But isn’t that a gorgeous cover? And didn’t my new website turn out beautifully, based on the coastal Oregon locale and the quirky/fascinating series characters?

I could whine about hopes and dreams once more doing a slow swirl around the porcelain bowl of publishing before finally going down–because this has happened to me more than once in my 20+ years as a novelist. But in keeping with that LAW OF ATTRACTION theme– “what goes around comes around” and you get back what you send out into the Universe–I will instead go with an attitude of gratitude here. Please feel free to chime in if things have taken an unexpected turn for the better in your writing life! And if you choose to commiserate, or to vent about your own circumstances, that’s OK, too. As for me and my house, well–we’ve been in lots worse situations, so we’re happy to be where we are!

First, I’m extremely grateful that when my editor, Alicia Condon, suddenly left Dorchester first of this year, to fill the gap Kate Duffy left at Kensington, she still loved my writing: LAW OF ATTRACTION came from one of those wonderful New York lunch conversations where she and I and my agent were euphoric about this series and its potential! Then we hit some snags and stalls…the poor book got orphaned while it was in the editorial phase, BUT THEN, I wrote a proposal for a new Amish series this summer and in a miraculously short time–10 days–Alicia bought it. The first book of that series is totally drafted now–and I’ve been paid for it!–so I’m in a good place! I love what I’m writing, I’ve enjoyed the challenge of taking on the entirely new mindset/culture of the Amish, and I still adore working with Alicia.

Along this same line, I’m so delighted that my agent, Evan Marshall, heard Alicia say she was looking for someone to write a new Amish series–and my name sprang to his lips! Good man, Evan: his positive attitude about moving forward, and about how to deal with this Dorchester situation, has helped me stay centered. I can whine to him about how much I paid for ads and bookmarks and a website revamp for this star-crossed book, and he listens–and then hears another editor at another house saying she’s looking for an author to write an Amish series, and again my name sprang forth!

Rather than jinx the situation, I will simply say that I’m really excited to be brainstorming with another long-esteemed editor at a different publishing house, and that if all goes as we hope, I’ll be going to contract for an open-ended Amish series that will be lighter while still honoring the beliefs and lifestyle of the Old Order Amish, and will feature a delightful maiden aunt anchor character.

Along this same subject line, I’m totally jazzed about an upcoming personal tour of homes, shops, etc. in Jamesport, Missouri–the largest settlement of Old Order Amish west of the Mississippi–in just a couple of weeks. This is the sort of on-site sensory experience I need to really ground these books in day-to-details and language cadence and other information you just can’t get from print research.

And now, I’m really happy that I’ve been able to look at my current situation in a brighter light. All the spiritual cues and astrology have pointed to a time when I have to clear out what I’ve done in the past to make room for new things in my future–we all do! As a part of this process, my alter ego/pseudonym got turned down on her last proposals so Melissa MacNeal will be on hiatus…except last week her Aprhodisia editor invited her to write an erotic novella for a 2011 Christmas anthology!

It all works out. Deep down, I always knew it would! Like E.L. Doctorow said, “Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”

Same could be said for navigating a writing career. I don’t know what awaits me farther down the road, but I know I’m moving forward. Hope you’ve got your lights on and you’re making the trip, too!

Dane, The Lords of Satyr

I work with some hot men…all half-satyrs and all sexy alpha hunks from 1800s Italy. But is my husband jealous of any of them? Of Nicholas? Or Raine, Lyon, Dominic, Dane? Not at all. He’s proud of my work and very supportive.

But he is jealous…of the time I spend social networking on my computer. Blogging and chatting with readers on Facebook or via my e-newsletter group every month takes time away from our lives together. But it’s mostly fun for me and it’s what authors do. We want to meet our readers and to talk about our books.

Although he’s very tech-savvy and is a vocal proponent of MACs, my husband is not interested in social networking. He’s never been on Facebook or Twitter or MySpace, and he doesn’t understand their appeal or why they’re useful. I discussed this with a friend who said that her husband resents the time she spends online as a blogger-reviewer of adult and YA mystery and sci-fi novels.

So I’m wondering…are there people in your lives–husbands, partners, brothers, mothers, friends, and/or significant others—who are jealous of the time you spend social networking online? How do you handle their feelings? Do you try to spend more time with them? Bargain about how long you’ll spend online? Explain what you’re doing and why it’s important to you? Or are there some husbands, boyfriends, partners, who hang out in the blogosphere too? And are you jealous of the time they spend online and away from you?

GIVEAWAY: Please drop a comment with your thoughts. I don’t have copies of my June release, Dane, The Lords of Satyr, yet, but I’m giving away one copy of your choice of the other satyr novels (Nicholas, Raine, Lyon, or Dominic) plus an autographed Dane bookmark to one person who drops a comment here within the coming week. Winner announced here April 4th (next Sunday). Looking forward to your thoughts!

Elizabeth Amber
Nicholas | Raine | Lyon | Dominic : The Lords of Satyr series
June 2010: Dane ~ Read an Excerpt
hot historical paranormal romance
Kensington Aphrodisia
www.elizabethamber.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElizabethAmber/

DANE, THE LORDS OF SATYR

Do you talk with your friends about sex? With your mom? Your sister? Anyone? Do they know about your first sexual experience? Your current sex life?

I don’t share many of these intimate details. I met my best friend in middle school and we’ve been best buds ever since. We know the circumstances of each other’s first sexual experience, but we’ve only recently opened up about it. (I was 18, he was my first love, my second boyfriend, my first heartbreak.)

But my bf and I don’t know the details of each other’s story. Probably never will. We don’t know any details about each other’s current sex lives. I don’t know the details of my sister’s or my mom’s. When it comes to family members, that info is definitely TMI for me.

Are other romance readers and romance authors the same when it comes to this issue? I wonder.

How about you? Do you keep this very private, semi-private, or do you dish with a close friend or family member?

Elizabeth Amber
Nicholas | Raine | Lyon | Dominic : The Lords of Satyr series
Coming in 2010: Dane
erotic historical paranormal romance
Kensington Aphrodisia
www.elizabethamber.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ElizabethAmber/

Read an excerpt from Dane, The Lords of Satyr (May/June 2010 release)

http://www.elizabethamber.com/excerptDane.html

Synopsis: As he searches for his missing brother in 1880s Rome, the arrogant Lord Dane Satyr wrestles with his fiery inner demon, Dante. Dane has little patience for the ElseWorld Council’s insistence that he must take a human wife to safeguard his ancestral lands.

Eva, a beautiful social climber with a gift for matchmaking, is determined to throw her humble beginnings in the faces of an Italian society that once scorned her mother. She schemes to wed a human from among their ranks. But she is far from human herself. And above all else, she must ensure that no one–not Dane, his brothers, her best friend, or anyone–learns what she truly is.

When Dane and Eva first meet, they are consumed by intense needs they cannot satisfy alone. Can their scorching passion and growing love for one another overcome the dangers that keep them apart?

I got lots of intriguing responses, and one of them was about author bios. She said she doesn’t need a lot of personal info, but likes to have enough that she feels connected to the author when she’s reading the book.

And I realized, I’m the same way.

I may not look at the bio before I read a book by a new author, but often, at some point when I’m reading, I’ll think, “I wonder who this person is who wrote this book?” and I’ll go see if there’s a bio. If there isn’t, or if it’s really brief, I’m not too pleased. Yes, if I’m really curious, I can go check the Internet and see if the author has a website. But in general, I like the bio to accompany the book.

So, what should a good bio contain? What’s your opinion?

Where the author lives, at least in general terms? A bit about their professional career and credentials other than writing? Information about their writing, such as other publishers, previous books, writing awards, bestseller lists, review quotes? A summary of marital status and kids? Pets? Hobbies? I’ve seen bios with mention of writing organization memberships, like Romance Writers of America. Personally, that doesn’t really interest me. How about you?

I really like it if the bio is written in a style that represents the author’s voice, and makes me feel as if they’re talking to me, not writing something formal.

What about author photos? Much erotic romance and erotica doesn’t include them, and yet many of the authors post them on their websites or elsewhere on the internet. Personally, I do like to know what the author looks like, not that it affects my purchase decision.

One thing that’s critical for me is including the author’s website url. Please save me from having to Google it!

Okay, so now I’m going to give you mine – the one that’s going to appear on my next cover. I’ll toss it out here for constructive criticism. What do you think? (It’s probably too late to change this one, but hey, there will always be another, and I value people’s input.)

Susan Lyons grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, and now lives in the amazing city of Vancouver, where many of her stories are set. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite. Writing gives her a perfect outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship and a sense of humor. Visit her website at www.susanlyons.ca.

I know some people think a happy ending separates romance from women’s fiction, but what separates romance from literature?

No, it’s not subject matter. Anthropologists say that life can be distilled down to sex and food. So, romance writers and authors of literature cover both of those. Okay, maybe Aphrodisia authors cover more sex than food but…

It’s not writing style either. Okay, maybe not all of us write like John Updike, but we can wield a competent sentence. Even a fragment. Particularly if it’s an artistic fragment. Like these.

So what is it?

Let me show you…

Does this woman look like she writes romance? I think not. This is the summary of her accomplishments from Wikipedia:
“Her many awards include an NEA Fellowship and five PEN Syndicated Fiction Awards. She won a book award from the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) in 1991 for Floating in My Mother’s Palm. She has also written many reviews for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. For many years, she taught creative writing at Eastern Washington University. Her recent books include Stones from the River (1994), Intrusions (1995), Tearing the Silence: On Growing Up German in America (1998), The Vision of Emma Blau (2000), Hotel of the Saints: Stories (2001), Sacred Time (2004), and The Worst Thing I’ve Done (2007).”

She’s also one of my favorite authors.

Now, take a look at this face. Does it look like she writes literature? Or romance. You tell me.

Also, one of my favorite authors. Plus, she cracks me on on AuthorTalk. Can you imagine Ursula on AuthorTalk? Yeah, me neither.

Now take a look at this face… Literature or romance. Oh, this is so easy.

Yeah, you guessed it. Literature. She won the Booker Man for her book, The Gathering. Is it about food and sex? Yep. According to Wikipedia (I love Wikipedia!), “Her writing explores themes such as family relationships, love and sex, Ireland’s difficult past and its modern zeitgeist.” See? Sex and food. I particularly love BBQed zeitgeist, but I understand most people like it completely baked (unlike my post!)

Okay, I have one more face for you… This one is more difficult. Literature or romance.

Gorgeous. No doubt. AND she won the RITA for one of my favorite books. Beat that Anne and Ursula.

Okay, I want to show you one more picture. The question is a little different here. Which is Lucinda Betts in this photo?

So if you managed to read this whole piece, you deserve a prize. Leave a comment, and I’ll pick a winner or two to receive a blatantly-not-literature book by yours truly.

To my surprise, I recently sat my way to a weight gain of five (okay—eight) pounds during the writing of book 3, LYON, THE LORDS OF SATYR. The inactivity of sitting before a computer for the long hours necessary to fulfill my vision really packed it on. The fridge breaks didn’t help. Once I realized I could not fit comfortably into my favorite jeans, a visit to the scales was in order. What a shocker that was. I reset the button twice thinking what I was seeing wasn’t possible.

I’m calling it my “book weight” because it’s similar to the “baby weight” new moms often work at shedding after giving birth. I figure books and babies are both acts of creation, though authors visit Fed Ex for their deliveries rather than hospitals.

The good news is I’ve lost most of my “book weight” by telling myself I can have that cookie any time–I don’t have to eat it now when I’m trying to fit into my jeans. Still, I surprises me how easy it was to gain without even realizing what was happening. Just imagine if we gained five or ten pounds with every book we wrote. Yikes.

Elizabeth Amber
NICHOLAS, THE LORDS OF SATYR (available now)
RAINE, THE LORDS OF SATYR (March 08)
erotic historical paranormal romance
Kensington Aphrodisia
for excerpts: www.elizabethamber.com

This weekend I attended two multi-author signings. These were put on by bookstores where I’m guessing the customers do actually read and enjoy books. Wouldn’t you think they might like to talk to an author or two? Apparently not. Or is it that they’re scared that if they come anywhere near us and our books, they might have to – gasp! – buy one? God forbid, a fate worse than death.

Well, of course we’d like to sell books but mostly we’d just like people to be friendly and talk to us. If they take a bookmark or excerpt, or buy a book, that’s a bonus.

So, what’s the deal with signings? Why doesn’t anyone want to talk to me and my fellow authors?

At the end of the second signing, yesterday afternoon, two of us asked the store manager that question and he said, “That’s crazy. I mean, you can talk to romance authors about anything!”

Yes! He knows us. He GETS us! Now the question is, how do we get that same message across to readers? I suggested that next time we put up a banner saying, “Romance Authors – you can talk to them about ANYTHING!”

What’s your experience with signings, as a writer, reader or bookseller? If you do signings, why? Are they good or bad experiences? What do you think makes for a good signing or event? I’d love to know, because I have a bunch more coming up!

(Before I stop, I’d like to say thanks to the great store managers and staff at Borders Express in Cascade Mall, Burlington, and Chapters Metrotown in Burnaby, who were so wonderfully supportive this weekend.)

Susan Lyons (www.susanlyons.ca)