Author Interview – Sylvie Kaye

My good friend Sylvie Kaye is here today to discuss her writing life. 

Born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the shadows of the Pocono Mountains and its honeymoon havens, Sylvie Kaye breathes the air of romance daily. After getting one short story published in 1994, she went from hooked on reading romances to hooked on writing them.

Her years of work experience in manufacturing, as well as varied jobs in offices, retail, and a bank, to name a few, lent itself to writing contemporary romances. Road trips to exciting locations in our beautiful country inspire the settings for her stories.
She’s a member of the Romance Writers of America, the New Jersey Romance Writers, the Pocono Lehigh Romance Writers, EPIC for electronically published authors, and PASIC, a published author special interest chapter.

Welcome Sylvie!

What inspired you to write your first book?

 I  can’t say exactly what inspired me, but I know I couldn’t not write it. That unexplained desire to create that all writers have, I guess.

 Do you have a specific writing process?      

I have no specific process.  I write when I can and when I must.  I’m not very disciplined. 

Do you plot or just sit down and write?

 Ah, plotting.  The big mystery for me.  I wish I could plot. It might eliminate those periods when I’m stuck. But I can’t seem to see more than three chapters at a time. I start with the characters and an opening scene and build from there toward a happily-ever-after.  Sometimes the opening scene is inspired by dialogue, or a character, or a setting I visited or want to visit.  So I guess I’m what is called a pantser, flying by the seat of my pants.

What’s the best advice you were given about writing?

 Quitting is not an option.  Writing is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done and it takes perseverance.  After ten years and nine published books—I’m working on my tenth—it never gets any easier.  I still take the workshops and study the craft and read, read, read.  Someone once said you have to read 150 books in the genre you want to write in.   

When not writing, what do you do for fun?

A  little of everything. I like to walk, swim, golf, and travel. 

And read. I love to read. I wish I could read and write faster.

 What are you currently working on?

 I have two projects right now. LOVING JILLY, a contemporary romance set in New Orleans, is in edits at The Wild Rose Press.

Jilly is a New Orleans daycare aide by day and by night an errand-running caregiver to the three quirky aunts who raised her.  What Jilly doesn’t  have time for is a man who wants more than she can spare.

Zack is a brawny carpenter who works for his father’s construction company.  He’s attracted to Jilly but wants the real deal when it appears all she has time for is a slam-bam-thank-you-man relationship.  Will his patience and persistence gain him the time he needs to win her trust and her heart?  Or will her aunts’ stop the clock with a voodoo hex?

 My work-in-progress is a mainstream story and a huge stretch for me.  I’m working on the second draft and think it may take three drafts.  FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF MANN attempts to answer the age-old question of why we are here through a fictionalized story that takes place on both Heaven and Earth.

Sacrificing eternal happiness in Heaven for even a short time is not an option many souls consider, but there are those who do when five brave volunteers, become born to five earthly mothers, for the purpose of stopping the evil brewing in the town of Mann.  As their earthly lifetimes run out, their free-will interferes with their decision-making and their human frailties dictate their actions.  But in the end, they not only succeed in saving the town of Mann but also offer man hope, simplicity, and a reason for being.

   Sylvie’s latest release, HER MAINE MAN is available at The Wild Rose Press.

One weekend a year to bare your soul and your passion. He couldn’t believe the sweet deal she was offering. No commitment, just pure release.

 A deathbed promise takes Jon from his consulting desk to a remote island in Maine, where he becomes entangled with one of the loose ends.

As one of the island’s first family and a target for scandal, Maddie longs to share her body and her secrets. The sexy, visiting consultant seems perfect for a clandestine, once-a-year affair—until once isn’t enough.

For more information on Sylvie and her wonderful books, visit www.sylviekaye.com.

Author Interview – Marcia James

Today I’m welcoming Marcia James to my blog.  Marcia and I will be on the Million Dollar Marketing Plan panel with Sutton Fox at the Romantic Times convention in April 2010.

 An animal lover, Marcia donated a story to the anthology Tails of Love, which benefits a no-kill animal shelter and  has raised $10,000 so far.  This benefit anthology is the pet project (pun intended) of New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster, who contributes a story along with those of award-winning and bestselling authors Kate Angell, Stella Cameron, Dianne Castell, Anne Christopher, Marcia James, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Patricia Sargeant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder. 

In Marcia’s “Rescue Me” story, ex-quarterback Adam “Nuke” Baumgardner saves a starving stray, and the Chinese crested hairless dog returns the favor by reuniting him with his lost love, veterinarian Claire Mendelsohn.

Here’s what Marcia had to say…

 What is your writing process?  Are you a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in-between?

I’m a plotter who works hard to create three-dimensional characters.  I wish I were a pantser, since most of the books on readers’ “keeper” shelves are written by pantsers.  As for my writing process, I often come up with a funny scene or a great title and develop my stories from that point.  Unfortunately, I don’t have characters talking to me in my head.   

 Since I know you speak on marketing and public relations, can you share your favorite self-marketing idea(s)?

There is so much pressure on authors to promote themselves and their work, but no one thing works for each person or every book.  For example, marketing an e-book is different from marketing a print one.  And promoting a category romance that is only on the shelf for a month is different than promoting a single title novel.  I always urge authors to learn about the PR options available and then make an educated decision about which to pursue, based on their time, money, books, and personality.

By the way, I am ALL for guilt-free promotion.  If authors are going to be squeezing promotion into their busy days, the PR should at least be something they enjoy.  That is the core message in the promotion workshops I present.  I’ll teach two online PR workshops in 2010.  The information can be found on my Web site’s “Schedule” page: http://www.marciajames.net/schedule.html

Writers who want to learn more about promotional options can get my free 245-page PR file.  All they have to do is visit my Web site (www.MarciaJames.net), go to the “Contact Me” page, and send me an email that way, requesting the file.  I’ll attach the file to my reply.

When you’re not writing, what do you do for fun?

I love to read, of course, as well as play golf and go to charity fundraising events.  (I LOVE silent auctions!)  I’d say hanging out with my husband tops my “Fun” list!

 What is your advice to new writers?

Treat publishing as the business it is.  You can be writing the “book of your heart” and studying the craft of writing, but also simultaneously learn about the business side of publishing.  For example, promotion/marketing is part of the business of being an author.  And there is a lot you can do to promote your “author brand” before you get The Call.  So don’t wait until you’ve sold a manuscript to lock in your pen name and domain name, design your Web site (at least on paper), and learn about branding and promoting.

What are you currently working on?

 I’m revising the first manuscript I ever wrote, a funny romantic mystery set on a clothing-optional Caribbean resort.  I’ve always loved the story, so I’m using what I’ve learned in the last couple of years to polish this manuscript.

Thanks Marcia!

Here’s a little bit about Marcia’s latest release, At Her Command, available at Cerridwen Press…

DEA agent Domino Petracelli is chasing a career-making promotion and nothing will keep her from getting her man. Okay, so she’d rather infiltrate a Columbian drug cartel than go undercover as a dominatrix at D.C.’s Xecutive Branch sex club. But she’s up to the task. As the leather-clad Mistress Bella, Domino investigates the club’s drug ring while juggling a surreal roster of kinky submissives—and resisting one sexy client who’s not what he seems.

 Police detective Dalton Cutter is a man with a mission—avenging his partner, who was murdered investigating the Xecutive Branch. Retracing his partner’s steps, he goes undercover as a club client. Dalton’s handled killers, junkies and pimps, but can the Alpha-male cop act submissive long enough to fool Mistress Bella? And will their sexual chemistry, crackling louder than Bella’s whip, derail Dalton’s investigation?

 This romantic suspense pokes a bit of fun at the alphabet soup of D.C. law enforcement agencies, famous for their lack of interdepartmental cooperation. Imagine what could happen if several agencies unknowingly put operatives undercover at the same location—let the sparks fly!

To find out more about Marcia and what she’s working on, visit www.marciajames.net. 

 

Something new

Starting tomorrow, I’ll have a new feature on my blog. 

Each week, I’ll interview a different author, asking questions about writing, promotion, and whatever else comes up.

Stop by and check it out!

Getting ready for a conference

This past week, I’ve been getting ready for the New Jersey Romance Writers Conference, where I’ll be presenting my workshop, Marketing for Introverts.   While going through some old files, I found snippets of advice I’d written down when attending my first conference and thought I’d share…

Do your homework.   Be sure to study the schedule and highlight the workshops you’re interested in attending before you get to the conference.  Have some backup choices in case of cancellations.  Also, do research on all the agents and editors who will be attending, even if you’re not meeting with them.  Last minute changes can occur.  Be prepared, but be flexible.

Dress to impress. Business casual attire is always appropriate because, like it or not, writing is a business.  And remember comfortable shoes. You don’t want your feet giving out on you while schmoozing with your peers.

 Split up.   If you’re attending the conference with a friend, don’t be afraid to part company for a while. You never know who you might sit next to at lunch or during a workshop. 

 Treat the entire conference like a job interview. Be sure to shake hands and make eye contact. Always be polite when speaking to others and leave your personal business at home. When someone asks “How are you?” consider it a rhetorical question and say “Fine” instead of filling them in on your marriage, divorce, or medical problems.

 Don’t intrude on private conversations. If you see an author, agent, or editor you’d like to meet having a conversation, don’t interrupt. They could be discussing private business, and you don’t want to come off as pushy or rude. On the same note…

 Feel free to introduce yourself. If you see someone you’d like to meet, introduce yourself, as long as they’re not already involved in a conversation. Big name authors, editors, and agents are people too, so don’t be afraid to approach them in a pleasant, businesslike manner.

Bring plenty of business cards and hand them to the people you meet.

 Be prepared.  If you’re meeting with an editor or agent, be sure to have a blurb about your work memorized.  This is also useful when you’re mingling and someone asks what you’re working on.  A helpful hint is to print your blurb/idea on a label and attach it to the back of your business card.  

Ask questions. There’s no better way to find out what you want to know than to ask. What we learned back in grade school still holds true…the only stupid question is the one not asked. Most workshops allow time for a question and answer session afterward. Be sure to take advantage of it. And don’t be afraid to ask an editor or agent what they’re looking for or specifically not looking for.

 Have fun and remember that a positive attitude is the most effective tool you can bring to help you have a great conference experience.

I’ll be signing at the book fair Saturday night so if you’re attending the conference, be sure to stop by and say hi…and snag a piece of chocolate or two. 

Cleaning House

My goal this past weekend was to get organized.  My exact quote was “organize my office, my schedule, my life”.   Looking back, I realize that goal was kind of lofty, especially for a weekend, but I did manage to check a few items off  my  list and organize a couple things.

My office, while not totally spic and span is much more organized than it was last week at this time.  I got rid of three garbage bags full of papers.   Can you imagine?  Three garbage bags full.  Just removing that from my desk area has created some much needed elbow room.  I also have two large shopping bags full of books set aside to donate to the library.  At least now I can walk into my office and sit at the desk without wading through debris and worrying about piles of paper falling to the already cluttered floor.

My schedule is a little tougher.  Working all day and chauffeuring the kids to one activity or another afterwards makes for a hectic (and long!) day.  What I’ve been trying to do to make this a little easier is sleeping.  Normally, I only get 4-5 hours a night and let’s face it…that’s not good.  I was constantly suffering from headaches and extreme fatigue.  For the past week, I’ve been trying to get to bed no later than 11:00pm, giving me a whopping 6-1/2 to 7 hours a night.  I feel much better and I’m happy to say, the headaches have disappeared. 

My life may never be totally organized.   I feel the best I can do  is set goals.  Over the weekend, I thought a lot about what I want to do professionally and personally and made a list.  I’m an old-fashioned paper and pen kind of girl, and my list is in a plain old spiral bound notebook I can refer to anytime I need a reminder of what I want to get accomplished.  On the same note, I have the satisfaction of crossing items of the list as I complete a task or reach a goal…an activity I find immensely satisfying.

So while my goal to “organize my office, my schedule, my life” had been pretty lofty, I’m happy with the progress I made.  I even managed to go to two baseball games, wash a slew of laundry, clean the house, and put the fall decorations up.  Not bad for a weekend.

Anyone have  suggestions for getting organized and more importantly stay that way?  I’d love to hear them.

Julie and Julia

I finally got to see the movie Julie and Julia a couple days ago.  I had heard such mixed reactions from my friends, I was anxious to see what I thought for myself.  And honestly…I thought it was wonderful.

Of the people I had spoken to who did not like the movie, here were two reasons they had in common:

Julie was 30 and had a wonderful husband…what was her problem? 

Thirty is the first big “older” birthday and while it might not seem like that big a deal if you’re older than that, for those hitting that age it is a big deal.  It’s the time when most people take a step back and ask, “what am I doing with my life?”.  When Julie was hitting this milestone, she had a pretty good life, but hated her job.  Her dream was to be a writer and as I can tell you as a person who also wants to be a writer, if that’s what you want to do with your life, everything else pales in comparison.

 This took place right after 9/11. She had a pretty good life and with all the tragedy that had just occurred, she should appreciate that.  Again…what was her problem?

In my opinion, the fact that this movie took place right after 9/11 would only magnify her issues.  That awful event showed us all how precious life is and how quickly it can be altered or taken away.  Life is definitely too short to spend any amount of time doing things you hate. 

I’m hitting a milestone birthday in October. Iwill be 40 on the 10th.  I have a wonderful husband, two great kids, and a dog.  However, I hate my day job and my ultimate dream is to be a full-time writer.  In fact, it was around  my 30th birthday that I started working at getting published.  So it’s been 10 years.  Honestly, it doesn’t seem that long, but with that birthday of mine looming in the near future, I can’t deny the fact.

In 10 years, I’ve published two books and a vast array of non-fiction articles, so I’ve made some progress on my dream, but not enough to feel it’s been fully realized…especially since I still have the aforementioned day job that I sometimes think will suck the life out of me.   So I can sympathize with Julie.  And like I said, I really liked the movie and I’m happy that Julie is getting to live her dream.  I’m sure someday, I’ll get to totally live mine.

Speaking at Romantic Times

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I am presenting my workshop, Marketing for Introverts, at the New Jersey Romance Writers’ Conference this October.  With encouragement from my friend Pattie Giordani, I sent a proposal for the same workshop to the Romantic Times  Convention.  Never in a million years did I think I’d be asked to speak at such a large venue, so when I got the email invitation, I nearly fell off my chair. 

I’m not presenting  solo, but will be speaking with Marcia James in a workshop entitled,  The Million-Dollar Marketing Plan.  It should be a lot of fun and I’m really looking forward to working with Marcia.

On a side note…the aforementioned Pattie will also be speaking at RT.  She’s presenting a hands-on workshop at the New Jersey Conference on how to write a press release.  At RT, she’ll be on a panel in the workshop entitled, Pitching the Media.

What do people think?

I was recently speaking with a man I work with about my books.  Not surprisingly, the sex scenes seemed to be of quite some interest to him.  Here’s how the conversation went:

Him:  How do you write them?

Me:  What do you mean?

Him:  The sex scenes.  Isn’t it embarrassing?

Me:  Not really.  Why would it be?

Him:  Because you’re writing about, you know, your sex life.

Me:  I wish I was writing about my sex life.  (I said as I chuckled)

Him:  Well you have to get your ideas from somewhere.

Me:  Yeah, in my dreams.   (Again the chuckling)

The conversation went on for a little while longer, but you get the basic gist.   And it got me thinking. 

Do readers think we romance writers have sex lives as good as our heroines with hunks like our heroes who can go all night, then start all over again as the sun rises? 

Do people who read my books think I’ve experienced every single thing I’ve written about multiple times? 

Do readers think my life is as exciting as all that?

If so, I suppose I should be thankful.  Not only because it would be taking my thirty-something mom and wife existence to a new level, but also because it means I write realistic sex scenes.  Or if not totally realistic, then at least believable enough to keep the reader in the story.   

Definitely something to be thankful for.

Finding the time

Between work and family activities, my time to write is limited.  A woman I work with suggested that I put off writing until my kids are grown and gone. 

Uh no, not an option. 

Most of my writing gets done after 10:00 pm, which actually works for me because I’m a night owl.  But I do find a few minutes here and there during the day to get things done, and believe it or not, those small scraps of time really add up.

While I’m not the most organized person in the world, I find that a little bit of time management goes a long way.  Here are a few things I do to ensure things get done:

• Make lists – I make a weekly “to do” list.  This makes it  easy to see exactly what needs to be done and gives me the satisfaction of seeing those tasks crossed off as they’re completed.   I’m an old-fashioned girl and use a notebook, but you can use a PDA or other electronic gadget if you so desire.  If  something is left at the end of the week, I move it to the top of next week’s list.
• Use time wisely – Just like they taught us in school, it’s important to use time wisely.  I always carry some sort of project with me, which is probably why my everyday purse could double as an overnight bag.  Bring pages to edit, a notebook to write in, or whatever else you can manage while sitting at the doctor’s office, watiting for your son’s baseball game to start, on your lunch hour, or wherever else you might be.
• Set realistic goals – this might seem obvious, but a lot of people fall short because they either don’t set goals or if they do, they’re unrealistic.  Be sure your goal is obtainable and specific.  It’s nice to say you’ll write 10,000 words in a week, but with everything else going on, that’s probably not too realistic.  Unless I have a day off of work, my usual writing goal is 1000 words per week.  That’s a pretty good number and if I write more than that, great.  But at least I’m not setting myself up to fail.

After the book signing

So there weren’t droves of people lined up at my book signing, but I did manage to hand out some marketing materials and chat with the shop owner.

All in all, I’d say a pretty successful day.

Here are a few tips if you’re planning your own book signing:

• Send out a press release to local papers 2-3 weeks before your signing.  Even if the store is doing publicity, be sure to send you own…maybe your announcement will get posted twice.
• Make signs that say “Book Signing Today” and include your information to hang around the store and in the window.
• Be sure to have plenty of marketing materials to hand out.  Even if people don’t buy your book then and there, they may pick it up later.
• Food attracts people, so be sure to have something edible at your table.  Chocolate is always a good idea.
• Have a guest book visitors can sign and ask permission to add them to your mailing list.  This is a great way to build a “fan club”.
• Smile, talk to people, and mingle…don’t sit down unless you have to.
• Remember to have fun and enjoy the day.   
• Be sure to send a hand written thank you note to the book store afterwards.