Trish Wilkinson determination, meeting goals, tenacity, traditional publication

Resting in the Lull

Kirsten Imani Kasai, the founder of the Page A Day Writers group, of which I am a member, just sent off her latest manuscript to her agent, and she’s in the nail-biting phase of waiting for her agent to respond. I hope you enjoy Kirsten’s latest installment of a writer’s tenacity and talent as much as I did. Believe me, Kisten will not end up like E.A. Poe as she fears. My bet is that The Book of Blood Magic will be the novel that will put her on the bestsellers’ list.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ~T.D. Wilkinson

Creative folks know well that feeling of relieved disorientation that follows the conclusion of a project. For me, finishing a novel brings with it a period of rest and recuperation. The storm abates. We can rest in the lull before new waves build and crest to send us on another journey.

Kirsten Imani Kasai_manuscriptRight now, I’m in the lull. Recently, I finished the Gothic novel (The Book of Blood Magic) I’d been working on for the past three and a half years, packaged it up beautifully, and had it “blessed” by my energetically magical friend before sending it to my agent. It’s been close to three weeks since it left my hands, and I’m still kind of stumbling around, blinking in the sunlight as if I’d just left a movie theater in the middle of the day after completely losing myself in Story.

I have to stay busy, in the meantime. The waiting is the worst part. Is it readable? Saleable? Marketable? Who will buy?

The lull is admin time. I catch up on short story revisions, embark on a mad submission spree, researching lit magazines and sending in new work while it’s still fairly fresh and exciting to me. Fool around with my poetry. Touch up my website and CV. Stave off the looming finance/career paranoia and anxiety that dogs me, always. (I fear what I’ve termed Melville Syndrome*–experiencing a spate of successes but dying misunderstood, unread and labeled a literary crackpot, only to have my work become a classroom staple that inspires movies, an opera** and seeps intopopular speech a century after my demise.) But mostly, I use the time to think. Which dormant project speaks to me with the loudest voice? Which seed will I water and nurture to fruition?

I’m finally ready to begin (again) writing the feminist Utopian novel that’s been simmering away on the back burner of my creative brain for many years, but it’s a complex project requiring much research. However, now is probably the perfect time to go back to the Ice Song series and resume work on the third and final installment now that I’ve settled on a title (Tattercoats). Hopefully, it’ll be quick and relatively fun, and I’ll likely self-publish this one (as I learned that most traditional publishers don’t want to pick up a single book from a series). It’ll be a loving labor, a tying of the bow.

Learning to navigate the lulls in our writing careers means being willing to be nonproductive, to honor the process of gestation as much as the conception and birth of our works. To endure the uncertainty of waiting, to appreciate the lessons learned and the risks taken in our latest project. It is a time of restoration and preparation; we strengthen ourselves for the work ahead. In the lull, we can anticipate the next phase of adventure, the certain successes and disappointments, secure in knowing that the quiet room in our heads, so recently vacated by our characters, will again entertain a party of strange and charming guests.

*Or worse, EA Poe. Dying penniless and ill in a gutter, only to have my work spawn an entire literary industry of hipsterish t-shirts, lunchboxes, household decor, ladies aprons, wall plaques, pillows, films, scads of reprints and spawn new fiction genres. Sure, it’s kind of awesome, but if it happens to me, I’d like to be around to enjoy it.

**I was terribly excited about attending a performance but drank too much wine beforehand and subsequently slept through most of the second half.

Trish Wilkinson Book Reviews, tenacity, traditional publication

Scathing Book Reviewers? Screw them!

http://www.egmontusa.com/

Molly Jaffa, agent for Folio Literary Management
Molly Jaffa, agent for Folio Literary Management

Agent Molly Jaffa of Folio Literary Management sent me a proof for TABULA RASA, a debut novel by Kristen Lippert-Martin to be released September 23. I read Lippert Martin’s book and totally loved it, so I logged onto Goodreads to write a review and could not believe what I found. Some reviewers wrote glowing, positive recommendations for the book – like mine. Others, however, who totally missed the point of several scenes, in my opinion, wrote things about TABULA RASA that were ridiculous. One went as far as to say the author was racist.

 

Seriously? Come on!

 

The story is a nail-biting page-turner with lots of surprising twists about a sixteen-year-old Latina named Angel who has been undergoing experimental surgeries on her brain to erase her memories in a hospital located in the mountains somewhere. She’s been told by the doctors and nurses she should be grateful for the opportunity to be rid of the torment of her delinquent past, so she can start a new life. As she gets set for the final operation to become a true blank slate, or tabula rasa, the lights go out. Someone whispers a cryptic message and puts a handful of pills in Angel’s hand, moments before a bunch of commando guys rush into the secluded hospital spraying bullets, killing staff and other patients.

The premise is what nightmares are made of: memory loss and disorientation in the midst of gunfire and the discovery that

Author Kirsten Lippert-Martin
Author Kirsten Lippert-Martin

you’re the target. Angel is a kick ass heroine who takes the pills she’s been given and begins to remember bits and pieces of her life as she survives against incredible odds.

Kristin Lippert-Martin wrote draft after draft to create an excellent story, went through the arduous task of finding an awesome agent from a reputable literary firm to get behind her, and with the help of that agent, found an editor at Egmont USA to believe in her and her story.

 

Then before TABULA RASA even comes out, a reviewer publishes smack about how the computer-hacker-geek that Angel runs into, the love interest who helps her to survive this insane situation, says something silly about her being Mexican. The thing Thomas says isn’t mean, just clueless. The dialogue is congruent with his socially-challenged character, not at all racist. The reviewer grouses that of course the hero/sidekick who helps Angel with his amazing hacking skills is a white guy, however, she fails to mention that the evil character who has done her best to ruin Angel’s life, and ultimately tries to end it, is also white. Further, Angel’s memories of her deceased Latina mother are the sweetest, most endearing scenes. Her mother was probably my favorite secondary character. I’m sure you’ve guessed by now that the reviewer didn’t discuss Angel’s mother.

 

Race is a hot button for some people, though, even me sometimes. Late last year, I attended a seminar educating young Latinas about the political process and how they should get involved in their communities. The keynote speaker quipped that Barbara Boxer, our California senator, was “okay for a white woman,” which was insulting. I’ll never forget the experience of being one of the two white people in that audience. Maybe that grumpy book reviewer had a similar experience as a Latina, so she was particularly sensitive to the lame comment the character makes in TABULA RASA. His comment doesn’t bother Angel, and it’s surprising that it bothered the reviewer. The truth is, Kirsten Lippert-Martin’s book is an incredibly intense, fun read.

 

I hope people pay more attention to the positive reviews and treat themselves to the breathtaking ride that is TABULA RASA. Once the book comes out in September, I’ll post the link, so you can grab a copy and judge for yourself.
Trish Wilkinson publishing, Success Stories, traditional publication

Shout Out for Sharon Cooper: Writer On Her Way Up!

Legal Seduction – Did You Know?

Did you know that RT Book Reviews (Romantic Times Magazine) chose LEGAL SEDUCTION as one of their “Top Picks” for June 2014?!

legal seduction - book cover

Okay, so a few weeks ago, other authors started shooting me emails and inboxing me about LEGAL SEDUCTION, my debut Harlequin Kimani novel (coming June 1st). They were congratulating me because LEGAL SEDUCTION was chosen by RT as one of their “Top Picks” for June 2014. Now me, being me, didn’t have a clue to what that meant. So I shot a quick email to Candace Shaw and she’s the one who told me that RT was Romantic Times, but neither of us knew what the “Top Picks” was all about.

After receiving several emails, and a few people inboxing me via Facebook, I started to think – I need to know more about this RT thing. NOTE: That was my exact thought. Mind you, I was getting a little more excited with each email, inbox message and super excited when I talked with one of my critique partners (one of several) on the telephone who subscribes to the magazine. She’s kinda like my own personal “Hype Man”! No joke – I think she was even more excited than I was because she actually had access to a digital copy of the June 2014 magazine. Oh, but getting back to the “Hype Man” part. In hip hop, a hype man typically gets a crowd hyped up…kinda interjects here and there during a song. Well this particular critique partner is usually the person who gets me hyped up about my stories (good and sometimes not so good). I could go on and on about her. She’s the one who talks me into writing stories I had no intention of writing and quick to tell me if she likes…or if she doesn’t like something I’ve written. Lol! And she HATES the word “it” (which I use ALL the time)! Needless to say, she drives me nuts! But I can’t imagine my writing journey without her! But I digress…

So after one particular author inboxed me (my excitement even higher), I made the comment – “So this must be a big deal, because several authors have reached out to congratulate me.” I can’t remember her exact words – but it was something like – Uh…yeah! This is a big deal! Then she sent me a screen shot of the review page. For whatever reason, whenever I tried to log-on to the RT site, it would time out – not let me on. At any rate, before that day was over, several people had sent me the actual review. Here it is:

RT Review – Reviewed by B. Nakia Garner

After growing up in the foster care system, Iris Sinclair has dedicated her life to defending teens in courts. Her latest client is Tania, niece of millionaire Nash Durpree. The case brings Iris and Nash closer than either of them ever thought possible when Iris becomes the temporary guardian of Tania. While Iris tries to convince herself that she is worthy of a man’s love, Nash must decide if he’s ready to love again. Steamy sex scenes that will have you flushing with heat make this tale a must-read. The passion leaps off the pages, and readers will get lost in the romance. You won’t want to put this book down.

I thought – this person must’ve really enjoyed the book. Then I saw that it had received 4.5 stars! Of course, me being me, I wondered what I needed to do to get a full 5 stars since it sounded like the reviewer really enjoyed the story. Now this part is funny – The person who edited LEGAL SEDUCTION congratulated me and I thanked her for all of her assistance with the story. I went on to tell her that next time, we’ll see if we can get 5 stars instead of just 4.5 stars. Now those of you who are familiar with RT’s rating scale are probably laughing right about now. The editor said to me, I can’t remember her exact words, but it was someting like – actually 4.5 is the highest rating you can get. Now at this point, my excitement level was off the charts! I had to bust out with my happy dance!!

So hopefully you’ll enjoy LEGAL SEDUCTION as much as the RT reviewer did! Here’s a description of the story:

legal seduction - book cover

 

When it comes to desire, they’re both pleading guilty.

In the courtroom, criminal defense attorney Iris Sinclair is cool and confident.Yet, around her new client’s guardian, she loses all composure. Atlanta club owner Nash Dupree is an infamous playboy who could compromise Iris’s heart as well as her case. For once, she feels like a curvy goddess instead of a strait-laced lawyer—even if the evidence suggests what he’s looking for is strictly short-term. No matter what the tabloids claim, Nash has made his teenage niece his first priority, and without Iris’s help he’ll lose guardianship. What began as seduction, a sweet thrill, has turned into something more—now he wants Iris forever. But proving his intentions means winning her trust before his reputation drives away the only woman who has ever captivated him, body and soul…

*

The official release day is June 1, 2014. You can find LEGAL SEDUCTION in paperback in bookstores or purchase an e-copy. You can also pre-order through Amazon or B & N.

Re-posted from Sharon’s blog, “Just Thinking”

Trish Wilkinson tenacity, traditional publication

Being a Bad-ass Isn’t Easy

 

Last Saturday, March 1, one of my favorite YA writing buddies and I met at the University of San Diego (USD) for the Society of Children’s Never Give UpBooks Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Inside Children’s Books conference. After lunch, a fabulous panel of agents and editors chose the first page of my YA novel, TWO FEET, NO SHOES, among those worthy to read to the entire group of more than a hundred authors and illustrators!

Whoo-hoo! Sounds great, right?

At the end of the conference, full of anticipation, we picked up our written critiques from the agents and editors on the first fifteen pages of our novels. We read my friend’s feedback first, as I’d coached her on improving her pages and line edited them. Both agents liked her writing enough to invite her to submit her manuscript when she felt it was ready for them to read it. I was thrilled for her – and still am.

Then we read my critiques. The feedback an editor from a mid-size publishing company in Boston gave me was unclear and unhelpful, other than the fact that she didn’t connect with my story. Comments I’d received from an agent based in San Diego, although explicit and helpful were fairly scathing. The only positive thing the editor and agent could agree on was that they liked my voice – which is something.

My friend looked at me and said, “I don’t understand. Your writing is so incredible.”

I could barely respond – or breathe. I considered quitting writing, since I seem to be so much better at improving other authors’ work.

To be fair, In October, an agent in San Francisco told me I had drawn compelling characters, she loved my premise and voice, but she thought I spent too much time setting up for fifteen-year-old Maya’s stealth trip from Los Angeles to Jalisco, Mexico to confront her deadbeat dad. This agent requested the full manuscript after reading the first hundred pages, but I have yet to hear from her.

It appears from these latest critiques that my effort to get Maya on the road in fewer pages has been a disaster. So it’s time to be a Bad-ass and suck it up. Kathryn Stockett’s THE HELP got sixty rejections while she revised like crazy before someone took a chance on her. On Monday, I’ll look at the feedback again and get to work recreating the beginning of TWO FEET, NO SHOES. Hopefully, this draft will be the Momma Bear version: not too long or too short, not too much detail or too little, but the one that’s just right.

 

Trish Wilkinson blog ideas, publishing, self-promotion, self-publish, traditional publication

Sharon C Cooper Gets it Done

legal-seduction-book-coverCongratulations to Page-a-Day Writer, Sharon C. Cooper, weaver of romance extraordinaire! Her newest book, Legal Seduction, will be released June 1 by Kimani Romance, a subsidiary of Harlequin, but you can preorder a paperback or e-book at this very moment! Get a sneak peek at the storyline on her blog, “Just Thinking…”.

A couple years ago, Sharon decided to take the self-publishing route, so she started “Just Thinking…” and began to build a following. She posted regularly, giving insights about her life experiences, hosting interviews with other writers, doing blog-hops with writers of the same genre, holding contests, and offering giveaways.  In the meantime, she finished her first novel, revised like crazy with feedback from other Ignoring Your PassionPage-A-Day writers, and got a professional content and line editor to help her fine tune the manuscript to get it ready for publication.

Something New, a sweet romance, came out in April, 2012 and became a bestseller on Amazon! Whoot! Whoot!  It’s a great story that totally deserved to sell a lot of copies and receive recognition – and this is coming from someone (me) who doesn’t generally read romance. I’m always up for authentic exchanges between three-dimensional characters, plot twists, and a satisfying ending, though.

Since then, Sharon has been busy. She’s published Blue Roses (July, 2012), Rendezvous with Danger (April, 2013), and Still the Best Woman for the Job (2013), all of which have enjoyed great reviews and sales. Is it a wonder how an editor with Kimani Romance contacted Sharon to offer her a contract with a traditional publisher?

We’re all waiting for Sharon to tell us about the differences between self and traditional publishing after Legal Seduction comes out, so stay tuned to get the inside scoop from one Page-A-Day author’s perspective.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on self vs. traditional publishing!