Some radom ramblings.

I'm reading a book titled Blue. A great one by the way. Part of the story is about a fantasy world that the girl and her father invented. The neat part is the world they invented became real and the story also is about what is happening in their created world.

It really made me think about all of the books and short stories I'd started and never finished. The problems I'd left unsolved. The characters I'd left in danger because I'd written myself into a corner, or just became bored with them. I even felt a twinge of unease.

As authors we are a bit like gods. We decide what our characters will or won't do. We put them in danger, make them happy, make them cry.

What if our worlds did go on once we turned away from them? What would we think when we stepped back in and saw that things had progressed, maybe in a way that we didn't care for, the wrong guy got the girl. So and so, didn't get the promotion he'd worked so hard for, or the dragon did eat the princess? Do we try again to take control, bend their stories to our will

I haven't finished reading Blue, so I don't know how that story ends.

How about your stories. What do you think has happened in your worlds since you wrote, The End. An intriguing thought, isn't it.

Post Blog Jog Day.

It was a great day. Not only did I discover some great new blogs, I had almost a hundred folks jog by and gained five new followers.

It's a chilly morning, well chilly for the central coast of CA, only 41 degress, yes I can hear some of you groaning.

My husband's home now for a week. I guess that will give me some idea of what it will be like in a couple of years when he retires.

That's going to take some adjustment on my part.

How have the rest of you dealt with it?

Randolph and I had sent Ice to LL Publications. We didn't receive an offer of a contract yet. But Zetta Brown sent us a wonderful email listing the strong and weak parts of Ice, along with an invitation to submit again. So that's what we are working on.

I'm not happy with what is goign on with Dancing With The Stars. I know it is a popularity contest also, but at least in the past years the winner was the best dancer...this year it's looking like a farce.

I haven't decided if I will bother to watch tonight, or not.

Blog Jog Day!

It's here. I hope you are having a great time visiting the other blogs. Next on your jog should be...

Me vs. My Muse http://mevsmymuse.com/

Contact Roxann Conger roxann@mevsmymuse.com.

Isn't that the way all writers feel at times...it is us versing our stubborn muse on some days.

A thought about your older titles.

In October I attended ARCHON in St. Louis. I was on some panels, did an autograph session and so forth.

I'd taken A Spiral of Echoes with me, as well as my older titles from my Daradawn series.

A book store owner in the dealer's room let me put them among the others he was selling.

And that's the books I sold and autographed. The Blue Flame and The Emerald Dagger, books one and two from my series., as well as Shadow Worlds, the science fiction suspense that I co-wrote with Darrell Bain.

I didn't take The Silver Angel with me, but was contacted after I returned home by someone who wanted a copy.

So don't write off those earlier releases of yours, mine are still selling. In fact I've just signed three contracts with Desert Breeze Publishing to release the titles of my series books again.

They became orphains when Tigress Press closed its doors.

Blog Jog's Coming!

Last years Blog Jog was great.

It's time to do it again! This fall season event has been scheduled just before the holidays so if you have products or books to promote you have a better chance of sales.

Participating may bring to you . . .

*More unique visitors to your blog
*More subscribers
*More comments
*More inbound links
*More followers
*More exposure and sales
*Grow your daily hits

All which look great to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and the other search engines!

If you want to include your blog in the job, please e-mail Carol at chipanugget@gmail.com

A Spiral of Echoes--EPIC eBook Finalist

I am so excited. A Spiral of Echoes is a finalist in EPIC's eBook Contest. Now we wait until Eppiecon to see if it is a winner.

The Golden Rose

The Golden Rose is one of the few contests that allows entrants a high submission page count. Since most agents and editors request partials with a query, our contest affords the best opportunity for a real-world critique for your potential submission. Many of our finalists receive requests from the final judges and many of those have gone on to secure agents and publishing contracts. In addition, all entrants receive:


Three comprehensive critiques from the first round judges. Judges are highly encouraged to make detailed, constructive comments explaining their scores.

Score sheets are returned to entrants in time for them to revise manuscripts before the Golden Heart entry deadline, allowing you time to polish your entry based on informed feedback before you enter.

Category finalists get one week after notification of status to review their entries before they are sent to the final round judges thereby increasing the potential of a full request.

First Place Winners in each category will be offered a free chapter membership. In addition each first place winner will receive a one-of-a-kind handcrafted rose pendant necklace.

All finalists receive a beautiful certificate they can proudly show off their placing as well as a lovely banner for their websites.

Winners will be announced on the RCRW website and in the Romance Writers Report (RWR).

The top score overall wins a gorgeous, gold-plated American Beauty rose.
CATEGORIES & FINAL ROUND JUDGES

Contemporary Series - Susan Litman, Editor, Harlequin

Single Title Contemporary - Megan Records, Editor, Kensington

Historical - Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Agent, Judith Ehrlich Literary Management

Paranormal, Fantasy, and Futuristic - Alexandra Machinist, Agent, Linda Chester Literary Agency

Romantic Suspense - Kristin Sevick, Editor, Tor

Young Adult - Andrea Somberg, Agent, Harvey Klinger, Inc.

Novel w/Strong Romantic Elements - Amberly Finarelli, Agent, Andrea Hurst & Associates


Full Details are available at: http://www.rosecityromancewriters.com/contest.html

Catching Up

Hi all, I'm back from vacation. Time to get back into the routine of posting on my blog.

Last night I finished reading a fantastic book...Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes. I highly recommend the book...two warnings, don't start reading it at night when you have to be up early the next day, you won't want to stop reading, the second warning is have a box of tissues close by, you're going to need them.

Let me know when you read this book and what you thought of it.

Gina is going to be one of my guest on No Limits in October. I can't wait to talk to her about her book.

I Believe

I Believe
by
Barbara M. Hodges

I believe in rainbows
And russet sunsets
I believe in children’s laughter
And healing tears
I believe in fog-shrouded beaches
And sun-spotted fields
I believe in sloppy, basset kisses
And warm kitty breath
I believe in tomorrow
And happily ever after
I believe in red carnations
And lavender roses
I believe in a friend’s hug
And holding hands
I believe in a family’s love
And that nieces will outgrow fourteen
I Believe.