This Book Just Won't Die!!!!!

So I just received the final proof for CURSES! A F**ked-Up Fairytale. Every time I think I'm done with it, it finds a way back to my desk. This time it's just to review and correct any typesetting errors, which I haven't found a one.

Having CURSES! back in my hands is great though. It reminds me why I am working tirelessly on finishing the 2nd book, and trying not to go insane while doing so. I love RJ, the main character in CURSES! and I hope you do too.

Also just got my first cover blurb by the wonderful Mario Acevedo. Oh, how I love me some Mario!

I'm also gearing up for the RMFW conference Sept 9 - 11. Come say hi, I'll be at the bar (when I'm not filling fellow writer's heads with plenty of useful information that is :)

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

For all of those in the path of the storm, be safe.

Okay, so now I must admit I love a good storm. The build up, the danger, and eventually the whipping winds and biting rain.

I've stood on a sandy beach waiting the storm surge reach far above my head (stupid yes, but I was young).

So even as the storm approaches, I hope those in it's path will at least take a small moment to appreciate the beauty, and then GET THE HELL OUT.

Do you have a weather/earth related event that you love?

Bad Advice is Better than No Advice

I've written alot of crap. Really bad crap at that. Melodramatic, whiny, self-indulgent words. Crap filled with abused adverbs, boring adjectives, useless iteration, and just plain weak verbs.

I've also read alot of crap. Contest submissions, critique partner's work, and student drivel (of course I'm referring to anyone's work who isn't reading this post).

I've heard alot of advice. Advice from brilliant people like my editor at Kensington, Peter Senftleben and PPW contest judge Bill May to ego driven critiques from fellow writers to novice writers filled with writerly RULES.

I've given alot of advice. Not all of it good. In fact, most of it probably didn't help my fellow writers. Not because it was bad advice, even though it could've been. More often than not, it probably didn't fit the writer's or story's style.

So here's my point, all this advice and all these crap words are the reason I'm a better writer than I was a year ago, and why I'll be even better next year. Bad advice means that you are putting yourself out there. You're getting people to read your work and that you are willing to learn and grow as a writer. So I'll take all the advice I can get. Tell me to use Em Dashs, to cut adverbs, to be more descriptive and less campy. I want it all.

What do you think about bad advice? And how do you decide what is good and what is bad advice for your work?

Confessions of a Readaholic

I have a confession to make.

It's a big one.

Here goes...

My name's Julie, and I'm a nookaholic.

Yes, it's true.

My ebook of choice...

ROMANCE

Even saying it brings a flush of shame.

Okay, not really. But I do have a point for this post. I love romance novels, and my favorite author, Julie Garwood recently (Tuesday) published a new book titled, The Ideal Man, which I devoured in two days.

While the novel wasn't her best, it did bring me happiness to read, if only because I enjoy her writing and sense of humor so much. Now I won't go into what didn't work for me in the novel, but this brings up an interesting point for me as a writer. How do I keep entertaining my readers when I feel like I've said all there is to say?

How do writers with long careers keep things fresh? Some do. While others don't. An example is Jayne Krentz. I used to love everything she wrote until she started to explore this paranormal society theme throughout all her books. Now I can't stand to read her books, even though I still buy them in hopes that I will feel differently this time.

So who's your favorite romance writer? Do you have a dark secret genre? And how do you keep it fresh?