Ready To Publish Friday - Punctuation

Ready To Publish Friday presents you with another good article found on the net.

The Finer Points of Punctuation

by Kristy Taylor

Perhaps the best way to illustrate the importance and effect of proper punctuation is to imagine reading a piece of writing without it. Supposing you were to read this entire article – all 900 words of it – with absolutely no punctuation. Not just the obvious periods and commas, but no colons, dashes, exclamation marks or question marks.

Punctuation hasn’t always been a part of writing. It evolved over time, as the printing process itself evolved. Prior to the development of printing, punctuation was almost non-existent and when William Caxton first printed books in English, he used three basic punctuation devices, mainly to indicate pauses and sentence endings.

Throughout the 17th century, more punctuation was devised, the most recent being the quotation marks. Eventually we had punctuation as we know it today, consisting of at least a dozen different punctuation devices (depending on your definition) – although some people would have difficulty naming all of them.

Click HERE to read entire article

Ready To Publish Friday - Courage

Welcome to Ready To Publish Fridays!

Last week we showcased an article about inspiration and we hope you found it helpful in someway. This week we're presenting an article about courage. How does being courageous relate to being ready to publish and writing in general? Here's a little teaser, but for a complete answer click the link.

Developing a Thick Skin: How To Accept Criticism
by Betty L. Meshack

I'm sure your mom, like mine, taught you, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Unfortunately, during childhood, other children did not have the benefit of my mother's advice, or of her trusty and quicker-than-lightning index finger and thumb which, painfully and with regularity, enforced her edicts on the fleshy part of my upper arms.

So when the inevitable evaluations by other children of, inter alia, my hair, my clothes, my size, my speech patterns, and my grades were "thumbs down," and I came running to her for solace, her advice was, "Stick and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you. Let it roll down your back as if you never heard it. You are all right. You're my baby." Great advice to instill a modicum of self-esteem in a little girl from South Central, right? Sure it was, although the scar tissue from the barbs exists to this day; echoes and reverberations from the teasing and rejection are often replayed mentally at the most inopportune times.

Click here ===>> Developing Thick Skin

New to Ready to Publish Fridays

Wednesdays & Fridays Blog would like to take Ready to Publish Fridays in a new direction. Thanks to all the authors who have thus far graced our pages and thanks to the many readers who continue to stop by to enjoy the conversations.

Ready to Publish Fridays will be featuring articles, essays, and resources pertaining to writing.

Our first selection hits on a very important element in writing.


When we think of the process of writing, many times we neglect to think about the inspiration that most must have to begin creating something. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to find inspiration in anything. Then there are those of us that seem to lose the ability to feel inspired. And we lose it for a lengthy period of time.

Touching Ones Soul: The Ultimate Inspiration For a Writer by Edward B. Toupin talks about why people write and I'm sure there is something in it that every writer can benefit from.

Here's an excerpt:

From smoke and dirt to pollution and oil, it is amazing how much gunk
can collect on a window over time. I sit here in my office looking out
the window that appears to look the same as it did when it was new, but
wondering why it was always a gray overcast outside. I was just used to
the slow collection of crud so I never really noticed how opaque the
window was becoming. It took a lot of cleaner, four rags, and a lot of
elbow grease to make the window acceptably transparent again, but it'll
never be the same as it was when it was new.

Just as with the window, from birth, we all collect some level of gunk
on our souls. This gunk consists of misinformation, prejudices,
conflict, trauma, and myriad other experiences that layer over our
creative insides. These layers slowly change the way we see our world
by creating an opaque film over our soul's eye. With that we begin to
see the world in a way that we assume that it is and not necessarily in
a way that it truly exists. Our reality becomes tainted preventing us
from perusing and becoming everything that we could possibly become.
However, somehow we need to clean off that gunk to obtain a clear view
of life.


To read the entire article, click HERE

Enjoy!

AUTHOR NICHOLE PAYTON

AUTHOR NICHOLE PAYTON

Let’s start getting your shine on. Tell us who you are beyond an author.

I am a mother of two boys, full-time government employee, a loyal friend and a blessed woman.

Show us when you realized you had a passion for writing.

I realized I had a passion for writing when I was younger. I use to write down every thing, I wrote detailed long letters to my friends at school, I kept journals. Every time I had a pen in my hand something always went down on paper, from writing poems to writing down lyrics from my favorite songs. I can remember when I was younger when the cassettes and boom boxes were out. I use to stop and rewind my favorite songs just to write down the lyrics...I always had a fascinations for how words were put together into something so amazing.

We understand that uniqueness counts in the literary world, but we equally understand there must be relatability. tell us an author with whom you share similar writing styles.

At this time, I cannot say that I do share a similar style with any authors. As I am still finding my voice as a writer, I don't believe that I could actually say that my writing relates to their work other than most of my main characters has faith, puts God first and have a strong belief in them. If I had to choose, I would say maybe Christian writers but on the other hand there are Fiction writers who also have these characteristics in their characters also.

Show us how your styles are similar.

They would be similar as I stated previously with the characteristics. What I love about being a writer is that you have total control of your characters. So even though there are the antagonist in my novels that I am working on now that you may not like due to the way they handled certain situations, somehow you still end up liking the character itself for who they are deep inside their heart.

Tell us your preferred writing genre and the genre you prefer to read.

My preferred writing genre is fiction. I prefer to read self-help books, but I read what interest me.

Show us what your audience looks like.

My audience looks like single mothers, married couples, older, younger men and women who have been in certain trails and tribulations in their life, but still manage to come out on top. My audience comes from all different cultures. I would like my audience to be anyone with whom I can inspire.

Tell us an important lesson, on the business side of publishing, that you've learned on your journey.

I've learned that you have to do a lot of research on the writing side and business side and most importantly, I’ve learned to be patient.

Going back to the beginning, show us the day you received your publication offer or the first time you saw your bound book.

I was excited and proud of myself. The first publication offer I received was for the Triumph of My Soul Anthology series book # 3, published by Peace in the Storm Publishing/Elissa Gabrielle. I wrote a short story titled My Soul Says Yes, which is anticipated to be released in Christmas 2009.

However, I was asked to be a participant in an Erotic Anthology titled Tasty Temptations, published by My Time Publications/Leila Jefferson, which will be released February or March of 2009.

Tell us your expectations of an aspiring author approaching you for information about writing/publishing?

You really don't know what to expect, but in general, I would offer my advice as to keep writing. If writing is your passion then stick with it, don't give up. Maybe your manuscripts will be rejected the first time around and maybe not, every situation is different but in any case does your research on writing to hone your skills and research the business aspect of it as well.

Ready to shine? Tell us the name of your book.

My first publication is for the Erotic Anthology that I was asked to participate in titled Tasty Temptations. The title of my erotic short story (which could change by its release date) is "Double Shot of Mocha, Please", the release date is February/March 2009.

My first publication offer anticipated release date is Christmas 2009 for The Triumph of My Soul series, book # 3. My story is titled My Soul Says Yes.

From one of your character's point of view, show us why we should buy it.

Both main characters play an important role in the story. Although it’s erotic, my short story has a strong storyline, which shows how two people find true love with sharing the interest of writing and reading. Sometimes it's difficult for writers to find that person who can actually share your views on writing and have the same passion and on top of that...the support. However in my short story both Trent and Angela's point of views will show the interest of the literary world. The love, the strength of one another and the support, along with some hot steamy scenes included will make it even more enjoyable.

The Triumph of My Soul Anthology series, my short story inspirational, My Soul Says Yes, the character Destiny shows her faith in God. She felt as though she loss her faith when she loss herself due to difficult obstacles she had experienced in her life. Destiny shows her strength to move forward and always put God first.
Without telling too much of the story, in My Soul Says Yes, Destiny reaches out to individuals who are believers, one who has the strength to move on when the battles get tough and still prayed all at the same time.

Tell us where we can find you on the internet.

You can find me at the following website and email:

www.myspace.com/shy320 or email me at nichole320@yahoo.com

Thank you for spending time with us on the Wednesdays & Fridays Blog. We wish you much success!


Thank you for gracing our space! Wishing you even more success!

AUTHOR CHERYL LACEY DONOVAN

AUTHOR CHERYL LACEY DONOVAN

Coming from a legacy of preachers, Cheryl Lacey Donovan is walking in her destiny. An anointed woman of God, her mission is to challenge you to look inside yourself for change, to identify the strongholds in your life, and to tear them down with the help of the creator. Once you have crossed her path, your life will never be the same.

Cheryl Lacey-Donovan is an acclaimed author, educator, and inspirational speaker and a compelling advocate for personal empowerment. Her first book "Women What the Hell are You Thinking: An Inspirational Guide to Becoming a Virtuous Woman of God was released on May 1, 2007 to rave reviews. "Women What the Hell are you Thinking" remained in Amazon's top 10 hot new releases during the entire first two months of its release.

Her new work The Ministry of Motherhood is destined for the bestseller list as it ministers to mothers who are living through what Cheryl has already overcome.

Tell us a little about you outside of being an author.

Outside of being an author, Cheryl Donovan is an inspirational speaker, talk show host, and entrepreneur. I have three adult children, a grandson, and a wonderful husband of 15 years. Most importantly however, I am a daughter of the king who believes in walking out God's destiny for her life.

What is your earliest writing memory?

My earliest writing memory is that of composing poems for my parents during special occasions. You know, the whole roses are red and violets are blue thing.

What feelings do you experience once you are satisfied with your completed manuscript?

Euphoria, accomplishment, amazement, you name it I've felt it. There is just something special about putitng pen to paper and getting your thoughts in black and white.

In your upcoming release or newly released book, how did you come up with the idea of your main character(s)?

Each of my books is non-fiction. The topics discussed are either my own personal experiences or those of persons I have discussed issues with along the way.

Tell us a little bit about your work in progress and/or your upcoming release.

Well, my work in progress is a book that my husband and I are writing together. This book will address the ups and downs of maintaining "Happily Ever After" My upcoming release is the Ministry of Motherhood. This book discusses the valley to mountaintop experiences that I had being a teenage mother who was abused by my first husband.

I am a big believer that word of mouth creates more sales than advertisements. Let's say I've never read any of your books before, how would you pitch the idea of your latest release to me.

The Ministry of Motherhood is my journey from an abused teenage mother to an award winning author, talk show host, and inspirational speaker.

Ultimately being responsible for life's circumstances, the book seeks to encourage mothers to become accountable to themselves and their children as they look inside themselves for change.

I consider myeslf a tough critic when reviewing books. What do or would yuo do when you receive mediocre or less than average rating from a reviewer or reader?

Receiving a mediocre review would only cause me to strive harder for excellence. While I don't expect everyone to like my books and will probably not jump at every bad review, if the there are valid points, I would consider it an opportunity to improve upon my craft.

What authors influence your writing dreams and aspirations.

I really love Maya Angelou and Alice Walker. I also like Stormie Omartian and Beth Moore. We seem to speak the same language.

What books would you recommend on writing?

101 Ways to Generate Top Book Sales. Antonio L. Crawford

The Self-Publishing Process: The Beginners Guide To Book Publishing Success. Renee Bobb

If you could change one thing you did during your road to publication, what would it be and what would you have done different?

I would have researched "Book Fairs" better. Some of them are good to go to, others are not; with regard to book sales that is.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Research is the key to a relatively smooth ride in the publishing industry. The more adept you are the better off you'll be in the long run.

Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

Readers can visit my blog at www.virtuouswoman-31.blogspot.com , www.blogtalkradio.com/worthmorethanrubies, www.cheryllaceydonovan.com

AUTHOR LEAH MULLEN

AUTHOR LEAH MULLEN

Leah Mullen resides in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn with her husband and their two children. Her publishing experience dates back to the mid nineties when she worked in both editorial and marketing capacities for John Wiley and Sons. In 2005, Leah was named the Life Coaching Editor for Bellaonline.com, a position she still holds today.

A prolific journalist, Leah has penned hundreds of essays, articles, reviews, and profiles which have appeared in over twenty publications and websites including: African American Literature Book Club.com, WritersandPoets.com, Conscioushiphop.com, Fiercemag.com, The Black World Today.com, A Good Black Man.com, Bahiyah Woman.com, Black Planet.com, The Doe Network.com, CaribbeanBeatz.com, Mosaic, African Voices, Black Issues Book Review, The Daily Challenge, The New American, Sisters in Motion, The Black Track, Our Times Press, The New York World, Awareness Magazine (AMAG), The Lyrical Times, Black Star News and Broward Times.

As an educational grant writer, Leah has worked on grants for several New York based organizations including the Youth Service Coalition, Flatbush Action Community Daycare Center , Educators for Children Youth and Families and Sunshine Daycare Center . She's currently a database volunteer with the international nonprofit, AmazingKids.org.

To expand her knowledge of children and early childhood programs, Leah recently completed two certificate level programs in Child Day Care and Teacher’s Aid from Ashworth University and Professional Career Development Institute respectively. She contributes to Today’s Child Magazine as a free-lance writer and editor.

Adding to a diverse career Leah is now exploring another love—romantic fiction. Since 2004, several of her short stories have appeared in Dorchester Media publications. Leah’s debut novel, Again and Again, a coming of age love story was released in 2005 through iUniverse.

Leah has a BA in Print Journalism from the Pennsylvania State University with a minor in Black Studies. She has taken writing classes at the Frederick Douglas Creative Art Center and online with Shades of Romance magazine and Brownstone University .

Tell us a little bit about you outside of being an author. What makes you...you?

Writing is almost everything to me. Even if I only get to spend 10 minutes a day writing, it is still my anchor, my core. I’m a mother and wife and a woman who is on the journey to be the best person I can be. And how do I express all of this? Via my writing! I write lots of self-help and parenting articles. Recently I assisted in editing an entire parenting magazine. I also write grants and do administrative assistant work from time to time. I’ve worked in just about every industry you can imagine. I even changed diapers at a day care center! I especially like to work with databases. I do allow other paying jobs to take precedence over my writing in terms of time, but never in my heart.

What is your earliest writing memory?

I wrote a poem when I was in the 3^rd grade and my teacher Mrs. Bishop told me it was the best poem that she’d ever read by a child of my age. I was very hungry for compliments when I was a little girl. I always wonder what would have happened if a teacher told me I was good at math or science. lol.

What feelings do you experience once you are satisfied with a completed manuscript or article?

While I always look forward to completing a project, my sense of satisfaction is usually short lived. I’m one of those writers who always has to be writing, every single day. That’s what I enjoy most about writing, not really the finished project, but rather the act of filling pages and pages with words.

As a self-published author, how do your feelings differ now compared to before? How are they the same?

I thought I would feel differently once I self-published my first book Again and Again. I’d already written for tons of magazines, newspapers and websites, but looked forward to being an author of a book. As it turned out I feel practically the same. I’m still doing the same menu of things. Thinking up story ideas, doing research, writing and trying to sell my work. What is different is that I can articulate what I write about. I write about self-actualization and love. Also I have more to say about writing as my knowledge of the craft has grown exponentially since I self-published.

Tell us a little bit about your work in progress and/or your upcoming release.

My current book is Again and Again. It’s a coming of age love story. One of the main characters is Sarah a woman who is raising her daughter while she’s trying to heal from the trauma of her own upbringing. When I started to write the book I was 29 and a new mother. I just wanted to tell a story with all of it’s arms and legs. You know interesting plot, believable characters, etc. Only later did I appreciate the story’s relevance. There are so many parents today who didn’t get the nurturing they needed as children and are struggling to raise themselves and their children at the same time. This is a monumental task to break negative patterns and legacies that were handed down to us. I’d actually like to do a lot more research on this very topic.

I’m a big believer that word of mouth creates more sales than advertisements. If we were in the grocery store, how would you get me to read your work?

I’d tell you that I’ve gotten lots of positive feedback from various demographics, which surprised me since I’d intended it to be women’s fiction. It’s an inspiring, uplifting family drama and a love story, very PG 13. And it’s been endorsed by best-selling author Donna Hill.

I consider myself a tough critic when reviewing books. What do or would you do when if receive a mediocre or less than average rating from a reviewer or reader?

I’ve been part of a writing group for many years and have lots of experience with critiques. First what I do is to listen very closely to the critique, then I decide if it’s something I want to change or can change about my writing. If the critique has to do with my voice or the subjects I write about then there is nothing I care to do about that, I write what I write. But if I’ve done something wrong technically, I definitely try to fix it. Sometimes writers get so close to a project, we can’t see the plot holes, inconsistencies and other errors. Ultimately I don’t take criticism personally. It’s my job to put out the best article/book I can. Reader feedback is crucial in terms of my improving as a writer.

What authors influence your writing dreams, goals and aspirations?

I’m very inspired by authors who describe a character’s inner journey. I enjoy first person observations, which is also the form of writing I do best. I’m a fan of Ralph Ellison, asha bandele, John Van Druten, Charles Bukowski, W. Somerset Maugham, Don DeLillo, Anais Nin, Erica Jong and many others. And then I have my self-help gurus like Elaine St. James who writes the Simplify Your Life series.

What books would you recommend on writing?

Hands down that would be Ansel Dibell’s book, Plot. There’s a great quote in the book where Dibell says you don’t have to be the best, you just have to be the best you can be right now. I actually apply this piece of advice not only to my writing but to my life! Just do your best every day and eventually you get better.

If you could change one thing you did during your road to publication, what would it be and what would you have done different?

I think I might have waited a few more years before publishing, but the story was burning a hole in my metaphorical pocket. I had the finished manuscript, I knew so many other self-published writers so I said, why not? I have no regrets really, not one.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Learn how to write well by writing every day—and I mean every day even if it’s only for ten minutes. Do write for yourself but also keep in mind that you’d like to have an audience at some point so you must learn the craft. Read the books on writing, take classes and workshops. Frequently submit your work. Once you finish one project, start another and read, read, read.

Readers can contact me at leahmullen@yahoo.com or visit www.leahmullen.com.

AUTHOR TL JAMES

AUTHOR TL JAMES

TL James, born and raised in Houston, Texas, studied English at the University of Houston and Texas Southern University and graduated with an MBA from LeTourneau University. There is where she cultivated an interest in biblical studies which is woven throughout the trilogy.

As she developed the storyline for this labor of love, she worked tirelessly with her son constantly tucked around her waist. She often found her inspiration in the sound of her son's small steady breaths while he slept. After eight months of sleepless nights, The MPire trilogy was completed.

*click cover to order

Tell us a little bit about you outside of being an author.

I'm a native Houstonian and reside in Houston with my son. I possess a MBA and currently work as Commercial Analyst at for an energy company.

What is your earliest writing memory?

My earliest memories of writing were in Middle School. I remember keeping a journal and writing in it every day about stories about my family and the combating the peer pressures in school.

What feelings do you experience once you are satisfied with your completed manuscript(s)?

Euphoric. It was better than childbirth… NO STRETCH MARKS AND NO HOSPITAL BILL! LOL!

In your upcoming release or newly released book, how did you come up with the idea of your main character(s)?

When Mallory was created, I was describing the perfect man for me. I wanted him to be smart, captivating, well-versed, well-rounded in art, science, sports and intellect. I wanted him to speak several different languages, dance, sing, and travel. Once I created the description of this perfect man, I sat back and discovered that he and I would never work. Our worlds would never collide for us to meet. So, instead of trashing the description, I created the “Perfect World” for us, thus he became the main character in my trilogy.

Tell us a little bit about your work in progress and/or your upcoming release.

My work started out as a trilogy. But as time and questions progressed, I created the MPire Chronicles.

I’m a big believer that word of mouth creates more sales than advertisements. Let’s say I’ve never read any of your books before, how would you pitch the idea of your latest release to me?

In Search of the Lost is an enchanted journey into the erotic and sensual picture perfect world of a rich and handsome “Texas Englishman”, Mallory Towneson Haulm. His world collides with reality when he is summoned to return to the family that cast him away when he was seven. The journey takes you family drama, corporate greed and scandals and epics wars older that Revelations.

I consider myself a tough critic when reviewing books. What do or would you do when you receive a mediocre or less than average rating from a reviewer or reader?

I don’t know how I would react getting a mediocre rating. My ratings have been from one extreme to the other. I got a zero for a Christian Fiction Reviewer who picked up the book and detailed every reason why I need to go to the nearest church and pray (but she is waiting for next book.) That was fascinating. I have received many high ratings from book clubs and reviewers who often don’t give out high ratings. That was awesome. But to get a mediocre rating… I don’t know. I will have to research the reviewers to see how they rate stories. Make sure that it was the storyline that they rated, because if it is a style issue or errors in the book, that is important to know. Thinking back, I did get one low rating because of errors in the first publication and the fact that the reviewer didn’t realize that it was a Trilogy.

What authors influence your writing dreams, goals and aspirations?

I grew up reading the classics, Chaucer, Shakespeare and Mythology. They way they describe scenes and sights and character through dialogue fascinated me. I remembered one time in school that I wanted to be Zora Neale Hurston. I don’t know if it was because if her writing style or her controversial political and social stance. Either way, she was powerful. It didn’t hit me that I could be a writer unless I “FOUND” E. Lynn Harris’s novels. He is a wonderful story teller, however it was him biography that captured my attention. The fact that he was working full-time and writing gave me the fuel to have writing a goal for me.

What books would you recommend on writing?

So many books, so little time! LOL! It depends on what you want to accomplish. I would definitely pick books outside your genre to expand your wealth of knowledge in regarding to writing styles. I would recommend the classics, just because I LOVE the classics. I would also pick a book from a genre that you don’t like. Pinpoint in detail “Why” you don’t like the genre. Is it emotional factor or writing style issue? All of these exercises will broaden your horizons.

If you could change one thing you did during your road to publication, what would it be and what would you have done different?

I would have had more self-confidence about my work. I think I would have made different choices.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

First, write out what your goal is in the publishing industry. Research! Ask lots of questions! And if it sounds too good to be true, STOP! Keep your integrity in tact, even if there are others who have let their integrity and/or honesty slip by the wayside. Know what your breaking points are and remember publishing is a business. You can make beautiful connections, awesome friends but be sure that you take care of business FIRST!

Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

Readers can go on my website, www.authortljames.com, and check out events, reviewers, excerpts and book trailers. They can purchase an autographed book from my website and receive a free gift. I’m also on Amazon and in Borders, Barnes and Nobles. If it’s not in a bookstore near you, ORDER IT!

Author Alex Beecroft

AUTHOR ALEX BEECROFT

I've written most of my life. I can't not write, or I get very cranky and bad tempered, as my family can attest. But it was only this year that I finally decided to try my hand at submitting something for publication. I've always enjoyed m/m romance and written it for my own pleasure, I just had no idea before March of this year that there was a market out there and other people like me, who would like to see it too. It's been a good year!

As for the rest, as Linden Bay put it:

Alex Beecroft currently lives in Great Britain with her husband and two daughters. Raised in Cheshire, Alex studied English and Philosophy before accepting employment with the Crown Court where she worked for a number of years. Alex will tell you that she's thrilled to be doing what she always wanted to do, living her dream of being a writer, and a soon to be published romance author.

Tell us a little bit about you outside of being an author.

I'm a mother of two girls, age 11 and 14. We live just outside Cambridge in a tiny village with not much to do, so at weekends we tend to be off at one national trust place or another doing historical re-enactment. We are members of two reenactment societies, Regia Anglorum, which reenacts the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans, and The Mannered Mob, which reenacts civilian 18th Century life.

What is your earliest writing memory?

My friends and I used to pretend to be characters out of The Lord of the Rings, and I was the only one who used to make up new dialog and new things that happened. I don't remember what the first thing I actually wrote down was, but it may have been a story about the rock band Emerson, Lake and Palmer turning into deep space mercenaries and saving the universe with the power of music. LOL! What can I say, I was young :)

What feelings do you experience once you are satisfied with your completed manuscript(s)?

Relief and joy. It's a little bit like having a baby. It's been a long, tiring process getting there, and then you suddenly have this new, perfect thing. Of course, immediately afterwards you start worrying about whether it's good enough, whether anyone will like it, whether you could have done it better... But there is that blissful moment first.

In your upcoming release or newly released book, how did you come up with the idea of your main character(s)?

Peter and Joshua from 'Captain's Surrender' were inspired by the Naval characters in Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. Instead of falling in love with Jack Sparrow as I think everyone else did, I fell for the clean cut men of the navy. I wondered if there was any truth to the way the film portrayed them - so confident, so fearless, so clean ;) So I went away and started to read up about the 18th Century Navy, and Peter and Joshua were inspired by people like Nelson and Collingwood.

Tell us a little bit about your work in progress and/or your upcoming release.

My upcoming release is called 'False Colors'. It's due out in April 2009 from Running Press, but it's available on Amazon for pre-order already. I'm very excited about this one. It's a good meaty 240 pages long and packed with sea-faring adventure. Like Captain's Surrender, it's a gay historical romance set in the 18th Century Age of Sail, but this is more epic and more complex. This is the blurb:

~*~
For his first command, John Cavendish is given the elderly bomb
vessel HMS /Meteor/, and a crew as ugly as the ship. He’s determined to make a success of their first mission, and hopes the well-liked
lieutenant Alfie Donwell can pull the crew together before he has to
lead them into battle: stopping the slave trade off the coast of
Algiers.

Alfie knows that with a single ship, however well manned, their
mission is futile, and their superiors back in England are
hoping to use their demise as an excuse for war with the Ottoman
Empire. But the darker secret he keeps is his growing attraction for
his commanding officer---a secret punishable by death.

With the arrival of his former captain---and lover---on the scene, Alfie
is torn between the security of his past and the uncertain promise of a future with the straight-laced John.

Against a backdrop of war, intrigue, piracy and personal betrayal, the high
seas will carry these men through dangerous waters from England to
Africa, from the Arctic to the West Indies, in search of a safe harbor.

~*~

I’m a big believer that word of mouth creates more sales than advertisements. Let’s say I’ve never read any of your books before, how would you pitch the idea of your latest release to me?

I'd say 'think Master and Commander meets Brokeback Mountain.' It's forbidden love on the high seas; adventure, peril, pirates and romance.

I consider myself a tough critic when reviewing books. What do or would you do when you receive a mediocre or less than average rating from a reviewer or reader?

I would thank them for taking the time to review my book and make sure that I understood why the book didn't work for them. Then I would think about whether I ought to do whatever it was differently next time.

What authors influence your writing dreams, goals and aspirations?

Patrick O'Brian is my historical fiction writing god. I love the effortless way he combines his immense knowledge about the past with brilliant characters, gripping stories, and sometimes some frankly hilarious moments. But for writing style and original ideas I also idolize Ursula LeGuin, and Tolkien is my yardstick for authenticity in language and fabulous world-building.

What books would you recommend on writing?

'Steering the Craft' by Ursula LeGuin. See above, she really knows what she's talking about!

If you could change one thing you did during your road to publication, what would it be and what would you have done different?

I wouldn't have allowed myself to get discouraged so easily. When my first book, The Witch's Boy, got its fifteenth rejection, I decided to give up trying to be published and just write for fun. I did that for the next ten years. Then one day I thought 'well, let's just *try* to get Captain's Surrender accepted. What harm can it do?' and it was jumped on by the first publisher I sent it to. I wish now that I had carried on trying earlier, and not had that ten year gap.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Once you start a story, carry on until you reach the end. Don't start editing and rewriting before you've got a complete first draft, otherwise you'll end up with five perfect chapters and lose interest.

Always accept criticism and advice as a positive chance to learn to get better. Your deathless prose *can* be improved on.

Don't get discouraged. Sometimes it is too much like work, but then, if you want to be a professional writer, it *is* work. Keep plugging away at it and you will get there eventually.

Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

I have a website here:
http://www.alexbeecroft.com

I hang out mainly on my livejournal here:
http://alex-beecroft.livejournal.com/

and my Amazon profile is at this ridiculously long URL here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=Alex%20Beecroft

Thank you ever so much for the chance to talk about me and my books!

Author Zetta Brown

AUTHOR ZETTA BROWN

Zetta Brown is a Texas girl now living in Scotland with her husband. In 1998 she was the regional first-place winner for The National Society of Arts & Letters (NSAL) Award for Short Fiction. Her work has been published in literary journals produced by Tarrant County College, Mary Hardin-Baylor University and Southern Methodist University. In 1999 and 2000, her stories were adapted for performance for Letters Live! at the Craft of Writing conference in Denton, Texas.

Zetta is currently Editor-in-Chief for LL-Publications, which she runs together with her husband, author and publisher, Jim Brown.

MESSALINA
Devourer of Men

Tell us a little bit about you outside of being an author.

I am married to the most romantic Scotsman in the world, Jim Brown, and together we own/operate LL-Publications and the imprint Logical-Lust Publications. I’m Editor-in-Chief for LL-Publications where I’m always looking for good genre fiction whereas Logical-Lust Publications focuses on romance and erotica.

Learn more about our publishing company here:
LL-Publications – http://www.ll-publications.com
Logical-Lust Publications – http://www.logical-lust.com

Then, there are my blogs:

“Zetta Brown – She’s a colourful woman.” This is my “author” blog where I update with things I’m doing and anything else I feel like posting.
http://zettabrown.blogspot.com or http://www.myspace.com/zettabrown

“The Full-Bodied Book Blog” – where the discussion focuses on books with “characters of substance.” http://fullbodiedbooks.blogspot.com

“Sistah in Scotland” – is my new blog where I chronicle my thoughts of being a black woman living in Scotland http://sistahinscotland.blogspot.com

Feel free to subscribe/follow any of them!

What is your earliest writing memory?

I started writing my first novel when I was 10. A friend and I thought it would be fun to write our own version of books we had been reading. I started working on a trilogy based on The Island of Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell, with touches of information I had learned about the Titanic as well as books I was reading by Anne McCaffrey (Dragonsong, Dragonsinger, Dragondrums). I was the female protagonist and John Lennon was my love interest, which made things weird after he got assassinated. In the end, I wrote the first volume during that summer and started on the second, which I finished early the next year. I started writing on the third and final installment but only got half way through because, believe it or not, I was bored with the story!

What feelings do you experience once you are satisfied with your completed manuscript(s)?

I feel accomplished that I have finally been able to express in words what had been on my mind . . . then the editing begins . . . I’m also eager to start on the next project!

In your upcoming release or newly released book, how did you come up with the idea of your main character(s)?

I started to write Messalina – Devourer of Men because, at the time, there were no erotic or erotic romance novels featuring larger women, let alone a woman of color, and definitely not an interracial romance. This is no longer the case, but at the time, interracial romances were still considered exotic, if not taboo (sigh!) and having a large woman in the lead just was not done. She could be the comic relief, but not a love interest. I created Eva Cavell to disprove all of that and developed Jared Delaney as a man who was not only artistic, but could appreciate a woman with curves could be sexually, physically, and aesthetically attractive.

Tell us a little bit about your work in progress and/or your upcoming release.

My next novel, Malice, is more of an erotic mystery/suspense. My aim is for it to be released in May/June 2009. The premise for Malice is: what would you do if you were not only implicated in a murder, but found out that murderous intent runs in your family?

I’m a big believer that word of mouth creates more sales than advertisements. Let’s say I’ve never read any of your books before, how would you pitch the idea of your latest release to me?

Messalina – Devourer of Men is about a woman in her mid-thirties, Eva Cavell, who has struggled with her body image all her life and it has tethered her emotionally and sexually. While she’s the obedient daughter and model employee, she knows a sex goddess lurks inside her, determined to escape. As a result, she has anonymous sex (or rather, foreplay) in order relieve some of her sexual tension, but even this is no longer enough. Then Jared Delaney enters her life. He’s a smooth-talking Texan and an artist with penetrating violet eyes. His attraction to Eva is immediate and intense and he starts to flirt with Eva’s inner sex goddess—with explosive results.

I consider myself a tough critic when reviewing books. What do or would you do when you receive a mediocre or less than average rating from a reviewer or reader?

1) I would assume they haven’t gotten laid lately, and if they had, it wasn’t good.
2) I would file their review under “Whatever” because I know I can write.
3) I’d go hook up with my other author friends and readers I’ve met online, hang with my family and non-author friends—anyone who can help me take my mind off of it so it doesn’t throw me off my stride.
4) Possibly create a character like the reviewer in my next story and cast him/her as a villain ;-)

What authors influence your writing dreams, goals and aspirations?

I am very fortunate to have as a mentor Laura Parker Castoro. She has a successful romance writing career spanning from 1980 and has been a fountain of information and encouragement. The same goes for romance author Judi McCoy who helped critique my initial submission of Messalina – Devourer of Men when I was looking for a NY publisher. I am very lucky to be able to call them both friends and if I can get a fraction of their recognition and audience share, I’ll be happy!

What books would you recommend on writing?

Any thing in the Write Great Fiction series by Writer’s Digest Books
• Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint – Nancy Kress
• Plot and Structure - James Scott Bell
• Dialogue – Gloria Kempton
How to Write a Mystery – Larry Beinhart
Elements of Style – Strunk & White
The Gregg Reference Manual (latest edition)

To name a few . . .

If you could change one thing you did during your road to publication, what would it be and what would you have done different?

I wouldn’t take over 10 years writing the first draft of my debut novel, that’s for sure! I would have tried harder to make time for my writing.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

Take time to learn the craft of writing. Fiction writing is more than just telling a good story. Learn about the “elements of fiction:” plot, characterization, dialogue, pacing, word choice, setting—the list goes on. You need to learn about grammar and punctuation—all those things you may have glossed over or ignored in school because no editor will have the time or patience to teach you. You also need to read. Why write stories and books if you can’t be bothered reading the works of others?

Learn to take criticism and learn to tell the difference between criticism meant to help and criticism meant to hurt. The former comes from people whom you know speak sense and/or know what they’re talking about; people you can trust and won’t just give you lip service. The latter always comes from someone who is bitter about something and that’s their problem—not yours.

All of this doesn’t have to be a chore. It can actually be quite fun and you will meet and make new friends. And you don’t have to learn everything overnight! But you should never think that you know it all.

Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

Visit my website, http://www.zettabrown.com, and my blogs:
The Full-Bodied Book Blog http://fullbodiedbooks.blogspot.com
Sistah in Scotland http://sistahinscotland.com