Rita's World

Skyscraper by Demi Lovato

2012-01-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

I've listened to this song about a hundred times this last week. In May, I'll be dancing to this song for recital...along with one of my daughters and several other grade-school-age girls.

When I started listening, it was just a song I needed to learn, but after I've listened to these words again and again, they've taken on a much deeper meaning to me.

Any kind of artist must be willing to bear their souls...like a skyscraper ravaged by the winds, its windows torn out. You have to let go of people's opinions and be willing to pour your heart out.

No matter how the world and life and the struggle to become a successful writer tears me apart, I will not falter. I will rise up. I will keep writing and bearing my soul.

I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do, and when you've listened to it one time, listen just once more.

Congratulations to 24 winners!

2012-01-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Robot Playground Inc is happy to announce the winners to the Transcendent Giveaway.

Kidlets #1 & #2 & #3 picked out the winning numbers, and whenever I told them the names of their picks, they got all excited. I heard a lot of "That's the best name!"

You all made three little girls very happy for an hour.

Candie L. won the Grand Prize Paranormal Survival Package:

the movie Beastly in DVD or Blu-Ray (winner's choice)
candy & popcorn (can't watch a movie without snacks)
paperback copy of Transcendent
eBook copy of Tears

Ashley Lavering won the second prize: paperback Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal

Szabina won the third prize: paperback Tears by Rita J Webb

Trasina won the fourth prize: paperback anthology Unlocked: Ten "Key" Tales edited by Wendy Swore and Rita J Webb

Kelly won the fifth prize: eBook Intrinsical by Lani Woodland

Gwen won the sixth prize: eBook When Kyle Comes Back by Melanie Marks

Jennifer K Clark won the seventh prize: eBook Possession by Elana Johnson

Maegan Morin won the eighth prize: eBook Sapphire Flute and eBook The Armor of Light by Karen E Hoover

Kristin Feliz won the ninth prize: eBook The Misadventures of a Teenage Wizard: Two Souls are Better Than One by Karen E Hoover

Donna K Weaver won the tenth prize: eBook Blank Slate by Heather Justesen

Jaclyn won the eleventh prize: eBook Bound by C. K. Bryant

Teressa Oliver won the twelfth prize: eBook Season of Sacrifice by Tristi Pinkston

Gena Robertson won the thirteenth prize: paperback Watched by Cindy M Hogan

Christine Jensen won the fourteenth prize: eBook Watched by Cindy M Hogan

Heidi Noel won the fifteenth prize: eBook Wings of Light by Laura Bingham

Desi won the sixteenth prize: paperback The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley

Melissa Haggerty won the seventeenth prize: eBook The Wild Queen by Cheri Chesley

Lucia won the eighteenth prize: eBook Exiled by Rachelle Workman

Dacie won the nineteenth prize: eBook Become by Ali Cross

Francesca won the twentieth prize: ANOTHER eBook copy of Become by Ali Cross

Reagan Walsh won the twenty-first prize: eBook copy of Totally Cliché by Kasey Tross, Debra Erfert, Cathy Witbeck, & More

Eileen won the twenty-second prize: eBook copy of Four Houses by Tori Scott

Lisa won the twenty-third prize: eBook copy of Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller

Aanchal won the twenty-fourth prize: eBook copy of Vampire Rules by K.C. Blake

Transcendent Giveaway

2011-12-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

*drumroll* *trumpet fanfare* *shouts from a cheering crowd*

Robot Playground Inc is happy to announce the Great and Marvelous Transcendent Giveaway

Post your name and email address
format: name[at]wherever[dot]com

To be eligible, sing Jingle Bells backwards. Okay, we won't require that, but it sure would be fun to try. Don't you think? Just one little try? I dare you to make a you-tube video of it. Tell me about it, and I'll post the best rendition here on Rita's World

Deadline: midnight EST January 15, 2012

Drawing will be held the following week. Winners will be announced by January 22, 2012.

Each winner will receive one of the many prizes listed below.

For other chances to win prizes, visit the blog Goddess of the Corn or the Unlocking Books Discussion Group

No Purchase Necessary. But purchases of Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal (eBook on Kindle & Nook is only 99c) and HONEST reviews and postings on Facebook & Twitter will be appreciated. Karma, luck, and blessings will follow you wherever you go...along with little blue birds who sing your praises. And furry woodland creatures will love you.

Purchase Information:
Paperback on Amazon: Purchase Now for $10.99!
Paperback on Barnes and Noble: Coming Soon for $10.99!
eBook on Kindle: Purchase today for 99c!
eBook on Nook: Purchase today for 99c!

Follow us:
Goodreads
Facebook
Book Club Discussion

Prizes:
Grand Prize Paranormal Survival Package:

the movie Beastly in DVD or Blu-Ray (winner's choice)
candy & popcorn (can't watch a movie without snacks)
paperback copy of Transcendent
eBook copy of Tears

OKAY, so that is the grand prize; now on to the rest of the prizes. And more prizes will be added before the giveaway is over.

Second Prize: paperback Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal

Third Prize: paperback Tears by Rita J Webb

Fourth Prize: paperback anthology Unlocked: Ten "Key" Tales edited by Wendy Swore and Rita J Webb

Fifth Prize: eBook Intrinsical by Lani Woodland

Sixth Prize: eBook When Kyle Comes Back by Melanie Marks

Seventh Prize: eBook Possession by Elana Johnson

Eighth Prize: eBook Sapphire Flute and eBook The Armor of Light by Karen E Hoover

Ninth Prize: eBook The Misadventures of a Teenage Wizard: Two Souls are Better Than One by Karen E Hoover

Tenth Prize: eBook Blank Slate by Heather Justesen

Eleventh Prize: eBook Bound by C. K. Bryant

Twelfth Prize: eBook Season of Sacrifice by Tristi Pinkston

Thirteenth Prize: paperback Watched by Cindy M Hogan

Fourteenth Prize: eBook Watched by Cindy M Hogan

Fifteenth Prize: eBook Wings of Light by Laura Bingham

Sixteenth Prize: paperback The Peasant Queen by Cheri Chesley

Seventeenth Prize: eBook The Wild Queen by Cheri Chesley

Eighteenth Prize: eBook Exiled by Rachelle Workman

Nineteenth Prize: eBook Become by Ali Cross

Twentieth Prize: ANOTHER eBook copy of Become by Ali Cross

Twenty-first Prize: eBook copy of Totally Cliché by Kasey Tross, Debra Erfert, Cathy Witbeck, & More

Twenty-second Prize: eBook copy of Four Houses by Tori Scott

Twenty-third Prize: eBook copy of Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller

Twenty-fourth Prize: eBook copy of Vampire Rules by K.C. Blake

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal

2011-12-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories.

Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you.

Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction.

Purchase Information:
Paperback on Amazon: Coming Soon for $10.99!
Paperback on Barnes and Noble: Coming Soon!
eBook on Kindle: Purchase today for $0.99!
eBook on Nook: Coming Soon!

Contact Information:
Goodreads
Facebook
Book Club Discussion

Meet the writers:

Phobias

2011-12-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Reading Magic on the Storm by Devon Monk this weekend, I came across this passage about an elevator ride:

He opened his mouth, thought better of it, and instead stood there and whistled.

Whistled. Using up all the air in the tiny, tiny room, filling it up with sound so that there wasn't even room for me to hear my own thoughts. There wasn't enough room for me to breathe. I closed my eyes and tried to picture open fields, blue skies, oceans, deserts. Big horizons, big space, big air.

Character flaws and phobias add color to a story. That elevator ride would have been boring otherwise. Drab walls, whirring noises, an annoying friend whistling.

I have a flaw too. I'm terrified of heights, and I have no idea why I feel this way. In high school, I couldn't get any higher than the second bleacher. Rock climbing with my fiance (now husband) at a rock wall studio, I could only climb two-thirds up the wall before I froze. Clinging desperately to the wall, I couldn't repel down until I had slowly crept down to the halfway point.

Working in a downtown 100 story building in Cincinnati, I had to take the elevator to the 70th floor. But I couldn't go past the 65th in the elevator. Even without seeing out the windows, I felt too high. I'd get off on the 65th and walk the rest of the way. Crazy, huh?

Hiking with my husband in Red River Gorge in Kentucky, I loved the mountaintops.

But I couldn't get within 6 feet of the edge. Even being that close, I had to sit down. If no one was watching, I'd have been lying on my belly.

Look over the edge? No way.

Worst was some indoor hocky stadium. No problems climbing up the steep stairs. No problems sitting at the top of the concrete tiers. But when I had to walk down, the world tilted at odd angles. I almost scooted down on my butt.

Except then I would have been trampled by the exiting throngs.

What about you? What are your fears? What are your characters' fears?

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal

2011-11-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal by Lani Woodland

This is a great collection of short stories by many great YA writers, including Lani Woodland, Melanie Marks, Wendy Swore, and...well, me! I am so excited about the pending release of this project. Stay tuned, and I'll give a release date in the next week or two.

One of my stories is co-authored with Wendy Swore. It was a lot of fun writing with her. She has a great style that meshes well with my own. So be sure to read about the boy struck by lightning in the story Strike.

The other story I have in this collection is called Feather. Here's one of my favorite passages from my story:

A rustle of wings and a hawk feather drifts down to me. Snatching it from the air, I look up into the trees, but nothing’s there. So I tuck the feather into my hair.

“What are you doing?”

My stomach leaps into my throat, and I jump up, stumbling backward, and fall on my butt in the middle of the path. In the tree above me, a teenage boy perches on a branch. He’s dressed in traditional deerskin breeches, a talon necklace around his neck, but rather than moccasins, his feet are bare. He is shirtless, and lean muscles cord his body.
His intense eyes capture my attention. They’re like golden fathomless pools. I could get lost in them.

“Don’t your feet get hurt, walking barefoot on the forest floor?” I ask.

“I rarely walk.” He drops down in front of me. His face is so close that I take a step back and thump into a tree. He leans toward me and sniffs. “You smell different. What are you?”

“I’m a girl.” I can’t take my gaze from his.

“No, humans stink. You smell…” He sniffs my hair and grins. “You smell good.”

“Is there a reason that you’re invading my space? I have somewhere to be.” My voice cracks.

He tugs one of my braids and winks at me. My pulse quickens, and my breath catches in my throat. His eyes study me with intensity, and he leans closer. Is he going to kiss me?

“I don’t know what’s up with you, but I don’t like it.”

“You have a feather in your hair. A hawk’s feather.”

My hand flies to the feather tucked into my hair. “So?”

“Nothing.” He shrugs, but a secretive smile spreads across his face.

View all my reviews

Short Story Giveaway: Four Houses by Tori Scott

2011-11-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

YA author Tori Scott offers one free copy of her short story Four Houses.

Short Story Description:
A young girl faced with four choices, must make a decision that will forever haunt her.

Excerpt:
The door in front of me is the ugliest shade of plum I’ve ever seen. It’s a prune Grandma would eat, a raisin on its last leg, a swollen bruise in the most inconvenient of places.

The waiting is the worst part, wondering who will open the door. But this time it’s killing me, tearing me down piece by piece and devouring me with its insatiable jaws.

I bite my lip and raise my hand to knock.

Giveaway Details:
Sign up for the drawing of a free copy of this eBook:

Leave a comment with your email address
Deadline: 11/11/11
Cross your fingers and do the hula dance

Or you can purchase it for yourself:
Buy PDF Version
Buy Kindle Version
Buy Nook Version
Add Book on Goodreads

Stephanie Dray chats about "Song of the Nile"

2011-11-04T06:45:00.000-07:00

What a joy to read Song of the Nile. I was glued to the couch all weekend, lost to the world, exploring the rich textures of Ancient Rome and barbarous Africa, learning how to survive as a princess of Egypt and a war prisoner of Rome. This will be one of those special books that I share with my husband. I can't wait to discuss the finer points of Cleopatra Selene with him.

Stephanie Dray offered me an interview, and I jumped at the chance to learn more about this author and her writing. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I have.

To honor our guest, I'm hosting a giveaway of her book Song of the Nile. Giveaway details:

Leave a comment with your name and email address
Deadline: November 11, 2011
U.S. Residents Only
To get your name in the drawing multiple times, post this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter. Leave a comment giving me the link to where you posted it.

___________________________________________________________

Rita: What made you decide to become a writer?
Stephanie: It was some foolish notion that I had that it would be easier than being a lawyer. Boy was I wrong!

Rita: Where did you learn your love for history?
Stephanie: History is a rich story land filled with things that actually happened. Things that affect us still today. I love to unravel how we got where we are based on what went before us. I wish we’d read more historical fiction when we were in school, though, because textbooks really didn’t do it justice.

Rita: Why did you choose this particular figure and time period? Why not choose the more well known character Cleopatra rather than her daughter?
Stephanie: Cleopatra has had so many books written about her--and by far better writers. To me, it was Cleopatra Selene and her little known story that called out to be told. Selene was without a voice for most of her life and it was an honor for me to try to give her one.

Rita: How do you plan/plot your stories? Is it hard keeping track of the historical facts as you write?
Stephanie: I use a program called Scrivener and I keep a very detailed timeline. It is very important to keep track of it all and sometimes little things go awry. I recently discovered that I gave an incorrect name to a character in the book--it just slipped through the cracks. What should have been Cleopatra Antoniana was rendered Cleopatra Antonianus. I had to add it to the blooper file on my site.

Rita: How did you find your publisher? Was the road to becoming a published author easy or hard for you?
Stephanie: Berkley has been very good to me and I’m so happy that Cindy Hwang is always as excited about the dark and twisted things I do in my books as I am. The road was very hard for me. I spent ten years honing my craft, researching, writing, and learning to commit to being published. If I’d been smarter about it early on, I’d be farther along in my career than I am.

Rita: What advice would you give to would-be writers?
Stephanie: Don’t decide you want to become a writer unless you can bear spending most of your time doing stuff that has nothing to do with writing. Like social networking. Like marketing. Like talking up your work. It’s hard to get noticed, but I admit, it’s very uncomfortable talking about your own work all the time. It feels like, me me me me.

Rita: Is your story of Cleopatra Selene complete? Where will your writing go from here?
Stephanie: I have one last book to write. It will tell the story of how Selene built her kingdom and how Cleopatra’s grandchildren fared. I think it’s going to be very special, this book, and kind of makes me weepy to say goodbye to her after so long.

___________________________________________________________

About Stephanie…
Stephanie graduated with a degree in Government from Smith, a small women’s college in Massachusetts where–to the consternation of her devoted professors–she was unable to master Latin. However, her focus on Middle Eastern Studies gave her a deeper understanding of the consequences of Egypt’s ancient clash with Rome, both in terms of the still-extant tensions between East and West as well as the worldwide decline of female-oriented religion.

Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has–to the consternation of her devoted husband–collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.

*Sorceress. Seductress. Schemer. Cleopatra’s daughter has become the emperor’s most unlikely apprentice and the one woman who can destroy his empire…*

Having survived her perilous childhood as a royal captive of Rome, Selene pledged her loyalty to Augustus and swore she would become his very own Cleopatra. Now the young queen faces an uncertain destiny in a foreign land.

Forced to marry a man of the emperor’s choosing, Selene will not allow her new husband to rule in her name. She quickly establishes herself as a capable leader in her own right and as a religious icon. Beginning the hard work of building a new nation, she wins the love of her new subjects and makes herself vital to Rome by bringing forth bountiful harvests.

But it’s the magic of Isis flowing through her veins that makes her indispensable to the emperor. Against a backdrop of imperial politics and religious persecution, Cleopatra’s daughter beguiles her way to the very precipice of power. She has never forgotten her birthright, but will the price of her mother’s throne be more than she’s willing to pay?

*Berkley Trade *October 2011* *(Trade Paperback)
# ISBN-10: 0425243044
# ISBN-13: 9780425243046

Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

2011-11-02T06:22:00.000-07:00

Song of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dark and beautiful. From the moment this story began, I was gripped by Selene's pain and ambition, terrified the cost of earning the title of Queen of Egypt would be her soul.

Cleopatra has grown up at the age of 15. Married to Juba, an African king, she must prove her worth to the emperor--securing grain, building a new port and city, civilizing a "barbarous" people, promoting the emperor's agendas... But what the emperor wants most is a Cleopatra like Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony had before him.

The stakes are higher as she vies to win the emperor's approval in order to earn the title of Queen of Egypt. Nothing will stand in her way.

What I loved most...
I loved Selene. She's flawed in her obsession with her ambition to fulfill her roll as queen to her people, and yet she's passionate and caring and daring and lovable. I rooted for her and was scared for her and silently begged her not to follow her foolish plans to sell her body to the devil--er, I mean, emperor.

What I admired in Stephanie Dray's writing...
The disaster of a marriage between Juba and Selene was powerfully written. His pain as he watched his bride run away from him and into impending disaster was the thing that gripped me the most. On their wedding night, he asks if they could be friends. She says yes, she could forgive him his role in the demise of her parents and of Egypt. He says can we be more than friends. And when she rejects him, his pain drips from every word, and my heart bled for him.

My recommendation...
Read this powerful book. Personally, I can't wait to read more by Stephanie Dray.

*Purchase Info*

Amazon
B&N
IndieBound
Borders
Constellation Books
Powell's

Come back Friday for an interview and giveaway!

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

2011-10-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

SHADOWS SWALLOW ME. I AM THE PERFECT ASSASSIN. LELEA: fourteen-year-old freak of nature.

Tears. One free copy to good home. Register to win by posting your email address, and I will contact the winner to arrange shipment.

No membership required. Shipping to U.S. only.

Deadline: October 31st

For other great giveaways, check out these blogs:

Winner of the Writer's Companion

2011-10-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

The winner is ...

*drumroll*

The Anonymous OfficeInmate!

I will contact you with the email address you posted and request your mailing address.

Thank you to all who participated.

Writer's Companion Giveaway

2011-10-11T15:39:00.000-07:00

600 pages of writing information!

One copy, free to a good home!

How to win:
1. To be considered for the drawing, just post your name and email address.
2. To get your name in the pool twice, post information about the Writer's Companion on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog, and leave a link in the comments. More than 25 Tweeters/Bloggers/Facebookers and I'll give away two copies!

Deadline: October 21, 2011

For more information, read reviews on goodreads or an excerpt on my blog.

Good luck!

Writer's Companion excerpt

2011-10-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

The Writer's Companion, helpful for both beginning and experienced writers, covers the writing process from plotting and planning through writing and editing to querying and finding a publisher. I've studied many great books on writing but nothing as comprehensive as this guide.

You will reference these 600 pages of material again and again, manuscript after manuscript, long after you've made millions and topped the best seller lists. I highly recommend this book for every writer and writing hobbyist.

Renée Miller, one of the authors, shares a modified excerpt. Together, Renée and Carlos share some interesting thoughts about the future of publishing.

Enjoy!
___________________________________________________________________

Thanks for having me, Rita. I always love visiting your blog.

I considered posting an excerpt from the Writer’s Companion that discussed how to do this or that but decided that’s rather uninteresting and not very interactive. Then I recalled the Oracle. As an afterword and closing brooch for the Companion, we wanted to be reckless and play the game of prophesy.

Prophets engage in a risky business, in particular if they survive their prophecies. Most prophets we know of would have had to eat their words if they were still around, though it strikes us as crafty that most weighty prophecies entailed such a long time lapse that the prophet was safe from having to face the hordes of his peeved followers. Others—doomsday prophets in particular—weren’t so lucky and had to swallow a bitter pill (and often run for dear life) when the event didn’t pan out.

In writing the Companion, we researched the publishing industry’s history as well as recent changes. To say the foundations of what used to be are shaky would be an understatement. The question is, how will this pan out for writers? What will the new publishing model be when the dust settles? What’s the future of the publishing industry?

In our opinion, there’s a difference between a forecast that contravenes physics and scientific observation and a prediction founded on logic. Most of the conjectures in Huxley’s Brave New World and Orwell’s 1984 stem from logic. Naturally, with so many variables and unknowns, a logical prophecy doesn’t have more weight than an educated guess.

Our oracle, firmly grounded on state-of-the art resources (crystal ball, tealeaves, Ouija, I-ching and a deck of funny-looking cards), predicts that within the next ten years:

1. E-publishing will overtake traditional publishing.

2. E-publishing with reputable publishers will be as hard to access for new writers as

traditional publishing is at present times.

3. E-publishers will only accept submissions through literary agents.

4. E-books will be rated by an agency, as to their literary and editorial merits.

5. POD will shrink down to a tenth of its present size.

6. Two-thirds of traditional book retailers will have disappeared.

7. The number of readers will remain unchanged.

8. A large percentage of successful writers will issue from the East.

9. Most of the Internet free services to writers will be subscription only.

10. Traditional writers will be on the road to extinction.

We suppose that our readers might agree with some of these predictions and disagree with the rest, perhaps all. In our defense, we attempt to justify the logic behind each forecast in the Writer’s Companion. What do you think? Are we way off base? Share your predictions for the industry over the next decade. We should come back here in 2021 (as long as the doomsday prophets are wrong yet again) and see how close we all came.

I’ll be sharing the basis behind each prediction over on The Edge starting on Sunday. Come on over and share your thoughts. Yes, even if they’re negative ones.

And thank you, Rita, for allowing me to post my insanity.

___________________________________________________________________

Thank you, Renee!

Later next week, I will post a giveaway for a copy of the Writer's Companion. So be sure to come back for more goodies.

Sex in YA Books

2011-10-04T13:01:00.000-07:00

When you hit thirteen, you become an adult-in-training. Puberty is the waking of sexuality. We cripple our teenagers if we try to sweep adult issues under the rug. We do them no favors by controlling their thoughts or banning books that contains sexuality.

I can’t even remember how many books I read on the sly when I was a teenager, including Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Flies, and The Eye of the Dragon. None of them were racy or evil, but they were banned from the house all the same. So I kept them in my school locker and read them during study hall.

Rather than banning books, the smarter thing to do is to read the book as well and to keep an open dialog with your kids about issues that the book raises. When it comes to sexuality, there are many topics to discuss: making responsible decisions, knowing what true love is, dealing with making the wrong decision, facing consequences, surviving rape, feeling pressured... What better way is there to learn than to face the problems through the eyes of characters in a book and learn from their mistakes?

YA writers have a responsibility to address these issues. Using flawed characters and difficult situations, writers can help YA readers learn from the characters whose worlds they travel through.

In Going Bovine by Libba Bray, Cameron has sex with a girl from his high school, and when it is over, he feels hollow inside because he never loved her. A great opportunity to learn that sex without love is not satisfying.

In Beauty Queens, also by Libba Bray, one of the girls loses her virginity but discovers afterward that she was used. From the experience, she learns that she has value. How many girls out there make this same mistake? Reading this book and talking about it with an adult would be one of the best ways to avoid making this mistake or to learn how to recover from such an experience.

In White Cat (Curse Workers) and in Red Glove (Curse Workers, Book 2) by Holly Black, Cassel must turn down the girl he has loved since they were best friends as kids. Why? Because her emotions were magically altered to make her love him, and he loves her too much to use her. To protect her from himself, he goes so far as to tell her he doesn’t love her, even when it breaks her heart—and his. Heart wrenching and beautiful.

In Speak by Laura Halse Anderson, a freshman in high school crawls into a shell, refusing to speak, finding every opportunity to hide in the janitor’s closet, failing when she used to be a straight A student, skipping classes, wearing baggy clothes, fighting nightmares. Why? Because she made the mistake of drinking at a party that summer and got raped. Nobody knows. Not the parents or teachers who think that she has a discipline problem. Not the classmates or ex-friends who shun her. Not the art teacher who encourages her. The story carries you through her road to healing. A must read for mothers to share with teenage daughters.

It was hard to make the decisions I did about the content in my book Tears. One beta-reader told me that the detail was too graphic for a YA book. There actually is no on-scene sex in my book. Not even a foreplay scene that fades to black. There are a few kissing scenes that don’t lead anywhere. But the only way readers know that Jaak and Chester have sex is because Chester gets pregnant.

What my beta-reader referred to was Aren’s admiration of Lelea and his vivid imagination about what he would like to do with her:

He would choose a warrior woman to be his mate—like Lelea. Now there was a woman, strong and shapely. She could stalk her prey, wield a knife, shoot even better than he could—she had kicked his ass—and he liked how her nipples perked up under her skintight suit.

– Tears by Rita J Webb, page 181

Aren stood behind the two girls in the doorway to the cargo bay. From his angle, he could see nothing but a gray wall and a corner of the metal door on the ceiling—and two perfect butts in tight jumpsuits. He liked Lelea’s better. Maybe because she was shorter; the right height for him to grab it.

– Tears by Rita J Webb, page 199

A gun belted to her waist, Lelea strapped a rifle over her shoulder and a knife to her leg. Aren liked how she carried herself. The soft, weak girl he had first met was gone. Was this the real Lelea? A soldier like Jadon?

But then he had fought her in the cave back on Lantis. It had to have been her.

She wore a bodysuit, and her nipples stood out under the cloth. He should look away, he knew, but the perfect curve of her breast…

If only the shirt hung loose, then he could see the pink nipple hidden underneath as she bent over. He imagined it hard between his teeth.

Catching his gaze, she winked. Aren glanced away, his face burning.

Her hand on his shoulder. “Never be ashamed of the wildness that makes you a man.”

His gaze darted back to hers. Her smile ignited a fire within him.

– Tears by Rita J Webb, pages 215-216

The last thing I want is to offend, so I almost cut it all out. However, I stopped to think about what it was I wanted to relate to my readers:

1) There’s no shame in healthy sexuality.

2) Fifteen-year-old men think about sex.

3) Men of all ages think about sex.

Ten years of marriage taught me that. A woman who tries to keep her husband’s balls in a jar by the bed will likely have a husband who can’t do much more than watch football and scream for the wench to bring his beer.

I really believe that if you cut away someone’s sexuality, you cut away part of their soul. You leave them crippled inside—man or woman. And so I left the offending passages as they were.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

2011-10-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

SHADOWS SWALLOW ME. I AM THE PERFECT ASSASSIN. LELEA: fourteen-year-old freak of nature.

Register to win a free copy of Tears. Just post an email address in the comments. I will contact the winner to collect a mailing address for shipping.

Region: Shipping in the U.S. only

Deadline: October 31st

Suck it up and get over yourself!

2011-09-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

With the release of my first book, I have met a major goal in my life. I have more books to write, including a sequel to Tears, and there are many other writing accomplishments I must face. However, I put my life on hold to get published, and now is the time to meld writing and living. I’m in this for the long haul, and I still have children to raise, a husband to tend to, and my own self to take care of.

Time to start exercising again. Time to dust off my hobbies. Time to get the homeschooling in order. Time to rejuvenate my soul.

So I jumped into something wild and crazy: I’m taking tap and ballet classes.

Last year, my kids took ballet, and I was so proud of them when it came time for recital. They worked hard all year, and they performed beautifully. But a part of me wanted to be dancing on stage too.

I swore to myself that next year, I would be.

When there is something I want to learn or achieve, I absorb myself in it. Pouring over the schedule, I settled on three classes: Adult Ballet, Intermediate/Advanced Tap for ages 8+ (Makani and I take this one together), and Lyrical Ballet for ages 8+ (Rowena and I take this one together). Then I added some Zumba from the YMCA to my schedule to help get me in shape. I need to build my strength and endurance if I want to be good at this.

Yeah, I don’t do anything half-heartedly.

Did I mention that I have no tap or ballet experience? Three years ago, I did some belly dancing, and twelve years ago, I learned some swing dancing. Other than that, I am clueless.

Walking into my first tap dance and lyrical ballet classes was awkward. I’m twice the height of any of the other students. I thought ages 8+ meant there’d be a wide variety of students, maybe some teenagers, but no, they are all 8-year-olds.

10 eight year olds and ME. I felt like an awkward giant among Lilliputians.

But once we got to learning, my focus changed. I have a challenge to face, and so the awkwardness faded. I caught on pretty easily to both Tap and Lyrical Ballet. Tap dancing is rhythmical, and since I am mathematically and musically inclined and analytical, my brain caught on with two lessons. I’m loving doing this with Makani. She is also inclined to patterns, and I’m impressed with how easily she’s following the instructions.

Rowena does Lyrical Ballet with me. She’s such a little sweetheart, and I like the way she smiles at me as we stand side by side at the barre. She’s one of the most tender-hearted children I’ve ever known, and one word of correction sends her into fits of depression. This is my chance to build her up and encourage her.

My Lyrical Ballet teacher is a beautiful black man. (Strangely, he is embarrassed that his knees are so dark. I don't quite understand that.) I love the mop of braids he has for hair and his goatee. Excitable, a little effeminate, and pleased as apple pie to have me and Rowena in the class. Did I mention excitable? He’d make a vivid character in a book.

I am so thankful that he takes the class so slowly. He stops everything to correct a student who has a toe in the wrong direction. I am good at copying and I’m learning quickly, but Rowena struggled with form at first. My mommy’s heart thrilled to watch him take the time to gently help her out. She’s improving, and I’m so proud of her. I can hear him now as he helps her adjust her feet, “Yes. Yes. Yes!” Did I mention excitable?

Now here’s where my challenge really begins: Adult Ballet Class.

Our teacher is a white man with curly hair and a quirky sense of humor, but there’s nothing effeminate about this one. Not very excitable either. Where the black teacher takes things slow, this one moves us quickly from one set of exercises to the next. And believe me, the difficulty of this class is tenfold compared to the Lyrical Ballet.

I am the only student who has no prior ballet experience. In fact, one of my fellow students is a teacher at the dance studio. When he calls out those French words, I struggle to figure out what they mean. He says fifth position with arms in first. Huh? I look around at my classmates and try to follow along.

He gave us this exercise that goes something like this: First position, tendu left foot in out in, step out plié down and up. Then you repeat it backwards to return to your original position. Then repeat to the right, then to the left. Then to the back and the front. Then you do it all again in the exact opposite rotation. Pivot toward the bar so that you are facing the opposite direction and do it all on the right foot. Pivot again, this time away from the bar. Start from the beginning—only this time in fifth position.

And don’t forget the appropriate arm movements! Not that I had any clue what those arm positions should be. Oh, and when you tendu to the side, switch between returning your foot to the front and to the back.

That’s only one out of 10 patterns he had for us. The other exercises are just as complicated.

Week one, he took it slow, and he stood at the front of the class, going through the steps with us. I can copy anything, and I stuck pretty well to the moves, following along as he did them. Week two, he demonstrated, but when it came time for us to do it, he only called the moves. I was utterly lost.

Lost and embarrassed, especially when even the new people kept up with him without a problem.

Maybe I bit off more than I could chew. Maybe I should focus on the beginner classes. Maybe I could try again next year after a year with the Lilliputians.

But when have I ever given up before? It’s not that I think I can’t handle the challenge. For Pete's sake, I have written 4 novels, one of which is published, and have several short stories in anthologies. I'm sure that a few more weeks, and I’ll be fine. Well, maybe not fine, but passable. By the end of the year, I’ll be fine. My real problem was everyone watching me flounder as I work to get my bearings.

Suck it up and get over yourself, I scolded.

Week three. I was almost passable, and Lyrical Ballet is now too easy. Furthermore, I can do the buffalo and the Irish step in Tap Dance.

Maybe next week, I’ll actually hold the fifth position relevé for 32 counts without wobbling.

A visit to a donkey farm in Peru

2011-09-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

I landed at the airport in Lima, Peru, and wandered through the busy streets to the bus station. The people rushed about like New Yorkers. They wore jeans and T-shirts or business suits; they carried backpacks or suit cases. It almost felt like any city in the United States until I turned a corner and found a dancing group parading down the street.

I loved the ocean--the smell of the salt water, the breeze ruffling my hair, the sounds of the waves. No wonder CJ visited here. It is a beautiful place.

A happy contentedness settled over me, and by the time I made my way to the bus station, I had meandered all over town, soaking it all up. I stopped for tasty treats at various restaurants, wandered in and out of shops, and even bought myself a poncho and hat. I snapped lots of pictures. Hey, you never know when a picture will give you a clue. And I was trying to blend in like any tourist.

The bus took me out of the city and up into the mountains. From there, I walked to the donkey farm. I had a map with the route marked carefully, but I still got lost three times and finally had to ask for directions. I'm female so I had no problems asking for help, even with my hesitant Spanish.

I finally found the place where the infamous CJ had rented a donkey. The farmer wasn't anything like I expected. She wore jeans and a T-shirt, but she covered her shirt with a poncho. And her dark hair was clipped short and dyed red. Other than the poncho, she didn't look like a traditional Peruvian.

She gave me a tour of the barn. The donkeys stared at me with big eyes; their tails flicked angrily as if to say, "Don't interrupt our dinner."
"So um, what do your donkeys eat for breakfast?" I asked. Not a very useful question for finding CJ, but maybe it will break the ice.

"My donkeys eat mostly grass. In the morning, they like to eat some pink polenta." She scratched the neck of the closest donkey who thumped his foot happily.

Pink polenta? For donkeys? "I used to eat polenta with taco meat and cheese, but it was never pink. What kind of donuts do you eat?"

"We are too poor for donuts. We just chew sugar cane." She handed me a piece as she popped one into her own mouth. I looked at it and then gingerly placed it in my mouth and chewed. It tasted sweet, but not like I was used to. The hardest thing about it was that it felt like stringy wood in my mouth--crunchy and leathery. It would take a long time to get used to this.

"I wanted to ask you about your guest CJ. Did he leave anything behind?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I think he dropped his hat. Does this look like his hat?"

Inside, I find a piece of paper with his symbol and the word Rosita. Hmm, a woman. "Yes, I think it is his. Did CJ have his harem with him? How many hearts has he broken here?"

"No, there were no girls, though you should probably visit La Casa de la Noche. The chiquitas there could tell you more."

"Did he say anything to give a clue to where he was going next?"

"No, he just yelled 'Wheeeeeeee' as he ran away. I thought he was just some gringo gone loco in the mountains. They do that, the mountains. They make people loco. Especially gringos."

I leaned against the barn post in between stalls. It shifted under my weight, and a secret door opened in the floor. "Wow, where does this go to?"

"No one knows. People who go in never come out." Her eyes grow big, and she chews on her lip. I'm certain she's frightened. But what could be down there to frighten her?

"So he rented one of your donkeys and went up into the mountains. What did he search for up in the mountains?"

"Well, there is a local legend that one of the temples has a golden statue inside of which there is a key. But that is loco. All the gold was stolen many years ago."

If I know anything about CJ, it wasn't gold he wanted. I bet that temple held some secret device he could use to take over the world.
"Do you put your socks on the right foot first, or left foot first?" Hey, it might sound like a silly question, but it's important to establish if the person I am talking to is a pathological liar.

"I don't wear socks. I don't wear shoes. See? The donkeys ate all the shoes." She raised one dirty, naked foot.

"What is your favorite song to sing to your donkeys?"

"El Patito Chiquito. It's a song about a little duck."

"Well, gracias. I need to go now. A lot of clues to follow, you know."

"Bueno. I have to go feed the donkey's now."

I heard her muttering Gringos locos! as she shuffled away.
"Oh, I forgot. Have you seen the infamous Rico Suave hanging around here?" I called back.

"The who? I don't think so. Though a man in a red velvet suit met him at the local airstrip."

I mentally ticked off the clues in my head: a secret passage, a temple in the mountains, a woman named Rosita, a man in a red velvet suit. Which one do I check out first? I only have three days before I'm due back in the U.S.

________________________________________________
This is a fictional story, brought to you by Webb Press. The part of the Donkey Farm was played by S. M. Carrière, writer, blogger, and friend. Thanks, Sonia, for your sense of humor and for being willing to play along.

If you are interested in taking on a role, I'm looking for someone to play the role of Rosita or the role of the mountain guide. Contact me by email: rita [at] ritajwebb [dot] com

Red Glove by Holly Black

2011-09-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

Red Glove by Holly Black

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two government agents visit Cassel's boarding school and drag him away. After interrogating him about the crime family that his family served for generations, they pull out photos of Phillip, his brother, shot dead in his apartment. The agents tell him that his brother had made a deal to squeal about some assassinations for immunity, and that had gotten him killed.

If Cassel doesn't help in the investigation, the agents will go after his family or try to pin the murder on Lila, but if Cassel helps out the agents, he'll be targeted by the crime family. What makes things worse is that Zacharov, head of the crime family, wants Cassel to join the family ranks. Who wouldn't want the most powerful curse worker under his control?

With incredible detail, Holly Black paints her world: the strange magic of the curse workers, the dark world of crime, mobs, and scams, betrayals and heartache. Imagine a touch of a finger could curse you. Bare hands are obscene and dangerous.

Bare hands can kill you, bring you bad luck, control your dreams, change your memories, break the bones in your body, manipulate your emotions: all depending on who wields those hands. Most powerful and most rare are transformation workers.

If you're a curse worker, keep your secret because you don't know what the world will do to you.

View all my reviews

2011-09-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where do I begin? Following Cameron on his crazy adventure to save the world from a wormhole created by dark energies was one of the most amazing, most beautiful journeys I have ever taken.

Cameron's life was empty: sneaking out of class to smoke pot in the high school bathrooms, hiding from his father's disapproval, annoying his sister, smoking pot at home on a Friday night because his parents worked late and had no time for the family, pretending to study Don Quixote for school.

And then the unbelievable happens. Cameron finds a large feather, white tinged with pink, in his bedroom. Printed in bold letters on one side was the word "Hello."

Shortly after, Cameron loses his job, gets kicked out of school, and is seeing therapists for drug problems. All because of strange muscle spasms in his body.

But Cameron's problems aren't due to drugs. When his problems get worse, he finds himself in the hospital for mad cow disease, and an angel (a pink haired girl wearing torn fishnet stockings and combat boots) informs him that he must find Dr. X to save the world and to cure his disease. But if he wants to succeed, he must take the dwarf in the hospital bed beside him on the journey.

Following the signs, Gonzo and Cameron sneak out of the hospital and set out to find Dr. X. The road takes them to New Orleans during the Mardi Gras where Cameron meets a drag queen, a jazz musician who teaches him about music, and a wizard who wants to kill him. From there, the clues lead them to Florida, and they catch a bus and head out--with the police on their tail searching for two runaways.

This is where Libba Bray's story telling ability begins to shine. With almost painstaking detail, she takes Cameron through trials and struggles, introduces him to interesting characters, and teaches him about love and life and friendship.

The apathetic drug addict learns to care about others and discovers that now is the most precious moment he has. By the end of the book, I was cheering and crying and laughing and feeling as in love with life as Cameron did.

View all my reviews

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull

2011-09-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For three books now, my family and I have grown to love these characters and this world. Each book has been more intense and faster paced than the one before. The stakes are higher, the problems tougher.

Now here is the fourth book, and it blew me away. From opening scene to the twists revealed in the climax, the book gripped me.

I loved the growth in Seth. He's learned to question his motives before charging into trouble, and he's learned wisdom to caution his courage. He and his sister Kendra truly make a remarkable team.

I hated and yet admired the twist at the end. Brandon Mull truly pulled the wool over my eyes, and at first, I hated him for it. Then I sat in awe. I'd love to be that kind of writer...

A great family read. A great book for all ages.

One book left in the series. How on earth is he going to wrap this all up? Problem is that I don't really want the story to be wrapped up. I want it keep going.

View all my reviews

Kate Quinn chats about her publisher Berkely Books

2011-09-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

I love Kate Quinn's books. One of the sweetest and most humble people I have met online, she is also a great writer. Her book Mistress of Rome gripped me for months after reading; I couldn't forget the vivid details and the compelling characters. And when Daughters of Rome came out the following year, I was first in line. And I can hardly wait for Empress of the Seven Hills to come out next year.

One of the things I love about her books is how I can share them with my husband. He and I love chatting about books, but some books I read he has no interest in. But Kate writes stories and characters that can grip both male and female.

It is important for new writers to find wisdom from those who have gone before us, and Kate has offered to share her experience with us.

Thanks, Kate, for your time and for sharing what you have learned with us.
____________________________________________________________

Rita: How did you hear about your publisher Berkely Books?
Kate: My agent found them for me. I found my agent on my own, by doing a lot of research and sending a lot of query letters and sample chapters. Once I had an agent, she took over the process of trying to get me published. She submitted my first novel to four or five different major publishing houses where she had connections – before being an agent she had worked as an editor at Ballantine for over 30 years, so she knew a lot of people in the business. About eight months later her hard work paid off and she found an editor at Berkley who loved my first book.

Rita: Why did you decide to publish through them?
Kate: Berkley offered a standard advance for a debut author like me, and standard royalty percentages. My agent told me I could hold out if I liked for a publishing house that offered a bigger advance, but there was of course no guarantee we would find one. Ultimately I decided to go with Berkley because their rates were fair, because they were a big, long-established house with a good reputation – and because they had an editor there who was crazy about my book and talking it up in-house to everyone she could find. I had a feeling I'd be in good hands with someone who loved my work, rather than just one more fish in the stream with a different house and editor.

Rita: Were you happy with the terms of your contract? How did they honor their side of the contract?
Kate: They have been scrupulous about fulfilling their side of the contract. My payments arrive on time, and so do answers to any questions I've had about the contract.

Rita: Did you have to pay to be published? If so, how much?
Kate: I've never had to pay a dime to be published, since Berkley is not a vanity press. You should not have to pay anything to a non-vanity press: editing is free, so don't believe it if you're told you have to pay for an editor's services.

Rita: How did the editing process go? Were you happy with the comments and responses from your editor?
Kate: My editor at Berkley is wonderful! She puts a huge amount of thought into how to make my books better – I get editorial letters with copious notes, and then we spend hours on the phone hashing out plot solutions. No matter how much work she wants me to do to revise a book, I never hang up the phone with her feeling overworked or discouraged. She has a gift for filling me with optimism and enthusiasm for my work.

Rita: How was the customer service and support once you were published?
Kate: Professional and prompt. Editorial questions go to my editor; I do sometimes have to wait a while for answers on those, but that's only because she's approximately as busy as a trauma surgeon in an ER ward after an eight-car highway pileup; she'd never brush me off or make me wait deliberately. Publicity questions go to the in-house publicist I was assigned once I was published – I'm not her only client by any means, so she's delighted the more publicity stuff I take care of myself (writers can't rely on a publicist to do everything) but any questions I have are always answered fast.

Rita: How do you feel about your experience with your publisher?
Kate: Couldn't be better. I love Berkley. They are taking the long view with my career, allowing me to build an audience and a reputation as a writer, and I couldn't be more grateful for that approach – which, I'm starting to realize, can be rare in the publishing world.

Rita: Will you publish through them again?
Kate: I hope I'm still working with my Berkley editor when I'm old and gray.

Rita: How has your experience changed your perspective of writing and the publishing industry?
Kate: Before I was published, I had the usual dreams about a six-figure advance. Now, I'm almost glad I didn't get one. Sure, some first-time authors do get that half-million dollar advance for their first book – but then they have to live up to all that hype! If their book doesn't succeed right away on a huge level, then in the eyes of their publisher they haven't earned back that huge advance. The publishing house might decide to drop you; roll the dice with another new author. Nowadays a lot of publishing houses are doing just that: looking for the next big hit author, the next Suzanne Collins or JK Rowling. And sure, I'd love to be Suzanne Collins with all three of my books on the New York Times list and a four-movie deal.

But these days I fantasize less about having Suzanne Collins's career, and more about having Bernard Cornwell's. He started small with his Sharpe series, and was lucky enough to have a publisher who believed in letting him grow the series and the audience over several books. By Book 4 or so, he was getting more attention, more readers, more good reviews. He grew his reputation slowly over years, until now the man hits the NY Times list with each new release. That's the career I want: a smaller advance to start out, maybe, but it gives me a chance to exceed expectations rather than fall short, and time to grow as a writer. I'm incredibly lucky to have an editor who has the same long view in mind for my career, rather than wanting to drop me for the next possible Suzanne Collins. (I'm hanging on to her for dear life, and you should too if you can find an editor like that.) Now here's hoping I someday get to be as successful as Cornwell, and meet Sean Bean when he stars in the miniseries made out of my books . . .

Rita: What would you say to a new author looking to get their books published?
Kate: Be aware that publishing takes a long time. It took me about seven years of on-and-off querying to find an agent – and that isn't particularly unusual. My agent started shopping my book around the publishing houses in March, and it wasn't until November that I had an offer – and that's regarded as pretty fast. Once I had a publisher, my book wasn't out in stores for another 16 months – also quite usual in the publishing world. Publishing is a slow process; anyone who says otherwise is lying. And while your editor should believe in you and like your work, they should NOT tell you it's perfect. You start hearing that your work needs no corrections, that it will be out in stores in two months, that it's going to make you a million dollars the first year – run for the hills, because you are walking into a scam!

*I'm starting a new series to interview authors about their experiences with their publishers. If you are a published author and would like to share your publishing experience, please contact me at my rita[at]ritajwebb[dot]com email address. I'm looking for both negative and positive experiences.*

Becoming a Writer

2011-09-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

The road to becoming a published author was long and treacherous--writing, studying writing books, reading good books to study style, writing, more writing, publishing a non-for-profit anthologies (Unlocked & Menage a 20) with friends, more writing, studying, reading, more writing. Months marched into years of sleepless nights and dreary days.

Many times I wanted to give up, but to give up meant losing all hope. I would have to admit there was nothing more to life than rushing to a pointless job. I would remember Lelea's words in my book Tears: Always choose the path that brings hope.

That became my mantra, day after day. Ha, somewhere hidden inside me is an insane person full of wisdom, and she talks to me, telling me to keep going and never give up.

Here's the excerpt:

Closing my eyes, I pull the song closer and let it fill every cell in my being. I imagine it twirling and bouncing inside me. So loud, it drowns out everything else.

Then I draw on the device’s screen, using the attached pen.

“What is it?” he asks.

A man, a woman, two children. A dark-haired girl with freckles, a blond boy with sparkly blue eyes. I paint a picture of his future.

His fingers tap in time with the music in my head. Does he hear it too?

I stop when I see the red scar on the inside of his arm. “Your army tattoo. You burned it off. Did it feel like you tore your family out of your soul?”

Muscles in his jaw stand out. “Don’t remind me.”

“Once upon a time, a man and a woman bound themselves together for life, and they would raise their children together. Your heart remembers, and that is why you left the army.”

“What would you know about why I left the army? You had the easy life, the General’s daughter, spoiled.”

“Is that what you think?” I glance down at my own arm. I never got a tattoo, and he can’t see the thousands of cuts from surgery. My flawless skin doesn’t have a scar. He can’t see the pain inside me.

“You don’t know what it was like living in the dorms.” His shoulders slump. A dark cloud presses against him, pushing him down to the table.

“I see more than you think I do, and I know what the future holds. Please believe me.”

“Girl, you’re insane.”

“How many people believe you’re insane to leave the army and the protection of the General? You ran away. You burned your tattoo off. You decided to be free.”

He opens his mouth and then snaps it shut again.

“You chose to protect the weak,” I add.

“How did you—?”

“Maybe I’m not as insane as you think I am.” Or maybe I’m even crazier. I would like to be normal, but then I wouldn’t be here.

“So you say this is my future.”

“Yes, but Jaak, she needs your love. She holds our fates in her hands, and if she doesn’t know you will protect her and your children, she will decide to defend herself at whatever cost. I can’t help her find healing, but you can.” I grip his hand. Please. Please listen to what I tell you.

He studies the picture. The black weight on his shoulders quivers and lightens before it forms claws and digs them into his flesh. Before I can stop him, Jaak snatches the device and throws it across the room.

Red smears drip from where the black claws dig into his heart. Oh my dear friend, the abuse you endured warps your understanding.

I wrap my hands around the black blob and drag it off him. It snarls and hisses at me. Its taint snatches at my soul, but the Dragon’s fire fills my lungs. With her light, I push it back.

“He’s my friend. You can’t have him.” I squeeze it tight. With a pop, it bursts and then disappears. I shiver, suddenly cold; exhaustion makes my head spin.

Jaak staggers to the floor and passes out. Retrieving the picture, I place it in his hand.

“What happened?” He wakes and heaves himself up.

“The ship rocked. You fell over and hit your head.” Maybe I’m learning how to lie.

He glances down at the device. A smile spreads across his face. “Do you really think…?”

“It’s called hope.”

“What?”

“What you feel. It’s hope.”

“Hope?”

I nod. “Always choose the option that makes you feel like this.”

My advice to you is to always follow the path that leads to your own personal hope.

The Search for CJ Continues

2011-09-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Years passed without a siting of the infamous terrorist known as CJ. Until today.

"Mom, someone's here!"

Oh good, the homeschool curriculum I was waiting for had arrived.

A courier van parked outside my house, and a man wearing a brown jumpsuit got out. His face was ghastly white, and he marched to my door with a funny sort of gait, as if his legs were made of metal.

But rather than the box I expected, he handed me an unmarked envelope. Without a word, he swiveled on his heel, military style, and marched back to the van. As it pulled away, I noticed that there wasn't even a license plate.

I inspected the envelope before opening it. That's what they do in the movies after all. Shining a light through it, I couldn't spot anything unusual.

So, *shrug*, I opened it.

Inside was a note cut from newsprint: CJ spotted in the mountains of Peru.

There were some snapshots too: A cute donkey. Maybe he had ridden it?

A steep footpath up a mountain face. I shuddered, imagining myself slipping and falling to my death.

The back of a man, running. Could it be him? Hard to tell. The snapshot only showed him from the shoulders down. But there on the boot was the tiny symbol that I had come to know as the Mark of CJ's Cult.

And the man was certainly short enough.

Peering inside, I rattled the envelope. Something was left, tucked into the bottom. I upended it, and a slip of paper fell into my hand.

A plane ticket to Lima, Peru.

Did I dare? I had homeschooling to attend to and three children plus a husband who needed my care.

It could be a trap. Rico Suave could be sending me false clues.

Or this could be the chance to stop an evil terrorist that I've waited years for.

What would you do?

The Winners: 8 Kindle Freebies of my new book!

2011-09-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Shadows swallow me. I am the perfect assassin. Lelea: fourteen-year-old freak of nature. Hidden in the corner, I wait for the right moment to strike.

Kindle eBook Tears is now available on Amazon, and I've given away 8 Free copies of Tears, the Kindle version.

All right, it was supposed to be 5 freebies, but call me a softie. I hated leaving anybody out when there were only 3 more.

Winners:

Devane Tolbert
Kyle Borland
Vero Sicoe
Mike Keyton
S.M. Carrière
Pam Asberry
Robert Beveridge
linaramz

If for some reason, you didn't get your copy in your email inbox, contact me at rita[at]ritajwebb[dot]com. I'll try to figure out what went wrong.

Enjoy!

Renee Miller shares her experience with PublishAmerica

2011-08-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

*I'm starting a new series to interview authors about their experiences with their publishers. If you are a published author and would like to share your publishing experience, please contact me at my rita[at]ritajwebb[dot]com email address. I'm looking for both negative and positive experiences.*

Renee Miller is an astounding writer. I've had the pleasure of beta-reading several of her novels as well as reading her short stories. You can read a few of her stories in the anthology Ménage à 20.

She agreed to an interview, and I hope the information she has shared will help you on your own journey to becoming a published writer. Thanks, Renee, for taking the time to answer my questions.

_________________________________________________________________

Rita: How did you hear about PublishAmerica?

Renee: When I was a green author, as in just finished my first manusript and eager to see it in print, I googled a long list of publishers. I didn't know about Writer Beware or industry watchdogs like that who might have warned me against a potentially bad decision. I found Publish America through that Google search and when I read their site, my oh-so-desperate-to-publish brain didn't see the red flags.

Rita: Why did you decide to publish through them?
Renee: Because they wanted my books. Sorry, I wish it was more than that, but it wasn't. To give you a better idea of where my mind was at the time, I also tossed a couple hundred dollars to the Writers' Literary Agency too, for editing service. I'd even had a few chats with Author House. Let's say by the end of that year, I got a giant reality check. It hurt. A lot.

Rita: What were your publishing terms? How did they honor their side of the contract?
Renee: I don't know that I can get into the details of the contract but I can tell you what is offered in their acceptance letter. Basically, the terms are for seven years (red flag number one) and they publish, "edit", take care of the cover art, etc. and I was to be paid a royalty on sales. The royalty varied depending on the number of books sold. For me, it started at 8%, maxed out at 12%. Authors were to get two copies of their books free on the first contract, the second (oh yes, I was naive enough to sign a second contract) did not promise author copies. They did take care of all that they said they would, but I had to pay shipping on the books and the only royalties I've seen since 2008 have been for books sold to people I know. As in, one store that stocked 25 copies, and a local woman who bought a couple of copies. Total royalties paid is around $30. In my opinion, they've not honored that part of the contract. Why? Because I counted at one point in 2009, around 100 copies of my books available to buy USED. If they're used, one would think that someone, at some point, bought them, no? When I questioned this, I didn't receive a reply initially. Then, after questioning several times, I received an email stating that they were in litigation with their printing company and royalties would not be paid until that litigation had been resolved. I received a check for $0.96, not long after that. Nice, eh? I've framed it. Just in case I ever feel desperate again.

Rita: Did you have to pay to be published? If so, how much?
Renee: No I didn't have to pay them up front, although one might wonder if I have paid anyway.

Rita: How many books did you sell? How much did you earn in royalties?
Renee: I don't know how many books I sold and this is my fault for not being more diligent early on. I know that at least 50 copies were sold locally. Did I receive royalties on those? No, I received royalties on about 30 books. I also know, because these readers emailed me, that several more were sold to various people I know "online", but I did not see those royalties either. Perhaps these people were lying. I can't say for sure, but I don't believe they are. I believe they bought the books they said they did. What happened to the royalties? Don't know. They've offered the rights back on the second book, saying that it hasn't sold in a year so they're okay with letting me have them back before the end of the contract. But I have to buy those rights for the low price of about $200. No thanks.

Rita: How was the customer service and support once you were published?
Renee: Shitty. If I emailed about something minor, like how to order more of my books, it was speedy and pleasant. If I had questions, concerns or complaints, I rarely got a reply. I can't get any replies now. Actually, my last two emails came back as address not found or invalid.

Rita: How do you feel about your experience with PublishAmerica?
Renee: I feel that this has been an excellent learning experience for me. I'm embarrassed that I was such a fool and didn't see what was clearly in front of my face at the beginning because of my eagerness to see my words in print, but I'm glad I learned the hard way early on. Before I had much to lose. I'm also glad that it happened to me and not someone who might have quit writing as a result. My Irish tends to be a bit stubborn, so nothing would discourage me enough to quit. But many writers would be devastated by such an experience and rightly so. I want to prevent those writers from being where I've been.

Rita: Will you publish through them again?
Renee: Not on your life.

Rita: How has your experience changed your perspective of writing and the publishing industry?
Renee: Yes, it has. Originally I thought that the big publishers were giant assholes who didn't want new authors. You know, the whole "it's not fair" routine. I now realize that they are hardasses for a reason. They want quality work. What I was passing around at the time was not quality work. It was horrible. I've realized that for the right amount of money, anyone can be published. If you're willing to let people treat you like a doormat in this industry (or any industry), they will. There are a lot of dishonest people out there. Writing is such a personal endeavor and writers such passionate dreamers that we're ripe for people who want to make a quick buck. I think if you work hard, things happen for you. You take the easy way, you'll get exactly what you deserve. I didn't put in the work or the time, and I got what I deserved. I have two books, which are special to me because I wrote them for my daughters, that are now tarnished in my mind. I can't even read them. My daughters read them, but I get sick to my stomach just looking at the covers. Why? Because I keep remembering how stupid I was.

Rita: What would you say to a new author looking to get their books published?
Renee: I'd say that writing is not easy. Getting published is not easy. It shouldn't be. Writing should be hard, and it should be frustrating, and you should be rejected many times before you find the right home for your work. It's the only way to learn. And you should be constantly learning. No one is a perfect writer. No one. Just because you can string a few sentences together or you can write a passable story doesn't mean you should be selling it to the masses. Writing is an art; inexact, imperfect and sometimes impossible. It takes years to master just the basics. Even then, only a small few become brilliant writers.

I'm not saying there aren't thousands of good writers out there. There are probably more than that. But, when someone tells you your work is brilliant, wonderful, amazing (you get the idea), you should notice that something smells rotten. If someone is willing to publish your first draft, run fast and run far. No one's first draft is publishable. Not even the great Mr. King. If you're so desperate to see your name in print, go to CreateSpace or Lulu or Smashwords and publish it yourself. That way you'll have the same quality of book, but you'll actually get paid for writing it. I've put in thousands of hours, written short fiction, articles, freelanced for more publications than I can count. I've studied until my brain hurt trying to learn the basics of fiction writing. I still have much more to learn.

If you've written a book, that's awesome. Finishing a novel is a huge achievement. Submitting it right away? Bad idea. Let it rest; write some more. Join critique groups and attend workshops. Pay attention to agent blogs and absorb as much as you can from published authors. Then, go back to your novel and read it again. You'll be glad you didn't submit it while "The End" was still fresh on the page.

Rita: Thank you, Renee, for your taking the time to share your wisdom with us.