The last day of summer vacation

And I'm a little sad. The kids and I always have a great time over the summer, and I wish they had a little more time at home. The past couple of weeks have been spent researching birds, visiting pet stores for hours on end as we search for our new pet. After a lot of deliberation, it looks like we'll be getting a cockatiel next month. Now I just hope the bird can get along with our dog. Lis

I'm Back...

From vacation and I'm missing it already. Now it's time to dive back into writing full time. I have my September projects lined up--trying to get a few loose ends tied up so I can work on something completely new in October. Lis

Rejection and Breeding Negativity

Writing is a tough business. Rejections are part of the game. They're not always nice. Sometimes they sting, sometimes they're insulting, and sometimes they can make us want to give up. Growing a thick skin is a must--if you don't, you're going to get hurt. It's tough, but you have to learn not to take rejection personally. The agent/editor in most cases has never met you. They aren't rejecting you. They're rejecting one particular project they don't feel is right for them for any number of reasons. But you have to learn not to dwell on them. Personal rejections can be difficult to accept, but keep in mind it's just one person's opinion. I like to think of them as a critique, of sorts. If I agree with the assessment made, I change what needs to be fixed in my manuscript. If I don't agree, I don't make the changes and realize that, for whatever reason, my writing doesn't appeal to that one particular person. If I receive a few rejections that state the same thing, I know I need to take a second look at my writing and fix whatever problem they're finding. If you're submitting a lot, you're bound to get a lot of rejections. Think of it as going for a job interview. For every open spot, there are hundreds of applicants. Your work may have been terrific, but someone else's fit perfectly with what the editor was looking for. So we have to just keep applying, knowing that someday we'll find an agent or a publishing house that's a perfect fit. It's when we let the rejections get to us that the problems start. Negativity can be crippling to a writer's career, and it's also contagious. Writers' groups are wonderful places to vent about the downsides of the business, but it's easy to get carried away. Too much venting without any positive comments can be harmful not just to the one venting, but to the entire group. If nothing positive is being said, odds are no one is getting much work done. We're in this together. We need to support each other through the good times as well as the bad, but when negativity takes hold the good news tends to get lost in the shuffle. Then the jealousy can start, and that's never a good thing. I've seen more than a few writers' groups fall apart that way. Remember this: You wouldn't be writing if you didn't think you had a chance at publication. When you get a rejection, don't question that you aren't good enough. The book market is very competetive and there aren't enough slots for everyone at once. Be patient, keep trying, and remember that positive thinking breeds more positive thinking. I'm off on vacation for the next week, so there won't be any new posts until I get back. Have a great week everyone! Lis:)

Great review for Nothing Personal

Thanks to Glenda K. Bauerle of The Romance Studio!! Here's a little sample of the review: "A delightful older woman younger man story and well written with all the misgivings and feelings of uncertainty one might imagine having in the same situation. Definitely a recommended read for all those romantics enjoying a good relationship story." Rated 4 hearts Read the rest of the review here. Lis

Two more days until vacation!

I can't wait. Sitting on a private beach on the lake all day, relaxing on an island with dirt roads where people drive golf carts around more than cars. Taking long walks with the kids and just enjoying the peace and quiet. I'm not going to be working. Well, not much. I'm bringing the laptop, but I have some critiques I promised one of my critique partners I'd work on for her. Other than that, it's all about the relaxing. This weekend is pretty much total chaos in preparation, though. Shoe shopping for my daughter this morning, lunch with my mother, putting the finishing touches on DI, a cover art request, and the first round of edits for Tarnished. I'm sure there's more, I just don't have my list in front of me right now. Usually I thrive on chaos, so this is a good thing. Between writing full time, housework, grocery shopping, and the kids' activities (which this fall will be Monday-Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings) I'm continually being pulled in all directions. A little craziness is never a bad thing, though. Writing-wise, it looks like Night Creatures might be released from Changeling Press in September. I'll know more after my vacation. I'm going to try to post again before I leave, but if I don't, have a great week everyone! Lis

What I'm reading, what I'm writing, and my interview with Rayka Mennen (In other words, random thoughts tossed together in one post )

I just finished For Love or Honor by Melissa Schroeder. Short, but a very enjoyable read. Now it's on to Blind Alley by Iris Johansen. I always like her work. She has a tight, clean writing style I'm in awe of. Suspense is one of my favorite genres to read. I'm looking for a few new suspense books. Any suggestions? What are some of your favorites? Writing-wise, I'm putting the finishing touches on DI before moving on to the finishing touches of DBM. After that...well, I haven't decided yet. I have a few different things that are begging to be written, so I guess it depends on which characters scream the loudest. Here's a small sample of my interview with Rayka: EA: Where do your story ideas come from? RM: Everywhere! I travel quite a bit and I listen to snippets of conversations at the airport and start spinning a story from it. Or I may see a book or a movie and it triggers an idea for a story. And of course since I became published, any number of friends are constantly offering what they call “literary ideas”. EA: Every author has favorite characters, ones that won't let them go even after the book is written. What are some of yours and why? RM: That’s easy – Paul from Operation Playboy. I think at the time I was going through a rough time personally and invested him with some of the characteristics I really wanted in my own companion. I keep thinking of ways to give Paul a cameo in the other Operation books even though he isn’t a secret agent. EA: What's your writing process like? What steps do you go through when completing a story? RM: I start by writing the synopsis. Of course it changes about 20 times before the book is done, but I find that without that basic structure I digress a lot from the primary plot. Once the synopsis is done, I make a big ceremony of typing up the cover page with the title, my name and address. From there, it’s how much I can get written in a day given the constraints of my other job or how inspired I am to write. To read the rest, check out the Featured Author page on my website. Lis:)

Where does the time go?

I can't believe it's been 4 days since I've last posted. It's been so busy here that I've barely been online at all in the past 4 days. Life is nuts right now, but should slow right down around the first week of September. lol I watched a great movie last night--The Upside of Anger. It was recommended to me, and I wasn't sure if I'd like it since it isn't the type of movie I normally watch, but I really enjoyed it. As far as writing goes, the Featured Author page is now live on my website, and my newsletter will be going out later today. Have a great day! Lis :)

School shopping and cleaning this weekend

I'm headed off this morning for round 2 of school shopping with the kids. We hit Old Navy last week and grabbed a bunch of sale stuff for Meg, so she's just about done. The boys need pants, and about $40 worth of school supplies each. Should be a fun morning. Writing isn't going to happen this weekend. I started out deep cleaning the bathroom and it snowballed from there. lol So I'm going to take the rest of the weekend to finish up the house and then get back to the writing on Monday. One more week until vacation. I can't wait for a little time away. Lis:)

NOTHING PERSONAL is now available

From Cerridwen Press. To purchase--and to check out the really hot cover -- click here. I'm having a contest to celebrate. 2 readers will win a download of either Nothing Personal or one of my Ellora's Cave titles in their format of choice. The drawing will be held on September 10th. To enter, send an email to elisa@elisaadams.com with 'contest' in the subject line. Lis :)

More auctions for Marianne

The Literary Chicks have posted lots more auctions to benefit Marianne Mancusi. There are a bunch of great critiques, signed books, and other items available here. One of the items is a critique from me. Be sure to take a look. It's for a great cause. Lis :)

As if the blender incident wasn't bad enough...

My neighbor's car rolled out of her driveway and slammed into the side of my van. Looks like the whole side slider door is going to have to be replaced. Luckily no one was in either car at the time so no one got hurt. Tomorrow is the release day for Nothing Personal from Cerridwen Press. I'm really excited and nervous about this one since it'll be my first non-erotic romance in a couple of years. Lis :)

Definitely not a morning person...

If I was, I would have noticed the bottom of the blender wasn't screwed on tight before I turned it on. I've just spent the past fifteen minutes cleaning chai tea smoothie off my counters. Today I have to put all my focus on finishing DI. I'm a few days behind and I'd really like to get this, my edits on Tarnished, and one other nearly completed project finished before I go on vacation in a couple of weeks. We'll see if it actually happens. Lis:)

Busy weekend

As some of you know, my daughter dances with a ballet company. Yesterday was the summer performance of Alice in Wonderland. It was great, but I'm glad that's over for a little while. Now we get a month off from rehearsals before they start up again for the Nutcracker. I got the edits on Grave Silence yesterday, and I'm expecting edits on two more books in the next week or so and have the print galley to check for my story in In Moonlight, so things are going to be hectic for a little while. It's a good kind of hectic, though. Have a great week everyone. Lis:)

Fire Fund for Marianne

The first 10 auctions are up, with more due to be added in the next few days. View what's available here. Lis

Marianne Mancusi--terrible news

From the Literary Chicks blog: "Author Marianne Mancusi returned home from conference to find that lightning had struck her home while she was gone, and it burned to the ground. She lost everything." When you get a chance, head on over to the blog to see what you can do to help Marianne. They're organizing an auction for her. She's a former critique partner of mine and a truly nice person--she didn't have renter's insurance so she's basically starting over. Lis

A great review

For Eden's Curse. 4 1/2 roses. Big thanks to Vikky from A Romance Review! Here's a sample of the review: "At just 51 pages Eden’s Curse doesn’t feel like a short story. It was so well rounded with a bit of suspense, sex, and finally love that it felt more like a full-length book. This is truly a sign of a great author. Trent and Eden’s stories unravel at such a nice pace that there is no feeling of dragging or rushing the story line. Both our main characters have such strong emotions of great sorrow that I was nearly dragged into despair. However, Trent’s ability to keep an open mind, mainly due to his profession, lifted the mood . . . as does the great sex! For a well written book with a paranormal flair, you will most definitely enjoy Eden’s Curse." Read the whole review here. I'm considering the possibility of another book or two with Trent and Eden, so check this space for more info soon. Lis:)

Happy August!

One more full month left of summer. Almost time to start school shopping, and almost time to return to my regular writing schedule. I'm looking forward to this mainly because I'll have a quiet house to start plotting my futuristic series come September. I have a feeling I'm going to need a lot of peace and quiet to figure that one out. Right now I'm working on finishing the rough draft for DI, a paranormal that has a different feel than what I've been writing usually. It's not particularly dark, or exceptionally funny, but I think it has potential to be good. It's short, probably about 35-45k total, so I'm aiming at having it finished by the end of the week. I've had a request for the full, so with any luck I'll have some good news on that front soon. In other news, Nothing Personal will be out this month from Cerridwen Press. Though it's not an erotic romance, it's sensual and similar to what I write for Ellora's Cave. In other cool news, I'm starting a new feature on my website this month--Featured Author. I'll be featuring a different author every month with an interview and some cool excerpts. Around the middle of the month the new feature will go live with my first victim, Rayka Mennen. I had the opportunity to read her August release from Champagne Books, Operation Playboy, and it's a great read. Be sure to check my website in a couple of weeks to read her interview. Lis :) Page total yesterday--DI: 10 Not nearly enough