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2008 has been one heck of a wild year so far! Sherrilyn Kenyon, Karl (my wonderful hubby) and I were excited to see the release of on June 10th. Co-writing this book with Sherrilyn was a great experience and we’re busy on the next BAD Agency book (Pocket/June 2009). If that wasn’t exciting enough, I had another surprise hiding around the corner. PITN hit the New York Times best seller list the next week!!
I can’t tell you what an amazing feeling it is to get an email from my editor congratulating me on being their newest NYT best seller. It was a moment that took my breath away. Many of you know how supportive Karl is so you can imagine his excitement, too.
I only have one thing to say about hitting the NYT list…THANK YOU EVERYONE who bought our book and thank you for the heart warming emails about how much you enjoyed our first collaboration!!!!!! You are the reason we create these stories then stay up crazy hours figuring out how to drag what is in our minds out on paper. Your emails of encouragement and notes about enjoying the stories are the fuel for my muse. I love writing and truly appreciate your commitment to reading the stories so I can continue doing what I love.
What else have I been up to?
Mary Buckham and I have been giving our Plot YOUR Book in 2 Days Retreats across the country – Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Richmond and two more cities this fall – to amazing groups of writers both published and not-yet published. To read what writers everywhere are saying about our Break Into Fiction™ Character-Driven Plotting Program and see photos of past retreats…stop by www.BreakIntoFiction.com
We’ve had every level of writer in our Power Plotting workshops from brand new ones to multi-published mass market authors to a double Pulitzer Prize winner. The enthusiasm and creative energy is infectious and productive.
| I made a vow to take some time off this year (I have friends rolling their eyes…) so Karl and I drove to Pensacola, Florida to see our dear friends Walt and Cindy Lumpkin. Another good friend from Portland, Maine – Dr. Bill Gayton aka Y-Bill Gayton – joined us for a weekend at the Lumpkin Beach house. We ate great food and laughed for hours. |
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I went back to Pensacola when Mary Buckham and I taught a special 2 hour workshop for the Silken Sands Conference hosted by the Gulf Coast Romance Writers. This was the first conference for them after Katrina wiped out two hotels that cancelled the last one. We had a wonderful time at the conference and got a chance to go barefoot down the sandy beach.
I mention sometimes that I have fish and that they are a creative group. Above is the picture of a bowl we leaned against the rocks and coral in the tank for a pair of fish that needed a home. The bowl became covered in algae when we lost several crabs and snails (to an evil fish that now lives in a much larger aquarium where he’s going through intervention with the same sharks who helped Nemo’s father)…
Anyhow, back to the bowl covered in algae. New crabs and snails started doing their job, eating the algae. We looked in at one point and couldn’t believe they had eaten a pattern on the bowl – leaving a happy face. I don’t think they’re ready for an art show, but it’s cheap entertainment in our house.
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I have to share something cool about Karl. He competed in the I’m Not Superman Rally (motorcycles) where long-distance motorcycle riders competed in a 30 hour ride. They had 120 locations around the country that were up to 700 miles away from Cape Girardeau, Missouri (headquarters for the rally) that each had a different “bonus” amount listed for something they had to take a photo of along the way (statues, cemeteries, wall murals, etc.), but the riders had mileage and time limitations to figure into the mix.
Having never ridden in one of these scavenger hunt type rides, Karl had no idea how he’d fair but he came in fifth overall, which was rockin’ for his first time. Here’s him in front of the Superman statue (one of the bonus locations) just outside of Cape Girardeau. I’m so proud of him!! And just to be clear, he IS my Superman.  |
Lori Foster and Dianne Casteel pulled off an outstanding Reader Event the first weekend of June. I say “pulled off” because in spite of having waaayyyy more attendees than they anticipated (almost 300) and personal schedules that would scare the best of us – the event was wonderful.
Kathy Andrico photographed the 141 participating authors.
| To the right is a picture of Kathy, Michelle, Me, Joyce, Tina and Barbara (Vey of PW) after we’ve indulged on a filling breakfast before everyone hit the road again. |
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Sherrilyn and I taught a one-day workshop in Albany, NY for the Capital Region RWA Chapter. Our first trip to Albany was terrific. The Desmond Hotel was charming as you can see from the lunch we enjoyed in an enclosed “garden setting.” I taught a series of three Break Into Fiction™ workshop programs in the morning where everyone worked on their own stories then Sherrilyn spent the afternoon giving everyone the straight scoop on publishing from the first book to what it takes to be a NYT best seller. Then Sherrilyn and I signed together for the first time.
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