Go the Stags!

What a day to be a Southlander. Congratulations to our mighty rugby team on their winning of the Ranfurly shield. And particularly a huge thank you to Jimmy Cowan for his attendance and encouragement on the side line. He's probably the highest paid water boy around. I'm sure his support helped an already motivated team succeed.

Better Than Sex

Check out my website for an article with the above title and be amazed. I surely was.
www.anneashby.com

New Contract

What great excitement for me this week. I received the offer of another contract from The Wild Rose Press a mere 6 weeks after submitting my ms. Their amazing turn around time makes this publisher well worth checking out. Knowing your work is acceptable, or not, in this type of time frame allows so much more scope. Instead of waiting over a year with the larger publishers while you query, then submit a partial, then a full only to wait months more to get a result. TWRP system works so much better for me - they don't force those long agonizing months on you. That alone makes them look like a pretty good company to me. Check them out and see what you think.

Chicago Manual of Style and editing gurus

This week I have been introduced to something previously unknown to me, and probably millions of other people. A "book of rules" for American English. I have to admit to being less than perfect when it comes to my use of grammar/punctuation etc - way beyond less than perfect, I'm sure my editor would attest to. Even with a very switched on critique partner I doubt I could ever achieve the perfection necessary to abide with these "Chicago" rules. Seeing just how exacting they are, it's time for me to pay homage to the lady who adjusted my writing to fit. I still cringe when I remember how many errors she managed to find in my "perfect" manuscript. The worst thing of all, though, was how obvious all those mistakes actually were. I owe her, owe her big time.
visit me at www.anneashby.com for a little more about CMOS

23 Sep

I'm discovering that waiting for word of a publication date is almost as bad as the waiting for acceptance/rejection notification. Why that should be I couldn't say, especially as its only a couple of weeks since my lovely editor and I completed work on the manuscript. Resisting the temptation to email every person I know, have ever known, to tell them is getting more difficult by the day. I guess the waiting game is inherent with this choice of career.

Book in 50 days

The RWNZ is hosting a great motivational ploy encouraging its members to complete a book within a set time frame. Although I am usually very self disciplined when I write, I figure this can only help me keep on my toes. When ideas flow freely, its wonderful to imagine if we stick to this criteria of writing just 100 odd words per day, we could produce maybe even half a dozen stories a year. Hey, that could almost mean giving up the day job. Oh yeah, there's editing and rewriting and re-editing the rewriting again to do as well. Oh dear, but maybe three or four stories is achievable. Guess I'll find out soon, when I start my first experience of "Book in 50 Days" Happy writing.

Setting for new WIP

After a couple of weeks research, including picking the brains of my niece and her husband for juicy stories about the hotel industry, I've burst into chapter one. I have decided to set my story in Southland, around my home town of Colac Bay. Not sure if they'll retain their correct names, I've already renamed Riverton. I'm going to use the friendliness and spirited approach to life that Southlanders display to up the ante when a JAFA (translated to Just Another F hmm wonder what this signifies Aucklander) arrives to muddy the pot. We're constantly told by publishers they want different and unique. I'm taking a chance on following my all-time-favourite Essie Summers into setting stories away from the boring cosmopolitan setting which could be anywhere in the world. This story (hopefully) will have Southland New Zealand stamped all over it. Check out my website for some thoughts on Southland and why I'd want to set a story there. www.anneashby.com

Writer's Block

I recently caught a video clip of Phillipa Gregory and she had what sounded like a very sensible way to ensure the continuing flow of inspiration. Hmm maybe I should try walking until the muse returns next time I'm fighting to find what I need. What works for me either costs me petrol money - driving long distances, alone and without any musical distractions, or becomes uncomfortable when the body begins to resemble that of a very old and dried up prune. Yep walking sounds a better bet than swimming. Especially if the muse if being a little unco-operative and I'm going to spend hours.

But what about all those other peskie walkers who insist on exchanging cheery greetings as they pass? Wouldnt they destroy the concentration? Maybe this theory of unblocking writers block needs me to do a little more research before I change my tried and true methods.
Cheers

Research

Seeing US biological anthropologist Helen Fisher on TV twice in one week must surely have been a sign from above. Googling her lost me a whole morning of planned research for my new story but boy, did I end up with some interesting information. Instead of developing new characters, settings, and plot lines for my next assignment, I was glued to the Net, reading barely understandable scientific papers on love and lust and sexual appeal. Wading through numerous articles I was able to make copious notes about dopamine and serotonin. (My daughter had recently had a baby, so I HAD heard of serotonin). While the information in all these articles is not specifically for my next WIP I'm sure I will incorporate many of her findings into my future writing. Now I have scientific proof - the heart does really pound when we're attracted to someone - its not just a romance writer's superfluous use of flowery language. See my website for more details of Helen Fisher's findings www.anneashby.com

Invigorating return to work

A successful week after weeks away from my keyboard. Drafted a synopsis for my recently completed WIP - now if only I could come up with a decent title. Forwarded another complete manuscript for consideration and completed the line by line galley edits for Worlds Apart. Seeing my work laid out ready for printing was so exciting. I'd forgotten what I'd said for my back blurb and dedication because I'd written it so long ago. Could there be a bigger high? I doubt it. The next thrill will be its actual publishing. Watch my website for details of publication date www.anneashby.com

Gender Stereotypes

June 30
I'm currently having a writing crisis about our "need" to provide heroes with oodles of money and material success before we can deem them heroes. Romance guidelines are clearly stated in so many of the sub-genres - rich, powerful, successful equals hero. What a load of cobblers! But if we want to attract the eye of the editors we must conform. Or do we? The most heroic man I know has very little wealth, very few material possessions and would never be termed successful by romance editors standards. Yet he has inner strength, charisma, respect and concern for every living thing. He epitomizes real heroic characteristics.
Visit my website anneashby.com for my reasoning and analysis of this crazy situation over the next couple of posts

June 25

A week of writing achievement sure inspires one. Completing my WIP, although far from finishing it, will now allow all these (previously suppressed) crazy, jumbled up ideas for my next story to surface. The excitement of choosing names/settings/locations is upon me again. But oh no! so is the need for researching so the content might be realistic.
My thought for you is a quote from Les Brown
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." What better place to be.

June 13

I don't think I mentioned being a rugby fanatic, did I? Great start to the sporting weekend with the Warriors' wins last night. At home against Newcastle they won 13-0 with newcomer Kevin Locke providing plenty of excitement. Probably a bit on the young side yet to be a dream hero in a romance novel but this boy could shape up. U20 team had a more resounding win 34-6 against junior Newcastle side. Now if only 22 young men in black can take a leaf out of the league players book and hand it to the French tonight at Carisbrook. Go the ABs!
Anne

The Beginning

Thanks to the surprisingly simplistic (most of the time) Three Bears Method of Web Design, and its very patient creator, I now have a website and a blog up and running. I almost feel like I'm a professional writer. As I'm struggling to learn computerize I've realised that this is just another language, another means of communicating. And that's what writers are all about really, isnt it? Communicating.