Cyn

Tragedy seems to be everywhere. The senseless deaths of children in our schools are especially difficult.

Life is ugly at times, no doubt about it. It's why I write romance. I'm bombarded already with so many words and images of horrendous events I don't want to add to the deepening pile.

Noel Griese of Southern Review thinks romance writers don't have a grip on reality because "They write in a world where heroines don’t have monthlies, never bloat, don’t have stretch marks and every ending is happy." Perhaps that would make romance writing palatable to Mr. Griese but I don't care to read or write about bloating and monthlies. I don't enjoy discussing or experiencing these events in real life so why on Earth would I write about them?

Of course, perhaps if I were male I wouldn't be subjected to such nonsense. In the very next article Mr. Griese lauds the efforts of a retired fireman, James H. Pasternak who released a romance, Flying Embers (Visual Horizons Publishing). In his article, Mr. Griese states the hero:

Blanchard manages to deal with the rigors of his firefighting career while, as a landlord, getting a close look at the gold-digging but sometimes sinister behaviors of the fly-girls.

While wearing his tool belt, Blanchard notices that one of the young women - Skyler Hayze - may be different from the rest. He then divides his time between firefighting, his landlord duties and pursuing this woman who has caught his eye.

As Blanchard's relationship develops with Hayze, he learns about her friends, their character and what they will do to find true love, happiness and money.

Kudos to Mr. Pasternak for having his firefighting romance published. I know how hard it is to write a novel and praise all who've attempted and actually finished. To be read by others is even more of an honor.

Yet, this writer has to wonder if Noel Griese read Flying Embers and if so did he find mention of the bloating, monthlies, and stretch marks he feels missing from less legitimate romances?

While Reynardine is a werewolf story receiving a 4 star review from Romantic Times and Watchtowers: Water, a recommended read from Fallen Angels, features the son of Poseidon, the bulk of my stories are contemporary in nature. Refugee, my most recent release, is a story of recovery and Mistletoe Wish a story of forgiveness. Such themes are worthy of praise, not scorn.

Perhaps rescuing children, disrupting the South American drug cartels, overcoming religious prejudice and learning to trust are not valued themes to Mr. Griese. I only know, in a world with far too many negatives, stories with happy endings provide happiness and are a necessary escapism.

Désirent ardemment l'amour de phase et les fins heureuses (long live love and happy endings).

Lucynda

Writing is our business...

 

How can we show we are taking this career seriously?

 

In "Guerrilla Marketing for Writers" author Jay Conrad Levinson and associates offer this bit of advice...

 

Prove You're a Pro.

 

How do you do that?

 

Make sure your printed materials are perfect. This means you need 100% accuracy. Sure we all make typing mistakes, especially on the Internet when we're posting excerpts and answering loop emails, but we still need to be aware and catch as many of those errors as we can.

 

When you make a serious grammar mistake, like misusing "your" for "you're" your professionalism is questioned. So is the company you represent.

 

This is especially important if you are providing answers that are going to be more or less permanent. Whether it's a newspaper interview for the local independent or an interview in an author's online newsletter, gross mistakes stand out.

 

In online versions, you also want to make sure you provide the purchase link to your story. Many people are lazy and so it is up to you to make the purchase of your story as easy as possible.

 

Other things you can do:

 

1)Act like a professional.

 

2)Continue to learn your "craft" and perfect it.

 

3)Answer questions simply.

 

4)Don't be a know it all. Honesty goes a long way. If you don't know something, admit it.

 

5)Keep promises.

 

6)Use a signature line.

 

7)Participate in loops for more than just posting excerpts.

 

8)Participate with groups associated with your writing niche.

 

9)Say thank you! That's to editors, supporters, reviewers, whoever has helped you in even the smallest of ways.

 

10)Keep your goal in mind. A lot of us know, in order to do that, we have to have goals set, and we have to strive toward those goals. We need to keep track of our progress.

 

11)Listen to the voices of writing wisdom around you.

 

12) Practice, practice, practice. Translated: write, write, write. Apply what you learn.

 

Much love and success to all of you.

 

Lucynda
www.LucyndaStorey.com
Now available at Loose Id Refugee

Save The Quiet Kitty Contest and Celebrity Auction

Want to get some really cool stuff?

Read on to find out how!

Natural disasters like floods, fires, and disability often hit without warning, leaving chaos in their wake. When a crisis hits our friends, we all want to help. The Save The Quiet Kitty Fund is here to help authors in crisis.

From time to time, many of us have organized a short-term pool to help an author in crisis -- short-term crises that called for short-term solutions. The Save The Quiet Kitty Fund is designed to be a longer-term solution.

Our friend Camille Anthony was diagnosed in 1989 with Pulmonary Sarcoidosis, caused by exposure to asbestos while an employee of the State of California. (There is a pending class action lawsuit against the State of California which has been in Pre-Trial hearings for almost a decade.) Camille is now a full time author with no health insurance. She's in stage four of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis and can't get health insurance because of this pre-existing condition.

Oxygen and hospital bills, as well as other medical expenses, are long-term needs. The irony is, Camille makes just enough residual income from her writing to keep her from being eligible for Medicaid. Since Medicaid turned her down, ongoing medical tests will run as hi as $1800 each – all out of pocket.

We hope to raise enough money, with your support, to not only cover Camille's current medical expenses, but to help other authors in crisis.

To help in this quest, various authors around the world are donating items for a Celebrity Auction. All proceeds will go into the Save the Quiet Kitty fund to be used for authors in need. Details of how to enter the auction will be published in a few days. Check out some of the things that will be offered!

Celebrity Auction Items:

Bath & Body works Gift Certificate from Alecia Monaco

Victorian Choker from Alexis Fleming

Autographed Print copy of Agency of Extraordinary Mates 1,2, and 3,

hardbound Secrets Volumes 7 and 8, a collection of favorite recipes from Alice Gaines

Avon Gift Set worth $86 from Amelia Elias

A Gift Basket with books from Berkley Sensation to include Captive Dreams, Master of Swords, Master of Wolves, Master of the Moon, and Master of the Night from Angela Knight

Print books from Ellora’s Cave to include Lawyers in Love series: The Defenders, The Prosecutors AND The Enchained Anthology which includes Mastered, also a beautiful silk makeup case from Ann Jacobs

Signed Print Copy of Calabi Chronicles: Blood Stone, and banner services to include an animated banners, at 468x60 pixels, up to 6 frames per banner, 3 banners total from Ann Vremont

Victoria’s Secret gift certificate from Dakota Cassidy

An Autographed set of the Devil Trilogy from Brava to inclued The Irish Devil, The River Devil and The Southern Devil from Diane Whiteside

Amethyst Necklace and one book download from Elayne S. Venton

Downloads of the complete Heaven and Hell Series by Emma Ray Garrett

Print copy of Midnight, Magic, and Naughty Things from Isabella Jordan

Print copy of A Touch of Heat and A Breath of Heat from Judy Mays

Print copy of Wolf Tales, Sexy Beast, Wolf Tales 2, and Kate’s newest Wolf Tales release, Wild Nights from Kensington Press and a Stuffed wolf from Kate Douglas

Tarot Card Reading from Kira Stone

Personalized pen/key ring/fridge magnet/bookmarks from Kyla Logan

Bright Blue Suede Mini Flogger Key Chain from Lena Austin

Three months free advertising for authors and three months free advertising for publishers from Literary Nymphs

Print set of the three book EC Pantasia series to include Hook, Wine & Tinker, For Pete’s Sake, and Forever on the Isle of Never from Mardi Ballou

Print copy of Chocolate Flava from Marilyn Lee

A “Wings For Your Mind” Coffee Mug, and a free banner service to include an animated or static banner from Marteeka Karland

Autographed print copies of I’m the Vampire, That’s Why, and Cupid, Inc. from Michele Bardsley

Two Out of Print Ellora’s Cave print books from Shelby Morgan

A personalized short story – you supply the characters from Sierra Dafoe

Print copy of Magic in the Blood from Samhain

and a Magic in the Blood magnet from Silvia Violet

Autographed copy of To Serve and Submit of Roc (Penguin Group) by Susan Wright

3 one year memberships to, and 3 twelve week static ads for authors from The Romance Studio

Set of Three autographed CD’s from Willa Okati

Print Copies of A Changeling For All Seasons, Agency of Extraordinary Mates volumes 1, 2, and 3, and All Wrapped Up from Changeling Press, LLC