Hellion: Hullo, one and all! As promised, Angie Fox is joining us today on the ship. *pokes Jack in the back to make him stop ogling her like a truffle at a confectioner* Jack, behave yourself.

 

Angie: That’s okay. I like the bad boys.

 

Jack: *kissing the back of Angie’s hand, smiling roguishly* I am behaving myself. Come, dear, have a seat and I’ll share a spot of rum with you. *leading her to one of the cushy chairs in the Captain’s Quarters* One shot or two?

 

Angie: Now I do believe you’re trying to take advantage.

 

Hellion: *sighing* Every chance he gets.

 

Jack: That’s a luv. *pouring her a glass* So tell me, luv, what is your pirating style?

 

Angie: It’s the black boots, isn’t it? I’m not really a pirate. I’m just trying to match my book cover.

 

Hellion: *slapping Jack on the back of the head* I’m sorry, Angie, he’s a bit of a flirt. Something about romance novelists and he completely loses his head.

 

Jack: *leaning forward* But not before you lost yours, if you know what I mean, lass.

 

Hellion: I’m afraid we do. Angie, what is your pirating style? In writing, that is. Are you a plotter, a pantser, or a combination of the two—a plantser?

 

Angie: Just call me a plantser. I like to know where the story is going, but not too much because when I’m having fun, that’s when the story itself takes on a lot more energy.

 

With The Accidental Demon Slayer, I started with a kernel of an idea that amused me. What if a straight laced preschool teacher suddenly learns she’s a demon slayer? And what if she has to learn about her powers on the run from a fifth level demon? Ohhh and wouldn’t it be fun if she’s running with her long-lost Grandma’s gang of geriatric biker witches?

 

I started writing and let the story evolve based on the characters and that central issue of what happens when a reluctant heroine is thrust into a series of extraordinary situations. And I knew the story was working when I couldn’t wait to get back to the keyboard every day.

 

Jack: Ah, not with the writing questions already, Hellie. You’re work-work-work, all the time. *pouting, pouring another jigger of rum*

 

Hellion: He’s fine. Just pretend he’s a prop. You know, like a cushion or something.

 

Angie: That’s some cushion.

 

Hellion: *knowing laugh* Yes, he can be. *holding up a finger to Jack* Not another word. *Jack sits back sullenly, tugging at one of Hellion’s red curls* We love Call Stories—what was yours?

 

Angie: The first 50 pages of the manuscript had won a contest, and the editor who judged it wanted to see the rest of the book. Problem was, it wasn’t finished. Not even close. So I hurried up and wrote the last eight chapters and emailed it off on a Thursday. A few days later, the phone rang and it was a 212 (New York) area code. I assumed it was one of the agents who had the partial manuscript. Nope. It was the editor. She read it over the weekend and wanted to publish The Accidental Demon Slayer. I was stunned at how fast it happened.

 

We had friends coming to stay (with their three children), so I did a quick “yay, yay, yay!” and then I had to go scrub toilets and get the rest of the house ready.

 

Hellion: Holy cow! That’s the most amazing Call Story I’ve heard yet. That’s like a whirlwind marriage—and it’s certainly proof to get your butt in gear if you’re asked to submit a full manuscript and you don’t have it done. It is possible to sell your book right away. Wow. *shakes head* Okay, well, let’s talk about your book. Your debut novel is The Accidental Demon Slayer. You have a very entertaining Ordinary World opening…

 

Jack: Oh, here we go again with the Joseph Campbell again….

 

Hellion: …thrust into a Call to Adventure/Inciting Incident (i.e. preschool teacher discovers she’s a demon slayer)—why a demon slayer? What is it about paranormal or demons that draws you? Any authors or shows you draw your inspiration from?

 

Angie: I wish I could say something profound here, but really, I just tend to write what makes me smile. I read widely – a lot of historical romance, cozy mysteries, contemporaries, paranormals, biographies. Most of the TV I watch is straight comedy (The Office, My Name is Earl, any and all Seinfeld re-runs). I think a great way to draw inspiration is to think of what you haven’t seen.

 

As for the question of – why paranormals? My favorite part is building new worlds and making up my own rules.

 

For example, when I sat down to write The Accidental Demon Slayer, I had no notes about a sidekick for my heroine. But in the second chapter, when Lizzie learns she’s a demon slayer and there are some very scary, very angry creatures on her tail, she takes comfort in her dog. As I was writing, I thought, ‘This is a sweet moment. Now how do I throw her off?’

 

I made the dog say something to her. Nothing big. After all, he’s only after the fettuccine from last week. And he knows exactly where Lizzie can find it (back of the fridge, to the left of the lettuce crisper, behind the mustard). It amused me, so I did it. Thanks to her unholy powers, Lizzie can now understand her smart-mouthed Jack Russell Terrier. Where else can you do that but in a paranormal?

 

Hellion: *laughs* Nowhere. Clearly “mad, bad, and dangerous” men are your favorite kind. (Well, I don’t recall a single kind and sensitive villain (a.k.a Evil Guy who happens to be a shapeshifting griffin) in my acquaintance, at any rate.) Why do you think women find bad boys so fascinating? Why do you think we’ll fall in love with your hero?

 

Angie: Dimitri is a Greek shapeshifting griffin, and what I love about him is that he’s incredibly strong. He can be an alpha male, but what sets him apart is that he’s not only a protector, but he’s also intensely loyal. Griffins were used as a symbol of marriage in the medieval church because they mate for life. So here I can have this rock of a man who hasn’t been sleeping around, who really is looking for his life mate and will know how to treat her right once he’s found her. To me, that’s sexy.

 

Hellion: *fans herself with her question cards* Griffins mate for life, eh? I’ve to look into getting me one of those.

 

Jack: What are you saying, Hellie?

 

Hellion: *patting his leg* Nothing, sweetie, have some rum. *turning back to Angie* Your voice is more romantic comedy (versus the broody gothic paranormals that seem popular now)—how hard was it to break into the genre? (I keep hearing Romantic Comedy is dead, so it’s always uplifting to see proof humor is alive and kicking.)

 

Angie: You know, I also heard romantic comedy is dead, funny paranormals too. Thank goodness I only heard that after The Accidental Demon Slayer sold. But I couldn’t have written it differently. This had to be a quirky book in order to tell the story I needed to tell.

 

As far as the state of the industry, I have to think funny books are becoming popular again. The booksellers I’ve met have been very positive. The Accidental Demon Slayer also hit the NY Times Bestseller list a week after it was released. Hopefully, editors will see that readers are indeed interested in light paranormals.

 

Hellion: You mentioned that! Congratulations—I see that you’ve slipped up even higher on the list this week to #31! That’s awesome! Now, I also know you were/are a journalist/journalism major. What might we learn from journalism that would make us better novelists?

 

Angie: One of my MU J-school professors used to say, “Don’t waste a single word. You have to have a reason for every word you write.” It makes sense for a radio or TV piece (where you might only have thirty or sixty seconds), and also for novels. MU taught me how to write tight.

 

Hellion: Yeah, a lot of us around here need to learn how to do that more. Stop poking me, Jack. *slaps at his chest* Tell us more about The Accidental Demon Slayer. And I’m particularly curious—is Grandma based off anyone you know? (Does your granny ride a harley?)

 

Angie: Oh my, no. My grandmother doesn’t ride a Harley. In fact, when I set out to write The Accidental Demon Slayer, I’d never been on a motorcycle before. I also had to figure out how to get Pirate the dog onto a bike.

 

I went online and learned about the Biker Dogs Motorcycle Club, made up exclusively of Harley riders and their dogs. I ended up meeting some of them, along with a few other bikers along the way. These bikers were so great to me. They hoisted me onto the back of their Harleys (with dogs in tow). They took me to biker rallies (note to self: don’t wear pink). And they laughed at me when I tried to put my helmet on backwards (I still say I was distracted by the Pomeranian wearing a tiny pair of motorcycle glasses).

 

After a few outings with my new biker friends, I was able to make my geriatric biker witch characters a lot more realistic. And I took home some great pictures, too.

 

Hellion: *laughs* That sounds like a blast. And I love Pirate the dog…very cool name. Did you go to RWA this year? If so, did you meet any authors in particular that made you have a Fan Girl moment?

 

Angie: Oh yes, fan girl moments were plentiful. Excuse me if I gush, but it was really fun to meet Sherrilyn Kenyon. She’s so open and warm. When I told her my first book had just come out, you would have thought she was the one who published it. We did the link-y, jump-y hand thing while she asked all kinds of questions and was truly excited. It was really neat. I know now why her books are so moving because she’s 100% present in whatever she’s doing.

 

Then I got to meet Vickie Lewis Thompson, which was a thrill because I love her nerd series. Of course I wasted no time telling her that. We talked about what we were both working on and then (fan girl) I had her sign a book. And I’ll always treasure it because she used the opportunity to write a personal congrats for Demon Slayer, which was really sweet.

 

Then I was able to sit down at dinner with Jennifer Ashley (I love her Immortals) and Marjorie Liu (like there’d ever be enough time to gush to her). Both of them were really great.

 

Hands down – the best part about having a book out is getting to meet the authors on my keeper shelf.

 

Hellion: Jack would want to ask you how you like your rum…

 

Jack: Particularly if you like it horizontal or vertical. *winces at Hellion as she slaps him in the arm*

 

Hellion: But since I know you’re from my hometown too, I have to ask you how you like your Shakespeare’s Pizza?

 

Angie: Wheat crust, pepper jack cheese, with sausage and onion and a cold beer.

 

Hellion: I want to thank you again for interviewing with us today. And I totally have to give a shout out to Kimberly Killion for recommending it. It’s just really cool to visit with all you guys. I hope you’re able to stay and answer some questions from the crew. *slaps a hand over Jack’s mouth* None from you. Crew—what questions have you got for the funny and wild Angie Fox?

I’ve mentioned here before that the hero of my WIP is a chef.  He’s recently purchased a restaurant and put everything he has into making it a success.  The irony of me writing a book about a chef is that I don’t really cook.  I mean, I make things like baked chicken, spaghetti, and several things that come out of a box, but I don’t think that really counts as cooking.  Spices are a mystery to me and though I know I like flavor, I don’t know how to incorporate it into my meals.

 

So why would I be stupid enough to write about a chef?  Well, first off, he showed up in my head that way.  My characters show up pretty much with names and occupations intact and I don’t have much say in the matter.  Secondly, I think chefs are hot.  Who needs a third reason when you have reason two?

 

I’ve read books and watched movies set in restaurants and I’m an avid Top Chef watcher.  But I know that isn’t going to be enough to really write a busy restaurant kitchen scene and make it come to life.  My goal was to find some restaurant that would allow me to hover in a back corner out of the way and just observe.  And by some miracle, I’m actually going to meet that goal and then some.

 

Turns out, a friend of mine who also happens to be a writer (I know, big shocker!) has a nephew that owns a restaurant in Richmond.  She’s willing to take me up there, introduce me to her nephew (who is about my age, single, and supposedly looks like Tom Cruise), and get me a seat in the corner of the kitchen.  Also by some miracle, this restaurant serves the exact kind of food I’ve already written into the story.  I mean, come on, this is too good to be true!

 

Have you ever created a situation in a book then realized you didn’t know a thing about it?  How far have you gone for research?  How far would you go?  If you’re a reader, what book took you to a place or taught you about an occupation or hobby and made you feel like you were right there doing everything with the characters?

Since it’s pretty much the middle of the night and I just got home from a date (Yay me!) and I’m really tired, this is going to be short…but sweet.  The Olympics continue (even though Michael Phelps is done…*sniff*) and we continue our Hottie Ode to Athletes.  I think every woman alive (over a certain age) will admit we fell in love with beach volleyball while watching Top Gun.  Yes, Tom is a bit looney these days, but he was hot as hell in that movie and any woman who can catch that scene while flipping channels and not stop to watch it is a stronger woman than I. 

 

So what better Hottie Athlete to go with today than a beach volleyball player?  This is the very attractive Jake Gibb.  In my dedication to complete research for this blog, I learned he’s 32 (Go Captain!), 6′7″ and likes some kind of bean burrito.  Not sure why I needed to know that but now I do. 

Enjoy the eye candy ladies and don’t forget to be here this Tuesday, August 19^th, when author Angie Fox will be stepping aboard deck.  Angie will be talking about her debut release, The Accidental Demon Slayer, and what it’s like to be a newbie author in the business.  Be here for all the fun!

I wrote about three different blogs and had to scrap them because I was contemplating my navel too much.

Therefore I suppose there’s nothing else for it: parody time. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll be a little bit inspirational to you as you hum along.

If not, at least be grateful I spared you the reading of my navel lint and its philosophical meaning to the rest of the Universe.

I’m taking it nice and easy,
It’s going to be so breezy
For me to write this book.
Hey, now, what’s my hurry?
Relax, I shouldn’t worry,
My opening’s going to be off the hook!
I’m on the road to getting published
That’s safe to say
But I better finish it or they’ll never pay
The problem now of course is
To figure out what my plot is of course is
To write nothing would be a crime
But nice & easy does it every time.

 I hope Old Blue Eyes isn’t spinning too quickly in his grave. Frank, you know I love you!

Question of the Day: What little lies do you tell yourself in order to accomplish the tasks you have for yourself? Whether it’s writing a book or giving birth…after all, neither of those cases is it “nice & easy”. Well, except for maybe Terri…What little pep talks (LIES) do you tell yourself to get it done?

 

When I started writing His Bewitching Guardian last year, I knew I would have to avoid sounding too contemporary.  It was set in Regency England so some things they just couldn’t say.   Some words wouldn’t have left a proper young lady’s lips and some words hadn’t even been created yet.  It would have sounded ridiculous to have my hero call his friends “dudes” or have a girl talk about PMS.

It was a tough modification, but I bumbled through.  There are definitely moments where my Linguistics major CP Jordan still points out these errors but I think, like anything else, that it’s possible to get used to watching out for things.  You start noticing when a word might not fit and where you might have to avoid informal language. 

I’ve started a new project.  It’s a YA Paranormal tentatively titled Touched.   All of a sudden, I’m able to sound as contemporary as I want. 

Now I have to worry about using contemporary language that feels clichéd.   ‘Cause really, who says gnarly anymore?

I should be breathing a sigh of relief.  I won’t be looking up the type of underpants girls in 19^th Century England wore.  Yippee!  But, now I have to worry about what kind of underpants a teenage girl in Generic American Town would wear if she were a normal girl who ran cross country, sort of hid in sweatshirts, and avoided conversations.  Not that her underpants will show up in my book (I suspect anyway) but character development is important.

My YA is also in 1^st person.  The story made it necessary, but I’m still getting used to the idea.  Thank goodness our Quartermaster writes a slamming first person and is holding my hand a little bit here.

So, this historical 3^rd person writer, accustomed to using more formal language, avoiding pronouns, and in possession of a healthy disdain for dialogue tags, is wrestling with her contemporary 1^st person voice.   A whole new world has opened up to me. 

I’m still exploring my horizons.

Do you prefer 1^st person or 3^rd person novels?  Do you write 1st or 3rd person?  What do you think are the benefits of each POV?    Do you think some stories just require a certain POV?  Any 1^st person stories that really stick out to you?  Any historicals you’ve noticed language that felt too contemporary?

Just a thought.

 

It’s passing at first. You walk down the hallway, up the stairs without the light thinking about it. You walk into the bedroom, ignoring the thought as you ready for bed. You sit on the edge of the bed, sinking into the softness as the thought mills around in your tired brain.

 

Ignore it. You’ve got better things to play out.

 

You lay your head on the pillow. You close your eyes slowly. The gentle glow from the TV is soothing, and the thought refuses to go away. You thought you could make it go away.

 

I mean, it’s only a thought. A brief moment, a flash through your subconscious.

 

But that thought brought your subconscious back into focus.

 

It brings you back together.

 

It pulls you apart.

 

The first glance into something new always sticks with you the hardest. It’s always the most vivid thought that keeps playing over and over again until you finally do something with it.

 

New stories are like that. Once they have you in their clutches, the new story doesn’t let you go. It builds. Gains momentum. Roars like a freight train coming around the bend. The fun and excitement of exploring new ideas, new directions, and new characters are what keep writer’s going through tough times when it’s not coming so easily anymore. New experiences keep our minds fresh and our writing strong so that those beginnings don’t turn into soggy middles and bad endings with loose ends.

 

But with all beginnings, we stumble and we fall. Beginnings bruise us from the inside out as we push through doubt and fear that our new start isn’t as great as we originally thought. So the trick is to work past the doubts; because in the beginning doubt will be the only thing that keeps you from moving forward. And with something new, doubt is just not acceptable.

 

So forge on, great writer, don’t let that beginning beat you down.

 

What is your favorite part about the beginning, whether it be from a writer or reader’s aspect?

*ship is abuzz with rumors of THE Teresa Medeiros being interviewed today; as a cabin door opens, the buzz dies and out of the dark depths emerges*

 

Captain Jack Sparrow: *waxing the left side of his mustache with one hand, he staggers over to a big cushy chair and sits* ‘Ello me lovelies, have you missed me? It has been a while since I’ve been above to visit you; but I insisted to Hellion that I should be the one to do the interview today. Therefore, it is my very great honor to present you our guest of honor, NYT’s bestseller and beloved romance author, Teresa Medeiros!

 

*much clapping and screaming from crew and fans; Hellion spies Teresa and faints where she stands*

 

CJS: *pointing at Hellion* Is she still doing that?

 

Bos’n: ‘Fraid so. *helping Hellion to stand again, who looks faintly confused to be on the floor again and is rubbing her head*

 

CJS: *turning to Teresa and taking her hand to lead her to the chair across from him; he kisses her hand* Thank you, Teresa. It really is wonderful of you join us today. We’ve been buzzing about it for months….

 

Teresa:  *sits and offers Jack her other hand to kiss as well* I’d heard you were “buzzed,” Captain, but I thought that had more to do with the jug of rum in your hand. *crewmembers laugh, CJS looks…not the least abashed*

 

CJS: *his devilish smirk in place* Witty as well as beautiful. *kissing her other hand in an unseemly manner; sitting back down* So, let’s get the important question out of the way, shall we? Your fans are dying to know. Your eighteenth book, Some Like It Wicked, hit the shelves July 29^th; all of your books have been national bestsellers; and you’re a seven time RITA finalist: just how many times did you watch Pirates of the Caribbean? And will I get to play a part in any of your future novels? You know everyone loves a pirate. You could revisit that Thief of Hearts setting, you know. Everyone loves a sequel!

 

Teresa: I’ve lost count of the number of times I watched Pirates. I think Pirates and The Mummy both did an amazing job of bringing historical romance to vivid and pulse-pounding life. And it’s ironic that you would be chattering on and on about yourself because I’m already telling people that Simon, the hero of Some Like It Wicked, is a cross between Captain Jack Sparrow and Sawyer from Lost with a spritzer of Cary Grant splashed in to liven up the mix.  And it’s also amazing that you should mention Thief of Hearts because the first time I watched Pirates, I noticed a definite similarity between Captain Doom’s ship in Thief and the Black Pearl.  As far as I’m concerned, pirates are like a good Chanel suit.  They never go out of style!  

 

CJS: *tugging on the cuff of his jacket, flicking lint off his sleeve* Indeed. As I mentioned before, Some Like It Wicked, hit the shelves July 29^th. What is this book about? What is your favorite part about this book?

 

Teresa:  After doing the two vampire books, I’m celebrating my return to the Regency historical with Some Like It Wicked.  My heroine, Catriona Kincaid, goes looking for a hero but finds a man. Sir Simon Wescott is languishing in Newgate Prison when she asks him to escort her to the Highlands to help her find her missing brother and restore the honor of her clan.  She offers him both wealth and freedom but Simon has a more sensual prize in mind.  And of course my favorite part of the book is Simon, who’s a very bad boy but a real good man *Teresa gives CJS a knowing wink*.

 

CJS: *smirks back knowingly* Simon! I think I’ve met him. Complete pirate. The wenches here are going to go mad reading your novel, I can tell. It will be all I can do to keep up with them. *grins wickedly* And for that, I thank you. How important is a character’s name, do you think? I mean, clearly, I don’t believe my name could have been anything but *turns and smolders at the camera* Captain. Jack. Sparrow. *turns back and smolders at Teresa* But I’m curious if there was a special process you went through in picking out names? I did notice in your many, many novels a particular dearth of rakish heroes named Jack, for instance. Any particular reason why?

 

Teresa:  I have to confess that I’ve always had a fondness for those sweep-you-away classic romance names like Sebastian (Heather and Velvet), Gabriel (Yours Until Dawn) and Simon.  I’m not bashing the John’s, Edward’s and Jack’s of the world, mind you.  I think there was a rather famous “Jack” featured in Lisa Kleypas’s Suddenly You and one of my favorite heroes of all-time—besides you, of course—is Jack Bauer of 24.   

 

CJS: *grinning rakishly at her* Those dimples of yours are beguiling. *leans forward, looking at her through his eyelashes* What are the necessary things every hero must have? What is your favorite kind of hero to create? And do they look anything like me?

 

Teresa:   I look for the same qualities in a hero that I look for in a man—intelligence and a sense of humor.  There’s nothing sexier than a man who can make you laugh or who can laugh at himself.  And my favorite hero to create is a dangerous one. To me, the main conflict in a romance should always be between the hero and heroine so if the hero doesn’t pose an emotional (and sometimes physical) threat to the heroine, then the story loses steam. I like to write about men who have the power to either kiss or kill the heroine but who end up being unable to resist the kiss.  To me, that’s where the true emotional power of the story lies. 

 

CJS: Danger is my middle name, lass. No worries. *lounging back indolently* You frequently go to the RWA conferences, do you not? Can you tell us a little about what it’s like to attend one? And if Hellion ever gets to go to one, will it be okay if she stalks you? (She did it to me; she’s really completely harmless.) Of course, she’ll have a better time, I think, if she stops fainting. She’s going to give herself a coma.

 

Teresa:  *peering nervously around to see if Hellion is still lurking behind the potted plant* I’ve been attending the annual RWA conference since 1989 when I was (cough, cough) twelve. They have wonderful workshops where you can learn everything you need to know about writing and publishing.  The only problem now is that I never have time to go to any of them!  I’m too busy being wined and dined by my publisher and agent and eating and drinking with my friends.  Oh, wait a minute—that’s not a problem, is it?  It’s the best slumber party in the world! 

 

CJS: Maybe I should go to a conference. I love slumber parties! I, of course, am your biggest fan. (I am, for understandable reasons, most partial to Thief of Hearts; however, Nobody’s Darling is perhaps my second favorite, because of the “éclair scene”.) Do you have a particular book that is your favorite, or can you not bear to pick only one? Hellion’s favorite scene (she raves about it constantly) is in Whisper of Roses when Enid and Ranald get caught having sex. Which is ironic since she never laughed when we were caught having….

 

Teresa: Hellion! *turning to gape at the plant*  I’m shocked!  I would have sworn you were as pure as one of my heroines before she meets one of my heroes! 

 

Crewmembers: *laughing hysterically at thought that Hellion’s a virgin*

 

Hellion: Well, I wouldn’t say pure. But I wouldn’t say, impure either.

 

CJS: The priest didn’t understand your logic either, darling. Go back to your plant. *Hellion sticks her tongue out at Jack and releases the fronds*

 

Teresa: *turning back from the plant, looking bemused* And ah, yes, Billy Darling from Nobody’s Darling remains one of my all-time favorite heroes.  It’s the rocking chair scene I remember with great fondness *eyes glaze over as she sighs wistfully*.  And I can’t pick a favorite book because that would be like picking a favorite child.  I love each of them for different reasons. I love the dinner party scene where the lobsters escaped in Once An Angel and I’m very partial to Yours Until Dawn because I was so terribly, achingly in love with Gabriel by the time the book ended. And I have to humbly confess to sharing your fondness for Thief of Hearts.  I still swoon a little when I listen to Captain Doom’s theme (Unforgiven by Metallica).    

 

CJS: That sounds like my theme-song as well. I swear, you do a little light thievery and piracy and no one lets you forget it. How are you able to balance both sides of your writing life: the writing and the business? Those aspects seem completely opposite of each other. And how do you keep on top of fan mail, promotion, and all the other stuff that seems to be forgotten when newbies are pursuing the writing dream? (What was your biggest shock to adjust to in the writing business?)

 

Teresa:  I think the internet has brought a tremendous amount of work into the writing life that wasn’t there before. The best thing to do is compartmentalize the writing and keep it away from the promo aspects of the job as much as possible because it’s two separate sides of the brain.  I can no longer write on ANY computer that has a connection to the internet.  So instead of working in my beautiful office, I end up crammed into a corner of the bedroom writing on my laptop. (I like to think of it as “the magic box where I keep my book.”)  I think it’s very easy to get swept up in the promotion of your work, but you have to remember that if you don’t write, there won’t be anything to promote.  Balance is essential!  

 

CJS: I strive for balance in everything but my rum consumption. I could interview you all day. You’ve been such a wonderful guest, and so informative; however, I think we only have time for one more question before I turn it over to the crew for their questions and comments: Which of the POTC movies did you enjoy most and why?

 

Teresa: I’d have to say the first movie because you know what they say, Jack–There’s nothing like the first time!

 

CJS: *waxing his mustache in a happily embarrassed gesture* Indeed, luv, indeed. *turning to crew* Okay, your turn: what have you to ask THE Teresa Medeiros?

As I mentioned yesterday, unless you’re living under a rock, you know the Olympics are going on right now in Beijing, China.  I’ve watched the Olympics for as long as I can remember. (Insert memory joke here)  As a child, I was always amazed by those who competed and wondered what that must be like.  Since there was nothing I did that would have put me on that path, those were bittersweet thoughts.

 

Then when I was the age that many Olympians are, I remember thinking that I hadn’t accomplished enough in life because these people were traveling the world, winning medals or just competing on that level and I could barely get to school or work on time.  Now I can watch the games, enjoy all the human interest stories, and understand the commitment and dedication it takes to reach that level without beating myself up or feeling inferior.

 

What does this have to do with writing?  Everything.  I’ve only been in pursuit of this publishing dream for less than two years.  In fact, I probably only admitted to myself just last year that I really do want to be published.  The birth of this dream happened when I met a group of talented women on the Eloisa James (then sans Julia Quinn) Bulletin Board and a bunch of us took part in the Avon Fanlit contest back in 2006.  Some of those women have gone on to finish multiple manuscripts, final in and win contests, and even sell their first books. 

 

In comparing my progress to these women, again it’s as if I’m watching those Olympians achieve their dreams while I sit idly by on my couch.  But this time I know it can be different.  Fortunately, there is no dream age for achieving that published status.  The only person who can shut me out of this game is me.

 

Publishing is my Olympics.  I’ve started my training by attending workshops and conferences.  Taken courses and received feedback from others that can only serve to make me better.  But this is only the beginning.  There is a huge amount of work ahead of me. 

 

When did you take up the dream of publishing?  Are you early in your training or are you a veteran in the field?  Have you given yourself a deadline to reach your goal or are you content to keep at it for as long as it takes?  In writing or anything in life, what dreams have you chased and how did it feel when you reached your goal?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the summer Olympic games started this weekend in Beijing.  I hope everyone caught the opening ceremonies because they were amazing.  I admit Gummer Marnee wasn’t very happy that we made her hold that satellite dish all night, but it’s not like we can get cable here on the ship.

 

Anyway, what better time than now to honor our Olympic athletes?  And what better athlete to honor out here surrounded by all this water than the US Olympic swim team?  I think I speak for everyone when I say, let the games begin.

 

Everyone knows I’m not typically interested in lanky, but I’ve been making a lot of exceptions lately.  And Mr. Phelps here presents plenty of reasons to make an exception.

 

Big happenings on the ship this week. BIG BIG TADOINGS!  This Tuesday, August 12, the RWR is excited to welcome New York Times Bestselling author, Teresa Medeiros!  Teresa’s latest release, Some Like It Wicked, hit store shelves at the end of July and we’re so excited to have her with us to talk all about it.  And since she was silly….errr…..brave enough to agree to an interview with Captain Jack, there’s no telling what else we’ll be talking about.  So mark your calendar now and join us Tuesday for all the fun.

 

Now, everyone watching the Olympics?  Did you see the opening ceremonies?  Wasn’t that amazing?!  Oh, and anyone interested in swimming lessons should sign up now.  But don’t be throwing elbows to cut in line!

The Romance Writer’s Revenge is proud to welcome Santa O’Byrne (or Sandra if she’s going to insist) back to the ship.  Here’s her take on the whole conference experience…

What is conference afterglow, you ask?

Conference afterglow is the surge of bliss, an unequivocal euphoria and bone deep contentment you feel after you’ve come away from a particularly gratifying experience at a conference.

That’s what I’m feeling right now.

And I’m hoping it lasts for a very long time because I’d like to savor the experience for a bit longer and draw all the inspiration I can from it before it all fades into the ether.  Inevitably, that’s what happens whenever you return from a conference or some sort of retreat.  You feel charged and ready to conquer the world – except the world has other plans for you.

Not me.  Not this time.  This time I’m going to record the five tenants I gleaned from this conference and they are:

Faith.

Hope.

Will.

Determination.

Perseverance.

Time and again I heard those tenants at this conference.  Not all at one time.  Not in any one workshop. But as I talked with agents and authors, both published and unpublished, I found these to be truths.   Sure, some of them came out of the gate with hot winners on their hands but their journey to that end was filled with many of the trials and struggles aspiring writers such as ourselves have gone through.  Those marvelously polished books were once manuscripts that were met with edits and revision requests even after they were bought.  And this after many years of writing and the legendary horde of manuscripts under the bed. 

But all these writers had FAITH that they would one day publish.  It was this faith that fostered the HOPE that their manuscripts would be accepted by an agent.  This hope drove their WILL to succeed in the often overwhelming world of publishing.  Their will only served to fuel their DETERMINATION to complete that manuscript, bringing them one step closer to publication.  And it was their determination to succeed that fostered the PERSERVERANCE to overcome any obstacles blocking their way to being published.

So, I’m applying them to my own writer’s journey.  As seen from a writer’s perspective they make complete sense to me.  I’m even thinking of having them framed around my work space – in big, bold letters – underlined and maybe even in italics.

So , what do you do to keep the conference fire burning?  How long have you managed to keep that conference afterglow?