NEW WEBSITE
June 30, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
I am finishing up the last of Accidental Countess but I have also been busy making my website desinger suffer. Leslie puts up with me, I have no idea why, but she has done another fantastic job. I needed something different since I am having my first mainstream historical romance released in Sept.
And, no, I am not giving up on erotic romance. Not by a long shot. I have things in the works right now, including a futuristic single title, and the sequel to A Little Harmless Sex, A Little Harmless Pleasure, my first BDSM novel. Oh and there is that immortal series I am planning, also erotic romance. I will always write sexy, can’t see me changing anything any time soon, but AC just isn’t an erotic novel. It is sexy, or at least I hope so.
History Freak Makes Good
June 22, 2005 by Melissa · 6 Comments
So, I have been sort of hiding out working lately. Lots of things going on. One, I signed my first historical romance contract with Vintage Romance. I am EXTREMELY excited about this. I love history. Part of my BA is in history, the other part is English completing the nerd picture you have in you mind now(and don’t forget the years I played in the band). But I love it.
It wasn’t until about 18 months ago that my husband mentioned I seemed to have more historicals than contemporary. Whether sweet, sexy, erotic, I love them all. I am a HUGE fan of Amanda Quick, more so than her contemporary, and I will be sad to lose the Bridgertons and Cynsters. I have read each of those books over and over. And don’t get me started on any of Christina Dodd’s books or my new love, Celeste Bradley(that woman can’t write fast enough for me).
So, I tried my first historical. Little by little I wrote on it. Fixed some problems. Did research(yeah and the geek in me LOVES my book with material from different periods so I can see how it feels). Got some good advice, got some bad advice, and now I have a contract. I know I have a lot to learn, but I hope historicals become a viable part of my writing.
Since the time I read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I have loved historicals. Not all of them mind you, but I do like them. I guess for the same reason I studied it in college. I love to escape to another time. No, I would not want to live in the early 1800’s. My mouth would get me in trouble, but I do love to learn about different times and how that played out in a romance. Some say the historical is dead. I disagree. Everything that is old is new again, lol. And I hope that is true. I do like Scottish lairds. SIGH
So relieved
June 16, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
So, after many complaints from erotic and non erotic romance writers(and not to mention becoming the butt of too many jokes in the publishing world) RWA board members voted to pull the guidelines, and are now working to come up with a committee. Hopefully it will be a balanced committee including authors across the spectrum in the romance genre.
Suprised I would want people who don’t write in my genre? Shouldn’t be. We are an organization of writers and all we want is equal representation. We do write romance. Inpsirational romance, although not my cup of tea, is romance also. As long as there is an HEA it is romance, IMHO.
But this demonstrated something I am very proud of. I am proud of my sisters and brothers you DON’T write erotic romance and stood beside us and said, “NO.” And I am equally proud that we didn’t go postal, but all of us agree that working together with other romance writers, we can make RWA an organization that will represent everyone who is a member.
And, I am sad to say I am out of town writing this, so there is no beautiful man pic. I promise to post one soon:)
Graphical Standards, WTF?
June 6, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
Since the posting of the RWA graphical standards, our board has been quite mum. Nothing new with this board. They operate in secrecy and think that for the most part, members are not to have much say so in the day to day running of our organization. But, thankfully, I think, they have stepped over the line. It isn’t just erotic romance writers now upset with these provisions. Now look at this pic. REALLY. I know I posted it before but this pic would make the graphical standards but my book A Little Harmless Sex would not. And the wording in the standard is vauge and alarming. “Representing?” How do we figure out if it is representing something? And something else. Why are terms like RAPE AND INCEST not included? Apparently, depicting violence against another person is okay. Just not healthy sexual relationships.
The RWA has been trying to court the media for years. Who gives a damn? Really. If the media and the non romance reading public doesn’t like us, well, this is the USA and let them. I particularly don’t like a lot of genres, but I don’t see a reason for them to change their content for me to like them. Here are some facts. Romance is the leading genre for paperback sales. Has been for years. Another fact. Erotic romance is providing new life in a market that has been a bit stagnant. And lastly, Nora Roberts, Jenny Crusie, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Linda Howard regularly hit the best seller lists, but they depict sex and pssst, they use the F word. I’ve read their work. In fact Linda Howard is a board member and has a cover that is against the new standards. Pot…meet Kettle.
What I would like is a clear explanation on WHY we have to do this. There is no federal law that says we have to. This was worked on in private. This board has once again forgotten they don’t act for themselves but for an organization. We are an organization of 18 and older. I wish our board acted like it. What is next, secret handshakes to get into functions?
At the root of this is something very disturbing. Everyone involved knows certain members who had been approved, sent their money, and had their plans in place, and then were told they could not sign at the RWA booth at BEA. This standard was voted on and submitted to the office in March, but one author said she was not told until this week, and not by a member of the board. Her book cover was not offesive and it met their standards. If we are not allowed to participate in RWA functions, booksignings, library and booksellers functions hosted by RWA, it will directly hurt the writer for something he or she really doesn’t have control over. And this includes the RWA National Conference Booksigning, which this author is signed up for. And, if they refuse me, after I signed up in MAY, welll after the MARCH decision, this author is not going to be quiet about it.
The one thing I am proud to say is that for the most part, members are up in arms over this and see it for what it is: CENSORSHIP. And from a writer’s organization.
Meets the standards!
FAR CHATTERS
June 3, 2005 by Melissa · Leave a Comment
I love this group. They are a lot of fun, they have high participation, and just some of the sweetest readers. My friends Stephanie Vaughan and Kally Jo Surbeck joined me for a day of excerpts and prizes, jokes and all around fun. And I am always reminded that when I do one of these days why I write. Yes there are people talking in my head, and I have to write or it would drive me insane. But, part of it is for the readers. I love that people get my books, enjoy my humor, and fall in love with my heroes. I know not EVERYONE loves my writing. But all the pain, the headaches, the backaches, the fear fades away when I have one person say, ” I loved that book.” And that is partially what this is about. These readers accept me for who I am, slightly warped, frumpy, housewife who likes to write romances filled with humor and hot sex. I don’t always get that in my world, which is the world of the military. I sometimes am the odd one out, but here, I am accepted.
I can’t ask for more than that, now can I?
Tomorrow I am with the Liquid Silver Books Authors at ebooklove:) I am really looking forward to it.
And hey…Billie Jo, watch out, your hubby is looking over your shoulder again!
ahhhh, Fun day 
A decision that has to be made
June 2, 2005 by Melissa · 4 Comments
So, after a few days waiting we now know that we, as in erotic romance writers, will not be able to be on the RWA webpage, local webpages, or any of our publishers. Or that is the word from RWA today. The campaign to keep ER writers out is in full force and even with the newly formed, and trying to get approval, Passionate Ink, I see problems. It is the use of certain words, pics, and the like and if you are linked to something that is adult in nature, you cannot be listed.
Oh, there are reasons to stay with the RWA, but truthfully, not one of them pertains to me. IT is hard to make this decision. I have been with the RWA for five years now, but even with 14 books, novellas, and short stories in less than a year, I am not considered a writer. And because my website might have the word shit, I can’t be linked.
Many within the ER org are trying to get some of us to stay, that we should give them a chance. But the truth is I pay 75 bucks a year. But, I am not an author in their eyes, I cannot get help from them with one of my publishers, and they do everything in their power to keep us out. I know it is the changing of the old guard with the new, that writers like Angela Knight hitting the best sellers lists will change things. Meanwhile, I don’t make tons of money writing at the moment, and the question is, what am I getting for my 75 bucks? To be treated like a second class citizen and to be told I write smut. Well, hell, I can get that for free. I still don’t know what I am going to do. A lot of it may hinge on if PI gets approval.
A revealing day
Taking it easy
June 1, 2005 by Melissa · 2 Comments
Relaxing and reading
I have finished my first round of edits on Cowboy Up, and spent yesterday and Monday reading. I tend to get on kicks, and read all the books I have of one author. Susan Andersen is who I am reading right now. The first book of hers I ever read was Be My Baby and I was hooked. Sexy, funny, and when I read it I thought, I want to write this type of book. Out of that thought came Grace Under Pressure.
But, even as I have been enjoying myself, I am ready to get back to work. So much to choose from, it has been hard to decide what to work on. I do know I am working on something that hasn’t been contracted something that may never see print. I am ready for a challenge!
