Posts Tagged ‘Katalina Leon’

I break for authors!

May 25, 2010 - 10:38 pm 9 Comments

I need to take a moment to focus on my fellow authors - enough with the me…my…mine crap.

So, the good. Author Brynn Paulin has a sweet, hot little number on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list - way to go, Brynn! As of 5/25, she’s rated at number 69 - a good erotic romance position! Here’s wishing Brynn much well-deserved success. Hey Brynn - Beauty and the Feast just got listed in Amazon’s Kindle store! Yay! Now back to you…

http://www.amazon.com/Punished-Taboo-Wishes-ebook/dp/B003BEEAFS/ref=pd_ts_kinc_69?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text

Another good. My secret on-line lover, Mia Watts, has written a dynamic post about do’s and don’t’s for aspiring authors. I think a whole lot of us who try to make writing our livelihood consider her words to be pretty much spot on. The post is entitled, Tips and Tricks, and she posted it on 5/25. Thanks, Mia.

http://www.writersevolution.blogspot.com/

These two tips are my faves:

4. “Don’t Diva. No, seriously, don’t. You aren’t all that. None of us is. Just because someone asked you to submit, or had you sign a contract, there is ALWAYS someone who knows more than you. Acting like there isn’t just makes you a huge ass. If you didn’t realize it before, figure it out quickly… WE ALL TALK. No shit. The editors from multiple houses chat with each other and know the authors who pull power-plays. The authors writing for multiple houses and discover your assiness won’t play nice if you’re going to shit on them. The publishers chat amongst themselves, too.
It is rare indeed where I lay out my cards and piss off a publisher. I’ve done it. Just makes sure it’s deserved.
Readers know when you’re self-absorbed. Keep it in mind. I don’t want to hear any of you say, “Do you KNOW who I AM?” or I’ll smack you. It’s for your own good, so say thank you and move on.

5. Never stop learning. You are not the all-knowing grand poobah of authorhood. Learn from your peers even if you think you’re better than them. New authors tend to have a temporary superiority complex. That’s okay so long as you get over it and realize that every person in the industry and out of it has something valid to offer. Learn from it and use it in your writing. It makes you a better person and a better author.”

The good. Author Katalina Leon and I agree that romance and erotic romance writers are not stupid. We may come from a variety of backgrounds and educational experiences but generally speaking, we are a well-read bunch of folk. Check out the comments from yesterday’s post on philosophy.

The bad. I got dog poo on my hand yesterday when I was walking my dog. He stepped in another dog’s poo and I had to clean it off with piles of grass and leaves because my dog was so totally grossed out he refused to take one more step with that poo on his foot. So as a result, we were both grossed out.

The badder bad. My author friend, Regina Carlysle, is going through a very challenging time and needs good thoughts, prayers if you got ‘em and just general positive vibes sent her way. Regina is another one of those big-hearted, generous, supportive authors who has held my hand many times over the past three years. All the power that is given to me is sent to you, Regina. Hang in there. You are loved.

Tomorrow: Mythology.

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Music to Soothe the Savage Beast

December 7, 2009 - 10:04 pm No Comments

Do you write to music?

Many of my author friends do. Katalina Leon, a writer with Ellora’s Cave, mentioned in her blog over at Seven Sexy Scribes that she likes to put on a song and loop it so that it plays over and over again. I’ll do that on occasion, but only when I’m alone in the car and I can sing at the top of my lungs. And only with certain songs. I pity the poor fool driving behind me on the freeway watching me dance in my seat at 75 mph!

I found myself wondering just the other day, the Allman Brothers blasting on my car stereo, why do we sing? Birds sing. Some insects sing…sort of. What evolutionary advantage does singing confer? I came to the conclusion that it provides none - I guess I think of singing and music as a gift - oh…I don’t know…as in a gift from the gods? I suppose one could surmise that a person who could sing the best got the pick of the litter, attracted more mates, because most of us do love to listen to a beautiful voice, but somehow that doesn’t seem right. Men and women are attracted to each other for more reasons than I can count, the ability to make music is merely one.

I think we sing for the sheer joy of it. Or maybe out of sorrow - poetry and weeping put to music. Yes, to sing is to be one with the heavens. Music is sublime…well, aside from maybe William Hung.

So. My favorites? Too many to mention but I am partial to rock and roll and Motown. In my contemporary romance, Beauty and the Feast, coming out in March - Resplendence Publishing - my heroine, Eva Raines, likes Bonnie Raitt and Lowell George of Little Feat. Grace Raphael, in My Everything, coming with Cobblestone Press, is a big Barry White fan. Both women love to sing. Me too!

Little Feat - Dixie Chicken

The Allman Brothers, Whippin’ Post

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