Issue 6, March 2002
In this issue:
Letter from the UK
On Giving Birth to Adults
How I Do It
A Mom's Guide to the Steamy Side
Healthy Writing Habits
Buzz on Books
Happenings
Upcoming Contests
A Procrastinators Diary…
Letter from the UK
Hi again
It's March - and here in England, we have a saying that if March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb. But if it comes in like a lamb it goes out like a lion. Which means that if you get peaceful weather as March opens, then you'd better watch out - it's going to be a wild and blustery Spring. So at the very beginning of March I was pretty worried - it was very peaceful - at first! It soon made up for that. We have had howling gales, winds of 85/90 miles and hour, roofs blowing off, stone carvings falling from churches. (There's a technical name for some of those - a flying buttress - though I wouldn't recognise one if I saw one. But whatever they were called, these heavy stone things were whirling around the place dangerously!)
And floods - everywhere there were flood warnings. My husband, son and I and his partner, all went to York and the river was scarily impressive - coming right up over the banks and threatening to flood the car parks. I've never seen it so full and it was quite a shock to see the force of so much water. Last year, my friend's house in York was flooded right up to the window sills on the ground floor, so I'm hoping that won't happen again.
While I was in York I took the chance to raid Borders bookshop. This is the only place where I can get hold of copies of many of the romances that are published in America but not over here, so I usually treat myself to a novel by a new author to try out someone I've never read before. This time my choice was Reunion by Sharon Sala, part thriller, part romance, and I must say it's got me hooked. I opened it to see what the beginning was like and now I'm longing to read on. But I don't have a lot of time to read. I need to concentrate on writing with a deadline looming for April 15th!
March brought some changes for me in my working situation. Last week, my editor rang me with the news that she was leaving Mills & Boon and going to work elsewhere. I've been through this before and a change of editor is always an unsettling time. You get used to working with someone, get to understand the way they think, how they express their comments on a book, and with a new editor, it's all to learn all over again. So I'm always unsure and slightly apprehensive until I've actually worked with an editor on at least one book. My new editor, who interestingly enough, is called Kate, has a degree from Oxford, and she has worked for another publisher before coming to Mills & Boon,so she has more experience than my last editor. it'll be interesting to see if working with her is very different - and how.
I've been collecting interesting foreign editions of my books. When I went to Nottingham last month, I took with me a box of foreign translations of my novels to give to their library service, but since then I've had twelve new translations arrive in the post. There are French, Spanish, Greek, Japanese and Arabic versions - and one or two that I had to hunt through to find out just where they were published because I didn't recognise the script they were written in, never mind the language! It turns out that one of them was from Israel, the other from Korea - both translations of HER SECRET BRIDEGROOM. That's one of the great things about being published by Harlequin Mills & Boon - you can find that one of their foreign imprints have bought your book, long after it finished selling. One of these translations is of a book called SHATTERED MIRROR, which was first published in 1993, and Japan has just brought out a reprint of RUNAWAY which dates from 1990. So that's two old books which have been given a new lease of life.
Oh, and talking of new editions of my books, I've just learned that there will be an extra title coming out in America this year. This is WIFE FOR A DAY and it will be published in June 2002. The only problem is that it will only be published in the Reader Service. But I am told by those who are in the know (Like Dee!) that it should be possible to order this through the eHarlequin site and Customer Services - so if you want a copy, that's where you need to look for it.
Now, can I ask you all a question? In May I have another talk to do but this one isn't just about my writing and 'How to ' write romance. I've been asked to give a talk at a library about reading Romance. So what I'd like to ask is - why do you read Romance? Why do you think it is so very very popular, just about the most popular form of fiction on sale now. I think it's been estimated that 1 in 3 of all women read and enjoy romance. Now I'm sure that at this talk I'm going to get asked WHY? I have my own ideas, but I'd love to have some of yours too. So all contributions are welcome - you can put your responses on the Gonnabeez list or email me privately if you like (kate@kate-walker.com) I'd be most grateful for your input. That's the address to use too if you want to join my mailing list.
Any Beez who are in the UK will probably know that I have a new book out this month - SOCIETY WEDDINGS. This is a bit unusual in that it's 2 stories in one book - one by me and the other by another Presents author, Sharon Kendrick. We were both asked to write a 30,000 word story for this book. It's going to be interesting to see how it sells, being rather different from the usual format. But last week it did get into the Bookseller Top 100 titles - which really pleased me. When I have a book out in the same month as big stars like Lynne Graham, Miranda Lee and Anne Mather, it's great to know I'm holding my own!
Well, I'd better stop chatting and get back to work. If I'm to get this book finished by the deadline and impress my new editor I must get some concentrated work in.
See you next month
Kate http://www.kate-walker.com
On Giving Birth to Adults
Sometimes I envy my mother. She's given birth to four children. There are many problems that come with childbirth. I should know. At 24 years of age, I've already given birth to 11 adults, and my favorite progeny are going to be the death of me, I'm sure of it.
But let me explain.
I am (in my humble opinion) a writer. Every day I give birth to new ideas, plot lines, theories, locations, themes and all the other official junk that gets mixed together with vocabulary, grammar, spacing and punctuation, to assemble on a page and hopefully make some sense. During my attempts at writing I've given birth to many temperamental adults who make me feel someone must have been listening when my mother wished that "one day you'll have children just like you!"
I liken the process of creating characters to that of birth because of the many parallels and similarities. I'll attempt to explain these via BIRTH vs. BOOK.
BIRTH: Babies are usually the product of the joining of a man and a woman.
BOOK: My characters are the product of joining my creativity and a suitable story line that I've created.
BIRTH: A mother must go through the agonizing process of naming her child, hoping the name suits her and won't sentence her to a lifetime of insults and/or teasing.
BOOK: I must go through the agonizing process of naming my characters, making sure that the names sound well together without being too similar in either spelling or sound, as not to orally or visually confuse the readers unless a specific intent is there.
BIRTH: After giving birth to a child, a mother has to struggle through standing back and watching the child make mistakes, knowing that he must learn on his own.
BOOK: I have to sit back and watch my characters go through the lives I've created for them, knowing when hardships will befall them yet helpless to do nothing but watch. I can't protect them from the dangers life holds, nor can I warn them of a false love, or risky situation.
BIRTH: A mother has to grieve over the untimely death of a child.
BOOK: I have the double grievance of not only missing a character after their death, but knowing that they died at my hand. I placed them in the situation knowing full well that they would perish, yet I did nothing to stop it.
Basically there are many comparisons between giving birth to a child and to a character. I go through these worries daily, trying to protect my "children" yet knowing that they have their own lives to lead, lives that I created, yet now have to step back from. I must let them live the life I've mapped out, powerless to help them through any troubles. I feel like a stunted god, able to create life and take it away, yet unable to help those he's given life to.
There are times I feel guilty and want to protect my babies, want to change a plot line to make things a little less rough for them, but I know that's impossible. I can't play favorites, and by easing one character's plight, I would most probably have to compensate by altering another's life, which I cannot do. It would ruin the story, which is the reason these children were born in the first place.
The story is the seed, the plot is the earth it needs to grow and the characters are the sprouts which blossom into the flowers they should become by those magical words: THE END. I have the power to make it all sunny days and perfect weather conditions, but then the story would have no meaning. The seed would grow without any problems, and frankly that would be a rather boring novel to read. I know that there must be floods and droughts, worms and weasels and other hazards to the ground that would make it seem as if the seed would never grow, until finally at last there is a run of sunny days and the flowers within can emerge. The trials and errors are needed to make the story work, and although I have the control to "fix it", I can't.
It's annoying, frustrating, hard, evil, awful, painful and heartbreaking and often masochistic to force my children into situations in which I know full well I would never place myself willingly. I feel the pain they feel, just as any mother feels her child's pain, but I know I can't transfer it onto myself. I know it is necessary.
I used to think there were condolences, like the fact that although they might be going through hardships now, things would turn out alright in the end. But somehow that makes me feel worse, almost as if I'm keeping secrets from my own offspring. Also, I feel censored, knowing the answers but unable to share them.
I feel like the audience viewer of a horror flick, watching the teenaged girl walk up the stairs, knowing that the killer is just behind the next door, and wanting to yell out, "Stop! Don't go up there! He's right behind the door!" But no matter how loud I yell, she doesn't hear me, and the next minute all that's left of our heroine is a bright red puddle on the floor and a few spots of brains on the walls. That feeling of wanting to help but being unable to, that impotence, is what I know each and every time I work on my novels. Writing a scene for Nadia, a heroine who's child has just been kidnapped, I long to put my arms around her and hug her. I want to give her comforting words and tell her that it's going to be ok, not to be afraid. I want to tell her that it will all work out in the end and when she asks how can I possibly know that to tell her that I've written all this, and that I KNOW it will turn out all right…but I can't. I can't do anything. I have to sit here and watch her be upset, no- make her be upset and suffer through it.
Don't get me wrong, there are great rewards in giving birth to adults. I get to know their lives intimately, each and every detail that makes them who they are. I know more about them than they do themselves (although I wouldn't tell them that, no child believes a parent who says that!) I know how Nadia got the scar on her leg falling off a swing when she was four years old, and I know things she doesn't, like why Timothy Sterner dumped her when she was sixteen (he wanted to go out with the head cheerleader). I know everything that makes up their lives, every moment from "birth" to present. I created them, and though my children, they have become some of my best friends as well.
They are figments of my imagination. They are real people. They are my babies. They are the adults I gave birth to, to fulfil their roles in the life I created for them. I am their mother, I am their god, but I not omnipotent. I can give them the treasures of life or kill them off at a whim, but I cannot take care of them. I cannot shelter them from danger, and I have to live with the burden that I placed them in that dangerous situation.
Suddenly I don't envy my mother.
by Jenn Carpman
How I Do It
As a Romance Writer I do it all the time. When I'm not doing it, I'm often thinking about it. I think about it while I'm doing mundane daily tasks or even while I'm at work. Sometimes I even do it at work. Some days, on my lunch break I've done it twice! If a day goes by when I can't or haven't done it I'm usually grumpy and feel unfulfilled.
I find that the more I do it, the better I become. Although it doesn't always happen for me, most of the time, if I do it properly, it can take me places I've never been. It's almost always deep, powerful, free, uncensored…it's extremely satisfying!
I'm speaking of course about timed writing practice. Until you try it and make it part of your repertoire, you'll not realize the benefits of something so simple. It will put you in touch with who you are as a writer. It will bare your soul, quiet your internal editor and let the writer you were meant to be emerge. It's "voice" at its finest.
How do you do it? Start with pen and paper. Writing Practice is never as efficient on a computer. Besides, computers fail, have errors, there are power outages…There are no excuses when it's writer, quill and parchment. (Although personally I prefer a spiral notebook.) Pick the paper, notebook, loose-leaf etc that works best for you. Try different materials to spice it up! Pens don't need to be expensive but they should have easy flowing, non-smearing, non-blotching ink. You will also need a timer. Any kitchen timer will do. (But not an hourglass-you want the timer to stop your writing, you don't want to stop writing to watch the timer.) Once you have your materials, choose your spot. Quiet, comfortable with support for your arm to write non-stop.
Wait, don't start just yet, you're almost ready. A good session of creative, flowing truth should always begin with a few minutes of deep breathing. It's my "writing yoga". Sit comfortably, close your eyes and think of your stomach as a balloon. Breathe in through your nose, slowly expanding the balloon from the bottom up. Make it fill every inch of your stomach and chest cavity. Once you've inhaled as deeply as you can, relax your ribcage and keep breathing deeper…deeper…until your lungs burn with expansion. Exhale gradually through your mouth, deflating the balloon. That is your "cleansing breath".
Spend the next five minutes focusing on your breathing. My favorite exercise is to imagine my inhaling breath as a purple ray of light progressively swirling through my body, scooping up and storing any areas of stress. As I exhale, I imagine the stress filled areas of light shooting out my fingers and toes. After five long, deep breaths, my body is filled with only the relaxing aura of purple light and I am free to begin to write.
Pick a subject, a word or a phrase, anything to focus your writing upon. I often start with the words "I remember" or "Yesterday". Write your idea at the top of your page, set your timer for ten minutes and follow these rules:
Though, I have to admit I break the last rule on occasion. I think it's mainly in place to give you a sense that you only have to do it for a short period of time. Or to remind you that this thing that, at times, feels like torture, will eventually end. Also, it gives you the inspiration to do it again.
Sometimes I write about my characters, or even as my characters. That's very enlightening! I keep a file of subjects to draw from. I find that of all the writing I do, this is often where my best ideas come from (me-he he!). It's cathartic, informative and unblocking.
If you've never used timed writing practice, I hope this will inspire you to try it. I guarantee it will improve your writing. If you're a seasoned pro, I'd love to read up on how you do it!
- Camille Netherton
A Mom's Guide to the Steamy Side
Writing a hot and steamy love scene can be tough. Writing it while raising a husband and children can be even tougher. Here’s some helpful hints on how to blend that NC17-rated scene with a G-rated family.
1.Keep your back to the wall. Nothing kills the mood faster than having a child reading over your shoulder and asking, “Mommy, what’s an orgasm?” If this should happen, I recommend the following response. “You read it wrong, honey. It’s the art of folding paper.” You should then immediately wash your ears out with soap.
2.If you are staring off into space and your husband asks what you’re thinking about, do not absently reply, “I’m trying to think of another word for penis.” Trust me. He and his friends will inundate you with so many comparisons to horses and salami that your days of kicking back to watch the Kentucky Derby with an Italian grinder will be over.
3.Eventually your husband will be curious as to why you need another word for penis and why his child asked his teacher if they would be learning about orgasms in art class. When he sneaks a peek at your steamy scene, and his first question will be, “We’ve never done that…where did you learn that?” Most adults do not fall for the isn’t-that-an-M&M-under-the-table distraction technique, so the only good answer is: “Hey! Isn’t there a race on?”
4.When you’ve been pondering whether or not that position is even physically possible, and you start eyeing Ken and Barbie, it’s time to take a break.
-Shannon
Healthy Writing Habits:
Quick Stretch Break:
Stand up, shake your arms and legs, just shake all the tension out of your body. Then, raise your arms high into the air, link your fingers and turn the palms of your hands upward. Take a deep breath. Hold your breath for a count of ten, then slowly exhale as you bend down, pressing your palms as close to the floor as you can. Don't worry if you can't touch the floor. The point is to give your body a gentle stretch in both directions. Stop if it hurts. Repeat this a couple of times, to get the blood flowing, your body energized, then get back to work.
-Dreamen
Buzz on Books
Books Out This Month...
Happenings!
Congratulations to...
Everyone who has submitted queries, partials, or requests. I'm sorry I've run out of time to list everyone by name, but know that you all deserve kudos!
Birthdays:
March 19: Gonna-Beez celebrates its first birthday!
Come celebrate in the party room!
April 4: Georgia
April 10: Anna of Cumberland
April 18: Rhonda (yes, she gets two birthdays this year! *g*)
April 24: Dee
RWA Nationals: Gonna-Beez Swarm
This year, RWA Nationals are in Denver, Colorado July 17-20. As most of us have never met face to face, this is the perfect opportunity for us to swarm, er meet. I am in the process of planning a gathering where we can all get together, buzz, and be merry… At this point, we're still waiting to hear when other events are scheduled in order to get more details together. However, what we do need is for you guys to let us know if you are planning to come to Nationals and would be interested in getting together. If you are planning on attending Nationals, please email me at dreamenint@yahoo.com to let me know... even if it's just a maybe.
Thanks!
Upcoming Contests
2002 Winning Beginning Contest
Valley Forge Romance Writers
Postmark by March 30, 2002
http://members.aol.com/jdicanio/vfrwcon1.html
The Daphne de Maurier Award for Published Writers
Kiss of Death Chapter
Received: April 1, 2002
http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org/PublishedContest.html
The Daphne de Maurier Award for Unpublished Writers
Kiss of Death Chapter
Received: April 1, 2002
http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org/UnpublishedContest.html
The Golden Pen
The Golden Network
Received by April 1, 2002
http://www.geocities.com/goldennetwork/pen.html
2002 Royal Ascot Contest
Beau Monde Chapter
Postmark Deadline: April 1, 2002
http://www.simegen.com/romance/1005/contests.html
Fool For Love First Chapter Contest
Virginia Romance Writers
Deadline: April 1, 2002
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/2164/Contests/ffl.html
Fourth Annual Golden Pen Contest
Golden Network Chapter
Postmark Deadline: April 2, 2002
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Coffeehouse/9954/pen.html
The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
"It was a dark and stormy night..."
I kid you not...read the past year winning entries...what a hoot!
Deadline, what else but April 15th of each year.
http://www.bulwer-lytton.com
Fire & Ice Contest
Chicago North RWA
Postmarked by April 15, 2002
http://www.literary-liaisons.com/cncontest2002.html
THE POSEY SHORT STORY CONTEST
Sponsored by Northeast Indiana Romance Authors
(formerly called Hearts And Flowers)
Deadline to enter is April 15, 2002. Winners will be announced on June 15, 2002. The entry fee is $5.00 and may be remitted by Pay Pal or accompany mailed entries.
Send entries to: NIRA Posey Contest, PO Box 700, Warren IN 46792-0700. Or submit via e-mail to slhorst@hotmail.com and remit payment to Pay Pal for the same e-mail address (at Pay Pal, the account is registered under the name of Northeast Indiana Romance Authors). If fewer than 50 entries are received, the contest will be canceled and all monies returned.
Nineteenth Annual Published Maggie Awards
Georgia Romance Writers
Region 3 only!
Received by April 18, 2002
http://www.georgiaromancewriters.org/2002pubrules.html
A Touch of Magic Contest
Central Florida Romance Writers.
Deadline: April 20, 2002
http://cfrwa.org/
Orange Rose Contest for Published Authors
Orange County Chapter
Received by May 1, 2002
http://www.occrwa.com/pub_rules.html
Orange Rose Contest for UnPublished Authors
Orange County Chapter
Received by May 1, 2002
http://www.occrwa.com/contest.html
First Impressions
Tampa Area Romance Authors
Postmarked by May 1, 2002
http://tara.writerspace.com/first_impressions.htm
SouthWest Writers Contest 2002
Deadline: May 1, 2002
http://www.southwestwriters.com/contests.html
Share the Dream
Scriptscene RWA
Receipt deadline: May 4, 2002
First 15 pages of your completed romance screenplay.
http://www.geocities.com/rewrit2002/contestrules.html
2002 Jasmine Contest
Sponsor: Lowcountry RWA
PLEASE NOTE DEADLINE CHANGE.
Postmark Deadline: May 15, 2002
amy@amyjfetzer.com
The information on the web site has the wrong date...
http://www.lowcountryrwa.com/
2002 Molly Unpublished Contest
Heart of Denver
Deadline: May 11, 2002
www.hodrw.com
2002 Aspen Gold Published Contest
Heart of Denver
Deadline: May 11, 2002
www.hodrw.com
71st Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition
Deadline May 15, 2002
http://writersdigest.com/catalog/contest_frame.html
2002 Maggie Awards for Unpublished Romance Novelists
Georgia Romance Writers
Received Deadline: June 1, 2002
http://www.georgiaromancewriters.org/2002unpubrules.html
2002 Madcap Award
Heart and Scroll Chapter
Received by: June 1, 2002
http://www.digidak.com/scroll/madcap.htm
Send the first 50 pages and a synopsis to Leisure by
June 1st 2002 to: New Historical Voice Contest,
Dorchester Publishing Co., 276 Fifth Avenue,
Suite 1008, New York, NY 10001
Check Romantic Times Magazine for further details.
Central Ohio Fiction Writers'
9th Annual Ignite the Flame contest
Entries must be postmarked by June 1, 2002
http://www.cofw.org/Contest/contest.html
2002 Backwaters Prize
Sponsored by Backwaters Press
Postmark Deadline June 4, 2002
http://www.thebackwaterspress.homestead.com/bwprize.html
A Procrastinators Diary…
Cast of Characters
Mrs A Writer – a gonna-bee Writer
Mr D Writer – a Writer's Block
Geri the Ginger Tom – an incorrigible cat
Merlin – an likewise incorrigible cat
Piggy – the Black Cat that never crossed your path
Pippi – the Black Cat that not only crossed your path, but whizzed on it
Steve – the Writer's Hero
Emily – the Writer's Heroine
Prologue
Hooray! A whole day in which to write!!
Act I Scene I – The Morning, in the kitchen
Where shall I start? I know, I'll just get myself a cup of tea and a banana, and then I'll get going.
Good Lord, this kitchen is a mess. I wonder if I just have time to clean it up a bit... there that's better. Right, tea and a banana. Hmmm, I just fancy a banana smoothie. Won't take me a moment to get the blender down from on top of this cupboard... Heavens it's dirty up here, just swipe that down. There.
Act I Scene II – Later that same Morning in the computer room.
Right. Tea made, smoothie made, let's get upstairs and start that computer.
What do you mean, I did not shut the computer down properly? I did you know, you deluded plastic scus bucket. Oh really. Well, if I REALLY don't want to receive this message again I'll punt you out the window thank-you-very-much. What does that say? This programme has performed… @$%!!&@@!!!!!!!
Oh hello, Geri! I was just going to start writing. I think Steve might have guessed that Emily is pregnant... you're really not interested, are you? No. What is it, Geri? Yes, those are my toes. Ow! Get off! Go and nibble on someone else! What is it? Little Timmy stuck down a well?! No. Right. You want some water. I GAVE you some water first thing. You cleaned your paws in it. Right. Okay, fresh water for Geri coming up.
Ahhhh. NOW I can write.
Hmmm. Now, I wonder. I've just got a little GMC query here... I really ought to post that on the boards... While I'm hear I really ought to take a moment to check the posts...
Huh. Waddya know. It's lunchtime.
Act I Scene III – Another Part of the House
Merlin? Merlin! Merlin... yes I know you didn't mean to throw up, dear, I just want to know how you managed to get it down the back of the piano. You stood on the stairs. How... resourceful of you. What IS this down here? Ah. I appear to have the skeleton of a headless shrew in my hand. How nice. What was that Merlin? It was a present from Piggy. How... generous of her. Pardon? Oh I see. The small mole putrefying under the piano was Pippi's gift.
Right. Maybe now I can write.
Act II Scene I – The Afternoon, in the computer room.
Right. Yes. Writing.
Yes. Mmm.
Okay.
I wonder if I should just take a nap? I HAVE been sleeping badly...
Act II Scene II – Later that Afternoon, in the computer room.
Ahhhh. Much better. I feel really refreshed, raring to go.
Open the document, read the last paragraph... yep, okay, I can do this.
I CAN do this. Really.
What was that Geri? MORE water?? Fine, fine...
Now, I wonder if anyone's answered that GMC query? And while I'm there I really MUST check the boards again.
Oh Dear Lord! Its' dinner time! And DH will be home any second!
Act III Scene I – In the computer room with DH
Darling, could you just turn down the volume on that game you're... no? Okay, no that's fine. I'm sure the gurgling screams of a thousand dying enemies won't influence my writing at all... Quick, there's one behind that rock – shoot him!
Actually, that looks kind of fun. Pass me the other disk, will you?
THE END.
By Anna of Cumberland
The Buzz is looking for any of the following types of articles:
Thank you all for your help! Email submissions to gonnabeez@lycos.com by April 19th for next month's issue.
Thanks to everyone who contributed!
--Shell
