movie "Gosford Park," and I…

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Authors' Chat

Blog Series on the “three Rs of Writing”

Geri Clouston
      Finally let's deal with Respect Respect is perhaps the hardest of the three "Rs" to acquire. Being financially successful and well-known does not necessarily mean you will be respected. This is especially true for self-published authors who enter the publishing ring with one hand tied behind their backs. Although the stigma is lessening, self-published books are still not accepted by professional reviewers such as the NY Times, or accepted by prestigious writing competitions. There are a lot of well-written indie books out there; I have personally read several that are every bit as good as, or even better than, the best that the big publishing houses have to offer. It is because of this literary snobbery that self-published books are held to a higher standard. If you want to be taken seriously as an author – and assuming that you have written a good book – then you had better make sure that it is meticulously edited: copyedited at a minimum and line edited if you can afford it. Not to do so plays directly to the indie stereotype, and will doom your work to the trash heap of broken dreams and forgotten titles. Now to end…

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Blog Series on the “three Rs of Writing”

Geri Clouston
    Now let's deal with Recognition. You might think that recognition and wealth go hand in hand but that's not always the case. I'm sure you've heard about movies that critics loved but nobody went to see. The same applies to books. You can write a really good – possibly even great – book but it will not bring you fame and fortune unless you identify your audience and go after them. How? Find bloggers, reviewers and events that focus on your genre. Use social media to get your name and your book out there. And build a website. A good one. Some authors don't do this, which is a big mistake! You may think that if no one knows you how will they find your website? But it is a self-fulfilling prophesy – without a website how will your audience ever get to know you? Today readers want to reach out and touch you (figuratively and in some cases perhaps even literally). They want to connect with you on a personal level. You must be prepared to bare your soul to them. Websites that simply list your books won't get many return visits. In my last blog in…

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Food for Love & Romance Novels!

Geri Clouston
  History is rife with the human pursuit of aphrodisiacs in many forms. Scientific tests have proven that some aromas can cause a greater effect on the body than the actual ingestion of foods. Here are some common foods of love used through the ages. • Alcohol: lowers inhibitions and increases confidence; however, over-indulgence has a sedative effect not conducive to a romantic tryst. • Asparagus: three courses of asparagus were served to 19th century bridegrooms due to its reputed aphrodisiac powers. • Banana: due not only to its shape, but also its creamy, lush texture, some studies show its enzyme bromelain enhances male performance. • Caviar: is high in zinc, which stimulates the formation of testosterone, maintaining male functionality. • Champagne: viewed as the "drink of love," moderate quantities lower inhibitions and cause a warm glow in the body. • Chocolate: contains both a sedative which relaxes and lowers inhibitions and a stimulant to increase activity and the desire for physical contact. It was actually banned from some monasteries centuries ago. • Figs: seasonal crops were celebrated by ancient Greeks in a frenzied copulation ritual. • Ginseng: increases desire for physical contact. • Perfumes: made of natural foodstuffs such…

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