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I know a few editors and they seem like okay people...that is, until I got to know them better. THAT's when I realized that editors, as a whole (oh, yeah, I'm lumping them all in there together) really don't like much of anything. Okay, maybe that's not entirely true. I do believe they ALL love well written prose and perfectly manicured manuscripts--but come on! How many of those even exist? Seriously. That's just unrealistic and quite unfair to us little guys who THINK we're doing a pretty good job at this writing gig. But I guess that is the job of the editor--to hate (the whole bunch of haters). Oh, and editors love booze (yep, all of them. There I go again, lumping them together). So booze and perfectly manicured manuscripts. That's about it. Seriously, take a look at this:  That is a screen shot of edits I received from one of my editors (Melissa Sawatsky, I love you--you hater). The blue marks are her suggestions. The black marks (can you even see any black marks?) happen to be my original prose. Now here's the thing, she takes my detailed paragraph and witty words and chops them down into one or two sentences that say the exact same thing, but with less words. In the margins she will write WORDINESS. What the....? HELLO? I'm a author, I write with WORDS. Lots of them. I love words. I'm a lover not a hater. But editors? Nope, they're not lovers at all. I can't even imagine it being so (yuck). I mean, look at this:  How is that love? I'm totally not feeling it. I don't feel love at all. In fact, I fell the exact opposite of love. (She would take these last four sentence of my blog and do this: That is not love. That is the exact opposite of love.) I know her. *I'm biting my lip right now*.
So here is a list of things editors hate (what I've seen first hand and what I've been told): 1) The word "I" in a first person POV story. Two many "I's" close together and WHACK! You will get your ego slapped. So how in the heck do you write in first person and not use I so much? Good question. Rule: try and make the object of the sentence the subject. This is what I've been told. I still don't execute it very well. Here's an article for you from editor Lane Diamond that explains it a tad better: The Problem with First-Person Narrative--Beware the I-Bombs 2) Narrative that breaks up action. They will delete it, toss it out, and then tell you to knock it off. 3) Puppies. I'm pretty sure they hate all kinds of baby animals. 4) Excessive use of dialogue tags, (said, asked, demanded, spoke, explained). They HATE those. So use them sparingly or your editor will grow horns and beat you with a pitch fork. No joke. 5) State of being verbs, otherwise known as SOB verbs (makes me laugh every time I type SOB). SOB verbs like am, is, was, are--editors will kill you. Maybe not literally, but you will feel like you've died a little inside when they get through with you. (Check out another article about this very thing by Lane Diamond. Those SOB verb are #$%&#$ ). 6) Show don't tell. That's a given. But sometimes, as a writer, it's hard to recognize when you're doing it. But boy...the angry eyes your editor will give you when you make the mistake of telling *shivers* 7) Monotonous sentence structure (Eric Pinder hates this). Whether it's long sentences or short sentences. They'll make you mix it up. They will chop and they will add (all suggestions, of course. But those suggestions will be AWESOME. Darn them). 8) One editor I know foams at the mouth when you use the word "titter". So don't do that. Foaming at the mouth is a bad thing. Not good (right Stevie Mikayne?). And forget using the word "suddenly." You will get a backhanded slap for that one (I never use that word because I'm not a fan of pain. I learned my lesson). 9) Words. They hate words. "Simplify it stupid." Okay, they don't say that, but when you see how they took your mega long paragraph and shortened it into two sentences that pretty much said the same thing, it's what you'll be thinking. Editors are subtle that way. 10) NaNoWriMo. Editors HATE November's National Novel Writing Month. But since editors hate everything, their opinion on this matter isn't a valid enough reason not to participate if you wanna (Lane Diamond is gonna kill me for saying that). 11) "Blinking with her eyes" or "Pointed with her finger" or "Nodded with her head" OHHHHHH, they HATE that! (Megan Harris REALLY doesn't like this). What else are they going to blink with, their ears? Editors think they're funny when they say this, but they're not. Editors aren't funny people. Not really. But they know how to make people cry really well. 12) And unicorns. They hate unicorns. Or anything else magical for that matter. Of this, I'm pretty sure. In all seriousness, though, I wouldn't give up ANY of my editors. They may be haters, but I know it's all for my benefit. They might not like the way in which I wrote something, and they might not like my excessive use of words, but they LOVE me! (Oh, yes you do! Admit it Lane, Melissa, and Megan...you adore me). Because they love me, they want me to present the best work I can so that I can succeed. THAT'S what a great editor does. My editors are truly amazing people. They sacrifice and work so hard on my behalf and for that I am ever so grateful. They help me to write in the way I had always hoped to write. I've learned more about the art of writing from these three people than from any teacher, professor, or writing instructor. And even though I'm a slow learner, they hang in there and encourage me onward. If you find the right editor, you will totally feel the same. I guarantee it. So what else do editors hate? Love your editor? Need to find one? What's your experience with editors like? Do tell.
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 When I'm taking a shower--I'm writing.
When I'm in bed, getting ready to sleep--I'm writing. When I'm sitting at a red light--I'm writing. When I'm staring at you while you're talking to me--I'm writing. While I'm eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner--I'm writing. While I'm getting my hair cut--I'm writing. While I'm waiting in line--I'm writing. While on the phone--I'm writing (those times you think I'm listening when I say "Uh-huh" and "Yeah"... I'm totally writing). While driving kids to school or from school or to practice or to friends houses--I'm writing (with three kids, I spend a lot of time in the car. Okay...minivan). While attending a PTA meeting--I'm writing. While sitting at church--I'm writing (Poor Jesus. I'm totally not going to heaven). My brain is constantly going. I might not be sitting at my laptop, and you may think I'm totally engaged in what you're saying or doing, but inside my head, I'm writing. Because there is always a storyline to figure out, a character to develop, and idea in need of exploring. ALWAYS. Most of the time it's the voices that force me to think about writing, fictional characters that won't let me settle and be on my own for even a minute. But there are many times in which I'm the one instigating the thinking, trying to figure out where the story needs to go next. It's exhausting really, but I don't know how else to be. It makes me wonder if authors and writers who plot their stories find themselves in this same boat or whether their brains settle somewhat since they have ever scene, plot, and character completely lined out before they start the story process. Hmmm... all I know is that as a pantser, this is the way my brain functions. It's been this way for as long as I can remember--thinking of a story, or the next story, or the next. Yeah, the writing process is far more than getting the words written--there's a whole lot of thinking going on. Lot of "behind the scene stuff" that non-writing folks probably don't get. Even as I write this blog post, I'm thinking of other stuff, writing stuff :) How about you? Do you write when you're not writing? Tell me what's going on inside your head. How does your writing process work? Do tell. The mass appeal of YA fiction - it's not just for teens. A guest post by Kimberly Kinrade11/16/2012 Today I hand over my blog to my good friend and fellow author at Evolved Publishing, Kimberly Kinrade. This woman is a writing machine with books ranging from children's to young adult. Her imaginative mind amazes me. This post is an interesting one, since I write for young adults but find most of my readership ranging from early twenties all the way to the late sixties (interesting as well, is that many of my readers or men--something I hadn't planned on, but embrace completely). What do you think of YA fiction? Read Kimberly's take on the subject. Make sure to check out her giveaway below.  Chances are you or someone you love is addicted to Young Adult fiction. In all likelihood, you know many non-teens who fall into this category. For those who just don't understand the fascination, or who worry about your loved one's mental health, I'm here to help. Young Adult fiction didn't start as a genre so much as an age classification for books. Depending on who you ask, (or what you read) YA lit falls somewhere between Middle Grade and Adult literature and is typically known for its teen protagonist going through coming-of-age type journeys. However, it has sparked a reading revolution among a wide age demographic. Young teens to middle aged adults are obsessed with YA books—and the big question on many people's minds is why? Perhaps you are wondering that about your loved one. Or perhaps you too have a secret obsession with this genre-that's-not-a-genre, but don't totally understand why. First, let's set the record straight. YA isn't a genre, per se. It's talked about like it is, but it isn't. Paranormal, romance, thriller, horror, mystery, literary fiction, sci fi, fantasy… these are genres—all of which you can find in the YA category. So if it's not a genre, and it's not just appealing to young adults, then what gives? I know, it's confusing. Some of you may think YA lit is a gateway drug to fluff writing. Many attribute the wide-spread popularity of YA lit to the 'simplistic writing'—the argument being that people don't want to have to use their brains when they read, and YA is brainless (or something along those ridiculous and insulting lines.) Don’t get me wrong, there's some brainless, simplistic YA out there. Just as there's the same for thriller, horror, mystery, etc. That's true of any genre (yes, okay, we'll call it a genre for sake of clarity and ease of communication, just remember, it's not really a genre.) As someone who reads and writes YA fiction (as well as children's literature and adult fiction) I find this explanation simplistic and offensive. Sure, we want to be entertained when we read. We crave escapism and adventure. That doesn't mean the writing is bleh or that we're all mindless morons. It just means we might not always be in the mood for War and Peace. (And honestly, who is ever in the mood for that?) So what's the appeal? Based on what I've seen, read and heard… here are my thoughts. One, YA is largely dominated by female authors, and female readers. That's not to say that men and boys don't enjoy reading and writing YA, but they are not the primary demographic on either side of the coin. Perhaps because of this, YA has more strong, intelligent, kick-butt female protagonist than nearly any other genre, ever. (With epic fantasy probably being last on the list, following thrillers… this is not statistically proven, just my guess based on what I've read. And of course, there are exceptions. Just not many.) As a woman myself, I love reading about strong women and girls who are faced with hard choices and challenges and come away even stronger. I relate to them, just as many of you do. Just as our teen daughters do. It's empowering. And not only for us. It's important for male readers to have this connection as well, to see women in this way! For this alone, the YA genre lends itself to popularity. But I think it's more than that. Within YA, you can find any genre you like, be it mystery, romance, thrillers, horror, sci fi, fantasy, paranormal… but they will all have some basic similarities that account for much of these books' appeal—the coming of age theme. In any coming of age story, you're dealing with thematic elements that touch on deep emotional memories for most of us. We may not relate to a middle aged male detective chasing a serial killer, or an elf killing Orcs with a giant sword, but probably all of us can relate to a teenager falling in love for the first time, or feeling trapped and helpless in a situation not of their making (or of their making.) We've all been there, and in these books, we get to go back with the wizened eyes of age and experience and relive what we once lived, but with more grace and control. We get to escape from the drudgery of dishes and grocery shopping and cooking and working and join a girl who has to fight to stay alive and provide for her family. We get to find love with a mythical being beyond reality, or battle side by side with our best friends as we face off against evil teachers and bad wizards. No matter how magical, mythical or outside of reality the plot is, the internal drive and quest and hardships are the same. It also provides a sense of wish fulfillment. We've been there on one level, but we haven't. Now we get to be the popular girl, or the girl who can read minds, or the one who finds eternal love. We live thousands of lives through the pages in these books, lives that are just starting out, lives that are on the cusp of unfolding into greatness. You can't get that same magic anywhere else. It's the magic of YA, that we get to begin anew each time we pick up a new book to read. For teens, the journey is different. They are still living it, and so can relate to their paged peers. But they also get to see into the future by surviving the Hunger Games with Katniss or living happily ever after with Edward. They get to imagine their futures a hundred different ways—and they, like us adults, enjoy the wish fulfillment of these stories. It's a powerful drive, the emotional memories and fantasies that all genre of YA books stir in us. Is it any wonder that it's so addictive? Within one massive genre-that's-not-a-genre, we get to relive the emotional intensity of our own coming-of-age. And in the end, aren't we all still going through these moments, if in a less dramatic way? We all live through new beginnings and endings, heartbreak and rebirths, closed doors and open windows. When we feel hopeless or stuck, a great YA novel brings us back to a place of hope and opportunity where anything and everything is possible, if we just turn the next page in our books—and our lives.  Don’t forget to stop by the Evolved Publishing pre-holiday blog hop. We’ve got 20 autographed books up for grabs! From thrilling young adult adventures to suspense nail-biters, thought-provoking literary novels, bright and cheery books for children, an uplifting memoir, and hot-and-steamy romance, we’ve got something for everyone on your holiday-shopping list. About the Author Kimberly Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She writes fantasy and paranormal stories for children, young adults and adults and still believes in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal Forbidden Trilogy, Forbidden Mind, Forbidden Fire and Forbidden Life and her children’s fantasy chapter books Three Lost Kids series Lexie World, Bella World, Maddie World, The Three Lost Kids & The Death of the Sugar Fairy and The Three Lost Kids & The Christmas Curse. She is also the co-owner and marketing director of Daring Books Design & Marketing and marketing director for Evolved Publishing. She lives with her three little girls who think they’re ninja princesses with super powers, her two dogs who think they’re humans and her husband, also known as the sexy Russian Prince, who is the love of her life and writing partner. For a list of her books, check out: http://Amazon.com/author/kimberlykinrade. Find Kimberly Kinrade Website Twitter Facebook IPI Twitter IPI Facebook IPI Website Three Lost Kids Website Daring Books Design & Marketing Website Today I have the great honor of introducing you to Stevie Mikayne--woman of many, many hats. Not only is she a great advice giver and Senior Editor at Evolved Publishing, but she is also an amazing writer (I'm in the middle of reading Jellicle Girl and loving it). This guest post hits home to me. How is that a fictional character can feel SO real? I have this same problem too, Stevie. Some characters will stick with you, as a writer, a lot longer than most. Maybe they'll stay with you forever. If so, THAT'S an amazing thing to have happen. I'm truly grateful it happened to me. Make sure to check out her giveaway below.  Sometimes I wonder if I should be insulted that readers like the secondary characters in Jellicle Girl more than the protagonist. After all, I obviously thought Beth was the most interesting character, otherwise I would have written the book about someone else.... Really, though, I'm flattered that readers like anyone enough to take sides—that the characters who live and breathe (and occasionally swear), eventually worm their way into the lives of the people flipping the pages. Readers tell me all the time that the Jellicle Girl characters feel so real. "Are they real people?" Sorry—you'll have to read another blog post at EvolvedPub.com to find out the answer to that question. Here, I will just say: to me, they are. Dr. Nancy Sullivan was someone I'd go to for therapy. Lizzie played on the tire swing at a park near my house. And I'm pretty sure Beth flipped me the bird on a subway once. And this may be why I'm having a little trouble moving on and writing other books. Why I've been only too happy to push the publication date of Weight of Earth back... ahem... four months. Part of me doesn't want to say goodbye to the characters I spent ten years getting to know. And another part of me is afraid I won't ever know other characters well enough to make them as real as Beth and Dr. Sullivan and Lizzie—and that readers will be disappointed. Now that I have publication deadlines for three books a year, I worry I won't have time to have coffee and chat with the people whose lives I'm writing about—that my characters somehow won't seem as complete. Will I have a chance to deliberately carve out good points and irritating points in equal measure? To find interesting and creative character flaws for each person? To look closely enough to find out what each character will go to the wall for, and what they would do in their worst moments, despite wanting to be decent people? Why someone loves that character despite the traits that drive others away? As a writer, I think I owe that to my characters and my craft. This seems reasonable to me. I take a couple years to get to know a friend really well... why not a character? So after I finish polishing and editing and publishing the eight novels sitting under my bed, maybe I'll be down to one story every year... every two? Characters are the heart and soul of a story, so I spend a lot of time researching them—delving into the psyches of the people who will push the story to the brink and back. While I'm looking into the time, place, and climate of the story, I imagine the protagonist along for the ride, providing a running commentary on her surroundings. I look at the old Georgian buildings in downtown Toronto and imagine Dr. Sullivan sitting in the bay window of her office, wondering how she'll be able to get inside when she eventually needs a wheelchair. I imagine Lizzie on the car ride home with her mother, hoping and praying she'll get to stay with her family this time, while deep, deep down, she wishes that when she gets taken away again, it will be soon enough to come back to Beverly. I imagine teenage Beth picking up the phone and staring at it—realising that there's no one she can call to help her. Her mother wouldn't answer. Her father is globe-trotting and doesn't have a phone number. She's dropped all her friends except Jackie, and Jackie's gone. Dr. Sullivan stands up and forces herself to walk across the room and back, holding onto the furniture even when her knees start shaking and she almost falls.... Lizzie tries to melt into the background of her life at home, escaping to the garage when her father starts drinking..... Beth turns on the coffee machine and cranks the television up to drown out the silence..... And then the book begins....  Don’t forget to stop by the Evolved Publishing pre-holiday blog hop. We’ve got 20 autographed books up for grabs! From thrilling young adult adventures to suspense nail-biters, thought-provoking literary novels, bright and cheery books for children, an uplifting memoir, and hot-and-steamy romance, we’ve got something for everyone on your holiday-shopping list. About Stevie Mikayne: Stevie Mikayne never dreamed of flying. She dreamed of writing stories that would one day be on library bookshelves. She graduated from Lancaster University (UK) with a Master's in creative writing, and immediately pinned up a quotation from Margaret Laurence to deter her from giving in to the temptation of a day job. "When I say work, I only mean the writing. Everything else is just odd jobs." Stevie is both an editor and author at Evolved Publishing. Jellicle Girl is her debut novel. Look for Weight of Earth, coming soon! About Jellicle Girl: When Beth met Jackie, she was fifteen and shy, living in the shadow of her mother—talented artist Heather Sarandon. Jackie, wilful, cheeky and confident, made Beth see things in herself that she never imagined, and do things she never thought she would. As memories of Beth’s last night with Jackie grow more like waking nightmares, Beth does everything she can to forget the girl who was so much more than a friend. Beth has a self-destructive ritual she swears she’ll keep secret, even from the psychologist trying to help her. But Dr. Nancy Sullivan doesn’t have time for secrets. In fact, she doesn’t have much time at all. She’s been charged with helping Beth break through the barriers of her past, knowing very well that her own demons might end her career before she can get through to the stubborn young woman. Meanwhile, a young foster child with a wicked sense of humour and a devastating past reminds Beth that secrets seem powerful, but can destroy the person who holds them too close. Jellicle Girl is a powerful coming-of-age story about redemption, identity, and learning to let go of secrets that scar. Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Amelia James, our very own saucy romance author from Evolved Publishing and good friend of mine. Got a sexy question that needs answered? She's the woman to ask, believe me. So...do you read romance books for the women lead characters or for the men? I know my answer. Make sure to check out her giveaway below.  The male characters, I mean. When I read a romance novel, I read it for the bad boys and brooding heroes with male-model-worthy abs. A strong heroine is nice, but I want men! I thought I was the only one, but since I started writing and getting feedback from my readers, I noticed that none of them ask about my women. They're all about my guys. Quick: name 5 romance novel heroes. Christian Grey, Austin Sinclair, Jack Wheeler, Alex Sheridan, Billy Ramsay. Okay, I cheated. Four of them were mine (the last one still to come). Now name 5 romance heroines. Ana Steele and...? I could name mine, but that's not my point. How many times have you heard Christian's name over Ana's? Do your female friends gush over Ana and wonder who's going to play her in the Fifty Shades of Grey movie? Nope. Romance critics, and audiences in general, have long complained about the lack of strong women in books, TV, and movies, but when good female characters make an appearance, they're overlooked or quickly forgotten. A few months ago, I dedicated a week of my Trashy's Treasures blog posts to my favorite kick-butt chicks. I posted pictures and videos of strong women such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aeryn Sun (Farscape) and Susan Ivanova (Babylon 5). The initial post, which I thought would generate some interesting discussion, got 0 comments. My fluff post about The Bad Boy Appeal (including pictures of Lost's Sawyer) got 11 comments. Last month, I did a giveaway of my erotic mosaic novel, Her Twisted Pleasures. One of the ways to enter was to ask a question on the character interviews I posted. Talia, the heroine, got 0; Will, the hero, got 1; and my bad boy, Alex, got 11. Huh. Maybe romance is for the bad boys. ;) I've written two bad boys: Austin and Alex, but they're very different from each other. Austin is fun and charming. He'll drive you crazy with his teasing smile and tempting kisses. He's a player, but with good reason. He's been hurt, and he doesn't want to risk falling in love again so he guards his heart. Women know he won't stick around, but they can't resist trying to be the one to change him. She found him when neither one of them were looking. Alex is cynical and ambitious, and maybe even a little dangerous. He does the wrong thing for the wrong reason, and he doesn't care what anyone thinks about him. He prefers unavailable women, and he's not above sleeping with another man's wife, or sharing his best friend's girlfriend. That's a recipe for disaster, but Alex loves adding a little spice to his bedroom (or pool table) encounters. He's been burned, but he's not afraid of playing with fire. My readers all want to know if he'll find his happy ending, and the answer is... yes... after I make him pay for his sins. But my favorite guy is Jack. He's a brooder, and I typically don't like brooders, but Jack keeps his tragic past hidden behind an approachable mask. He's the best friend you can always depend on, but when he needs help, he won't ask for it. That would reveal his weakness, and he has to stay strong to protect the ones he loves. He's suffered for years, and he earned the love he deserves. The one thing all these guys have in common is this: there's a woman who can heal him, but he's gotta go through hell and back to find her—and keep her. If you'd like to hear about Jane, Talia, or Sara, I'd be happy to tell you, but I suspect their men are far more appealing. So maybe romance novels are for the couples. After all, only love could make a player, a cynic, or a brooder into a romance novel worthy hero. Don’t forget to stop by the Evolved Publishing pre-holiday blog hop. We’ve got 20 autographed books up for grabs! From thrilling young adult adventures to suspense nail-biters, thought-provoking literary novels, bright and cheery books for children, an uplifting memoir, and hot-and-steamy romance, we’ve got something for everyone on your holiday-shopping list. About Amelia James: Amelia James started reading steamy romance novels in junior high, but her mom took them away from her, so she started daydreaming instead. After she got married, she wrote some of her naughtier daydreams down and sent them to Playgirl magazine. Two of them got published. She kept daydreaming and writing stories until her dirty stories turned into trashy books. She lives in Colorado, but she'll always be a loyal Wisconsin Cheesehead. When she's not lusting after her next bad boy hero, she looks for inspiration in sci-fi and action movies, football players, bloodsucking lawyers, muscle cars, and kick-butt chicks. "I write because I love it, and I have a wild imagination I gotta do something with. I've been writing stories since the 3rd grade. My teacher wrote 'tends to daydream' on my report card. I'm gonna have that carved on my tombstone. My stories are character driven. I love creating characters and hearing the stories they have to tell. They're my imaginary friends. Yep, I'm a little weird."  About Secret Storm: ...“I want to let you in, Jack, but I…. Oh hell, I just want you. I know you’re not what I need, but I don’t care. Take me to bed now and we’ll sort the rest out later.”... The last thing Sara Jensen needs is another risky relationship. She wants Jack, but she’s been hurt too many times to trust him, even though he’s more than a friend. Jack won’t trust her, and that hurts more than her ex’s betrayal. Jack Wheeler wants Sara. His long-denied lust burns barely contained. But a dangerous secret comes back to haunt him, a secret so horrible he can’t trust anyone with it, not even the woman he desires more than anything. For the first time since they met, they’re both available, but the timing couldn’t be worse. Sara’s not too eager to trust a man again, and Jack refuses to reveal his secret. Getting involved right now is complicated, but Sara and Jack have waited long enough. Neither one of them can control their desires. But there’s a storm approaching, and as hard as she tries, Sara can’t run away from Jack’s past. Jack won’t accept her help, and Sara doesn’t know how long she can wait for him to realize that he needs her. Today I'm lucky to have my good friend and fellow Evolved Publishing Author stop by and talk about her new book, TORN TOGETHER. Because of the personal aspects of writing this book and the emotions that went along with it, she chose to set it on fire. Yeah, she totally did burn her own book. I will let her explain why. Be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a copy of her book.  On August 31, I started a fire and threw my book into the middle of it. No, it wasn’t a temporary lapse. I’d been planning to do this for months. I spread the news of my perceived misdoings on Facebook and even made a video to document the book-burning ceremony. “But why? Why would you burn your own book?” everyone wanted to know. Many were disgusted by my actions, citing them as no better than the hypothetical world of Fahrenheit 451. “It was never a possibility for me not to burn this book,” I answered before explaining my reasoning. This blog post should provide further insight into my pyrobibliac insanity. From that first seed of the idea to the moment I set it ablaze, the making of Torn Together has proven an emotional journey for me. I often joke that the novel serves as my prophetic autobiography. If you read the story and consider the events that followed, the metaphor should be perfectly clear. It’s also the first novel I wrote—period. It's the book that taught me how to be a writer. I made all my mistakes and discovered the publishing world with Torn Together in hand. By the end, this novel saw more than eleven unique drafts and ended up being my third published novel, despite the fact it was written first. While my agent was shopping Torn Together (then called “Trick of Fate”) to publishers, my husband and I decided to get a divorce, and I decided to abandon the traditional publishing model and offer my battle-weary manuscript to Evolved Publishing. Now, divorce is horribly difficult even under normal circumstances, but Torn Together made it even harder than it should have been. I wrote the first draft three years ago, back when we were happy. I based it off our love story. The male lead, Kashi, still is the spitting image of my ex. Although it is fiction, a great many anecdotes and characters were pulled from my own life and travels. Torn Together was published sixteen days before my divorce was finalized. In the weeks leading up to publication, that manuscript became my full-time job as I tweaked it into the best novel it could be. And, boy, did the process drive me crazy. I didn’t want to read about Kashi and Daly’s happiness when mine had been lost so recently. I couldn’t bear to hear readers find fault with her yet swoon for him. My self-esteem just couldn’t handle it. Still, I knew I had to publish our story in order to free myself from it. The divorce was finalized on August 31, 2012, and I burned the fictionalized version of my own love-lost story that same evening. Call me crazy if you will, but sometimes you just need to burn a book and move on.  Don’t forget to stop by the Evolved Publishing pre-holiday blog hop. We’ve got 20 autographed books up for grabs! From thrilling young adult adventures to suspense nail-biters, thought-provoking literary novels, bright and cheery books for children, an uplifting memoir, and hot-and-steamy romance, we’ve got something for everyone on your holiday-shopping list. About Emlyn Chand: Emlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). When she's not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Best known for her Young Adult novels, she is also developing a small, but devoted, following to her children's book series and is beginning to dapple in other genres as well. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available via almost every social media site in existence. Visit EmlynChand.com for more info. Don't forget to say "hi" to her sun conure Ducky! About Torn Together: From her cheating boyfriend to her dead father and cold, judgmental mother, Daly knows she can’t trust others to be there when it counts. This cynicism begins to melt away when she meets Kashi, a light-hearted charmer from India, who decides he cares too much to let her fade into the background of her own life. After a series of false starts, their quirky romance carries them to India, where Daly must win the approval of Kashi’s family in order to seal their “forever.” Meanwhile, Laine struggles to cope with the pain of early widowhood, fleeing into the pages of her well-worn library and emerging only to perform her duties as a social worker at the crisis pregnancy center. Although her daughter wants nothing more than to work as an artist, Laine doesn’t know how to redirect Daly to a more suitable profession without further damaging their tenuous relationship. Can Laine look past her pain to learn from an unlikely mentor? Has Daly finally found someone whom she can trust? Will the women recognize their common bonds before the relationship is broken beyond repair? "Torn Together," Emlyn Chand’s first sojourn into Literary/Women's Fiction, illustrates how our similarities often drive us apart.  Yep, the poor guy hates it when November rolls around, because November is a whole month of writing. Lots of writing. Hours of writing. Every day with very little else getting done.
This is my 5th year participating in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) so you'd think he get used to it, but nope. He's supportive, rarely says too much, but I can see it in his eyes. What happened to my wife? Where did she go? That disheveled mess of a woman can't possibly be her, can it? I hate nanowrimo. Hate. It. And yet, that disheveled mess of a woman IS me. November not only is a month of writing (trying to reach 50k by the end of the month--insane, I know) but it's a month of pajama wearing, staring off into space for long periods of time, Pepsi drinking, and lack of housework doing. My kids don't seem to be bothered by any of it. They ask if I'm writing. I say yes, and then they proceed to do stuff they normally can't get away with (Yay! It's November! Let's climb on the roof!). But for husband's, the month of November is pretty dang tough on them (Little Caesars again? Didn't we just eat that yesterday?) By the way, the kids LOVE eating Little Caesars. And since there are three of them and only one husband, I play the odds and roll my dice in their favor. Right now we're only five days into this NaNoWriMo, so really the strange husband eyes shouldn't have shown up until at least day 12. But they're here. So today, I will shower and get dressed. I will cook something (at least I think I will) and I may even put a load of laundry in the wash. That should buy me another week until the eyes come back and I'm forced to get dressed again :) Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? How supportive are your family members? What do you do to balance it all--or do you? |
My Face...Enjoy!
Ahh, the fruits of my labors...
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