the latest from the blog

Never Stop Growing

Posted by Jan 27 2012, 12:00 am in , ,

If you’re a parent, you’re probably familiar with growth charts.  You know–those graphs that show how your child’s height or weight or head circumference compares to the averages based on her age.  After staring at way too many of these graphs, something occurred to me.  My development as a writer wasn’t too different from the way my baby’s head was growing.

I started in the rapid-growth phase.  With every chapter I wrote, my skill set noticeably improved.  Simple changes, like writing my synopsis before I started the manuscript, so that I’d have a road map to follow, had the power to jump start my productivity and manuscript quality.  The wonderful thing about this phase was that the rejections didn’t sting too much.  By the time an editor told me they didn’t want manuscript A, manuscript B was finished, and it was so much better, I couldn’t believe I’d ever thought A was publication quality.

Then, one day, I finished a manuscript that wasn’t much better than the one before it.

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56 Comments

A Writer’s GMC

Posted by Jan 26 2012, 12:01 am

GMC FOR AUTHORS   Like successful books, successful writers have Goals, Motivation, and Conflict. Think about it. Writers are no different from the characters we set up in stories. An author wants to write the best book possible and be published. Goal.             It’s proven that individuals with goals are significantly more successful than those without. [...]

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31 Comments

Winter Writing Festival WEEK TWO CHECK-IN

Posted by Jan 25 2012, 12:01 am in ,

Winter Writing Festival WEEK TWO Check-in Congratulations!  You’ve made it to the second checkpoint in the writing marathon that is the Winter Writing Festival.   I have the privilege of hosting the second-week check-in.  And it is indeed a privilege.  I’ve *met* some awesome new friends and hung out with some *old* ones in the [...]

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195 Comments

A Fork, Knife and Elephant Means What?

Posted by Jan 24 2012, 12:01 am

A Fork, Knife and Elephant Means What? They’re all elements in an old parable where a man feels overwhelmed at the daunting task of eating an elephant. I never heard this story until last July, at the RWA national conference. I think it was either Roxanne St. Clair or Harlen Coben and Lisa Jackson who [...]

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24 Comments

Ruby Debut Release: Heiress Without a Cause by Sara Ramsey

Posted by Jan 23 2012, 12:01 am in , , , , ,

Today I’m thrilled and privileged to host our very own Sara Ramsey as we discuss her inaugural release, the fun and fabulous regency romance Heiress Without a Cause. After winning the Golden Heart in 2009 and being named a finalist again in 2011 (with the first two books she wrote, but lets all pretend we [...]

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39 Comments

Embrace the Dragon!!

Posted by Jan 20 2012, 1:01 am

I love the fresh start that comes with any New Year (plus I live near San Francisco) so I always love celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year. This year, the Lunar New Year occurs on January 23, this coming Monday, with parades and other celebrations continuing through the next month. Even better, 2012 is YEAR OF  [...]

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27 Comments

RUBY DEBUT RELEASE: Pirate’s Proposal

Posted by Jan 19 2012, 1:27 am in , , , , , , , , ,

Diana Layne would be the first to admit that it’s been a long journey to publication full of rough seas, broken masts and plenty of adventure…which makes today so very sweet. Yesterday her debut novel from The Wild Rose Press hit virtual shelves, and as a die-hard pirate lover, I have to say I’ve been [...]

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67 Comments

WOO-HOO!!! It’s the WINTER WRITING FESTIVAL WEEK ONE CHECK-IN!!!

Posted by Jan 18 2012, 12:01 am

The Second Annual Winter Writing Festival is really rocking, with the Ruby Sisters and well over two hundred friends writing their hearts out! Yesterday, we completed our FIRST FULL WEEK, so this is our first Check-In Wednesday. If you’re reading this on the Festival website (the blue site), jump on over to the regular Ruby [...]

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178 Comments

A Little Ruby History

Posted by Jan 17 2012, 12:01 am in , , , ,

Long, long ago in a galaxy…well, right here in the Milky Way…calls went out from the National RWA Board that would knit a group of women together in a way very few can ever experience – in the quest to procure a little golden heart, the symbol of the best of the unpublished writers, along [...]

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35 Comments

How Much Do You Want This?

Posted by Jan 16 2012, 12:01 am in

I was walking downstairs to do the laundry and I saw this still stuck on the wall where my desk used to be: I’m such a goof, I write little inspirational messages to myself and tape them up over my writing desk. This particular question was up when I sold my first manuscript and it [...]

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53 Comments

Guest Author: Brenda Whiteside

Posted by Jan 13 2012, 12:01 am

Joining us today is my talented critique partner, author Brenda Whiteside, who will share some things she learned about her own writing after spending some time toiling in the editorial trenches! Brenda, take it away.   Last year, I worked as an editor for an e-publisher. What I learned could probably fill a book, if I was inclined to write nonfiction. [...]

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32 Comments


Click to visit the Winter Writing Festival! Righ-click (and choose SAVE IMAGE AS) to get the participant badge for your site!

Coming Soon on the Blog

January 30, 2012
by:
TBA

January 31, 2012
by:
Ruby Release: Third Grave Dead Ahead

February 1, 2012
by:
Winter Writing Festival: Check-In #3

February 2, 2012
by:
Ruby Release: Last Chance Beauty Queen by Hope Ramsay

February 3, 2012
by:
Less Is Best

February 6, 2012
by:
Don’t Forget About Your Subsidiary Rights!

February 7, 2012
by:
Snow Day!

Since the GH Call in 2009...

Vivi Andrews-Vivi writes paranormal romance for Samhain and recently celebrated the release of her twelfth ebook, Ghosts of Boyfriends Past.

Anne Barton-won the 2011 Golden Heart, Regency Category and sold The Proper Miss’s Guide to Bad Behavior in a two-book deal to Grand Central Forever.

Anne Marie Becker-Anne Marie’s 2009 Golden Heart winner, Only Fear, was released by Carina Press September 5, 2011, and will be released in print by Harlequin’s Direct-to-Consumer program in July 2012. The second book in her Mindhunters series, Avenging Angel, will be released in late July 2012.

Tina Joyce Beckett-Tina received The Call in May 2011. Her debut book, Doctor’s Guide to Dating in the Jungle, will be published as a Harlequin Medical Romance and will be available in January 2012. In October, she sold her second Harlequin Medical Romance, Doctor’s Mile High Fling, which will come out in June 2012.

Liz Bemis-Since the 2009 GH, Liz finaled in the 2010 GH, completed manuscript #17 and has developed more than 50 websites as the creative director of Bemis Promotions. She has recently hired a fabulous assistant and hopes to have a free moment sometime between now and Christmas.

Shea Berkley-Shea Berkley has sold her 2010 Golden Heart finaling manuscript, Shattered, to Entangled Publishing in a three book deal.  She sold her Epic Fantasy story, Torrein: Age of Fear, to Variance Publishing.  The release date is November 2011. Go to www.sheaberkley.com for more details.

Jennifer Bray-Weber-Jennifer has published her 2009 Golen Heart manuscript now titled Blood and Treasure on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. The second novel  of her Romancing the Pirate series, A Kiss in the Wind will be available from Carina Press in spring 2012.

Shoshana Brown-Shoshana has sold two short romance stories to Woman’s World magazine.  She’s also a finalist in the YA category of the 2011 Golden Heart with UNDERHANDED.

Sharon Fisher-Sold 2009 finalist manuscript GHOST PLANET to Tor; Signed with agent Robin Rue of Writers House; was named a finalist for the 2010 Golden Heart Award; was named a finalist for the 2011 Golden Heart Award

Addison Fox-In addition to writing about her Zodiac warriors (her Taurus, Quinn, is going to get his comeuppance come May of 2011!), Addison is hard at work on a new contemporary trilogy for NAL set in Alaska. The first book - BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE - will be out in November 2011.

Rita Henuber-Her 2009 Golden Heart nominated book, Guardian Angel, will be published by Carina Press with a new title, UNDER FIRE, and released August 22, 2011.

Tamara Hogan-TASTE ME, the kickoff book in Tamara Hogan’s ”Underbelly Chronicles” urban fantasy series, was published by Sourcebooks in March 2011. Watch for the follow-up, CHASE ME, in June 2012!

Darynda Jones-In addition to the Charley Davidson series, the first of which is titled First Grave on the Right and scheduled to be a Feb 2011 release, Darynda’s fabulous agent sold a YA series, also in a three-book deal, to St. Martin’s Press. The first in the series, Grimsight, will be an April 2012 release. 

Autumn Jordon-IN 2010 Autumn Jordon saw the releases of her Golden Heart entry EVIL’ S  WITNESS, which is also a 2010 NJ Golden Leaf WINNER for Best First Book, and a light contemporary western, OBSESSED BY WILDFIRE.  In October 2010, she signed her third contract with TWRP for her next romantic suspense.  In The Presence Of Evil is on sale now.

Cynthia Justlin-Since 2009, Cynthia has published three romantic suspense books: Her Own Best Enemy, Intrusion, and Separation Anxiety (a novella). Her dark romantic thriller, Edge of Light, will be released from Carina Press May 2012.

Diane Kelly-Sold my Golden Heart manuscript to St. Martin’s Press! My debut novel will be released in September 2011.

Kim Law-Accepted a two-book offer from Amazon Montlake, with the first coming out Spring 2012!

Diana Layne-Diana Layne made her first sale to The Wild Rose Press.  Pirate’s Proposal is the first book in the Tales of The Scrimshaw Doll, a series created by the collaborative effort of a group of OKRWA writers (although Diana is a Texan, she loves her fellow OK Outlaws)

Gabriela Lessa-Gabi bid on the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Membership & Mentorship package and is now the first official Honorary Ruby Sister!

Gwynlyn MacKenzie-Since 2009, Gwyn has become a Mom-mom–twice–finaled in the 2011 GH, and is currently hard at work on the third manuscript in her Seers Series.

Heather McCollum-Just released my first short story, HIGHLAND HEART, in the anthology THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF SCOTTISH ROMANCE.

Bev Pettersen-–Since 2009, two of Bev’s books have hit the shelves: JOCKEYS AND JEWELS and COLOR MY HORSE. Her third release, FILLIES AND FEMALES will be released November, 2011.

Hope Ramsay-In February 2010 I made my first sale to Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance in a four-book deal.  The first book, Welcome to Last Chance will be released on March 1, 2011.  The Second Book, Home at Last Chance will be a September 2011 release.  Last Chance Beauty Queen will be released in April 2012 and Christmas in Last Chance will be released in October 2012.

Sara Ramsey-Sara Ramsey’s first book, HEIRESS WITHOUT A CAUSE, will be released on January 23, 2012. Her second book, SCOTSMEN PREFER BLONDES, will be released in February.

Cate Rowan--her fantasy romance KISMET’S KISS, a two-time Golden Heart® finalist, has been released and is getting rave reviews. In the desert realm of Kad, a deadly epidemic strikes the palace of Sultan Kuramos. Only a magical healer from an enemy land could save his people. He doesn’t realize that healer is a woman… 

Joan Swan-FEVER, Kensington Brava, April, 2012 BLAZE, Kensington Brava, TBD, 2012

Liz Talley-Since finaling in the Golden Heart, Liz Talley has sold eight books to Harlequin Superromance, including her upcoming book – A Touch of Scarlet, October 2011. She is currently working on a three book series called The Boys of Bayou Bridge about a central Louisiana family where the delicious Dufrene brothers find a  sister they thought to be dead very much alive. Liz is excited to write about shrimp creole, Mardi Gras and LSU football…some of her favorite things. All three books will be out in 2012, starting with Waters Run Deep, May 2012

See where we were one year after the GH!

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