Thursday, August 30, 2007

Mark Your Calendars!!!

Please come join me and my other published author friends for a party and booksigning on Friday September 28 at 6PM at the University Plaza Hotel on Olentangy Road in Columbus, Ohio. I'm looking forward to touching base with all my friends, meeting new friends, making new fans, and having a BLAST!! I'll have my two books, FOXFIRE and HIT AND RUN for sale, which I'll be happy to autograph. I'm so excited about this event. It is the prequel to our annual COFW Writer's Conference on Saturday with our keynote speaker, New York Times Bestselling Author, Lori Foster.

FREE TO THE PUBLIC

"Celebration of Romance Writers & Readers"

Launch Parties & Book Signing

23 authors in attendance (see list below)

Refreshments - Door Prizes - Up Close & Personal with the Authors


University Plaza Hotel on September 28 from 6 - 8 p.m.

3110 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio

614-267-7461 or website for directions

http://www.universityplazaosu.com

Attending Authors:
Becky Barker
Julia Bennett
Jacki Bentley
Mary Campisi
Dianne Castell
Billy Chai
Susan Charnley
Debby Conrad
Carol Ann Erhardt
Lori Foster
Tabitha Gibson
Marcia James
Michelle Levigne
Melissa Lopez
Donna MacMeans
Erin McCarthy
LuAnn McLane
Jenna Petersen
Patricia Rasey
Patricia Sargeant
Kay Stockham
Kathleen Wells
Sandra Wickersham-McWhorter

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Have You Read....

Obsession, by Karen Robards?

I picked this one up Sunday and began reading. It's hard to put the book down! What a page turner! I love Karen Robards work, but I haven't read anything recently, so when I saw this available through my book club I snatched it up.

The story begins with Katherine Lawrence and her college friend being bound and gagged in Katherine's apartment by two masked gunmen. They search her house trying to find something, but she doesn't know what they're after. All they do is ask her where it is, and with each answer of "I Don't Know", she's threatened, beaten, and tortured. The evening ends with the murder of her college friend. From there the story races, while Kathryn is trying to find out why she's a target, and even if she actually is Katherine.

Trust me, if you like fast paced thrillers, you'll love this book.

***************

Today I finished writing nine new pages on my new untitled manuscript.


Hop over to Sweeter Romantic Notions Blog and leave a comment on my blog for today and you will be entered to win a free download of THE FADED PHOTOGRAPH. www.sweeterromanticnotions.com/blog/

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol Ann

Saturday, August 25, 2007

It's Officially In The Mail

I'm doing a happy dance. Today I mailed the manuscript package to Steeple Hill!!

I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I'm rewarding myself with doing absolutely nothing this weekend (besides my house cleaning and laundry). I have spent the majority of the day on the sofa reading my newest Dean Koontz book, THE GOOD GUY.

I love this author's method of writing things in a very fresh way. No one can weave words together like this man. Sure wish I could write like him.

On Tuesday, I'll be blogging on Sweeter Romantic Notions, so if you have time stop by and say hi.

Have a great rest of the weekend. Thanks for reading!

Friday, August 24, 2007

On the Far Side....

Have you ever seen any of the Far Side cartoons? I'm not a huge fan, but I have seen some totally ridiculously funny ones.

Today, one of my friends at work told me this incredibly hilarious story about her sister...a true story...that has had me giggling about all afternoon and evening. I swear I can picture this on a Far Side cartoon.

Okay, this lady's sister isn't able to work for a few weeks after having surgery on her foot. So, she's bored. REALLY bored.

She has one of those new above ground pools in her back yard, but she doesn't have a vacuum to clean the bottom or one of those long-handled screen things to scoop debris from the top. This very creative lady has a unique way of keeping the pool clean, nevertheless.

Picture this:

To clean the bottom she uses...are you ready for this????

A turkey baster!!! Now can you picture this? I wonder how long it took her to get the bottom clean? LOL!!!

And to remove the debris from the top?

You probably know the answer...yep, she uses a strainer!!! Not only that, but the strainer handle is broken!!!

**snicker, snort**

Bet someone will see this on my blog and one day these will be on a Far Side calendar.

Thanks to my friend and her sister for the laugh!!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Author Interview with Marcia James

The band finished playing a lively tune which the audience has been clapping along with..."Hound Dog".

Carol Ann comes on stage clapping. "How appropriate, you guys! How about it, audience, aren't they great?"

Audience applauds and hoots.

"Well, we do have a special guest in the studio who will be spending the next half hour with us talking about her latest book. How do I prepare you for this woman? She's funny, she's gorgeous, she's talented, and she's one of my good friends! Her logo is a cute little dog. You're gonna love it. It's a Chinese Crested hairless dog. If you've never seen one, you are in for a real treat, because my guest has brought one with her! Please make welcome, one of my favorite people to hang out with, Marcia James!!!"

Audience stomps, hoots, and hollers. The band takes up playing "Houng Dog" and Marcia walks out from between the center curtains.



CAROL ANN: Welcome, Marcia, and friend. Tell me about your cute logo. **Carol Ann pets the darling dog** Oh, it feels strange to feel just skin on a dog.

MARCIA: **laugh** In my debut comic romantic suspense, AT HER COMMAND, the DEA heroine has a canine partner, a Chinese Crested hairless dog named Smokey. This mini crime-fighter is a drug-sniffing dog who plays an important role in the book’s suspense and romance plots. I had a caricaturist make a drawing of a Chinese Crested to use as my logo, and the dog has become so popular, I now put a “crestie” in each of my books.

CAROL ANN: Audience, I have to tell you I had the pleasure of listening to Marcia talk about her book to a group at a library panel we participated in. **Carol Ann holds up a book and the camera pans in**



Isnt' that the cutest cover? Oh, and that's her logo holding the book. **laugh** Marcia, please tell the blog studio audience all about your book.

MARCIA: Gladly! AT HER COMMAND pokes fun at the alphabet soup of D.C. law enforcement agencies. As the book blurb reads, “When the DEA, the FBI and the DC police unknowingly put operatives undercover at the same club, sexy sparks fly.” The novel is rated R for Risqué, and there’s a more detailed blurb and an excerpt on my Web site (www.MarciaJames.net) that is definitely for adults only.

CAROL ANN: Rumor has it that you like to write about sex. Now this is a PG blog studio, but I'm sure you can give us some insight into exactly what you're talking about with this!

MARCIA: **Marcia avoids a doggie kiss** I know so many authors who cringe when it’s time to write the love scenes in their books. But I enjoy writing those sections and often do so before penning the rest of the book! ;-) To me, that’s when the hero and heroine are laid bare – figuratively and literally. Those scenes, at least in my books, are vital to my protagonists’ inner development. They don’t have sex until they’ve made an emotional commitment to each other, which means the book’s subsequent Dark Moment is so much more devastating. I also think many things about sex are humorous, and how my hero and heroine handle the ups and downs of lovemaking (no pun intended!) shows a lot about their personality and character.

CAROL ANN: Where did you come up with the idea for your book?

MARCIA: I lived in the Washington, D.C. area for over 20 years, where I witnessed how uncooperative the different federal and local agencies could be. So I thought, “What if several of these agencies decided to investigate the same sex club, but didn’t bother telling each other their plans?” I could see the comic possibilities inherent in the idea, especially when the hero and heroine (and the secondary hero and heroine) fall in love, but can’t believe they’d be attracted to someone who either works in or frequents such a hedonistic establishment. They’re very relieved to discover they’re all in law enforcement! I’m pleased to report that AT HER COMMAND has received great reviews, and I’ve had requests for a sequel.

CAROL ANN: **Marcia's dog crawls across the table and onto Carol Ann's lap** What makes your book so different from any other? **Carol Ann avoids a doggie kiss**

MARCIA: AT HER COMMAND straddles the line between a hot romance and an erotic one. It has a traditional (aka “non-kinky”) hero and heroine who find themselves fish-out-of-water in their undercover location. But since that location is a sex club, there’s detailed information about the types of things that happen in a place like that, which makes the book more risqué than your average sexy romance. I believe the book appeals to a wide-range of people, including those who are curious about alternative practices, such as the viewers who tune into the CSI TV shows when they have a kinky storyline. One author of “sweet” romances emailed me to say she enjoyed my book and received “quite an education” while she was being entertained. ;-D

CAROL ANN: Do you have any collections? Um besides dogs? **Carol Ann hands the dog back to Marcia**

MARCIA: I collect snails – not the real ones, but glass figurines, garden statues, etc. It started when I was very young and used to doodle in circles that resembled snail shells. Since snails have the reputation for being VERY slow, I don’t use a snail as my logo. ;-D But there is a caricature of a snail on my Web site’s “Contact Me” page.

CAROL ANN: Thank goodness, you don't collect the real ones! I think they're kind of creepy. Say, wouldn't it be funny to have a snail in one of your books? You know, like maybe it gets loose and crawls up...no! Shame on me!! **Marcia and Carol Ann laugh** Okay, I'm sorry. Let's be serious. Who keeps you inspired to continue writing?

MARCIA: It’s a three-way tie between my wonderful husband, my great critique partner (Kensington author Patricia Sargeant), and myself. I enjoy fiction writing so much, that I’d continue to write romance novels even if I wasn’t selling my manuscripts. But nothing can beat the support of family and friends.

CAROL ANN: How do you come up with the titles for your books?

MARCIA: The title AT HER COMMAND comes from the premise of that book and foreshadows the Dark Moment. But I’m also a big fan of alliteration and have been using it to name the manuscripts in my as-yet-unsold comic mystery series, which is currently with three publishers. The series features a sex therapist heroine who solves murders as an amateur sleuth. The first in the series is SEX & THE SINGLE THERAPIST, followed by DEATH & THE DOUBLE ENTENDRE and MURDER & THE MENAGE A TROIS. I also like the idea that there’s a hint in the titles to help readers know the order of the books in the series: “single”, “double”, and “trois”.

CAROL ANN: I love it! You are a guru at promoting yourself. Can you give us less knowledgeable writers a few hints?

MARCIA: Thanks for the compliment! ;-) My background is in PR and marketing, so I’ve been applying what I know to author promotion. That said, I continue to learn all I can from established authors and creative newbies on my Romance Writers of America email loops. I’m co-presenting a PR workshop at September’s Central Ohio Fiction Writers’ conference and at the April 2008 Chicago “Spring Fling” conference. For those events, I’ve developed a “living document” on author PR, which I give freely to any author who’d like it as a seed file to start their own. Just go through my Web site and request it.

Other than that, here’s some suggestions: Lock in your author domain name and create your Web site (at least on paper) BEFORE you sell. Brand yourself and promote your brand as much or more than you promote your individual books. Google your proposed slogan (mine is “Hot, Humorous Romances”) before you commit to it to make sure it’s unique. Take advantage of the many free PR opportunities for authors out there – especially the chance to be interviewed (like this!), guest-blog, and participate in online chats. If you have the time, post comments on other authors’ blogs. All of these things increase the number of hits you’ll get when Googled. Come up with a creative idea for bringing people to your Web site. An example of this is author Paige Cuccaro’s “Writer’s Cave” Web site pages. (http://www.paigecuccaro.com/html/the_cave.html) She puts photos of authors’ offices on her site for free and has pages of them now. Readers love to see where their favorite authors work. The Writer’s Cave is a great PR idea! Depending on your finances, you can check into the many online sites that will promote an author for a fee. I haven’t tried any of these, but I wouldn’t rule it out for the future. And don’t forget to promote to the general public, not just to established romance readers. You can send press releases to your college’s alumni association and to your home town newspaper, as well as to trade publications and newsletters of associations that would have an interest in your book. For example, since I have a crestie dog in my books, I have posted on a Chinese Crested message board. You can also come up with a creative tie-in to your books for your promotional giveaways and on your Web site. I give away thumbcuff keychains that relate to the law enforcement protagonists in my books and also remind the reader that my books contain some kinky elements. On my Web site, instead of a blog, I have a funny sex advice column “written” by my sex therapist heroine.

CAROL ANN: Wow, you've given me so great ideas, and I'm sure the blog studio as well. Thanks for being so generous. Most authors I interview are romance authors, and you are no exception. There are all kinds of romance novels, just as there are all kinds of romances. Our world is made up of romance. You can find it everywhere. Tell me, what does the word “romance” mean to you?

MARCIA: “Romance” means unconditional love, respect, commitment, and trust. Trust is an ongoing theme in my books. Many of my protagonists have been hurt in the past and have trust issues. When they finally let down their defenses, they are hurt again by a loved one who either didn’t return their trust and/or lied to them. My law enforcement heroes in particular have an unfortunate habit of putting their jobs before their personal lives and withholding information from (or misleading) the heroines, in the name of doing their undercover work. But they learn their lesson in the end. ;-)

CAROL ANN: Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?

MARCIA: Yes, because the written word can be incredibly persuasive and empowering, can be disseminated easily and widely, and can live on long after the writer’s death.

CAROL ANN: That is so true. Marcia, I have truly enjoyed having you in the studio today. And my, look how fast the time passed. Oh, my, what is that dog doing? Does it have to...you know?

MARCIA: Whoops! Yes, I think I'd better get the dog to the nearest fire hydrant. Thanks for having me. **Marcia waves at the audience as she runs off stage. A strange wet trail is left in her wake**The audience laughs and the camera rolls over the credits

Visit Marcia and learn more at:www.MarciaJames.net

AT HER COMMAND is now available in print as well as e-book!!

To order the paperback (ISBN: 9781419956201), go to Cerridwen Press Print

Or order a paperback copy from Amazon here.

To order the e-book(ISBN: 1-4199-0704-2), go toCerridwen Press E-book

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

A Day in This Writer's Life

This is one day that I'd like to forget!

8:00AM - arrive at work and ensure everything is arranged for the big high-level meeting with members from our corporate headquarters.

8:15AM - boss calls. He didn't receive itinerary for one leg of his flight for September 25th.

9:00AM - travel agency opens. Call and get message that the agency isn't open yet.

9:15AM - call travel agency and get put on hold. Five minutes later, bounce back to operator, who puts me in priority queue. Ten minutes later get connected with someone named Debbie. She tells me that they didn't have an email address to send the e-ticket to. Funny...we use this agency for all our corporate travel, and both my boss and I have always received our e-tickets via email before. But, I give her my email address, she assures me she will send it immediately.

10:00AM - still haven't received email. Boss comes in. Says "we" will need to get lunches brought in for everyone in meeting.

10:10AM - I knock on conference room door and interrupt with list of sandwich choices.

10:12AM - Take coffee, cups, sugar, cream, and stirrers into meeting and set up. Collect lunch orders.

10:20AM - call to place pick up order for box lunches. Ask if I can pick them up at 11:15. Nope. Won't be able to have them ready until 11:30. Okay. Place order.

10:30AM - still haven't received email.

10:45AM - receive email from office manager. The vending machines are being removed. If anyone wants anything now is the time to get it! Nice to get advance notice. WHEN are they being removed and WHY? Well, the man isn't making enough money off us, so he's in the process of removing the machines right now in the warehouse, so he'll be in the office next. GREAT! I have big-wigs from our Dallas corporate office in here for a meeting, they are expecting to get drinks from the machine for lunch...and instead they will see a man REPOSSESSING THE MACHINES!!!!

11:00AM - go to Marketing manager and beg for samples of FIJI water for corporate lunch. Got lucky. Put 12 bottles in refrigerator to cool.

11:15AM - leave to pick up lunches. It has been raining and I have on shoes with no backs and toes out. Wade through puddles and enter restaurant. Glasses fog up. Wave them in the air until they clear and I can walk without bumping into things. Go to pick up counter - clearly marked as such. Several minutes later, clerk working register on my left says there is no drawer in the register at the pick up. Walk to end of long line of people waiting to place their lunch orders. Two minutes later another clerk inserts a drawer in the register for pick ups. I leave line and go back to register just in time for this person to walk away. Nope, I'm not moving again! Same gal that questioned me the first time now asks, "Are you here to pick up an order?" Well, duh! No, I'm here to see how long it takes to get annoyed enough to get arrested for battery. Here's your sign!!! So I tell her yes, give her my name and finally she brings my two huge shopping bags full of box lunches. I hand her my boss' credit card, forge his signature and leave. Okay, now I've got both hands loaded down with these heavy bags, my purse, and my keys hanging on one finger. I can't sit the bags down because it's wet and the bottoms will come out. I step back, my shoe comes off and my foot is in a puddle. Great! Finally I get the car unlocked and put the bags in the back seat...and realize both bags seem to be even. Umm, I ordered eleven lunches. Take a count. Sure enough only ten lunches. Gather bags, walk back into store, fuming. Same clerk: "Is something wrong?" Duh! "Nope, I'm just practicing my model runway walk. Here's your sign!" So, I tell her that I ordered 11 lunches and only have ten. She gets the recept and waves it in my face. Nope, see "she" wrote ten lunches. Me: I don't care what she wrote. I ordered eleven lunches and I NEED eleven lunches. I grab the receipt and look at the written order. I point out the vegetarian sandwich, which is not in my bags nor on the ring up sheet. She reads it and says "I'll go check." CHECK WHAT????? Just get me a vegetarian box lunch!!! Seven minutes later I get a vegetarian box lunch. Clerk rings up the additional order. I forge my boss' signature again. Stomp out of the restaurant, forgetting about the wet puddles until the water begins to seep into my stockings. Finally get the bags back in the car. Drive to work. Park. Get out. It begins to rain. Time now: 12:20.

12:20 - Set up lunches in lunch room. Receptionist tells me that our office vending machines aren't being removed after all. **sigh** Get bottled water from fridge and put on tables with lunches.

12:22 - One of the corporate bigwigs stops me in lunch room to tell me that when he arrived at the Hilton late, tired, and ready to crash they had given away his "guaranteed" room because someone had called to cancel it because his plane was cancelled!!! He raised a big ruckus, and got the general manager involved. They offered him a smoking room. Not acceptable. Finally they put him up at the Marriott and paid for the room. He just wanted me to know. **sigh**

12:30 - still haven't received email. Call the Hilton to complain. Accounting asks ME if I figured out who cancelled the room. Well, duh! Yeah. I figured it out. Someone in YOUR organization gave the room away for no earthly reason, or one of your incredible dumb reservation clerks cancelled the wrong freaking room!! Just make sure we receive NO charges on the credit card I used to guarantee the room.

Go to lunch.

1:30 - still haven't received email. Man walks into my office and introduces himself. He begins to talk about the products he wants to have on his table at our holiday shows (which I'm neck deep in coordinating). I pleasantly smile and give him the forms to fill out. The first form is the one which was due to me on JUNE 15 to reserve space!!! Now I have to go back to the venues and change my contract to add a table.

2:00 - still haven't received email. Spend the next two hours frustrated with trying to work out all the details on the holiday show late responses. By now, I'm starting to lose my hair. My feet are killing me. I'm thirsty and in too much pain to hobble to the vending machine which is still standing in the lunch room.

4:00 - still haven't receive email. Call travel agency again. Get put on hold for five minutes. Bounce back to receptionist. Put in priority queue. Five minutes later am connected with a rep, not the one I spoke with earlier. Repeat my quest for an email confirmation and e-ticket. "We received a message that your email came back with an invalid address." Okay, so they left the "t" off my name. Fix. It.

4:30 - FINALLY RECEIVE EMAIL. Forward it to my boss.

4:45 - Chat with marketing manager about lack of response from two of his vendors. Receive multiple excuses. I insist that if I don't get the list of wines, then I'm giving their table to the new guy. Hah! Then I won't have to change that contract.

4:55 - Receive the list of wines from the two vendors. Still have to change that contract. Also receive a nice bottle of Cylcel Gladiator Rose Wine.

5:00 - Leave work determined to come home and drink the entire bottle of wine.

But I didn't. I did take a picture of this cute little piggy bank I got from my RWA writing group on Saturday. Isnt' it cute!!



And that's about when I'll have the funding to actually retire...when pigs fly!!!

So, how was your day???

Sunday, August 19, 2007

The End Again

Nose to the grindstone, I made a goal to finish editing and writing this novel today. Last night I stayed up until all I had to write was the very last chapter...the ending. I knew what I wanted to happen, but not quite how I'd begin the chapter, so I went to bed thinking about it.

Got up at 6:30am to get ready for church and didn't have time to do any work on it beforehand. Got home around noon, went grocery shopping. Finally at 3pm I sat in front of the computer and began to write. I love when I don't really know what my characters are going to do or say. The story just seems to come out somehow. And the whole chapter did just that. I haven't gone back to read it, because when I finished I thought it was a bunch of garbage. I suppose all writers have that tendency to think their work is substandard. But I did it! It's finished.

Um, that is until I print it out and read it all again. **sigh** I'm already sick to death of the story. And, I'm sure there will be some pages where I missed a few things that will have to be corrected and then printed again...and I still have to expand upon the synopsis. My goal is to finish reading it by bedtime tomorrow night. And I will have the synopsis finished by Tuesday night. Wednesday is my deadline for mailing the whole kit and kaboodle to Steeple Hill.

And...the waiting will begin again. I'm sure it won't be a quick three week turnaround like the request was.

I plan to take a week off and read my latest Dean Koontz novel. Then I'll go back to the WIP which is nearly at the half way point.

There is never rest for an author...especially one who has to work a full-time day job besides.

Oh, before I go...yesterday afternoon I attended my RWA local chapter meeting. Had a great presentation by Lori Foster and Dianne Castell. It was how to write when your whole world has gone to hell. I came away very inspired. I think that's why I managed to finish JOSHUA'S HOPE today. But...here's the fun part. At our meetings, if we have bad news (i.e. rejections), or good news (requests, or we submit something) then we get to "dive" into a goody basket. Since I had a request for my full, I dove in and got the cutest piggy bank. It's hard rubber and the piggy has cute black eyes and...WINGS!!! Yep, and on it's back are the words: Writer's Retirement Fund. Very appropriate, I think.

Good night, and thanks for reading!

Friday, August 17, 2007

The Joy of Editing

Non writers just don't get it. They believe that a book is written and instantly should be available for purchase. No one understands all the long hours spent AFTER the book is written.

I was fortunate enough to receive some great advice from advance readers for JOSHUA'S HOPE. Now I've been immersed in taking that advice and making my story stronger. That required a complete read through and a jotting of notes in the margins with ideas for rewriting passages, and in some cases entire chapters.

I'm nearing the end and it is all going to be fresh new writing to incorporate all the changes I've made in the first three quarters of the book. For me that is exciting. Why?

I have a much deeper knowledge of my characters and their motivations. I'm psyched up to carry them through the brightest hour, the darkest moment, and the uplifting ending. Writing endings is my favorite part of being an author.

I would encourage everyone who is beginning their writing journey to consider finding readers to help them with strengthening their stories. What we as an author feel is a perfect manuscript may fall short in a reader's eyes. Don't rely on your friends or your family to give you constructive criticism. Most of them won't want to hurt your feelings. And if you are the type whose feelings are easily hurt, then don't consider being a writer. In order to succeed, you do have to grow a thick alligator skin and also be able to know what to keep and what to throw away when it comes to advice.

Then you, too, will find the joy in editing.

Have a great day and thanks for reading.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Author Interview with Dr. Barbara Holstein

As the audience applauds, the curtain raises and Carol Ann walks on stage, bows, and smiles. "Hello, everyone! I'm so happy to be back with you today. This past week has been very hectic. I visited a dear friend in North Carolina, and just got back into town. Everything about my trip was wonderful. The scenery was spectacular, but I have to confess that I have a phobia about driving across bridges that have those metal frames above them. You know the ones I'm talking about? I freeze whenever I start driving over them. Had to cross two of them on the way, and darn if those same two weren't waiting for me on the way back!"




AUDIENCE LAUGHS




"Today we have another very special guest in the blog studio. This lady is making a virtual book tour and I'm looking forward to meeting her. How about you?"




AUDIENCE APPLAUDS




"All right, then! Let's get her out here. Blog studio audience please make welcome Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein--Psychologist, Happiness Coach & Author!"




AUDIENCE WHOOPS AND APPLAUDS ASDR. HOLSTEIN WALKS FROM BEHIND THE CURTAINS.




CAROL ANN: Welcome to the Blog Studio, Dr. Holstein.




BARBARA: Please call me Barbara, Carol Ann.




(Picture of Dr. Barbara Holstein and her book cover)


BOTH WOMEN WALK TO THE FACING LOVESEATS ANGLED SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE AUDIENCE.

CAROL ANN: Barbara, Please tell me about your book. It looks so interesting and everything I've read makes me want to rush out and buy a copy.


BARBARA: The Truth, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything is a book I'm so proud of. It is a brand new way to help women and girls focus on what is right and heroic and wonderful about themselves. What if we could carry THE TRUTH from girlhood to adulthood? That priceless "truth" that we all recognize as kids? adulthood?What if we could pass the gift of our early wisdom and brilliance along to our children, giving them permission to hold on to their most precious jewels?I think I've found a way in THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything. The Truth is a delightful, humorous secret diary, written by a girl who is 10-11 years of age. She is wise and yet so innocent. She makes us cry and laugh and remember ourselves. Behind this very easy read is the psychological message to the women reading THE TRUTH that they can and must recapture the fire and passion of their girlhoods not only for themselves to flourish and be happy, but for the next generation to also have the gifts of good emotional and spiritual health.



CAROL ANN: Where did you come up with the idea for this book?



BARBARA: As a positive psychologist I have always been determined to share and teach positive psychological concepts in a self help manner that truly works. I did that in all my previous books, starting with THE ENCHANTED SELF, A Positive Therapy and later with Recipes for Enchantment, The Secret Ingredient is YOU! The question was how continue to do that and not be dry or tedious. How could I pass on the wisdom I have the privilege of understanding and using in a way that women would enjoy the read and still use the inspiration from my book to integrate more fully all the positive parts of themselves and not shy away from their own powers to create a fabulous life for themselves? How also could I create a read that would help women and their daughters communicate more openly and honestly so that girl would be able to trust that as they grew up they would come into their own and not have to 'sell out.'
The answer to my question was to let the 'girl' come alive. The 'girl' is the ten, soon to be 11 year old who began to emerge as I started to draft this book. The more she came alive, the easier it was for my message to come through. I soon saw that I needed to let go of her and allow her to more away from me- become her own character who knew exactly the book she wanted to write. And she wrote it!



CAROL ANN: I can relate to that. It's true that our characters really do write their stories. Tell me, who is the target audience for your book?




BARBARA: My primary target audience with this edition of THE TRUTH is women. My secondary market with this edition is girls, ages 10-14. However, there will be a special girl's edition of THE TRUTH with a different introduction and questions out later this fall.



CAROL ANN: What do you hope your readers gain from reading this book?



BARBARA: I hope women will get back in touch with their earlier passions and wisdom. I hope they will laugh aloud and remember themselves in a new, favorable light as they join energies with the girl. I also hope they will feel an appreciation of their daughters that will result in more open sharing and loving between mom and daughter. I hope girls will rejoice in finding a soulmate and feel more courageous to approach their mother's for open conversation and also have more courage to hold on to what is most precious about themselves.



CAROL ANN: As a writer, not a psychologist, what does the word romance mean to you?



BARBARA: Romance means enchantment with life and with oneself. It means finding mystery, newness, adventure and contentment in what happens next to ourselves or to another. It means having lots of available energy and passion! We can romance life, or a meal, a wonderful sleep or a lover! The possibilities are endless.



CAROL ANN: You probably thought you'd appear on this show and just talk about your book, but we do things differently here. I like to show the audience more about the guests I interview. You know, kind of let them know that we are just people, too. So, my first "off the wall" question is this. Your life is about to become a movie. What will the title be?


BARBARA: Wow-let's see. I would say, Romancing The Truth.


CAROL ANN: What is a normal day for you?


BARBARA: I see clients and/or write, take care of all the usual family chores, take care of myself, spend time with my husband and/or family and grandkids. I like to have some time to myself but I also crave to be with people I care about. When I travel I love to shop and see what people like to eat and wear, read, etc. in a new place.


CAROL ANN: When you are down, who can make you laugh?


BARBARA: Some of my friends, my husband, my grandkids and good news.


CAROL ANN: Do you collect anything?


BARBARA: We used to collect antiques but we have too many! I collect my writings and my impressions about life. I collect information that I think will be useful. I collect ways to stay healthy, herbs to fight off food poisoning, etc.


CAROL ANN: Those sound like great collections. You don't have to dust them off! **both laugh** Oh, Barbara, the time has flown by. See that guy over there? He's been giving me the hand slicing gesture across the neck. Guess that means, we need to wrap up the interview. One last question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword?


BARBARA: Of course-words are our treasure-they set us apart from other living creatures and give us a way to create new world and to solve problems.


CAROL ANN: Thanks so much for stopping by on your tour. I've really enjoyed having you. before you leave, will you please tell the audience where can we purchase your book?


BARBARA: On my website, http://www.enchantedself.com/ and of course on http://www.amazon.com/. I am selling THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! on sale now at my site.


CAROL ANN: Thanks again.


AUDIENCE APPLAUDS AS CAROL ANN AND BARBARA LEAVE THE STAGE.


CAMERA ROLLS OVER THE FOLLOWING CREDITS WHERE THE AUDIENCE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. HOLSTEIN AND HER BOOKS.


Monday, August 06, 2007

Great News in My Mailbox Tonight...

The query letter and synopsis which I mailed on July 10 to Steeple Hill for JOSHUA'S HOPE has already received a response!! They want me to submit the entire manuscript.

I am so excited! I didn't expect to hear so soon and when I saw that letter from Harlequin, I cringed. Didn't want to open it. Wanted to open it. Heart pounding I told myself it was just another rejection letter. Especially when I noticed only two short lines for the body of the letter. But it wasn't a rejection!! Very simply stated, the letter thanked me for my query and asked for the full manuscript and a synopsis.

This is the publisher I have been targeting for six years and I'm praying this will be my foot in the door, so to speak. If they buy this manuscript, it will be a dream come true for me.

Okay, nose to the grindstone now. I must, must, must do a thorough edit and make several revisions based on feedback from advance readers.

Taking a deep breath, and preparing for the dive.....

Later, my friends. Wish me luck!!

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Author Interview with Lisa Logan

The camera pans over the Blog Studio audience as the show begins. Today, we see several country music artists in the group (everyone knows Carol Ann loves country music). First waving and smiling is the beautiful and very talented Martina McBride. The camera continues to pan while the audience is yelling and clapping and we see another great country star...no, two country stars...Faith Hill and Tim McGraw!! The band begins to play and the camera pans to the stage where we see a tall, lanky man, wearing a white hat, a sport coat, and ragged knee jeans. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome country music superstar Alan Jackson. Alan begins to sing, "A Woman's Love".



The audience goes wild. Carol Ann enters from stage right, applauding and grinning.



Alan takes a bow. Carol Ann shakes his hand and thanks him for opening the show.



"Wow! Alan Jackson, ladies and gentlemen. Wasn't he great?"



When the audience applause lessens, Carol Ann takes her seat in the blog studio interview area.



CAROL ANN: Now that's what I call a wonderful opening. I love country music. Oh, hi Faith! Hi Tim! Oh, and Martina! Hello. I'm so honored to have all of you in the audience today. We have another guest who is just backstage waiting to come out and tell us all about her first full length novel, VISIONS. Please put your hands together and make welcome, author Lisa Logan!



Audience applauds. Carol Ann holds up a book and the camera pans in.





CAROL ANN: Welcome, Lisa. So glad you could be with us today. This is a gorgeous cover. The audience is as eager as I am to hear more about your story. Please tell us about it.


LISA: VISIONS is the tale of a movie star turned real-life hero, when he bumps into a stranger and somehow acquires her psychic abilities. Can he use his newfound powers to find his mysterious benefactor in time to fulfill their romantic destiny--and save her from certain danger?


CAROL ANN: Oooh, you are good. You tell us just enough to get us intrigued enough to want more. **laugh** Guess we'll have to buy the book to learn all about those psychic abilities and the romance.


How did the idea for this book generate?


LISA: From a dream, actually! I dreamt someone touched a psychic and was suddenly imbued with their powers. The idea, though I could find no factual basis for it, intrigued me...and before long this had sprouted into the premise for my book.


CAROL ANN: That's fascinating. I've never been able to remember enough about my dreams to turn them into a story. Of course my dreams always seem to feature me in some weird kind of twisted video flash. **grin** How many novels did you write before becoming published?


LISA: VISIONS was my first full-length novel, though it took me nearly a year and a half to beat the challenge of moving from short fiction work to novel.


CAROL ANN: What do you have planned in the near future?


LISA: I have two books under consideration right now: a murder mystery titled TWELVE STEPS TO MURDER, and the first of a series of red hot novellas called SUITE SEDUCTION. I also just signed a contract for the lead story in a Twisted Fayry Tales anthology.


CAROL ANN: Sounds like you are on the path to many more successes. A lot of Blog Studio fans want to know if I have a place of my own in which I write. What does your writing space look like?


LISA: Our dining area has been converted into a nook, where a large desk houses my entire writing universe. I utilize Feng Shui in my writing space, though clutter tends to make it less ideal than I'd like.


CAROL ANN: I can relate to that. It's so hard to keep a writing desk uncluttered! I have to confess that my writing office is the most cluttered room in our house. I'm currently working on a manuscript and I'm close to the half way point, but I still don't have a title for it. How do you decide on a title for your books?


LISA: Usually they just come to me--sometimes before the idea for the book itself. Such was the case with TWELVE STEPS TO MURDER: the titled popped into my head, then I started wondering what that book would be about. So far I've been at a loss only once, and my husband saved the day by coming up with SUITE SEDUCTION.


CAROL ANN: Ah, a supportive spouse. That's always a plus. Here's a question I love asking my guests. What does the word romance mean to you?


LISA: As a life concept or a genre? Hmm, then again, I imagine my definition is the same either way: both are rather confusing to figure out at times, but offer the wildest ride of one's life. I highly recommend it.


CAROL ANN: Lisa, do you have any pets? I've heard it said that people resemble their pets. Is that true for you?


LISA: I've had no pets for close to ten years now, though I've had the usual menagerie before then: cats, dogs, fish, birds, hamsters. Right now we have a preschooler to chase after, and she's plenty!


CAROL ANN: Do you collect anything? If so, tell me about your collection and how you got started.


LISA: I've collected many things in the past, but we've moved down to a small apartment where I've adopted a no-nonsense approach. Besides, if I tried to collect anything there'd be no room for my husband's massive collection of movie costumes and props!


CAROL ANN: Ah ha! So, tell us about this collection of your husband's. Is this collection what prompted your character in VISIONS to be a movie star?


LISA: My husband is an actor, costumer, and prop maker who has worked in the film industry. His love of movies and acting has much to do with this hobby, which he began as a teenager and is now a large part of his livelihood as well. While none of this is why Trenton Dane a movie star, his character is a complex blend of actors I know personally, as well those I've seen in the media. As such, my husband might just show up as a glimmer in Trenton's eye.


CAROL ANN: I'll just bet it does! Carol Ann holds up the book VISIONS again. Audience, please be sure to visit Lisa's website to learn more about her book and future work. I hope you are as intrigued as I am to buy Lisa's book. Lisa, final question. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?


LISA: The pen is mightier than the sword, and the tongue can cleave a sword in two. Words are powerful, and can be used to soothe, to heal, to love, to encourage--and to wound more deeply than any steel blade. What sword can boast all that?


CAROL ANN: What sword, indeed! Thank you again, Lisa for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us in the Blog Studio today.


The television screen marquees info for Lisa Logan.