Posting about coffee to go during the Civil War

I'm posting over at Slip Into Something Victorian about how Union soldiers kept coffee in their provisions while on the go.

And you can still check out my latest post at the The Black Rose blog of The Wild Rose Press about how I love my new NOOK!

Interruptions...interruptions...

I'm trying to zoom ahead with my latest writing project. I'm enrolled in a summer book challenge with the hope of completing the first draft of a new novel by Labor Day.

I'm doing rather well, so far, I've written over 20,000 words for a book that I hope will total at least 80,000, but there's always something to interrupt the flow.

First of all, my son brought home a new puppy. Our old dog, Kelly, we had to put down over a year ago, because of bad hips. While this new little puppy he named Chase, is real cute, he does require a lot of care. I'd gotten used to being dogless over the past year, so this is a big learning curve for me.

And this week, I got work in for my second job, manuscript typing. I have to complete typing a full-length novel in the space of a couple of weeks. In the summer!! But I need the money, so will try to work everything in. It just won't be easy.

Blogging at Slip Into Something Victorian

I'm blogging today over at Slip Into Something Victorian about how war often brings forth new inventions and innovations in civilian society.

Variety Brings Results

I work out for about an hour in the morning five days a week, but recently I haven't been seeing or feeling results. My youngest son, studying to be a personal trainer, told me I had to vary my workouts. You see, muscles grow complacent when you do the same old workout day after day and you hit a wall, where you stop seeing results.

He told me to vary the amount of weight I lift, vary my workouts--I now do weight training two days a week, ride my exercise bike two days and follow an aerobic dance DVD mid week. I also bought two new DVDs that, although they work the same body parts, vary in their routines, thus giving me results that will help me sculpt and keep the flab from coming back. He also told me to switch the workouts back and forth by day, or week, so I'm not doing the same workout consistently. This also keeps me from being bored and I look forward to my workout each morning.

It got me to thinking how I do the same thing with my writing. Although I started out writing American Civil War, I added in some paranormal and am now working on a few post-Civil War projects as well as my first science fiction romance. I also vary between long and short pieces, from novel length, to novella, to short story. Variety keeps my writing fresh and also keeps me motivated. I don't get blocked and if I do inevitably get stuck on a project, I move to another until I'm excited about the original project again.

I think variation in my writing keeps me fresh and motivated.

So, tell me, do you vary anything in your life, be it writing, exercise, or anything else that seems to be going stale? If you do, share it here.

Blogging today at Slip Into Something Victorian

I'm talking about the history of Memorial Day in the U.S. over at Slip Into Something Victorian.

Posting today on Black Rose blog

Today is my post on the Black Rose Blog of The Wild Rose Press. I'm talking about the book I'm currently reading. Actually, I just finished this book and it was a fantastic read.

If you'd like to see what I'm reading visit my post at http://twrpblackrose.blogspot.com/

Leave a comment there, if you'd like.

Ready to take on new writing goal!

It's nearly the end of May and for the second year in a row, I'm ready to start a summer book challenge. The goal is to write the first draft of a brand new novel.

Last summer I completed the first draft of Cassidy's War, the historical romance manuscript I just resubmitted to my editor after finishing up a revision request. This summer, I want to write my first science fiction romance. I've tentatively titled it, A Pirate's Honor.

I was plotting out this book off and on while working on other projects and while I have the beginning and end all plotted out I'm kind of stuck in the middle. But I have enough plotted out to get a good start, so the plan is to start writing and plot the middle out as I move along.

The challenge starts on June 1st, so for this upcoming week I'm going to try to complete the first draft of a short story. Then starting in June, my book will be top priority, unless I get a new contract of course. But that's completely up to my editor.

Writing Break Day!

I've just sent off my historical romance, Cassidy's War to my editor after an extensive revision and now plan to take a day off from writing. I'm going to spend this afternoon watching a baseball game.

And tomorrow I'll have the delicious task of deciding which of my works in progress to start on. I have two contemporary short stories that I've started first drafts on, a time travel novella I've started plotting out and a full-length science fiction romance, still in the plotting stage, but I do still plan to start writing this as my summer book project.

So, which one will I choose?

I'll be back tomorrow with an update.

For now, it's off to the ballgame!

Friday 56: Hope's Folly

I'm reading Hope's Folly by Linnea Sinclair

What in hell had happened to "yes sir"? He sighed.

To participate in Friday 56 do this:

Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.

* Turn to page 56.

* Post any sentence from that page (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog. (If you do not have your own blog) post it in the comments section of this blog.

*Post a link along with your post back to Story Time With Tonya and Friends.

* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Blogging at Slip Into Something Victorian

I'm over at Slip Into Something Victorian today talking about Civil War curiosities and the story of Rose Greenhow O'Neal.

Revision's done!

I finished up the revision for Cassidy's War and put the manuscript aside for a week before giving it a final look over. I hope I now have a stronger version of the original story that my editor and, down the line, readers will love.

I put a lot of work into this sequel to my out-of-print young adult Civil War story, Under the Guns. I loved these characters and had a great time revisiting them. Although Under the Guns is no longer available to readers, this new story can stand alone. It's set five years after the war ends.

For this week, I'm working on a few short pieces. Since it's been 5 months since my last release, I can't be a slacker. I think short stories will be a way to keep fans happy and keep those releases coming.

For any writers out there, do you like to write long or short, or do you like to mix it up?

Have to clear the decks...

I'm starting an online workshop on Monday that I hope will help me figure out the fuzzy middle of my new science fiction romance. I've decided to change the title from Jason's Honor to A Pirate's Honor. What do you think?

I still have to finish up the revision on Cassidy's War. I'm a little past the half-way point, so I've decided not to work on any new projects this month. I'll have enough on my plate.

Hopefully, I'll finish that revision and get it back to my editor before the end of the month. My goal is to start writing the SFR on June 1st as part of a summer book challenge. Don't know if I'll get the entire first draft completed by Labor Day, but I hope to have most of it in the bag.

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.

Confederate Rose takes 2nd place!!

I am so thrilled that my Civil War romance, Confederate Rose, has taken 2nd place in the historical category of the 2010 New England Reader's Choice Bean Pot Contest.

This story is not your typical Civil War romance, since the heroine, Katie Rose O'Reilly, is a soldier in the Confederate army. Her story is loosely based on real women who fought for both North and South at the time of the Civil War. A time when women weren't considered capable of serving the army in any fashion.

Since Civil War romance isn't a popular choice for editors with the big NY publishers, I was gratified that my editor, Allison Byers, and publisher, The Wild Rose Press, would even consider publishing this story and even more gratified that readers love it! But without TWRP, Katie's story wouldn't be available for readers to find at all.

Just one of those days

Had way too much to do this morning and book promotion ate into my normal writing hours. I posted excerpts from all my stories on my email loops, then remembered I was supposed to post over at Slip Into Something Victorian. So, if you'd like to stop over there, I'm posting about what I do to promote my books and myself.

A rejection on a dark, rainy day

Just got a rejection for my latest manuscript, Cassidy's War. But you know, it's not all that bad. The editor had a lot of great things to say about the submission and only had one problem, but gave me a lot of ideas on how to fix it. And although fixing that problem will require a whole lot of rewriting, I've decided I'm going to do it.

The suggestions will make the manuscript better, so why not put a little more work into an already good manuscript to make it great!

For now, I'll put it aside until I finish up some other projects, then I'll tackle it head on. If you're serious about writing you have to learn to write and revise, revise, revise.

It's a beautiful day!

Finally, after months of bone-chilling, buried in snow, or drowning in buckets of rain weather, we're experiencing our first real touch of spring. The temps are supposed to rise to 72 degrees here.

And it's making it all that much harder to stick at my desk and work. But I put in more than a solid hour of plotting out my science fiction romance story. For now, I'm calling it Jason's Honor, although that might change. I have the general plot worked out and for now, am working on a scene by scene outline. Although I have a lot of blank pages right now, the beginning and end of the story are really starting to jell. Just have to work on that darned middle.

I've also been working on an idea for a short comtemporary romance and ideas were flashing through my head early this morning, while I was busy with my workout and household things. Just have to sit my butt in the chair with my pad and write them down. That little story is starting to come alive too. It always seems the ideas come when I'm doing non-writing related things.