Michele Drier, Waitress

Michele is supposed to wait tables at the cafe, but she spends too much time filling salt and pepper shakers, napkin holders and ketchup bottles. She says she doesn't want to get her perfectly-folded hankie mussed up, but she's really eavesdropping on the customer's conversations without having to talk to them. That way, she makes up their stories herself and doesn't have to bother with facts. In her spare time she writes mysteries and light vampire romance with a Hollywood gossip twist, talks to her cat, Djinn, and watches the squirrels on the freeway fence in her Sacramento backyard.

You can find more about Michele at http://www.micheledrier.com

Eilis Flynn, Counter Hugger

Eilis Flynn likes to hang out at the Otherworld because there's always something going on there! When she's not being the diner's principal Counter Hugger, she writes about The Reality Beyond (i.e., urban fantasy and paranormal romance). She lives in Seattle, WA, a place that has its own troll (who lives under a bridge -- you can look it up!), and other strange and wondrous things. To find out more, check out:

Website: http://www.eilisflynn.com
Blog: http://eilisflynn.blogspot.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/eilis.flynn
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/#!/eilisflynn

What kind of writing conferences will you be attending this year?

There are so many good writing conferences out there throughout the year. January is when I start making my list of the ones I want to go to and the ones I HAVE to go to - there is a difference.

This year, I've been invited to seven conferences around the country. I don't think I'll be able to go to all of them, but several are near and dear to my heart and others will help me with the business of writing and selling what I write. Attending conferences is a great way to network, meet production companies, agents and editors and get in on pitch sessions, where you can pitch your story to your dream editor/agent or production company. Some of my conferences this year will be for novels, and some for scripts.

Where do you want to go? Questions welcome :)

Here's some links to get you started:
Novel Writing Information/Conferences
http://writersconf.org/
http://writing.shawguides.com/
http://www.right-writing.com/conference.html
http://www.yudkin.com/confs.htm
http://www.pw.org/content/writers_conferences_colonies_and_workshops?cmnt_all=1
http://www.agentquery.com/resource_cs.aspx
http://foliolit.com/resources/writers-conference-etiquette/

Screenwriting Conferences/Pitchfests
http://writing.shawguides.com/
http://screenwritingexpo.com/
http://mselveymsc.hubpages.com/hub/The-List-of-Ten-Things-6-Screenwriting-Conferences
http://www.pitchfest.com/index.shtml
http://www.inktippitchsummit.com/

Good luck and get writing!

PR Mason, Cashier

P.R. Mason likes her coffee black and her pie sweet. She's the Otherworld Diner's Cashier because she must be kept as far from the kitchen as possible—to put it frankly, she's a disaster if she gets near a stove. When she's not taking checks and making change at the diner, she's an author who writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She lives in the weird and wonderful city of Savannah, Georgia, where she's regularly subjected to the mind control experiments of her two black cat overlords. You can find out more about her at the following sites:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5259792.P_R_Mason  
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/P.R.-Mason/e/B005RCKCQS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/prmason
Website: http://www.prmason.net
Blog: http://www.agirwithacomputer.blogspot.com

If you'd rather learn more about her cat overloards, you'll find the leader on Twitter @ConfuciusCat and on his blog at http://www.confuciuscat.blogspot.com

January

What a wild ride so far, eh? I don't know about where you live, but we've had uncharacteristic warm temperatures here, even by Tennessee standards. We've also had a few days of severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings. Tornadoes aren't all that unusual in January in the South, but this is ridiculous.

Global warming? Sun spots? Who the heck knows? I only know that while living in Ohio January meant the coldest temperatures of the year, snow-covered lawns and streets, howling winter winds, and bare trees. It was so cold one year there were deer tracks leading all the way up to the small trees and bushes planted next to our house. Poor things were that hungry - they came into a subdivision and risked human contact just to find something to eat.

As I was thinking of the contrasts between the Januaries of my childhood and the spring-like conditions I'm now forced to endure in what should be a cold, quiet month, I began to wonder (as I so frequently do) where the name January came from.

January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway. The name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) – January is the door to the year. Traditionally, the original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months, totalling 304 days, winter being considered a monthless period. Around 713 BC, the semi-mythical successor of Romulus, King Numa Pompilius, is supposed to have added the months of January and February, allowing the calendar to equal a standard lunar year (365 days).

Although March was originally the first month in the old Roman Calendar, January became the first month of the calendar year under either Numa or the Decemvirs about 450 BC (Roman writers differ). In contrast, specific years pertaining to dates were identified by naming two consuls, who entered office on May 1 and March 15 until 153 BC, when they began to enter office on January 1.

Historical names for January include its original Roman designation, Ianuarius, the Saxon term Wulf-monath (meaning wolf month) and Charlemagne's designation Wintarmanoth (winter / cold month).

In Finnish, the month is called tammikuu, meaning month of the oak, but the original meaning was the month of the heart of winter, as tammi has initially meant axis or core. In Belarusian January is called "студзень" which means "a frosty one". In Czech this month is called leden, meaning ice month. In Ukrainian it is січень meaning cutting or slicing perhaps referring to the wind. Similarly, in Croatian January is called siječanj, also meaning cutting or slicing. In Sámi it is known as ođđajagimánnu, meaning simply "new year's month". The Turkish word for the month is called Ocak that means stove, fireplace.

According to Theodor Mommsen (The History of Rome, volume 4, The Revolution), the first of January became the first day of the year in 600 AUC of the Roman Calendar (153 BC), due to disasters in the Lusitanian War. A Lusitanian chief called Punicus, invaded the Roman territory, defeated two Roman governors and slew their troops. The Romans resolved to send a consul to Spain and, in order to accelerate the dispatch of aid, "they even made the new consuls enter on office two months and a half before the legal time" (15th of March).

Had enough? :) I don't know about you, but I find this stuff fascinating. I love to research names and their origins, because so often they end up nothing like the original idea or reason behind the name.

Ask An Editor

Ever wish you could get inside an editor’s head? To have that esteemed person respond directly to you?

For many authors seeking publication, getting an editor’s attention is a dream come true.

In traditional publishing, editors are the gatekeepers. They decide if your piece is publishable or rejection fodder. This ultimate authority and the way they handle it makes them enigmas. For most us, editors remain mysteries because they are busy people, have varying backgrounds and interests, and sometimes make, what to us, are questionable decisions.

Today, we have a special opportunity at the diner.

Loose ID Senior Editor Ann Curtis has graciously offered to answer questions collected in our post today.

FYI: Loose Id is a California-based company that publishes steamy romances. Since 2004, they’ve published between 16 and 24 titles per month, penned by more than 200 talented authors. You can find them at http://www.loose-id.com/default.aspx.

Ann has been with Loose Id since 2006. In addition, she’s had her own editing business since 2005. Ann has a wealth of knowledge, which she’s waiting to share.

Today, we’ll collect your questions and I’m sure we’ll have lots of great ones. Ann will answer 13 of them and I’ll post her responses Feb. 23rd.

So, what would you like to know? This is an opportunity you don't want to miss. ...
Please post your questions in the Comments.

Thanks.

1. Mary asks--What is the first thing you look for in a manuscript?
2. Mary would also like to know--what do editors like to see?
3. Mia wonders--In terms of submissions, what would you like to see more of?
4.Jeannie asks--Where do you see publishing going in the next five years - will digital overrun print?
5.Alice Audrey has these questions--Do you edit self-pub books? If so, which have you done? What does your editing encompass?
6.Anonymous asks--When you receive a manuscript, what's a cardinal sin? In other words, a deal-breaker? What should we authors do better to impress an editor?
7.Country Dew wonders--Do you require a completely finished manuscript from a new writer, or do you prefer to accept a query and then work with the writer to create a finished work of fiction?
8.The Gal Herself poses these questions--How important is an agent? Is it true that editors prefer to receive manuscripts through an agent, rather than directly from the author?
9.Regina Castillo asks--I would like to know what agents see that makes them want to see your full manuscript. What can we do to make them want more?
10.Shelley Munro’s first question is - what genres would you like to see more of?
11.Oh, and her second - which are the most popular genres at Loose-Id?
12.Barbara Britton wonders--If the writing is A plus, but there's one grammar error, does it make you pass on the manuscript?
13.She also asks--What does it mean when editors/agents say it's not right for their list? What formulates a list?
14.Carolyn Rosewood’s question is--What percentage of manuscripts that you acquire would you say come from new authors?

Indie Author Spotlight: Chosen

by Denise Grover Swank

Book Blurb

Everything Emma Thompson owns fits in a suitcase she moves from one roach infested motel to another. She and Jake, her five year old son who can see the future, are running from the men intent on taking him. Emma will do anything to protect him even when it means accepting the help of a stranger named Will. Jake insists she needs Will, but Emma’s never needed help before. And even though she’s learned to trust her son, it doesn’t mean she trusts Will.

Mercenary Will Davenport lives in the moment. Hauling Emma to South Dakota should have been an easy job, but his employer neglected to tell him about Emma’s freaky son and the gunmen hot on her trail. Instinct tells him this job is trouble, but nothing can prepare him for Jake’s proclamation that Will is The Chosen One. Who must protect Emma from the men hunting her power. A power she doesn’t know she has.thing Emma Thompson owns fits in a suitcase she moves from one roach infested motel to another. She and Jake, her five year old son who can see the future, are running from the men intent on taking him. Emma will do anything to protect him even when it means accepting the help of a stranger named Will. Jake insists she needs Will, but Emma’s never needed help before. And even though she’s learned to trust her son, it doesn’t mean she trusts Will.

The Romantic Suspense

This book grabbed me from the first line and didn’t let go until the end. Fast-paced and action-packed, it had me flipping my virtual Kindles pages at mach speed. The author hardly ever lets the reader catch their breath. The suspense plot is tight and keeps us guessing. We, just like Emma, Will and Jake, have no idea who the bad men are and why they’re after them until the end.

The Characters

Will is a tortured hero hiding behind a cocky persona. I love how the author didn’t make him so self-assured that he can’t hide that he’s freaked out and a little scared of a 5 year old. Emma is believable as a mother doing everything in her power to keep her son safe. However, my mommy-meter went off every time Emma cusses like a sailor in front of her young child. During moments of life-threatening danger, I can understand letting one or two fly, but she didn’t seem to have a mommy filter on when things weren’t so tense. Jake is a child who is wise beyond his years. He’s confused as he comes into his new powers but deals with them like an adult, stoically accepting the fate life is about to deal him.

The Heat Factor

The sexual tension builds slowly with these two. After all, they have more pressing things to do (like staying alive) than ogle each other every five minutes. But once the burner gets turned up, the sexual chemistry is definitely sizzling between these two. The author does a good job building up to the moment with some steamy foreplay and then fades to black, leaving the nitty-gritty details to the reader’s imagination. If you want graphic sex scenes, this book is not for you.

A Few Stumbles

Besides having problems with mom’s potty mouth around her young son, this book would have benefited from a good, final proof-read. There were occasional times where words were omitted or left in (such as ‘his head his head’ or using ‘of’ instead of ‘off’’-- things that spell check doesn’t catch). With the fast-paced action, running into one of these caused this reader a bit of a stumble before continuing on.

Not Quite a HEA

The author doesn’t tie the ending of this book up in a nice, neat bow. There are many questions left unanswered and Will and Emma are still on the run. But hey, that’s what sequels are for. *G*

What Makes This Book Standout

This book is a page turner. Once I started it, I kept my Kindle by my side at all times and even got a few thumb cramps from hitting the NEXT PAGE key so fast. If you like good romantic suspense with a little paranormal thrown in, don’t miss this gem of a book.

Learn more about Denise Grover Swank at http://www.denisegroverswank.com/

Where Do You Find Your Muse?

First of all, a HUGE apology to my fellow bloggers for missing my last post date. I'm very sorry.

For today, I'm going to pose a question. Where do you find your muse? I don't mean when she's lost. I mean from where do you find your inspiration? When I see this question in interviews or blogs, the answers are always stock - music, "everywhere," art, a snatch of conversation, or from people watching. And while I agree with each of those and have gleaned story or character ideas from all of the above - sometimes more than one at a time - I'd like to explore this further.

We recently took a trip to New York City for my daughter's 21st birthday. It was exhausting but fun! We took her to the Met (both the Opera and the Art Museum!), to the Gerswhin to see Wicked and to the Majestic to see Phantom. We visited Times Square and ate at both chain and local restaurants. We stayed in Midtown on the East Side so we were within walking distance of everything we planned to see and do.

My muse was on overload, even though I was so tired I didn't get any writing done. From the cab rides to the myriad of languages and accents all around me, the constant construction, horns honking and sirens wailing, all the way to more black boots than I've ever seen in one place and fake Burberry scarves on every corner.

There was the woman with the walking boot who told me she didn't bring her crutches to Wicked because "Can you imagine what the people sitting next to me would say?" I found this odd because in Nashville at TPAC the person sitting next to her would have said something along the lines of "Bless your heart, you poor thing!" and would have held her crutches for her during the performance.

I had a pleasant conversation with one of our housekeepers in the hotel elevator as we rode up to our floor with her, bags of dirty laundry, and her housekeeping cart. Her names was Rosa, she's always lived in NYC, and told me "no one here sleeps." I have to agree with Rosa. No one in NYC sleeps. We didn't either. :)

Friday night as we walked back to the hotel from the Gershwin we passed the NBC building at Rockefeller Center to see people lined up already, intending to spend the night, in the hopes of scoring stand-by tickets to SNL the following night. While on the NBC Studios Tour that very morning, we were told it's nearly impossible to score tickets and people literally wait years for them by mail, but every Saturday morning a crowd forms hoping for rare stand-by tickets.

A carriage ride would have cost us $100 for 20 minutes. And that was only around Times Square! We never even saw Central Park, except to pass it in a cab on our way home from the art museum.

The hot dog vendors don't only sell hot dogs. They sell hot pretzels, beverages, kielbasa, and every imaginable topping for your dog or sausage sandwich. The smells coming from the carts were enough to make me hungry even if we passed one on the way back from a restaurant.

People in NYC theaters take pictures during the show and inside the theaters despite the warnings not to. People text during performances. Not much different from home. :)

No one makes eye contact for long, and strangers don't smile at you on the street. In fact, if someone is making contact or smiling, they're trying to sell you something or are homeless and begging for money. I don't know if it was because we weren't in the right neighborhoods, but we saw fewer homeless people than when we were in Chicago.

St Patrick's Cathedral is breathtaking. I can't even describe it. The one thing I did find both amusing and slightly disturbing was the roped-off "media" platform. Oh, and there are two gift shops. :)

There are two ways to get to LaGuardia. One is slower and will cost you about $10 more, but you do have a lovely view from several bridges as you cross the East River. The other will get you there in about 15 minutes on a Sunday morning, and you get the experience of driving in a two lane tunnel with small orange cones separating the lanes, at roughly 60 mph, under the East River. I liked them both. :)

Speaking of cabbies, most of them were really nice, surprisingly safe drivers, and had no trouble taking us where we needed to go. Only one had no clue where our hotel was and it was a good thing we'd been there a couple of days already so I could tell him it was between Lexington and 3rd.

The black boots, you ask? All the women wear black boots and other assorted black clothing, with a fake Burberry scarf, of course. And they're all thin. I know why. There are stairs everywhere, and they walk everywhere. Plus the food is ridiculously expensive so I suspect most of them don't eat much. :)

I think I'll need at least a month to write down everything I saw, smelled, tasted, heard and experienced. I do know my muse was working overtime, and I'm grateful for the trip.

How about you? Any overload experiences you'd like to tell me about?