SOLD! to Cleis Press... Falling Ashes

I'm thrilled to announce my short erotic romance Falling Ashes will be included in the Cleis Press anthology SMOKIN' HOT FIREMEN, edited by Delilah Devlin! :) When we have a cover I'll post that too :)

Here's the tentative Table of Contents, from Delilah's blog post: http://www.delilahdevlin.com/blog/2012/08/16/congrats-to-the-smokin-hot-firemen-authors/

Smoking Stilettos – Rachel Firasek
Saving Charlotte – Sabrina York
Hook Me Up – Adele Dubois
Big Trucks – Lynn Townsend
Lost and Found – Nanette Guadiano
Temperature Rising – Cathryn Fox
Unexpected Detour – Ily Goyanes
Rescue Me – Maggie Wells
Chasing Fire – Elle James
Stoke – Tahira Iqbal
Something’s Burning – Cynthia D’Alba
Fire Hazard – M. Marie
The Fireman’s Rescue – Kalissa Wayne
Falling Ashes – Shoshanna Evers
Fire Extinguisher – Rowan Elizabeth
Her Hero – Catherine Paulssen
Johnny Blaze – Delilah Devlin

Writing Out of Order

Hello Fellow Writers!

I have some exciting news - my advice column for The Mahopac News is now available online! I've written about 17 columns so far, and they have my column listed here. I'm happy that now I can point people toward my column online when they ask about seeing a copy of it. They even have PDFs of the paper, so I can go through them and print them out. I should really do that so I have a hard copy portfolio of my work, since I don't have a subscription to the paper.

I find it interesting that I've written (and been paid for!) a column each week for the past 17 weeks, but they've only run like eight of them. Hmm. Well, as long as I'm getting paid I certainly won't complain! My full name isn't even in the byline (for privacy reasons) so it's not like I'm doing it for the fame :)

As for my fiction, I sent "Hollywood Spank" to one of my beta readers to try and figure out what else needs to be fixed before I resubmit it to my editor at Ellora's Cave. In the meantime, "Chastity Belt" is on hold and I am writing a Christmas story. When I first thought the story up I was very excited and gung-ho about it, but now I'm slightly stuck. The answer to how to get unstuck came to me today as I sat here thinking about it: I need to write out of order.

Normally I'm a very chronological type person. I start with chapter one, page one. I finish with "The End". But in this case, I need to stop worrying about how to build up to what I consider The Big Scene, and just write The Big Scene. Once that scene is written, I can fill in the blanks as to just how the Hero and Heroine got themselves into that position. Literally, how they got themselves into that position - it is an erotica story, after all.

I have a feeling that once that scene is done, I'll feel more connected to my story and my characters, and I will find it easy to wrap up the story. Since this is going to be only about 8000 words or so, I have a limited amount of space to write something compelling. I don't want to waste it on build up. Who knows, perhaps what I consider to be the middle of the story will turn out to be the beginning. We'll see.

So that's the goal for today - to write out of order and not care. To write The Big Scene. Wish me luck!
Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers

Pen Name

Hello Fellow Writers! (post written in January 2010)

So I'm still waiting to hear back from both Ellora's Cave (my erotic romance "The Art Thief's Punishment" went past the initial editorial review and is being considered by the acquiring editors) and Silhouette Desire (they requested a partial based on my synopsis for "The Movie Star's Very Personal Assistant"), which is to be expected.

I've been working on another erotic romance called "Taste of Candy", which is targeted towards Ellora's Cave theme "Musical Madness". It's about a rock star and the woman named Candy who he falls in love with.

I decided that when I'm writing erotic romance, I will use the pen name "Shoshanna Evers". Not because I plan on being anonymous - I just don't think that my real name is particularly appropriate sounding for erotic romance. I also don't want future readers of my category type romances to accidentally pick up one of my erotica books and get surprised by the content! This way it will be easy for readers (ahem, future readers, that is) to know what sort of story of mine they are about to read.

UPDATE, 2014: Well, after 4 years of using the name Shoshanna Evers, I've been blessed to build up a following of awesome readers, and guess what? Readers are extremely smart. They don't need you to have a different name for different genres - there's plenty of crossover between readers who enjoy erotic romance, and readers who enjoy contemporary romance. The cover of the book, and the blurb are what tell the genre to the reader - so just make life easier on yourself, and use the same pen name across genres! Otherwise, you'll need to have two websites, two Twitter accounts, two Facebook pages, etc etc. Unless, of course, you're writing erotica, and say... inspirational Amish romance. Then maybe use two names. ;)

Look how different these titles and covers are, for example (one for an erotic romance, Punishing the Art Thief, which did end up selling to Ellora's Cave, (recently I got the rights back and re-released it!), and the other for a contemporary romance from Entangled Indulgence - The Tycoon's Convenient Bride...and Baby.

  

I don't need different author names because my readership already knows me as Shoshanna Evers. The different genres tell them what they need to know.

Back to 2010:

I found an interesting article by Michael Pollick entitled "Should a Writer Adopt a Pen Name?". Here is an excerpt, click here for the whole article.

PRO: Pseudonyms can increase an author's overall marketability. If you write action/adventure novels, you may want to adopt a name that is more suited to the genre. "Rivers of Blood" by 'Tank McThunder' may appeal more to the readers than "Rivers of Blood" by Murray Fishbinder. Not that there is anything intrinsically wrong with the Fishbinder name, but in a promotional sense you need to hook your readers from the beginning. Other pseudonyms may take on even more significance, such as "Trevanian" or "Phaedrus". As a marketing tool, a good pseudonym can boost sales and create enough positive buzz to give your 'name' some strong selling power.

CON: A poorly chosen pseudonym can hurt your chances of acceptance. As a beginning writer, you have very little leverage with publishers as it is, so you may not want to muddy the waters further by using a pretentious or gimmicky pen name. Insisting on a blatantly obvious pseudonym may make you a one or two hit wonder, but won't give you staying power. If your own name is reasonably marketable and your work is meant to be taken seriously, you should not resort to a meaningless pen name. Later in your career you may feel the need to use a pen name for works outside your established genre, but you need a name and reputation first.
PRO: Pseudonyms can make artistic statements for the author. Sometimes a writer takes on a subject that is highly controversial or threatens to expose secrets. Rather than remain anonymous or risk personal injury as the named author, you may want to use a pen name for protection. The pen name you choose may reflect some element of the controversy, or establish your credibility as an expert on the subject. "Secrets of the Emergency Room" by 'Dr. Dread' may sound like a gimmick, but it does establish that the author is a doctor and that his or her information may jeopardize careers. In a different vein, you may choose a pseudonym based on a character you enjoy from literature or history. A well-chosen pseudonym can add an air of mystery or intrigue.
CON: Pseudonyms can create 'identities' from which there is no escape. In the same way that an actor may be linked forever with a popular character, an author may be linked forever with the character created by a pseudonym. Some authors may create elaborate backstories to give dimension to their alter ego pseudonyms. In essence, the pseudonym's fantasy personality may overwhelm the actual writer's persona. Many authors who use pseudonyms discover that they must keep using that pseudonym long past its usefulness. Efforts to publish works under their real names may be met with rejection or reluctance. If you are comfortable with the idea of perpetuating a character that writes your books, then a pseudonym can work. If you are concerned that a gimmicky pen name will take away your future credibility, then don't use one.

Additional insight, from 2014: While I use a pen name, there is no false "persona" at all. I am my pen name, my pen name is me. Everything about me is real. I meet my readers at book signings. I don't hide myself. And, personally, I don't like what Pollick says about how you should use your own name "if your work is meant to be taken seriously."

Whatever. I write romance, and heck yeah I expect to be taken seriously! It seems Pollick thinks that pen name = silly name, like the aforementioned examples Tank McThunder or Dr. Dread. Not the case. You can just use your real first name or a nickname (unless you hate your first name, in which case, use your favorite name!), and pick a last name randomly that works well with your first name, or is your maiden name or something. I think pen names are essential for privacy. Think about it.

Back to 2010:

This week my focus will be on finishing the first draft of "Taste of Candy". I expect it to be between 10K and 15k words. (UPDATE: Taste of Candy sold to The Wild Rose Press, then I got the rights back when the contract ended, and I released it myself as a freebie! Enjoy!)

Wish me luck, and good luck to you too!
Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers

Harlequin Spice Briefs

Hello Fellow Writers!

Tomorrow I am going to the Hudson Valley chapter of Romance Writers of America's monthly meeting. I went last month and found it very interesting. Authors read excerpts from their works in progress and were critiqued by everyone. I'm debating whether or not I should bring something from "Snowed in With a Millionaire"... we'll see. The jury's still out on that one.

I haven't heard back yet from my critique partner Maureen regarding a story I wrote and intend to submit to Ellora's Cave by January 31st. I'll have to ask her about it at the Hudson Valley RWA meeting tomorrow (unless it snows again, in which case I doubt she'll drive)!

Harlequin also has a line of erotic romance called Spice. The shorter stories are called Spice Briefs. Here are the writing guidelines for anyone interested in submitting to them, from their website at eharlequin.com.

Spice Briefs
Word Length: 5,000–15,000 words
Format: eBooks
Editor: Susan Swinwood
Assistant Editor: Lara Hyde
Editorial Office: Toronto
Spice Books is looking to acquire bold, sexually explicit editorial that pushes the envelope for its new eBook erotica program, Spice Briefs. These are highly erotic short stories; although brief, these novellas should still establish context for the erotic content through an interesting and engaging premise (a great hook), a well-constructed plot and believable characters. Quality editorial is paramount.
Like Spice Books, what will set Spice Briefs apart is its broad spectrum of sexy editorial. We are looking for all kinds of subgenres—contemporary, ethnic, literary, mystery/suspense, historical and paranormal stories told in first- or third-person point of view or, if it works for the story, multiple points of view. Authors should feel comfortable exploring any and all sexual scenarios, even ones considered "taboo," and should avoid using euphemisms in favor of the frank, graphic language typical of the erotica genre.
Only complete manuscripts submitted electronically will be considered; no partials or queries, please. Submissions should be sent as a Word file attachment, or in a program that can be converted to Word. Submissions should also follow standard formatting guidelines—double-spaced and written in a clear, legible font on numbered pages. Author name and title should appear as a header or footer on each page, and please ensure that the title of the submission appears in the e-mail's subject line.
Spice Briefs
E-mail address: spicebriefs@harlequin.ca

I really like how you can submit the entire manuscript, instead of just a query and synopsis. I feel like that brings you one step closer to publication since you don't have to hope the synopsis conveys the feeling of the story, you can let the story speak for itself.

If I do end up reading an excerpt from one of my manuscripts tomorrow for the Hudson Valley RWA meeting, wish me luck and good luck to you too!

Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers

New Year's Resolutions!

Hello Fellow Writers!

Happy New Year! I can't believe that it's 2010 already. Feels like we should have flying cars or something by now, right?

I finished reading "Mistress of the Art of Death" by Ariana Franklin. It was wonderful! I also finished writing my story that I will be submitting to Ellora's Cave for their "Alluring Arts" theme, due January 31st. After I finished (it's 11k words) I took a couple days off so I could look at it again with a fresh eye. I reworked a couple of things, and now I just have to send it to my critique partners.

"The Art Thief's Punishment" is an erotic romance, so I find myself getting a bit shy at the idea of people reading it and thinking it's a peek into my bedroom, when in actuality it's a peek into the bedroom of the hero and heroine. Since it's targeted for Ellora's Cave, it's more than a peek... the bedroom door has been blown off it's hinges!

2009 was a big year for me. I started this blog. I revised a romance novel and submitted a query letter to Harlequin about it (still waiting on that response, I'll keep you posted). I wrote a second romance novel and revised it. I wrote a short story that I plan on submitting this month. And I sent a spec advice column to a new newspaper and they liked it!

For the New Year, my resolution is to keep writing 1000 words a day (although I find that when I'm into it, I end up writing more) and - and this is the hard part for me - submit my writing for publication. It's hard for me because I've always written things and then hidden them away. The thought of opening myself up to rejection is scary, but I know if I want to be published then I need to actually send my stuff out there.

What are your resolutions? Will you take a writing class? Will you start (or finish) your novel? Will you try to find a literary agent? Let me know!

Wish me luck, and good luck to you too!
Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers

Erotic Romance

Hello Fellow Writers!

Today I had my first day at my new nursing job, and it went well! Last night I bought a few e-books from Ellora's Cave, which publishes "romantica", which is erotic romance. I wonder if I should try my hand at that.

Here is what Ellora's Cave says about submissions:

How to Submit

All submissions for Ellora’s Cave must be sent via email to Submissions@ellorascave.com. Send as a doc or rtf file:
~ brief professional cover email (genre and length of story; one or two paragraph blurb; previous publication credits; no personal information or anything unrelated to the story)
~ detailed synopsis (2 to 4 pages describing setting and main characters, conflict, full plot and resolution)
~ the first three chapters and the final chapter of your manuscript (If it is a short story of 10-15,000 words, send the full manuscript)
Include the following on the first page of the document and in the cover email:
Title Author pen and real names & email address Genre Word count of full manuscript Blurb (200 words max)
Note: We are an e-publisher and all our work is done electronically; we do not accept paper submissions or correspondence.
Please be sure your submission has been thoroughly self-edited (and we highly recommend having frank critique partners look at it!), and has been proofread by several skilled and experienced persons other than yourself. It must be basically free of typos and grammatical errors. We do not specify a required format and your manuscript will not be rejected due to formatting. We suggest using one-inch margins and a common, variable, serif font (such as Times Roman, Arial, Book Antiqua).
Notice for previously published authors: We will only consider your out-of-print books if you hold exclusive rights.
Please do not email to inquire about status of your submission. You will receive an initial response within eight weeks.

Ellora’s Cave Theme Series

Several times a year we do a month of special themed erotic romanceshort stories. Guidelines:
~ Word count: 10K to 30K
~ Any genre
~ The story must significantly include the theme
For 2010, our still-open themes are about the arts:
May: “Poetic Passion”: poetry/drama (no TV or movies) – submission deadline October 31, 2009
August: “Alluring Arts”: classical creative arts (painting, drawing, sculpting, etc.) – submission deadline January 31, 2010
November: “Musical Magic”: music/song – submission deadline April 30, 2010
When submitting, put “theme Submission: title” in the email message subject line. Attach a synopsis and the full story (since it is a short story).

Very interesting. I wonder what sort of story I could write for the "Alluring Arts"?
Wish me luck, and good luck to you too!

Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers

Hudson Valley Romance Writers of America

Hello Fellow Writers!

Yesterday I wrote just 500 words since my son wouldn't let me sit down to write until almost 10pm! I've been wondering if I should try making my short Regency romance targeted towards Ellora's Cave instead of Harlequin Historical Undone. Ellora's Cave e-publishes erotic romance, so I would be writing a very different story than what I would be writing for Undone!

Tomorrow I will be having my first day of work at my new job, but afterward I intend to blog a bit more about erotic romance and specifically Ellora's Cave.

Today I went to the monthly meeting of the Hudson Valley Romance Writers of America. It was so wonderful to meet and listen to all of the women there, many of whom are published authors. Multiple published author Janet Lane Walters was very informative and friendly. Here is an excerpt from an interview with Janet from the Hudson Valley RWA site. Read the whole article here.

Are you a plotter or pantster?

Would you believe a bit of both? I do plan my stories but the outline is broad and allows for changes in what I’m writing. As I begin the rough draft much changes and veers from the original plan. Two things remain constant, the beginning and the end. The middle is where I allow my imagination free reign. Take the story I’m working on now. During the rough draft, two of the characters changed places. The reason behind the change came while I was writing the chapter when one of the characters emerged for the first time. Suddenly the light bulb flashed and I knew the secondary character who was the hero’s sister should become his brother and the character I had thought would be the heir became the daughter. The change strengthened the story. So outlines have a purpose but so does flying free.

Tonight I'm going to think more about trying my hand at writing a short erotic romance. While I'm pretty sure I can write it, I'm having a hard time imagining myself being able to read it aloud to my writing group! *blushes*

Wish me luck, and good luck to you too!
Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers

Writing a Short Story

Hello Fellow Writers!

I'm still in a bit of shock that I actually found the courage to send a query and synopsis to Harlequin for my romance "The Movie Star's Very Personal Assistant". My husband used to warn that I was going to spend all my time writing and never get published because I refused to put myself out there and risk rejection.

Then I realized that it doesn't matter if a manuscript gets rejected, because I can always write another one.

Since I recently finished writing the first draft of another novel length romance ("Snowed in With a Millionaire") I've been toying with the idea of writing a short story. Why toy, you ask? Why not just write the darn thing? Good question, and you're right. My plan for today, if my baby allows it, is to read a Harlequin Historical Undone online and then try my hand at it. I love historical romance but every time I try to write one I find myself getting caught up in all of the little details that need to be researched.

So I think what I need to do is write a first draft, details be damned, and then go back in and do the research during the editing process. Otherwise I get jammed up in the middle of trying to write by googling Regency era underwear.

Since Harlequin Historical Undone stories are 10K -15K words, here is an excerpt of an essay entitled "How to Write a Short Story" by Paul Saevig, from Author-Network.com. Read the whole article here.

1. Immerse yourself in language.

To be ready to write a story in English, your consciousness must be steeped in the best writing in English throughout history. Consider someone who wants to compose music. Before doing that, she probably performs in a band, and before that, she probably studies singing or an individual instrument. She learns how to read music, she studies harmony, she listens to all kinds of good music for years, and she may study at a conservatory. Wynton Marsalis didn't just decide to go into his first recording studio to play the trumpet one rainy day while he was recovering from the flu.

Author Dean Koontz is on record as opposing "literature writing", which is what he calls the classics. But he suggests no alternative for the best and most elegant writing of the ages. He is one of the rare few successful writers without much formal training. His critics insist they can tell the difference in his writing.

If you want to write stories, you should study the literary form. You should study the great masters of storytelling, starting with Homer and progressing to Stephen King and John Irving,, and specifically the great masters of the short story, starting with Turgenev and Chekhov. Read as many books as you can find. You must read classics, not just current popular books. Tolstoy will teach you more about writing than Dean Koontz. You are steeping yourself in language. Keep a journal. Write letters (not just Emails) to your friends. Take writing classes.

2. Think of an idea for a story.

To a trained writer, this idea usually comes in a flash, you have to know how to cultivate the flash. Usually one element of the idea is settled from the start: "I want to write a story about my Uncle Leo" or "The summer we lived in Honolulu" or "The day President Kennedy was shot".

What about that summer we lived in Honolulu, then? Concentrate on what makes that experience significant to you. What other idea would you like to attach to it? Suppose it were "the professional surfers".

That gives you "the professional surfers the summer we lived in Honolulu". What about them to you want to write a story about? Maybe it would be "the surfer who stole my sister's wallet".

"The professor surfer who stole my sister's wallet when we lived in Honolulu one summer". That's a start.

3. Figure your angle.

"Angle" is a journalistic term meaning significance. You need to decide the angle or significance about this larcenous surfer. Your story could be about the theft itself, or tracking him down afterwards, or deciding not to prosecute him and meeting up with him again, or dozens of other alternatives.

If you can't determine an angle, return to Number 1 and tinker with your idea. Maybe you need a new one.

I just finished reading a Harlequin Presents book by Caitlin Crews called "Pure Princess, Bartered Bride". Wow, what a fun read! I picked it up and was halfway through before I even realized what happened. I'll definitely be looking for her future books. She also writes chick lit under the name Megan Crane.

So today I'll be reading a Historical Undone, and hopefully getting started on a short story of my own. Tomorrow I'll be meeting with my writing group. I've sent them Chapter 2 of my WIP so we'll see what they say about that...

Wish me luck, and good luck to you too!
Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers

Harlequin Historical Undone Guidelines

Hello Fellow Writers!

Yesterday I spent five hours drinking coffee and racking up my word count at the Panera in Fishkill NY. It was a blast! I'm having so much fun hanging out with fellow NaNoWriMo participants that I will be very sad to see November end. Usually writing is a very solitary sport. It feels motivating to make it a group venture.

I wrote two thousand words on Friday and four thousand words yesterday, so now I have a total of 28,000 words. That's 100 manuscript pages. And here's the scary part - I recently ran out of plot! That's right. I spent three weeks writing a 40 page plot outline that took me almost to the end of my story, and now I am forced to throw the darn thing out and write by the seat of my pants.

It all started when I had planned for a love scene and realized that my hero and heroine weren't ready for that. So the plot is gone. Now the characters are running the show!

I think after November is over I will take a break from "Snowed in With a Millionaire" and let it percolate a bit. During that time I'll try my hand at a shorter piece, perhaps something for Harlequin Historical Undone....

Here are the guidelines, from eHarlequin.com:

Writing Guideline
Harlequin Historical Undone

Word Length: 10–15,000 words
Format: eBooks
Senior Editor: Linda Fildew
Editor: Sally Williamson
Editorial Assistant: Mimi Berchie
Editorial Office: London, U.K.

If you've always wanted to write for Harlequin Historical, but were daunted by the length, now is your chance to submit something shorter!
The response to Harlequin Historical's more sensual story lines have been so positive that we are creating a new eBook sexy short story program—Historical Undone.
In Historical Undone we are looking for a high level of sensuality that flows naturally out of the plotline. There should be a strong emotional basis to the heightened attraction—it's vital the reader can believe in the intense emotion driving the characters as their relationship develops. These stories should be hot, sexy and subtly explicit without the lovemaking being vulgar or gratuitous.
Whether you choose a dark and devilishly sexy Regency rake caught in a compromising situation with a headstrong miss, or a courageous Saxon lady held captive by a powerful Norman warrior, your characters should be fully fleshed out and should be the main focus of the story.
The history should be well researched in order to give an authentic sense of period without taking over from the romance. We are happy to consider stories set in ancient civilizations up to and including the First and Second World Wars. What remains ever popular are the Regency tales, which could see your characters scandalizing high society or being drawn into a salacious underworld inhabited by pickpockets and courtesans!
We are also open to slightly different elements from those normally found in Harlequin Historical books. Please feel that you can explore aspects of the paranormal and time travel.
You do not need to be agented to send material to us. We are actively looking for talented new authors and wish you every success with your submissions.
Only complete manuscripts submitted electronically will be considered—no partials or queries, please. Submissions should be sent as a Word-compatible attachment. Submissions should also follow standard formatting guidelines and should be double-spaced and typed in a clear, legible font on numbered pages. Author name and title should appear as a header or footer on each page.
Historical Undone e-mail address: undone@harlequin.ca

Today I plan on bringing my word count up to 30,000 words. I'll be attending another write-in at Panera today as well. In fact, I'm running late so off I go!
Wish me luck, and good luck to you too!
Yours Truly,
Shoshanna Evers