|
|
Author Archive
March 7th, 2008 | by Melissa MacNeal |
This morning I spent a fun hour and a half on BlogTalk Radio giving live Tarot readings and talking about my upcoming books…here I am blogging online…last Tuesday I emailed a proposal for my next Aphrodisia book to my agent, stepped outside with my dog, and when I got back to my Mac, my agent had already read the synopsis and sent it on to my editor, John! In less than 10 minutes, a proposal went from my desk to my agent to my editor!!!
When you consider I sold my first story after writing it (laboriously) on a portable electric typewriter, and mailing the hard copy to the editor of TRUE STORY and waiting nine months for a reply, this week’s online activity is truly amazing to me! Even five years ago, I couldn’t have conceived of such instantaneous communication between myself and a New York editor, much less having the guts to do Tarot readings on the air/online! Heck, I was barely scratching the surface of learning the Tarot and I wasn’t telling ANYONE I was drawn to such stuff!
Who can imagine what we might all be writing a mere five years (or heck–five months!) from now? Who knew our erotic stories would be the key to our current publishing success? And of course, we all try not to wonder about when this wave might play itself out….
But it will. And if we’re lucky and savvy and our stars align right, we’ll follow another wave into altogether new territory for our writing. Don’t ask me to consult my cards about where it might take you–or me–coz I can’t predict that! But as I stand on the eve of another birthday, and another couple of contracts, and realize that I’ve stayed afloat–mostly–in the writing world for about 23 years now, I can promise you it’ll be a fascinating ride! Bumpy probably. And we might take a wrong turn now and again, and somebody might give us directions that don’t pan out.
But this is exactly where I want to be right now! And five years from now, when I have my next really BIG birthday, I’ll be saying, “Who’d've thunk I’d be—?”
Fill in the blank! I guarantee you’ll look back five years from now and laugh at your antiquated answer. It’s an amazing time to be alive, and to be a writer!
Happy writing! And happy trails to you!
Melissa
Posted in General | 1 Comment »
Recent Comments by: Kate Douglas -
February 7th, 2008 | by Melissa MacNeal |
It’s been a case of Girl Gone Wild the past couple weeks (and wouldn’t THAT statement reflect totally different things, had I said it, oh, 30 years ago!) because I’ve stayed away from the Mac and writing ON PURPOSE. After meeting 3 deadlines in the previous 5 months, it was time to get away! The galleys for my May “Charlotte” book got done, and a number of other commitments got met…and then I said “adios” to all this WORK stuff.
So I went to Lowe’s–how’s that for excitement?! Bought paint for my main bathroom, got rid of the tropical fish border (NO MORE BORDER! What a pain to remove that stuff!) and I now sport an accent wall of Red Gumball (read: whorehouse red) with some sponge texturing. Honey beige keeps the other walls sane…unless you count the bright, bold prints of jazz musicians from Memphis, and the Mardi Gras masks and beads from N’Awlins. The room ROCKS! Am finishing the final details before our potluck group comes this Saturday night.
I’ve also spent time wandering through Hobby Lobby. Did a pretty silk arrangement in a basket my m-i-l had–for HER new bathroom–in bright pinky-orange roses, yellow roses, and daisies. It’s an eye-popper! I’m so tickled that I can do this without having had any real classes on it…I just intuit my way through this art stuff and do what makes me smile.
I’ve enjoyed lunch with a couple of friends. I’ve cleaned out the bathroom cabinets and reorganized the linen closet at long last. I spent the weekend in Memphis with my dh for an ear clinic appointment, but I was crocheting on a gorgeous striped afghan in Tuscan colors, for my sister’s living room, and I was haunting the Beale Street tourist trap shops for one or two more wall doodads in my bathroom.
What does this have to do with writing, you ask?
My psychic advisor and my numerologist have both INSISTED that I get out for these “artistic trips” away from the computer, but my soul knew I needed them long before I met these ladies. I’ve found out I work best when I intersperse writing/creating wordscapes with activities involving color and eye-hand activities that leave my brain free to ramble. In the back of my mind, I knew it was time to conjure new proposals for both of my publishers, but I blew off that urge in favor of playing just a little longer.
And guess what? This week I found the PERFECT face for the identical twins who will star in my next Aphro title, which will be Victorian erotica! And I found their husbands’ faces–and the face of the trance medium who leads to the big, bad revelations of past uh, indecencies, in this family’s shadows. AND NOW, I CAN’T WAIT TO WRITE THIS STORY!
I hope you, too, will heed the call of your wanton Inner Kid–soon! I hope you’ll give her free reign to play at whatever she loves…or watch dirty movies for story inspiration, or whatever she doesn’t get nearly enough of. Eat lots of chocolate and wash it down with her liquid of choice (OK, so mine is tea! But only during the week!) and see what happens.
And I wish you all a wonderful journey! And a wonderful day!
Melissa MacNeal, who never intends to grow up
Posted in General | 1 Comment »
Recent Comments by: sydney molare -
January 7th, 2008 | by Melissa MacNeal |
(OK, so third time’s a charm…I cannot believe I couldn’t Copy from a Word doc!!)
ANYWAY–one of my Intentions for this New Year is to get more public, and get beyond being such a “techno-tard,” far as online promo opps (you can see I need help here!) So here I am! And right now, I’m up against the wall, far as turning in my next novella for Aphrodisia–”NAUGHTY NOELLE” will be in the ’08 holiday antho! While it’s great fun to write a Christmas story during the Christmas season, lots of Real Life has taken me from my Mac lately. So I’m behinder than I like to be.
But I WILL make my Jan. 15th deadline!
Because another of my Intentions for 2008 is to talk positive! Think positive! And spread JOY!
For those of you who haven’t met me, I’ve been writing for the Aphro line a couple of years now. Wrote four for Black Lace before that, along with two serialized erotic novels at WickedVelvet.com. I also write sweet historical romances under my real name, Charlotte Hubbard, for Dorchester, so I spend six months as Charlotte and six as Melissa MacNeal. Nothing like cashing in on a split personality, eh? It’s a hoot going to conventions like RT, where I get to be both of me at any given moment!
Right now, however, I’m a little scrunched. Had a HUGE influx of junk emails at the turn of the new year, and clicked my way into a HUGE problem with my e-mail program, trying to fix it! Which is why I totally love my Mac guru. I’ve also taken the Secretary’s post in Novelists, Inc., an international group for pubbed novelists, so I’m tele-meeting each month now and taking minutes, etc. Those other officers might be in for a BIG surprise, now that I’m on board!
And, on top of that, I’m learning to use Word for all these new activities and for my manuscripts. Yeah, you’re thinking I’m really Neanderthal, aren’tcha? But tellya what–the AppleWorks that came free with my Mac is so much simpler and has served me well for most of the 20+ years I’ve been pubbed. I hate to fix things that ain’t broke–but I have to upgrade with the times and go with the flow, too!
And meanwhile….I’m supposed to be working on the final rewriting of my novella right now. I left Andy and Noelle on a Murphy bed in a renovated bungalow, wearing only their Santa hats. I really should get back to see how they’re doing without me….
Until next month! Have a good one!
Melissa MacNeal
www.melissamacneal.com
Next release: “Getting Lucky” in ONLY WITH A COWBOY,
May, 2008
Posted in General | 8 Comments »
Recent Comments by: Bonnie Edwards - Melissa MacNeal - Barbara Vey - Kate Pearce - Susan Lyons -
July 16th, 2006 | by Melissa MacNeal |
Hi, You Aphrodisiacs!
This is my first post, and I’m pleased to be here! Will have my newly revamped website up and running soon, but meanwhile, I’d like to explore with you Hot Authors…what makes a book HOT for you? What do you most like to write–or read–in these Aphrodisia stories?
Since I wrote historical erotica for Black Lace, and have switched to contemp for this line, I’ve had to rethink a little! My November book, ALL NIGHT LONG, is a cruise ship romp–FUN story! Poor Lola gets jilted by her fiance onboard, and then finds out he’s also maxed out ALL her plastic and run up horrendous bills before he’s stayed behind in Aruba (with the “soul mate” he’s just met)…so to pay off these debts, Lola becomes the Greek captain’s love slave for the week!
What I enjoyed most about this story was having an international cast of men–a Brit concierge, a young cabana boy, the sexy Greek captain, and a Spanish security agent (who is the hero, in the end). Lots of variety there! And of course, what’s not to love about being on a cruise?
And for Lola, owner of a business, being ANY man’s slave was SO not her style. But gee, she learned to serve! ; )
Question: I’ve always enjoyed girl-girl scenes because I think they’re edgy, and sexy (way sexier than guy-guy scenes)
but my editor nicely asked me not to include that in my next Aphrodisia title because we’re targeting a female readership.
Do you agree with this?? Have your editors said anything about it?
Just curious! Interested in what you ladies have to say!
Melissa MacNeal
Posted in General | 5 Comments »
Recent Comments by: Rachelle Chase - Lacy Danes - Amie Stuart - MelissaMac - Celia May Hart -
|
