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December 21, 2007
Not
much has been done this month, unfortunately, due to health
and computer problems. Neither the wolf-shifter short story
nor the third book in the Louisiana trilogy will be finished
by New Years. I will continue to focus on book three in the
LA trilogy, but I’ll be putting off the wolf-shifter story
for a later date. I’m saddened by the fact that it will not
be a part of Red Rose Publishing’s Wolf Week anthology, but
this might work in my favor. The notes I’ve collected
would’ve been difficult to pack smoothly into a short story
format. This allows me to stretch a little and do the story
as it should be done…and no rush!
The
beginning of the end of the Louisiana trilogy is going well.
Now that I have my computer back from the “doctor” I’ll be
able to focus fully on it again. I was worried the hero’s
character would be hard to write convincingly (see BLOG,
Falling for the Bad Boy), but he’s surprising me!
I
didn’t get a notification from Harlequin for the
Superromance Conflict of Interest contest so I guess this
means I’m out of the running. No worries, though—I’m looking
forward to sending it out for other contests and publishing
houses. I’m still confident the first book in the Louisiana
trilogy is one of my strongest.
I’ve
developed a resolution for the upcoming year…a new outlook
on rejection. I’m determined to look at every downturn from
a positive angle. An agent rejects me—I don’t want anyone
less than passionate about my manuscript. A target
publishing house sends me that dreaded form rejection
letter—it’s obviously not the right home for my story. I
don’t final in a contest—I’ve seen some incredible
contest entries this year; the competition is fierce and the
judges’ feedback is what I crave above all. My WIP isn’t
going well—I’ll attack it from a fresh angle first thing
tomorrow morning!
In
addition to looking forward to the next year, I’m looking
back on my ’07 accomplishments. I’m finally published!
What could possibly top that? I’m a part of two respectable
e-publishing houses. I joined Romance Writers of America—my
greatest career move yet. I became a part of RWA PRO and
co-moderator of the PRO-Org loop. I’ve forged friendships
within writing loops I also found through RWA—GIAMx2 and
Young at Heart—that are especially precious to me. I became
a part of the Gulf Coast Chapter of RWA, which I would be
nowhere without and of which I am now an officer (Secretary
and PRO Chapter Liaison). I completed three manuscripts.
Though my yearly completion rate has slowed, I’m very happy
with these stories. They might just be some of my best to
date. Unless I complete book three by January 1st,
I will have completed a total of fourteen manuscripts in my
career as a romance writer.
I
promise to put as much blood, sweat, and tears into 2008 and
hope it’s as ripe with opportunity as this year has been!
HAPPY
HOLIDAYS!!!
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