No Prequalifications Here
This weekend’s author panel went very well. Thank you to those who emailed and commented both here and on the Brava website and offered sample questions. We used a few between audience questions. We’ve been asked to take the show on the road and speak in a similar setting in another part of the county. So, I declare the day a success!
Here, Patty asked me which question from the talk struck me as the strangest. I have to say there weren’t any of those where the heck did the person asking get that one questions. But, Patty, I’ll keep you posted in case one creeps up. Susan asked which question surprised me. I actually did have one of those. The gist of the question went like this: I have all these stories in my head, but I’m a stay-at-home mom and never went to college, so I’m probably not qualified to write. Yeah, I’m paraphrasing, but that’s close.
The question surprised me on a few levels. First, please know that you don’t need an Ivy League education, a law degree or an MFA to be a published author. I can list example after example of authors in all genres who got published without these degrees. If you want to know, email me and we’ll chat. The emotion behind this lady’s question also hit me. Made me want to convince her that she shouldn’t miss an opportunity if it’s out there. To do that, I gushed about how amazing it is to sell, to see that cover, to hold that book…another subject about which I can speak for hours.
To be honest, this lady kind of broke my heart. Here she is with a genuine and heartfelt desire, but she’s holding back out of fear or something. I wanted to hug her (which I later did), tell her to try (which we all asked her to do) and beg her not to waste what could be an incredible gift (did that too). I also wanted to figure out where the message was getting confused that someone young and eager felt so stifled. Bottom line: try. Imagine getting to the end of your life and regretting the fact you never gave it a shot. Too horrible. If you dream about it, want it or whatever, at least try.
April 2nd, 2007 at 2:44 am
We all have our demons to live down before we pick up the proverbial pen… or keyboard as it may be today!
What intrigues me… Where do you get your titles? Where do you dream them up? I love your choices!
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:15 am
is there a winner at access romance blog? thanks
April 2nd, 2007 at 9:03 am
You’re so right. If she has great story ideas ans is able to tell a great story, the editors are there to do any polishing up needed.
It’s nice of you to encourage her. Maybe someday you can blog that her first book has been published.
April 2nd, 2007 at 5:25 pm
That was wonderful what you did for that young lady. Erin McCarthy is the one that got me really thinking about writing, and even if I never get published, I will know that I tried my best and expressed myself.
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Good for you, You never know when you can make a difference
April 2nd, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Angie - You’re right. Overcoming is the key. I can’t take credit for most of the titles. My editor does a terrific job of finding just the right phrase to sum up the book. Now, so far she kept all of my novella title ideas - Hardhats and Silk Stockings in WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS and Jackpot, Player’s Club and Two of a Kind in VIVA LAS BAD BOYS. But she came up with the book titles. In fact, I was so at a loss for a title for my upcoming release YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY that I gave up and handed it in with the title KAUAI BOOK #1. Isn’t that original? For some reason she didn’t keep it…
Kim - It’s posted. Thanks!
Stacie, Patty & Rhonda - If we ever meet, you’ll notice that I can talk about “the business” for hours. I was thrilled to hear that this woman had the bug. I truly hope she follows through. And, Patty, I’m an Erin McCarthy fangirl. She’s a terrific writer. Being in a book with her made me giddy with excitement.
April 2nd, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Hi,, I know as a stay-at-home mom I feel like there are days where there are books struggling to get out. Most of them involve the life of my daughter. She was born 4 months early, and because of this she is blind. Abbi was born at 23 weeks, and she weighed 1lb 5oz and was 11in long. She is 19 months old, and she weighs 18lbs. We have a book to write, and one of these days I will get around to it. I have been writing a journal for Abbi, and I plan on having it bound for her. The book will make a great gift for her one of these days. I believe it should be called “The Life of a 23 Weeker.”
Thanks and Have A Great Day!
Rhonda Catrett
April 3rd, 2007 at 2:38 am
HelenKay, I hope your words will encourage her to follow her dream. I think for some people, they think you have to be a certain way to be a writer, and I think as long as you have the passion and the discipline, you are good to go. But everyone is ready in their own time. And I liked how supportive you were. Women helping other women is always a good thing
April 3rd, 2007 at 4:35 am
You know what? I kinda feel the same way as that woman. I mean, I’ve been writing a book for about two years now but I keep doubting myself. I’d get pretty far along and then I’d stop beacuse I’d begin to think that I might not be cut out for the job because it takes me a lot of time to think the events of the story through…