I received the first half of my advance today! This is for my novel entitled Dollars And Scents! The tentative release date is December 2008!
I Got Paid!
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Category Archives: Writing-Related Posts
Re-submission
Remember that rejected manuscript I mentioned about a week or so ago? Well, I’m revising it to resubmit elsewhere. Since my current word count is similiar to the house I’m planning to target, I don’t have to do much to the manuscript. I only have to revise the synopsis. It’s time for me to
go fishing!
Sticks And Stones By Susan Meissner
Sticks and Stones (a Rachel Flynn Mystery) by Susan Meissner
(Paperback)
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Pub. Date: January 2007
ISBN-13: 9780736919159
300pp
From Amazon.com
Book Description
Critically acclaimed author Susan Meissners Rachael Flynn mystery series started with the popular Widows and Orphans. In the second serving of intrigue, Sticks and Stones, lawyer Rachael Flynn receives an unsigned, heart-stopping letter:
They’re going to find a body at the Prairie Bluff construction site. He deserved what he got, but it wasn’t supposed to happen. It was an accident.
When the body is uncovered, Rachael and Detective Will Pendleton discover that the fifteen-year old victim, Randall Buckett, had been buried twenty-five years before. Is the letter writer and the killer the same person? Why would someone speak up now? And why are they telling Rachael?
Susan Meissners ability to weave a fascinating tale will leave readers wanting more.
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To tell you the truth, I don’t believe I’ve ever read a cozy mystery. I’m not sure if this would be categorized as a cozy, but it reminds me a little bit of the way a cozy is defined.
This book was good, and it was suspenseful without being too scary. Also, although the characters were Christians, it wasn’t a very preachy book. I think people who read secular fiction would enjoy this book a lot, too.
One thing that happened in this story reminded me of the Brandilyn Collins novel, Eyes of Elisha – Rachael has a supernatural ability from God to sense danger, it’s an ability she realizes she’s received since the birth of her child.
As you read the story, you’ll find yourself sympathizing with the children Bucky tormented twenty-five years ago. You’ll find yourself drawn into the story, mesmerized, wanting to know who sent Rachael the three letters tipping her off about the death a quarter of a century later.
There are also some secondary characters that provide comic relief to this serious mystery. You have Trace, Rachael’s artistic husband, as well as Trace’s artistic cronies. Trace and his friends give their opinions using words and drawings to imagine what might have happened to Ronald Buckett.
Rachael’s uncanny ability is tested when she realizes that something dreadful has happened in the cellar of a house in Bucky’s neighborhood. The house has been burned down long ago, and is now replaced by another dwelling. However, although the serious crime happened long ago, Racheal can still sense that there was pain and anguish behind Bucky’s death.
This is a good read to grab for a rainy day, when you just want to curl up in front of the fire with an intriguing and suspenseful story.
African-American Novels By White Authors
I came across these books in my messy basement. They’re old Heartsong Presents titles that I read years ago, back when I was still in the Heartsong Presents book club. Although these books have African-American characters, the authors are Caucasian. I recall I enjoyed them back when I read them, and I thought the authors did a great job of portraying the African-American characters.
The reason I’m blogging about this is because I’m just expanding on what I blogged about a few days (or was it a week?) ago about Marilynn Griffith (an African-American Christian fiction author) writing a novel with Asian characters.
I feel it takes a fair amount of talent to write a novel having main characters of another race.
I’m planning on reading through my contract over the next day or so and get that in the mail to my publisher. Only reason I haven’t gotten to it yet is because of the line edits I had to do for my manuscript. I’ve sent that in. Hopefully I won’t have to read the book again, but we’ll see.
***Update added March 20, 2009. I don’t have this novel in my possession, but an email from a reader prompted me to update this post. Heartsong Presents also published a novel called Soft Beats My Heart by Aleesha Carter – this is a pen name for multi-published inspirational White romance author Loree Lough. Loree’s great! She helped me out with my writing when I submitted my novel to Steeple Hill Love Inspired years ago! I even mentioned her in the dedication!
Copy Edits
Just received my copyedits today. These are for John’s Quest, the book that’s being released in March 2008! They’re due Thursday, so I won’t be blogging for the next few days!
Later!
Contract!
I received the contract from my publisher today! Now I just need to read it over, sign both copies, and return to them! This contract is for Dollars And Scents (tentative title). The tentative release date is December 2008!
Michael Hauge Workshop
Yesterday, one of my local writers groups, Washington Romance Writers (WRW) hosted a workshop with screenwriter Michael Hauge. Although his techniques are for scripts, you can also incorporate these techniques into novels. I learned some really great stuff and I took PAGES of notes. I look forward to using the stuff I learned when I pen my next novel.
Since I received my rejection last Friday, I decided to go fishing.
REJECTED
The novel I sent off to Harlequin at the end of August got rejected yesterday. Oh, well, I guess it’s back to the drawing board!
Royalties!
I received a little surprise from Switzerland in the mail today…a royalty check from Harlequin! I wasn’t expecting a check since my book was released back in February 2005! I thought I’d already earned everything out! Well, these funds were for the hardcover large-print re-release of my novel back in July 2006.
Also, I received the second half of my advance from Barbour back on October 22. I don’t think I blogged about that when I received it.
I can honestly say that this is the first time I’ve received two royalty/advance checks so close together.
Wonder if this is an indication that I might be able to make a living from this someday?
Oh, well, only time will tell!
Sent Off The Synopsis
I emailed the synopsis to my editor this morning. Hopefully, she’ll like it. If not, oh well, back to the drawing board!