Monday, June 23, 2008

Come play at my forums!

I've got new forums at my site thanks to my fabulous web site person. Yes, it does have places where I can tell you where to find me talking about my one book. lol And a news places so I can tell you if I ever sell another book. =)

BUT, there's also a recipe section so those of you with some really good recipes can post them there to share with me... er, everyone. lol There's a forum where you can talk about what you've been reading lately.

AND for my author friends, there's a forum just for promos, excerpts, announcements, blurbs, contests - you name it. You can post whenever you like. The best part? It's on my friend's server - not anything connected to Myspace - so your links are all safe from those pages where they tell you they saved you from phishing or some such. lol You know what I mean. They did that to the link to the buy page for my book at Red Sage. Phishing indeed.

I almost forgot, I've got one forum for writing progress. So if you're writing, even if you aren't published, come by and report what you did today. We'll keep each other motivated. =)

So take a look when you get a chance. http://laurenblades.com/phpBB3/

Thanks!

Lauren

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Sofia's Lobo gets 5/5 and is a featured review at Manic Readers!

"Lauren Blades writes a beautiful story of romance, mystery, and shape shifter werewolves. I was so caught up in the story that I had to finish it. You are drawn into the plot where the characters are truly in love, and where a ghost is tied in with the tale. This is a sad story, but ends in a satisfying and happy way. I truly recommend Sofia's Lobo to readers that enjoy reading a good ghost story." - 5/5 & featured review, Loretta, Manic Readers

Thank you so much to Loretta! Buy it today from eRed Sage:

http://eredsage.com/SOFIAS_LOBO___LAUREN_BLADES_%28e_Book%29-p82.html

Thank you!

Lauren

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Holding pattern aka I’ve published the first one - now what?

At the moment I feel like I have the same luck as the guy on FreeCreditReport.com. lol How could that be? Didn't I have a new release in May? Why yes I did. (Pssst - it's called Sofia's Lobo and it's available from Red Sage http://www.eredsage.com LOL)

Now what? I have a new release. I have the web site, the Myspace, the blog. I have a Yahoo group and with all four I've met some of the neatest people around. All of you are wonderful!

But what I really need is a followup. Am I a one hit wonder? I've written more than one story. I have two more shorter works in the can and waiting for a good home. They're both under consideration at the same publisher at the moment. One has been there for four months and the other I sent about two weeks later. I've tried to just join this publisher's MySpace with no luck for months. I wonder if that's a bad sign. LOL

The first one was rejected by a NY publisher who has branched out into ebooks - the same form rejection that several people have gotten from what I understand. It was thrilling to submit to them but the rejection... it wasn't as disappointing as much as I felt talked down to. I can handle a rejection. I have many from years before when I tried to publish before. "Thank you for submitting your work to us. Unfortunately, it's not what we're looking for." No problem. I get it. Yet this one made me feel like "Well, we know you're seriously crushed and will probably need therapy since we've rejected you, but your story was just lousy." LOL Again, not what it actually said, just what I came away feeling. And I'm a very upbeat person. I usually send a thank you note but I wasn't sure what I'd get back so I decided not to. Oh, well. LOL

I guess the only thing I can do is try to write something else. I may never hear from the publisher where my two next works are. A friend of mine sent them something last August and hasn't heard yet. She's a multi-published author with strong name recognition. If that's the case, what chance do I have? But I'm afraid to pull them until I get the rejection and try somewhere else because I'm still hopeful.

Hence the holding pattern. I'm stuck. I've written two more works, they're in limbo. Now to write number four.

Then there's another serious temptation that I know has to get to other authors. That all evil siren song of submission calls. The publisher I've got two stories in with put out one and I'd love to do it. But why? I saw another call I'd love to submit for but I just heard about it yesterday and there's no way I'd have something to submit by 6/30. Not and have it polished enough.

See all of these quick easy ways - we think - to get in with a publisher. Write a short - 10-15k. So many out there, dangling in front of us plump with the promise of a contract, a foot in the door. I've done that now. I'm just afraid if I keep doing that, I'm not going to advance in any direction.

Okay, so now what?

I've got ideas. I think it's time to search for that story that tugs at my heart strings and write it. Then, once I've written it, I'll toss it out there and see what happens. Maybe I'll get an answer. I hope so. Sometimes "no" is better than the no man's land of the holding pattern...

Lauren