Bestselling Advice from Suzanne Brockmann
What’s Jack up to? You all know it’s never a dull moment with Jack the terrible terrier. As I type this he’s looking at me with sad puppy dog eyes sitting on his bed on a Jack time out after having gotten into the trash. So you know I’m not thrilled with him after having to clean up a big old mess. Oh well, so starts the week.
This week and the next I will be in crazy editing mode and hopefully have my nose to the grindstone as I have lots of work to do and not a lot of time to do it. Wish me luck and say a prayer that the family cooperates.
On Saturday I went into the NYC for my RWA chapter’s Spring brunch. This year we had a guest speaker attend which is something we have not done in the past and boy did we get some speaker for out intimate little brunch. New York Times Bestselling Romantic Suspense Author Suzanne Brockmann. I know right?
Let me tell you we had quite a turn out at this year’s luncheon with Suzanne there. As it happens Suzanne is in New York directing an off Broadway play until May 22ndcalled Looking for Billy Haines. You can find out info at www.lookingforbillyhaines.com So on top of being bestselling author she can now add director to her resume. Cool huh?
My notes were a little whacky as Suzanne talked while lunch was being served. Literally. She was so sweet. The waiters were coming in with the food trying to figure who had what and she didn’t mind she was like, “Who had the quiche? Salad? Pot Pie?” All with a smile.
She told us her journey from being a stay at home mother is 1992 and how she started out writing screenplays and moved from there to contemporary romance.
She also talked about Role Modeling after bestsellers careers during that time and the fact that category romance is a great place to start out for a 1st time romance author. It’s where she got her start. And guess what? Bantam has reissued all her category romances.
Suzanne also said how in the category years she used to write 6-7 books a year. Yeah, that’s right I said it 6-7 and she set out to make them the best book ever. Keepers that people did not want to give up. There is something to aspire to.
There was also talk about the importance of one on one connections with people when the question of social media came up. And how important is to say thank you when someone reaches out to you to gives feedback on your work. Good or bad. She’s a good egg.
Then we got into the process question and my mind was blown. Now you Brockmann fans know she writes intricate plots and ongoing series with twists and turns. Well she does big honking 80 page outlines. You should have heard the gasp of air suckage around the room. Me the pantser almost fell off my chair.
But to soften the blow she also believes in the crappy first draft and that big outline is taking into consideration up to 3 books out. Whew.
Also for you writers out there, when she’s in story mode she is writing 7 days a week. No breaks. She said that if she takes a day off it will take her 3 days to get back into the story. I can so relate to that. No more breaks for me. One day turns to too many and nothing gets done.
There were so nuggets of gold in Suzanne’s talk and Q & A that I can’t get it all in. The last thing I’ll leave you with is she told us to respect yourself as a writer whether you’re published or not. I believe that is true for whatever dream you are pursuing. Respect yourself and believe in yourself.
Thanks so much Suzanne for a wonderful afternoon.
You can visit Suzanne at her site http://www.suzannebrockmann.com
Now back to the grind for me.
Best,
Kwana
Studly
Thanks for all the comments yesterday on what good books you all are warming up with. Some really good ones there. Adding to the TBR pile.
Today I wanted to share with you one of most fun book trailers EV-AH by super talented writer, Tessa Dare. Her book Goddess of the Hunt was one of my favorites last year. Now watch and Enjoy.
You can find Tessa over at on her site Tessadare.com here. Go and tell her what you think and pick up a book.
Now tell me what do you think of book trailers? This one is fab, yes?
Best,
Kwana
Guest Blogger Alert: Author Amanda McCabe Muses on Mayfair
What’s Jack up to? Jack is happy to today because there is a guest blogger (with a nice giveaway) on ye’ old blog. Yay! And how can Jack not be thrilled? Look at the company Amanda McCabe keeps. Here she is with her pug Victoria and checkout sweet Abigail in her Halloween costume.
Yep, Jack in not alone in having an, um… interesting owner. Now here’s Amanda!
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to be back at Kwana’s blog today, and excited to be talking about my “Muses of Mayfair” trilogy from Harlequin Historicals. These books, To Catch a Rogue, To Deceive a Duke, and To Kiss a Count (plus the prequel, a Harlequin Historical Undone short story, where a real Greek Muse comes to wreak havoc on Regency London!) are out in April, May, and June. They’re very special to me since I got to re-visit two childhood dreams—to have sisters and to become an archaeologist! Neither came true alas, but that’s what writing is for…
I became fascinated by archaeology when I was kid and found a beautiful book my parents owned about famous archaeological sites around the world. There were gorgeous photos and detailed articles about the sites’ discovery and exploration. I spent hours poring over this book! But then I tore up the newly-planted grass in our backyard to search for Viking treasure (with assistance from our German shepherd, who was very enthusiastic about this kind of research!). My dad was not happy, and my fledgling career as the new Howard Carter was nipped in the bud. But I never lost my love of history and a good tale of adventure and discovery, and I was able to use this with the Muses.
The Chase sisters are a product of the Regency-era love of the classical world and infatuation with its artwork. Their father, Sir Walter Chase, is a famous scholar and antiquarian who named his daughters after the Muses. Now the 3 eldest—Calliope, Clio, and Thalia—follow in his footsteps as scholars in their own rights. They form the Ladies Artistic Society to further their studies—but their bookish lives are overturned by the unexpected arrival of 3 sexy, dangerous heroes!
I had so much fun creating 3 very different heroines and finding the perfect men for them, as well as exploring their sisterly connections. I also loved putting them 3 different settings and plotting the mysteries surrounding ancient objects. Calliope and Cameron in To Catch a Rogue are in glittering London and Gothic Yorkshire, chasing after a statue of the goddess Artemis (based on one I saw in the Louvre!). When I wrote To Deceive a Dukeit was the middle of winter and I wanted some warm sun, so Clio and the Duke of Averton get sent to Sicily to protect a precious hoard of temple altar silver (based on the famous “Morgantina silver” in the Met). I loved finding out what was really going on between these two! And Thalia and Marco in To Kiss a Countgo to Bath, also chasing after the silver and the villainess who has stolen it—or has she? The genteel Bath façade of tea and assemblies conceals danger and skullduggery galore! (Plus I do have a weakness for Italian men like Marco…)
So I had a fabulous time re-visiting my childhood passions and playing “Regency Indiana Jones” with the Chase Muses! What did you love as a child? And what are some of your favorite archaeological sites or art objects? I’ll give away a complete trilogy to one commenter…
“Great conversations, an engaging plot with lots of complications, and realistic, charming characters make To Catch a Rogue and Amanda McCabe a winner” –Cataromance
“Amanda McCabe has crafted a spell-binding, sensuous read grounded in Greek mythology. Filled with muses, romance, intrigue, and mystery, this thrill-of-the-hunt Regency historical evokes visions of Aphrodite and Apollo amongst the ton setting. Like any great read, I was sad for it to end!” –The Season
Amanda can be found at her website at: http://ammandamccabe.com/
or on her blog at: http://amandamccabe.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for being here Amanda! It was a pleasure having you guest post today.
Now, comment away people. Winner will be announced on Wednesday’s post.
Best,
Kwana
Going Uptown & a giveaway!
Happy me, I have an author interview today on ye old blog and it’s one that’s close to my heart since it speaks to my Harlem roots.
I’m proud to welcome The New York Times Bestselling collaborative writing team of Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant here at Kwana Writes today to speak about their newest release UPTOWN. Whee!!! Insert bells, horns, whistles and marching band here.
First off a little blurb about UPTOWN:
A story as big as New York City itself. Enter the world of Uptown where you’ll find a prominent New York family strained to the breaking point by the high stakes Manhattan Real Estate Industry…….
After twenty years of Foreign Service abroad, Avery Lyons returns to New York when her mother and uncle suffer a serious car accident. The tragedy brings the family together, but Avery is not happy about reuniting with her cousin, Dwight, from whom she has been estranged since the fallout over a college scandal. Avery no longer recognizes the tony, prestigious neighborhood of her childhood but the same old family dynamics and secrets are all too familiar. ….
Heir to a real estate empire, Dwight is willing to do anything to realize his aging and demanding father’s dream: Dixon Plaza, a luxury high-rise development on Central Park North, the last undeveloped border of the city’s famed emerald park. There’s only one thing in his way: Avery has inherited a share of the property Dwight needs. She’s more than willing to sell until she starts dating a reporter on a mission to uncover the truth behind the rumored shady dealings surrounding the complex. ….
Are you intrigued? Are you in? Trust me the read is even better…
Now to Virginia and Donna… Thanks so much for being here.
What drew you to Harlem for the setting of UPTOWN?
Situated at the top of Manhattan, Harlem has been an iconic community and a cultural Mecca since the turn of the 20th century. We both also have connections to Harlem. Donna’s Mom was raised on 143rd Street. Even though the family had moved to Brooklyn by the time she was born, Donna remembers trips to Miss Helen’s beauty shop on 7th Avenue (now Adam Clayton Powell Blvd) and her own forays to the Apollo, Sylvia’s and other spots during her college years.
In the early 80’s Virginia’s first NYC apartment was on 110th Street (now Central Park North) in one of the buildings “owned” by Uptown’s, The Dixon Group. We first get to know apartment 5D, and it’s glorious views of Central Park, in our book Better Than I Know Myself (where we gave Regina, Jewell and Carmen’s Virginia’s old apartment). So, when we decided to explore real estate development and gentrification, we realized we had already set the stage.
What is it about now that makes this the right time for this book? (As a New Yorker I think I know the answer to this one)
Real estate was the gold rush of the 2000’s. In so many parts of the country people were buying and flipping houses and apartments like they were pancakes, and luxury developments sprung up in neighborhoods that had never been in play. Harlem was one of those places where new development bumped up against a community with an established history and culture. The conflict allows us to pose questions about the rights of people who have enough money to pay for whatever they want, vs the rights of those who have a history in a particular area.
You have written such strong characters in UPTOWN. Can you talk a little about your character inspirations specifically for Avery, Dwight and the Larger than life, King?
Avery Lyons, like so many of us, carries a burden of hurt, anger and resentment for actions that have taken place in her past. And like many of us, she doesn’t realize how those feelings continue to impact her life. We wanted to force her into a corner, where she’d have no choice but to deal with them and see what happens.
Dwight Dixon, and his father, the overbearing and ornery King Dixon were characters from Better Than I Know Myself who caused “strong” reader reaction. They had one of the classic, co-dependent, love-hate, father-son relationships and we really get to explore that dynamic in Uptown. King started buying properties that no one else wanted in Harlem decades ago and has amassed a sizeable fortune as a result. King’s out-sized personality casts a giant shadow—one Dwight is tired of living in and he’s determined to create his own spotlight.
How about some fun? If you could give UPTOWN a theme song what would it be? I’ll start, for some reason A Family Affair kept running though my mind. What about you both?
Let’s hear it for Sly Stone! We love that choice–Donna’s first concert adventure, when she was 14 was Sly & the Family Stone at Madison Square Garden, and Virginia first saw them at a “joint” in Buffalo called the Pine Grill for a cover charge that was about $3.00!! But that’s a whole ‘nuther story.
First things that come to mind are Stevie Wonder’s Livin’ For the City, and Bill Withers Harlem–both very old school, but there’s a lot about the vibe that’s old school. And then we’ve got a remix–Take Grandmaster Flash’s The Message–“A huh huh, It makes me wonder sometimes, how I keep from going under.” Add a sample from The Jeffersons, Moving on Up, “Finally got a piece of the pie,” and add a new spin that looks at the world in 2010. Clearly, we have moved into some kind of hallucination here, but it’s interesting that people have associated Uptown with music. We have a friend, Valarie Adams, who is a singer/song writer. She has written an Uptown theme song–we hope to get it posted online shortly. Maybe that means there’s supposed to be a soundtrack. We like that idea since we now have a production company and are working to produce Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made–The Movie, so soundtracks are definitely part of the equation (Regina King is already attached. We’d love to keep your readers posted. They can join our mailing list on the website, http://deberryandgrant.com/DGContact.html, or keep up with us onFacebook.com/deberryandgrant and twitter.com/deberryandgrant for news. . .)
Now for a little writerly/publishing talk. As a writing team I’m curious as to how you both make it work. I know I for one can reconcile things with myself (I know, issues) let alone another person. Does being best friends help? Ever put a strain on things?
Our friendship, which started while we were competition–during our time as plus size models at the same agency–has never been in question. If we never worked together, we would be friends who are more like sisters. Our working partnership has only enhanced our friendship. It means that whatever situation we are in, there is always one person in the room you trust without question. It also means that we can say whatever needs to be said to each other, knowing it comes from a place of love. As writing partners, we leave our egos at the door. What we strive to create is a single voice that combines our separate voices. That voice is The Author of our work and it’s vital that no one can tell what either of us has written–we can’t tell either. For as much as we are alike, we are very different, and we allow each of us to be ourselves. In fact, the differences keep our writing fresh. And did we say, we still have fun doing what we do? It’s the best scam–getting to work and travel with your best friend and still be able to call it work. Shhhh, don’t tell anybody.
Ok I won’t. LOL. Now where do you see multi-cultural fiction heading in the future? Forward, backwards, stuck in neutral?
What we need, and currently find a struggle to realize, is the freedom to be individuals. We seem to be considered as a monolith–as though we speak with one voice and therefore there is only the need to tell one story. There is no single story of African Americans, as there is no single story for any group of people. But whether we write mystery, romance, thrillers, urban, historicals, erotica or contemporary fiction, we all fall in the same category, “African American Lit,” which describes our ethnicity, not the content of our writing. Our work is labeled, categorized and handicapped, before it’s out of the gate, before it reaches the bookstore shelf or online link. What the two of us write is women’s fiction with Af-Am characters–stories of struggle and triumph, loss, coping, love, life, and learning, but many readers who might enjoy our work because the theme might be relevant to their lives (like What Doesn’t Kill You, our last book about a woman who loses her job after 25 yrs), don’t ever see it because it’s in “that” section. We wrote a blog about this subject a few years ago and repost it every year–because, sadly, it’s still relevant. (Nov 20 entry-Writing White. http://bit.ly/3isaSI) . There’s been a lot of conversation in online lit communities about diversity and multiculturalism—and we’ll have to see where it goes—if there are actual changes that take place. But as long as books like The Help and Little Bee, written about black folks, by non-black folks and time capsule novels about African Americans from slavery to pre-civil rights, stories that focus on our strife, struggle and resulting pathology are allowed the spotlight, while wonderful works of fiction about our contemporary lives—black folks, dealing with the challenges and issues inherent in today’s American experience, languish, unnoticed; when writers like Celeste Ng, find themselves forever compared to Amy Tan, http://huff.to/8bN9V2, a resolution to the multi-cultural lit issue will remain elusive. Chimamande Adichie said it wonderfully in her speech, The Danger of a Single Story,http://blog.ted.com/2009/10/the_danger_of_a.php , at a recent TED conference.
Finally, what can we look for next from you two?
We have worked out the plot for our next book, which again seeks to pair a currently hot topic with a personal story, and look forward to getting back to the writing cave to work with it. We also continue to work on our production of Tryin’ to Sleep in the Bed You Made, and support the producer who seeks to bring Far From the Tree to the screen.
Virginia & Donna
I have to say once again how honored I am to have had Virginia and Donna on the blog today. I’m so happy to have met them through the online community.And YAY, Virginia and Donna have agreed to host a giveaway today. One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of uptown. So comment away we’d love to know your thoughts on today’s post. Winner will be picked by midnight on Wednesday.
You can find Virginia and Donna at all these cool places. Go and say hi:
Website: http://deberryandgrant.com
Blog: http://twomindsfull.blogspot.com
http://Facebook.com/deberryandgrant
http://Twitter.com/deberryandgrantBest,
Kwana
