Romantically Yours

Issue #13
January, 2006

Dear Romance Writer:

It’s a brand-new year, and already shaping up to be an exciting one. Make this the year your publishing dreams come true.

If you visualize it, it will happen. Writing takes both perseverance and discipline. Set aside at least one hour a day to write. If you complete just one page, by the end of the year you will have finished your novel. Close that door and let the answering machine pick up those interrupting phone calls. Place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your office door or cubbyhole and focus. Let your muse take over. Write, write, write!

Goal setting is also important. Make it a point to send out at least five queries to agents and editors per month. Follow up when partial manuscripts are requested. With each query, you are one step closer to being published.

It’s been one full year since Romantically Yours first went to press. Without you, we would not be where we are today. We have many exciting events planned. First up, our online pre-Valentine’s Day soiree. Join us online on February 12th for a fun day of contests, drawings, and chats. This is your opportunity to win chocolates, autographed books, and critiques by your favorite authors. And we have many, many more exciting events planned. We’ll be giving you all the details right here.

So let’s keep those creative juices flowing and put the fun back into writing. Remember ...  editors are waiting to read those heartwarming stories only you can write. Make 2006 your best year ever.

Romantically yours,

Marcia King-Gamble
Editor of Romantically Yours

P.S. Curl up with a copy of my February release Designed for You. Read the four-star review in Romantic Times Book Club. Go to: www.romantictimes.com



TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Tax season can be both welcomed and dreaded. Welcomed if you are expecting a nice fat return, and dreaded if you have to pay out. As a writer you are entitled to deductions you may not be aware of.

I hope the following tips are useful to you.



Tax Tips for the (Published or Unpublished) Writer
By Marcia King-Gamble

Let me preface this by saying I am not an accountant. Nor do I have the desire to be one. I am one of those right-brained types challenged by the idea of balancing my checkbook. That said - I do hope the following tips will be helpful to you.

Did you know that even if you haven’t yet sold a book, you can deduct the following?

  • General supplies, such as paper, pens, paperclips, etc.
  • Stamps and envelopes used to mail query letters, partials, etc.
  • Books - purchased both for your reading pleasure and for research
  • Computers, printers, etc.
  • Travel expenses associated with conferences
  • Expenses associated with researching the setting of your book (Hotel, airfare, and meals are deductible.)
  • Tuition for workshops or courses to advance your writing career
  • Textbooks associated with the above endeavor
  • Any online expenses, such as connection fees, monthly charges, etc.
  • Magazine subscriptions, phone calls to editors and/or fellow writers that are of a business nature

Of course, you should consult your accountant or CPA. There may be even more deductions that you can legitimately take. And a nice refund can help advance your writing career.

Links you should be familiar with:

Tax info
http://www.foolscap-quill.com/badurl.html
http://www.forwriters.com/taxes.html

Money Info

http://www.realrates.com/authors/
http://www.ethanellenberg.com/royalties.htm

Grammar Info
http://www.grammarnow.com
http://ca.encarta.msn.com/quiz_51/Are_You_Grammatically_Incorrect.html



HAPPENINGS:

Mark your calendar for these upcoming noteworthy events:

2006 A Romance Odyssey
Writers Conference
At the DoubleTree Oceanfront in Cocoa Beach, Florida
February 3-5, 2006
Featured speakers include:
Rachel Gibson & Madeline Hunter
www.authorsofromance.com

Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention
Hilton Hotel Resort
Daytona Beach, Florida
May 16-20, 2006
www.romantictimes.com

Book Exposition America (BEA)
Washington Convention Center
Washington, D. C.
May 19-21
www.bookexpoamerica.com

Romance Writers of America National Conference
Atlanta, Georgia
Members and non-members welcome
Participate in the workshops,lLiteracy book signing, and Golden Heart Awards
July 26-29, 2006
www.rwanational.org/conference/conference.htm



Now, let’s get on with this month’s interview. Stella Cameron is a New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Booklist best-seller. This talented author was born and raised in Dorset, England, and now calls Seattle home. She has won multiple awards in her genre, plus she is one of the classiest and most gracious authors I know.
Stella has won the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense and the Romantic Time best Romantic Suspense of the Year Award. She has been a RITA finalist, and is the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association Achievement Award for distinguished professional achievement and for enhancing the stature of the Northwest literary community.
For more about Stella, please log on to: www.stellacameron.com



INTERVIEW WITH STELLA CAMERON

RY: You’ve written over 60 historical and contemporary novels and have won many awards. Lately, the focus seems to be on romantic suspense. Can you tell our members why romantic suspense?

SC: Suspense/thrillers excite me as a writer and as a reader. I’ve been curling up with mysteries for a long time. Those who know me well would say I simply follow a natural inclination toward skullduggery. Although I hope to write more historical stories, for the present I’m concentrating on contemporary tales.

RY: One of my favorite reads of yours is Tell Me Why. I loved the Seattle setting and I thought the ex-football star, Max, was to die for. Can you tell us what you are currently working on? Are there more Max’s in the future?

SC: "Body of Evidence", set in Pointe Judah, Louisiana, is about to come out (Feb. 28). This is an edge-of-the-seat story about a women’s pleasure club, a former marine who has come to the wrong place to look for peace, the woman he doesn’t dare to love, and the deadly havoc that jealousy may wreak. Currently, I’m working on "A Marked Man", another Bayou Book set in Toussaint, Louisiana. In this story, a reconstructive surgeon with a dark past and the new manager of “Pappy’s Dance Hall” deal with a serial killer who spreads terror through the town.

RY: I’ve also noticed many of your stories seem to be set in Louisiana or Seattle. Both are lovely areas, although very different. Why those two locations?

SC: Louisiana is a natural setting for me. I believe setting is an actual character in any story. As readers, we want the places we read about to be familiar and real. Louisiana (and the whole Gulf Coast) has suffered horribly this last year. But its magic is alive and well – and keeping it real in my books is part of my mission. Seattle is a lovely place – and I write that when it’s been raining for 30 days straight! Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find here. Writing about the place you call home is comfortable, and that’s why I occasionally bring a story to the northwest.

RY: You’ve joined the ranks of the bloggers. Can you tell our membership a bit about blogging ... and why this means of communication seems to be a hit with fans?

SC: www.runningwithquills.com is our place! With Suzanne Simmons, Jayne Ann Krentz, Elizabeth Lowell, and regular “mystery” bloggers, I think of the blog as our second home. The topics are wide, the tone full of energy and fun. I don’t just like writing for the blog, I love reading each blog that appears. Soon the unthinkable will happen: Readers will see inside my office – the real place, the room where I have broken three toes on what I lovingly call “Stella Stacks.” (Piles of junk on the floor might be a more honest description.)

RY: You probably get asked this question often, but I’ll ask it again. What is it that drew you to the business of writing? And what keeps you writing?

SC: We don’t control much in life – but for those of us who write, we have a place to go where we call the shots. That’s it for me, I think – the joy of knowing I can disappear into a story whenever I please. I can’t imagine not writing.

RY: How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

SC: Visualize a big smile here! I see stories everywhere. Sometimes, that’s a nuisance because it makes concentrating on reality really hard. A fleeting incident, the way someone looks at another person, a smell that reminds me of a situation ... Stories are everywhere.

RY: Please describe a typical day in the life of Stella Cameron.

SC: Oh, dear. This is always difficult for me, because I’m told my typical days sound strange. I start writing between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 in the morning. About an hour before that, I work out (hating every moment) and eat a meal. Usually, I work until late morning. Then I sleep. Once I’m up again, I deal with the business of writing, enjoy my husband and family, and spend a lot of time with my cat and dogs. I read each day, have a couple of favorite TV shows, and love live theater. My schedule makes a lot of activities hard.

RY: Writing, especially when faced with a tight deadline, can be hard work. What keeps you motivated and fresh?

SC: Fear! I absolutely cannot stand the idea of being late with a book, and so I make sure I stick to schedules. As I get toward the end of a book, I just about live in my office.

RY: You’ve always given back to the writing world. You teach online classes and are one of the most approachable people I know. What advice do you have for those afflicted with the writing bug?

SC: Be very, very grateful. Write every day because, like any other skill, writing takes practice and constant learning. Don’t get hung up on one story, but think about “the stories” you’re going to tell. Above all, have fun when you write.

RY: And, finally, what’s the five-year plan for Stella Cameron – both personally and professionally?

SC: Living in the future seems dangerous to me – and like a prescription for tension and potential unhappiness in the one time we know we have: Now. My husband and children – and my friends – mean everything to me. I want them to be blessed. As trite as it sounds, I see so much wonder in the world ... and I won’t stop hoping we can somehow find more peace. It’s impossible for me to change everything, but I want to keep on doing my bit, especially for the animals. If you visit me, you’ll quickly see who runs the show around here. Two-legged creatures need not apply!

Professionally, I intend to keep on writing. I have four stories planned and several times that many popping around, waiting for a chance to be told. Writers and readers are my favorite people. Hanging around with them is about as good as it gets.



WHO’S ACQUIRING:

Avalon Books:
Accepting submissions for Romantic Comedy. Word Count 40,000-70,000. Query with a two- to three-page synopsis and first three manuscript chapters required.

Avon Books:
Seeking Historical and Contemporary Romances featuring dark heroes. Also looking for new mainstream voices. High concept romantic suspense and chic-lit sought, as are vampire, werewolf, and witch stories, plus contemporary ethnic fiction. Manuscripts must be 100,000 words in length.

Barbour Publishing Inc. and Heartsong Presents:
Looking for Inspirational Romances. Cultural diversity is desired. Traditional Prairie Romances are also welcomed.

Dorchester Publishing:
Seeking Historical, Time Travel, Futuristic, Paranormal, and Romantic Suspense.

Ellora’s Cave:
Accepting all Erotic Romance genres with Female Dominance. Vampire/Shapeshifters, Futuristic, and Bondage/Male Dominance welcome. Looking for Gay and Lesbian stories. Minimum word length 20,000.

Harlequin:
African-American Line
Looking for Series Romance manuscripts, 70,000-75,000 words, for the new Kimani line, as well as girlfriend stories with hip humor and stories with family melodrama.

Next:
Seeking stories encompassing all the stages of a woman’s life. Romance should be “a piece of the pie” but not the whole enchilada. 75,000-80,000 words.

Kensington Publishing:
Seeking Erotic Romances for the Brava Line. Very sexually explicit. 80,000 words for novels and 20,000 for novellas. Also looking for Latina fiction. Must be edgy and cutting-edge.

Red Sage Publishing:
The new “Torn Between Two Lovers’” line seeks stories with word count between 35,000 and 45,000. Heroine must be torn between two men.

St. Martin’s Press:
Looking for Scottish Historicals, Medievals, and Regencies. Sexy Paranormals and Contemporary Romantic Comedies welcome. 90,000-120,000 words.



COMING NEXT MONTH:

We have a very special Valentine’s edition. Stay tuned.



ABOUT ROMANTICALLY YOURS

Romantically Yours is a FREE monthly newsletter for students of American Writers & Artists Inc.'s Romance Writing Course - "Writing for Love and Money."

We want to hear from you. Please send comments, news, research, or story ideas directly to Marcia King-Gamble at romanticallyyours@awaionline.com.

American Writers & Artists Inc.
245 NE 4th Ave., Ste 102
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Phone (561) 278-5557
Fax (561) 278-5929
memberservices@awaionline.com



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© 2006 American Writers & Artists Inc.