I have not kept up with this blog as well as I’d hoped.  It has a lot to do with the business of being a writer.  After toiling away on revisions, writing new proposals, submitting the new proposals, creating promotion and publicity for one or more contracted novels, participating in book signings, judging contest entries, attending conferences, running contests on your website, writing newsletters, implementing writing workshops, dealing with technical problems (there are days when I hate my computer) and volunteering within your local RWA chapters…well, there is little time left to actually write.  If you happen to be shopping for a new agent which everyone does at one time, or many more times, the agent hunt adds more stress and time to the mix.  Ergo - the work in progress often suffers.   Which is why I thought it was exceptional advice when I heard one agent advise a group of aspiring authors, “Just say no!”  (To anything except your wip.)

Of course, if you reach the New York Times Best Seller list several times you may be able to hire an assistant to take care of the business.  If you’re not on the list, but very lucky you might be able to enlist a volunteer to help you.   Since I am not terribly lucky and I doubt the best-seller lists are waiting for my next novel, it’s up to me to accomplish all of the above.  Somehow.

So, if I don’t get to this blog as often as I would like, the fault lies with overload.

But here I am – looking forward to the National Romance Writers Conference to be held in San Francisco beginning July 30^th.  There’s always something new to learn, but at this point the highlight for me it’s the joy of reconnecting with old friends.  The business at “National” includes attending workshops and cocktail parties, networking with agents and editors, sight-seeing and occasionally…okay, shopping.

In May, we attended Book Expo America in Los Angeles.  Dave was very successful. (Success to me was noting that his line kept pace with longtime friend, Heather Graham.) Once again “Reuben” proved to be a hit with fans and booksellers alike.  But unfortunately the whirlwind trip left little time to visit with old friends.  

Dave will be in Colorado Springs in August for a recording session but will also be signing.   He’ll also be at the Florida Heritage Book Festival in St. Augustine, Florida in September signing REUBEN ON WRY.   My first and last memoir!

With any luck, I’ll be posting again in early August following the Romance Writers of America National Conference.  Then again, I may be attending to the business of writing.

Welcome to my blog.  Hopefully, I’ll be updating with news, tips and items of interest to writers on a weekly basis.

I’ve finished the first western historical that I’ve written in several years.  Having Promise is the title and I’ll post an excerpt here in the near future.  Right now, Dave and I are getting ready for BookExpoAmerica to be held in Los Angeles at the end of this month at the mamoth L.A. Convention Center.  Dave will be signing on Saturday, May 31st.  He’s also signing at the Magic Castle on Friday.  

When I finished REUBEN ON WRY, I thought my days as a ghost writer were over.   The book is selling well on Amazon and I’d decided to return to romance writing.   But no, my life with Reuben Kincaid and the host of characters Dave played - and knows! - is not over yet.  I’m knee deep in writing - sales promotion, which I did years ago as a broadcast copywriter.   It must be true, what goes around comes around.   My life is a circle!

Unfortunately we won’t be able to see all of our friends.  But I definitely want to treat my California critique partner to lunch.  Charlene Sands has finaled in not one but two categories for the Booksellers Best Award - to be announced at the National RWA Conference in July. 

If you plan to attend BEA, please stop by and see us.   I’ll be running around the halls all day and Dave will be signing from 11:30 to 12:30.

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