Where I'm at.

After cutting a total of 60 (A LOT) pages of Dracula's Secret, I started the serious layering on June 27th. So far, I've gone from 49,095 words (did I say I had cut a LOT?) to 55,135 words.  I think I've done good work on the first 1/3 of the book. I should on on my word count by the end of this month (my goal).

I think the book is much much stronger already.

(And I love parenthetical statements, just FYI)

Writers helping each other.

At a previous Romance Writers of America conference, Renee Ryan had presented a workshop on layering. For those not obsessed with writing, that's the process of taking your draft and adding all those things that make a book memorable. Nancy really like the recording, emailed Renee, and got her notes from the workshop. Then she shared them with me.

Here is Renee Ryan's layering process:

1. Finish your first draft. This can be a draft of a scene, a chapter, or even your whole book.
2. Layer in movement - character movement, the world around them.
3. Layer in the five senses
4. Layer in the setting - after all, the environment is a character in and of itself
5. Layer in the emotion
6. Layer in the dialog
7. Layer in the backstory
8. Layer in the sexual tension
9. (and I added this one) Layer in the theme

I've been trying this for the last few days, and I am thrilled! Breaking down the process this way has really helped my revisions, especially after all the cutting I've done. 

Doing some research.

In Dracula's Secret, one of my heroes works as a system administrator at CERN. Yes, that CERN, home of the Hadron Collider, five Nobel Prize winners, and the World Wide Web.

Why a system administrator? Well, first, my beloved Charming Man is, himself, a system administrator at a very large facility, too. I find the way his mind thinks about information management absolutely fascinating (helps that I used to be a librarian, too).

Why CERN?

Many years ago, The Charming Man listened to a sys admin at CERN speak at a conference. My honey brought home notes about how the information systems worked at such a unique facility.

And now, I hope to arrange the chance to tour CERN itself. I go to delve into the mysteries of arranging a tour!

Edited to add: I submitted my request form along with a little note about wanting to ask about information systems. I hope they are amenable.

Moving forward!

I had an amazing phone meeting with Kensington editor Audry LaFehr and her assistant, Martin Biro today.

They love my imagination, the relationship between Valerie and Lance, and how well the sex and violence work. They also said it was strong visual writing (woot!!).

They wanted to talk to me personally instead of through a letter in order to discuss what they thought needed work - basically, Dracula's Secret is very powerful, but also confusing. They suggested focusing more on the main romance, doing more with the secondary plots - ie what purpose do these characters have, etc.

So basically, I got the world's most awesome revise and resubmit phone call! Martin will be in town for Willamette Writer's conference, and he'd love to meet for dinner, too.

They made no promises, but said they loved my writing talent, wanted to give me lots of encouragement, and said that they very very rarely call an author to give her feedback.

I'm all verklempt!!

Giveaways?

Authors are constantly being told to hold giveaways on their websites/blogs.

What in heavens name can an unpublished author give away???

Talking back.

It's time to revamp my website and blog, so tell me what kinds of things you like to see on an author's site.

Writing excerpts? Industry insight? Writing how-tos? Craft? How not to drive yourself crazy as a writer?

I also have a Facebook account now. Find me under Linda Mercury. :)

Scaring the hell out of myself.

Both Bob Mayer and Michael Hauge said many brilliant things this past weekend. Fortunately, I wrote them all down and I'll be able to work my way through them all.

The biggest lesson I got, though, really threw me for a loop.

You've got to go where the fear is, both your characters and yourself.

As the old saying goes, "If you have a character who is afraid of water, she'd better be in the ocean by Act Two."

As an author, I'm afraid of revealing too much of myself to my readers. Where does the line fall between pulling in real emotion and oversharing?

That scares me.

I guess that means I'd better go there.

I love my agent.

Just got this email from Jewelann:

Hi Linda,

Thought you would like to know I have sent queries out to Harlequin, Berkeley, and Kensington so far. Nothing yet from Harlequin, Berkeley has requested a partial and the synopsis (which has been sent) and…….Kensington has requested the FULL. Which has been sent. Along with the synopsis, of course.

That’s it so far.

Jewelann

I'm sure you can hear the high-pitched squealing from where ever you are!

Back to work.

I met with my agent this morning. All I have to do is tidy up my synopsis and we will be ready to start shopping this beauty.

I'll let you all know how it goes. :)

A writing game.

A while ago, Jane Porter spoke at my local RWA chapter, the Rose City Romance Writers.

I'll be honest. Jane's blonde, gorgeous, petite, skinny, and looks about sixteen. I was consumed by envy. Then she gave a brilliantly inspirational speech about where your writing fits in the market.

I was expecting something very business-like, maybe a breakdown of the different publishers and what they tended towards.

Instead, she talked about the roots of your writing- the fables, myths, and fairy tales that consumed you as a child. What could you listen to over and over? What were those themes? What keeps coming up over and over for you?

The fairy tales didn't reveal that much about me, I thought. I picked.

1. The Seven Swans: I chose discipline, faithfulness, and sewing shirts out of flowers (transformation) as the themes I loved about this story.
   


2. Aladdin : Flying, courage, and risk.
   


3. Sleeping Beauty: Disguises, awakening to a new reality, and (what the hell) fairies with personalities.
   

I really flailed with these. No common themes seemed to emerge. Then we went to mythology. I chose:

1. Medea: Revenge, justifiable wrath, a woman who controls her life, a woman who kills, escape
   



2. The Golden Fleece: Powerful allies, justifiable wrath, travel
   



3. The Aenead: Rising from the ashes, travel, new starts
   

I suddenly realized why my attempts at light-hearted romantic comedy failed miserably. I had much darker stories inside of me.

I focused on the story that began, "She swam in an ocean of blood" instead of "Lola blinked." I'm pretty sure we can all tell which first sentence is far more attention grabbing. :)
(That's not the first sentence anymore, by the way ;).

Myths, fables, legends, and fairy tales are our playground. They provide the archetypes, the symbols, and the language for our lives.

Play the game with me. What are the stories that have haunted you? What themes do you carry inside of yourself?

*sigh*

Ok. I lied.

I am depressed about cutting those twelve pages.

I know it's the right thing. I know the book will be stronger. But damn, that was a cute scene. It even had a sea serpent.

Ah, writing.

I'm glad I like it better than anything else I've done.

Otherwise, I would be very depressed after cutting those 12 pages and discovering I needed to add three completely new scenes to a manuscript I thought was finished.

But really? That's part of the fun.

Buy the book!

My good friend Delilah Marvelle just sent me this email:

Despite being sold out of my first print run and going to reprint soon for my debut book, Mistress of Pleasure, Kensington will not be renewing my contracts citing lack of sales. So I have a favor to ask everyone. I am looking to do one last huge push for the second book coming out this August 4th, Lord of Pleasure, so that this series doesn't die a sad pathetic death.

I'm hoping everyone can help in any way by blogging, pitching, sending out newsletters, telling their brothers and sisters, ANYONE to buy the damn book when it comes out August 4th, to show to the publisher that this series DOES matter.

You can also send them to my website www.DelilahMarvelle.com

The campaign is called Save the School of Gallantry Series.
I'm also having a contest, which everyone can post everywhere.

The contest is as follows:
From August 4 until August 28, anyone who e-mails me at
Delilah@DelilahMarvelle.com with the School's quote from Lesson 27, will be entered to win one of three $50 Visa Cards. Winners will be contacted via e-mail by September 10th.

I appreciate all the support!!!

Mistress of Pleasure, Sold out

Lord of Pleasure, August 2009

RT Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee,

N.O.R's Best Historical Romance of the Year

& Booksellers Best Award Double Finalist!