Riding the Wave
- At October 28, 2013
- By Roxanne Snopek
- In Roxanne Writes On
- 0
Yesterday afternoon, I returned home from my 15th consecutive year at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference. A few of those years, including this one, I was there as a presenter, which also meant providing critique services to other writers in the Blue Pencil Cafe appointments.
During these 15 minutes slots, writers bring 3-5 pages of a work-in-progress to an author for an opportunity to get feedback, ask specific questions or simply practice the pitch they’ll be lobbing at an editor later on. Much sweating occurs.
This may have been one of the best years for me yet, and the honor of seeing such excellent work from up-and-coming writers was truly a highlight. (You know who you are. I expect a mention in your awards speech.) I’ll post more about the conference later, once I’ve met my current deadline. But I just had to share the message that popped into my in-box this morning from the Daily OM:
You may feel that you are winning in everything you do today, which could be due to your successes at work or at play. This feeling of being able to accomplish anything might be the result of an increased confidence in your ability to reach your goals. Today would be a good time to use this momentum to continue to set realistic objectives for yourself. You might want to think about what targets you can create for your life that you can easily attain.
So. I’ll be riding that wave for as long as I can. I’ve got my realistic reasonable possibly-remotely-attainable goals in front of me and now it’s time to work.
What secret goals do you have? Is there an important, scary, outrageous task that scares you, but that might just be possible if you try? Why not see if you can catch a bit of this energy and see where it takes you, too? Let me know what happens!
Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Writers…
- At August 14, 2013
- By Roxanne Snopek
- In Roxanne Writes On
- 2
Why Bon Jovi? First, why NOT Bon Jovi? Second, keep reading, you’ll get it.
Today, I share the story of my journey to publication with Entangled Bliss. I left out the goriest bits, but it still brings back memories of some tough times. It’s on the Entangled in Romance blog, or you can read it here:
Best. Job. Ever.
(Or Why I Haven’t Spent the Last Year Swanning Around as a Famous Author)
First of all, stop laughing. I know I’m not famous. Second, before my editors and publicists have heart attacks, don’t panic, I still aim for fame. (And my friends would probably say I do plenty of swanning.)
This post is about something different.
It’s about reality. Sorry.
I know, I know, I’m supposed to be all dewy-eyed about being a published author. The joy of seeing my name on a cover, having readers tell me they love my book, and of course, the delight that comes with each sweet word that drops onto the page, expressing exactly what blossomed in my soul. Yeah, yeah, I feel all that.
But that stuff is a bit like the thrill of riding a roller coaster. Or that heady I-can-do-anything sensation of falling in love. Or the terror-slash-joy of meeting your baby for the first time.
You need to feel all that stuff, with every cell of your being.
Then you need to stop feeling it, and tuck the memories into a fire-safe box, deep inside your heart, where you can pull it out when reality kicks in.
Because it will.
The fair leaves town. The baby becomes a puke-factory. The honeymoon ends.
For writers, reality comes in bad reviews. Or no reviews. Or a book that disappears into that vast wasteland of the forgettable. Bad numbers. A dropped series. Oh, reality can bite hard for writers.
I’ve been writing for a long time. I know. That stuff hurts. (Not baby puke, that’s painless. And it washes out. Also, 25 years with the same guy, folks. Twen-tee-five.)
Sometimes reality can make you want to curl up in a ball and just… stop… trying.
But writers are made of different stuff. We have to hang in there, despite the hard knocks, because it’s all part of the job. Our job.
So, way back, when my books weren’t selling and the kids were all in “a stage” and I couldn’t remember why I got married in the first place, I opened up that fire-safe box and reminded myself that it’s all part of the deal.
Then I put my head down, donned my big-girl panties and did the work. Mopped the tears, educated the man, paid the bills – and the rough times passed.
And as I kept writing, pages accumulated. Manuscripts got finished. I studied my craft, learned about the industry, followed market changes. And every now and then I’d write something that expressed so perfectly what blossomed in my soul, that I’d be overcome with gratitude. Even dewy-eyed.
Maybe I’d never have a huge audience, but I was doing what I was meant to do.
And then, last year, I got a call from my agent. Entangled Publishing wanted my book.
First I didn’t believe it.
Then I questioned the mental integrity of the editor. I mean, really. She wants me?
Fortunately the wisdom surrounding me prevailed. We signed the contract and I went to work. Revisions. Promo. Drafting the next book. More revisions. More promo. Still more promo.
And gradually, I realized that I’d entered a whole new world, where editors actually edit, where, in fact, a team of editors, copyeditors, proofreaders, publicists and artists are all dedicated to polishing your book and getting it out to the widest audience. And most amazing of all, a world where writers get paid. (Fame and fortune. Did I mention I want both?)
I felt like I was living in a dream. When would I wake up?
I submitted another proposal. They accepted it and right now, I’m celebrating my third release with Entangled Publishing. Fake Fiance, Real Revenge comes exactly one year after that momentous first book, Three River Ranch, was released under the Bliss imprint and there’s two more coming in the next six months.
The fire-safe box in my heart is full to bursting. After all those years of hacking away in silence and solitude, I’ve got people who believe in me. And readers who want my stories. Dewy-eyed? As I write this, tears are pouring down my cheeks.
But enough of that. There’s no time for swanning around. I’ve got a deadline to meet.
I’ve got the Best Job Ever. And it’s time to work.
“Believe in love. Believe in magic. Hell, believe in Santa Claus. Believe in others. Believe in yourself.
Believe in your dreams. If you don’t, who will?”
– Jon Bon Jovi
COVER REVEAL!!
My latest book will hit the digital world on August 12, 2013 and this time, I’m able to share some pre-release teasers! The links aren’t alive for pre-orders yet, but rest assured, I will let you know when they are!
“Real-estate tycoon Mitchell Granger has a problem. In order to secure a lucrative deal with an eccentric client, he told the teeny white lie that he was engaged…and now he needs to prove it. Even worse? The only name that came to mind was Sabrina Becker, the girl he was never good enough for growing up, and who still lives near his family ranch.
Sabrina doesn’t mind posing as Mitch’s fake fiancée—no, she doesn’t mind at all. One, she’ll make him pay with new construction for her business. And two, Sabrina’s got a plan to exact revenge on her first love, the boy who left her and Three River Ranch behind. She’ll pretend so well, he’ll fall in love with her…and then he’ll get a taste of what true heartbreak feels like.
But as Mitch sheds his corporate skin and picks up his dusty jeans and cowboy hat, will both his and Sabrina’s grand plans get derailed by love?”