Hi All,
I've been an "absent friend" for which I apologize. My computer came down with a virus and is only now recovering. I'm posting this blog with the utmost of respect for the opportunity to do so.
How many times have we all gotton on the Internet-waves, opining about marketing this and marketing that, which is best to do, which is worse, how many to guarantee for a signing, how many to send promos to, et al. The answer: MANY TIMES. All of us who write, of course, want to sell as many books as we can to as many people as we can. That seems a reasonable expectation, I think you'll agree.
Often when we're in the middle of a project, we're in it for our hero and heroine, for our story, wondering how things will go, and praying they will go well. Not so often do we think about the readers on the other end of things, wondering if they'll like our story beyond the hope they'll buy it. I'm not saying we write without any thought for our readers and their tastes, but what I am saying is that my focus isn't on the reader as much as on my hero and heroine and what I hope for them. I feel the responsibility of writing a good-enough story to get published and satisfy any potential readership.
With regard to my current WIP, I feel a new responsibility ... "to please at least one potential reader" waiting for my story(s). I live in a small community full of friendly, engaging Colorado mountain folk. My friends and neighbors have been so supportive of my writing and are happy about any success I find with any of my books. Recently I ran into an old friend. We talked about our children and then about my books (my friend asked me about my WIP). I didn't hesitate to talk about my planned series set in Civil War, Virginia, THE QUAKER AND THE CONFEDERATE, Hearts Divided and Hearts Persuaded. Almost to the end of book one now, I'm happy to talk about how the story is going with any and all who might be interested. While I intended to write my hero and heroine into the story, I hadn't intended on a third protagonist---a little slave girl named Surry Lion. I'm not black. I didn't feel qualified to write in a black character but ... there she appeared ... on page one, the first character to speak in the story! Those of you who write historicals know what I'm talking about. You do a lot of research and it stays with you on most every page you write. Of course, in any story set in Virginia during the Civil War, slavery had to be addressed. I hope and pray I do justice to Surry's character, as well as my other protagonists.
My whole point in mentioning all of this is that my friend has a beautiful black granddaughter, that her daughter adoped two years ago. Both she and her daughter have read my books to date, liked them, and are anxious to get a copy of my Civil War series for little Caitie. They want to surround Caitie with books about her rich heritage.
I'm deeply touched and suddenly feel an overwhelming responsibility to make sure that "if only one little girl reads my book," it will all be worth it.
This one's for you, little Caitie.
Love,
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
author@joannesundell.com
www.joannesundell.com
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
HEART 2 HEART ~ "Let's give `em something to blog about!"
Hi guys,
"Let's give `em something to blog about!" heh heh
Not that I don't think each and every thing that any of us blog isn't `tre importante ... but I do think some blogs are, of course, far more interesting than others. I'm not forgetting, too, that blogs come in all shapes and sizes now: Group Blogs, Individual Blogs, Blogs linked to other Blogs, Blogs representing a specific organization, Blogs about Blogs ... ya da ya da ya da ... and so it goes on the Big Bad Net!
I do think of the old saying when blogging, however, that goes something like," If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to see it, to hear it, did it really fall?" I think of this saying because many blogs go unread, except by their author. Many blogs go unnoticed, likely considered not `tre importante enough for the busy Internet Surfer, hungry for the latest and greatest and most important this and that. Fine and completely understandable and acceptable. Who doesn't want to chime in to the biggest authors, the biggest stars, the best singers, the most noteworthy politicos, et al ... in all the land? We all do, of course. But, and there's always a but in life, isn't there?
But ... there IS another side to blogging, a private side that comes out of each and every unique one of us. There are things we reveal in blogs, half of the time unaware we've even done so, our need to vent our feelings and thoughts outweighing any concern over exactly "what" we might be saying. We might be in the middle of writing a book, coming in and out of a personal trauma, stirred up over something we heard or read on the news, suffering from empty nest syndrome, hating hitting menopause, wishing we were younger and thinner and smarter ... and blogged about it, unaware we'd even done so until we're ready to press "publish."
You know, writing is a solitary endeavor, is it not? And short of going to every conference we can register for, every author "gig" we can sign up for, taking advantage of socially networking with every new "friend" on MySpace, we often find ourselves alone at our computers, in our pj's, the family cat draped over our keyboard, our coffee cup needing constant replenishing, being totally disoriented as to time, place, and person until something interrupts our solitary reverie. At just such moments ... when a noise from the outside world breaks through our psyche ... sometimes at just such moments, when we find ourselves so alone, it's like a breath of much-needed air, to be able to go to our little, individual blog sites, and "talk to all the folks our there in Big Bad Internet Land."
We know there are folks there, however few, even if they don't always comment. We know there are folks there waiting to read, to hear what we're thinking, to connect with us ... waiting for us to cut down our tree and hear it fall, wanting to be there with us as we work. "Let's give `em something to blog about" never rings more true than at this moment ... this connection.
Whether we blog individually or are connected with a hundred other blogs in a hundred different groups, we're connected and that's all that matters. We're not alone in our writing world, but join together with others ... starting with one comment, then two, then more ... linking with the outside world ...
... and oh ... What a Wonderful World!
L,
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
author@joannesundell.com
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
"Let's give `em something to blog about!" heh heh
Not that I don't think each and every thing that any of us blog isn't `tre importante ... but I do think some blogs are, of course, far more interesting than others. I'm not forgetting, too, that blogs come in all shapes and sizes now: Group Blogs, Individual Blogs, Blogs linked to other Blogs, Blogs representing a specific organization, Blogs about Blogs ... ya da ya da ya da ... and so it goes on the Big Bad Net!
I do think of the old saying when blogging, however, that goes something like," If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to see it, to hear it, did it really fall?" I think of this saying because many blogs go unread, except by their author. Many blogs go unnoticed, likely considered not `tre importante enough for the busy Internet Surfer, hungry for the latest and greatest and most important this and that. Fine and completely understandable and acceptable. Who doesn't want to chime in to the biggest authors, the biggest stars, the best singers, the most noteworthy politicos, et al ... in all the land? We all do, of course. But, and there's always a but in life, isn't there?
But ... there IS another side to blogging, a private side that comes out of each and every unique one of us. There are things we reveal in blogs, half of the time unaware we've even done so, our need to vent our feelings and thoughts outweighing any concern over exactly "what" we might be saying. We might be in the middle of writing a book, coming in and out of a personal trauma, stirred up over something we heard or read on the news, suffering from empty nest syndrome, hating hitting menopause, wishing we were younger and thinner and smarter ... and blogged about it, unaware we'd even done so until we're ready to press "publish."
You know, writing is a solitary endeavor, is it not? And short of going to every conference we can register for, every author "gig" we can sign up for, taking advantage of socially networking with every new "friend" on MySpace, we often find ourselves alone at our computers, in our pj's, the family cat draped over our keyboard, our coffee cup needing constant replenishing, being totally disoriented as to time, place, and person until something interrupts our solitary reverie. At just such moments ... when a noise from the outside world breaks through our psyche ... sometimes at just such moments, when we find ourselves so alone, it's like a breath of much-needed air, to be able to go to our little, individual blog sites, and "talk to all the folks our there in Big Bad Internet Land."
We know there are folks there, however few, even if they don't always comment. We know there are folks there waiting to read, to hear what we're thinking, to connect with us ... waiting for us to cut down our tree and hear it fall, wanting to be there with us as we work. "Let's give `em something to blog about" never rings more true than at this moment ... this connection.
Whether we blog individually or are connected with a hundred other blogs in a hundred different groups, we're connected and that's all that matters. We're not alone in our writing world, but join together with others ... starting with one comment, then two, then more ... linking with the outside world ...
... and oh ... What a Wonderful World!
L,
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
author@joannesundell.com
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
Thursday, July 10, 2008
HEART 2 HEART ~ "Mind Your Writing Manners"
Hi all,
I'ts been my melancholy observation that some of us, most of us writers, do not always "mind our writing manners." Many of us do, yet some do not.
As a writer, any and all communication is important. Now most of our communication seems to be over the Internet, snail-mail reserved only for obligatory messaging. Some of us old fogies have had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the Net! Ouch! Anyway, once there, most of us have managed to learn the basics and try to respectfully network, ever struggling to transer our "writing manners" from pen and paper to the Net.
I suppose all writers have a touch of narcissim, as this seems to develop over time and comes with the territory. I suppose too, that all writers are pretty much always busy, with little extra time (an oxymoron in our case). I've discovered that there is a wonderful rhythm when communicating with some writers and editors, all busy all of the time. You ask them a question. They answer. They ask you a question. You answer. You need help. They help. They need help. You help. Back and forth ... nice and easy ... like a smooth country western tune.
The bottom line is that everyone takes valuable time out of their writing day to socially network, et al, which often includes answering e-mails, sometimes in great detail, and is often about securing author quotes or how to get a kink worked out in their book or what's the best way to market this and that, etc. I'm amazed when some do not bother to get back, once you've helped them in some way. To me it's sad and very telling.
I'm venting here but it's for a purpose, a good one I can only hope. We, all of us, need to "always" mind our writing manners and never forget, hell or high water, to get back to folks. It's just plain rude if we do not. It's disrespectful. Just like we try not to forget to dot our i's and cross out t's in our manuscripts, we must never forget that there's another person on the other end, waiting for a response.
Thank goodness for the writers and editors and loyal readers (readers always, always get back to us) that make sure and return e-calls and cell calls and everything else. Funny, but it's always the big name writers and important editors that get back to us, that always give us some of their time, no matter how busy. They don't know the meaning of the word "no." It isn't in their vocabulary.
It is these brave few that I hope to emulate. It is to these brave few that I raise my glass of chilled chardonnay on this lovely July evening ... these brave few who ever "mind their writing manners" and ever make us smile and feel light of heart!"
Salute!
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
author@joannesundell.com
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
I'ts been my melancholy observation that some of us, most of us writers, do not always "mind our writing manners." Many of us do, yet some do not.
As a writer, any and all communication is important. Now most of our communication seems to be over the Internet, snail-mail reserved only for obligatory messaging. Some of us old fogies have had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the Net! Ouch! Anyway, once there, most of us have managed to learn the basics and try to respectfully network, ever struggling to transer our "writing manners" from pen and paper to the Net.
I suppose all writers have a touch of narcissim, as this seems to develop over time and comes with the territory. I suppose too, that all writers are pretty much always busy, with little extra time (an oxymoron in our case). I've discovered that there is a wonderful rhythm when communicating with some writers and editors, all busy all of the time. You ask them a question. They answer. They ask you a question. You answer. You need help. They help. They need help. You help. Back and forth ... nice and easy ... like a smooth country western tune.
The bottom line is that everyone takes valuable time out of their writing day to socially network, et al, which often includes answering e-mails, sometimes in great detail, and is often about securing author quotes or how to get a kink worked out in their book or what's the best way to market this and that, etc. I'm amazed when some do not bother to get back, once you've helped them in some way. To me it's sad and very telling.
I'm venting here but it's for a purpose, a good one I can only hope. We, all of us, need to "always" mind our writing manners and never forget, hell or high water, to get back to folks. It's just plain rude if we do not. It's disrespectful. Just like we try not to forget to dot our i's and cross out t's in our manuscripts, we must never forget that there's another person on the other end, waiting for a response.
Thank goodness for the writers and editors and loyal readers (readers always, always get back to us) that make sure and return e-calls and cell calls and everything else. Funny, but it's always the big name writers and important editors that get back to us, that always give us some of their time, no matter how busy. They don't know the meaning of the word "no." It isn't in their vocabulary.
It is these brave few that I hope to emulate. It is to these brave few that I raise my glass of chilled chardonnay on this lovely July evening ... these brave few who ever "mind their writing manners" and ever make us smile and feel light of heart!"
Salute!
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
author@joannesundell.com
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
HEART 2 HEART ~ "Novel Beginnings"
Hi all,
Hope this day, this week, and this year to date ... are treating you nothing short of wonderful!
I'm at a "novel beginning" and am in a mood to "blog" about it. Interesting, isn't it, how we start a book we've thought about for months and months, not to mention collected so much research we can hardly find a seat in our little office chair!
I remember beginnings and endings, in books and poety ... at least of my favorites. I'm mad about Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte`, and Robert Frost, just so you'll know. Of course THE most memorable beginning to me is from Dickins' TALE OF TWO CITIES. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ..." is engrained in all our brains, no matter what we like to read. And of course most fairy tales of old end with "... and they lived happily ever after." Don't you just love "happily ever afters?" I sure do. But not all in life, love, and books has a fairy tale ending. Despite the fact that I write historical romance (usually requiring the wished-for "happily ever after" ending), my stories must be credible. I have to do the history homework and even see if a happy ending is a possibility.
If a writer DOES his/her history homework, there's a lot there from which the protagonists can choose. The characters have credible options, credible roads which they may or may not go down. Maybe it will be possible for the hero and heroine to make a life together ... or maybe not. It's all in the history. We as writers have to find it. Sometimes easily done, and sometimes not so easy.
I say this because my "novel beginnings," with each book I write, take on more and more importance. Yes, I want to hook any potential reader on the story to follow, but because I ever strive to write credible heroines of substance into my historical romances, the opening lines seem to matter more now. I've come up with a theory here. Tell me what you think.
I think it's possible that the first line of a story, long or short, just might be the "first thought" a writer has, albeit subconsciously, that led the writer to well ... write down the story in the first place. Put yourself to the test. Look back at some of your "first lines" and see if they reflect your "first thought" in penning the tale. I know that some of us angst over first lines and some of us just start writing. For me it's the latter, which leads me to think the line was floating around in my subconscience all the while. No matter whether you angst or "just do it" I think it's fascinating, not to mention telling (excuse the pun) to go back and study our Novel Beginnings.
I think we'll all find our beginnings take us right into the action of our stories, and right into that credible place where our story needs to be for readers. We want to hook our readers, but we find that what we really need is to find the pulse of our story and stay with it, eager to discover if there will be a happily ever after ... or not. What we also might discover, too, is that characters are born into our stories that we never planned on. How much fun is that!
"Willa, whaccha think bein' a free man means?"
This is the beginning of my next novel(s), THE QUAKER AND THE CONFEDERATE, Hearts Divided, Hearts Persuaded, set in Civil War, Virginia. I'd been researching a long time, planning things (which never stays the same with me) when I opened up my computer to start ??? and this first line came out. Of course, I had to set it down and begin following the story.
Happy Writing and Happy Reading everyone!
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
Hope this day, this week, and this year to date ... are treating you nothing short of wonderful!
I'm at a "novel beginning" and am in a mood to "blog" about it. Interesting, isn't it, how we start a book we've thought about for months and months, not to mention collected so much research we can hardly find a seat in our little office chair!
I remember beginnings and endings, in books and poety ... at least of my favorites. I'm mad about Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte`, and Robert Frost, just so you'll know. Of course THE most memorable beginning to me is from Dickins' TALE OF TWO CITIES. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ..." is engrained in all our brains, no matter what we like to read. And of course most fairy tales of old end with "... and they lived happily ever after." Don't you just love "happily ever afters?" I sure do. But not all in life, love, and books has a fairy tale ending. Despite the fact that I write historical romance (usually requiring the wished-for "happily ever after" ending), my stories must be credible. I have to do the history homework and even see if a happy ending is a possibility.
If a writer DOES his/her history homework, there's a lot there from which the protagonists can choose. The characters have credible options, credible roads which they may or may not go down. Maybe it will be possible for the hero and heroine to make a life together ... or maybe not. It's all in the history. We as writers have to find it. Sometimes easily done, and sometimes not so easy.
I say this because my "novel beginnings," with each book I write, take on more and more importance. Yes, I want to hook any potential reader on the story to follow, but because I ever strive to write credible heroines of substance into my historical romances, the opening lines seem to matter more now. I've come up with a theory here. Tell me what you think.
I think it's possible that the first line of a story, long or short, just might be the "first thought" a writer has, albeit subconsciously, that led the writer to well ... write down the story in the first place. Put yourself to the test. Look back at some of your "first lines" and see if they reflect your "first thought" in penning the tale. I know that some of us angst over first lines and some of us just start writing. For me it's the latter, which leads me to think the line was floating around in my subconscience all the while. No matter whether you angst or "just do it" I think it's fascinating, not to mention telling (excuse the pun) to go back and study our Novel Beginnings.
I think we'll all find our beginnings take us right into the action of our stories, and right into that credible place where our story needs to be for readers. We want to hook our readers, but we find that what we really need is to find the pulse of our story and stay with it, eager to discover if there will be a happily ever after ... or not. What we also might discover, too, is that characters are born into our stories that we never planned on. How much fun is that!
"Willa, whaccha think bein' a free man means?"
This is the beginning of my next novel(s), THE QUAKER AND THE CONFEDERATE, Hearts Divided, Hearts Persuaded, set in Civil War, Virginia. I'd been researching a long time, planning things (which never stays the same with me) when I opened up my computer to start ??? and this first line came out. Of course, I had to set it down and begin following the story.
Happy Writing and Happy Reading everyone!
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
HEART 2 HEART ~ "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times."
Dear friends,
One of my "dear friends" passed away this Sunday evening and the world is a lesser place without him. It is the worst of times that he is gone. He was a public figure and will be missed by so many others. He had a good heart. We were mates in junior high and high school and kept up over the years. No matter how famous he got, he never forgot his friends of old. It will be awhile before the sun shines brightly over us all, warming us, healing us, without him.
"The best of times" is to be alive, and to live each day and not let any of our moments pass by, unnoticed. "The best of times" is to know gratitude and to show gratitude, especially in the difficult writing business. It's oftentimes hard and rife with rejection notices. Ouch! It can be good. It can be good, better, "best." I'm so fortunate to have my historical romances published with Five Star-Gale, now a part of Cengage Learning. With them, "it is the best of times." They are ever-kind, ever-caring, ever-talented, and ever-supportive. Their acquisitions agents and editors, art department, et al ... well, you're not going to find any better folks on the planet. It does take a village and I couldn't be more grateful to be in Five Star's.
I bid you g'day and thank you for reading ...
My best,
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
One of my "dear friends" passed away this Sunday evening and the world is a lesser place without him. It is the worst of times that he is gone. He was a public figure and will be missed by so many others. He had a good heart. We were mates in junior high and high school and kept up over the years. No matter how famous he got, he never forgot his friends of old. It will be awhile before the sun shines brightly over us all, warming us, healing us, without him.
"The best of times" is to be alive, and to live each day and not let any of our moments pass by, unnoticed. "The best of times" is to know gratitude and to show gratitude, especially in the difficult writing business. It's oftentimes hard and rife with rejection notices. Ouch! It can be good. It can be good, better, "best." I'm so fortunate to have my historical romances published with Five Star-Gale, now a part of Cengage Learning. With them, "it is the best of times." They are ever-kind, ever-caring, ever-talented, and ever-supportive. Their acquisitions agents and editors, art department, et al ... well, you're not going to find any better folks on the planet. It does take a village and I couldn't be more grateful to be in Five Star's.
I bid you g'day and thank you for reading ...
My best,
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER
MEGGIE'S REMAINS
Sunday, June 8, 2008
HEART 2 HEART ~ "There and Back Again"
Yep, lifting from Bilbo Baggens, I am! "There and Back Again" BEA style, I am!
I just returned home from my first-ever BookExpo America in beautiful downtoan LA. La de da, la de da, la de da, as Annie Hall would opine. It was a star-studded, information-packed, publisher/writer-packed house to be sure! Being a small town mountain girl, I still feel like Dorothy visiting the Great OZ, returning from the colorful world of books, "There and Back Again," to hearth and home in black and white. I do miss the color.
Signing in the Romance Writers of America booth, with the likes of Diane Pershing and Elizabeth Boyle was a BEA moment for me, indeed. What an honor to be in the company of such writers! Then, to meet romance writers Heather Graham, Iris Johansen, and Linda Lael Miller ... well can you meet any better in the business? I have their latest "signed" books and couldn't be happier. I was happy, too, that all of my "signed" copies of A...My Name's Amelia went out the door quickly.
Only in LA guys would you be at lunch and the ever-handsome George Hamilton walks by, giving you "that smile." I turn around and guess who's sitting right behind me? Dr. Ruth, herself! Very nice. Very tiny. She wanted to know what I thought of GH's tan. At breakfast the next morning, I heard Alec Baldwin, Magic Johnson, Phillipa Gregory, and Andre Dubus, III! I mean, come on. Their comments were insightful and entertaining, not to mention personal. Of course I got a "signed" Phillipa Gregory! I met Garrison Kellior (Evan Handler from Sex&theCity butt line but was very nice in so doing) and William Shatner ... Captain Kirk and Denny Crane couldn't look better. See what I mean? Annie Hall was right: la de da, la de da, la de da!
Every publisher on the planet was there! The Disneyland of the Book World! I did visit the Gale-Cengage Learning Exhibit and had a nice chat with wonderful Ginny Raye and Laurie Taylor from Gale-Cengage. They are THE BEST and couldn't have been nicer. I'm so happy to be published with them!
Another day ... perhaps another BEA ... There and Back Again.
Love you, mean it,
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA, LP 8/08
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER, 12/08
MEGGIE'S REMAINS, 7/09
I just returned home from my first-ever BookExpo America in beautiful downtoan LA. La de da, la de da, la de da, as Annie Hall would opine. It was a star-studded, information-packed, publisher/writer-packed house to be sure! Being a small town mountain girl, I still feel like Dorothy visiting the Great OZ, returning from the colorful world of books, "There and Back Again," to hearth and home in black and white. I do miss the color.
Signing in the Romance Writers of America booth, with the likes of Diane Pershing and Elizabeth Boyle was a BEA moment for me, indeed. What an honor to be in the company of such writers! Then, to meet romance writers Heather Graham, Iris Johansen, and Linda Lael Miller ... well can you meet any better in the business? I have their latest "signed" books and couldn't be happier. I was happy, too, that all of my "signed" copies of A...My Name's Amelia went out the door quickly.
Only in LA guys would you be at lunch and the ever-handsome George Hamilton walks by, giving you "that smile." I turn around and guess who's sitting right behind me? Dr. Ruth, herself! Very nice. Very tiny. She wanted to know what I thought of GH's tan. At breakfast the next morning, I heard Alec Baldwin, Magic Johnson, Phillipa Gregory, and Andre Dubus, III! I mean, come on. Their comments were insightful and entertaining, not to mention personal. Of course I got a "signed" Phillipa Gregory! I met Garrison Kellior (Evan Handler from Sex&theCity butt line but was very nice in so doing) and William Shatner ... Captain Kirk and Denny Crane couldn't look better. See what I mean? Annie Hall was right: la de da, la de da, la de da!
Every publisher on the planet was there! The Disneyland of the Book World! I did visit the Gale-Cengage Learning Exhibit and had a nice chat with wonderful Ginny Raye and Laurie Taylor from Gale-Cengage. They are THE BEST and couldn't have been nicer. I'm so happy to be published with them!
Another day ... perhaps another BEA ... There and Back Again.
Love you, mean it,
Jo(anne) Gregg Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA, LP 8/08
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER, 12/08
MEGGIE'S REMAINS, 7/09
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
HEART 2 HEART ~ The Battle of the Network ... Romance Genres!
Please note my disclaimor: This is whimsy, only.
Because of course, we "who are about to write in the romance genre," never do battle with each other, heh heh. Really, we don't; not personally anyway. We do, however, do battle against other general fiction genres, but that story is perhaps for another day.
I reference the Battle of the Network Romance Genres because there's ever a ranking (at least in my mind) of which genre in the romance world is on top and which at rock-bottom. Ouch! You've probably guessed where I'm going here: I write historical romance which classically is at the bottom, buried beneath mystery, sci-fi, chick-lit, YA, contemporary, erotica, et al. Well, we "who write historical romance" are in full-battle-armor now so watch out ... romance world!
I happen to write historical romance set in America, which tends to fare worse than historicals set elsewhere; Regency Romances being a good example. I happen to write what I write because it's my interest, my passion, my focus ... for now, that is. I've no idea if I'll ever venture into the present, God forbid! I believe very strongly in A Sense of Place in writing, ie, I write historicals set in America because I can visualize my characters functioning in a speceific time, a specific setting.
Let's face it ... no matter the genre, in romance or otherwise, it's all about writing a darn good book. It's my belief that, at the end of the day, that's how to Win the Day!
Love you, mean it,
Jo(Gregg) Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA, LP 8/08
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER, 12/08
MEGGIE'S REMAINS, 7/09
Because of course, we "who are about to write in the romance genre," never do battle with each other, heh heh. Really, we don't; not personally anyway. We do, however, do battle against other general fiction genres, but that story is perhaps for another day.
I reference the Battle of the Network Romance Genres because there's ever a ranking (at least in my mind) of which genre in the romance world is on top and which at rock-bottom. Ouch! You've probably guessed where I'm going here: I write historical romance which classically is at the bottom, buried beneath mystery, sci-fi, chick-lit, YA, contemporary, erotica, et al. Well, we "who write historical romance" are in full-battle-armor now so watch out ... romance world!
I happen to write historical romance set in America, which tends to fare worse than historicals set elsewhere; Regency Romances being a good example. I happen to write what I write because it's my interest, my passion, my focus ... for now, that is. I've no idea if I'll ever venture into the present, God forbid! I believe very strongly in A Sense of Place in writing, ie, I write historicals set in America because I can visualize my characters functioning in a speceific time, a specific setting.
Let's face it ... no matter the genre, in romance or otherwise, it's all about writing a darn good book. It's my belief that, at the end of the day, that's how to Win the Day!
Love you, mean it,
Jo(Gregg) Sundell
www.joannesundell.com
www.myspace.com/joannesundell
A...MY NAME'S AMELIA, LP 8/08
THE PARLOR HOUSE DAUGHTER, 12/08
MEGGIE'S REMAINS, 7/09
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