Psychology For Creating Characters workshop on yahoogroups
September 14-19,
$20 registration at www.oirw.net/campus.htm
Tools for determining naturally likable (and naturally imperfect) personality types include Adlerian birth order, Jungian thought/feeling scales, the Dewey priorities, and other theories of temperament.
Counselor Laurie Schnebly Campbell shows which offer the best opportunities for conflict between YOUR realistic characters...and how their “inborn” personalities will oppose and attract other characters.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Interview with Bob Mecoy
I'd like to welcome our guest agent today, Bob Mecoy. It's a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.
Can you please give us a little information about your publishing background? How many clients do you have? How many agents? And how many of those agents represent romance? What other genres do you represent?
I'm an independent agent who started on the other side of the desk. I was an editor for mumble-mumble years. In fact, I was an editor at Crown, Simon & Schuster, Avon/Morrow, NAL/Dutton, and Dell/Delacorte which should give you an idea how many mumbles there are there. The agency is just me and my associate and we represent everything from romance to knitting, literature to literary nonfiction, history, science, mystery and even graphic novels.
What fees (if any) does your agency charge? What is your agency's commission rate?
We don't charge any fees, but we do expect a 15% commission on everything we sell.
What's your response time for queries, partials and full manuscripts?
Our response time varies from immediate to six weeks. Email queries we generally get back to immediately and requested manuscripts we try to get done in two to three weeks.
What new author have you recently signed?
A brilliant young graphic novelist named Dash Shaw whose most recent novel, BOTTOMLESS BELLY BUTTON is being generally touted as the best of the year—and maybe the best in several years. We just sold his new novel, BODYWORLD, to Pantheon on a pre-empt.
What new project made you grab for that hidden piece of chocolate in your pencil drawer?
See the above—Dash did it.
What can an author do to grab your attention?
Show me something new.
What houses have you recently sold to?
Pantheon, Abrams/Amulet, DC Comics, Hill & Wang, William Morrow
What do you love/hate most about being an agent?
Hate: Free-floating anxiety—there's always something that should have been done yesterday.
Love: The fact that there's always something new and different to see or do.
What trends do you see for the future of publishing?
Content is king (or queen). What we're selling is what people want—the new question is how are they going to get it.
Any other chocolate nuggets you can give authors looking for representation?
Be smart. Know something about anyone you write to/talk to/consider important. What do they like? What have they done? Know something about every part of the process that you're seeking to become a part of—you don't need to know a lot, just enough to keep from making the obvious mistakes that keep you from getting your story across. Remember that everyone wants to say no—it makes their lives easier. The longer you keep the "no" at bay the better your chance of getting your message, your story, across.
Thanks, Bob!
Can you please give us a little information about your publishing background? How many clients do you have? How many agents? And how many of those agents represent romance? What other genres do you represent?
I'm an independent agent who started on the other side of the desk. I was an editor for mumble-mumble years. In fact, I was an editor at Crown, Simon & Schuster, Avon/Morrow, NAL/Dutton, and Dell/Delacorte which should give you an idea how many mumbles there are there. The agency is just me and my associate and we represent everything from romance to knitting, literature to literary nonfiction, history, science, mystery and even graphic novels.
What fees (if any) does your agency charge? What is your agency's commission rate?
We don't charge any fees, but we do expect a 15% commission on everything we sell.
What's your response time for queries, partials and full manuscripts?
Our response time varies from immediate to six weeks. Email queries we generally get back to immediately and requested manuscripts we try to get done in two to three weeks.
What new author have you recently signed?
A brilliant young graphic novelist named Dash Shaw whose most recent novel, BOTTOMLESS BELLY BUTTON is being generally touted as the best of the year—and maybe the best in several years. We just sold his new novel, BODYWORLD, to Pantheon on a pre-empt.
What new project made you grab for that hidden piece of chocolate in your pencil drawer?
See the above—Dash did it.
What can an author do to grab your attention?
Show me something new.
What houses have you recently sold to?
Pantheon, Abrams/Amulet, DC Comics, Hill & Wang, William Morrow
What do you love/hate most about being an agent?
Hate: Free-floating anxiety—there's always something that should have been done yesterday.
Love: The fact that there's always something new and different to see or do.
What trends do you see for the future of publishing?
Content is king (or queen). What we're selling is what people want—the new question is how are they going to get it.
Any other chocolate nuggets you can give authors looking for representation?
Be smart. Know something about anyone you write to/talk to/consider important. What do they like? What have they done? Know something about every part of the process that you're seeking to become a part of—you don't need to know a lot, just enough to keep from making the obvious mistakes that keep you from getting your story across. Remember that everyone wants to say no—it makes their lives easier. The longer you keep the "no" at bay the better your chance of getting your message, your story, across.
Thanks, Bob!
Monday, September 8, 2008
We have a Winner
Congratulations Kimmy L. You're the winner of one of Jennifer Ashley's books from her backlist. Please e-mail Kim at kwatters 21 (at) hotmail.com (no spaces) so we can get your address. Thanks for commenting everyone. Make sure to stop back every Friday and see our weekly guests. Kim
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Should Men Read Romance Novels to Learn About Women?
Should Men Read Romance Novels to Find Out More About Women?
The men who actually do read them inspired this week’s question. Several soldiers, just back from Iraq, showed up at the Desert Dreams Writing Conference to meet Sherilyn Kenyon. They had driven from Texas to AZ to get their books signed. It made me wonder what they might learn about women while engrossed in her paranormal plots.
I took a look at my own book, Liquid Hypnosis, and decided there was something a man could learn from the story. I wasn’t thinking of the plot, or the characters, or the sex scene that fades to black. What came to mind were the little touches that heighten the sexual tension between the hero and heroine. For example, he leans in close but won’t kiss her. I love to see that in films. Next, he places his hand on her lower back. That is one of the steps of intimacy. I knew that long before I read the list. I always found it to be a gentle, protective way of guiding a woman through a door, or other area. One of my favorite interactions between the couple took place when the hero and heroine were dancing. I put that scene in just so I could add this move. He envelops her hand in his, and instead of extending it to dance, he tucks it against his heart. I don’t remember the name of the man who did that with me, but I will always remember that move.
I couldn’t wait to see what other women thought about this topic. Here are the responses I received.
The men who actually do read them inspired this week’s question. Several soldiers, just back from Iraq, showed up at the Desert Dreams Writing Conference to meet Sherilyn Kenyon. They had driven from Texas to AZ to get their books signed. It made me wonder what they might learn about women while engrossed in her paranormal plots.
I took a look at my own book, Liquid Hypnosis, and decided there was something a man could learn from the story. I wasn’t thinking of the plot, or the characters, or the sex scene that fades to black. What came to mind were the little touches that heighten the sexual tension between the hero and heroine. For example, he leans in close but won’t kiss her. I love to see that in films. Next, he places his hand on her lower back. That is one of the steps of intimacy. I knew that long before I read the list. I always found it to be a gentle, protective way of guiding a woman through a door, or other area. One of my favorite interactions between the couple took place when the hero and heroine were dancing. I put that scene in just so I could add this move. He envelops her hand in his, and instead of extending it to dance, he tucks it against his heart. I don’t remember the name of the man who did that with me, but I will always remember that move.
I couldn’t wait to see what other women thought about this topic. Here are the responses I received.
--- Tina, I absolutely agree that men should read romance novels. It not only helps them understand a woman and her moods, but it teaches them what women like in the bedroom. Men who read romance novels have a better relationship with their spouse/partner.
Carolyn Hughey
Cupid's Web ~ Available Now
www.carolynhughey.com
Heck, YEAH!
Then they could understand women are ultimately won by CHARACTER. We'll melt for a pretty face, sure. But if he's shallow, selfish, boring or self-absorbed then we're GONE.
We'll take a flawed man - who may not be the perfect "model" - but if he's truly honest, strong enough both to take care of me and admit his weaknesses, trustworthy, hardworking, and loves me unconditionally, then I'm his for life.
The fantasy is to find both in one: beautiful inside and out. Though, truth be told, when he's beautiful inside, we'll think him beautiful on the outside as well.
Kris :)
"Norway is the new Scotland"
Heck, YEAH!
Then they could understand women are ultimately won by CHARACTER. We'll melt for a pretty face, sure. But if he's shallow, selfish, boring or self-absorbed then we're GONE.
We'll take a flawed man - who may not be the perfect "model" - but if he's truly honest, strong enough both to take care of me and admit his weaknesses, trustworthy, hardworking, and loves me unconditionally, then I'm his for life.
The fantasy is to find both in one: beautiful inside and out. Though, truth be told, when he's beautiful inside, we'll think him beautiful on the outside as well.
Kris :)
"Norway is the new Scotland"
Missouri Territory 1819 -
A betraying husband,the father of her child, a convenient fiancé.
One woman, three very different men. Life is about choices.
Should men read romance novels to learn more about women? Answer-No!. We all learn about the opposite sex through real life experiences and relationships, not romance books. Men begin learning about women through their mothers and then of course later on with their loves. Would reading romance novels give men more knowledge of women, what they want etc., maybe! Would they use that knowledge with regard to their relationships? Doubtfull!
I think romance novels have always been geared toward women and should remain so. Men have their own form of fantasy books and women have their romance novels and other fiction too. Does this sound sexist? Of course! But it seems to be the way of the world. Don't you think?
Doreen Pagliaro
No. I don't want them to know more about us women then they already do. I want them to work for it. Afterall, they like a challenge and women are a definite mystery to them. Of course, I have a man who figured most of it out, but then again he always was an overacheiver :-)
Alexis
Thanks, ladies. I love your input.
Tina
Thanks, ladies. I love your input.
Tina
Friday, September 5, 2008
Interview with Jennifer Ashley
I’d like to welcome our guest today, Jennifer Ashley. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.
I understand you have a new release out called Immortals: The Redeeming. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?This book continues the Immortals series that we started last year. The Immortals is a “continuity” series written by three authors, me (Jennifer Ashley), Joy Nash, and Robin Popp. The first four books introduce four Immortal brothers and their quest to find the fifth brother, Tain, who has been captured and tortured by a mega-demon.
The Redeeming is Tain’s story. After 700 years of torture, can he ever truly heal? And can he find happiness with a half-demon woman? He needs Samantha’s help, because bad things are going on in the city of Los Angeles, and Samantha, a detective in LAPD’s paranormal division, is the only one he can turn to.
What made you decide to write in this genre?
I didn’t grow up reading romance; I grew up reading fantasy: Andre Norton, C.S. Lewis, and Tolkein, and then in college Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Barbara Hambly, and other terrific fantasy authors. My first attempts at novels were fantasy, and my first ever sale was to Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine.
I made the jump to romance because I wanted more romance in my fantasy. At the time I started writing no editor wanted to see paranormal romance, so I started off in historical romance (being a history buff as well). Once editors started wanting more and more paranormals, I went back to the paranormals I’d always longed to do.
At first I did historical/paranormals, then I came up with the idea of Immortals and sold that. I plan to continue writing both historicals and paranormals, which satisfies my cravings in both subgenres.
Where did you get your idea for this particular book?
For the Immortals, I’d had the idea swimming around in my head for quite some time—five warriors called by a spell to people who needed them throughout time. I planned to pair up each Immortal warrior with a person who’d called them. When I pitched the idea as a continuity series, that tightened up to have one adventure that arced through four books. Robin, Joy, and I brainstormed like crazy to build the world. I ended up with something much better than the original idea.
Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?
I have no clue. :-) Today while updating my website, I realized I have 32 published works out there and nine more contracted. Decided which character I like best is impossible, even if I look at just one work.
Tain was terrific to write. He was so tortured and angry, and at the same time so compassionate. That pull in him was interesting to explore. I also like Samantha, a no-nonsense cop. She can kick butt, but she’s not annoying about it.
Tell us about how you develop your characters. Do you create character sheets, do interviews, that sort of thing? How does your research and/or world affect your character development?
My characters simply grow inside my head. I get the germ of a character then I close my eyes and see what they do. The process can take years. Sometimes I write down scenes I see them in (which may or may not make it into the book.) I’ll make notes on the character when they get a little more developed (weaknesses, strengths, what kind of person they are).
If I’m having trouble visualizing my character I will write an autobiography, in the pov of the character, telling about his/her life and the events that shaped him/her.
A weird thing I do is put the character in the car next to me and have him (usually it’s a hero) react to what he sees. I live in a sprawling city and do a lot of driving. It’s fun to listen to what they have to say.
How do you go about building your world if you use one? Do you use maps, charts or drawings?
When I world build I brainstorm, brainstorm, brainstorm. I make notes in a regular Word file about who lives where and why. I develop the world as I write as well, because things suggest themselves when I’m deep in the story. I do like maps—if I’m writing in the “real” world, I use maps of the city and surrounding area I’m in (plus I go to the city in question and look around). If it’s a made-up place, I draw a map so I can remember where everything is.
Do you have any authors that inspired you?
Many authors have inspired me. It was Mary Jo Putney who made me truly want to write historical romance. I thought I did, but when I read her Fallen Angels series, it inspired me to make up heroes you can fall in love with. Barbara Hambly inspired me on the fantasy side—she wrote strong female heroines (warriors and very smart women) at a time when most fantasy was male dominated. I also like her worlds and characters. Another inspiration was Agatha Christie, who could write a tight plot and keep you guessing. Plus she was another writer who had strong young women as leads as far back as the 1920s (The Man in the Brown Suit; The Secret Adversary; The Secret of Chimneys).
What do you feel is the most effective promotion you have done for your book?
Promotion: It’s always difficult to know what brought someone to a book and what everyone ignored. I honestly believe nothing an author can do can top the placement in bookstores that publishers and the booksellers can give you. Most novels are bought on impulse by people browsing bookstores or standing in the check-out lines. Or readers already like an author and buy whatever the author has out.
An effective promo is a newsletter, because you can remind your autobuy readers that you have something new out. I like to do print ads in magazines targeted to readers, just because they’re pretty, and if you have a great cover, you might as well flash it around. I have had readers email me and say they saw my ad and remembered the cover when they went to the bookstore.
But like everything else in the publishing world, marketing is subjective. Every so often someone comes up with “the” perfect promo/marketing solution and everyone tries it. Like diets. :-)
What do we have to look forward next?
September 2008: Immortals: The Redeeming, by Jennifer Ashley
November 2008: The Dragon Master, by Allyson James (Berkley)
January 2009: Mortal Temptations, a paranormal erotic romance, by Allyson James (Berkley)
March 2009: Immortals: The Reckoning, anthology by Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, and Robin Popp
April 2009: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, by Jennifer Ashley (historical romance)
That’s it!
Wow. Impressive list. Thanks, Jennifer
To celebrate her book release, Jennifer is offering a free book from her backlist to one lucky commenter on today's blog. She will be around all day today. I'm sure some of you have questions or comments for her, so please ask away...
Bio. Jennifer Ashley is a USA Today bestselling, and RITA award-winning author of paranormal and historical romance. She also writes paranormal and erotic romance as Allyson James and historical mystery as Ashley Garnder.
Check out author’s website at http://www.jennifersromances.com/ and http://www.allysonjames.com/
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
We have a winner
Congratulations Pat Cochran. You're the winner of Brenda's Masters Of Time Starter Pack. Please e-mail Kim at kwatters 21 (at) hotmail.com (no spaces) so we can get your address. Thanks for commenting everyone. Make sure to stop back every Friday and see our weekly guests.
Kim
Kim
Monday, September 1, 2008
Double Enchantment is released/Free short story/New contest
I’m thrilled to announce that Double Enchantment will start appearing in bookstores and select Walmarts, Kmarts & Targets as of today! If you’d like to order it on-line, I have several purchase links on my website: http://www.KathryneKennedy.com
Dorchester Publishing is doing a special feature on their blog to celebrate the release of Double Enchantment. They are providing a free short story that I wrote in the Relics of Merlin world. If you want a quick fix of enchantment, you can read it here: http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?Special_ID=2529
This second book in the Relics of Merlin series has received some lovely reviews lately. I’ve included a brief snippet of the review and the link if you’d like to read the rest:
http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=21570"DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT, like its predecessor ENCHANTING THE LADY is well...enchanting. A feel-good fairy tale set in a spellbinding world where magic is the order of the day and encountering a gnome while on a walk in the park would be no more unusual than you or I seeing a squirrel."
http://www.onceuponaromance.net/DoubleEnchantmentReview.htm"Ms. Kennedy is two for two. Double Enchantment is equally as amazing and as well written as the first Relics of Merlin book, Enchanting the Lady."
http://ck2skwipsandkritiques.com/kelley/doubleenchantment_kelley.html"I couldn't put Double Enchantment down! My only complaint is that now I have to wait so long for book three!"
My fabulous editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, has put together a new website where she shares new book releases, book videos, and other breaking news. If you're a writer, you will definitely want to bookmark her blog, where she gives a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of a New York editor. http://www.romanticreads.net/
We also have a winner of the garnet cross necklace. Congratulations to Cathie M. from New York! Her lucky entry is here: http://caffeys-reads.blogspot.com/
And I’m starting a brand new contest for a garnet and diamond necklace to celebrate the release of Double Enchantment. It’s a random drawing of one of my newsletter subscribers! You can view the prize and find out all of the details here: http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/contest.html
My very best wishes to you all,
Kathryne
Dorchester Publishing is doing a special feature on their blog to celebrate the release of Double Enchantment. They are providing a free short story that I wrote in the Relics of Merlin world. If you want a quick fix of enchantment, you can read it here: http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?Special_ID=2529
This second book in the Relics of Merlin series has received some lovely reviews lately. I’ve included a brief snippet of the review and the link if you’d like to read the rest:
http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=21570"DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT, like its predecessor ENCHANTING THE LADY is well...enchanting. A feel-good fairy tale set in a spellbinding world where magic is the order of the day and encountering a gnome while on a walk in the park would be no more unusual than you or I seeing a squirrel."
http://www.onceuponaromance.net/DoubleEnchantmentReview.htm"Ms. Kennedy is two for two. Double Enchantment is equally as amazing and as well written as the first Relics of Merlin book, Enchanting the Lady."
http://ck2skwipsandkritiques.com/kelley/doubleenchantment_kelley.html"I couldn't put Double Enchantment down! My only complaint is that now I have to wait so long for book three!"
My fabulous editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, has put together a new website where she shares new book releases, book videos, and other breaking news. If you're a writer, you will definitely want to bookmark her blog, where she gives a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of a New York editor. http://www.romanticreads.net/
We also have a winner of the garnet cross necklace. Congratulations to Cathie M. from New York! Her lucky entry is here: http://caffeys-reads.blogspot.com/
And I’m starting a brand new contest for a garnet and diamond necklace to celebrate the release of Double Enchantment. It’s a random drawing of one of my newsletter subscribers! You can view the prize and find out all of the details here: http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/contest.html
My very best wishes to you all,
Kathryne
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