Sparks Fly Sometimes or Strange but Wonderful Things Can Happen...

A strange but wonderful thing happened yesterday. I was asked for a short partial - 10 pages - and a few hours later, a full manuscript for my novel SPARKS FLY SOMETIMES: CONFESSIONS OF A ROCK PRINCESS (SFS). My one line pitch for this novel is: Life as a rock princess in the Denver music scene does nothing to prepare Jenny Sampson for life as a domestic goddess in the suburbs of Philly.

Those of you who have been following me for a while may remember I queried this novel in the spring and when I finished MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE (MTC) began querying that. Then I went on to begin the follow-up to MTC called MURDER ON SONGBIRD LANE and, since the 20th of September (yup, that's the exact date I started writing!) I've been immersed in my first YA novel called THE SECRET KEEPER.

So, back to the strange thing. First of all, the agent who requested it is someone I met in person at the Backspace Conference in May. I fell instantly and madly in love with her and wondered what devil I could barter my soul with to get her to represent me. I queried her, at her request, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Then she hired some help, got caught up with her queries, and lo and behold, requested my partial then full manuscript of SFS.

THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD NEWS
Said agent has kindly given me as much time as I need to review the ms. It's only been a few months since I finished writing it, but it seems like ages due to all the writing I've done since then. The good news is, I'm thoroughly enjoying reading SFS again! What an unexpected treat. The bad news is, I'm going to be slowing down on THE SECRET KEEPER, which I've been flying through at an average of about 2,000 words a day, while I re-read SFS.

You may be wondering why I need to review SFS since I completed it in May. I'm reviewing it because I know I'm a better writer now, and I'm taking my "new" eyes to peruse and lightly edit the entire ms. Fortunately, it's in pretty good shape. The biggest change I've noticed is due to the fact that since I finished writing SFS, I've become an avid Tweeter. That means, communicating in 140 characters or less, which translates into being a more economical writer. I'm eliminating a lot of unnecessary words in SFS or rewriting sentences to be more succinct. It's inspiring to see how far I've come in such a short time. I love SFS, and it's a gift to be given the opportunity to revisit it and tweak it that much more, all the while knowing it will be before the eyes of an agent I greatly admire.

So, there you have it. Like an unexpected bouquet of flowers, sometimes, when you least expect it, strange but wonderful things can happen. ;-)

You have read this article Murder on Songbird Lane / Murder on Twilight Circle / Sparks Fly Sometimes / The Secret Keeper with the title Murder on Twilight Circle. You can bookmark this page URL http://loriescorner.blogspot.com/2009/10/sparks-fly-sometimes-or-strange-but.html. Thanks!

It's a Girl!!! And, Don't Call Me "Tomato Face"

I HAVE A NEW NIECE!!! My sister, Michelle, gave me the greatest present last night - a brand new beautiful baby niece! (How did she know what I wanted? And, yes, it really is all about me.) She was born at 8:26 PM MST and her name is (drum roll please...) DEVYN RAE BISCHOFF! Isn't that beautiful? Um, no it's not. It's freaking GORGEOUS!

I'm sensing a Devyn appearing in my next book. She'll be beautiful, brilliant, talented and generous. She'll create world peace and find the cure for all types of cancer. And, she'll be elected President of The Universe and win America's Top Model. Ooh, I'm feeling so inspired!

The only problem is, my new niece is in Denver and I'm in Philly. I'll have to wait over three, long, excruciating weeks to see her.

To Michelle and Travis: May you be blessed with a lifetime of joy and happiness with your beautiful new bundle of love. I can't wait to give that little butterbean a face full of kisses and a brand new wardrobe! (How old does she have to be before we can go shoe shopping together? What about fine, supersoft, leather handbags?)

IN OTHER NEWS...

I received many insightful comments on whether or not to leave my current wip in the dust and move on to the next project that's seductively calling my name. Although I love it when anyone or anything seductively calls my name, I've made a decision. My current novel is the second in a mystery series, but both MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE and MURDER ON SONGBIRD LANE are easily stand-alones. Because of that, I'm going to forge ahead. I'm having too much fun with the quirky, naughty characters in this book. Heck, they'd probably follow me over to "new project" and haunt me (or, knowing them, flash me) until I finished, so why bother?

Plus, I'm at 40k words, so I'm nearing the halfway point. If I quit now, people will make fun of me, call me a loser, shun me, and throw tomatoes in my face. I love tomatoes but not when they're splattered all over my face. For no other reason than I don't want anyone calling me, "Tomato Face" I'm finishing the book.

IN EVEN MORE NEWS...
The lovely Kelly Hartog of Kellifornia Dreaming has deemed it fit to honor me with a Kreativ Blogger award, which I am most humbled to receive. In addition to being a writer extraordinaire, Kelly is an actress, journalist, and has lived in four different countries. You simply MUST check her out. I'm verklempt to be acknowledged by her.

And here comes the technical part:

KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD RULES:

• 1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
  
• 2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
• 3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
• 4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
• 5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
• 6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
• 7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated

Number 1 - Check!
Number 2 - Check!
Number 3 - Check!
Number 4 - Uh oh...

Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
Okay, fine. Here goes:
1) I have performed my original music on stage and had my music played on the radio. We still perform live. You can check out our music here. (Note stage name: Jamie Keys)
2) I'm the oldest of four girls (or "faw gawgiss dawtas" as my mom w/her Queens drawl used to say before Colorado tamed her accent!)
3) I met my husband, Chuck, when I moved to Huntington Beach, California to start a band with his best friend.
4) Chuckie and I got together the day John Lennon was killed: 12.08.1980.
5) I worked as a marketing manager for architects and engineers and had my own marketing business. I've also worked as an interior decorator.
6) Both my kids are amazing musicians. (Drums and guitar.)
7) It took me over 14 years to write my first my first novel, about a year for the second, and six months to write my last two.

Number 4 - Check!
Number 5 - Uh oh...

Here are the seven bloggers I nominate for their extreme creativity in approach to their blogging:

1 - The BRILLIANT and TALENTED Koralee at Bluebird Notes. This is my go-to sight whenever I need an instant lift. The soft, soothing blues and mind-bending photos on this blog are not to be believed. I've got her on retainer to design my novel covers.

2 - My soul sista PenPen from Penny Lane Sugar Spun Dreams fame. She is the coolest. She reminds me of an earlier and much cooler version of myself. We share so many important values like the love of cupcakes and our mutual girl-crush for Katy Perry!!! Stop by her place and give her a kiss for me.

3 - Jody Hedlund at On The Path. Hey, some of my best friends are Christian! I LOVE her sight. She's recently been agented by the lovely and talented Rachelle Gardner and her posts on the writer's journey have proven invaluable to me.

4 - My friend, Suzy, a teacher, is brilliant and beautiful. I can't wait to meet her one of these days and share our stories in person. Her blog Tales of Extraordinary Ordinariness is filled with well-written prose on her journey through life.

5 - If you love shoes, you can't miss out on Susan Mill's blog A Walk in My Shoes. She's a YA writer who has pics of some really great shoes on her blog. Her writing is fresh and genuine. Did I mention she loves shoes?

6 - To show how open-minded I can be, I - a vegetarian - am nominating a very fun sight with a great name: The Vegetable Assassin. She doesn't really like awards, but oh well, too bad. She's a crack-up and you should check her out.

7 - And one of my favorite peeps on the world wide web is Mandy at Mandy's Life After 30. She helped design her beach-splashed website, and it's a great place to hang out. She also writes novels and clever poems about her life. She just all around rocks.

Number 5 - Check!
Number 6 - Check!
Number 7 - Uh oh... (Don't worry, it'll get done.)

Thanks again, Kelly. Virtual hugs right back atcha!

Have a great weekend, y'all. I don't know about you, but I'm an aunt again!!!

You have read this article Kreativ Blogger Award / Murder on Songbird Lane / Murder on Twilight Circle / new baby with the title Murder on Twilight Circle. You can bookmark this page URL http://loriescorner.blogspot.com/2009/09/it-girl-and-don-call-me-face.html. Thanks!

Embrace Action, Release Results

I've been on a wild querying streak lately for my last novel MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE (MTC). I've done tons of research and am being very particular about the agents I query. This takes time and focus, but as strange as this may sound, I love the querying process. I like writing query letters, and the process is akin to courting your future partner, which can be both frustrating and exhilarating.

The key, I've found, is to Embrace Action and Release Results. In other words, be as proactive as possible in your search for an agent, but once you hit the "send" button, let go of the result. Of course, this is easier said than done, but it's a good game plan. And, when you're determined to be published, you must have a game plan!

Here's how I've broken it down:

1) EMBRACE ACTION - Write the best freaking book you can!!!

a) Take your time. It's not a race. Slow down and concentrate on the story at hand.

b) Have word count goals and a completion date goal. Some of you may remember a prior post I did on the Daily 1,000. For me, that's a daily word count goal that is achievable. If I go over, great! But, I do my darndest to get at least those 1,000 words a day in.

2) Have one or two people read your first draft.

Find one or two people you trust to give you the good new and the bad news of your first draft. For MTC, I had two people read my first draft - a beta reader (kudos to Julie!) and my faithful alpha reader (love you, hon). The crits I got at that point were PRICELESS and had me revise in ways I wouldn't have thought of on my own. I know some of you think you'd rather have hot needles stuck in your eyes than have someone read your first draft, but trust me - this can be the smartest thing you do. I highly encourage it!!!

3) Edit the book OVER AND OVER AND OVER again!

Seriously, edit and revise until the point you can practically recite the pages by heart. I read straight through for the first revision, and then over and over until I feel the whole story flows and is 'complete.' You may want to review a chapter until you've got it right, or keep reading from beginning to end, or maybe a little of both. How you choose to do this is up to you! Just, make sure you do it until there's nothing of any major importance left to change.

Remember - you're a writer. Therefore, there will ALWAYS be wordsmithing to do no matter how many times you read through your ms. But, you need to get to a point where you know that changing this word or that sentence may be a good idea, but it's really not necessary. You have to know when you are done.

4) Have beta readers read your 'finished' project and give you feedback. Take what they say graciously, but with a grain of salt. Only make those final changes that completely ring true for you.

Then, and only then...

5) Start the querying process!

a) Write your query. Polish it until you feel it's sleek, to the point, and interesting enough to spark an agent's interest. Remember, the idea here is NOT to hit on all the characters and all the plot points, but to give an overall feeling of your work. ALWAYS INCLUDE: Title, Word Count, Genre, and Contact Information!

b) Research agents thoroughly. The tools I use are: Querytracker, Agent Query, and Publisher's Marketplace. You should also check out the agent's website to learn about the agency and the indivdual agent's backgrounds and genre preferences. Absolute Write is another great tool to see what other writers have said about various agents. There are other useful sources, but these are the ones I tend to use. If you've got questions on any of these, please feel free to leave it in the 'comments' or to e-mail me at dlschubert@verizon.net.

c) Make the queries personal where you can. If you've met an agent or heard an agent speak at a conference, be sure to mention it. If you adore a book they've repped, mention it. Those types of things help get their attention and create a personal connection. As scary as agents may seem, they're human! We all like to feel connected. Here's a great article from today by Agent Jessica Sinsheimer that addresses this very subject.

d) Be prompt, courteous, and professional when responding to partial or full requests from agents. Make sure to give them exactly what they request in the format they request it.

6) RELEASE RESULTS! Congratulations! You've done what you can do. You've written a great book, gotten as much feedback as you can, researched agents, and sent out queries. Now, trust the universe to do its job, and get to work on your next project.

As written in my header, "Little By Little All Your Sweet Dreams Come True."

Here's to all of our sweet dreams coming true.

Namaste - I bow to you.;-)

You have read this article agents / Embrace Action / Murder on Twilight Circle / namaste / querying / Release Results / requests with the title Murder on Twilight Circle. You can bookmark this page URL http://loriescorner.blogspot.com/2009/08/embrace-action-release-results.html. Thanks!

Speeding Train, Broken Promises, Near-Death Experiences & Swinging

I promised myself I'd take a one to two week break after editing MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE before starting the follow-up, MURDER ON SONGBIRD LANE. I'm close to done with my edits on MTC, within a week I believe, so that should mean I'd get next week and possibly the week after that to enjoy life outside my bedroom, right? I mean, it is summer and I do have a pool in my backyard. I've also got a stack of books on my night stand I'd love to read at some point before my 90th birthday. Let me preface this next part by saying I'm SO not a morning person...

So, what did I do this morning at 5AM? I broke my promise. Yup. I got up and started writing MURDER ON SONGBIRD LANE. Just the first page, but still... As all of you writers know, once you've got that first page down, you're screwed. You're on a speeding train, and not AMTRAK, which means it won't be crashing or slowing down anytime soon. So much for my summer...

BTW: I got another request for a partial. YIPPEE!!!!

IN OTHER NEWS...
Did I mention we've got six cats PLUS a rabbit? No? Well, we do, and our little bunny, Butterscotch, had a massive tumor on her side. I won't go into the gory details, and yes, you should thank me for that. Suffice it to say, it was gory. The good news is the tumor was benign. The bad news is she had to have surgery.

Here she is hiding under a beach towel with her Howard Hughes toenails before surgery. She doesn't look too happy, does she? POOR BABY!!!

You'll be glad to know the surgery was a success, her nails are clipped, and she's got a whole new lease on life. In fact, she just signed up for tennis lessons. She's always had a crush on Andre Agassi, well before he shaved his hair, and it's just something she's always wanted to do. But you know how it is... Before you have that near-death experience, the motivation's often not there. I'll try and post some pics of her on the court in her tennis dress and racket. Until then, happy swinging! (Feel free to interpret that any way you wish.) ;-)

You have read this article AMTRAK / bunny / Murder on Songbird Lane / Murder on Twilight Circle with the title Murder on Twilight Circle. You can bookmark this page URL http://loriescorner.blogspot.com/2009/07/speeding-train-broken-promises-near.html. Thanks!

Once in a Blue Moon...

My fingers are wearing thin... I'm editing MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE like a wild maniac. I thought this would be a breeze, just read through my shiny new manuscript, make a few quick changes, and presto-chango - I'm done. NOT!!!!

My writer friend from Ohio (who prefers to rename anonymous for fear of associating with lowlifes like me) and my husband have both read through my entire ms and given me wonderful editing ideas. My sisters and mom are waiting in the wings for my fully edited version so they can then suggest even more edits.

I've already sent off my first six chapters to one awesome agent, and another fantabulous agent is patiently awaiting my refined full. I thought I'd have it done by now but - as happens once in a blue moon - I was wrong. (Stop laughing, I can hear you with my supercharged and freakishly large blogosphere ears.)

So here I sit typing away on my laptop wearing my once perfectly polished fingernails, along with the rest of my fingers, to the bone. And, although I'd love to, I can't complain since I'm loving every minute of it. I just wish I was done so I could send off my requested full and touch up my query and start sending it out as well. I get such a rush when I send out queries! It's like a whole new world of spectacular possibilities opens up. Plus, I'll be able to start my next book, MURDER ON SONGBIRD LANE!

THERE'S A GIRL I KNOW... UPDATE:
The gal I wrote about in my 6.22 post (There's a Girl I Know...) is doing GREAT! Her dad has not had a drink since the day of the incident, and he's going into rehab. She's thrilled at the prospect of her family healing. I'm happy for her and am cautiously optimistic that this will be a beautiful new beginning for her and her family. Thanks to everyone for your good wishes and prayers on her behalf.

You have read this article Editing / healing / Murder on Twilight Circle / once in a blue moon with the title Murder on Twilight Circle. You can bookmark this page URL http://loriescorner.blogspot.com/2009/07/once-in-blue-moon.html. Thanks!

Murder in the 'Burbs

That's Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime. If I had to write books like that, on a typewriter without my 'delete' and 'find/replace' keys, there would be one more death to talk about; not murder, but suicide.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records (not to be confused with the beer company), she is the best selling author of all time. Only the Bible is known to have sold more than Agatha's four BILLION copies.

According to Wikipedia, almost all of Agatha Christie’s books are whodunits, focusing on the English middle and upper classes. Usually, the detective either stumbles across the murder or is called upon by an old acquaintance, who is somehow involved. Gradually, the detective interrogates each suspect, examines the scene of the crime and makes a note of each clue, so readers can analyze it and be allowed a fair chance of solving the mystery themselves. Then, about halfway through, or sometimes even during the final act, one of the suspects usually dies, often because they have inadvertently deduced the killer's identity and need silencing. In a few of her novels, including Death Comes as the End and Ten Little Indians, there are multiple victims. Finally, the detective organizes a meeting of all the suspects and slowly denounces the guilty party, exposing several unrelated secrets along the way, sometimes over the course of thirty or so pages. The murders are often extremely ingenious, involving some convoluted piece of deception. Christie’s stories are also known for their taut atmosphere and strong psychological suspense, developed from the deliberately slow pace of her prose.

Twice, the murderer surprisingly turns out to be the narrator of the story, and in four stories, Christie allows the murderer to escape justice (and in the case of the last three, implicitly almost approves of their crimes); these are The Witness for the Prosection, Murder on the Orient Express, Curtain, and The Unexpected Guest.

My latest, MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE, is the first in a series of cozy mysteries with an edge. It's a whodunit with no gore and, hopefully, lots of laughs. It's set in upscale suburbia with uppity neighbors and characters from a Catholic church at its core. Here is the first paragraph from the query:

Mapleton Falls is a perfect town where perfect families lead perfect lives. At least, that’s what newcomer Jenny Sampson thinks when she first moves in. But, when Jenny’s next-door-neighbor, Amanda Brennan, a beautiful, caring, doctor’s wife and mother of two, turns up dead in the entryway of her Georgian-style McMansion, Jenny finds herself muddled in the middle of a murder.

HERE GOES...
I've never done this before, but that makes it all the more exciting. Here's the first page to my new novel. I'd love to hear your thoughts...

MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE
Chapter One, Page One
I looked out and saw the assistant DA drive her old, beat-up Volvo into my long driveway. Finally! I ran out and gave her a hug. "Oh, god, Bree. I'm so glad you're here! I can't believe Amanda's gone. I just saw her yesterday. How could this have happened"

The picture I'd e-mailed her this morning showed five smiling women holding up champagne glasses, happily toasting the New Year. Standing on the end to my left, Amanda's sparkling blue eyes conveyed hope for the upcoming year. What could have gone so terribly wrong in only three, short months?

Bree put her arm around me and walked me back into the house. "Calm down, Jen. You need to tell me everything, so take a deep breath and get your thoughts together. "

"I know, you're right. I'm sorry. I've been a major mess since I got the news. Do you want a cup of tea? I made your favorite - chai with extra cinnamon."

"That's your favorite."

"I know, but you'll drink it, won't you?"

"Don't I always?"

I handed her a cup of tea in her favorite mug depicting Sally, Dick and Jane from kindergarten primers. "JANE KNOWS SALLY, SHE DOESN'T CARE TO KNOW DICK." I loved reminding her of her expansive sexual preferences.

"Okay," she said, pulling out a pad and paper. "Let's start from the beginning."
***

You have read this article Murder on Twilight Circle with the title Murder on Twilight Circle. You can bookmark this page URL http://loriescorner.blogspot.com/2009/07/murder-in-the.html. Thanks!

Avon by the Sea...

Have I told you how great my life is? As they say, a picture's worth a thousand words. Here are a few from our anniversary weekend in beautiful Avon by the Sea "down the shore" in NJ, not far from Asbury Park where Bruce Springsteen grew up.

I promise all these photos are G-rated. I'm saving the X-rated ones for a later post! (You're welcome or I'm sorry, depending on your preference.)

The first night we were there a wicked storm blew through. I love a good storm, and this one was a doozie! There were cloud formations like we'd never seen, rain pouring down in sheets, and thunder and lightening so bright and frequent that it felt like a prelude to the upcoming 4th of July fireworks.

That night we were seated at table 27. This number is significant to us because it's the day we got married, and it's our favorite number. In fact, before we called our musical selves Karma Chain, we were known as 27 Dreams.

Also, while we were there, we drove by a party in a VERY upscale neighborhood and nearly traded paint with a black Bentley - that's how close we were. The guy driving the mansion of a car looked down upon us in our Lexus SUV like it was a beat-up Dodge Dart and we'd just escaped from the local prison.

IN OTHER NEWS...
I finished my edit on MURDER ON TWILIGHT CIRCLE a few hours ago and am getting ready to send it to the agent who requested the full. There's also an agent who has the first six chapters. (They're both INCREDIBLE agents. I'm beyond blessed to have them read my work.) In addition, I'll be writing the query and will start marketing MTC as the first in a cozy mystery series later this week.

It was a great weekend. Wish you were there. (Have I mentioned I don't always tell the truth on my blog?) I hope you enjoy the pics!

You have read this article 27 Dreams / Avon by the Sea / Bruce Springsteen / Karma Chain / Murder on Twilight Circle with the title Murder on Twilight Circle. You can bookmark this page URL http://loriescorner.blogspot.com/2009/06/avon-by-sea.html. Thanks!