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Busy at home and RITA changes
Part of me wishes I could be at RWA. It’s been years since I’ve seen many of my writing friends. However, the logistics involved in leaving my disabled husband for that many days make it complicated. Not impossible, but complicated.This year, I’ve actually been too busy to pine (much).
After mulling the top two auditions, both very good, I picked a narrator, Robin Rowan, for the audio book version of Lady Dearing’s Masquerade (cover shown here). I look forward to working with her, because she makes my story sound so good!
I’m continuing to edit Fly with a Rogue to address comments received through critique. Last week I compared being critiqued to sitting in the dentist’s chair. This week it’s more like therapeutic massage. It takes some pressure to work out the knots, but it feels so good afterwards!
I’m also excited to hear that the RITAs will now be open to-self published books. This is partly on a personal note, as I will be able to enter Fly with a Rogue this year. The opportunity for peer recognition is not critical for me—I had already decided, for business reasons, to self-publish this book—but it is nice to know I have the option.
On an organizational level, I think it’s very important. If the purpose of the RITAs is to “promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas”, it doesn’t make sense to exclude self-published romances, many of which have already hit the New York Times, USA Today, and other bestseller lists. As I understand it, entrants will have to be eligible for RWA’s Published Authors Network, which means the contest will be open only to authors with a proven record of sales.
There will also be a new category for erotic romance, which many authors of erotic romance have been asking for. I know there are others who say erotic romance should just be entered in whichever category fits otherwise (paranormal, historical, etc…) I understand their point, but I also know that there are judges whose reaction to extremes of sexuality in a book can impair their ability to judge fairly. Allowing those judges to choose not to opt in for the erotic romance category should help ensure better judging.
I haven’t read enough erotic romance to know for sure if this is always true, but in the ones I’ve read, sexual awakening or healing is an important part of the characters’ journey. This is in addition to being part of the relationship development, as it would be in sexy romances in other categories. The special role of sexuality in an erotic romance is also another argument for a unique category.
What do you all think of the RITA changes?
I hope everyone is having a great time in Atlanta and I’m looking forward to seeing pictures here!
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I’m Off!
Today I am leaving for RWA, the one week a year I get to talk nothing but books and writing with far-flung friends, wear my prettiest shoes, and hang out a lot at the bar. (ok, the shoes and bar thing I do here too….) I look forward to this all year, and thanks to some health disasters I haven’t been since Orlando 3 years ago this is extra special. Look for me there, I will have books to give away! (once I get past the terrifying plane ride, that is…at least I have something Regency travelers did not have. Xanax)
But this week also marks the anniversary of the sinking of the ship the Mary Rose. Built in 1510 and supposedly named after Henry’s favorite sister, it sank in the Solent in 1545 in sight of Henry VIII and his horrified court, with loss of all hands. Discovered in 1971 and raised in 1982, it was a rare time capsule and it has spent all this time under painstaking restoration. Thousands of fascinating artifacts (including skeletons, whose features have been hauntingly recreated) are now on display at the stunning-looking new museum, which also included the remains of the ship. This is definitely on my Must See list next time I go to London. Here are a few of the pics from their website (which has a treasure trove of information)
Here are a few pics of the ship and its artifacts (including, most sadly, the ship’s dog):
Has anyone been to this museum yet? What did you think?? And will you be at RWA???
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The First Third
I’m working away at The Next Historical and I’m making progress. The story is starting to gel which, you know; :::Sigh of Relief::: This writing gig is hard work. Yesterday when I was reading through my current chapter one, I thought to myself, hey! This is pretty good! :::runs around cheering::::
I’ve hit the first third of the story when typically things are slightly less sucky and slightly more focused. It’s a good feeling.
I think I might have mentioned already that at first the book was set in London. I was reading a lot of my Epicure’s Almanack that the dog chewed on and I was all ready to start using some of that great research. But then I ended up moving the story to the country and so far no one is showing any sign of wanting—
omg, I just had a great idea! ROAD TRIP!!!!! They will travel somewhere…. and do something…. and exciting stuff will happen!!! And there will be hotel rooms and possibly shenanigans.
—to leave the country.
That does not mean my research was wasted because, as it turns out, this whole section I read on a totally wild, extravagant party that Ryder made up (it NEEDS to be TRUE!!!) has turned into this backstory-ish thing based on that and it’s working out well.
Next Week
Next week is RWA and some of the Riskies will be there, including yours truly. I will do my best to post.
What are your plans for next week?
