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Submitting Your Proposal? I Did.

23 Feb

Nothing seems more stressful than having to pare down a novel into a page or two synopsis, or worse yet a back cover blurb. As an author of romantic comedies, my characters and story lines tend to run in the hundreds of pages per book, with plots and subplots carved into the running chapters.

Yet submitting to an agent or publisher means first drafting a query letter, including a short blurb or paragraph encompassing the essence of the story hooking the person into wanting more. An elevator pitch, if you’re familiar with the term, describe your book in the few seconds you might have if a literary agent or publisher stepped into an elevator with you. Not many details, but must grab the person’s attention through emotion s or action.

If you pass this hurdle, next is submitting a synopsis of the book. In two to four pages you must describe the highlights of the plot and subplots, the ins and outs of the main characters and reveal the ending. Shocking, I know, but the publisher or agent needs to know you have a tightly wrapped up ending, nothing dangling in midair by the last page.

I just sent a proposal packet to Crimson Romance for the sequel of “Her Ghost Wears Kilts.” Now begins the waiting – will it be accepted or not? The new book is titled “Frolic and Foibles” sharing the same crazy characters with a new villain. Think good thoughts to the publishing fairy it will be picked up for 2015.

Outlander Obsession

28 Aug

Having just finished the latest Diana Gabaldon book in the Outlander series, Written In My Own Heart’s Blood, I am still under the influence of a Claire and Jamie hangover. Enmeshed in the details of the Revolutionary War era, time travel and the highlands of Scotland, I savored every page as I have of the first seven books.

Over the last three weeks, though, I’ve been thrown back into the sci-fi romantic adventure world of the first book Outlander through the first three episodes of the new Starz cable series of the same name. The delightful and dedicated actor Sam Heughan is beginning to grow on me and dissolve my “larger than life” image in his portrayal of Jamie Frazer. The poor actor has quite a task in front of him.

Are ye one of us, now kilt krazy and eager for more of Claire and Jamie?

My romantic comedy Her Ghost Wears Kilts is like a kilt-wrapped candy bar next to the thick detailed tomes of the Outlander series. But after digesting the deliciousness of Gabaldon’s work, you might just want sink into its warm, fuzzy tale until the next exciting episode on Starz.

Book Trailer by Ami Blackwelder

22 Aug

Four days until “Her Ghost Wears Kilts” published by Crimson Romance is launched, Ami Blackwelder, Book Trailer Creations, sent me the finished product of the book trailer. A mini commercial of my latest novel – and it’s just fun. I uploaded it to YouTube.com and went about sprinkling the link throughout my social media.

Ami took an image of the cover and a short summary of the book to put together my commercial. Her talent of picking out short lines about the story, mixed with images and adding a soundtrack happened in a short blink of time. That which would have taken me weeks to even attempt with no assurance of a tangible product, she whipped together and only charges $50.00 – that’s right, fifty dollars. Fab-u-lous.

What a great way to reach more possible readers, something easily shared, that brings a “feel” to the story. What would your book trailer look like?

Her Ghost Wears Kilts Book Trailer

Upcoming Release

17 Jul

My latest romantic comedy is officially on the Crimson Romance website as an upcoming release. Don’t those words have a special sound? Maybe you have to be a writer to appreciate them. The only other thHer Ghost Wears Kilts, by Kathleen Shapuitsrill I could relate to them is a movie release. This new book would make an adorable Lifetime Made for Television movie. It’s fun, suspenseful and has a cast of memorable characters. But I digress (unless there is an agent or producer in the audience). August 26th at the stroke of midnight this eBook will be available for download. From what I understand pre-sales start two weeks before the release date.

This is my first venture with a romance publisher and I am proud to be chosen as one of the team with this new imprint of F&W Media: Crimson Romance. It will be interesting to experience the eBook edition released first and the printed edition early in 2014. Many of my Baby Boomer friends do not own an eReader yet. I

Her Ghost Wears Kilts, by Kathleen Shapuits

own a Kindle and my husband has one but we also have a house overcrowded with books.

So begins a new adventure. Come with me and find out the struggles and ecstasy of a new book’s launch into the world.