It’s been A Roller Coaster Ride!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

 www.lovemarcia.com

 I still remember the day clearly when I got the call that an Editor (from a big press) wanted to publish me. All that visualization and anguish had paid off.  After months of going to Barnes & Noble and the now defunct Borders and Walden Books, and visualizing, I was now being offered a contract.

A dream was coming true, and this was in 1998, when I was younger and a lot more optimistic. The editor from Kensington Publishing didn’t want just one book, she wanted two. I sat in my office numb but pinching myself. The funny thing is, my goal was never to be a writer. For years, I freelanced as a reader for Harlequin/Silhouette (the latter also now defunct,) reading so many promising manuscripts, but me a writer?      

Still, I couldn’t turn down an opportunity. Never.  And I’m glad I didn’t. Those first two books led to many, many, more contracts. I had a day job as well – reminder never give that up.

 For a very long time, I had no life. I ate and slept writing. I wrote for Viacom, BET books, St. Martin’s Press and Harlequin. Then a crazy thing happened. I was no longer the flavor of the month, and for a number of reasons, I’ll choose not to go into on a public forum.  

Initially, my feelings were hurt, but I quicky rebounded. I had the day job. I was not relying on writing to pay my bills. There’s freedom in that.

Lucky for me, the Indie market was opening up. And although skeptical, I dipped my toes in it.   The pluses were many, but so were the negatives. The freedom to write what you want and to publish those books that were rejected, “because they would never sell,’ was invigorating. Incidentally, ‘those books that would never sell,’ became some of my best sellers. On the flip side, you are on your own when it comes to marketing.  And even years later, there is still that skepticism about not being good enough to get traditionally published. This myth continues, despite many top NY Times Bestsellers going this route and having much success.    

Now here I am, twenty-five years later, still standing, still writing, and very hopeful that I will be doing so for the next twenty-five years.

Writers write, not for the money, but because they can’t help but write.  They write through thick and thin. They write even when they don’t get paid. They write because the thought of not writing is unthinkable.

About Marcia King-Gamble

USA bestselling romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean Island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards.  Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Be sure to join her newsletter mailing list. https://www.lovemarciakinggamble.com/newsletter.htm

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I Bring you good tidings ...Books filled with good Cheer!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

Yippee! The holidays are here, and with holidays come, books, lots of them, and some written by our favorite authors.

You can never go wrong gifting a book, and in this case re-gifting, is permissible, and even flattering. Not that I recommend doing so without at least  a first read.

Word of mouth is a powerful thing, and like hand-selling a book, it's free marketing for the author. I’ve been  introduced to many a new author this way, and they've introduced me to their fans. So, that said, in this time when sharing is caring, I’d like to introduce you to some new and not so new holiday releases, by authors you may or may not be familiar with... at least not yet. Sit back and have  a read!

With pleasure, I introduce you  to an  amazing holiday boxset,  titled, Unforgettable Christmas Dreams. It was penned  by eleven multi-published USA Bestsellng authors, and offered at only an amazing 99 cents.. Now that’s a bargain, if you ever heard of one. Hop over to Amazon and pick up your copy.  Here's the link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZCBXNRY/

Next up, talented, NY Times bestselling author,  Patrice Wilton, gives you  A Heavenly Christmas. Can you imagine having car trouble,with two kids in tow,  and landing in a magical town called Heaven? Everything about this place seems heavenly, including Nick Ryan, local chef with a heart equally as big as yours You’ll want to eat him up.

Of course  you've heard of the incomparable Heather Graham (not the actor,)  but the author of over 200 books and novellas. She is the founding mother of my Florida Writers chapter,  a more delightful and down to earth person you have yet to meet. Heather’s Spirit of the Season, released to the usual rave reviews.  Here's a sneak peak of what you can expect:

Imagine a young widow with no steady job, three children, a dilapidated Victorian house in constant need of repair, and now she takes in her newly orphaned nine-year-old nephew, Davey.

Davey is happiest playing baseball, and our young widow helps him through Little League tryouts – even though her past flame Tim Yeagher, is the coach.  I don't know about you, but I see drama ahead. And if that’s not enough,  fans of Heather’s Krewe books need to be on the look out for Christmas, The Krewe and a Large White Rabbit. Find it on Amazon https://amzn.to/2sUYmba.

Then of course  there’s me. Releasing  two previously written novellas. You can buy them as part of a boxset  at the bargain price of $2.99  or as singles at $1.99. I could not be more pleased  if you Ring in the Holidays with me. https://amzn.to/2D2XWRZ  https://bit.ly/36Nlbgi

Have a Happy Holiday Season all!

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS  Be sure to join her mailing list.

Unsung Writing Sheroes!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

In honor of  the 4th of July, Independence Day, I am saluting all the talented Indies out there. Authors like Sophia Knightly- http://www.sophiaknightly.net/ ,  my co-author Bettye Griffin - http://www.bettyegriffin.com/ Traci Hall http://www.tracihall.com/  and our  wonderful Blog Queens,  Judith Ashley and Sarah Raplee of Windtree Press . http://windtreepress.com/.  

At Windtree Press you can visit authors like Patty Jager, Diana McCollum, Linda Lovely and Courtney Pierce.  Indie authors like fellow Generista, and Florida Romance Writer, Kristin Wallace can be found  @ http://kristinwallaceauthor.com/

While I hate to sound like a negative Nelly, the reality is that times are tough for writers. Not that they’ve not been tough before. Publishing houses are closing, and/or merging and new or aspiring authors, (even we oldies), need every platform we can get.  Even well-established authors  are jumping on the Indie bandwagon. There's something about being in control of your life and knowing what your monthly income is that's downright appealing.

For those trying to get published, and those looking for a new publishing home, don't dismiss the power of the contest. Contests are a great opportunity to showcase your talent. So where do you find contests? The local chapter of  your American Romance Writers is a good place to start. The feedback you get is invaluable and the finalists get their work read by a published author, or editor at a traditional publishing house.  

A few years back, I judged of one of these contests and discovered a voice that was truly unique.  From the author’s opening sentence she had me hooked. While she did not win the contest, I knew that voice would  be heard over and over again.

That unique voice was that of author, Sasha Summers who sent me a lovely thank you note.  Her words were sincere and heartfelt.  About a year and a half later, (make that two), her first book was being published, and I gave her a quote.  This is what I wrote:

"My new favorite author is Sasha Summers, She's as addictive as chocolate."
Marcia King-Gamble

Talent like Sasha’s needed to be recognized.  You can find out about Sasha Summers and her books right here:  http://sashasummers.com/

Another author with a heart stopping voice is Simona Taylor aka Roslyn Carrington.  Just hearing her name, makes me want to curl up in an armchair and devour her books.   Simona aka Roslyn hails from the beautiful Caribbean island of Trinidad.

I first met her when she attended the annual Romance Writers of America conference in Anaheim, California.  Her agent at the time was Deidre Knight. Who knew that years later I would be represented by the Knight Agency.

One of Roslyn’s most memorable books is the literary masterpiece, A Thirst for Rain. That book was meant to be made into a movie. It’s the kind of book you read over and over again. Each sentence holds such vivid imagery.

Roslyn still resides in Trinidad and owns The Scribble Pad. In addition to writing romance novels, she’s written a comic and coloring book. She's also developed an interactive board game. You can find information about Simona Taylor and her books here: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/t/simona-taylor/

A shout out goes to the talented members of my South Florida Romance Writers group. Information about the group can be found here: http://www.frwriters.org/.  New members are always welcomed. 

Since summer is now officially on,  I am counting on readers to support your Indie authors.  Please check out our bundle at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Pick up the bundled copy of the Holiday Sparkle series here:  http://a.co/4WbIQmz  and here:  http://bit.ly/2rUSidq

Get yourself an awesome beach read!  

Romantically Yours.

About Marcia King-Gamble:

Marcia hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. 

She is a former travel industry executive. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling, and with her animal family.

Ignoring the Urge To Rush

By Linda Lovely

Spring officially arrived this year on March 20. Tell that to my azaleas and Loropetalum. My blueberries, roses, and hydrangeas didn’t get the message either. In February, all these plants and more rushed ahead, putting out blossoms and shoots of new growth. Fooled by a stretch of super warm winter days and balmy nights, the shrubs got in too big a hurry. A March cold spell severely punished their impatience.  

Not this year! 

While I’ll still have blueberries this year, the crop won’t be as plentiful as last year. For the most part, my plants will survive despite the ugly dieback of withered fresh growth. Nonetheless, our yard will not be dressed in its regular showy cloak of red, pink and white blossoms this spring. I’ll have to wait another year for my springtime fix.

But maybe there’s a lesson in the wilted brown of the leaves and the death of the blooms. It seldom pays to rush. It’s human nature to want to hurry up and “get to the good stuff, the fun stuff.” But it’s an urge that I’m trying to ignore.

How might rushing backfire for a writer? Here are three ways.

Research. It’s entirely possible to devote so much time to researching that one never gets around to writing. However, the reverse is more often true. We assume we understand technology, courtroom or police procedures because of our exposure to TV or online posts. Always take the time to check with authoritative sources. That’s one reason I’m a huge fan (and staff volunteer) for the annual Writers’ Police Academy. The WPA offers a unique opportunity to question experts and gain first-hand experience with everything from long guns to fingerprinting.     

Editing. All the authors I know go through multiple drafts before they are willing to call their novels “finished.” Yet, I find a “cooling off” period between drafts is not time wasted. Spending a week working on unrelated tasks before embarking on that final edit lets you see the characters, plot, and language with fresh eyes.

Publishing. When we first start sending queries to agents and/or publishers, we’re tempted to take the first offers we receive. That response can be born out of fear we won’t get a better response and will be spinster novelists. Or it can reflect our desire to rush our babies out into the literary world. However, no author should take a leap of faith into the arms of an agent or publisher out of fear or impatience.  

Are you guilty of rushing in any of these areas? 

Interview with author, Meg Cabot (whose last name rhymes with Habit!)

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

  http://amzn.com/B019RYLW24

 

A great big shout out to Generista, Sarah Raplee, co-founder of The Generistas, for giving up her spot on the blog so that I could publish this interview with Meg Cabot. Thank you so much Sarah.

Just a few days ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Meg Cabot (best known for her series- The Princess Diaries.)  Her last name rhymes with Habit.

On February 05th Meg will speak at a luncheon hosted by The Broward Public Library Foundation; a not-for profit, funded by the Broward Library. The information can be found below:

http://www.bplfoundation.org/litlunch-press-release

Me: How does a Resident Assistant at New York University become a successful writer?

Meg: I always loved writing stories. Romance is my favorite genre to read. I began writing my first story at age 7. My parents were always encouraging. My dad was a professor at a university and my mom was an English teacher. My mom told me I needed to take typing lessons and have a backup job. She suggested I become an administrative assistant as that would give me free time to write. When I graduated college I became a resident assistant and was able to take classes for free. My first book, a romance was published while I was at NYU.

Me: You refer to yourself as a high school freak, why is that?

Meg: I was in theater. My high school was rural. If you weren’t into basketball or football you were a freak. I never go back to my high school reunions.

Me: You’ve written over 80 books and you have a new one coming out.  Tell us about your journey.

Meg: I was published by St Martin’s press at age 30. My first book was a historical romance written under the name Patricia Cabot, because I didn’t want my grandmother to find out. Turns out her favorite author was Rosemary Rogers who was as racy as you can get back then. I write two to three books a year. YA (Young Adult,) Middle Grade and Adult books.  My first e novella, Proposal has just been released. 

Me. I read somewhere you love cats.

Meg:  I’ve never been without cats. We only have one now. She’s a typical Key West Cat.

Me: You mean she has twelve toes?

Meg: No, she doesn’t have multiple toes, but she does have the Key West attitude. She’s very independent. She has a cat door and goes in and out of it, but is always back for breakfast.   

Me: How many rejections have you gotten?

Meg: As a teenager I sent submissions to Seventeen Magazine’s contest and got rejected all the time.  But professors were very encouraging. It was the fellow students who didn’t understand. I would send out a query letter every day.  I got rejections every day. I’ve gotten thousands of rejections.  It was cheaper than playing the lottery with a bigger return. Then one day I got a call and it was that romance I mentioned published by St. Martin’s Press.

Me: You write for multiple genres. Do you write three books at the same time or do you complete one before you move on?

Meg:   I write one at a time. I’m a fast writer. My mother’s advice to take typing paid off. I think of a plot first. As a working writer it’s important to be flexible. Yes, everyone has a book of their heart. I have almost a hundred of them. My first book was about a basketball coach who solves crimes. It was a terrible book, a weird book. At times you have to let go. I knew nothing about basketball. My agent said it’s terrible. It’s going to ruin your career.  

Me: What’s in the pipeline for 2016?

Meg: I revisited a story that was initially a YA a series.  I thought it might be fun to see what they’re up to as adults. I wrote it so that anyone could read it without having read the others. It’s a stand- alone book.  It’s called Remembrance and is out in February. The heroine’s boyfriend is a ghost. My e novella is titled - Proposal.

Me: Will you be talking about your book at the upcoming library luncheon?

 http://www.pbglifestyle.com/pbglm-blotter/2016-litlunch-to-feature-bestselling-author-meg-cabot/

Meg: I’ll be talking about the meaning of life and about pursuing your dreams.  I want to talk about small topics. What are we here on the planet for? How to be empowered like a Princess.  I have another Princess book coming out in May for younger readers.

Me: What’s this fascination with Princesses? You wrote the Princess Diaries.

Meg:  My mother is obsessed with princesses. She grew up in the era of princesses; Princess Grace marrying the king of Monaco etc.  There is no princess I am not familiar with. When I was younger I saw Star Wars for the first time. I write about princesses who rule; the ones who rescue themselves and about embracing your inner princess.

 .

Me: How does the reading public get in touch with you? Are you on Instagram, Facebook etc.?

Meg:  I’m on Facebook and twitter etc. You can find me at http://www.megcabot.com. I’m still catching up with Instagram but I’m on it.

Me: Is there anything else you want to talk about? Your cat? Your husband?

Meg:  It’s been so cold in Florida that my cat is spending more time indoors. Recently my cat came in at 2 am and was screaming so loudly we thought another cat was in the house. We raced downstairs and it turns out it’s the first time she’d seen her own reflection in the mirror. She was trying to fight herself.  

Me: Is there something that keeps you up at night?

Meg: Besides my screaming cat and the election?   We’ll try not to talk about politics.  I feel so lucky and grateful to be doing something I love so much, and that I get to do it for a living is the best feeling in the world.

Me: Thank you for your time. You have a standing invitation to pop in at the Florida Romance Writers meetings. We meet the second Saturday of the month. http://www.frwriters.org/

Meg: Thank you and I look forward to meeting you soon.  Come say hi at the luncheon.

“The Rainbow Connection" and Magic by Lynn Lovegreen

Like Judith Ashley, I also see magic in everyday life. (See her post at http://romancingthegenres.blogspot.com/2015/10/another-view-of-magic.html.) There are wonderful things around us all the time, whether we live in the city or the country, in the East or West. 

Of course, I’m surrounded by everyday magic here in Alaska. I can gaze at mountains or feel the sea breeze on my face without much effort. But even without that, I can enjoy looking at puffy clouds, or wish upon a star, no matter what age I am. Life gives us magic all the time.

Sometimes I think that writers and other artists see more of it than ordinary people. But I know “regular” individuals who do, too. Some of us notice more magic when we’re madly in love. But we can all experience it if we choose to.

I’ll end with a quote from one of my favorite songs, “The Rainbow Connection.” (According to the internet, it was written by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher in 1979 for The Muppet Movie.) I love it so much that we included in our wedding, when my husband and I got married in 1984. (Thanks to my sister-in-law Peggy for singing it for us—I didn’t realize at the time how hard it was to sing!)

Who said that every wish

Would be heard and answered

When wished on the morning star

Somebody thought of that

And someone believed it

And look what it's done so far

What's so amazing

That keeps us stargazing

And what do we think we might see

Someday we'll find it

The rainbow connection

The lovers, the dreamers, and me

All of us under its spell, we know that it's probably magic

Lynn Lovegreen grew up in Alaska, and still lives there. Her young adult historical romances are set in the Alaska Gold Rush, a great time for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com.