Wednesdays With Joanne: "It's the heroine, stupid."

I say that with all due respect and nothing but love in my heart!

Of my two books sold to Five Star-Thomson Gale, while the hero and heroine both figure prominantly (as is requisite in any romance), much of the story falls on the slight but strong shoulders of the heroine. It's up to her to get the romance off the ground and keep it going through every conflict, no matter how black the moment. Of course it takes two! It takes both the hero and the heroine to create the romance "that dreams are made of," with the plot often taking twists and turns made by the hero. I believe, however, that it is the heroine with whom the reader first identifies, first takes note of, and keeps the reader "reading."

In Matchmaker, Matchmaker, the heroine is a young, unwed, Jewish doctor struggling to make a life out west for herself and her ailing father. Five identifiers right away: young, unwed, Jewish, doctor, daughter. In A...My Name's Amelia, the young heroine is unwed, deaf, and trying to make a living in the non-deaf world. Four identifiers here: young, unwed, deaf, strong-willed.

While I can't wait to have the hero and heroine meet, more important is to have the reader first meet the heroine. Will you love to love her, or love to hate her?

Happy Reading & Happy Holidays!

Shalom to all, and to all a good night,

Joanne

Wednesdays With Joanne : A "signing we will go!"

Still happy to snag a few signing appearances, given that Matchmaker, Matchmaker has been in release since January, I happily took my Mont Blanc in hand and showed up at B & N in Denver this past Sunday. What a fun time! I call my signings "cold calls" as I show up and see what happens (as opposed to having an agent or publicist contact newspapers, radio stations, etc, to announce my comings and goings. Maybe in my next life, huh). The community specialist at B & N in Glendale was wonderful, giving me a huge publicity sign and a comfortable chair. Of course a chair is a no-no at a signing. You need to engage and energize the literary public that happen by; hard to do if you're sitting down I think. With props (Chanukah sugar cookies and signed bookmarks) in hand I had so much fun conversing with history buffs, medical folks, teachers, and lovers of historical romance. It doesn't get much better than that. I sold some books and signed a few to leave in-store.

My library booktalk in the mountains, while not as well attended as my Denver signing, taught me a thing or two about marketing. No matter how much you publicize things (despite the local newspaper not listing the word "signing" in the promo blurb, daggone it), don't plan any events during the month of December, especially in the mountains, on a freezing night in the snow, and expect the folks to come. If you build it, they don't necessairly come! I'm learning, albeit slowly. A brave, sincere, few showed up for my booktalk and some even bought books. Thank you!!!! You all know who you are. Although my ego is a bit bruised, I don't fault mountain kith and kin. I blame myself for my ill-timed marketing effort.

The "marketing sweats" come in all kinds of ways; not just waiting for reviews to come in. Oy vey! I experienced a few anxiety pangs Monday night but such is the nature of the marketing beast.

Shalom,
Joanne

Wednesdays with Joanne ... on Friday?

Hi guys,

Been caught up in a bit of web trouble. Sorry for the posting delay.

I'm trying to find time each day to "surf the blogs" and find out what's what. I have learned that apparently there's a whole new category of us out there: bloggers and non-bloggers. If one dives into blogging, one should commit to weekly, if not daily postings. And these postings need to be substantial, or at least, gritty and informative. Then, if one decides to take the plunge into the blogging pool, one should link to other blog sites, share information, and even set up interviews, and blog tours. Whew! See why I'm still overwhelmed at the prospect of blogging?

That being said...

I'm still going to be Wednesday's Child here, and do my best to entertain, inform, and hook you on historical romance; especially historical romance set in the West. Hey, there are so many talented, successful, historical romance writers here in Colorado. Joan Johnston kindly gave me an author quote for my upcoming romance, A...My Name's Amelia, and I met Sandra Dallas at the recent Women Writing the West Conference, where her book, New Mercies, took top prize. Isn't name-dropping the best! (network-speaking, that is) I met another amazing author there as well, Harriet Rochlin.

There are three Romance Writers of America chapters in Colorado: Heart of Denver, Colorado Romance Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers. I'm a member of CRW, living 2 hrs away in the mountains. A new member, I've run into some old friends and am making new ones! Couldn't ask for a better support group, or writing resource.

I'm gearing up for a signing at B&N in Denver this Sunday, and a booktalk/signing at one of our local libraries on Monday. I hope to meet other writers here in Grand County. WE ARE NOT ALONE!

I'll be back soon.

Joanne

Wednesdays With Joanne: A Balancing Act

Almost holiday time, family time, taking vacation time, shopping time, cooking time, down time, up time (TIME being the operative word), I'm keenly aware of time these days, and how very little any of us have left over at the end of our busy day. Notice, I haven't mentioned writing time as yet, or the balancing act writers are asked to perform on a daily basis.

A big part of writing is about time management, I believe. For my part, I'm involved in a daily, almost schizophrenic balancing act of just how to best use my time. Speaking of best, the best book I've ever read on writing and how to use one's time is called, On Writing by Stephen King. I highly recommend it! Find a time and a place to write, and write. Great advice. Then make time to read other writers. More great advice. Be disciplined, then go for it. Great, great advice. But...

If one is fortunate enough to get published, then, naturally, more time is asked of you for marketing and promotion---time taken away from working on that new book, polishing up a manuscript for submission, looking for an agent, networking with readers and authors, attending conferences, attending writing groups, updating websites for the Internet, or (dare I say it) blogging! Here's where the "balancing act" comes in. Here's where listening to Stephen King's voice comes in. Find a time and place...and just do it! (I'm paraphrasing, of course.)

I'm working on "working on" how best to use my time now that I have two books out, one in release and one soon to be. I'm itching to get to that next book, but find I have an obligation to my first two. I have to do my best to promote and market them. The publisher does their part, but we as writers must also do our part. We must set up booktalks, signings, radio spots, newspaper spots, reviews, secure notable author quotes/blurbs, mail out press releases, mail out extra galleys, place ads where and when we can, etc. And so...

Balancing my time amid the upcoming, busy holiday season becomes even more of a challenge now. Ah well, I've decided to "just do it," albeit in schizophrenic bits. The early morning hours will be devoted to the new book, the mid-morning hours to internet duty, the afternoon hours to outside fun and games (hey, I live in the Colorado mountains...we are obligated to be outside playing in the snow), and the evening hours to figuring out how best to garner that next signing or appearance. Hmmm...that just leaves the midnight hours for holiday baking and watching A Wonderful Life. No worries, I'll just keep the coffee going. Helps me with my "balancing act" you know.

I'd love to hear what you're doing with your time these days! Feel free to post! Key ya!

Wednesdays With Joanne

Hi! Welcome to one and all e-drive-bys!

One week into blogging, and I fear I'm not past Blogging 101 as yet. Ah well, not to worry. Never forget the fabled Tortuise and the Hare, The Little Engine That Could, and Working Girl. Yep, Working Girl. She did "get her man and the job in the end!" I love happy endings, but I also love to ponder all the hardships faced and possible ways to reach them.

If you've had a peek at my website (www.joannesundell.com), you know I write historical romance set in the West. If you've an interest in this, I hope so much you continue to stop by on Wednesdays and visit me on my blog. Of course I'd love it, too, if you'd sign up for my NEWSLETTER, full of fun and fantasy. Yeah, right. Hey, I will start running contests there soon. I want my signed books to get to you somehow, some way, you know! I also would love feedback from you on my books, on historical romance, and on "whatever is on your mind." Feel free to e-mail me from my website or post on my blog.

I hope to blog soon on two other blogspots: Five Star Authors Blog and Women Writing the West Blog. I'll post those blogspots here (when I figure this out) so you might visit the sites too, if you've a mind. I'm also a member of Colorado Romance Writers. I'm not up to "blog" with them yet, but I'm working on it.

I thank you in advance for your patience!

I'm excited about an upcoming booktalk/signing at our brand new library in Granby, Colorado, Dec 11th. This is the first time my focus will be on a general discussion of romance (LET'S TALK (historical western) ROMANCE), rather than my book(s). Of course Matchmaker, Matchmaker and A...My Name's Amelia will be featured, but for the most part we're going to have fun with romance. Can we talk here? is the motto of the evening.

Let me say a word about the librarians in Grand County. That word is "super!" The marketing target for my publisher, Five Star/Thomson Gale, is the library market. (They, of course, send catalogs out nationally.) It's wonderful to discover how wonderful librarians are. They're in the know about what the public likes to read, and so far they've been truly helpful in promoting my book(s). I hope to target libraries in Colorado in particular for the promotion of A...My Name's Amelia. I'm not only going to focus on pre-orders, but will put out an invitation to libraries and bookclubs to "invite me" to come for a chat, and maybe sign a book or two. Hey, it's all about fun for us, right! I'm going to call it the Let's Talk Historical Western Romance Tour...la de da, la de da, la de da...

No worries, I'm not forgetting my part in trying to appeal to the mass market. Coming soon to an on-line or in-store site near you!!!

Well, I don't know about you but my coffee's cold, and that will not do. Besides, you've had enough for one week, no doubt. Please come back next time. Who knows what you'll find here. Who knows "what danger lurks in the hearts and minds of men!" (Hey, what happened to the "women" part of The Shadow's comments? I suppose only "The Shadow Knows.")

My best to you all!

Joanne

As introduction...

Hi folks,
I'm taking the plunge into the "blogging pool" today. In the deep end, most likely! As the title of my blog indicates, I write historical romance set in the West. I invite anyone out there in cyberland who has similar interests, to come "blog" with me. Let's All Talk (historical western) Romance! Visit my website www.JoanneSundell.com to see my latest works.