Coming up this week

Happy New Years Eve, everyone!

I took today as a vacation day from work, and our office is closed tomorrow, so it's gonna be a four-day writing weekend for me. ; )

Gracie the Greyhound is recovering nicely. The vet sent her home with some anti-nausea meds, and I've been feeding her a bland diet for the past few days. Apparently she just had some kind of stomach/intestinal bug-type thing. She started playing again yesterday and getting jealous when we petted Andy and Lucy. Yep, our little girl is definitely on the mend. ; )

Update on The Trouble With Demons: I'm a little bit past the halfway point of the first draft. I was trying to have the first draft completed by Feb. 1. (Snort.) Not gonna happen. Life just kept getting in the way. I'm working as hard and fast as I can, and that's all I can do. And when I do that and still fall behind, I do what I have to do -- revise the goal. And this time I have no choice but to have a completed first draft by March 1st. That's gives me two months to finish the first draft, and two months for revisions, polish, prep, and to deliver the final version to my editor. Dang, but that's gonna be cutting it close. Nine months from inception to delivery -- that's the fastest I've ever had to write. I simply do not know how authors who have to deliver two, three or even four books a year do it. Of course, my day job does have a tendency to get in the way, but a regular paycheck, benefits, insurance, and a place I love to work -- you just can't beat it.

Name that character/actor: Since it's a holiday week, I think I'll run this "game" all week. When you all read MLTF, you probably thought of an actor or actress who would be great as that character. And as a writer, it helps me to visualize a character if I can put an actual face to the name. So if MLTF was ever going to be made into a movie, I already have some actors in mind for specific parts. Who do you see as Raine, Mychael, Tam, Piaras, Phaelan, Sarad Nukpana, Prince Chigaru, Garadin, Tarsilia, etc. ? Send your character/actor pairings to me all this week, and on Saturday, I'll give you my list. Let's have fun with it. ; )

And this week post I'll another "Things I've Learned About Writing." This week's topic is "Momentum matters and persistence pays."

And don't forget that Armed & Magical is now available for pre-order on Amazon. So if you're in the mood to click and buy -- go for it!

And for those of you who have taken a holiday break from all blog reading, as a Christmas present to all of you, I posted Chapter 3 of Armed & Magical. Enjoy!

I won't be blogging tomorrow (New Years Day), but I'll be back on Wednesday.

Lisa

Fun Pic -- Me in my second office

This is me in my "second office" aka the dining room table. As I've said, when Derek's not home, I can't work out of my regular office upstairs (Andy the Greyhound likes to be where I am, and that boy is definitely not gifted with stairclimbing skills. Few greyhounds are.) What you can't see are the three dog beds scattered around my feet. Beside me is my favorite writing snack -- Cheez-Its. Looks like I need to get a refill on my glass of sweet tea.

I almost forgot to blog this morning. We took Gracie the Greyhound to the vet first thing this morning (she's still there; hopefully we'll be able to pick her up in the next hour or so). She's having. . .uh, shall we say, "gastrointestinal issues." I've been up with her since three this morning. We're hoping she just has a little stomach bug, or something that a couple of pills and a bland diet for a few days will make her feel better. I'll let you know.

I'll blog on Monday (New Years Eve), but not on Tuesday. As to the "character fun" I mentioned in yesterday's blog, let's carry that through this coming week (since it's a holiday week). So be thinking about this: If MLTF were being made into a movie (and it's not -- yet), who would you choose to play specific characters? Don't answer now. Save it for Monday-Friday's blogs.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Lisa

Finding the right agent for you

I've received a lot of emails from writers ready to start submitting their work. They want to know how to go about finding a good agent. While there are tons of good agents, you want to find the right agent -- for you and your book. By the right agent, I mean someone who "gets" your book, loves your book, and will do everything humanly possible to find your book a good home with a publisher.

My own agent Kristin Nelson -- who in my opinion walks on water ; ) -- has some great resources on her site to help writers looking for representation avoid being taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals (I won't even call these people "agents"), and to help guide the newbie to finding the best agent for them.

First, the sites whose purpose is to inform and protect writers:
Writer Beware
Compiled by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. This is their site for warnings about literary fraud and other schemes, scams, and pitfalls that target writers. It's not just for SciFi/Fantasy writers; it's for all genres.

Preditors & Editors
A guide to publishers and writing services for serious writers.

20 Worst Agents
The thumbs-down list of agents, and the warning signs you should look out for in your search.

The best places to help you research and find the right agent for you:
WritersNet
Writing resources, news, and discussion for authors, writers, publishers, editors, and agents.

Agent Query
The Internet's largest and most current database of literary agents.

Publishers Marketplace
The granddaddy site of them all. This is where I found the agents who I queried (and where I found Kristin). Click on "Search Members" in the left nav, then click on "Agents", then check the box of the genre you write (or whatever search criteria you prefer) and hit "Search". You'll get a list of agents with links to their websites. It's simplicity itself. And best of all, it's up to date. Once you get to the lists of agents, you can click through and see their client listings, what genres they specialize in, and their industry references (very important). I would advise going with an agency that is a member of the AAR (Association of Authors' Representatives). This is the publishing industry's equivalent of the "Good Housekeeping seal of approval" (for those of us of a certain age). AAR members do business by a strict code of ethics. Trust me, you want ethical.

Basic guidelines for sending that query letter:
If an agent says in their profile or on their site that they don't represent mysteries, don't send them one. You're wasting your time and theirs. If they don't rep them, it means they don't particular like them. And you want an agent who is head over heels in love with you work. Kristin adored Magic Lost, Trouble Found. And she said in her profile back then that she was looking for fantasy with a strong female protagonist. If that doesn't describe Raine, I don't know what does. ; ) Kristin completely got what I was trying to do, and as a result, she was able to successfully get me a two-book deal within a matter of weeks. So when you reach the point that you're talking to more than one agent, I'd go with enthusiasm and "feeling the love" any day.

And when dealing with potential agents -- keep your emotions out of it. Be professional in letters, emails, and especially over the phone. I know this is next to impossible since we're all intensely passionate about our work, but publishing is a business, and your book is a product, not your baby. Agents really appreciate being approached and treated professionally.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg. If there's something specific that you'd like to know, respond to the blog or email me. I'm here to try to help.

Tomorrow will be the Saturday Fun Pic, and next week, I'd like to have some character fun. Something to think about over the weekend: if MLTF were being made into a movie (and it's not -- yet), who would you choose to play specific characters? Don't answer now. Save it for Monday's blog. ; )

Have a great weekend!
Lisa

Know when to say when

Yesterday I had the day off from my day job. Actually, I took it as a "vacation" day. Most people relax and have fun on a vacation day -- writers are definitely not most people. My idea of a day off is to sit at my laptop and write until I drop. My idea of fun is also a little different. Significant writing progress = my idea of a good time. Yep, I'm sick that way.

Derek left for the office at 7:30 yesterday morning. I was at my laptop by then. I worked at the dining room table (my secondary office) since Andy the Greyhound would try to follow me upstairs to my primary office. (As I've said before, greyhounds don't do stairs very well, or in Andy's case, not at all). So yesterday I wrote surrounded by dog beds. I wrote from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm, stopping only to move laundry from one machine to the other, eat a brief lunch and dinner, and of course, let the dogs out to potty.

At 6:30, I stopped for a quick dinner, and then sat back down at my laptop and tried to pick up where I'd left off. The pickup didn't happen. I just sat there and stared at the screen. I had lost my momentum. Dang it. You know, writers could get a heck of a lot more done if we didn't have to stop for food. Food is necessary, but danged if it ain't anti-productive. A little voice in the back of my head timidly suggested that just maybe, it might possibly be time to stop for the night.

I told the little voice to shut up, determined to keep going and finish that chapter. To kind of jumpstart myself, I went back and read over what I'd done. It was then that I had to agree with the little voice. If what you thought was aceptable and/or pretty danged good suddenly turns to sucky swill, there's a teeny, tiny possibility that it's time to stop. Growling at your laptop also qualifies.

I decided that after nearly ten hours of writing, that I deserved to cut myself some slack. Andy and Gracie had kind of been clueing me in to this throughout the afternoon. It ain't easy to type with a greyhound head resting on your forearm. Those heads get heavy after a minute or two. Then I made the mistake of looking down at those enormous brown eyes (more like orbs, actually). Safety tip: Mere mortals are helpless against the power of the orbs. Resistance is futile. So petting, snuggling and play immediately followed.

Within half an hour of stepping away from the computer, and actually sitting and relaxing, I experienced what I call "brain gush." Chunks of scenes from at least three chapters that I haven't written yet came to me in about half an hour. When I typed the notes up later, it came to four more pages. Woohoo! Sometimes it pays off big time to know when to say when.

Tomorrow's blog will be on how to go about researching and finding an agent (I've had a lot of requests for that), as well as how to deal professionally with agents and editors. Then on Saturday, it'll be the Saturday Fun Pic, as usual.

Lisa

Leave it to a villain to know just what to say

I want to go on the record as saying that I love Sarad Nukpana. Yep, I love my villain. When I've got a tough-to-write scene going, I'm finding that I can count on him to know just what to say. At the moment, he's still trapped inside the Saghred, but he's also inside Raine's head, so he can inject himself into a scene pretty much any time he wants to. He's definitely going to be the villain you love to hate. Evil, yet delightfully snarky.

I have today off, and have another 4-day weekend coming up since I have next Monday and Tuesday off. All hail leftover vacation days. I'm really digging into The Trouble With Demons, and I'm determined to get caught up. My office and dining room table (secondary office) are a wreck -- and I don't care. ; ) Nor do I care much about the rest of the house. Good thing we cleaned before the holidays set in.

BTW -- I got the Armed & Magical bookmarks and postcards, and I've put together "book goodies" envelopes for those who asked for them, and will be mailing them today or tomorrow. And if anyone else wants them, just email me.

And speaking of A&M -- if you didn't get a chance to pop by here on Saturday, your Christmas present was Chapter 3 of Armed & Magical. Just go to the Sample Chapters page and enjoy.

I have to tell you all about a laugh-out-loud-funny, gem of a book my nephew gave me for Christmas. It's called You Know You're a Writer When. . . by Adair Lara. She's a former columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Too bad I didn't discover it before the holidays; I'd have been touting it as the PERFECT stocking stuffer for the writers in your life. But who needs a holiday to give presents? I'll be posting a glowing Amazon review for her today. It's hardcover, tiny (3 x 5), and I read it in half an hour. It's wonderful, and judging from her website, Adair sounds like a great/funny lady. Her website is www.adairlara.com. I loved the titles of two of her other books: Normal is Just a Setting on the Dryer, and The Bigger the Sign, The Worse the Garage Sale. Gotta love it. ; ) Treat yourself to a copy!

Christmas Eve and the pups

Gracie & Andy happily chewing their new toys (stealing each others' toys is about to start).


Lucy trying to figure out how to rip it apart. Toys don't stand a chance with a Jack Russell terrorist.


Gracie & Andy after playing with their new toys.

It's Christmas Eve morning and Derek & I just gave the pups their presents. The only toys that survive the "power chewers" in our house are black Kongs (hard rubber toys originally developed for police and military dogs), and those braided rope toys with knots on either end. (Though our dogs pluck the heck out of them.) They're all happily playing and running and stealing each others' toys -- even though all the toys look alike. (Sigh) Kids, whatcha gonna do? ; )

One of my co-workers told me that our greyhound Andy looks like "Santa's Little Helper," the greyhound from The Simpsons. I knew that Andy's last race was last New Year's Eve, but out of curiosity I looked to see if he had raced on Christmas Eve (just like Santa's Little Helper in the Christmas episode of The Simpsons). Yep, he did. His next-to-the-last race was last Christmas Eve. The only racing he's doing this year is chasing his new toys as Derek throws them. Nimble Andy (his racing name) is most definitely enjoying his retirement.

I won't be blogging tomorrow, but I'll be back on Wednesday.

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Lisa

Armed & Magical -- Chapter 3

As promised, here is your Christmas present -- Chapter 3 of Armed & Magical. I hope you enjoy it! ; ) Just click on the "Sample Chapters" link and it'll take you there. Again, thank you so much for all of your encouragement and support. I could not have done any of this without you.

I will be posting as usual on Monday, even though it's Christmas Eve. It'll be a combination post/fun pics. If you're not traveling and have access to a computer, stop by and visit. ; )

Have a wonderful pre-Christmas weekend!
Lisa

You might be a writer if. . .

For some Friday fun, and in homage to Jeff Foxworthy, I've come up with a writer's version of his classic "You might be a redneck if. . ." (All the ones I've written apply to me. Scary, huh?) And for fun, let's keep adding to the list. Respond to the blog with your own "you might be a writer if. . ."

You might be a writer if. . .

You sleep with pen and paper next to your bed -- and the stove and the couch and the dining table and the shower and the toilet and the. . .

You have a favorite punctuation mark. My editor's trying to wean me off of em dashes -- good luck with that.

You have a favorite pen. Uniball Signo 207 with the comfi-grip in black ink. Uh, what do you mean there are other colors?

You get caught up in plotting your next scene and put the cereal in the fridge, and the milk in the pantry.

The stacks of your old manuscripts and rejection letters officially constitutes a fire hazard.

You desperately want Crayola tub markers so you can write down all that great dialog that comes to you in the shower.

You love restaurants that put a big sheet of paper over the table cloth and leave you with a handful of crayons.

You're talking to a real, living, breathing person and suddenly stop and listen because one of your characters interrupted you.

You think sleep is way overrated. Who needs more than three hours anyway?

Your novels are backed up on your laptop, your husband's laptop, two thumb drives, and you're seriously toying with the idea of getting a safe deposit box.

And finally, you know your a writer if you look at yourself and see a writer. Everyone else looks at you and sees an obsessive-compulsive, anal-retentive insomniac with a pen fetish.

Those are some of mine. Fess up and tell everyone some of yours. ; )

Tomorrow is the big day. Drop by the blog and I'll tell you where to go to get your Christmas present. I can't thank all of you enough for your encouragement and support!

And should you feel the urge to get me a little something for Christmas, a lovely review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble is the gift that keeps on giving. ; )

I got an email this morning that the bookmarks for Armed & Magical have shipped. As soon as I get them, I'll send out the book goodies to everyone who's requested them.

And speaking of Armed & Magical, it's now available for pre-order on Amazon. (Hopefully they'll put the cover photo up soon. It looks kinda bare as it is.)

Have a great Friday!
Lisa

Oh, the neverending joy

Yes, I'm being sarcastic. ; ) My second choice of a title for today's blog was "All hail Puffs Plus with Aloe and Vicks!" Yep, I'm sick with a cold for the second time in three weeks (confirmed by my doctor yesterday). We just keep passing this cold around the office here like some kind of sick and twisted Christmas present. And this morning I had to go to the dentist to have three fillings done. The entire left side of my face was numb, so the entertaining part of the dental proceedure came when it was all over and I was trying to put on lipstick. Yep, I ended up with lipstick on my chin. I'm actually looking in a mirror while doing it and I still miss my lips. LOL. I was supposed to have today off, but we're swamped with work (which is a very good thing), so I had to come in (not so great). But I've got my can of chicken noodle soup and a big, honkin' bottle of Advil, so it's all good. ; )

Okay, I'm finished venting. Thank you for listening. ; ) I did get some work done on Chapter 13 last night, and hope to finish it tonight. Those of you who've read the Armed & Magical sample chapters have met Archmagus Justinius Valerian. Chapter 13 of The Trouble With Demons is Justinius's first scene. I just want to say that I love that old man! Shrewd, crafty, manipulative, ill-tempered, nasty old man -- I just love him. ; )

As I said yesterday, in the next week or so, I'll blog on how to go about researching and finding an agent (I've had a lot of requests for that), as well as how to deal professionally with agents and editors. If you have any topics/questions that you'd like to see as a blog topic, just let me know. Either respond to the blog that day, or email me at lisa@lisashearin.com.

BIG NEWS (that I can't tell you yet) -- I know it drives you crazy to hear that, it's even worse for me to have news that I can't share quite yet (the contracts aren't signed). But as soon as the ink's dry, I'll be posting it here -- probably in big, red type. *huge grin*

And don't forget this Saturday, you'll get my Christmas gift to all of you. Just come to the blog that day, and I'll tell you where to go to find your present. And no, it's not a cold. ; )

I'm off to heat up some chicken soup.
Lisa

How a book cover gets done

This is what was involved on my end of how the covers for Magic Lost, Trouble Found and Armed & Magical were done. The part of the process that goes on in the art and marketing departments at Ace Books remains one of those "great mysteries of the universe." And since I've been blessed to have drop-dead-gorgeous covers, I'm content to leave that process among the great unknowns. But I do know what a first-time author can do to help influence the direction a cover takes. Again, I don't know if the folks at Ace listened to me, or we were all just on the same page. Either way, I got what I wanted, so it's all good.

One of the first things I did was browse my local Barnes & Noble for covers that I absolutely adored. Then I found out who the artist was and did a little online research. This let the art dept. know what style I liked. Not knowing if the artist who would eventually be commissioned to do the cover would actually read MLTF, I wrote up a brief physical description of each of my main characters and what they wear for most of the book. I basically did a cut & paste of my descriptions in the book and added some specifics that I might not have mentioned in the book. For example: height. And if you have some pictures of people who you visualized while writing the book, send those along as well. And my editor asked me if I had a particular scene that I thought would work for a cover. I couldn't think of one in particular, so I left that up to them. Because during my research at B&N, I looked at a lot of the Ace and Roc Books covers. While they were done in varying styles, every last one of them were beautiful and a cover that I would be proud to have. So I felt comfortable just leting the art dept. at Ace work their magic -- and they did.

I loved covers that had that mixed-media look: a photograph of an actual person, combined with a luscious computer-generated backdrop. I'll have to admit that when I opened that PDF of the cover for MTLF, I just burst into tears. The good kind. There on my computer screen was Raine. It was an emotionally overwhelming moment. I was thrilled, my agent was thrilled, and my editor was thrilled that we were thrilled. Everybody's happy. The publisher wants the author to be happy with their covers, and if there are things about the cover that the author simply cannot stand (and if they have a good, sound reason for not liking it), more than likely, the publisher will try to make you happy. This is where a diplomatic agent comes in. It's their job to contact the publisher and relay the author's "concerns." Your agent knows how to work these things. A teary, emotional and/or angry, screaming author is the last person who should make that phone call or send that email.

In the next week or so, I'll blog on how to go about researching and finding an agent (I've had a lot of requests for that), as well as how to deal professionally with agents and editors.

BTW -- I have the postcards for A&M from the printer (they look great). I've ordered the bookmarks, and I should get those in the next two weeks. When I do, I'll send out the goodies to everyone who's requested them. And it's never too late -- if you want postcards and bookmarks, just email me your name and address to lisa@lisashearin.com.

And don't forget this Saturday, December 22, you'll get my Christmas gift to all of you. Just come to the blog that day, and I'll tell you where to go to find your present. ; )

Lisa

5 Things I've Learned About Writing -- Writing is a Business

Today's blog is the fourth of my posts on the 5 Things I've Learned About Writing -- Writing is a Business. And I've decided that my 5th post on the things I've learned about writing won't be my last. As a new author, I'm learning new things every week. So I'm going to keep up the "Things I've Learned About Writing" posts. From the emails I've been getting, they're very popular. (I'm glad you've enjoyed them.)

Writing is a Business
When you're at your computer, notepad, or wherever you write, all you're thinking about is the scene you're writing, the scene you're going to write -- and occasionally drifting off to imagine what it will be like to see your baby on the bookstore shelves. You imagine yourself getting THE CALL from an agent offering to represent you, then getting THE BIG CALL from your agent saying that a humongous NY publishing house is clamoring to buy your baby. Those thoughts make you feel all warm & fuzzy and inspire you to finish that chapter that's been giving you fits.

Then one day, all of these things happen, and you start to realize that writing is much more than you, your muse, and your computer. It's a business. And your book isn't your baby; it's a product -- and so are you. Of course, you knew this to begin with. Kind of. On some level. Your book sells and you get paid. That makes it a business, right? You know this. But what you probably didn't realize (I certainly didn't) is the extent that you must be involved in the business aspect.

There's not much that's more intimidating and thrilling for a brand-new author than opening a big FedEx envelope and pulling out your first publishing contract. Of course, being the control freak that I am, I sat down and read the thing (savvy business move). I understood some of it, got the gist of some of it, and the rest left me completely clueless. Fortunately I could rest easy (and sign easier) secure in the knowledge that Kristin (my agent) would answer any and all questions that I had, and that she and her contracts person had gone over the thing with a microscope and made certain that every paragraph, clause and sub-clause was as much in my favor as it was possible for a new author.

Then there's promotion. If you're at one of the big NY houses, you will be assigned a publicist. Mine is great, but the nuts & bolts of promoting my book were up to me. Visiting bookstores, getting to know the staff, getting yourself booked for signings, getting promotional materials (postcards, bookmarks, etc.) designed and printed. Getting the best website you can afford designed, up, and running. Networking with other authors, networking online, and getting your name and your book's name in front of as many people as humanly possible. I have no idea how authors promoted themselves or their work before the Internet. All I can says is: all hail cyber space. Then there's the conferences. With traveling expenses, you have to pick and choose which conferences will give you the most bang for the buck.

And how can I forget deadlines? Before I was published, my deadlines were self-imposed, which meant that I could take all the time I wanted to make my manuscript as perfect as possible. For my next two books, I'll have nine months from typing that first word, to turning in a final manuscript to my editor. I have a full-time day job, so one book a year is all I feel comfortable with right now. In another year or so, I'd like to increase that and possibly get a new series going in addition to Raine's adventures. Some writers I know are contracted for three and four books a year. I have no clue how they do it. The deadlines are in your contract, so they might as well be graven in granite. Depending on your publisher and editor, there may be some leeway, but the date on your contract is the date that book is expected. Try telling that to a fickle muse.

I could go on and on, but I won't. So yes, writing is a business. And yes, a lot of it I had no clue I'd have to do for myself. And if I did know about it, I had no idea how much time it would take, or what all was involved. All I can say is thank God for Linnea Sinclair (link to the right). She is my author mentor/mom. She took me under her publishing-savvy wing and has taught me everything. That's another piece of advice I can give: when you get published, find yourself an long-published, experienced, savvy author who is willing to answer your panicked and/or clueless emails, and who will take away from her own precious writing time to introduce you to all the right people, and give you the benefit of her hard-earned wisdom. Linnea, hon, what would I have ever done without you. HUGS! : )

Tomorrow I'll talk about how a book cover gets done (at least from the author's viewpoint).

And don't forget this Saturday, December 22, you'll get my Christmas gift to all of you. Just come to the blog that day, and I'll tell you where to go to find your present. ; )

Lisa

Writing atmosphere

I'm back from the weekend of visiting with my side of the family. Typically two weeks before Christmas, Derek and I go to my dad's house. My sister, her husband and their kids join us there. Derek and I got home last night (6-hour drive), I have some vacation days to use from work, so I'm taking one of them today. I just got back from picking up The Pack at our vet where we'd boarded them for the weekend so the ladies there could spoil them even more than they already are. I'm writing at the dining room table because the greyhounds (Andy and Gracie) would try to follow me upstairs to my office, and greyhounds don't do stairs very well. So I'm at the table, with happily sleeping dogs around me.

Which brings me to today's blog topic -- writing atmosphere. We all have our favorite rooms, surroundings, atmosphere for writing. While I can be incredibly productive here at the dining room table (because I've written here so often, it's become a "writing comfort zone" for me), I prefer my office. And I have found that I prefer my office pretty dark. Which isn't a problem since I'm usually writing up there at night. I have a desk lamp with a low-watt bulb, and a floor lamp with a dimmer switch. I rarely use the overhead light at all (except when I'm digging around in the closet trying to find something). We've been in our house for almost nine months, and I'm still looking for stuff.

But I believe it may have been Anya Bast, the fantastic erotic paranormal romance author (see her link to the right), who said something on her blog that gave me the idea to light candles in my office. When you're writing fantasy in a quasi-renaissance setting, nothing says atmosphere like candles. I only use a few, and they're in a safe place away from anything flammable. Having the lights turned way down and the candles glowing, makes (at least for me), the ideal writing atmosphere. The brightest glow in the room is my computer screen. It really helps me focus.

Question for all you writers out there -- what's your favorite writing place, atmosphere, way to focus? Either respond to the blog or email me. I love to hear how other writers work.

Tomorrow's blog will be the fourth of my posts on "5 Things I've Learned About Writing." Tomorrow's topic is "Writing is a Business." And I've decided that my 5th post on the things I've learned about writing won't be my last. As a new author, I'm learning new things every week. So I'm going to keep up the "Things I've Learned About Writing" posts. From the emails I've been getting, they're very popular. (I'm glad you've enjoyed them.)

And don't forget this Saturday, December 22, you'll get my Christmas gift to all of you. Just come to the blog that day, and I'll tell you where to go to find your present. ; )

Now I'm back to work on Chapter 13 of The Trouble With Demons.

Lisa

Saturday fun pic -- My office door

The door to my office as it usually is -- closed. The sign on the door says: "This property protected by pirates." I thought it was appropriate for a Benares abode. ; )

Lisa

A taste of The Trouble With Demons

Derek and I are leaving this morning to drive to my dad's to have Christmas with my side of the family. There will be a Saturday Fun Pic as usual tomorrow, I just won't be online until tonight. Hotels with wireless Internet -- it's a beautiful thing.

As promised, the following is the first page of Chapter 12 of The Trouble With Demons. Enjoy!

Demonologists could make a lot of money in the private sector. Law enforcement agencies were the natural choice for post-graduate work, but it didn't pay worth a damn. City governments expected their citizens to be protected but only paid a pittance for the privilege. The more money-minded demonologists worked for themselves -- if you had demon problems and enough gold, a freelance demonologist would gladly take both of them off of your hands.

So while Mid was on its way to becoming hell on earth -- a freelancer would have called it paradise.

We didn't have freelancers, or time to call any in. We had students and faculty. Hopefully the old adage "those who can't do, teach" didn't apply to the demonology department faculty. If so, we were all seriously screwed.

Stark Hall, which housed the Conclave college's demonology department wasn't chaos, but it was close.

The students were either grim-faced and determined, or wide-eyed and excited. The former were probably graduate students or upperclassmen who knew what was happening; the later were merely young and clueless. Those grad students knew that the next few hours or days could potentially turn into the ultimate final exam. The young ones would be told to hide.

The sight of Mychael, Tam and I in the corridor didn't help the situation. If anything, grim turned grimmer, and some of the wide-eyed ones added open mouths to their expressions. Vegard and Phaelan were right behind me. And one look at that pair -- berserker and pirate -- compelled several students to decide they needed to be somewhere else.

I imagine most of the kids knew who Mychael was; some of them probably knew what Tam was; and from the looks I was getting, all of them had heard what I'd done. With Mychael in full battle armor and Tam in full battle leather, I felt underdressed for the occasion -- but I was armed for ogre to make up for it. Tam had graciously supplemented my arsenal before we left Sirens. Curved goblin blades were just as vicious as they looked. I loved goblin blades.

The crowded corridor suddenly got a lot less crowded.

Assorted cool stuff

Derek and I will be leaving tomorrow morning to drive to my dad's to have Christmas with my side of the family. But I will blog before I leave, and there will be a Saturday Fun Pic as usual. Hotels with wireless Internet -- it's a beautiful thing. I just won't be online during the day tomorrow.

But (drum roll), as a special Friday treat, I'm going to post the first page of Chapter 12 of The Trouble With Demons. I think you'll like it. ; )

And the writing of TTWD is back on schedule. I'm working on Chapter 13, the chapter where Archmagus Justinius Valerian puts in his first appearance in this book. If you've read the Armed & Magical sample chapters on the "BOOKS" page, you know all about Justinius.

And speaking of Armed & Magical -- as of yesterday, it is available for pre-order on Amazon! Yea! (The link takes you to A&M's Amazon page. No cover pic yet, but that should come within the next few days.)

What I'm reading: The Bible (I'm up to the book of John). And I finally got to Barnes & Noble night before last and bought Linnea Sinclair's latest The Down Home Zombie Blues. I am loving this book!

And I have to brag on my magnificent husband. While I was upstairs writing last night, Derek did three loads of laundry (and put them away) , a load of dishes (and put them away), cleaned the kitchen, changed the blubs in the bedroom lamps, and kept the canine kids entertained. He knew I had to get Chapter 13 started last night, so he pitched in big time! I LOVE THIS MAN! : )

And remember that next Saturday (December 22) there won't be a Saturday Fun Pic -- that's when I'm posting my Christmas present to all of you. I can't thank you enough for all of your encouragement and support. Just pop by my blog next Saturday, and I'll tell you where your present is. ; )

Lisa

Armed & Magical bookmarks

NEWS UPDATE: I was just on Amazon and Armed & Magical is now available for preorder! At least it's available on Amazon US. Amazon UK, Germany, and France have it listed, but not available for preorder quite yet. It should be in the next few days.)

As promised, here are the Armed & Magical bookmarks (as you can see, they'll print four to a sheet -- front and back). You can click on the image and get a larger version that you can read -- hopefully. The resolution is a little fuzzy since I had to convert the nice, crisp PDF to a JPEG to get it to post on Blogger. I'm still waiting on another sized design from my graphics person, but I should get that soon, then I'll have them printed, and whoever wants one can just send me an email with their name and address. (I'll send you MLTF and A&M postcards, too.)

Last night, Derek and I did the first of two waves of Christmas shopping. As an author, you know you've been in the house too much and working too hard when a crowded mall at Christmas time is fun. And I hate shopping. Go figure. Yeah, I know; it's completely bizarre. But I actually liked it. However the really fun part was visiting two local bookstores to chat with the staff and sign stock (and put a postcard in each copy). BTW -- If you're in a bookstore and find a copy of MLTF or (in a few months) A&M with a postcard or bookmark in it -- I was there. ; ) The bookstore manager in our local mall remembers me whenever I'm in her store and always makes sure that MLTF is displayed facing front. When it first came out, she put it in the front of the store. What a sweetie. Thanks, Lenora!

Okay, the new character in The Trouble With Demons. My husband has been telling me that I need more major female characters in my books. That it's just Raine and a bunch of guys. I have to correct him on that one -- it's just Raine and a bunch of gorgeous guys. I mean, hey, they don't call it fantasy for nothing. ; ) I wanted someone to play off of Raine, and I found her in the recently promoted chairman of the college's demonology department. I don't have her name yet; I want to take my time with that so that her name is just right. A lot of the time, I'll do names after the first draft is complete and either use a blank or "professor" in this particular character's case. I want to get to know a character before I name them. She's down to earth, practical, and knows her business (in this case, that means she can kick some demonic butt). She's just a demonology professor until a demon tears out the throat of the department chairman. As a result, she gets the "big office." Though no one's exactly doing her a favor giving her a promotion when the island's in the middle of a demon infestation. I think you'll like her.

Have a great one!
Lisa

5 Things I've Learned About Writing -- Part 3 of 5

I got the full cover for Armed & Magical from my publisher yesterday! I can't get it to reproduce any larger on Blogger, but if you go to the "Books" page, scroll down to the cover photo for A&M and click on it, it'll give you a version where you can read the copy. Or you can click on the one above. The resolution isn't that great on that one, but you can read it. Also, Webmaster Todd has uploaded the new photos for the "Meet Lisa" page featuring me and my canine kids. ; ) And I got the first set of bookmarks from my designer yesterday and will post those tomorrow for you to see. I hope to get the other version in the next day or so, and then I'll send all of them to the printer. Those of you who have asked for A&M postcards & bookmarks have just a little longer to wait. ; ) And the rest of you, don't be shy. If you want "book goodies" just email me your name and address. lisa@lisashearin.com

Now to today's regularly scheduled topic. . .

Today's topic is the third of the "5 Things I've Learned About Writing." When you want to be published, one of the things you need to do is grow a thick skin. Trust me, you'll need it. Or as I've heard it said: "Trade your skin for rhino hide."

The need for a thick skin doesn't start when you're trying to get an agent, or your agent is trying to get a publisher -- it's for your entire writing career beginning with the first word you put on paper or screen. As I'm sure most of you writers out there have experienced, very few people take your dream seriously. Even your friends and family. It's just a hobby, a thing that you do, and if you haven't been published, they see no reason to think that you're a "real writer." As I've said before, this is bullpucky. If you write and are serious about it, you are a real writer, and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise.

That's the biggest thing right there -- you absolutely must believe in yourself and what you are doing. When people heard that I was writing a novel, they would always ask The Question. You all know what it is. "Have you ever been published?" It got to the point where I just didn't mention my writing in casual company. I got sick and tired of the question. But if someone had heard that I was writing a novel, I'd tell them that it wasn't a matter of if I got published, but when. For that statement, I'd get that polite little smile that said "Bless her heart, she's delusional." Needless to say, I ignored their opinions completely. ; )

But the big wakeup call for most writers (who are close to becoming published authors) is when they find out that publishing industry is just that, an industry. It is a business, people. Just like any other. Your book isn't your baby; it's a product. But I digress. I'll take on that topic in my next "5 Things" blog. Many times I have been soooo close to getting an agent only to get the "no, thank you" letter. Now let me stop to shoot down an unfortunately common myth. Some writers think that agents love rejecting writers. They absolutely do not. They want to find treasure in that slush pile. They love books; they love authors; and they love finding books that give them chills. If you're fortunate, an agent will have the time to give you a little word of encouragement and/or feedback in that rejection letter or email. But most of the time, you'll get a "thank you, but your manuscript just isn't a good fit for us" or something to that effect. That means they didn't get chills from reading it. BUT, very important point here, what doesn't give one agent chills, makes another agent jump up and down and go "squeee!" It is all in personal preference. Agents don't rep projects unless they absolutely adore it. So when you get those rejection letters (and you will, I certainly did), don't let them get to you. Just check that agent off of your list and keep going.

It all ties back to my previous "5 Things" post -- you gotta want it bad. You have to want it badly enough to ignore what anyone says or thinks or implies. You gotta want it regardless of how long it takes (over 20 years for me). Because I am here to tell you that the wait, the struggle, everything is so worth it. I'm actually glad it took over 20 years from the time I started writing until I got published. I appreciate everything so much more because I had to work so hard and wait so long for it. And it is still hard work. Actually, I'm working harder now than before I was published. Because as I said, writing is a business. I do more than just write. But I'll talk more about that next time.

I've got a sticker on my computer that says "If they can do it, you know you can." It's been there for years, and I have no plans to take it down. So grow that rhino hide and believe in yourself -- if they can do it, you know you can. ; )

Lisa

Tomorrow I'll post the bookmarks, and tell you about a fun, new character I have for The Trouble With Demons. Stay tuned.

Monday miscellaneous stuff & updates

Update on The Trouble With Demons: I am finally over "the hump." Thank you, God. Since I've added two chapters toward the beginning, I'm now on Chapter 13. Almost halfway there. Jeez, and I haven't even introduced the main villain yet (he's been discussed, but not seen). Though I'll be taking care of that in the next two chapters. Yep, I see some major editing work in my future, but that' s okay, I love the editing part. Cutting, pasting, condensing, expanding -- fun stuff. ; ) That's when the book comes alive.

Website update: I'm now getting close to 40,000 hits a month on my website (an average of about 1,100 hits per day) from between 40 and 50 countries. *big grin* Thank you so much for visiting! And if you enjoy reading my blog, please tell your friends and blog buddies. There's plenty of room for everybody! ; )

And thank you for the wonderful Amazon and Barnes & Noble reviews! Good reviews make more people want to buy MLTF, and the more people who buy MLTF (and Armed & Magical, and The Trouble With Demons. . .), the more books my publisher will want me to write. I love telling Raine's stories. So if you enjoyed MLTF, spread the word so I can keep the stories coming. ; )

Tomorrow's blog topic is the third of the "5 Things I've Learned About Writing." When you want to be published, one of the things you need to do is grow a thick skin. Trust me, you'll need it. Tomorrow's blog will be entitled: "Trade your skin for rhino hide."

Have a great Monday!
Lisa

Saturday fun pics -- me and the pups

These two photos are going to be the new pics on the "Meet Lisa" page. Webmaster Todd is updating the page this weekend.

Derek and I were taking some new photos of me for the website, and when I sat down, Andy and Gracie came running over for some love. Greyhounds are such "love sponges." ; ) And they are utterly irresistible. The second one happened when Derek was getting a few shots of me at my desk. Lucy, our Jack Russell, doesn't understand that when I sit down at my computer, it's not to have her jump in my lap and give me kisses. But, who can resist doggie kisses? ; )

Back to work (writing) for me. Have a great weekend!

Lisa

The subconscious: It's a beautiful thing

In writing The Trouble With Demons, I've been trying to figure out how to introduce the main villain. (BTW -- He's also the main villain in Armed & Magical. A young, gorgeous, magically powerful and delightfully evil goblin.) Anyhoo, everything I was coming up with for his intro and subplot was lame and wouldn't support the main plot the way I needed it to. I knew it was wrong; I knew it wouldn't work, but I needed that introduction and his "story" for this book and I needed it now (actually two weeks ago).

Then yesterday at work, to quote Emeril: BAM! There it was, fully formed and fabulous -- not to mention evil, nefarious, and utterly brazen. I loved it. And danged near did a "Squeeeee!" right there in the office. It was like an oven timer went off in my head as if to say, "Your villain is now done."

And the beauty of it is that I wasn't even thinking about it -- not consciously anyway. But apparently my subconscious writing brain was on the case, working feverishly, hammering out the details and checking for fault or inconsistencies. When the subplot was done to my subconscious writing brain's satisfaction, it rang the kitchen bell and yelled, "Order up!"

I am one happy girl. *humongous grin*

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow's blog for the Saturday Fun Pics.

And I have ordered the Armed & Magical postcards, and hope to have them back within two weeks. The A&M bookmarks are being designed now. When they're both ready, I'll send the A&M goodies to those of you who requested MLTF postcards. And if you want postcards or bookmarks, just email me your name and address to lisa@lisashearin.com.

Happy Friday!
Lisa

Have you eHugged your favorite authors today?

All of the authors I know are either writing first drafts (like myself), or are in the throes of revisions. All of us are up against tight deadlines. And being smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, quality writing time is even harder to come by than usual. Derek & I are hosting a Christmas party for our Sunday School class on Saturday; and well, let's just say the house needs a little work. There are a lot of overworked, under-rested authors out there. We need all the encouragement we can get. : )

So if you're feeling the urge to tell your favorite authors that you love their book(s) -- don't fight that urge. If you love their work, tell them. As I said in yesterday's blog, writing is solitary and lonely work. We love what we do (or we wouldn't do it), but a little love goes a long way.

So have you hugged your favorite authors today? Okay, I don't mean literally, but an "eHug" is always appreciated. I try to do the same for my author buddies. Emails are fabulous. I got a wonderful one this morning from Dawn, a new fan. (Hi Dawn!) It made my day. And my day needed to be made considering I'm operating on about four hours of sleep thanks to Gracie the Greyhound. She wanted to sleep with us, but mainly she wanted to sleep on me. Greyhounds are very insistent snugglers. And if you want to give the author gift that keeps on giving, post a great review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. There's not an author breathing who doesn't appreciate that.

So sometime in the next week or so, find a few minutes to show your favorite authors the love. An encouraging email, a post on their blog, or the always coveted 5-star review -- take your pick. It'll put a smile on our faces, and make finishing or polishing that next chapter so much easier. : )

Lisa

5 Things I've Learned About Writing -- Part 2 of 5

Over the next few weeks, I'll be doing a series of blogs on the "5 Things I've Learned About Writing" -- a challenge from the fabulous fantasy author (and booksigning partner extraordinaire) James Maxey. See the link to the right to go to his site and his own "5 Things" articles.

The second thing I've learned is if you want to be published, you gotta want it BAD!

Today's post isn't meant to discourage anyone; I'm just stating the cold, hard truth about writing that anyone who's ever sat down to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard already knows. Writing is hard work, it's lonely work, and a lot of the time it's unappreciated and misunderstood work.

Some authors are literal overnight successes -- they hit pay dirt and even the "big time" with the first book they've ever written. We've seen their stories -- six- and seven-figure advances, press coverage out the wazoo; heck, sometimes even Oprah.

Then there's me -- and 99.99% of writers. The first book we have published isn't our first or second. Mine was my third. For me, it took over 20 years of hard work to get to where I am. I'm grateful as hell for everything I have now. I just don't understand diva authors, the jerks of the literary world. Okay, I'm going off on a tangent; I'll save diva authors for another day. I personally don't know any (every author I know is gracious and grateful and the nicest people you'd want to meet). But I've heard the jerk stories.

Anyhoo, back to what I've learned. For the vast majority of writers, success (ie. reaching the goal of being published), takes a couple of manuscripts that are more than likely stuffed in a closet, before we write something publishable. I'm grateful for the "no thank yous" I got early in my career. At one writers' conference, I even thanked one agent for turning me down. From the expression on his face, I'll bet he hadn't heard that very often.

After producing something worth printing, there's the struggle, the waiting, and the waiting some more to finally land an agent, and then waiting for your agent to sell your precious to a publisher. In the middle of all of this is hard work. There is no easy way to do this. You have to want it so badly that you're willing to write every day, even when you don't want to, even when you don't feel inspired, or even when you're just too danged tired. You have to write regardless of everything. That's not to say you shouldn't take the occassional day off. It's a good idea, for you and for those who have to live with you. ; )

Writing for publication is kinda like training as a professional athlete. They have to work out every day, training and honing their skills if they want to improve. As a writer, your challenge is to find the time to write, which very often means sacrificing something else you want to do. For example, last night I couldn't watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer because I had to write. (Dang, but I love watching Rudolph.) But I couldn't because the writing came first. Also, when you write, you write alone. Some writers have critique groups; I don't. It's just not something that works for me. I'm a lone wolf. ; )

Then there's the biggest problem that most writers encounter: family and friends not taking them or their work seriously. They think that if you haven't been published, that you're not a real writer. That's a load of bullpucky! If you write and work hard at it, you are a real writer regardless of whether you've ever signed your name to a publishing contract or not. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise; and if they do, don't believe them. I always told people that it wasn't a matter of if I got published, but when.

Keep telling yourselves the same thing. And like me, if you tell yourself often enough, you will believe it. Believing in yourself is half the battle.

Lisa

Updates and assorted fun stuff

My Internet connection in my home office is back up and running, thanks to Derek the Wonder Husband! So I'm back to answering emails and taking requests for MLTF and A&M postcards. I've mailed the MLTF postcards this morning to those of you who had already requested them. The A&M postcards haven't been sent to the printer yet (design tweaking being done), but when I get them, I'll send an A&M postcard (and probably a bookmark as well) to those of you who wanted one for MLTF.

Update on The Trouble With Demons: I'm in the process of weaving in the Piaras and Talon subplot, and beefing up the Raine/Mychael/Tam storyline. I did Chapters 5, 6, and 7 yesterday. It'll take the next few days to revamp Chapters 8 and 9 (huge Raine/Tam/Mychael scenes). Chapter 10 is pretty much where I want it, and then I'll be back up to where I left off -- Chapter 11, which with the two new chapters I wrote last week is actually Chapter 13. ; )

In tomorrow's blog I'll do the second of my 5 Things I've Learned About Writing -- "Getting Published: You Gotta Want it BAD!" Writing my 5 Things is a challenge from fabulous fantasy author (and book signing partner extraordinaire) James Maxey. See the link to the right to go to his site and read his 5 Things articles. Great stuff.

What I'm reading right now: The Bible (I'm up to Luke), I just finished re-reading Jim Butcher's Proven Guilty (awesome), and am now re-reading Jim's Grave Peril (loved it). Then again how could I not love these books enough to re-read them? As you regular readers know, Jim Butcher is my favorite fantasy author; his Dresden Files books are simply the best. Period. And each one is even better than the last. The man is talented. One of these days I hope to meet him and tell him that. ; ) And this weekend I'll be getting Linnea Sinclair's The Down Home Zombie Blues. I simply cannot wait to read this book. For a peek, see Linnea's link to the right.

And Webmaster Todd and I are working on your Christmas gift. The plan is to post it on Saturday, December 22. I just know you'll love it! ; )

Lisa

Why I just love blogging

I've been hearing from some of you (most recently from Laurie this past weekend. Hi Laurie!) that my blog is helpful and encouraging to those of you who are aspiring authors. Though I prefer to think of it as "pre-published." ; ) I always told people that it wasn't a matter of if I got published, just when. It's so important not to give up. Probably one of the most important qualities for a writer is stubborness. ; )

When I was "pre-published," I always loved reading articles where authors told how they worked, the problems they ran into, etc. Somehow hearing all this made me feel that since I was going through the same things as a "real writer," that I actually was a real writer. (Believe me, if you write, you are a real writer.) On my computer display is a sticker that says "If they can do it, you know you can." That little sticker has been a world of encouragement, especially when I was getting close to getting an agent, then close to getting a publisher, then on my first edits as an "almost" published author. That sticker is still there, and it will stay there. Getting that first book on the shelves is an indescribable feeling. But believe me, the angst, anxiety, whatever you want to call it doesn't stop there. I've discovered this for myself and from talking to other authors. It continues with each book, each draft, each chapter. The need to have each book be better than the one before, to raise the bar, raise the stakes.

My blog has been a world of help for me, too. Kinda like free writing therapy. ; ) Just putting into words the problems, the roadblocks, the doubt, and even the damn-I'm-good moments. Those moments are rare and fleeting, but wonderful when they happen. ; )

Lisa

Saturday fun picture -- My office

Derek recently took some pictures of me working in my office. The rest of them are still trapped in his digital camera, so for today I'll just post the one. And in huge news (at least for me because I've waited so long for this), a professional photographer friend of mine has some snazzy software that can do what I haven't been able to get done -- blow up my book covers to 20 x 30 inches for me to have framed. That's one of the things I'd always imagined and dreamed about all those years while I was working toward getting published -- having framed posters of my book covers on a wall in my office. I now have an office, and I'm about to get framed book covers. I don't know, but the framed covers will just make it all seem more real somehow. The wall I'm facing in the pic above is completely empty now -- but eventually will have framed covers for all four of my books (to be added as they're published). And I told Derek that if my publisher wants to keep my series keeps going -- buy my books and they will ; ) -- then we'll just have to start hanging cover posters out in the loft outside my office.

The technical problems continue with my computer -- it refuses to acknowledge the existence of our home network. So no Internet access for me until Derek can fix it. I'm posting this from his computer. His keyboard looks strange (all of the keys still have letters on them) a lot of mine are worn off. ; ) I can't check my email either, but keep sending in your requests for MLTF and A&M postcards -- I will get them.

Have a great weekend!

Lisa