New ideas are busting out all over!!

And I couldn't be more happy!

After putting all my other projects aside to complete the revision on my newest historical romance, following a rejection, I learned I'd made a sale of a short contemporary story to a magazine.

That was the spark that sent ideas for other stories I want to write swirling through my head. I decided I just had to spend this morning getting them down on paper. The first is a premise for another contemporary story geared to the same magazine. Then I wrote down an idea I've been toying with for a time travel novella. It would be follow-up to my time travel romance, Erin's Rebel.

Next, the science fiction romance that I'd put aside to focus on the revision. While I'm still outlining this one, I've been having a hard time coming up with the slam-bang opening I wanted. I did write a tentative one, but it just wasn't right. I've also renamed this one Jason's Honor, because the original story has changed from first conception. After writing down my new story ideas, I got an idea on how to open the sci-fi. I spent the remainder of the morning writing the first 1000 words of the new opening and I like it.

I'll post the unedited version of the first page here. Tell me if it captures your interest.

Chapter One

Sharp, blinding white-hot pain shot through Kyra Mackenzie’s skull as she made a vain effort to lift her head.

What the hell happened?

Rolling over to get a better view didn’t help. Knife-sharp pain in her shoulder jolted her from where she lay flat on the decking. The cockpit of her shuttle now twisted into an unrecognizable shape. Her pilot slumped unconscious or dead, still strapped into his seat.

She lifted herself on her good arm, dragging her frame over to him.

“Carlos?” She grasped his wrist, willing him to be alive. “Carlos!” The ensign didn’t stir, but she was able to pick up a pulse, thank God.

She shook her aching head in an effort to clear it. Her last memory was of the pirate ship, the Gracie Lind, bearing down on the shuttle, ordering them to return to their ship. She’d contacted the Darius, but before she’d gotten an answer to her hail the pirates had fired on the shuttle, sending them into a downward spiral. Despite her pilot’s best efforts, he was only able to slow their inevitable crash.

Blogging Today at Slip Into Something Victorian

Today's my day to post over at Slip Into Something Victorian. I posted an excerpt from my award winning Civil War romance, Confederate Rose, and giving a sneak peek into my new work in progress set in Victorian America.

Genre...Genre...what's a writer to do?

As a reader, I've always read multiple genres. Early in life, I thrived on science fiction and mysteries, later discovering suspense, horror and romance.

And although I started off reading historical romance, that quickly divided into time travel, paranormal and eventually I discovered science fiction romance! Oh joy!

But as a writer, I'd always thought I had to settle on one genre and stick with it. How else could I hope to develop loyal readers who'd anxiously wait for my next story? If I flitted from one genre to another, would I lose readers who liked my historical romances, but wouldn't be caught dead reading a sci-fi?

My first published romance, Erin's Rebel, was a time travel. So, in a way, I was mixing genres from the start. But time travel is pretty much a staple in traditional romances, so I thought I was safe in starting out with a TT. But selling it wasn't all that easy. Seems the setting, the American Civil War, is currently an unpopular period with romance readers, or so acquiring editors told me. I nearly gave up on it, and started writing a straight historical, although that too, was set during the Civil War.

I know, I'm stubborn. But I felt so much passion for the period, I hoped it would come through enough in both stories that an editor would eventually overlook the setting and fall in love with the story. As a result, both books released within months of each other.

But, I also wrote several novella length stories and all of those varied in genre as well. With the exception of the Civil War settings, these stories included reincarnation and vampires, as well as one straight historical.

So, where do I plan to go now?

My new works in progress include a post Civil War historical and a science fiction romance. I'm also contemplating a post Civil War reverse time travel and a few contemporary romances.

My question to readers is, do you stick to one genre in your reading or do you like variety? And if you really like an author's books, would you read a book by him or her in another genre, even if it's one you don't usually read?

For writers, do you only write in one genre, because you fear alienating readers, or do you like to experiment in different genres and hope to lead loyal readers from one to another?

Happy reading and writing!!

Confusing week for me

I thought I had my path clearly spelled out. My plan was to plot out my latest romance novel, a science fiction romance, and have it all finished, so I could start writing in June as part of a summer book challenge.

But now, I've got a rejection for my latest historical, with a request to revise and resubmit. I know if I follow my editor's suggestions, she'll likely contract this manuscript, while I have no idea yet who I'll submit the sci-fi to whenever I manage to get that one finished.

So, I'm doing the turnabout once again. The historical romance goes to the top of my to-do pile, while the sci-fi gets put on the back burner again.

Although I do like to switch back and forth with multiple projects, it's hard to stay focused on two major projects. So, my plan now is to complete the revision on the historical, resubmit, then resume plotting. I have the opening chapters of the new book plotted out anyway, so can at least start writing in June, plotting further along as I go.

So, that's my plan for now, unless something else crops up.

The life of a freelance writer, I guess.