Conference Anticipation

It's nearly here. The annual Pennwriters Conference starts on Friday, May 14th in Lancaster, PA. This superbly organized conference offers not only wonderful hour long classes and panels, it also brings in numerous and varied editors and agents. Many of you know what that means. Pitch appointments.

It was a tough choice. Editor David Pomerico from Bantam Spectra is attending. Fantasy is what I write and what I want to sell. So I could have selected him in the hopes he would want my latest fantasy endeavor. But if he would reject it, I would be right back where I started with all those other fantasy houses closed to me and now way to reach them through their 'agented only' submissions fence.

So I decided to give a pitch to an agent who is interest in YA fantasy. Emmanuelle Alspaugh works for Judith Ehrlich Literary Agency. I putting my money on her. Hold your breath because if I land an agent, it will be bubbly all around. I'll be working on my pitch all week and rereading some of the YA novel to keep up my excitement level. I think it's really good. LOL, if only Emmanuelle will trust me on this.

After the weekend I'll be posting a review of my conference experience. I'm looking forward to lots of things not the least is listening to James Rollins speak at the Friday night dinner. I also get to attend my first published author's luncheon where we have a guest speaker. Then there will be the networking with my fellow Pennwriters, including many of my cohorts from The Susquehanna Writers. We have so planning to do together for promotions and booksignings.

Many of my fellow CPRW members are going to a retreat over this weekend and I wish them well with many words being written. I figure in about two years I'll be able to attend the retreat with them.

What things do you hope to get out of a writers' conference or retreat?

Release Day!

I'm thrilled to announce the release of my fourth romance novel. To Tame a Tiger is my first venture into fantasy romance and the beginning of a new series centered around a race of legendary warriors and the sorceresses who love them.

Tigers lived as a mysterious race of warriors in a hidden mountain fortress but generations ago, a powerful witch found their home and set a spell upon them. Now every Tiger warrior must form a magical bond with a sorceress when he reaches his maturity or he will die. I won't give away the details about how the bond is formed. You can discover it along with the heroine of To Tame a Tiger.

Violet Hylan learns more than she ever intended about Tiger Luke Aron in the very first chapter of this fast moving adventure in a medieval world where magic and swords do battle. Not least of the entertainment is Violet's close knit family. If you have brothers you're fond of you'll recognize Violet's siblings.

If you want to read more, please bounce over to Natalie Damschroder's Blog and read an excerpt or read a different one at The Wild Rose Press.

I've loved this cover from the first time I saw it months ago. It really catches Violet's spirit. Again you understand when you read it and discover her unusual magical talent. It certainly surprised Luke.

Time to start stocking up on beach reads or filling that new e-reader for summer relaxation in the sand and sun.

Take That, Penn State

Well, I had my book signing in State College yesterday in direct competition with Penn State's spring football scrimmage, the Blue/White game. Fortunately for me, there are lots of people in Pennsylvania who read and some of them wanted to read The Keepers of Sulbreth.

I have to thank a few fans who showed up and helped me get through the day. Elizabeth Delafield not only showed up, she took this picture for me and brought her father along. My friend, Patty and her husband, Skip, brought more of their family, Molly and Carol, along so for a little while it looked like I'd drawn a crowd. My son, James, and his friend, Harry, both PSU students dropped in before going to the aforesaid football game. Then a friend I hadn't seen for nearly 16 years stopped by and talked for a while. More about her in a later post. All these wonderful people helped me relax and enjoy the day.

Danielle, the Community Relations Manager, for that B&N was so kind and helpful. She checked in with me often and made sure I had everything I needed.

Then all those wonderful strangers who stopped by to talk and bought my book. One took the time to show me her brand new Nook and then purchased my book on it. Really cool. And I can't forget the gentleman named Dave. He walked in the front door and right up to me.

"I'm buying your book."

Dave wanted no conversation. He told me he was on his way home to Connecticut and was going to read my book while his wife drove. Great. I hope it helped the miles pass for him.

It was a great day. My daughter went along with me and sat in the Starbucks Cafe, a perfect day for her. We visited my mother for a few hours afterward. I changed my clothing to sweatpants and sneakers at her house.

And did I mention, I sold a lot of books! How good can it get?

On The Road Again

If you're from central Pennsylvania, chances are you have some feelings about Penn State Football. You either love the Nittany Lions or you hate them. I'm one of the few who is kind of indifferent. My oldest step-son played some baseball at PSU and he's a big fan of their football team. My youngest son is a freshman at one of PSU's branch campuses and I'm a huge fan of his cross country team, but that doesn't mean I have to be nuts about the football team. And this weekend I'm in direct competition with them.

No. LOL. I don't have to tackle anyone. This weekend is the annual Blue/White game when the football team wraps up their spring practice with an inter-squad scrimmage. It's a huge deal in State College, Pennsylvania but I intend to overshadow it with my booksigning.

On Saturday, April 24th I'll be signing The Keepers of Sulbreth, my first fantasy novel, at the Barnes and Noble behind the Nittany Mall in State College from noon until 3:00, the exact same time as the football game! Now which would you rather attend?

If you've answered the last question correctly, I look forward to seeing you there.

Which do you think is a bigger event? A football game or a book signing?

Wanna Win a Prize

No, sillies. I'm not giving anything away. But Elisabeth Naughton is! In a great countdown celebration until April 26th, Elisabeth is giving away at least two prizes each day. Visit her blog, answer two simple questions, and you might win. If you do win, you have a choice of great prizes. Some are books, some are other cool things, all from a great variety of gifted authors.

I feel so privileged to be included as one of the many authors participating in Elisabeth's celebration. Marked is the title of her newest release in her Eternal Guardians series. Help her celebrate and maybe win something for yourself.

I'm giving away the first book in my Solonian Chronicles, The Greater Good. I hope whoever wins it will go on to read the rest of the books in the series.

Friday Fun Times

I could list many different things I love about being a writer but that's a blog for another day. I'll address two of the top wonderful benefits offsetting the rejection letters, endless edits and dare I say ceaseless promotion.

First are those opportunities that come along when I can interact with readers. This Friday from 6-8 pm, Aaron's Books in Lititz, Pennsylvania is hosting a multiple author booksigning and I'm honored to be invited. The historic town of Lititz hosts a special event every "2nd Friday" where all their shops stay open late. We're hoping for a big crowd and lots of readers interested in our books.

And writing about 'our books' let me say something about the second thing I really love about being an author. Spending time conferring, comforting, encouraging and being there for each other in this sometimes lonely career. And I should mention with the particular group of ladies I'll likely being doing a lot of laughing and having a good time. I'll be hawking our books with on Friday with three sister members of CPRW. Victoria Smith, Vicky Burkholder and Misty Simon have a published shapechanger anthology titled, The Shape of Love. I've read it and strongly recommend this fun and very original collection of short romances.

Vicky Smith also has her new YA fantasy available. Akashan'te will keep you up at night so be careful when you start reading it.

I'll be hoping to meet some fantasy readers interested in epic fantasy and the first book in The Futhark Chronicle, The Keepers of Sulbreth.

The weather looks clear, the company is of the best sort and Aaron's Books is a great location. I hope some of you can stop by and bring friends.

Tigers, Tigers and Tigers, Oh My!

It's nearly time. My first fantasy romance will be released later this month from The Wild Rose Press. To Tame a Tiger is the first in a series about a legendary race of warriors who've been exiled from the homeland by a curse. Each Tiger warrior must magically bond with a woman of magic or he will die. The proud men hope to find women of good heart and honor to hold their bond and control their destiny.

Meet Luke Aron, exiled Tiger king, and Lady Violet Hylan. They meet in need in the dungeon of their enemy and save each other but only for the moment. There's still a war to be fought, Violet's suspicious family, and the entanglement of their emotions with the magical bond. How can a man and woman trust the threads holding them together? Are they only magical, necessity or something deeper and more lasting? They may figure it out if they can stay alive.

Despite the title, this in not a shape-shifter romance. Tigers are merely the name of the warrior race. You can pre-order the print book or wait for the ebook at the end of the month. I'll have excerpts later this month.

Now for a question as I return to edits on book #2 of this series. Do you like series in romance? Do you enjoy revisiting worlds or locals with past characters making appearances? How often do you search out the rest of the books in a series after reading one of them?