Great News!

My second mystery/suspense novel was just accepted for publication by Walnut Springs Press! It's the book I've tentatively titled TRAPPED--the one that won first place in the League of Utah Writer's 2009 Full Length novel contest. Wahoo! I'll keep you up to date as I learn more!

Also, registration is now open for THE Teen Writers Conference 2010. Here are the details:

Place:
Weber State University
Ballrooms A & B
Saturday June 5, 2010
9:00 a.m. -5:30 p.m.

*Attendance is $43.00 with lunch, or $35.00 if you bring your own lunch. Lunch will be the same as last year. Please bring your own snacks or money for the vending machines.

*Keynote speakers will be YA Novelist Janette Rallison (http://www.janetterallison.com/ ) and Horror Novelist Dan Wells (http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/). Lisa Mangum will be part of the author panel(http://www.lisamangum.com/).

*Parents are invited to attend the Author Panel and Writing Contest Awards (see schedule on website for exact times)

*Registration information available at www.teenwritersconference.com

*Registration deadline May 25, 2010.

I hope to see you there!

AMAZING NEWS Plus Another Winner and Contest

Guess what? I recently found out MISSING is the #1 Best Seller at the bookstore, Reflections of Utah, in Brigham City and #2 next to "Hunger Games" in Box Elder Middle School's library. Amazing! It's hard for me to believe, and yet I know it's because so many of you have spread the word about my book. Thank you.

I also learned that Heather Justesen's great give-away contest has come to a close, and we now have another winner of MISSING. It's Chris and Laura Zemp from Nevada. Congratulations!

And then, just tonight I learned that another writer, Marta O. Smith, reviewed MISSING on her blog and is also running a 12 days of Christmas contest where a copy of MISSING is one of the prizes. Go check out her blog and leave a comment. That's all you have to do to enter. :)

More MISSING Contests

This week must be contest week, for along with Anne Bradshaw's contest, readers have two more chances to win a copy of MISSING . One from Heather Justesen on Wednesday, December 2. She has a bunch of other great prizes, too. And another at LDS Fiction--this one runs through the entire month of December. Check them out. Even if you've already bought a copy, you might like to give one or more as Christmas presents. I've heard from several people that that is exactly what they're doing.

Happy reading--and giving! :)

Rexburg Signing

I made a quick trip to and from my home town in Rexburg, Idaho a couple of days ago to do a book signing at BYU-Idaho. It was a lot of fun. Not only did I get to know many people I'd never met before, but a few "old" friends showed up, too. One was Marta Smith, a fellow member of Author's Incognito. Once again I was able to connect her with another writer-friend, Michelle Erickson, who also lives in the area. Michelle was actually my Laurel advisor years and years ago. We connected, in part, through our love of writing. Anyway, they're both in need of a critique group, so I'm hoping this association will help them.

The BIG SURPRISE, though, was a visit from a man I used to go to school with. He, along with several other boys, used to have a nickname for me--in teasing. I was never offended by it, but he took the time to apologize. I must say, I was quite impressed by the good man he seems to have grown into. I'd never thought anything bad about him in those days, but I was so glad to see extra goodness in him now. The funny thing? He wanted me to sign his book as "Thanks for the memories" and then sign it with their nickname for me. No, I don't think I'll share that information with you here.

I'll close with a bit of advise. If you go to BYU-Idaho, try to secure a temporary parking pass ahead of time. Otherwise, you might have to make a long walk. Generally, that's not such a bad thing. I usually enjoy the walk. But if you're wearing a dress and carrying a lot of supplies, it's not quite as fun.

Honestly, though, the signing turned out great, and the BYU-Idaho Bookstore staff couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating. The students, too, for that matter. I'd love to go back.

Preparing for Opening Night

While I was on a walk this morning, one of my neighbors stopped her car next to me and said, "I read your book. It was good!"

I can't help but appreciate feedback like that, but it was especially buoying today, because the largest chunk of my writing time is still going toward my opening night book signing party at Reflections of Utah in Brigham City, UT. If you haven't heard yet, it's on Thursday, October 22 from 5-7:00 p.m. The address is on my website.

Besides putting together and sending out announcement postcards and working with our local newspaper to announce it, I've been gathering a few door prizes and planning the refreshments. All the items are related to Missing, so they make me smile. I hope my guests will like them, too.

I Won!

I can hardly believe it! After Friday's exciting news about MISSING's cover and approximate publication date, now this! On Saturday, I attended the League of Utah Writer's conference in Midway, Utah. There I learned I won 1st place in their full length novel contest for my newly written book, TRAPPED. I'm still grinning. Can this be real?

My MISSING Cover is here!

Wahoo! I'm still pinching myself. My MISSING cover is ready! What's more, MISSING will be in stores come mid-October. You'll also be able to purchase it online. I'll let you know more as I learn more.

When I woke up this morning, I wrote a list of writing/marketing goals I wanted to work on and then I put the marketing need-to's behind the writing need-to's, because I still didn't know when MISSING would be published. A few hours later--my cover showed up and my editor basically said, "Ready, Set, Go!" Only not in those terms. :)

So, for the next few days I'll be busy going over final edits and proofs. I'll also be attending the League of Utah Writer's conference in Midway tomorrow. Maybe I'll see some of you there!

I've Joined Another Writing Group

Guess what? Thanks to fellow writer Joyce DiPastena, I've found and joined a "G-rated, Romance Writing Group! I'm so excited because it has been sooo hard to find both authors and publishers outside the LDS market who write/publish romance that isn't embarrassing to read. It's called the Sweetest Romance Authors, and our blog is located here and at the button in my sidebar. If you like clean, yet exciting stories that are rich with real romance, you really ought to check it out, and keep checking it out, because our list of published titles is quickly growing. You can bet my LDS novel, MISSING, will be among them. Grin.

Missing Comes . . .

I just realized I haven't spread the word in a post that Missing is now scheduled to be published this fall. I can hardly wait! But at the same time, I'm trying to come up with the best ways to promote it. Any suggestions?

How to Make Your Book a Bestseller Seminar

Earlier this week, I signed up for a free, one-and-a-half to two-hour teleseminar on how to make almost any book a bestseller in 38 days. Since my book, Missing, will come out within the next few months, I thought it would be well worth my while to check into it. It takes place in about an hour from now. All I have to do is call in and listen. My only cost is the telephone bill, and since we already have free long distance within the US, even that cost is a wash. Tomorrow, I'll let you know how it went and a little bit about what I learned. Deal?

MISSING update

I have now learned from my editor that they have accepted my revisions. Whew! My next waiting hurdle: when will it be published?

An Announcement and a Contest

I know I said I'd continue with my discussion about show and tell, but this information was just too noteworthy to pass up. But don't worry, I will get back to "show" in a few days.

As for today . . .

First, my friends Nichole Giles and Cindy Beck have a book coming out in December titled, "Mormon Mishaps and Mischief." It consists of humorous anecdotes related to LDS life, and I AM ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS! So make sure you keep an eye out for it. It would make a fun gift.

Second, I've recently learned of a great opportunity--a contest--for all you writers out there. LDS Publisher is holding a Christmas Story contest RIGHT NOW, and the winning entries will be published in a Christmas book this year! You really ought to check this one out.

Happy reading and writing.

Still Trying to Catch Up

Now that I've resubmitted Missing to my publisher and am again in the waiting for their response mode, I'm trying to catch up on other writing assignments. Two months ago, my editor at yourLDSneighborhood.com requested I write a specific article for the newsletter. I told her I'd do it, but since the subject was not a "pressing" issue (as she'd already informed me), I requested a couple of months because I was swamped with my book. She acquiesced, and now, two months later, I've finally written and submitted that article. Whew! Another "To Do" wiped off the list. Grin.

I've Submitted my Revisions

As you know, I've been a bit absent in the blogging arena because I've been furiously rewriting my novel, Missing, per my editor's concerns. I sent it to her on Wednesday night (actually Thursday morning) at 1:00 a.m. My goal had been to submit it that day, so I stayed up until I completed it. Yay! I'm now waiting for her and her co-worker's responses. So far, they've mentioned they like my "new" beginning, which is actually a prologue I'd previously edited out of my book, so I hope that's a good sign. This will be my 4th full rewrite of this novel. I guess I should expect stuff like this since this is the book I've "learned" on, but let me tell ya, I've been over the same story and the same words so many times I'm not sure I can see it subjectively anymore. One bit of writing advice I've heard over the years is that you should work and rework your novel until you've done everything you know to do, and you're sick of it. I've been at that point a few times now. I guess we'll see what happens.

As far as my second book goes, I've finally completed the final chapter. It is a romantic-suspense novel, like Missing, but also includes a hint of fantasy. Everyone who knows anything about this book loves it. Hopefully, once I find a publisher, etc., you will, too.

I know I still have some scenes to adjust, some details to include, and some overall editing to do, but I'm grateful to be at this point. My next goal for it is to begin drumming up interest in it through contests, etc., while I edit. So, back to writing.

Scheduling My First Book Signing

Today I did something I've never done before: I "scheduled" my first book signing for Missing in a book store. I was nervous, but I prepared ahead of time by searching the Internet for information about book signings, creating a temporary business card (I don't want to have an official one printed 'til I get my book cover), and by talking to a good friend of mine, Josi Kilpack, who had previously held effective book signings there.

As luck would have it, however, about an hour or so before I'd planned on stopping in at the store, my nerves started building. I wish I wouldn't get so nervous all the time. You'd think that with as many times as I've sung solos and spoken in public I wouldn't be so suseptible to nerves, but I am. Pitifully enough.

Anyway, before I walked into the store, I told myself the owner would want me to do a signing, that everything would go well; and I was right. In truth, I was pleasantly surprised with how accommodating and informative he was. He was the first person I saw when I walked in (I've shopped there several times before and knew who he was), and he was very responsive to my questions and requests. He also offered a promotional opportunity I hadn't expected. The name of the store is Reflections of Utah, and it is located on main street in Brigham City, UT. I hope to see you there when I know more about the exact release date!

As if my first signing wasn't enough to smile about! When I returned home, I sent an e-mail to my editor, Linda Prince, at Leatherwood Press/Walnut Springs Press, telling her about the signing, and she replied with more good news: she's currently editing my book--It had very few flaws, she said--and she should have the edits to me in a few days. Yay!

As a final note, I've also created a new blog. It will deal exclusively with Missing.

My Book--Publication and Signings

Within the last few days, I not only received another, slightly modified copy of the contract from my publisher to peruse, but I also learned that Missing is scheduled to be published in June. Yay! We also discussed some of the ins and outs about scheduling book signings, so now I'm busily trying to finish the first draft of my current book, TRAPPED, before this weekend's Storymaker's conference; working on promotion ideas; and putting together the front and back matter pages, like dedications, acknowledgements, blurbs, and bio info. It's busy, busy, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed; but it's an exciting overwhelmed. This is a place I've wanted to be for, well, since I was twelve years old. I won't say how many years ago that was.

MISSING latest updates

Throughout my blurb gathering process, I've learned there were a few places in my book I wanted to tweak; so after talking with my editor, Linda Prince, about what worked best with her editing schedule--to revise it now and send it to her or to wait until she edited it so I could fix it all at once--I spent a lot of hours, including most of an entire day, last week going through my book again and editing some of the grammar and tweaking some of the scenes. I'm much more "at peace" with it now.

Meanwhile . . . I'm trying to move my thoughts back to my second novel. I only have a couple of chapters left to write of my first draft, and I really want it completed before I attend the Storymakers Conference on the 24th-25th. While it's kind of hard to switch my focus from MISSING's main character, Stacie Cox, to my new book's main character, Emi Warrin, I'm finding it's not quite as hard as I'd expected. A good thing.

My Book Title and More

Throughout the past few days, I've been in contact with my editor, Linda Prince, at Leatherwood Press. She's let me know my book will be titled MISSING, and they intend to publish it this summer--the date is yet to be determined. We've also been discussing marketing opportunities--signings at a certain store chain--throughout the summer. I'm hesitant to give any more details than that before they're set in stone, but it's looking pretty good. I've also published my website. It's still a work in progress, but there is still some good information there, including a chapter I omitted from the final book. It's an event that takes place several years before MISSING does, but it deeply affects my main character, Stacie Cox, throughout the book. You can find that chapter on the "Behind Missing" tab.

Book Publishing Update

I received a request today for more updates on the publishing process for my book, so while not much has changed recently, I will mention that I am still working on my website and still gathering blurbs. So far, this is the progress:

Website: Slowly but surely, my website is coming together. Since I haven't previously learned how to build a website, I've been doing a fair amount of research over the internet on that process, and as a result, I've changed the format, the template, the navigation process, my photos, and my bio several times, and my guess is I will probably change it more. So, if you fellow writers think you've made it past the revision stage once you've had your manuscript accepted--and even after the galleys are proofed--think again! Revision, like growth in all areas of our lives, seems to be the name of the publishing game.

Blurbs: To this point, I've received them from five readers and I have more coming. Their praise for my book has been very positive, and while I'm finding a great deal of joy in knowing others have appreciated my work, I'm also letting their praise push me to do better with my current WIP.

Which reminds me. Yes, I'm already working on marketing my book even though I don't yet have a definite title or a publishing date; but I'm also moving forward with the first draft of my "quickly-approaching-the-finale," second novel. It, too, is romantic suspense, and I can hardly wait to see how the whole thing finally comes together! JK. I really do know. It's only the romantic, dangerous, sacrificing details I can't wait to discover!

Book Publishing Update Feb. 11

While I'm waiting for the final decision on my book title, I've been gathering more marketing ideas, building my official website, and collecting "blurbs" about my book from early readers. One of the blurbs I liked but will not, I don't think, use on my website because I already inserted several really great comments from her is:

Ronda Hinrichsen's descriptions made me feel like I was actually there, and the characters were believable and well-balanced. Her villains were so realistic that I found I intensely disliked both of them. . . The tension and suspense were really well done . . . and the way Ronda tied Stacie’s dream into the ending was great! --Cindy Beck

You know, there's something very satisfying, validating, and humbling about reading how our hard work has affected someone. Thanks, Cindy!