It’s conference time again. With Nationals fast approaching, some suggestions bear repeating, so I’ll mention a few before I get to my post: Wear comfy shoes, relax, make sure you set aside ‘me time’ and for the love of all that is good and holy, don’t wear perfume! Migraine sufferers will thank you. My writers group holds an editor/agent luncheon every year.  If you’re ever in or around NY in June and have the opportunity to join the Long Island Romance Writers for their annual luncheon, I strongly recommend it (click the link to see who attended this year....

I decided that once a month, I’ll post a round-up on the site that includes interesting marketing & promo information I’ve seen, innovative marketing tracks and other tidbits of information meant to help you in your efforts. Here is the debut post. Enjoy. CafePress store - new partnership with SellIt If you have a cafepress store with items for sale with your branding, CafePress now has a partnership with Sellit.com that will put a widget (called ShopBot) on all your websites, blogs, myspace, etc — so people can choose their items right from the page.  When they choose to...

BY STACEY JOY NETZEL “I am the best writer in the world and I DESERVE MY DREAM” Okay, before any of you start saying, “Wow, she’s pretty darn arrogant.”, let me explain:  Sherrilyn Kenyon made me say it. She made everyone say it at the WisRWA 25th anniversary conference in Green Bay, WI June 5-7, 2009.  And wow, what a wonderful, completely inspiring keynote speech she gave after our dinner.  (Not to mention she’s sweet as can be and is wonderful with her devoted fans.)  Her amazing story is a perfect example that you should never give up your dream, no matter how hard...

Happy Endings is pleased to welcome special guest and fellow Wild Rose Press author, Mona Risk today. Welcome to Happy Endings. Can you tell us a little about your latest release? BABIES IN THE BARGAIN is a sweet and spicy medical romance that garnered several wins in contests. Imagine Grey’s Anatomy or ER in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The story is based on my daughter’s professional experience. Needless to say, the book is dedicated to her for her professional input. Contest nominations: The Beacon; Launching A Star; The Suzannah; Great Expectations; Golden Gateway;...

Amidst the epublishing/RWAChange debates running rampant around romance writer blogs, I’ve noticed people are talking about what it means to be career-focused.  This is one of the big reasons RWAChange started — when the RWA definition of the term “career-focused” excluded those who make less than a $1000 advance on their books. Here’s the kicker: epublishers don’t pay advances.  In lieu of that, they pay higher royalties.  It’s how they maintain a business, it’s their business model.  By the current definition of “career-focused”...

It’s summer 2009 and what’s hot?  I’m not going to try to repeat what’s all over the internet.  If you google you can easily pick up statistics from sales.  I’m also not going to post on the increased sales of e-books.  Again statistics back up that it’s the fastest growing area of book sales.  Instead I thought I’d share news from a speaker that graciously spoke at our chapter meeting. Our speaker was a manager at one of our local book stores.  She said that like other businesses the current economy is hard on bookstores.  Corporate is trying different things to keep sales...

I was sitting in a little room at Writers Retreat Workshop with Jason, one of the staffers. He’d read my first chapter and was offering suggestions for improvement. “Maybe she just wants a bowl of ice cream,” he said. “She bought a carton of Rocky Road, and she just wants to sit down and eat it.” Click! The lights came on. In that moment I understood scene structure in a visceral way, like I never had before. And I couldn’t wait to get back to my computer. If you followed my series on revising, you know the POV character should have a goal in every scene. The...

As writers, we’re always working towards “The End”, but the truth is that the end can be a faraway goal that seems almost impossible to reach, no matter how many books you’ve written before.   When we start writing something brand new…my goodness, that feeling is like nothing else in the world! The possibilities of plot and character and conflict are endless. Getting to know each of the players and outlining the roles they will fill is a little like playing God.   But the story moves on from that introductory goodness, we get past the point of setting the stage and introducing...

Welcome to this stop of the Stop and Smell The Roses Blog Bouquet! The Happy Endings blog focuses on the romance writer’s pursuit and because I think it’s important to note the bumps along the way, I thought I’d share with you — if you didn’t already know — the current issues facing Romance Writers of America and its members. Just last week, agent and author (both print and epubbed) Deirdre Knight went on the ESPAN RWA chapter website and posted a blog called “A Call For Change.” She stated many well-explained reasons as to why RWA needed to redefine...

No, really. Who is Yvonne Walus? I ask myself that question every time I’m interviewed, every time I curl up with a book instead of doing the laundry, every time my husband calls me a ‘lawyer’ during a marital disagreement. I look at all my hats in the mirror. Who is the real me? Am I a Super Mom, capable of balancing a day job, a writing career, domestic chores and the kids’ piano lessons like a circus act? Or am I a clown about to get a cream pie in my face when the juggling stunt turns to custard? The Mathematician Remember the 2001 movie “A Beautiful Mind”? Although I do hold a...