Ask Elnora--About RT in Kansas City-Lenora Worth

Hello my lovely ladies and Vince! What a week we have had. I got home from my girls' beach trip and turned around to pack for Kansas City. I am attending the Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention. We drove across the country to get here and the weather was so nice, we put the top down on my little Mini Cooper. As I write this, however, it is snowing! I can see it out the window of our hotel room. I'll show a picture of that later. The scoop here, of course, is all about e-books and self-publishing. Mark Coker (of Smashwords fame) showed some compelling statics regarding the rise of e-publishing since this time last year and how authors who really promote their e-books can sell an impressive number of books. Covers count, he believes. Staying on top of promoting your books adds up to more books sold. And pricing your book around $2.99 to $3.99 seems to be important. Of course, good old traditional books were plentiful and in demand around here, too.

I was on a panel with Colleen Coble, Thomas-Nelson Senior Acquisitions Editor Ami McConnell and Deeanne Gist and we had a good time talking books with both aspiring writers and avid readers. I was touched when two of the audience members told me mine was the first inspirational they ever read and that they loved my books. They bragged on all of us, actually. One sweet lady said her daughter brings her to RT to meet her favorite writers. We had a great time. I also had lunch with writers Sherri Shackelford and Winnie Griggs along with Diane Moggy and Glenda Howard (both from Harlequin) We talked about a lot of things, especially the new HAN (Harlequin Authors Network) and how much we like it.

In the meantime, I've enjoyed walking around Union Station with Big Daddy. Below are some pictures of this beautiful train station that now holds shops and restaurants. Lucky for us, there is an enclosed catwalk around the hotels that lead to the station and a mall. Here are some pictures of our adventures:

 

 

 

So snow in May, e-books the topic of the day, all sorts of costumes and writers, 30 years of romance and lots of laughter and fun. RT has only just begun. And we, the writers, thank RT for a great convention and we hope for many more years of reading, writing and good intention!!!

 

 

What Scares You as Conflict

Terri Reed here.  I'm going to piggy back on Margaret's post from yesterday and tackle it from the writing aspect.  The question Margaret posed, What Scares You, is one I ask my characters when I'm first developing them.  A dear friend taught me the onion method.  Sounds stinky right, but its great.  You ask this question of the character.  The first answer is very superficial and benign.  Guys might say, nothing or something that relates to their job, like a cop saying shooting an innocent bystander.  Women might say something like, snakes! (my answer!) or the answer will be more relational such as someone hurting someone they love.  This outer layer of the onion, if you will.   You ask again.  Okay the next answer might have a bit more substance, be a bit more personal, but still only the second layer.  You keep asking the question, peeling away the layers until you find the heart of what scares the character, which is usually a deep seated psychological fear.   This fear is not rational, even though it might be easily understood, i.e.: abandonment, betrayal, unlovable, unworthy.   This fear usually stems from some wound the character has experienced in their past, most often in childhood or in a previous relationship.  In a romance, that fear is the crux of the conflict between the hero and heroine.

In my upcoming March Love Inspired Suspense, The Cowboy Target, the hero, Wyatt Monroe is a widower who's trust and heart were hurt by not only his deceased wife, but by his mother, as well.  He fears trusting his heart to any woman again.  So every interaction with the heroine, Jackie Blain is tainted by this distrust to the point where he is willing to let her walk away rather than let God heal his heart and risking trusting again.
To see how they worked out their conflict, you'll have to read the book!  (Jackie has her fair share as well--it wouldn't be a good romance without lots of conflict :-)

"Reed's fast paced action will keep readers wondering who and why in this quick enjoyable read." Romantic Times Magazine 4 stars  

Lyn Cote's December book-Her Healing Ways RT

I caught up with Lyn Cote yesterday and asked her to share a few thoughts with us on being the Romantic Times Winner of the Best Love Inspired Historical of 2010 for her book, Her Healing Ways. Here is what she had to say...

1. Where were you when you got the RT call and what were you doing?

I was sitting at my laptop as usual. And it wasn't a "call" but an email. RT wanted to know if I'd be attending the RT Convention in LA in April because I was the winner of.... I emailed them back my regrets and the kicker is--since I'm not going I don't get a plaque. Which is fine with me because I'm not a "plaque-displaying" kind of person. :-)

2. Who was the first person you called/emailed?

No one actually. They didn't tell me to keep my trap shut but for once, I thought it would be better if I did. :-)

3.Does this book have a special meaning to you? If so, tell us about it.

I've always been fascinated by the Quakers and by the changes brought by the Civil War.

Her Healing Ways is the third in my "Gabriel Sisters" series, about three Quaker sisters who try to help heal the nation after the horrible war. The first was Her Captain's Heart, and featured Verity who went south to open a Freedman's School to teach former slaves how to read and write and prepare them for citizenship. The second was Her Patchwork Family and featured Felicity who moved to an Illinois Mississippi River town to set up an orphanage to care for children--black and white--orphaned by the war. (This book also finaled for American Christian Fiction Writer's Carol Award last year.) Each of these fictional women had a passion for doing what God had called them to do. I think that is what makes them special to me. I hope to follow their example. :-)

4. Did you celebrate in any special way with your family and friends?

No, it's really business as usual around here though my dh was impressed with me. He's such a dear. While I have the chance, I'd like to thank my editor, Tina James. She made my book better which is the mark of a good editor. And I'd like to say that this award could easily have gone to any one of the other finalists:

ROCKY MOUNTAIN MATCH
Pamela Nissen, STEEPLE HILL, (June 2010)

DANGEROUS ALLIES
Renee Ryan, STEEPLE HILL, (September 2010)

THE OUTLAW'S BRIDE
Catherine Palmer, STEEPLE HILL, (September 2010)

PRAIRIE COURTSHIP
Dorothy Clark, STEEPLE HILL, (October 2010)

If you'd like to see the finalists for the other Love Inspired lines, scroll down till you find Love Inspired at http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-awards/nominees-and-winners?award_type=book

Thanks so much Lyn! From all of us at the CRAFTIE LADIES of Love Inspired Romance, CONGRATULATIONS!

Many blessings, Lisa Mondello

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4 Stars and New Book!

Hello from Lisa Mondello. I'm really excited to tell you that In a Doctor's Arms, my March 2011 Love Inspired Romance, received a 4 Star review from Romantic Times. The review itself won't be available online until March, so check back for that later. In the meantime, you can read an excerpt of In a Doctor's Arms at Amazon.com or a eHarlequin.com starting tomorrow. The book is available Feb 1st at eHarlequin and available everywhere else starting Feb 15!

Until next time, many blessings, Lisa Mondello