TOPIC: The Year of Publishing a Book (pt.2)

Last post I outlined some of the process of what happens once you sign that elusive book contract. If you didn't get to read it, click here so you can go back and read that post and so this one is read in context.

This is the continuation of that post. Read on...

Sometime between REVISIONS and LINE EDITS you could find yourself submitting ideas for your cover for your editor to take to COVER CONFERENCE. This may involve you submitting character descriptions, pivotal scenes, photographs or images of settings/characters/clothing/weapons etc.

My editor asked for my input and I put together a portfolio of ideas for her to take to the cover conference with the art department. And, once the cover was done, I was able to feedback and request (smallish) changes.

The COVER COPY crew will write the back cover blurb and try to come up with a tagline for the front cover. This is part of the process where an author usually gets the most input into as you're the one who knows the story inside and out. You can suggest changes - producing a blurb that accurately reflects the story is vital.

GALLEYS involve checking the manuscript from cover to cover - including the acknowledgments or dedication pages - for errors. Spelling, punctuation, style, formatting, names, words specific to your world-building etc. This isn't the time to rewrite big chunks or change the story. Again, you're more likely to be given a deadline to complete this by.

BOUND GALLEY's/ARC's may or may not be send to you - it depends whether this is in your contract. These are printed versions of your book, just without the cover art. You can use them in contest give-aways or for promo purposes.

Sometime between LINE EDITS and receiving your GALLEY you may be assigned a publicist. She'll help plan your marketing strategy and line up promotional opportunities like interviews, book reviews with bloggers, book signings, media interviews etc.

The last part of the publishing process is seeing your BOOK IN PRINT! In traditional print publishing this may be a process that takes a whole year - and it's a cause for celebration!!! Yay! You'll receive your allotted amount of author copies, to do with whatever you like ie.promotion, give-aways, hand out to family etc.

Then you get to PROMOTE yourself - in any number of ways, over a range of media. Bookmarks, postcards, signings, blog interviews, guest blogs, radio or newspaper interviews, magazine articles...the list is endless (and time consuming, VERY time consuming).

Now while I've outlined this process in a fairly linear fashion, if you sign for a multi-book contract like I did, then you'll find yourself juggling elements of each stage, from book to book. For example, as you're doing galleys for one book you may be giving your input for a cover conference and writing another book all at the same time! And you'll repeat this juggling act with every book you submit.

But, I have to admit, while this year has been a whole new learning experience and there's been some ups and downs, for the most part I've found the process fascinating and enjoyable. And I wouldn't swap it for anything! :-)

TOPIC: The Year of Publishing a Book (pt.1)

I've labelled 2011 as The Year of Getting VENGEANCE BORN published. And it has been a year long process.

A year of steep learning curves, a year of excitement, a year of rushing to get things handed in by a due date, a year of waiting patiently...

So, what happens after you get that elusive email or phone call from an editor offering to buy your book?

Well, besides the manic week or so of FINDING AN AGENT (if you haven't already got one), the next part is NEGOTIATING THE CONTRACT. And that can (sometimes) take weeks.

I received the email to buy my book in October 2010, the final version of my contract came in December 2010. A number of things may impact the speed with which this happens, it varies from deal to deal.

Your agent will go through the contract clause by clause making sure bits like signing away your "next book" is clarified to "next book in the series" or "next book in that genre" are altered or removed or rewritten.

This is why I think an agent is worth their 15% commission - I'm not a legal-ese expert by any means and would've had no idea what was a good clause and what needed work.

A part of this is negotiating deadlines for your book or books. Be sure to take into account every day life - family, health issues, work, what you're capable of producing word-wise and by when - and then add another month onto that time for good measure. These dates are binding.

I read every clause in the contract once I received the altered version. I asked questions to clarify what specific bits meant and once I was happy with that, only then did I sign it.

Next step (besides beginning the next book) is REVISIONS - the larger picture stuff suggested by your editor to make your book better. Sometimes there might be pages or maybe an overall comment like "up the romantic conflict".

Talk to your editor about them, clarify points, brainstorm, compromise. You'll be asked when you can have them done by - again, make sure you set a realistic timeframe and add a few days on for wriggle room.

Once your editor signs off on these, she'll send the manuscript to the line editor. LINE EDITS involve things like punctuation, grammar, word/phrase changes, world-building checks etc. Usually the document has comments made down the side using TRACK CHANGES, one color for the line editor, one color for your editor, and one for you to respond as needed.

You may or may not get to set the timeframe for these to be returned by. More often than not you'll get a due date, perhaps a couple of weeks, maybe more.

This ends Part 1 of this post. Join me next week to find out what happens next - same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!

TOPIC: Life on the flip-side...

This article was published in the WRITERS' LIFE column of the August 2011 edition of  the RWAustralia Hearts Talk magazine.

With conference fast approaching, part of the fun of attending one is meeting the authors and listening to their stories of ‘life after getting the CALL’. I took it all in with keen anticipation, dreaming of the day I walked in their shoes, but it wasn’t until I stepped over the threshold that I really understood what they were talking about.

Simple fact is getting the call really does change your life in many, many ways. Some good, some unexpected.

What initially caught me by surprise after getting that email was the speed with which everything happened. I had a week to accept the offer.

Having done the research yonks ago I was already in the process of submitting queries, so contacting my top list of I’d-kill-to-be-represented-by-these-agents was a matter of whipping off a few emails alerting them to the book deal on offer.

I can’t stress enough if you’re submitting work to editors, and intend being represented by an agent then make the time to find out about whom you’d like to represent you. Leaving it to the last minute is stress you don’t need.

Why? Well, that seven days will be manic (particularly if you’re working across time zones). Let me repeat that.

The.Week.Will.Be.MANIC.

Organise representation, scheduling phone calls, e-mails to’ing and fro’ing from your agent and editor, and then sealing the deal with the publisher. Be prepared for a week of little sleep.

And if this isn’t excitement enough for you, the prospect of embarking on two new professional relationships – with your agent and editor - is a feeling you won’t ever forget.

Another thing, if you end up with a multiple book deal offer, like I did (ie. a series), have a short outline of your books ready to send your agent/editor. Think back cover blurbs. With only a week to negotiate the deal, and most of that taken up arranging representation by an agent, I ended up writing two extra blurbs in less than twenty-four hours. Not recommended.

Once the initial chaos of representation and the deal is over, the decision of deadlines needs to be made. These dates go in your contract. I knew what I could produce word count-wise and thought I’d factored in things like family, work, the publishing process, health-issues, unexpected interruptions etc.

Remember all those sessions at conference where you heard authors say ‘be disciplined, produce a daily word, write even though you don’t feel like it’? Engrave those words on your forehead or pin them up in your office at eye level. You no longer have the luxury of time or procrastination once you have a legally binding deadline.

Producing my first and second contracted books has been a huge learning experience but the one thing I now understand is that it takes more time than you think to juggle everything.

It’s life vs. the publishing process (sending in a synopsis & sample chapters, author bio/photo, acknowledgements page, revisions, copy edits, cover copies, galleys, marketing and promotion etc., beginning the next book and repeating that process).

It all takes time away from writing your next book. Next contract (yes, being optimistic here!), I’m adding another two months minimum to the deadline.

One of the true eye-openers of being under contract is the precious amount of time I have for reading for pleasure. Pre-call I read 3-4 books a week, now I’m lucky to read a book a month.

Another lesson I learned – it’s easy to get tied up writing your own stories and end up feeling ‘stale’. Reading for pleasure is a must, even when I’m writing. I need it. It’s like a respite or recharging of the batteries.

It’s been an amazing journey so far, a lot of exciting firsts – getting The Call, receiving the first cover, being hit by the realisation that my book is really going to be in print, finding out who’s going to write the cover-quotes of my book, and meeting fair dinkum deadlines.

I have a quote on the wall in my office that says, “When I’m writing I know I’m doing the thing I was born to do.” (Anne Sexton). It’s so true. I’m almost a year into my journey and while I’ve yet to experience the joy of seeing my first book on the shelves, I wouldn’t give up or swap what I’m doing for anything.

Yes, the learning curves have been steep, and I know I’m still wearing L-plates having just crossed over the unpubbed-pubbed line, but I love my ‘new career’ - the learning, the passion of creating, the pressure and stress, the satisfaction of meeting goals, they’re all part of the life I’ve chosen for myself.

It’s a delicate balance between portraying the joys and the reality of being published. I don’t want to discourage anybody or put anyone off achieving their dream, but I hope that by sharing some of my journey with you, yours will be that little bit more informed.

See you on the flip-side!

Bec Skrabl - a book deal and an agent!

A huge shout out for my fellow BILD'er (Book in 50 Days), Bec Skrabl who has crossed over into the world of publishing! Yay!

Bec is now represented by Jessica Faust of BookEnds LLC, and and she's secured a 3-book deal with Sourcebooks. Woohoo!

Bec writes paranormal romance , and the book that caught their eye was The Devil of Whitechapel, a steampunk novel.

Congratulations, Bec!

Who's That Girl? interview with Shea Berkley

We're headed inland USA today to meet another fellow 2010 Golden Heart® finalist. 

Name? Shea Berkley
My kids call me "Hey, lady."
My husband calls me "Woman, where's my supper?"
I think I've been kidnapped, but the authorities assure me this really is my family.

Where are you? At this moment in time I'm in my loft typing away at revisions that for some odd reason my editor is insistent I do.  I don't get it.  She bought the book.  Why would she want me to change the perfection that it is?

Okay, tongue out of cheek. (maybe not all the way, but mostly)  I live in the Northern Hemisphere in a little place called the United States of America in an obscure state, New Mexico which most Americans don't even know is part of the United States.

I kid you not.  I live with said aforementioned husband (aka my sugar daddy). Against our country's wishes we've produced five children whose sole mission in their collective lives is to make me insane.  They just haven't realized I was crazy enough to marry their father ... so HA! on them.

Stunning New Mexico landscape

Oh, New Mexico! I traveled through there...(mumble, mumble)...years ago when I was twenty after taking part of an exchange program with Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania.
I loved the stunning landscape, particularly around Albuquerque (and of course, a hop, skip and a jump away in Arizona is the Grand Canyon)!

The Grand Canyon, AZ

How many years have you been a member of RWA® America? I'm not sure.  A while. More than ten years.  I think they want me to forget I belong, but I keep sending them my dues and they grudgingly take them.

What genres do you write? I started out writing nonfiction and then got the bug to write fiction. My first foray was in historical romantic fiction.  I lived in England at the time and was just soaking in the history so it seemed like a no brainer.  Over 200,000 words later and a sweetly worded rejection from Avon, "You've got to be kidding me this is seriously way, way, way too long."

I switched to contemporary romantic fiction and finaled for the first time in the Golden Heart® contest.  It was fun, but I realized I was not romantically inclined enough to write straight romance, so I then turned to writing Fiction with Romantic Elements and finaled in my second Golden Heart® contest. Fun again. Then I decided, because I read so many Young Adult stories (yeah, I've got a Peter Pan complex) I'd try my hand at writing YA and I finaled for the third time in the Golden Heart® contest.  Super fun.

Between all that, I wrote a story called TORREIN: AGE OF FEAR, a epic coming of age fantasy.  For a long time the market for epic fantasy was dead.  Then my agent found an amazing publisher that loved my story and bought it.  TORREIN: AGE OF FEAR will be released November 2011 with Variance Publishing.  Super fabulous fun!!!

Who are my favorite authors? Oh, I'm a fickle girl.  I usually fall into a mad crush with the one I'm reading. Suzanne Collins is spectacular.

Then there's Sharon Sala. Bernard Cornwell. Dean Koontz. Darynda Jones. Melissa Marr. Lisa Gardner. Jordan Dane. Susan E. Phillips. Lesley Kagen. Sarah Addison Allen. Holly Black.

See?  I could go on and on and on...

Hmm, I don't think you're fickle at all, Shea! It looks like most writers recognise and love a good story, doesn't matter who wrote the book. So it's logical our tastes and favorites will change over time!

What inspired you to write romance? I read, a lot.  I've always loved romance.  People love to be in love or find love or remember love or defend love.  But we're playing by the truth game today, well sort of. Not everything I'm telling you is strictly 100 proof truth, but a lot of it is. You figure out what's real and what isn't. (big, fat grin)

But what I'm about to tell you is true.  I'm not much of a romantic.  I love romance, but I can't seem to be romantic.  I'm more interested in playing and making out than being romantic, so when I sit down, I have to force myself to think in a way that is in direct opposition to how I view life.  But I get points for trying, and sometimes I actually pull a miracle from my sweet ... ahem ... gluteous area and please my agent with a romantic scene.

Who's your agent? I have a dream of an agent, Laurie McLean for the wonderful Larson and Pomada Literary Agency.  She's got my back. Love her dearly.

Ohh, Laurie was one of the agents I had on my top ten list! Good on you for snaffling her, she sounds like a gem!

What's the best thing about going to conference? Hands down, meeting other writers. It's a geekfest of talking story, structure, character and motivation.  I get all blushy and my heart speeds up when I think about it.  Sadly, I won't be attending the 2011 RWA conference in New York, but I wish I were.  (sniffle, sigh)

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...umm, I don't know.  I've never thought about it.  Seriously, I don't want to think about it.  If I know, I might freak myself out because I'll know I can always do better and then I might freeze up and then, well, I'd be an unhappy, woman sitting in the corner sucking my thumb and rubbing my blankie against my cheek.
A sexy hero needs...to act confident, look good and make me laugh, then make me cry, then make me want to know more after I read The End.
My latest WIP is about...I can't tell you, but I can say it's a Young Adult novel that my agent is soo excited about she's getting a little demanding, which is a good thing even though it makes me crazy at times.
When I write I like to...have copious amounts of coke. The soft drink not the narcotic.  I also eat chocolate. Every day.  That's right.  I'm an unhealthy writer.  What of it?  Seriously, if I didn't do kickboxing everyday, I'd be enormous.  Other than those two things, I like to snuggle my feet under my dog and pray she doesn't pass gas. Don't judge her. She has tummy issues.
My best writing milestone to date is...signing a contract was pretty dang awesome, gotta say.  But my biggest writing milestone is convincing my husband that if I got a "real" job, I'd probably only get fired for doing something inappropriate ... like singing to a customer, or shouting out BINGO just cause, or pretending to be pregnant and that I'm going into labor.  (I sorta, kinda, mighta done all those things before). That he agreed made me a tad annoyed that he'd think I was that juvenile, but then I realized he'd said I could stay home and write.  Booya!  I win!

Shea's latest YA is THE MARKED SON and will be released from Entangled Publishing in August 2011.

If you'd like to learn more about her, she has a gorgeous website with more information about her and her books.

Who's That Girl? Interview - T.G.Ayer

Today, please welcome Tee, another Kiwi and RWNZ'er!

Hi Kylie, I feel honored to be in the company of such wonderful writers.

It's great to have you here, Tee! 

Name? My pen-name is T. G. Ayer aka Tee.

Where are you? I currently live in Auckland, New Zealand but I hail from Durban, South Africa.

How many years have you been a member of Romance Writers of New Zealand? March 2011 will be a full year with RWNZ. A decision I will never regret.

What genre/s do you write? I am currently writing paranormal YA, and have a YA mythological drama on the back burner. I hope to also complete a historical romance based in my home country in the 1700's.

Who are your favourite authors? For YA Melissa Marr and Cassandra Clare and Alyson Noel, Maria v Snyder. Paranormal - Nalini Singh, Marjorie Lui. I also love horror - Koontz. King and Saul. And a secret passion for crime Tess Gerritsen being my current fave.

What inspired you to write romance? I don't write specific to the romance genre BUT romance is such an integral element in any popular written work it's hardly possible to write a novel that's love-free! It's definitely a key element around which my stories grow.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? I would love to publish with Harper Teen or Walker Books. As for an agent, I'm still on the lookout for one who would love my work and me, too. :)

What's the best thing about going to conference? Conference is like injecting inspiration drive and determination straight into one's veins. My first experience was so amazing I'm still not sure when I'll come down from the high!

I'm still amped and now looking forward to the 2011 conference. It's the amazing people you meet, all the inspirational stories, being able sit side-by-side with published authors, meeting agents, editors, publishers. I've made true some fab friends out of conference too.

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...my imagination. It's always in control and when it wants out I have no choice but to write.
A sexy heroine needs...courage and fire. Even if she is a damsel in distress she most certainly has to have fire in her blood and a dagger in her boot!
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...an angel who accidentally ends up as the Ruler of the Underworld. This WIP is Greek mythology meets Nephilim aimed at YA readers aka Hells Angel.
When I write I like to...listen to music anything from melody Gardot to Linkin Park! - depends on the scene.
My best writing milestone to date is...the completion of my very first novel in the space of 8 months. I also completed Nanowrimo 2010 and wrote my first draft for my Hell's Angel WIP and am hoping to complete this novel by the end of February 2011.

You can follow Tee's blog or her on Twitter (Storymage).

Tee, thanks for answering my questions. It's been great having you here!

Who's That Girl? Interview - Nicky Strickland

We're back in Oz this week. Please meet a fellow Dark-Sider (from the Dark Side Down Under blog).

Name? Nicky Strickland.

Where are you? Brisbane, Australia.

How many years have you been a member of the Romance Writers' of Australia? I joined RWA 2008 (after it being mentioned to me about 2 years earlier but was too scared to join...)

What genre/s do you write? Fantasy with romantic elements. Even the historical and crime/suspense ideas I have seem to end up with something fantastical in them. I'm a speculative fiction girl through and through.

Who are your favourite authors? Oh, this is such a tough question. There are many and varied. I have so many books to read these days I rarely re-read either.

A few authors who'll I'll look at their new books regardless of what it is would be ...... Paulo Coelho, Kim Wilkins, Scott Westerfeld, Tracey O'Hara*, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Joss Whedon, Keri Arthur*, Erica Hayes*, Jim Butcher, Lilith Saintcrow & Kelley Armstrong.

(* more Dark Siders)

What inspired you to write romance? Interesting question for me this one. One of the reasons I took so long to join RWA (nearly 2yrs)  is I wasn't sure if I was a romance writer.

I've learnt so much about romance since attending the Australian Romance Readers' Association conference & joining Romance Writers' of Australia that I now comfortably use the term romantic elements. One of my favourite couple of characters are heading more and more into Buffy and Angel territory of not being able to be together (or else, you know, the planet is destroyed).

Romances are definitely strong threads in my stories, but they don't necessarily drive the book (more like they ride shotgun, or are very vocal backseat passengers) and I can't guarantee the HEA (happily ever after)...

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? My dream agent would be someone who is prepared to be supportive of me and my writing over the long term. The obligatory 'love my work' plays into this and I know I have ideas that may not always fit the same line/sub-genre but it will always be 'my voice'.
So, my dream publisher may well end up being plural. I have ideas of which publishers I'd like to have books with and it will depend on who take me on first.

What's the best thing about going to conference? Undoubtedly, meeting the people I've met via the loops and chat room.

I don't care how small the world gets via the digital life humans are pack animals and we like to get together and party down. Being able to hug, and place a real life face and voice (instead of photos) to somebody's name is priceless.

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...telling stories. I describe myself as a storyteller every time. Oh & persistence (some may think I'm a little stubborn).
A sexy heroine needs...shades and dimensions.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...there are two battling for priority. One is about a mermaid coming into her powers (& arranged marriage) in our world where the elements are arguing siblings. The other is a 21st century young woman ending up living in 1st BCE Rome with Vestal Virgins during the civil wars of the Roman Republic.
When I write I like to...play music (wearing headphones) & have way too much coffee.
My best writing milestone to date is... surprising myself by semi-finalling in the RWA Emerald Award. It was done as an exercise to see if I could get a book done in a year and I went much further than I ever thought I could.

Thanks for answering my questions, Nicky!
If you'd like to find out more about Nicky then check out her blog, Facebook page or follow her on Twitter.

Who's That Girl? Interview - Gracie O'Neil

Let's zip across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand today to meet one of RWNZ's Heart to Heart magazine editors, high concept pitch goddess, one half of a website design team, good friend and conference roommate...

 
Name? Hi, I’m Gracie O’Neil.

Where are you? I live in the central North Island of New Zealand.

How many years have you been a member of RWNZ? I joined RWNZ in 2004, so it’s a little while now. (Gracie was the first RWNZ'er I met at my first RWNZ conference! and we've been friends ever since)

What genre/s do you write? I write both paranormal romantic suspense and romantic suspense.

Who are your favourite authors? There are so many, but the ones on my bedside table at the moment are Karen Rose, J. D. Robb, Terry Pratchett, Robin Owens, and Karina Bliss.

What inspired you to write romance? I never thought of writing romance. I thought of writing a story. If it happened to contain romance—and every good story did, didn’t it?--then that was a part of the deal. It wasn’t until I had contact with RWNZ that I learned there were elements required for and nuances to a good romance, and by incorporating those things into any genre I could make every story I wrote stronger.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? I’m lucky enough to have my dream agent—Nephele Tempest at The Knight Agency. Dream publisher? That’s a hard one, but I think either Berkley or St Martin’s Press. (It was sooo exciting to phone Gracie last year to share the good news with her that I was now not only her conference roomie but an agency-buddy as well - we're both represented by TKA )

What's the best thing about going to conference? Learning something new, confirming where I’m headed, and meeting up in person with the girls I correspond with every day via our BILD (Book in 50 Days) loop. Oh, and sharing a room with you, of course, Kylie!! :-) (Not a lot of sleep happens during conference...so much talking and catching up to do!!!)

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer...is dialogue.
A sexy hero needs...dark hair. Sorry all you blond guys. In my personal universe every sexy man has dark hair.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...an ex-CIA operative who is hiding her new career on the gray edge of the law, and who becomes the target of an assassin’s vendetta when her current job goes bad. Now her life--and heart--lie in the hands of a man who has already betrayed her once. Can she trust him to help her expose the past when he has more secrets to hide than she does?
When I write I like to...use a timer to keep me on track. Nose down, tail up for fifteen minutes at a time.
My best writing milestone to date is...probably...well, again, that’s difficult too. Finishing the first, second, and third books. Getting my dream agent. Finaling and winning in competitions. But there’s no point in looking back at past milestones. For me, the best writing milestone is always the next one, which in my case would be a sale. (Oh yeah. Please, let there be a sale!!)

Gracie, it's been great having you here, thanks for answering my questions. If you'd like to check out Gracie's website, feel free.

She also has a fant-abulous writing website called Romance She Wrote, with lots of helpful tips on the craft of writing.

Who's that girl? Interview - Anita Joy

Our next guest hails from Oz!

Name? Anita Joy.

Where are you? Brisbane.

How many years have you been a member of RWAustralia? 3 years.

What genre do you write? Category SuperRomance.

Who are your favourite authors?
That is such a hard question to answer so I'll just list the authors on my 'over my dead body will I part with them bookshelf' - Dick Francis, Gerald Durrell, LM Montgomery, James Herriott, JK Rowling, Stephenie Myer, David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Jean M Auel, Anne McCaffrey, Agatha Christie and Stephen Donaldson.

What inspired you to write romance? 
I started out writing fantasy in my teens, but when I looked at what I was reading, it didn't matter what the genre the book had to have romance in it. Seemed natural to start writing pure romance.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher?
Agent - Jen Schober, Spencerhill Associates; Publisher - Harlequin

What's the best thing about going to conference?
Gosh, so many things... me time, socialising, spending time with people who understand(!), soaking up everything I can about writing and  immersing myself, the inspiration it leaves me with when I get home

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...my determination.
A sexy hero needs...to be someone I fall in love with.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...a fish out of water in a great Aussie setting.
When I write I like to...be in an empty house and lose track of time.
My best writing milestone to date is...when I finished my very first ms - still love the memory of that feeling.

Thanks, Anita, for joining me today! If you'd like to read more about Anita check out her website.

GUEST AUTHOR - Cathleen Ross

Please welcome my next guest to sit in the interview hot seat!

But first a little bit about Cathleen...

The first year she joined the Romance Writer of Australia, she heard a new publisher was asking writers for erotic stories for their anthologies. Although she'd had never written a sex scene, she sent in her first erotic story Sweet Vengeance. The editor bought it and asked for more, and she hasn't looked back from there.

She's written an erotic partial for Black Lace, Virgin Publishing, London, which was then the largest publisher of women’s erotic fiction in the world. They took on three new authors that year and she was one of them. The editor contracted her and her book MAN HUNT became the best selling erotic book on the Virgin Publishing website in 2006.
Her motto is "Be game. Be creative. Be brave." She also believes it helps to go to conferences, meet editors and introduce yourself.

An author of several books and short stories, her latest book - LOVE, LUST & LIES was out in January 2011 with MLR.

What name do you publish under? Cathleen Ross.

Where do you live? Australia.

How many years have you been a member of RWAustralia? About 15 years.

What genre/s do you write? Erotica, romance, paranormal, mystery, single title, short stories. Lately I’ve been fiddling with historical short stories. I have trouble staying in one genre because my muse doesn’t seem to work that way. I often dream my stories and I don’t think the guides that channel them know it’s better for an author’s career to stay in one genre.

Who are your favourite authors? Angela Knight, Gena Showalter, Anita Diamant, Linda Howard, Keri Arthur, Kandy Shepherd, Chris Stinson, Isolde Martyn, Jay Ford, Anna Campbell, Annie West.

What inspired you to write romance? I’ve always thought about writing it from the time I was a teenager and read my way through all the Mills and Boon I could get my hands on.

One of my life goals was to be published by Harlequin. I just had to wait until they became “hot” enough and I could keep my characters out of bed long enough to have a romance. Thank God for menopause because my characters hold out longer now.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? I really like Harlequin and I would also like to sell to Berkley as I love their books and many of their writers too.

I’ve just signed with The Lori Perkins Agency. I met my agent Marisa Corvisiero and Lori Perkins recently in the USA. I feel like I’m in the right place. I have a lot in common with Marisa. Lori also has a lot of experience with the “hot” markets.

Why did you write LOVE, LUST and LIES?
I was brought up and married into a large Italian family. Although it’s been a fantastic journey and I love all my in-laws, some of the conventions, particularly that it’s the women’s role to hold the family together, don’t sit well with me.

Men can do no wrong, with the exception of not working hard enough to provide for their family, in this culture. I wanted to explore the role of infidelity in my novel LOVE, LUST and LIES, so I turned convention on its head.

My heroine, Gabriella, throws her husband out when she finds out her husband has had an affair and she has a fantastic cougar affair of her own, except she has to confront her own culture and it’s a difficult life journey for her. It’s sexy, it’s funny but it’s also very real because the book takes readers on a journey of what it’s like to experience infidelity and how a lot more people other than the two protagonists, are affected.

Buy link here.

You mention in you bio that a writer can learn a lot about going to writing conferences. For you, what's the best thing about going to conference? I love catching up with my writer friends who I don’t see regularly.

Kandy Shepherd and I organized the last conference, which I really enjoyed. It was fascinating getting the single title publishers all together for the first time. I feel that writing markets in Australia are finally opening up for our members.
When I first joined Romance Writers of Australia there were only a few people published with Mills and Boon. I was in awe of them. Now I’m in awe of lots of authors and the list of people getting published is growing.

It is great to see our ranks growing, isn't it.
OK, Cathleen, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...my tenacity. My ability to get over rejection and move on. My ability to process the excellent advice of my writer’s group and make the needed changes. My dedication to writing so that I’m prepared to sit on my butt even though it is growing bigger and get the words down.
A sexy hero/heroine needs...a hero/heroine who can match him/her. And don’t forget a great body if it is the hero. A guy who knows how to put the heroine before himself even if she doesn’t want him to, especially when she doesn’t want him to. I love playing with power balances in a story.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...an ex commando and a book keeper acting out her "bad girl" fantasies.

When I write I like to...have the house to myself, be totally in the zone and have meditation rest stops. Make sure all my animals are fed because my chicken is very annoying when she is hungry.
My best writing milestone to date is...up to two thousand words in a school day when on deadline or when I’m obsessed with an idea.

 

Cathleen, thanks for taking the hot seat, and to your chicken for making a cameo appearance!

If anyone has any questions for either of them, feel free to post them in your comments. :-)

If you'd like to find out more about Cathleen, then visit her website.

Who's that girl? Interview - Erin Kuhne

Please say g'day to another RWAustralia member!

Name? Erin Kuhne writing under the name Erin O'Hara.

Where are you? Near Newcastle, NSW, Australia.

How many years have you been a member of RWAustralia? Two years.

What genre do you write? Romantic Suspense.

Who are your favourite authors? Stephanie Laurens, Anne Gracie, Susan Mallery, Jane Austen, Lee Child, Jennie Brumley.

What inspired you to write romance? I love reading romances and making up romantic stories.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? I would just love an agent and publisher and there are so many good ones. Anyone will do.

What's the best thing about going to conference? Meeting back up with the friends I make at each conference and laughing a lot with them.

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...my imagination.
A sexy hero...draws me like a magnet.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...a feud between two Italian families and, of course, the hero and heroine come from these families.
When I write I like to...let my imagination run wild.
My best writing milestone to date is...having my manuscript requested by Debra Dixon (still haven't heard anything though).

Erin, thanks for joining me today!

Who's that girl? Interview - Bec Skrabl

Moving around the countryside, we're headed south of the border into Victoria, Australia!

Name? Bec Skrabl.

Where are you? I live in country Victoria, about two hours from Melbourne and any decent bookstores. Thank Goodness for Rendezvous Romance Bookstore!

How many years have you been a member of RWOz? Two years. And it's been the best thing I've ever done.

What genre/s do you write? I switch between genres, but primarily paranormal and historical. Or a combination. (:

Who are your favourite authors? My absolute favourite author is Dorothy Dunnett of the Lymond chronicles (a perfect example of an author who's way smarter than me). I find it hard for a book to absorb me these days, because I'm constantly analysing it to work out what the author's done right, but Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook, Lilith Saintcrow, Linnea Sinclair and Nalini Singh are just a few of those who suck me in until I reach the end of the book and haven't earmarked a single page or made even one note!

What inspired you to write romance? As a kid I loved fairy tales (the old, darker style of Grimm’s or Hans Christian, which might explain a few things), and used to write endless stories about unicorns, sword-wielding princes and dragons. I started out reading epic fantasy when I was eight and Mum gave me the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series, but something was always missing. My favourite fantasy’s involved a strong romantic central storyline and one day I wandered into a different section of the bookstore…and found what I was looking for.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? ACE, Avon or Berkley.

What's the best thing about going to conference? This year was my first one and I loved every second of it. How do I sum up the best bits? Meeting friends I knew only via email, making new friends, meeting Nalini Singh (and sending a text to my boyfriend when she sat two seats up from me, "OMG, you will never guess who is sitting at my table!", to which he replied, “Don’t embarrass yourself.”).

Or maybe it was sitting down with people and having serious discussions about writing for hours on end, and having them understand what I was talking about. I don’t know, it’s too hard picking a favourite thing. Least favourite – having it all end for another year ):

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...definitely not plotting. Maybe world-building?
A sexy hero needs...a little bit of arrogance, a lot of respect for the heroine and a hint of vulnerability. A wicked smile doesn’t hurt either.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...a steam-fuelled Victorian London, with a heroine in hiding from the monster hunting her and a hero hiding from the monster within. (:
When I write I like to...drink copious amounts of tea and torture my stubborn alphas with strong-minded heroines who bring them to their knees!
My best writing milestone to date is...signing with Natalie Fischer at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency in April. I nearly choked on my toast when I got the email saying she loved my work!

Bec, thanks for sharing and it's been great having you!

TOPIC: Search for the Holy Grail...umm, Agent! (part 2)

Last post I asked the questions – Should you get an agent? Where do you start? How do you know if they’re reputable? Who do you aim for? What should you include in a query letter? Do you go snail mail or email?

Steps 1 & 2 were all about researching agents and making a prioritised list of your preferred agents. Let's move on.

Step 3 – Write a query letter and/or collate appropriate sample pages/partials as per the guidelines for each agent. Some will want only the query letter, some a QL and 5/10 pages of your work, some a QL & synopsis.

When you start this process only work on 5 submissions at a time. Too many and you run the risk of confusing specifics and there’s nothing more unprofessional than sending the wrong thing to your “dream” agent and it’s a sure way to be culled.

Check the guidelines. Double check. Then check again. How easy is it for an agent to disregard your query when you haven’t adhered to them?

*Some advice for query letters, no fluffy stuff. Agents don’t have time to read waffle, not with 50 to 100 queries a day (and that’s a conservative estimate, I’m sure). They want to know what your book is about, the conflict, the idea - think back cover blurb, and any relevant info about you. Keep it brief, no more than an A4 page. The details about characters and your more complete bio can come later once you’ve hooked them with your story.

Agent blogs sometimes address what makes a good query letter. Two blogs with good examples include BookEnds Literary Agency and Pub Rants by agent Kristen Nelson.

Step 4 – Keep track of your submissions. Whether you create a database on the computer or on paper you stick to your office wall, know who you sent a query to, when you sent it, what manuscript you pitched, the timeframe they suggest contacting them if you’ve haven’t heard from them, what response you got etc., any information that tracks your progress in your search for an agent.

Send out 5 queries at a time. As one comes back, send out another to the next agent on your list. And so on.

I highlighted any agent who sent back something more than a standard rejection eg. personal comments about the manuscript. It meant they were interested enough to take the time to do that, and they’re the ones to target with a new pitch and new manuscript next time. Just refresh their memory about your prior contact with them in any subsequent QL.

Step 5 – Celebrate your successes. When you get a request for a partial or full, pat yourself on the back, even if they’re eventually rejected. Share the good times with your friends. It keeps the batteries recharged and makes the slog worthwhile.

Also note down on your database the agents who requested partials or fulls – again they liked your voice enough to possibly request and read other work by you.

Just remember:

1. Aim high – agents can only say no, but they might also say “I'd like to officially offer you representation.”
2. Research your agents carefully – if they offer you representation you want to know you’re signing with someone you can work with.
3. Maintain a professional & polite attitude – rudeness will come back to bite you. If you end up with several agents requesting fulls have the courtesy to tell the others there are “X” number of agents also reading your work (no need to name them specifically). It lets them know others are interested.
4. Persevere – anyone with an agent will tell you they didn’t give up looking for one after getting a rejection or two.

Good luck in your hunt for an agent!

Who's that GUY? Interview - Kenneth Zak

A break from the ladies of RWA®, RWOz & RWNZ.

Today, please welcome my fellow Unsinkable "classmate" and the only man to be a 2010 Golden Heart® finalist.

Name? Kenneth Zak.

Where are you? San Diego, Californa, USA.

How many years have you been a member of RWA®? Just celebrated my 1 year anniversary. Where are my gifts? Everywhere.

What genre do you write? Novels with strong romantic elements (set around islands & water).

Who are your favourite authors? Garcia Marquez, Paulo Coelho, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Michael Ondaatje, Milan Kundera, Rumi, Pablo Neruda. 

Koh Chang, Thailand

What inspired you to write romance? Life.

What's the best thing about going to conference? So many wonderful storytellers gathered in one place.

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...wonder.    
A sexy hero/heroine needs...soul.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...a son discovering secrets of his late father's life, and his own, through his father's lovers.
When I write I like to...lose (and find) myself.
My best writing milestone to date is...my debut novel, THE POET'S SECRET, being a 2010 RWA Golden Heart® finalist.

Steps to Amoud

Thanks for answering my questions, Ken! Thank you for including me!

Click on the link if you'd like to visit Ken's website or feel free to "friend him" on Facebook (Kenneth Zak, San Diego).

TOPIC: Searching for the Holy Grail...umm, Agent! (part 1)

Back by popular demand - another post on finding an agent.

I’m sure we’ve all asked the questions – Should I get an agent? Where do I start? How do I know if they’re reputable? Who do I aim for? What should I include in a query letter? Do I go snail mail or email?

It seems a daunting process, and yes, hunting for an agent is time consuming. No bones about it, but I think you’ll find the end reward satisfying.

The first question to ask yourself is - do I need an agent? Consider this, agents have a better idea of the industry and contract law not to mention the contacts and knowledge of wheeling and dealing – so unless you’re prepared to learn the business side of representing yourself in detail then it’s probably a good idea to find one.

There are authors in our organization who don’t have an agent and deal with that side of the business themselves – the decision of “do I or don’t I?” really is a personal choice.

So, what’s next, if you do decide you need an agent?


Step 1 - Research. This is where the Internet comes in handy. Typing in a search for literary agents/agencies will get you a screed of sites to look through. Some are more helpful than others.

Personally, I found Agent Query excellent. Other sites you might like to browse include Absolute Write (www.absolutewrite.com) or Preditors & Editors. They’ll also give you information on whether they’re legitimate agents/agencies.

*Rule of thumb – agents never charge up front for their services. If you come across one that does, steer clear of them.

Alternatively, ask your critique groups or other writing friends about agents/agencies. Check out your favourite authors (the ones you most write like) and see if they have an acknowledgments page. They might thank their agent. It’s simply a matter of then searching for them on the internet.

Most agents & agencies these days have a website and they tell you the genres they do/don’t represent. They also have guidelines of what to send them and how they prefer it sent.

Step 2 - Make a list. Twenty’s a good number to start with. Once you’ve trawled through agent websites, pick the ones you most like/want/dream of representing you and prioritise them in order of personal preference.

Divide them into email and snail mail submissions. Obviously, email is going to be more cost effective for you and a lot of agents are now using this environmentally friendly method (it may not always be “quicker” in terms of a response but there is that slight advantage to email submissions).

This begs the question – do I target a big agency/agent or a small one? After asking some of my friends who have agents (yes, there’s networking for you), there are pluses to both.

The big name agent of a large agency will always be difficult to crack, their lists are usually full. That doesn’t mean you cross them off your preferred A list just because you’re a new up-and-coming author (case in point, Gracie O’Neil recently signed with Nephele Tempest and Bronwen Evans signed with Melissa Jeglinski, both from The Knight Agency). Don’t take it personally when they pass on your query. Move on to someone else.

Junior agents at large agencies could also be a great opportunity - they're learning from the best, and they have to build up their experience and contacts before they open lists of their own. Once they do then they’re going to be keen to build them. Larger agencies also have staff - they've got more time for tasks like doing their website, promotions etc. from which authors can benefit.

Smaller agencies are often run by an agent who used to work for a large agency before going out on his/her own. So it’s a matter of researching the agent's history to determine their level of experience. Newly formed or smaller agencies can be a good choice because the agent will be building up their client list and willing to take on new clients.

Whether you give preference to a big name agent/agency or a small one, what seems to matter is the agent's track record, reputation and resources; how well connected they are and what kind of experience they have etc. These are things to consider when deciding on your list.

Once you have an agent interested in signing with you then the all important compatibility factor comes into play - personal chemistry (in that initial phone call to discuss representation), the alignment of goals concerning your work, how you hope to operate within the parameters of the author/agent relationship etc.

Next post I'll look at query letters, formulating lists of agents and dealing with rejection.

Who's that girl? Interview - Serena Tatti

My next guest comes from Down Under and is last year's RWAustralia Lyn Wilding Meritorious Service Award winner. She also comes baring...umm, bearing a gift - a gorgeous hero from her current novel... :-)

Name? Serena Tatti

Where are you? Tullamarine, Victoria

How many years have you been a member of RWAustralia? I've been a member of Romance Writers of Australia for 13 years and it was RWAus that led me to the Melbourne Romance Writers Guild.

What genre do you write? Currently, I'm targetting Mills & Boon Sexy Sensation.

Who are your favourite authors? I mostly read category romance but, oooooh, where to begin! Maxine Sullivan, Fiona Lowe, Robyn Grady, Nicola Marsh.

What inspired you to write romance? I've always had a romantic streak and I believe in love. It seemed like a natural progression to write about it. If I could, I'd write legal thrillers like John Grisham, or fiction based on science fact - like Allan Eckert's The Hab Theory (one of my all-time favourite books!) -  but I find writing stories with yummy heroes, sympathetic heroines, emotional turmoil and happy-ever-after endings very satisfying.

Who's your dream publisher? It would have to be Mills & Boon/Harlequin. I've been reading most of their lines for, ahem, over thirty years.

What's the best thing about going to conference? Truthfully, I love catching up with friends and writers I've *met* online through the loops like ROMAUS. I also love doing the workshops - and no matter how much you know (or think you know) you can always learn something new. Nothing beats a lightbulb moment in a workshop!

Serena's vengeful hero

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...being able to see what is wrong with a manuscript - but it really only happens with someone else's story :)
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...a heroine whose family business is about to go under. Enter the hero to save the day, but his intentions aren't at all honorable. He's there for revenge.
When I write I like to...immerse myself in the story. I concetrate so completely that outside noises don't permeate and if you want me to reply to something, you really need to grab my attention first.
My best writing milestone to date is...having my manuscript held over for publication for the following year by Premium Press America...unfortunately they closed the romance line before my book was published :-( But on a positive note, they loved my book!

Serena, thanks for answering my questions! If anyone would like to know more about the Melbourne Romance Writers' Guild you can check out their website or their Facebook page.

Who's That Girl? Interview - Hope Ramsey

I have a real treat for you this week with a second guest author visit. Let's head across the Pacific and to the east coast of the USA.

Please welcome one of my "Unsinkable" sisters from 2010's RWA Golden Heart® contest.

Name? Hope Ramsay.

Where are you? Alexandria, Virginia (suburb of Washington, DC), USA.

How many years have you been a member of RWAmerica? I've been a member of Romance Writers of America for about 10 years.

What genre do you write? Contemporary Single Title.

Who are your favourite authors? This is a ridiculously hard question.  In romance, my faves are:
LaVryle Spence, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Jennifer Crusie.

I read widely in other genres.  I have other favorite authors, among them:  Ernest Hemmingway, T.H. White, Ursula LeGuin, Terry Goodkind, Sarah Douglass, and many, many others.

What inspired you to write romance? I've always loved books with strong romantic elements.  My first keeper book was JANE EYRE, even though I didn't realize it was a romance at the time.  I remember loving every single one of Leon Uris's novels, because they all had amazing (and usually tragic) love stories in them.  I don't think I read a book that was a "romance" per se until some time in the 1990s.  Then I was immediately hooked on the happy ever after endings.

I've always wanted to write novels.  So, of course, when I finally got around to actually doing it, I decided to write what I loved to read.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? My dream agent is my wonderful agent Elaine English, and I'm currently having a love affair with my publisher, Forever Romance.

What's the best thing about going to conference? I love going to romance conferences because it's a chance to meet up with friends who share a passion.  And also, writer friends are so simpatico.  They actually understand when you talk about the voices inside your head, instead of looking at you like you're an escapee from the funny farm.

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...my ability to craft complicated and somewhat quirky characters.
A sexy hero needs...to have a serious heart and look good in a pair of blue jeans. 
My latest WIP is...HOME AT LAST CHANCE, which will be in bookstores in the fall 2011.  This is a story about a good ol' boy NASCAR driver whose car has been painted pink in order to advertise disposable diapers.  The poor boy has to don a pink driver's suit every week with a snuggle bunny on the back.  The heroine in the story is the marketing genius from up North who wrote the memo that put him in a pink car. 
When I write I like to...listen to music.
I have a playlist for every one of my books that usually includes a touchstone song that gave me the initial idea for the book.  In the case of HOME AT LAST CHANCE, the touchstone song is "From Good to Bad to Worse to Gone" by Ricochet.  For WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE, which will be in bookstores on March 1, 2011, the touchstone song is "God Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts.  As you can see I'm a big fan of country music.
My best writing milestone to date is...selling a four book series to Grand Central Publishing -- Forever Romance.  The series focuses on the small town of Last Chance, South Carolina and features the children of Elbert and Ruby Rhodes.  The first book in the series, WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE will be available in stores in US on March 1, 2011.  Here's the back cover blurb:

Dear Reader,


Yes, our town is way off the beaten path, but strange, wonderful miracles happen a lot around here.

 

I've owned the Cut 'n Curl beauty shop for years, and I've seen folks come for a visit, then stay for a lifetime. Take Jane-that pretty firecracker of a girl who just arrived in town. I would swear she's running from something. She came with only five dollars in her pocket but she's worked real hard to make a fresh start. She's turned my son Clay's life upside down without even realizing it. 


And thank goodness for that! Ever since Clay left his country western band, he's played everything too safe. He needs to take a chance on Jane. Besides, the more he tries to keep his distance, the more he'll realize that he and Jane are singing the same tune.



But I should quit ramblin' and go check on Millie's permanent wave. Next time you're in Last Chance, be sure to swing by. We've got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town.



See you real soon,


Ruby Rhodes

Click here to read an excerpt from this book.

Hope, thanks for joining me today. For anyone interested you can find Hope and other information about her on her website and Facebook author page.
She also posts regularly at The Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood blog.

Who's that girl? Interview - Vanessa Barneveld

Today, our guest in the hot seat comes from the Giant Coathanger city!

Name? Vanessa Barneveld.

Where are you? Sydney, NSW.

How many years have you been a member of RWOz? About 13 years.

What genre do you write? Young Adult.

Who are your favourite authors? I'm one of those people who has way too many favourites. I love Meg Cabot, Tina Ferraro, Anna Godbersen, Linda Howard, Julia Quinn...the rest of my list could fill cyberspace.

What inspired you to write romance? I grew up reading romances, from Sweet Valley High to Harlequins to sagas. In high school, I had good teachers who encouraged me to write, and I began by writing about what I knew best--romance. (Or the lack thereof at the time...)

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? My dream agent is my own--Robin Rue of Writers House. She has a dream assistant, too, who's excellent to work with.

What's the best thing about going to conference? The energy! It's wonderful to catch up with friends and be inspired by speakers and Call stories. I usually come home feeling like I could write a bestseller!

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...new ideas come to me all the time. I'm not saying any of them are good ideas, though.
A sexy heroine needs...guts. Which sounds soooo not sexy, but I mean I like a courageous heroine.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...superhero cheerleaders from outerspace who "borrow" a ship and crash-land on Earth. I've tossed this idea around in my head for the past year. By the time you read this, if I've been a good NaNoWriMo participant, it should be complete. Fingers crossed!
When I write I like to...be pushed around by my characters. If I feel like they're calling the shots, then the story comes alive for me and it's not so much of a hard slog.
My best writing milestone to date is...finishing my first book in 2004 will always be the most memorable milestone. It was a terrible first book, but the act of completing it meant I could truly call myself a real writer. And also being a finalist in the Golden Heart® two years in a row was pretty special, too!

Thanks for taking the chair, Vanessa!

Interested in knowing more about her, then check out her website. Vanessa also contributes posts to the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood blog (the Golden Heart® finalists of 2009).

Who's that girl? Interview - Jess Anastasi

Another southerner graces us with her presence today - no, not from the USA, but from one of the southern states of Australia!

Name? Jess Anastasi.

Where are you? Central Victoria, Australia.

How many years have you been a member of RWOz? Around 7? I think. I can't actually remember which year I joined, LOL.

What genre/s do you write? The question is, what genre haven't I tried to write?

I started out wanting to be a regency author, then I moved onto paranormal romance, then tried my hand at romantic suspense, then had another go at paranormal and finally ended up writing sci-fi romance, kind of. 

Who are your favourite authors? Suznanne Brockmann, easily my fav. I used to like Sherrilyn Kenyon, but her Dark-Hunter/Dream-Hunter/Were-Hunter series just confused me in the end, so I gave up after I read ACHERON.

I LOVE Linnea Sinclair, she is brilliant. Also, JR Ward's Blackdagger Brotherhood series is awesome...I could go on, but we'd end up here all day.

What inspired you to write romance? The first romance I ever read was one by Judy Garwood, HONOR'S SPLENDOR. I already had some idea I wanted to be a writer, but after I started reading romances, I knew it was what I had to do. I just loved the exploring the developing relationships and complexities of people in love. 

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? Jessica Faust (from BookEnds LLC) is my number one dream agent, I've been stalking (ahem, I mean following at an entirely sane distance) her for years, but no luck yet.

In my top ten I also have Kristen Nelson or Sara Megibow (of the Nelson Literary Agency), or Laura Bradford (from the Bradford Literary Agency), and have recently added Suzi Townsend at Fineprint Lit.

I'm not fussy, I'LL TAKE ANYONE! No, I'm not that desperate. I really would like to have an agent though (hear that, agent-gods, I'm praying really hard here!). As for a dream publisher, I'm not as specific. I'd just like to have something contracted with one of the major publishing houses. 

What's the best thing about going to conference? I don't know, I haven't made one yet! I fully plan to get to Melbourne 2011, though. I imagine there are lots of great, fun things about going to a conference. No kids. No husband. Cocktails...what? Oh, you mean in terms of writing. Well, I'm sure the workshops and stuff are good...

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...ergh, really? Um, OK, I'll say I don't really do a first 'rough' draft. I tend to edit heavily as I go, because I hate the idea of facing an entire manuscript worth of editing all at once. So I like to get it as close to polished while I'm writing it, so it only needs basic adjustments at the end.
A sexy hero needs...to be totally ripped, intelligent and caring at heart, but tough on the outside. And maybe be in possession of a really big gun...now you're asking yourself which way I intended that 'big gun' bit, aren't you? I'll leave it up to your imagination!
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...SEVERANCE, the second book in the Sanctuary series, Alastor and Nakita's story.
When I write I like to...EAT! Seriously, every time I sit down at the computer, I get a major case of the munchies. In fact, I'm eating while I write this. I don't know how I don't weigh like 100kg.
My best writing milestone to date is...getting published! Easily best. No, maybe getting my first book cover was. I don't know, it's all pretty good really!

Jess, it's been great having you here!
Thanks, Kylie. 

SEVERANCE (Book 2 in the Sanctuary series) is available on February 14th, 2011 from Noble Romance Publishing.

Nakita Branson made a deal with a demon to rescue her best friend. But when things don't go the demon's way, he dumps her off on a derelict spacestation with no money and no way of getting home.
 
A year later, Nakita is still searching for her friend, but finds trouble instead. And the only thing worse than the possibility of getting killed by a fanatical jerk? A familiar green-eyed demon turning up just in time to save her.

Alastor is back with news that the contract they agreed to is still intact and until he can find a way to break it, he is compelled to protect her.

The last thing Nakita wants to do is go anywhere with the demon who has a history of screwing her over. Not only that, but when he looks at her with that emerald gaze, intense enough to burn, she feels something she shouldn't for the gorgeous demon.

With the demon monarchy in chaos and enemies all over the universe, they are forced to rely on each other while unraveling the mystery of two sacred relics, and the contract that still binds them.
But, by the time Alastor and Nakita find a way to sever their deal, the idea of being apart may no longer be what either of them wants.

For a sneak peak at an excerpt from SEVERANCE click here.

Jess's other books:

Click here to read the blurb and excerpt for DEAD REALITY.

Book 1 (Sanctuary series)

Click here to read the blurb and excerpt for SANCTUARY (Book 1 in the Sanctuary series).

For more information about Jess, check out her website or her blog.