Welcome back, TLN'ers!! Hope the weekend didn't roast you too bad. It sure is summer time and if you're in the need of a little pick-me-up, I've got just the gal to make your day bright!
Elisabeth Naughton was sweet enough to come on back to the TLN Hot Seat and this time she's giving us the gospel on staying focused and poised for success!
Crank up the A/C and snag a big ole glass of something cool. We're getting down to the good stuff!
Take it away, Elisabeth!
Thanks so much to Sarah for inviting me back to the Lovestruck Novice! Friday night I spoke at a book club meeting about my May 2010 release, MARKED, the first in my new Eternal Guardians series. Someone said to me after the meeting how amazing it is that next week, my 5th published novel, ENTWINED – book two in the Eternal Guardians series – hits store shelves. “Five books in a year and a half. How do you do it?” this woman asked.
I get asked all the time if I write like a wild woman. I must, right? The truth is I don’t. I’m actually a procrastinator and tend to skate through the early months of my deadlines then crunch at the end (ah, reminds me of college). I definitely wouldn’t recommend this writing schedule to anyone (it makes for some very stressful weeks near the end) but it works for me and I’ve learned over the years that I’m the type of writer who works well under pressure. However, one of the best things I did for myself before I was published was I forced myself to write to a deadline, and I finished books and moved on to new ones.
When you’re not under contract to finish a book, it can be really hard to sit down every day and write when there are other, more enticing things to do. Summer’s especially hard because kids are home, the sun is out and who doesn’t want to be outside when it’s nice? If you’re a writer who is committed to selling, however, I would advise you to find a balance. Don’t give up on your writing. Stick with it even when the weather is nice. Write every day (or every other day). Find time to work in a scene here and there. Stay fresh, keep writing, and when you finish a book, move on to another one.
Not only is this good training for the day you get “the call” but it also makes sense in the long run. Before I was published, I wrote mostly at night after my kids were in bed (still do a lot of the time). In the five years I wrote before I sold, I finished six manuscripts. Manuscript five (which became STOLEN FURY) is the book that landed me both my agent and my first publishing contract. Manuscript six (which became STOLEN HEAT) was accepted as the second book in that first contract. The day I got “the call”, I was also ¾ of the way through an entirely new book—which readers now know as MARKED—and decided to finish that before diving into the third book in my first publishing contract (book three in my stolen series – STOLEN SEDUCTION). So of the five books I now have on the shelf (as of next week!!), 2 ¾ were done before I sold a single thing.
This isn’t the norm. I realize that. Many times writers have prewritten manuscripts that don’t fit with their new writing style or series ideas that can’t or won’t be accepted as part of your first contract. But every book you write makes you a better writer, and continuing on from one manuscript to the next, in my opinion, isn’t just good practice, its good business. Write manuscripts that can stand on their own or be easily linked to other manuscripts you’ve already written. Take a break and write something new and different and see where it takes you. Whatever you do, just write. The only way you’ll ever reach your goal is to start thinking like a published author so that the day “the call” happens, you’re already ahead of the curve.
In honor of the release of ENTWINED, I’ve got a copy of the book to give away to one lucky commenter! Simply tell me what your writing schedule is like and what your plan is to keep moving forward.
And for those of you interested in ENTWINED, here’s a short blurb about book two in the Eternal Guardians Series, which is available everywhere on July 27, 2010:
ZANDER — The most feared of all the Eternal Guardians. It’s rumored he can’t be killed, and he always fights like he has nothing to lose. But as a descendant of the famed hero Achilles, he’s got to have a vulnerability… somewhere.
Forces of daemons are gathering and have broken through the barriers of the Underworld. Now more than ever the Eternal Guardians are needed to protect both their own realm and the humans’. Zander can’t afford to think about what might have been with the bewitching physician he once regarded as his soul mate. But with eternity stretching before him, he also can’t fathom spending his life without the one woman who makes him feel most alive. Perhaps he’s found his weakness, after all…
***
A previous junior-high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full time from her home in western Oregon where she lives with her husband and three children. Her debut release, Stolen Fury, heralded by Publisher’s Weekly as “A rock-solid debut,” was recently nominated for two prestigious RITA® awards by Romance Writers of America in the Best First Book category and the Best Romantic Suspense category. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ball park or dreaming up new and exciting adventures. Visit her website at http://www.elisabethnaughton.com/.You feeling geared up to go forth and achieve your dreams? Boy, oh, boy, I sure am! And how about those covers? Ain't they the smokin'?! Wowza! The Cover Gods sure shined the light down upon her, huh? *wink wink* I'd like to thank Elisabeth for taking the time to swing by and hang out with us today. I wish her tons of success and sales with her current release and many happy more! Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered to win!
THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Here's a ditty straight from Elisabeth's play list, so please enjoy the super sexy BILLY CURRINGTON and MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT! Catch ya back on Wednesday!
Welcome back, TLN'ers!
If you're longing for the weekend's return, relax, my friend! I've got just the remedy for the 'Moanday-I don't-want-to's'! How about a new author to add to your romance menu?!
Meet the very lovely and very talentedElisabeth Naughton!
Quite by chance I won Elisabeth's STOLEN FURY and instantly became addicted to her fresh and vibrant voice. The cover quote on STOLEN likened the windswept romance to Indiana Jones and Romancing The Stone. Well, let me tell you, Ms. Naughton delivered full force! I adored the book and know you'll fall just as fast as I did.
No time like the present to meet a DOUBLE RITA FINALIST! Yep, you read it right! STOLEN FURY has been nominated for a RITA in both the Romance Suspense Category AND Best First Book Category!
What a way to start the day!! So, sit on back, relax, and get ready to be amazed! . . . psst! Prize alert!
Thanks so much to Sarah for inviting me here today!
I often get asked how the heck I’m able to write so fast. I had two books release in 2009, will have three more out in 2010, and another three in 2011. For a relatively new author, this seems like a lot of books in a short amount of time. And it is. I’m lucky that my publishers likes my work so much they juggle the schedule so my releases are coming no more than six months apart. But…here’s a little secret I’m going to let you in on…I’m not writing six gazillion books a year like it seems.
I was very lucky when I sold my first series—the Stolen Series—that I already had the first two books in that trilogy completed and was in the process of wrapping up the first book in my upcoming Eternal Guardians series as well (which launches with MARKED, April 27, 2010). That left only one I had to write on deadline for my first contract, and one more in my second contract. I remember my agent telling me, “Enjoy this, because it’s the ONLY time in your career you aren’t going to be stressing over a deadline.” Being a newly sold author, I nodded my head, said, “Uh huh,” then promptly ignored her. But I shouldn’t have. Because she was right. Had I been smart, I’d have been writing the next book instead of lollygagging on the internet and emailing everyone I knew. If I’d done that, my life would be easier now.
That’s not to say I’m not thrilled to be on deadline. I struggled for several years to sell, so I’m very thankful that I have a book to write and that someone’s waiting in the wings for me to finish. But writing is hard work, and when you have kids and a husband around, a five year old who isn’t in kindergarten yet and sports activities to run to every afternoon and weekend, it makes finding time to write that much harder.
Often times aspiring writers will toil over one manuscript for years, polishing it to death, rewriting it every time they get contest or agent feedback that makes them look at the project in a new light. And then there’s the whole fear factor—will I sell? Am I wasting my time? Is this idea good enough to carry two or three books? My advice to aspiring writers is this: Write. When you finish a project, move on to another one. You get better with every book you write. If you’re close to selling and you’re waiting for news on subs from publishers, don’t let it stifle you. Keep writing. There’s so much in this business that will eat up your time after you sell—promo and contracts and page proofs and the post office (I swear I need to just pitch a tent there!). Don’t waste your time now, when all you have to do is write. Write the best book you possibly can, then turn around and do it again with new characters and a new plot and a new setting…only better.
Okay, now to the fun stuff…
Sarah asked me to answer these two questions. Honestly, since this is about blurbs and I loathe blurbs, I’d really rather pull my eyelashes out one by one. But BECAUSE Sarah is so sweet, I want you all to know I suffered my way through this. So here you go…
1) If you were a book, what would your blurb be?
Unorganized procrastinator, author Elisabeth Naughton is on a mission to save the world from a lack of romance. Determined to bring her fast-paced, fresh take on romantic suspense and paranormals to the light of avid readers, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to reach the happy ending—and meet her deadline. But when three Gremlins of various ages and a black-spotted canine decide her laptop is the bane of their existence, Elisabeth is on a race against time to type ‘The End’. If she’s not careful, she’ll have to pull an all-nighter (or several), which will likely lead to certain doom for her Gremlins. Because they don’t realize how lucky they have it. And for some strange reason, they keep forgetting just what she’s really like when she’s super stressed…
And
2) Using three words, describe your voice.
Snarky. Smart. Fresh.
It was super fun to be here with you today! As a treat, I have an ARC of MARKED to give away to one lucky commenter. Simply tell me…what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten—writing related or not. (I should really make you all answer #1 yourselves! Now that would be an exercise in writing.)
And don’t forget to check out MARKED, the first book in my new Eternal Guardians series, which hits store shelves Tuesday, April 27, 2010. It’s chock full of suspense and mystery, snarky gods, a hot hero, a sassy heroine and a centuries-old prophecy that might just bring about the end of the world. Oh yeah, and there’s a steaming hot romance running through the entire thing. To learn more about me, MARKED and all my other books, visit my website at www.elisabethnaughton.com .
Oh-Da-Lolly! Talk about a breath of inspiration! I'd like to extend a VERY big thank you to ELisabeth for kicking it with us today. Here's wishing her tons of success with MARKED's release! I know I'll be standing in line to grab my copy and I hope you will be too! :)
THANK YOU, TLN'ers! I'm sending you positive thoughts for a rewarding and productive week. To get you feeling right, I've got a track straight from Elisabeth's playlist. Here's the hottie-with-a-naughty-body, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and SEXY BACK!! Remember, when faced with a Moanday, louder is always better!
Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win an ARC of MARKED!! Good luck to all!! I'll announce the winner Tuesday!
Thanks so much to Sarah for inviting me back to the Lovestruck Novice! Friday night I spoke at a book club meeting about my May 2010 release, MARKED, the first in my new Eternal Guardians series. Someone said to me after the meeting how amazing it is that next week, my 5th published novel, ENTWINED – book two in the Eternal Guardians series – hits store shelves. “Five books in a year and a half. How do you do it?” this woman asked.
Not only is this good training for the day you get “the call” but it also makes sense in the long run. Before I was published, I wrote mostly at night after my kids were in bed (still do a lot of the time). In the five years I wrote before I sold, I finished six manuscripts. Manuscript five (which became STOLEN FURY) is the book that landed me both my agent and my first publishing contract. Manuscript six (which became STOLEN HEAT) was accepted as the second book in that first contract. The day I got “the call”, I was also ¾ of the way through an entirely new book—which readers now know as MARKED—and decided to finish that before diving into the third book in my first publishing contract (book three in my stolen series – STOLEN SEDUCTION). So of the five books I now have on the shelf (as of next week!!), 2 ¾ were done before I sold a single thing.
