Welcome to a Deadline Edition of Seekerville. Dedicated to that delightful term that brings fear to the heart of even the most stoic and veteran writer!
Give us your favorite deadline story..be it a manuscript deadline, or a contest deadline for a chance to win a DEADLINE SURPRISE!!
We Have Winners
Prize rules are here and winners should contact us through our Seekerville email address. We allow 6-8 for prizes to allow for forces beyond our control, such as babies, Mother Nature and DEADLINES!!
Mary Connealy came for the killing with: "Backstory--All We Ask is that You Give Us Your Heart." Winner of a signed copy of the Sophie's Daughters Trilogy! is Jessica Keller. The winner of an extra surprise giveaway is Becki Badger.
Love Inspired author Winnie Griggs was our guest on Tuesday with a post on Imagery! The winner of A Baby Between Them is Wendy Newcomb.
Wednesday we welcomed Howard Books debut author Beth Vogt to Seekerville with "The Writing Life: What's It All About". Winner of Wish You Were Here is Sherrinda.
Thursday Love Inspired author Audra Harders shared her post AHA! vs. HUH? Three winners of one $10 Amazon gift cards each are: Mary Cline, Bridgett Hanson and Casey Herringshaw.
Friday Love Inspired Historical author Sherri Shackleford returned with: "So You’ve Finaled in the Genesis, What Now?!" Winners of three copies of Winning the Widow's Heart! are: Brenda Anderson, Cindy R Wilson, and Ganise.
Next Week In Seekerville
Wednesday: Revell author Julie Lessman brings us "With a Little Help From my Friends ... Or Promotion Links You Will Love!" Don't miss this win-win post with links for free books as well as links to promote your own, PLUS a Julie Lessman giveaway.
Thursday: Today is "Spa Day" in Seekerville as Love Inspired author Ruth Logan Herne chats about the onerous task of research while writing A Family to Cherish,her 4-STAR June 19th Love Inspired release! Ruthy will gladly delve into the laborious step-by-step process of facials, hair cuts, blow-dries and massage as she single-handedly tackled a subject previously alien to her farm-girl heart! Leave a comment for one of three free copies of A Family to Cherish and maybe a puppy. You never know.
Friday: Taking Research to the Next Level: Cara Putman joins us on today with a guest post on research and stories of some of the crazy places she's visited and questions she's asked all for the sake of writing a novel readers can't put down. She'll also give away a copy of each of her 2012 releases: Cherry Blossom Capers, A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, and Rainbow's End. So be sure to stop by early and often so you can play.
We'd love for you to share your news and sightings in the comments!
Debby Giusti will be on the Love Inspired Authors blogspot on June 12, talking about what she received in the mail. Can you guess? Copies of her August release, The Colonel's Daughter.
Random News & Information
Amazon Publishing Acquires Avalon Books (Amazon.com)
How Many Rejection Letters is Too Many? (The Big Bad Book Blog)
Book Value (Forbes.com)
What Writers Can Learn From Pixar (GalleyCat)
Behind the Scenes at a Harlequin Cover Shoot: Cowboy Romance
What Editors Have Bought Recently - Women's Fic and Literary (Pub Rants)
Are You High Maintenance? (Steve Laube Blog)
Closing Thoughts on BEA from Dear Author (Dear Author)
Crimson Romance is the new e-book only imprint from F&W Media. F&W is the parent company of publisher Adams Media, Writer’s Digest and Writer’s Market, and many other publishing ventures. Crimson romance will publish contemporary and historical romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance and spicy romance as ebook only releases, available at CrimsonRomance.com and from all major ebook retailers. The line launched June 4 with 25 titles and will release five titles a week beginning July 1. Editor Jennifer Lawler is actively seeking complete manuscripts of around 50,000 words in all subgenres. All manuscripts must be previously unpublished. Find all the writer’s guidelines for Crimson here.(Cindi Myers Market News)
That's it for this week...but if you want more deadline fun, check out these Seekerville posts from the archives:
Deadline Dementia
Crunch Time
Love the random news links, Tina.
ReplyDeleteDeadlines paralynze me.
Coffee pot's on.
Helen
Hey Helen!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Good to see you!
Super WE, Tina. Looks like a great week coming up, and congrats to all the winners.
Incidentally, May's barkday is next week and we're having a PARTY on her Facebook page. Y'all come - we are giving PRESENTS!! www.facebook.com/maythek9spy
Deadline story - I tried to sign up for an agent appointment at a writers conference... from Norway. Trying to get the time correct was a real challenge! And... Alas... I missed getting the appointment because of a glitch.
Have a great weekend everyone! I'm going to be working on edits - possibly on the screen porch so it'll feel like I'm out enjoying the gorgeous weather. :)
I've missed Seekerville this week being at a family reunion for a looooong time. So nice to be home, and here procrastinating!
ReplyDeleteArgh - Deadlines, I wish contests would meet them more often - driving me crazy with this waiting stuff.
Though I did get a call today, I can't share it until a judge in another category turns in his/her stuff and it's all official, but it's good! :)
Happy Birthday, May!!
ReplyDeletePre Congratulations, Melissa.
ReplyDeleteWe missed you as well.
Deadlines? I haven't met one I haven't been able to runaway from yet! Bwahhahhahhahhahhaa!
ReplyDeleteGreat WE with lots of juicy writer tidbits. Of course I watched the cowboy video. Sigh. Am I the only one who zoned there first? I blame this bizarre fascination on Mary.
Congrats to everyone. And Melissa, looking forward to your news.
ReplyDeleteI got in some good writing time on #1K1HR with Ruthy and Virginia this morning. Thanks again, Tina for that resource.
Looking forward to the weekend and week ahead! Now to the links!
Peace, Julie
Good morning, Seekerville! Thanks for the Weekend Edition, Tina. Congrats to all our winners!!
ReplyDeleteCoffee's exactly what I need. Thanks, Helen.
Melissa, you're a tease! Smiling that your news is good!!
Debby, love your new cover of The Colonel's Daughter!
I'm on deadline. The book is due the end of this month. Still lots to do. Is anyone ever satisfied with the book when they turn it in?
Janet
Quickly answering Janet's question...
ReplyDeleteNo! I always wish I had more time to rework some portion of the story. Although, knowing me, I'd probably never think it was ready so perhaps a deadline is a good thing. Plus, I seem to work better under pressure. Not that I enjoy the stress, mind you, but it does help me to wrap everything up into a final form.
Thanks, Janet, for mentioning my cover. I'm happy. The Art Dept came through. I had sent them a picture of the colonel's quarters at Fort Knox, KY, which is the type of housing I envisioned for THE COLONEL'S DAUGHTER, even though the story takes place at my fictional Fort Rickman. The set of quarters on the cover is depicted accurately, and they added the heroine at the window as a bonus!
ReplyDeleteJULIE HILTON STEELE!!!!
ReplyDeleteI just visited the Craftie Ladies of Romance blog and read that you're going to GRW's Moonlight and Magnolias Conference.
Whoo-hooooooo!!!! I'm thrilled you'll be there. Getting excited just thinking about the wonderful weekend and how good it will be to give you a hug in person.
Your mention of deadlines, Tina, reminds me I haven't entered the contests you included in your last Contest Update!
ReplyDeleteYikes! I need to get busy.
Hope your deadline stress is minimal. Prayers for you and Janet!!!
As they say, no worries, right?
NOT! Deadlines always worry me .
I know most people dread deadlines but I'm actually more productive if I have one.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all the winners.
Congratulations, everyone!!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! First time of seeing my name amoung the winners!(Yes, I did scream when I saw that)
Yeah Seekerville!
Here's to more wins and more fun at Seekerville!
Ganise
Winner winner! Ooo! I'm so excited to get a copy of Mary Connealy's Trilogy! Best. Saturday. Ever.
ReplyDeleteMelissa...HOW can you tease us like that?? Now I'm going to be on pins and needles until you are able to tell us. :)
Deadlines...the only way I get anything done : )
ReplyDeleteCongrats to all our winners, this week! Good stuff happening in Seekerville : )
Happy B-day May! May you find a few extra kibbles in your bowl and a tasty treat under your pillow.
Melissa, that's just not nice...but what's life without a little suspense? You go, girl!
Debby, gorgeous cover! Glad the art dept got it right and added bonuses : )
Have a great weekend everyone!
Thanks for the well wishes for May! Her fave treat is meeting people at the fairs and shows. They fuss over and love on her so she thinks it's Heaven, or close to it!
ReplyDeleteMelissa!!!! Waiting to hear - I'm with Tina - PRE-Congrats!!!
Yes Debby - isn't that just the best? Love that cover!
Go Janet! You can do it.
I definitely work better with a deadline. My Dad usually shares a quote. Not sure who said it but paraphrased: The manuscript is done when the editor finally pries it from the author's hands.
:)
I can relate.
Happy Saturday everyone! My DH is enjoying an air show so time for me to edit, edit, edit!
Deadlines are sometimes my best friend because they make me step away and go on to something else.
ReplyDeleteFor years I had a cartoon of a weary guy hunched over his computer while a menacing monster stood behind him ... the title was "A Looming Deadline."
Another writer had a sign that said, "You want it WHEN??"
Congrats to all the winners ...
Melissa -- eager to hear what sounds like good news :-)
Tina -- the link about Smashwords and the one that included the update on Harlequin (from the BEA) were so helpful. Thanks for sharing them. Interesting observations from the 'cowboy models,' too.
Wishes for a lovely weekend, everyone.
Nancy C
Oooooh, I'm a winner today! I tell you, I needed a pick-me-up today. :) Thank you so much....can't wait to read Beth's book!
ReplyDeleteAs for deadlines...I try to self=impose them, but I fail at those. I need some kind of consequence, I suppose...and then someone to enforce it! lol
I freakishly love deadlines because I think of them as goals...
ReplyDeleteAnd that keeps it simple.
But the best deadline story was when the Teeeeenster dared me to write a contest entry to knock the socks off the judges... the prize was a conference fee.... And you had to woo them in five pages....
So I discarded opening after opening until I felt like I had one that grabbed the throat and shoulders and did not let go.
And because I liked the five pages, I wrote three chapters and a short synop, just in case it finaled and I got a request.
It did.
And they made a request all right. For the FULL MANUSCRIPT...
And so I hit the ground running, LOL
It's still unsold, and still under consideration, but that was my most scrambling deadline...
Well, if you don't count where they handed me back a book and said, 'yeah, this isn't working, let's talk, can you do a complete re-write???'...
Yes, I can.... (she gamely replied)
And did. In thirty days, three days under the original deadline, Made to Order Family was delivered. And I learned a lot about story arc, pacing, etc.
I'm a work in progress!
Melissa, I love when you get a sneak peek. ;) I'm seconding the pre-congratulations and joyful as our Seekervillagers sprout new shoots and wings...
ReplyDeleteForgive me, I was at the Farmer's Market, looking for chickens. I've got nature on my mind!
Julie, wasn't that fun??? I finally remembered to click in first thing, and to find you and Virginia working... Oy, wonderful!!! Still grinning!
Deadlines are necessary, but I can't say that I like them! But I've never met self-imposed deadlines. Someone else has to set them for me. That doesn't say much for my self discipline. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteTina, thanks for the articles! Cute cowboys!!!
Thank you so much for the gift!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of a deadline right now. Trying not to become overwhelmed and panic about everything that needs doing. ;)
GOOD practice, I know! :D
Can y'all see heads spinning??!!! Mine. Tina's. We both have deadlines soon, within a few days of each other. And then Janet has one soon after. It's crazy around Seekerville right now!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter just announced she was eating PBJ for the third day in a row!!! Ouch.
Then again, I took her swimsuit shopping yesterday after dinner. For any of you who don't have teen daughters...that's pure torture. So she better not complain about PBJ! :)
Julie, I saw that you and Ruthy and Virginia were up with the birds! WAAAYYY too early for me!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, we can't wait to hear!!!
ReplyDeleteI'll say this about deadlines. I'd rather have one than not have one. Three guesses why!
ReplyDeleteWhat helps me is to set my personal deadline 2-4 weeks EARLIER than the editorial deadline. That leaves me plenty of time for revisions, etc.
Oh, Missy-- swimsuit shopping with a teen. Been there, done that! You soon realize no matter what your opinion is, it's the wrong one.
Debby, looking forward to meeting you there too.
ReplyDeleteMissy, I paid for that early writing. I am now fuzzy headed and will use that as an excuse to finish reading Ruthy's book.
Peace, Julie
Julie, I will take any actions necessary to bring folks back to the pages of my books, LOL! Even shagging them out of bed spring-bird early!
ReplyDeleteMust go work on chicken coop.
Ah.
The romance of my life! :)
Grinning foolishly in upstate.
An impending deadline is probably the single best way to get something done.
ReplyDeleteThat's not to say I have LIKE 'em!
lol
Happy early barkday, May!
I had a deadline for When Shadows Fall, which I thought was a month out and working to get it done. Imagine my surprise when the editor contacted me to let me know I was a week late...
ReplyDeleteOops
Blessings
Tina Pinson
Good afternoon, Seekerville! Or at least it's still mid-afternoon in THIS part of the country!
ReplyDeleteI'm on a self-imposed deadline, right now--racing to get my next book proposal done which will (hopefully) garner me another REAL deadline.
Nope, Janet, I'm NEVER satisfied with the final draft. But there's never any wiggle room to have another go at it and still meet the book release.
Good afternoon, Seekerville! Or at least it's still mid-afternoon in THIS part of the country!
ReplyDeleteI'm on a self-imposed deadline, right now--racing to get my next book proposal done which will (hopefully) garner me another REAL deadline.
Nope, Janet, I'm NEVER satisfied with the final draft. But there's never any wiggle room to have another go at it and still meet the book release.
Helen, glad to have some of your coffee. yum
ReplyDeleteMelissa, you little tease. Can't wait.
Bark barkabark May (happy birthday in dog language)
The Codester and Suz send tail wags and woofs
Nancy C. I'm in the middle of reading Smashwords. It is boring as all get out. They need a romance writer to write the directions. LOL
Okay my scariest because I was minutes--I mean minutes away from making it.
ReplyDeleteMy blog for Seekerville was due and I had the idea and all but hadn't written it. Actually I was thinking it was the following week. And then I realized and got several interuptions, computer glitches, etc.
Well since I'm on west coast time I had to have it in by 9:00 pm so it would post at midnight. YIKES. I think I got the final in around 8:58.
And you know I had the picture of the Teenster in her Army bootcamp outfit in mind and just knew I better make that deadline.
Whew. I made it. But it was a close call. I don't ever wnt to be that close again.
Hi Casey, Waving at you because we should be passing through your town soon.
ReplyDeleteLaughing at the fear in Sandra's eyes considering Tina, staring at the computer, moments ticking silently away.
ReplyDeleteTick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
Have we mentioned that Teeeeena is trained in mortal combat? She's little but she carries a big stick.
I RESEMBLE THOSE REMARKS.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it's not a fun job whipping Seekers into shape.
It's a lot like herding cats.
I have been able to meet deadlines. In fact, I am usually early. So what is keeping me from getting in a manuscript? I suppose I have to finish one first...and THAT could be my deadline.
ReplyDeleteJan
Herding Cats, Tina...
ReplyDeleteOr milking them?
Sorry, couldn't resist.
For some reason Meet the Parents came to mind.
;-)
Tina P
Tina P, you are a hoot! You can milk anything, right?
ReplyDelete(laughing in upstate)
I'm on a chicken-gathering mission again today. After church, I'm heading down to Letchworth State Park area to herd me some hens...
And two baby roosters.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!!!!
Well I've heard of going to a state park to camp or have a picnic.
ReplyDeleteBut to heard chickens???
My, my life is interesting in upstate. smile
MEOW MEOW Teenster.
ReplyDeleteI can think of some other things you could have called us besides cats. chuckle.
The Teenster has been blessed with immense patience. Thank goodness for all of us kittens.
But hey, I did make it in time. whew
Congrats to the winners! I do my best work when faced with a deadline, they keep me motivated. Otherwise I procrastinate and get side tracked. No self discipline.
ReplyDeleteBut, please don't tell that to the agent who wants to talk with me next week cause she enjoyed reading my story.
I used to work on a newspaper and you really learn about deadlines there. DEAD. Your story is dead if it's late because....tada....we already printed the paper and your story is irrelevant now because we are talking about today, tomorrow we will talk about something else and you're DEAD!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good training ground.
Herding cats. Great visual!!!
ReplyDeleteMEOW!!!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I'm on deadline for a Seekerville post scheduled for June 20th!!! As Sandra mentioned, Tina keeps all the kittens in line. :)
I'm also jumping for joy! Finally, after much angst and trepidation, the plot for my next story came together. TA DA!!!! I'm sighing with relief. This heroine was giving me fits. She didn't want to reveal her past or the way she wanted to conclude the story. But...by jove...I've got it!!!
Snoopy dancing in Georgia!
Thanks for the barkday barkouts, everypawdy! Mom has me sidetracked while she downloads a NEW virus program...
ReplyDeleteThen - to the edits we go.
You know there's a cat in my next adventure, right? No herding needed. BOL!
Love to you on a Sunday, and every day!
May
YAY Debby!
ReplyDeleteThat has to be a relief. I'm tinkering with that a bit myself. Ready for a good solid ending and a teaser for the next!
We're getting there, but it's not there yet.
And again, super cover! :)
Ruthy, how'd the chicken round up go?
Had waited to the last day to register for a contest and ended up winning the grand prize of a set of books and a spa day
ReplyDeleteI would love to give you my favorite deadline story, except that I am on deadline and I'm way behind. I was sent my edits on the day my kids got out for summer break, and for the next four or five days I was so sick I thought I would die, and then I had a two-day conference to go to.
ReplyDeleteDoes that count as a deadline story?
The original deadline was this Tuesday, but I asked for a few extra days.
ReplyDeleteMel, that is a deadline story...
ReplyDeleteNote to self: Finish book (regardless of everything) before kids get out of school next year.
We learn as we go, don't we?
KC, there are now SIX HENS living in my coop (yes, I just checked them at 4:00 AM and they were still there, no marauders YET!) and two young roosters.
However the little bunny that the nice man gave us has disappeared from his cage.
Shh....
I think Dave is going to Country Max this morning to find his big sister because we will have broken hearts when my two girls (who went chicken hunting road-tripping with me) find out that "Baby Boo" has gone missing. And with four cats, I would say Boo is more likely MIA, presumed dead.
Dagnabbit.