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Things That Make Me Go Mmmruh!

April 8, 2012 by in category Columns tagged as
If a Blog Fell in the Forest…
“Just as long as we have we!” – Dr. Seuss and Albert Hague
In OCC lurks great power, but we do not harness it, nor do we wield it.
We have 175 members, 110 published authors, and myriad experts on everything from computer technostuff to cover design to contracts to self-publishing. And what makes the whole of OCC so much stronger than the sum of these amazing parts? Our interconnectedness, our willingness to share and communicate. So…our A Slice of Orange Blog should rock much more than it does.
We have the power to make A Slice of Orange grow into a cornucopia of talent, resource, tidbits, and discussion that romance readers and writers will consume voraciously. But when many of our published authors have a book coming out, they guest blog somewhere else. And many of our experts have their own blogs, and they ask OCC members to go there to read a good blog. Can we bring some of this love home to OCC? I think we can, and when we do, A Slice of Orange will be so much mightier than the sum of its parts.
-If you have your own blog, perhaps you can pick a blog day on A Slice of Orange (Marianne Donley has the master list of available blog dates mariannedonley@gmail.com). Then, on that day, on your own blog, instead of blogging, you can have a link to A Slice of Orange where your blog will appear that day.
-If you are a published author, you can blog about your upcoming book and add charming stories. Check out Jina Bacarr’s recent Titanic blogs.
-You can feature your upcoming book and add tidbits from your personal life. Check out Janet Cornelow’s latest blog. That is the kind of stuff reader’s LOVE! To feel they KNOW an author!
-Linda O. Johnston and Monica Stoner provide insight into the life of a writer – pure gold to fledgling writers tying to get to know the biz.
-Rebecca Forster’s recent blog on characters and Barb DeLong’s conversations with Jann Audiss offer such fodder for readers and writers alike to talk about the things readers and writers love to discuss!
-Louisa Bacio’s and Kitty Bucholtz’s blogs are always choc full of info info info about everything that a writer would want to know about. Calls for Submissions, details about self publishing, reading recommendations and more and more and more…
We need more participation to make A Slice of Orange as strong as it has the potential to be. And not just writing the blogs. Do you read the blogs? Comment! Check those boxes at the bottom if you found it interesting or funny or cool or great! Do you write blogs? Comment back – get discussions going. I think it would be great if the commenters even got into discussions with each other. For instance, today Laura Drake posted a link to a great blog by Larry Brooks, Storyfix. I looked 10 minutes ago, and he had 44 comments – I want that kind of interaction on A Slice of Orange!
Are you too busy to blog? You can pitch in by reading the blogs, checking the boxes, and commenting! We can all share and build our collective strength.
Why would this be such a great thing?
-A popular blog home base where you can publicize an upcoming release could be very useful – so the bigger our readership, the better.
-If you are self published and you blog about your book on our widely read blog, the more books you will sell.
-If you are not yet published, you can fortify your profile as a potential author who can sell her or his name by showing that you are a regular blogger on a popular blog.
-If you write your own blog, having it linked to such a strong hub can only increase your readership.
-If you are writer who feels unconnected, isolated or clueless, you can tune in to read about and chat with writers who love to share.
-If you are a reader, you can peek inside the world you love so much and get a heads up about what books are coming soon from some of your favorite authors. Or you might discover new favorites.
-Anyone in OCC can blog. Send Marianne Donley a request.
-Everyone in OCC and beyond can read and comment and discuss. But it has to start with us.
We need more OCC members writing, reading, commenting, commenting back, commenting back and forth, and telling others about our blogs in order to drive A Slice of Orange to its fierce destiny!
And even though many blogs are up for only a day before the next blog goes up, remember, the blogs don’t go anywhere! You just have to scroll down and you can keep the conversation going. For my Davy Jones blog, I was commenting back and forth for 4 days, even though Kitty’s blog posted above mine on day 2. And yes, I shamelessly asked some of you to read my blog and please comment so I could light a fire under my blog, and this flurry of comments brought in 8 unsolicited comments – but I want us all to have more than 8 every time! If we check in on the blogs and scroll through and comment and keep checking and commenting back, we can really get something going.
In OCC beats the power of its incredible membership. We need to harness and wield this power for the good of our careers. Unleashing such power will also enhance the vivacity and might of the romance community of readers and writers. And gleaning power from love and from loving what we do is good for everyone.
Mmmrh!
Please, let’s discuss. Let’s make this happen. All comments, pros and cons, will be welcomed, considered and discussed! And I hope we all discuss: commenters with me and commenters with other commenters.
Where better to discuss blogging than in a blog?
-Geralyn Ruane
To check out Geralyn’s other OCC posts:
Ger’s Things That Make Me Go Mmmruh column

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Career Milestones

April 6, 2012 by in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as , , ,

By Linda O Johnston


Every author’s writing career is different. We all share one thing in common, though. We remember our milestones.

Maybe we don’t recall exactly when each occurred, but we think about the time that we stopped telling ourselves we would like to write and instead actually began writing. We think about the first time we finished a chapter. And then a whole manuscript.

If we’re lucky enough to pursue our careers and succeed, we also recall our first publications. Our first agent. Whatever other things were meaningful to who and what we are as writers.

I’m bringing this up because I have just reached a couple of milestones. First, my new release HOUNDS ABOUND, my third Pet Rescue Mystery for Berkley Prime Crime, is my thirtieth published novel.

I also was recognized in a Harlequin newsletter for having published my fifteenth Harlequin story. They count novellas in that, so my Nocturne Bites were included, although I hadn’t added them to my novel count. I’m delighted about that, too!

I do recall some of those earlier milestones as well. I’d tried my hand at writing before but had stopped while going to law school. Even so, I kept telling my husband I wanted to write again. He finally said, “Well, write, then,” and I did–and kept going.

Of course I recall my first published fiction–a short story in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. I’d have remembered it anyway, but it was especially exciting since it also won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for best first mystery short story of the year. Plus, it was published again in an anthology.

Then there was my first published novel, A GLIMPSE OF FOREVER–a time travel romance published by Dorchester. I’ve been really sorry to hear of that company’s recent struggles.

I remember signing with my first agent, and then with the one I’ve been with for many years and adore. I recall my first Harlequin sale, my first mystery sale, and more. It’s always so much fun to revisit those times!

How about you? What are your favorite writing milestones?

Linda O Johnston’s Pet Rescue Mysteries, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, feature Lauren Vancouver, a determined pet rescuer who runs a no-kill shelter. Of course, in this cozy mystery series, “no-kill” refers to the animals, not people! Her most recent Pet Rescue Mystery is  HOUNDS ABOUND , an April 2012 release.

Visit Linda at www.LindaOJohnston.com  or KillerHobbies.blogspot.com



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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

March 28, 2012 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,

Dressed For Dying is now up at Kindle and Nook with a new cover done by Lex Valentine, an OCC member. Sean Madigan, a reporter in 1892 New York City, is after his first big murder story, a story that could make his career. Entangled in the story are the sweatshops where his sweetheart works. His chasing the story puts her in danger and he must keep her safe and get the story. Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/Dressed-For-Dying-ebook/dp/B007HQQC1G/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331254339&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Nook – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dressed-for-dying-janet-quinn/1015825272?ean=2940013923188&itm=1&usri=dressed+for+dying

I am now two-thirds of the way through my new western time-travel titled A Chance for Love. Even with all of the classes I am teaching, I am finding time every week to work on the book. I hope to have the first draft done by the end of May.

This will be my granddaughter’s first Easter and I am going to buy her an Easter dress. This is the first little girl’s Easter dress I have ever gotten to buy. The boys were not really into Easter dresses. We are going out to dinner that night I am going to make sure she wears the dress. It is a great night to go out to eat since most everyone stays home.

Since my oldest son decided to put a new roof on the house and the leak in the bathroom roof is now fixed, I am redoing my front bathroom. My youngest, Rob, and I are going out on Thursday to pick out new tile for around the bathtub. It is so much fun to redecorate.

I am finding it hard to sit down and write now that the sun is out and it is warm. I think I’d rather be doing almost anything else. I’m waiting for Rob and his wife to come by with a recording of the baby’s heart beat. It is pretty cool that they can record it.

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The Writing Life and More!

March 6, 2012 by in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston, Writing tagged as , , ,

I used to believe that writers just wrote. And then I really became one.

That’s when I found out that there’s a lot more to writing than just sitting at a computer and composing a story, then, hopefully, selling it.

The writing life, when you’re not writing, can even be fun and exciting. How? Because of all the events relating to it.

First of all, there are meetings of local writing organizations. As you know, this year I’m co-coordinator of OCC’s morning Published Authors Workshop, along with Charlotte Lobb. That means attending as many monthly OCC meetings as possible. I also attend meetings of other local chapters of writing organizations such as the Los Angeles Romance Authors, Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Then there are other library events. This month, I’ll be on a mystery panel at the Ojai Library. Next month, I’ll be appearing as part of the Fresno Library’s Big Read event about Jack London’s CALL OF THE WILD–and will be speaking to the local Sisters in Crime chapter. This is a result of my writing so much about animals, both in my Harlequin Nocturnes about shapeshifters and my Pet Rescue Mysteries.

Other kinds of book events include the very first LitFest Pasadena on St. Patrick’s day this month. Yes, I’ll be there, signing at the Book ‘Em Mysteries booth. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on occurs in April and I’ll be signing at several booths there, too.

Conferences? Yes! How about Malice Domestic, in Bethesda, MD–followed by the Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, PA? And of course there’s the Romance Writers of America National Conference at the end of July. Among other things I’m looking forward to there, I’ll be on a panel there about How to Sell a Series You’re Passionate About. There are other conferences I’m interested in but can’t attend because of time–a lot of them!

Am I done yet? Not quite! World Book Night is April 23, and I’ll be giving away copies of Sue Grafton’s Q IS FOR QUARRY.

And I haven’t listed all my upcoming blogs and guest blogs. In addition, I belong to a critique group which is always a fun get-together nearly every week to discuss family, events in our lives and, yes, critique each other’s writing. Plus, there are other things that’ll be happening but aren’t yet for publication.

So… writing isn’t all there is to the writing life, is it?

How about you–what events and meetings are you attending that fit along with your writing?


Linda O Johnston’s Pet Rescue Mysteries, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, feature Lauren Vancouver, a determined pet rescuer who runs a no-kill shelter. Of course, in this cozy mystery series, “no-kill” refers to the animals, not people! Her most recent Pet Rescue Mystery is   THE MORE THE TERRIER , and next will be  HOUNDS ABOUND , an April 2012 release.

Visit Linda at www.LindaOJohnston.com  or KillerHobbies.blogspot.com



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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

February 28, 2012 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,


Writer’s block.

That is what I have been suffering from for the last three days while I tried to figure out what I was going to blog on. I still do not really have a topic. I think I have graded too many not so good essays for the classes I teach. It seems to be affecting my mind.

I have been doing well on my new book, A Chance For Love, which is a western time travel. I am over half way done, and when I have time to write, it is just flowing right along. I like books that know where they are going. The fantasy story I started last year is still stuck – more writer’s block.

I have the rights back as of Saturday to Dressed for Dying, my one mystery book. I forgot to order a new cover for it, so it probably will not go up at Kindle until the end of next week. I was bad about keeping track of when the rights came back to me. I have to do better on the next one.

I have spent part of the afternoon formatting Dressed for Dying to go up on Kindle and Nook. It isn’t difficult, but it is boring. I kept forgetting where I was, so I decided to blog instead. I can at least have the book ready to go when I do get the cover from Lex Valentine.

My big news is that I am going to be a grandmother again. For those who know my youngest son Robby, he is going to be a father in late September. They don’t know the sex yet, but they did get to hear the heart beat today, so they were excited.

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