Black and White

Pilings at the Keyport Marina

In college, I took a course black and white photography, long before digital photography was invented. I took pictures with a 35mm SLR Minolta and developed the film in a darkroom with all the smelly chemicals. I discovered how difficult it was to capture a scene in black and white. I took hundreds of photos and made contact sheets to determine which were worthy of enlarging. I was usually disappointed. What I thought would be a terrific shot often turned out far different in shades of gray.  Often I didn't have enough contrast or I had too much. The loss of color affected everything, including the composition.

I love colors. All of them. I enjoy painting in oils and mixing the colors until I get them just right. For me, black and white photos didn't capture what I enjoyed most of all. I gave up on black and white photography. I could not convey the essence of what I wanted in a scene. There are some terrific black and white photographers, but I wasn't one of them.

A black and white page in a book is an entirely different vehicle. Words alone transport readers. Type on a white page can summon up images. Sights, smells, atmosphere, sensations, and colors are vivid in a reader's mind, which is rather miraculous.

Words are a powerful tool. Use them wisely. :-)

Old Eyes and Large Fonts

This is what a book looks like on my Nook with the Glow Light on. The light can be turned off, too. The font is large because I am getting older. I have been nearsighted since I was twelve, but with age I find I have to hold the book farther away, or take off my glasses, or use a large font. The large font is very comfortable for reading.

I don't own a Kindle, but I do have the Kindle app on my iPad--and this is what it looks like. It is possible to make the font very large. With such large type, there are fewer paragraphs on a page, but turning the page is easy. To turn the page, I simply swipe from the right side to the left--sort of like turning a paper page. :-) The Nook works the same way, but a reader can press the side of the Nook to turn the page as well. 

This is what a book looks like on my iPad with the iBooks app. Again, I increased the size of the font. It's easy to do and it can get bigger than I have it here.

I still read paper books, but I have to remove my eyeglasses to do so. I tried progressive lenses but I didn't like them.  However, I like the large fonts on my gadgets.

For those of you with old eyes, I recommend trying out the new technology.

Read a book. Exercise your mind.

The Process

Publishing can be a painful and tedious business. When I first started out, I used to log in my rejections on notebook paper. These are the rejections I received for Irons in the Fire, which was originally named The Tides of Spring. It was the first book I finished and dared to send out into the world.

The rejections include contest results. I figured if I didn't win the contest, it was a rejection--of sorts. Eventually, I was taken on as a client by an agent. She obtained more rejections for me--but the ones she received on my behalf came faster than the ones I submitted on my own to various slush piles.

Getting my foot in the door at a publishing house seemed impossible. The only thing that kept me going was my own belief in the book and my unfailing stubbornness.

My agent died. I floundered around for another one but was unsuccessful in that attempt.

While I collected rejections on Irons in the Fire, I wrote other books. When ebook companies started up, I submitted Irons in the Fire to Hard Shell and when the book was rejected by them, I sent it to New Concepts Publishing.  They gave me a contract. The book was nominated as Best Small Press Paranormal in Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award--even though it was an ebook at a time when few people knew what an ebook was.

When New Concepts returned the rights for the book to me, Crescent Moon Press gave me a contract for it. So the book is still available in both print and digital editions, which is great.

But it wasn't easy and I will admit to revising the book over and over between rejections and contest losses. It took twelve years to get the book published.

Was it worth it? It depends on what you consider success. Did I make a lot of money? No.

But I am delighted to have the book on the market. It is a dream come true, a hard won dream to be sure, but that's what makes it sweeter.

Amazon Graphs

Every morning, while I am drinking my coffee, I check my Amazon stats. This is what my author rank graph looks like on Amazon, comparing my sales with all the other authors for all the books on Amazon. I can look at graphs for categories, too, comparing my books with all Kindle Romance books, or all print romance books. There are also graphs for each of my individual books.

For instance, below is part of the graph for Daddy Wanted.

Most of my books are sold at Amazon. Barnes & Noble does not sell as many. The other distributors sell far fewer. While other distributors report how many books were sold or list a rank number, only Amazon offers these graphs for authors--for free.

When the line shoots upward, I smile. When the line goes down, I shrug. It's not easy to sell books. Readers have a wide variety of choices. But for all the readers who have chosen to buy my books I'd like to offer a big THANKS. There are many mornings you made me smile. :-)

The Land of Once Upon A Time

Yes, that's me with my date for the prom in college. I would not have gone to the prom if it wasn't for my brother. The young man in the photo was was one of my brother's roommates. My brother thought I should go out with him. So I did.

I did not go to the high school prom.

I believe my brother was a bit concerned about me. He was one year older than me, well-liked, intelligent, goal oriented, and energetic. From a young age he plowed into life becoming involved in community service with his scout troop and attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He also belonged to several high school clubs and founded the radio club. He had tons of friends and even dated the French teacher's daughter.

I was painfully shy and didn't date anyone in high school. I was happiest staying at home to write, read, or help out with chores including the care of my two much younger sisters. I daydreamed as I hung clothes out on the line, concocting stories where I could be the heroine and win the love of a handsome, young prince. I fashioned beautiful ball gowns for my sisters' dolls, with leftover scraps of fabric. I mopped the floor and sang "Moon River" pretending I was Audrey Hepburn in the movie, "Breakfast At Tiffanys."

Audrey Hepburn was my role model since she was almost as skinny and flat-chested as I was. Dreamily, I glided through life, half in this world, and half in the world of Once Upon A Time. My taste in music, clothing, and books often all out of sync with the rest of my generation.

My brother drove an ice cream truck during the summertime and met an amazing array of girls. He and the French teacher's daughter broke up. He received tons of love letters in the mail. I found where he hid them in his room and read them all.

I didn't get a single love letter from anyone. One of my brother's friends asked me out but he was so hairy, he scared me. I imagined him turning into a werewolf. So I turned him down. I kept hoping that my handsome prince would come along soon, though there didn't seem to be a single one roaming the halls of my high school. In fact, most of the guys seemed to be more like toads. Except for the ones who were already taken.

My brother went on to college to become an electrical engineer. I went on to college to become a teacher of very young children. My brother started dating only red-haired young ladies. he wrote love letters to his sweethearts, sent them flowers, and took them to nice places. I studied hard, dated nobody and memorized "Moon River" on the piano.

My brother became president of his fraternity. He must have twisted a few arms to get some of his fraternity brothers to date me. One drove down the Parkway at eighty miles an hour and frightened me half to death. Another didn't talk--at all. The third one imbibed rather heavily. None of them asked me out more than once. I started to develop an inferiority complex.

Then came the day when one of my brother's red-haired young ladies dumped him. Personally, I thought she must be an idiot. He had already purchased tickets to an Andy Williams concert. Andy Williams sang "Moon River" and I thought he was the best entertainer in the universe. My brother had splurged and gotten really good seats.

He did not appear to be very upset by his rejection. No doubt, he knew he could have called up another young lady and gotten her to accompany him at a moment's notice. So nobody was more astonished than I when my brother asked me if I would attend the concert with him.

Feeling every bit like Cinderellla, I dressed for the concert with the utmost care. I got the corsage my brother had ordered for the foolish girl who had spurned him. That night was one of the highlights of my life. My brother treated me like a real princess. For the first time, I felt that I had really crossed into the land of Once Upon A Time.

Afterwards, I bought an entire book of Andy Williams arrangements for the piano.

My brother started dating only brunettes.

He continued to try to find a nice, young man for me. He joined the Air Force and passed my photo around the base. When I went to visit him, he made sure he had a date for me.

He found a sweet brunette to marry. He gave me advice, telling me how to emphasize my good points as his wife did. However, I was still shy, awkward, and unalluring.

He died when his plane crashed on a training mission in the New Mexico desert. His passing devastated everyone.

I was firmly convinced he earned sainthood and started organizing a radio club in heaven. I am also convinced that he didn't forget about his odd sister because two years after his death I met the man who became my hubby--and who happened to be an electrical engineer who could play not only "Moon River" on the piano, but the theme from "Gone With the Wind"--by heart.

And so, I write romances because I truly believe in Once Upon A Time. It happened to me.

The Bright Side

On Sunday, hubby and I along with our friends E. and T. went to the Brookdale Performing Arts Center to see a local production of Spamalot. I admit that I was never a true Monty Python fan. Oddly enough, a generation later, my daughters became dedicated enthusiasts and watched every video available. However, seeing Spamalot on stage was very different from watching Monty Python videos.

I love local theatre. Hubby and I have enjoyed many shows--very close to home. Local theatre is very inexpensive and there's always lots of parking, which is also free. So if you get the chance, see Spamalot. You'll leave the theatre with a happy feeling. :-)

(The video below is not from Brookdale's production of Spamalot.)

Why Write?

I was in DUMBO for Daughter #2's opening at the AIR Gallery, which was an excellent affair. Before the opening, hubby and I walked around the neighborhood. By chance, I caught two lovers on the rocks silhouetted in this photo. Now I've got another story swirling around in my head for them. That's the way it is for writers. We see stuff--and then we make up the rest of the story. People have all sorts of psychological explanations for this behavior. Many people simply think writers are crazy. Then there are those who want to jump on the bandwagon because they think they'll make a ton of money.

For those of you who think you're going to become wealthy writing, put down your pen and find a different occupation. Anyone interested in becoming an author should read the excellent article in Forbes about writing: (http://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2013/12/18/fifty-shades-of-effort-the-writers-life-and-why-we-choose-it/)

The odds are against authors making much money. There are too many of us.

However, if you are compelled to write, do it. Don't pit yourself against other writers. Don't think you have to put out eight books a year because some other writer did that. Don't think you can support yourself writing, because you might wind up starving. Write because you MUST write, because you have stories to tell.

I am tucking this photo away in my idea file. Those two lovers need a happy-ever-after and I would be delighted to write it. It probably won't be a bestseller, but I don't care. It will be fun.
 

Big Girls Don't Cry

Make a date for Saturday, April 26, 2014. 

I'll be giving a talk at the Howell Library, 

318 Old Tavern Road in Howell, NJ, at 10 a.m. 

Who are your favorite heroines in the romance genre? What makes a good romantic heroine? Let me know your favorites. I might include your comments in my talk. :-)

Weather Is Part of the Story

Weather plays a part in each of my books. Though a novel may start in one month and end in a another, the weather is a big factor in each story, often providing delightful plot twists. 

My first published book, Sea Of Hope, starts off with a nor'easter. The Company You Keep, set in January, involves lots of snow. For muggy summertime heat, I have Heaven's Blue. I've set three books in the month of March, which I can only blame on a fondness for springtime. 

Since I've lived in New Jersey all my life and my books are set in either New Jersey, Pennsylvania,  or New York, I am very familiar with the vagaries in the climate. Often, I'll write or edit a summertime book in the dead of winter, and I find that a pleasant pursuit because I can close my eyes and dream of all the wonderful things summertime offers. On the other hand, writing about winter when it's miserably hot outside offers a nice contrast as well.

When I wrote The Pirate's Wraith I took a vacation in my mind. That book starts off in October, but quickly switches to the Caribbean for some endless summer. 

What's your favorite time of the year? When you choose a book to read, do you look for one with a particular season in mind? 

Naming Characters

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

William Shakespeare penned those words a long time ago for his play Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare was born in the sixteenth century. When he named his characters, he used names familiar to that time.

The popularity of given names changes. What's popular today was not in vogue twenty years ago. As a teacher of young children, I saw name trends come and go. There was one year when I had three little girls named Jennifer in my class!

When writing historicals, I roam around on the internet seeking names appropriate for the time period. There are some writers who roam through graveyards to find names for their characters, but the internet is quicker. Besides, I'm not really fond of walking through cemeteries.

There are several genealogy sites, which are helpful, but most of them charge a fee. https://familysearch.org does not charge a fee. It is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is an excellent resource.

Currently, I'm writing a romance set in the 18th century. I found the Connecticut State Library has an interesting list of nicknames for the eighteenth and nineteenth century at http://www.ctstatelibrary.org/node/2329

Another good blog post on male names for 1800 is at http://historicalromanceuk.blogspot.com/2012/02/whats-in-name-top-fifty-male-names-in.html

There's a fun post on oddball names, too, at http://www.nancy.cc/2013/07/31/oddball-english-names-17th-18th-centuries/

For English names of the Renaissance era I found http://www.peiraeuspubliclibrary.com/names/renaissancenames/RenaissanceEnglishNames.html

Of course, there are plenty of names an author can borrow from literature. Take a look at http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/822841/unique-baby-names-from-classic-books

What would you name your historical characters?

Reading and Exercising

When I'm writing, I sit in front of the computer, but most of the time when I'm reading I exercise by pedaling on this recumbent bike. Last night I went over eight miles--though I wasn't pedaling very fast. I used to have an elliptical machine, but it was too strenuous and distracting for reading.

I like to go outside when the weather is nice. I enjoy walking and gardening, but cycling while reading is a good way to keep the blood pumping.

Do you exercise while you read?

Take One--Please

Tomorrow, I will attend the Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference in Woodbridge, New Jersey. (Address: The Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel,  515 US Highway 1, South Iselin, NJ) There will be a "goodie" table at the conference for authors to place their promotional materials. There will be pens with authors' names, there will be free books, there will be emery boards engraved with authors' names, and there will be sticky notes with authors' names, too. 

I have postcards and brochures. I bought the postcards from Vistaprint, but I made the brochures on my own. I went to the grocery stores and bought four bags of mini-Milky Way bars. The cashier glanced up at me and asked, "Trick or treat?" 

I taped the candy to the postcards. Obviously, there are people who will take the postcards, eat the candy, and throw the postcard away. Such is the life of an author. Promoting is a tough business.

If you are a reader, you should visit the Book Fair. It will be open to the public from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. I will be there with more mini Milky Way bars. Stop at my table if you're hungry.

A Tangible Reward

Writing a novel takes time. Sometimes, getting a contract for that novel can take longer than writing the book. Today an author can also self-publish. With all my books, I first tried to get a contract with a publisher. I appreciate having someone else edit the book because I know the end result will be a better product. It's easier to have someone else make the cover for the book, too. Advertising is a major part of marketing. Worthy publishers advertise. Even though authors are expected to be involved in social media to spread the word about their books, a publisher's efforts can make a bigger difference in sales.

Finding the right publisher for a book can be a challenge and dealing with rejections is disheartening. It took me a while to toughen up when I first decided to publish my stories--but I did learn to persevere and continue to submit despite being turned down over and over again.

Publishing can be a crazy business with very little compensation.

I found buying myself a small reward when I finished a book helped me to deal with all the ups and downs of submission and rejection. To me, the reward was tangible proof of my efforts. In the photo above is a punched-tin lantern. I bought it because such a lantern is used by the ghost in The Company You Keep. It's an integral part of the plot. I figured if I didn't get a publisher for the book, I would publish it myself and use the lantern as part of the design for the cover. I did get a contract for the book eventually, but I still have the lantern. :-)

Hubby bought a Celtic cross for me after I finished Irons in the Fire. In that book, the heroine has a Celtic cross as a talisman.

When I finished The Pirate's Wraith, one of my daughters bought a necklace for me with an old-fashioned sailing ship made of pewter.

These are inexpensive items, but each of them mean a lot to me. Finishing a book is a huge hurdle. For me, it's nice to have a tangible reward.

The Irreverent Reverend

Last night, hubby and I went to hear Michael Riley, the Irreverent Reverend, speak at the Middletown Township Public Library. The title of his talk was Scars, Tattoos, and the Funny Bone. It was sponsored by the Widows Helping Widows Group.  There were four other men in the audience besides hubby. He counted them.

Both hubby and I have read Michael Riley's column in The Asbury Park Press. Much of what he said, I had already read in his column and that's okay. After all, I will read a book for the second--or third time. It was quite interesting to hear him, because he sounds exactly like the column he writes. But this was better because instead of reading his column and chuckling to myself, I got to listen to a room full of people join in and laugh with me. 

He spoke of his heart attack, growing up in a trailer park, being raised by his grandmother, and losing the man he considered his father at the age of eighteen. Those were all difficult issues, but he made it funny--and that was the point of his talk. You've got to laugh. It helps--and it heals. 

Yes, usually when bad things happen I don't laugh during the incident, but later on something about it will tickle my funny bone. A positive attitude helps in the worst of times. 

Michael Riley has written a book, Only Human,  a collection of his columns. Those of you who don't read the Asbury Park Press should go right out and buy book. :-) 

Get a FREE Book During Read an Ebook Week

If you haven't tried an ebook until now, here's your big chance to get many of them for FREE or at very reduced prices! I read both paper books and ebooks. I like them both, but an ebook does have many advantages. If you want a list of the advantages, I found a good one. Read Ten Advantages of E-book Readers.

I have owned many ebook readers, right now I own a Nook with the Glow Light. (It's small and light--big advantage right there.) However, I also download ebooks into my phone and my iPad. I have a Kindle app for my phone and my iPad. I have iBooks on the iPad as well. I actually read a lot of ebooks on my phone. Right now I'm reading Gulliver's Travels on my phone. (Very trippy book.)

At Smashwords,for this week only, you can download for FREE PRINCE OF THE MIST, my wonderful fantasy story about Wildon Forest, one of the Sidhe, who lives in the Catskills. He's a handsome fellow.

So follow this link PRINCE OF THE MIST. Grab the coupon code on the right side of the book page at the Smashword's site. and get a FREE book. FREE is fantastic. :-)

Blueberry Torte

Yesterday, I wrote 3,225 words and got to the end of my story. In the month of February, I wrote 33,863 words, which is a record for me. There will be a lot of editing on the manuscript. It is a rough draft and will require hours and hours of concentration to get it right.

While I was writing this past month, I ignored the dust bunnies in the house and several other chores. My family got used to leftovers--and nothing gourmet appeared on the table, though I love to try new recipes all the time. However, I had saved one, a cranberry torte. The problem with the recipe was finding fresh or frozen cranberries. I looked in several stores. So I decided to try blueberries.

This morning I wanted to celebrate my incredible word count by making a blueberry torte--instead of writing.

Here's the recipe. It makes one nine-inch cake.

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9-inch springform pan.

Cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and then the almond extract. Add the flour and baking powder. Beat until combined. Spread the batter in the pan.

Arrange the blueberries on top on the batter in a single layer. Then sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Bake the cake for 55 minutes. (Your oven may take less time.) The top should be golden brown and if you put a toothpick in the center it should come out clean.

Let the pan cool. Use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan before unbuckling and removing the ring.

This is delicious. Try it and enjoy. :-)

With a Little Help From JeRoWriMo

I finished the JeRoWriMo Challenge last night, typing across the finish line with 30,000 words.

The book is not complete. I have another major, climatic scene to write. However, the progress I made this month was considerable and I know it wouldn't have happened without a little help from my friends at the New Jersey Romance Writers, and especially from Nancy Herkness who hosted the event. Whether an author wrote 160 words or 3,000 words in one day, she cheered them on and offered encouragement. Nancy was also writing her own book at the time, so my kudos go to her for all her efforts.

I could not have taken on this writing challenge without help from my family. They understood the importance of it. So I thank my nearest and dearest for cutting me a bit of slack this month.  The gourmet meals will soon be returning to our table. :-)

For those who haven't tried a writing challenge, I recommend it. I have never tried the NaNoWriMo challenge and I probably never will. To finish in that one, a writer must log in 50,000 words in the month of November--a month which includes Thanksgiving and holiday preparation for Christmas. I knew that would be impossible for me, but 30,000 words in the month of February is more realistic.

Now I must get back to the manuscript and write that final scene. Then I will have to go all the way back to the beginning and start the editing process. Watch for Patriot's Pride to be released in a year or so. :-)

Meanwhile, read Patriot's Heart, which is available now. Patriot's Pride will be the sequel to that story.

Precious Family Portrait

I love this one. It's such a precious moment in time. It must have been taken in Belford where my father's family had a summer bungalow. You can see the marsh in the background. On the left is my father's brother (he died in World War II), next to him is my grandfather, wearing suspenders as he always did. My father is on the right holding his baby brother. My grandmother must have snapped the photo.

The older boys are no longer wearing knickers as they did in photos when they were younger.

Do you have old family photos? Which are your favorites?

It Takes Courage

Writing takes courage. Writing a book takes a lot of courage--along with commitment. In the beginning, it is doubtful whether any writer will actually sell books. The process of getting to the end is long. Once the end is reached, it is necessary to go back to the beginning to revise and edit.

I write romantic fiction. I make it up but it still has to approximate reality. It must make sense and that's not easy.

This month, I joined the New Jersey Romance Writers' writing challenge, JeRoWriMo. I am attempting to add 30,000 words to a novel in which I had already had 20,000 words. I did the same thing last year and finished Patriot's Heart. I received a contract from Prism Book Group for that book and it is now available everywhere (with a gorgeous cover). :-)

A blank page is a scary thing. To compose the book, it helps to turn off the internal editor that questions every word, every comma, and every plot twist. A writer has to just let it go and write. The book can be fixed later--but there has to be something to fix.

Being a member of this challenge pushes me to throw the words down without quibbling over which word is exactly the right one. In the end, I will have a rough draft and it will need fixing. I'll turn my internal editor back on for that.

I've more than doubled what I started with on this project. The plot took a few unexpected turns, but that's fine. A few surprises can be fun.

My house is dusty and meals are usually leftover leftovers, but with one week to go, I am on target to reach 30,000 words. Wish me luck. :-)

Don't Be Shy!

If you're going to sell books, you have to let everyone know you have books to sell. You cannot be shy about it. You don't have to put on a grass skirt and dance, but you can hand out postcards or brochures to those you meet.

I feel comfortable on the internet. I send out tweets and status messages. I post to this blog on a regular basis. Connecting with people online is often easier for those of us who are bookish.

But yesterday, I was reminded how important it can be to connect in person. I took my father for his regular checkup at the podiatrist's office. We were there for a longer time than usual. The doctor asked how things were as she worked on my father's toes. I couldn't think of much new other than the amount of snow we've gotten and my writing. I bolstered my courage with a deep breath and quietly mentioned the fact that I have a new book out with a great cover. Unfortunately, I didn't have a postcard of the new book with me, but I did have a photo of it on my cellphone. I showed it to her. She glanced at it, then she went back to my father's toes.

"Nice," she said. "How many books have you written?"

"Thirteen," I answered.

That got her attention. So I told her what kinds of books I wrote. The odds of her buying one of my books are practically nil, but there was an assistant in the room as well. In fact, there are quite a few people who work in that office. I've been taking my father to the office for a long time. Why didn't I let them all know I was a writer with books they could read? Maybe because it seems a lot like boasting. Maybe because it seems inappropriate in the setting.

Maybe because it's easier to talk about all the snow than to announce you're a bit crazier than you look. :-)

Writing is fun. Promotion is a tough job, but all writers have to work at it.

The next time I go to that office, I'm bringing brochures with me.