The Lovestruck Novice Welcomes Kat Martin!!!

Happy Tuesday, TLN'ers!!

Feelin' the beginning of the week blues? No worries! You just need to escape into a KAT MARTIN book!!

Kat's no stranger to the Lovestruck Novice and we're always thrilled to have her swing by. There's no better way to learn about the industry than to ask one of its legends! Let's get down to the good stuff!!

1) If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

She worked till it drove her crazy, and loved every minute of it.

2)Using three words, describe your voice. 

Less is more.

3)With numerous novels and awards to your credit: What's been the secret to your continued success? 

Hard work and perseverance.  Never giving up and being true to myself.

4) What's your opinion on the new trends in the publishing industry? Is it all passing fancy or will the changes stick? 

Some of it will stick, some not.  Good writers who have their own stories to tell will stick.  Those who are trend followers will mostly disappear.  Ebooks are not going away.

5) If you had to start all over again, what would be the one bit of advice you'd want to take with you? 

Don’t give up.

6) What's up next? Any news you'd like to share?

AGAINST THE STORM is coming out October 25.  Trace Rawlins’ story.  It’s the fourth book in the Against Series that started with the Raines brothers, Against the Wind.  After that, Johnnie Riggs in AGAINST THE NIGHT, out end of Feb, and Jake Cantrell, AGAINST THE SUN, out the end of May.  So lots going on for me. 

What a fantastic line-up and a perfect example of a writing career done 'write'!! I'd like to thank Kat for the awesome advice and taking time out of her busy schedule to be here today! If you'd like to know more about Kat Martin, please check out her website: www.katmartin.com

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Best wishes for a stress-free week! Happy reading and writing!!

Hanging Out With KAT MARTIN!!

Hey, Hey, TLN'ers!!

It's a new day and a new month! Hope you're still on track with your goals for 2011. Here to help us keep our eye on the prize is the ever lovely KAT MARTIN!

What better way to keep the need to succeed fed than a heaping dose of advice from an awesome author like Kat?!

Sit back and kick your heels up. It's show time!!

HITTING THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST
By, Kat Martin

Twenty five years ago when I first started writing, my goal was to become a successful author. I wanted to be able to quit my real estate job and write full time. Fortunately, with my husband still working, I was able to make that happen fairly quickly.

Still, when I finally I sold my first book after months of trying and numerous rejections, I earned the whopping sum of four thousand dollars--not much money for a year and a half of working ten hours a day! But I never lost faith. I thought, “I can do this. I know I can.”

I think one of the toughest things about being an author is continuing to believe in yourself. Insecurities swamp you. Is this book any good? Is this book as good as the last one? Will my readers like it? Will the publisher renew my contract?

After twenty five years, those questions remain. It’s only sheer force of will that keeps a writer pounding the keyboard, sheer determination that keeps an author from quitting.

So when I hit the New York Times printed list (as opposed to the extended list, which I had been on a number of times), it was the kind of validation that keeps a writer going.

Someone must like these books, I thought. Ohmygod, it’s really selling! It was a thrill to get that phone call--a notification that usually comes late on a Wednesday night. That Wednesday, I didn’t get any call so I figured any chance I had was past.

Then early Thursday morning, my agent phoned. “AGAINST THE FIRE made the list! You’re on the New York Times!”


It’s a real moment for an author, the thrill of a lifetime. I had made the Times list last year for RULES BRIDE, one of my Victorian Historicals, but this was different.

My heart is in these books, AGAINST THE WIND, AGAINST THE FIRE, AGAINST THE LAW. Not only did I love the brothers, Jackson, Gabe, and Devlin, but I loved the ladies who snared these hunky men.

When I finished AGAINST THE LAW, I didn’t want to let go.

Couldn’t.

So I didn’t.

In Dev and Lark’s story, AGAINST THE LAW, three of Dev’s friends show up to help him rescue Lark’s missing four-year-old niece. Trace, Johnnie, and Jake were such amazing guys I knew I had to tell their stories.

Fortunately, Mira agreed, and in November, AGAINST THE STORM, Trace Rawlin’s story, is scheduled to hit the bookshelves.

I’m hoping by the time readers finish the Raines Brothers Trilogy, they’ll be wanting more of the yummy AGAINST men and their sexy ladies, and that they’ll be watching for AGAINST THE STORM.

Until then if you haven’t read AGAINST THE LAW, I hope you’ll look for it. And don’t forget AGAINST THE WIND and AGAINST THE FIRE, the first two books in the trilogy.

Until then, happy reading and all best wishes, Kat

Enter Kat's Contest
Join my mailing list
Visit my website
Read Excerpt for Against the Law
Become a Facebook fan of Kat Martin

Purchase Links
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Borders

Videos
Click Title to Play
Interview with Kat Martin
Against the Law
Against the Fire
Against the Wind
Raines of Wind Canyon

WOWZA! Hope you're feeling amped up and ready to conquer your quest, TLN'ers! I'd like to thank Kat for hanging out with us today. If you'd like to know more about Kat Martin and her books, please check out the links listed above.

Kat has generously offered the prize of a personally autographed copy of AGAINST THE WIND to one lucky commenter!! Ain't that the way to make a gal's day bright?!

THANK YOU, TLN'ers! Here's hoping your week is fabulous and full of productivity! I'm lining up some more authors for future interviews and blogs, so sit tight there's more to come!

Pursuing Publication With Kat Martin!!!

Happy Almost Christmas, TLN'ers!!

Of course, with today's Featured Author being THE Kat Martin . . . I'm incline to think Christmas has indeed come early!!

Every writer has a dream of being published and seeing their "baby" front and center when walking in the door of a brick and mortar bookshop. For some, the road is swift and sure. For others, the journey has as many potholes and detours the California Highway system.

A new year is upon us and what better time is there to start putting a writing career into perspective. I was thrilled to book Kat as the final guest for 2010, because I knew her advice would fortify the resolve of any writer--from novice to multi-pubbed.

Let's not dawdle! Get comfy and let's get down to the good stuff! (Prize Alert: Kat is graciously offering a Personally Autographed Book to ONE lucky commenter!!)

Take it away, Kat!


Pursuing Publication, by Kat Martin

I’m sure every author has an interesting tale of how he or she got published. Mine is sort of a merry-go-round story that began when I met my husband, Larry. He had written a Western saga and as we began to date, he asked if I wanted to read it. Being a major reader and beginning to fall in love, I said yes. I loved the book, which was extremely moving and very romantic. It was titled SHADOW OF THE MAST and the odd thing was, he couldn’t sell it.

Since I had read a lot of great books and loved this one, I couldn’t understand why not. (I still have no clue as to how New York publishers actually think.)
After a second reading, I realized there were a number of grammar and spelling errors (no spell-check back then). Since I was good at those things, I decided to help him polish the novel.

By the time I was finished, I was hooked on the idea of writing a book of my own. I chose a Western Romance because I had a western background. My great grandmother came West on a covered wagon; my grandmother was one of the original rodeo cowgirls. I was very familiar with the history of that era and so MAGNIFICENT PASSAGE was born. (I’m happy to say the book is being re-issued for the first time in July of next year.)

Once the book was finished, the journey to publication began. When my hubby puts his mind to something, he’s extremely focused, so he did his do-diligence and researched, by reading the voluminous Literary Marketplace and looking at books on the shelf, to find out who was publishing what.

At the same time, we were attending conferences, going to writing class--a two-hour drive to L.A., and trying to find an agent.

At a conference in Fresno, California, we met a woman who had agreed to read sixty pages of any attendee’s manuscript. We both sent our pages. And the agent took both of us on as clients.

Unfortunately, those manuscripts were both summarily rejected by every publisher in NYC--except, in my case, for the very last place the manuscript was sent. That company bought MAGNIFICENT PASSAGE and made it the lead title for Pageant’s new romance line!

It was a great start for me. During that time, Larry’s manuscript, his second novel, was sitting in the slush pile at Kensington where it had been for nearly a year. It was picked up, read, and purchased. After all the waiting, we were published six weeks apart, which meant we could travel and promote our books together.

Unfortunately for me, the saga continued. My first publisher closed its doors after two of my books were printed and I was out on the street again. Again, I was rejected everywhere.

Totally distraught, at the last possible moment, Berkely picked up the book, CAPTAIN’S BRIDE, and again, I was chosen as a lead title. Even then, it was no easy road. I’ve worked for nearly all the major houses. Some were a real pleasure, others not so much.

Currently, I’m writing for Mira Books. They’re publishing my new contemporary romantic suspense novels, the Raines Brothers Trilogy, AGAINST THE WIND, AGAINST THE FIRE, AGAINST THE LAW. The company held them back so they could publish them close together, which readers seem to like. They’re being released end of December, end of January, end of February.

I’m really excited about the book and hoping readers will like Jackson, Gabriel and Devlin as much as I do. Hope you will watch for them. Till then, all best wishes and happy reading, Kat


Here's hoping inspiration has come knocking on your door! 2011 is almost here and with Kat's wonderful story of perseverance under our wings, I know we're all headed for a year full of success! I'd like to thank Kat for her time and generosity. If you'd like to know more about Kat Martin and her novels, please scope out her website: http://www.katbooks.com

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! It's been a fun and crazy year. I'm 10 days away from my due date and ready to start 2011 with a bang! Hope to see you all back at TLN after the holidays. Live, love, and eat merrily!! ((Hugs!)) Sarah ps-I'll be posting pics of the baby when she arrives. :)