HelenKay Dimon

I’ve read and enjoyed Kimberly Raye’s humorous series featuring vampire matchmaker Lil Marchette. I did think the first few books suffered from bad covers. And I know she doesn’t pick the covers, so don’t write and lecture me on that fact. I get it. Believe me, I get that.

My only point was that I picked up the first book despite the cover. The first few in the series were cartoon covers, which I usually like, but these didn’t work for me. The newest installment in the series is called Just One Bite and the cover has a very different feel. It’s more eye-catching and contemporary. I’m still not sure I love it, but I’m thinking the art department made a smart choice to change the direction.

Here’s the first book Dead End Dating:

Here is Just One Bite:

Any preference…?

Today I’m painting the guest room. Ah, my glamorous life.

Since moving in 20 months ago, we’ve painted every room…except this one. It’s purple. Dark purple. We tried to live with it, but about a month ago I said it had to go. It was one of those statements that in hindsight I should have thought rather than said. See, my hubby hears me say stuff like that and actually takes me seriously. He begins planning. He announced last week that today would be the best day to paint. He even took the day off to help me.

When I whined about how I wanted to do it later, he shot me his best what’s wrong with you alpha male look. His view is that if you want to do something, just do it. He also gave me some argument about how we have guests coming next week and my next deadline is months away, so this is the perfect time. This is what happens when you marry a lawyer. He always has an answer.

Yeah, the logic of painting today makes sense. Still…

I hear all the time about other authors who fail to deliver books on deadline. Things happen that throw us off track. I get that. Other authors just suck at meeting deadlines, for whatever reason. I spoke with an editor at RWA who insisted this lateness craze has always been an issue but now it seems more prevalent. Me, well, I turn my books in on time. I work on the don’t-give-the-publisher-an-extra-reason-to-drop-me philosophy.

I would appear that Brit author Allison Pearson views these things differently. At the very least, she hit hard times. According to the Telegraph, Pearson got a lot of money and didn’t produce:

Allison Pearson, the newspaper columnist, made headlines seven years ago when she was paid £700,000 by Miramax for the film rights to her novel I Don’t Know How She Does It, which charts the life of a successful investment banker who tries to balance her career with motherhood.

Alas, the film has not yet materialised and now [the Telegraph reporter] hears that she is being sued by the publishing arm of the same company for failing to deliver a book, for whose film rights Miramax paid her a £350,000 advance.

Lesson: if thou taketh the big money, thou must deliver the goods.

Now, because I am the giving type I would be happy to step into Pearson’s place, take the money and deliver the book. Miramax just needs to call me…

This YouTube video featuring the first sentence from the book TAN LINES by J.J. Salem made me chuckle. We can all debate the usefulness of video book trailers, but I’m thinking this one probably did sell some books.

I’ve been a fan of Lauren Baratz-Logsted ever since I read her book A Little Change of Face. I’ve followed Lauren’s career because, well, it’s sort of amazing. She writes across genres and age groups. Chick lit, YA, tween – you name it, she can write it. And she has all sorts of cool things happening right now.

Lauren’s next adult novel (chick lit) Baby Needs A New Pair of Shoes comes out at the end of this month.

Lauren’s other venture is really cool. It’s a series for young readers. Her co-authors are her husband and her daughter. I love that. The series is called The Sisters 8 and the website is awesome. Check it out. The first book comes out at the end of the year.

Congrats to Lauren and family!

Some news articles just make me smile. This is one of them.

I somehow found this UPI story called Beachgoers in France Going Topless Less. The point is that with the rough economy, women are keeping their tops on at normally topless beaches. According to French academic Dr. Guy Fournier, the theory goes like this:

“Bare breasts are viewed as a totally natural state on the beach,” Fournier said.

“But public morality follows people’s confidence and optimism in their wealth and lifestyle.”

“During an economic downturn, women are less inclined to let it all hang out and more likely to cover up.”

How incredibly sad.

See, now, I’d think the travesty of having women put their tops back on would make the men who run government fix the economy. Guess not.

My friend Tod’s newest book came out this week. This one is different from his other books. It’s based on the awesome television show Burn Notice. Hence the title of Tod’s book…Burn Notice: The Fix. Clever, huh?

Go buy the book. In fact, buy a few copies for your friends. And I’m not just saying that because Tod’s wife Wendy is a dear friend and the only person I let read my books in the draft stage, or even because Tod is coming to my house today. Nope. I’m saying it because the book is damn good. Witty and clever, just like the show.

Run to Barnes & Noble (or the closest bookstore) today.

Go…

Some images from last week’s RWA Conference. I know it looks as if I wore the same outfit all week, but rest assured that is not true. Most of the photos are from the Literacy Signing.

The crowds coming into the Literacy Signing.

Red Sage author Leigh Court (back to camera) telling Kate Duffy (Brava Editor) a story about something Kate said earlier. There’s always one person I run into at the Conference over and over again. This year it was Leigh. Everywhere she went, I showed up. She probably thinks I was stalking her.

With awesome author and Author Talk creator Jill Monroe.

With friend and fellow blogger Kassia (Booksquare).

With Alyssa, a true fan and proponent of the romance genre.

With super authors Sylvia Day (left) and Shelley Bradley/Shayla Black (Right). These two are loads of fun at a conference. You will find them in the bar…

With my hubby. Note how glassy-eyed I look. I was pretty sick by this point.

I forgot to mention the fabulous news that YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY won the single title category of the Booksellers’ Best Award. Yay!!! Huge thanks to the Greater Detroit RWA Chapter and all of the authors and professionals who judged the contest. I’m thrilled.

Today I’m at the Brava Blog talking about the Conference.

Tomorrow: photos from RWA. Check back to see them…

I’m feeling a bit better today. Thought I’d chat about the RWA Conference and some interesting tidbits I picked up:

1. Historicals are on the rise. Now, as someone who never bought into the dire historical romance is dead proclamations this was not exactly shocking to me. Really, have you seen all of the historical romances being reviewed in Romantic Times versus the number of contemporary romances? Yeah, historicals are not dead. And Avon seems to do just fine publishing them. I figure if the sub-genre truly was dying, someone at Avon would have bought something else during the last few years. But, bottom line, historicals are selling and selling big. Readers want ‘em. That means publishing houses are looking for them. So, if you write them – yay for you!

2. Paranormals and otherwordly romances are still hot. A book with a vampire thrown in for fun isn’t going to sell – and it shouldn’t – but readers still want lots and lots of solid and strong paranormals. I am not one of those readers, but they are out there.

3. Contemporary romance is having a bit of a flat line problem. I have two theories for this: (1) many of the contemporary romances out there aren’t big enough (this was my Conference epiphany, by the way); and (2) in tough times people want more of an escape than contemporary romances, with real-life and now settings, can provide.

4. Meljean is really tall.

5. After listening to numerous agent stories, I’m now convinced agents are as messed up as authors. Wow. Makes me really appreciate my agent. He has never been demeaning or nasty. I now know that’s a bit unusual.

6. Every publishing house is trying to figure out how to get on the technology bandwagon, including looking seriously at epublishing programs.

7. Some really out-there plots are sellings. Stuff I think would have fallen into the wrong-time-period-and-too-bold-or-different category a year or so ago is finding a publisher.

8. I didn’t hear a lot of talk about romantic suspense but many authors are selling it. I’m thinking there’s a push to buy romantic suspense since straight contemporary is struggling.

9. Sales are down across the board. Since I’m at the end of a publishing contract, I find this really scary. It’s not a surprise with the economy being as it is, but it’s still crazy.

10. This was a really nice Conference. Great location. Good hotel. Much less complaining on the part of the participants. I didn’t go to too many workshops…okay, I only went to one. That’s fine because, really, I think at this point in my career the Conference is about making connections, networking, meeting with friends and talking to folks about what’s happening out there. I always find some comfort in knowing that I am not the only insecure nutcase out there.

And…I read somewhere that Kensington is doing away with the debut program. I could be wrong, but I don’t think it’s true. Kensington seems to be really happy with the program. I chatted with my editor and she never mentioned it. I’m thinking this rumor isn’t true, which would be great news for folks writing historical romance and aiming for the debut program.