WITH!!!! Love Inspired Senior Editor Emily Rodmell!!!
As an editor, I’m always in awe of authors who work full time, raise children and still find time to write multiple books a year. When I’ve asked them how they do it, I’ve gotten answers ranging from getting up before the chickens (and children) to write or staying up late to get words on the page or writing on lunch breaks from work or in the car while kids are at soccer practice. The one thing they all have in common is that they make the commitment to sit down and write, and they stick to it.
As an editor, I’m always in awe of authors who work full time, raise children and still find time to write multiple books a year. When I’ve asked them how they do it, I’ve gotten answers ranging from getting up before the chickens (and children) to write or staying up late to get words on the page or writing on lunch breaks from work or in the car while kids are at soccer practice. The one thing they all have in common is that they make the commitment to sit down and write, and they stick to it.
Did you know that if you wrote 1,000 words a day, you could
have a Love Inspired book (55K words) in less than 2 months? You could build in
time for editing, revising and vacations and still complete 4 books a year.
Your average
manuscript page has somewhere between 200-300 words per page depending on font,
margins and spacing. So 1,000 words is about 3-5 pages. While a whole
manuscript may seem daunting, 3-5 pages is a manageable chunk. If you can write
those small chunks every day, they can really add up. If 1K is too much for
you, break it down even further. 500 words a day (a measly 1-3 pages) could
give you a manuscript in 4 months. With time for editing, you could have 2
books a year, which is the number that a lot of our authors strive for.
To offer you further motivation, Love Inspired just launched
a new pitch opportunity yesterday. From
Blurb to Book: Pitch, Write and Sell Your Book in 5 months. We’re on the
hunt for fresh new voices and are giving you the chance to pitch us your idea. The
authors chosen to move on in the pitch contest will get guidance along the way from
the Love Inspired editors as they work to complete a proposal and manuscript.
Check out our announcement here:
You’ve got a little less than
two weeks to submit a 100 word blurb and your first page of a book targeted to
one of the three Love Inspired lines (Love Inspired, Love Inspired Suspense and
Love Inspired Historical). All you need is an idea and the drive to write to
take that first step. And you’ll find out if your initial entry wowed the
editors 10 days after the deadline!
Last year we had a pitch session
called The Search for a Killer Voice, and many of the entrants said that having
to meet deadlines along the way helped them stay on track and finally finish a
book. We hope the same will be true this year. We’ll be offering guidance,
feedback and inspiration as you write your books. We’ve posted two blogs in the
forums on Harlequin.com already. One on how to write a great blurb and first
page and another on what the Love Inspired lines are looking for (cowboys,
Amish, law enforcement heroes and more). There are also forums to ask questions
of the editors and to support and interact with your fellow writers.
Looking for even more
motivation? In the past few years, we’ve offered contracts to more than 20
authors through our pitch sessions. They’re sharing their success stories here:
http://community.harlequin.com/showthread.php/2661-Success-Stories. In fact, three of the authors who sold less than a year
ago through our pitch The Search For a Killer Voice, will see their books on
the shelves next month. If you want to see what we bought last year, check out
Fatal Freeze by Michelle Karl, Presumed Guilty by Dana R. Lynn and Royal Rescue
by Tammy Johnson. April also marks the debut of Targeted by Becky Avella who
sold through the prior year’s Happily Editor After pitch session.
Anyone who has not been
published with Love Inspired can enter. New authors and authors published with
other houses are welcome. Agented and
unagented alike can enter. You can use a pseudonym as long as your legal name
is in the entry for our records. I hope that you all take advantage of this
opportunity. If you’ve never tried to write a Love Inspired book before but
always wondered if you could, this is your chance. Love Inspired books have a
wide distribution. They are sold through our book club, in mass market
retailers such as Wal-Mart, in bookstores and in all major ebook retailers.
It’s a great way to get your writing in front of a wide audience of avid fans
of inspirational fiction. Start writing today, and you could have a contract by
the end of the summer. We’re eager to find and nurture new voices for the Love
Inspired lines, and so get started on your blurbs and first pages. I’ll be
stopping in today to answer any questions you might have, so fire away.
Bio: Emily
Rodmell is the editor for Love Inspired Books. She started her career as a
newspaper journalist and at Scholastic before coming to Love Inspired 10 years
ago. She has acquired more than 30 authors for the Love Inspired lines in that
time and is always on the lookout for more. She loves to see unique plots that
surprise her and keep her guessing. When she’s not at work, she loves watching
procedural TV shows, exploring New York City and doting on her adorable nephew.
Find her on social media here: Twitter (@EmilyRodmell), Instagram
(@NYC_Editor_Life), Pinterest (Emily Rodmell) and Goodreads (Emily
Rodmell).
There's tea and orange juice to go along with Ruthie's coffee and eats.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being so open to new writers, Emily.
It will be interesting to see how many new authors you end up signing from this pitch opportunity.
I could put a couple of other projects on hold for this opportunity! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a happy dance! At our house we love the LOVE INSPIRED novels. They are short enough that we can pick them up during breaks and still get them read in a relatively short time. And in the past ten years or so (note, Emily) they achieve a depth to them they didn't have earlier.ill be checking out those books at Walmart! SEEKERVILLE and LOVE INSPIRED BOOKS. What a combination. There's NO LIMITS to where we'll go!!!
ReplyDeleteLovely opportunity! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoy reading Love Inspired books! I've become a devoted follower of several authors through their work with this line. Best wishes to everyone who gives this great opportunity a go!
ReplyDeletePlease include me in the drawing!)
I am a reader, not a writer for a very good reason. If I had 4 years I could not write a book, let alone 4 in one year.
ReplyDeleteWonderful opportunity Emily love the Love Inspired line of books. They are stacked in bookcases in my 'office/spare bedroom'. I do love the way I can pick one up and be instantly swept into the story and that they are a quick but enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteContinue Speedboing all...
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
I love the reader support we've got here! Hugging you all!
ReplyDeleteLyndee, crazy exciting, right?????
Heidi, you're in, darling!
Helen, I was thrilled last year by the Killer Voice results, and that we had so many friends from Seekerville do well... GO FRIENDS!!! GO!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNote from Ruthy: Emily actually was scheduled for the end of the month and asked to be bumped up once they decided on the contest announcement so that everyone here would have more time. How wonderful is that? Thank you, Emily!
ReplyDeleteEmily, I'm so excited for this new contest. I participated in Killer Voices last year (team Elizabeth). My revised novel is back in Elizabeth's hands, so I was especially happy to read on the HQN boards that you would be allowing people with books currently under consideration to still participate in the pitch. I know doing a pitch like this is a lot of work for the editors, and I appreciate the opportunity you all are providing for all of us hopefuls.
ReplyDeleteGotta run, I'm headed out the door now for shoulder surgery. I doubt if I'll make it back in here today, but I'll stop back by tomorrow to read all the comments. Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Good morning, Seekerville. Good mornng, Emily.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for this opportunity. You all know Love Inspired contests have been great for me since I sold through Killer Voices last year.
I want to encourage anyone who is even considering entering to go for it. The experience is amazing.
Selling through a pitch like this also gives you such a wonderful group of friends. My sister Killer Voices and I (okay, that sounds weird) have banded together to support each other through the entire process. It's so helpful to have others going through things at the same time.
I'll echo Ruthy in thanking the Seekerville readers. I'm pretty sure all of us were readers first or why even bother being a writer. Love you all!
Happy St. Patrick's Day. It's my husband's birthday as well. He grew up in Boston and was pretty sure the parade was for his birthday.
Rhonda, praying for your successful surgery. ((((((gentle hugs)))))
ReplyDeleteSquueeeaaallll! Just finished Dana R. Lynn's Killer Voice debut. Awesome story! So exciting to have been a part of that contest and to see the actual results in such a short turn around time.
ReplyDeleteI too, appreciate how open Love Inspired is to new author submissions and I love this Blurb to Book idea. I'm gearing up to enter with my Speedbo story...it's the blurb writing that has me in fits.
Kav...so glad you liked it! KV was an awesome time, wasn't it?
DeleteI've got my coffee but I'm not awake.
ReplyDeleteWELCOME, EMILY. Awe don't those editors look so sweet! Great, great picture and a great opportunity!
ReplyDeleteGluten free donuts for all!
So excited about the new contest and am working on my blurb. Wonderful opportunity. Thanks Emily and Thanks Ruth!
ReplyDeleteHi Emily,
ReplyDeleteDoes being published in the Heartsong Presents line count as being published in LI?
Emily, I'm so excited about this new contest! I'm encouraging several friends and family members to enter. The Killer Voices contest was such a fantastic experience. And the editors, authors and Harlequin community are exceptional in their support and encouragement.
ReplyDeleteI.Am.So.Doing.This.
ReplyDeleteKB
I am excited about Blurb to Book. (Although it scares me to death too!) I actually have a manuscript almost done so I guess now is the right time to enter!
ReplyDeleteGood morning Seekerville,
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy to be here today. We've already started getting submissions for Blurb to Book. :) I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about the contest or writing for LI in general or what we're looking for.
Emily
What a great opportunity! May the luck o' the Irish be with everyone entering! :)
ReplyDeleteRose,
ReplyDeleteIf it was with Heartsong when it was a part of LI, then yes, that would be considered published with LI.
Emily
What an exciting opportunity for everyone especially with all the speedbo writing going on this month!
ReplyDeleteI love the LI line of books and have easily read more than 100 with at least that many more in my TBR pile.
Seekerville is such an encouraging group.
"Great favor and blessing flows from being a cheerleader for God's women".(I'm including the men too)
I ran across this quote by Nicki Koziarz on Pro31 devotional this morning and immediately thought it perfectly described all the support seekers extend to each other and explains why there is so much success among its members.
So, I'm cheering everyone on toward their goals and believing for all the writing WIP. Write on, Seekerville.
I also wanted to say that LI is still very actively seeking Love Inspired Suspense books. So if you're on the fence about what line to target, there is great opportunity there. There's a list of what we're looking for in each line here: http://community.harlequin.com/showthread.php/2663-What-we-re-looking-for-in-your-story
ReplyDeleteI'd be especially excited to see someone tackle the rookie law enforcement role. FBI Academny or new Coast Guard member. :)
I'm working away. Emily, my story involves a rookie policeman but he's living in 1941 Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteMy question is about series. Should we also include a hint as to a future series if we have more than one stand alone?
Thanks and put me in the drawing!
Peace, Julie
How fun! What a wonderful opportunity! We adore the Love Inspired lines at our house. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Emily, for giving us the scoop!
Julie,
ReplyDeleteYou can mention if you are planning a series in the body of your email if you get to the full manuscript round. But the early rounds are just for us to see voice and idea.
Emily
Welcome to Seekerville, Emily! Thanks for bringing this wonderful contest opportunity to our Villagers! Know you'll get some takers. Can imagine all the hard work this contest will entail. You LI editors are fantastic! No one works harder. I'm grateful for the insight you, Melissa and Tina have given me.
ReplyDeleteA question: Is it okay to pitch already written books?
Janet
Talk about an opportunity of a lifetime! Maybe it's a sign that all those ideas I've had floating around the back of my brain finally have a chance to be realized. It's the perfect chance to chase my dreams. :) Thank you so much for this opportunity.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is such a great opportunity and it actually seems possible for a self-defense-be author. Thank you for all of the good information!
ReplyDeleteConnie
cps1950@gmail.com
Sorry, auto-correct kicked in. author
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteIt is fine to pitch a book that's already written as long as it has not already been submitted to LI. However, the author should keep in mind that this contest is about feedback, so we may ask for revisions on the proposal stage that could mean some tweaking would be neccessary on the full.
Emily
Thanks Emily! To get that kind of feedback on a written book is fantastic. Know you'll get lots of entries. Off to tweet.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Wanted to pop in and encourage everyone to give this a shot! When I entered #KillerVoices last year, my house was a construction zone (thanks to a burst water pipe) and I almost talked myself out of it because there was no way I had time! But I eventually talked myself into it by concluding that the first round seemed manageable, and maybe the second, and there was no way I would even make it into the 3rd, so why not go for it. :-) You just might surprise yourself by what you CAN do, even when life is chaotic. I was the final #KillerVoices sale and my book, Covert Justice, releases in June! Don't let the craziness in your world stop you from diving in!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity. I love the way Love Inspired reaches out to writers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Marianne. These books have acquired a depth not seen in earlier years. My late mother-in-law used to call the early Harlequins her "half-hour books." I don't think she could say that today.
ReplyDeleteKB
Can we submit more than one?
ReplyDeleteKB
Welcome Emily, and I am super excited about your news! Being an unpubbed (as yet) writer who has a very strong goal/desire to be a Love Inspired Author, I am going to do this.
ReplyDeleteIt was great talking with you last September at ACFW. You were encouraging (and gave me some wonderful ideas for a manuscript I've been working on). Very much appreciated! :)
Blessings from Georgia, Patti Jo
Great post and awesome opportunity! I love how open you are to unpublished authors and the extent you go to help them get published. Thanks for all your hard work! Please enter me in the drawing. Back to speedboing!
ReplyDeleteBack to give my Speedbo update: I have one more scene to write to fill in the middle of my WIP (I think it's only one!) I have 653 words left to meet my word total goal for the month.
ReplyDeleteKaybee,
ReplyDeleteOne entry per person. So make it count. Make sure that your blurb highlights your plot, conflict and hooks in a compelling way and that your first page starts in an intriguing place of action rather than backstory.
Emily
Leave it to Seekerville to provide us with the inside scoop. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Emily. This is an awesome and very generous opportunity.
Thanks also to Lynn Huggins Blackburn. Your comment is very encouraging.
What a great opportunity! Love the LI lines, especially the historical. So many talented authors! :)
ReplyDeleteEmily, thank you so much for sharing this opportunity with our Seekervillagers! Love Inspired has been so wonderful for launching new authors and giving them such widespread exposure. We have so many LI success stories right here in Seekerville!
ReplyDeleteWow...I'm so very excited to hear about this opportunity! I did let the craziness of last year stop me after the first round in #KillerVoices.
ReplyDeleteThis year, I'm determined to try again.
Thanks Seekerville for hosting Emily and thanks to Love Inspired for opening doors to encourage writers! Nice to hear from you Emily.
I am on vacation this week and loving it because I am working on my novel and able to visit Seekerville.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily, thanks for sharing such great news about Love Inspired Novels. I have been reading the line for the past year and loving it.
Dare I hope that I may write for you? Yes, I think I will take the plunge and send you my pitch.
Emily, so excited about this new opportunity.
ReplyDeleteIf we already have a submission w/one of the LI editors do we mention it in the email?
And good morning Seekerville!
Glad to see everyone here today who are planning to enter. We already got a number of entries this morning. :)
ReplyDeleteConnie,
Yes, it would be good to mention that you have a ms in house already in your email.
Emily
This is an awesome opportunity. I'm currently reworking my finalist KV entry from last year, adjusting things based on the feedback Shana gave me. I'm puttering away a little bit at a time and feeling like an idiot, but not because of lack of help/input.
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily and all the LI staff for actively seeking new authors via the pitches. The effort involved is GREATLY appreciated.
p.s. sign me up for the surprise packages.
This is such an exciting opportunity for those who dream of writing for Love Inspired. I was happy to find out that entrants can send stories for all three lines. I'm eager to follow the entrants' progress and see how many contracts are issued as a result of From Blurb to Book.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best parts about writing for LI is the awesome editorial feedback. My stories are so much better thanks to my savvy editor's input. Waving at Emily.
I love to read Love Inspired books. I have a dilemma each month because I want to buy them all, but alas my pocketbook will not allow it!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately both of my wip don't meet the LI guidelines so I will have to see if I can come up with something by the deadline. If I can I will try it.
Struggling a bit to get going today, I fell last night and am a little slow moving this morning. Plus I finished an ARC by staying up till 2.
I still hope to have a great word count by the end of the day.
Emily, I've been a huge fan of Love Inspired books for years. Every month I pick up all 6 books at my local Barnes & Noble. I would love to be an LI author and I did enter SYTYCW. Do we need to have a completed manuscript to enter From Blurb to Book? Thank you to Love Inspired for all these great opportunities they offer!
ReplyDeleteChristina,
ReplyDeleteYou don't need a completed manuscript to enter From Blurb to Book. All you need by the first deadline (April 3) is a hundred word blurb and your first page. However, you will have to write the book by the deadlines that are listed in the announcement if you are chosen to move on in each round.
Emily
Hi, Emily!
ReplyDeleteWow! What an incredible opportunity and a fun way to enter! The blurb and first page are always my favorite thing to write in a story--probably because they're my favorite thing to READ in a story. Ha!
Thanks for sharing about this opportunity!
Oh, what a lovely turn out already!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Emily!!!!
Thank you for being here with us today!!!!
CHRISTINA! God (and LI!!!) have opened a door for you, girlfriend!
ReplyDeleteRuthy advice is to go for it, but then I'm pushy as can be!!!
Love Love Inspired! Thanks to Emily for a great post and LI for a wonderful opportunity for wanna-be authors.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Emily!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity this is! I've been telling everyone I know about it since the announcement went out :)
And you are so right about writing steadily to meet your goals. When I started my first novel back in 2010, I still had two boys in our homeschool. I changed our schedule so that school started an hour later (they never complained!) and spent that hour writing 750 words. Every day.
I hope all of our Seekerville friends take advantage of this!
Lily, you lose 100% of the contests you don't enter darling....
ReplyDeleteGo for the gold, always.
Kathryn Barker, new year, new opportunities and new beginnings!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Emily!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your exciting news and for including all three Love Inspired lines in this pitch opportunity. I've already visited the #Blurb2Book posts and see many familiar people. Fun!
Your advice to write every day is so valuable. Even little bits of time add up to more words and eventually a whole book. I've found during Speedbo2015 that incremental additions to my writing is heading towards success.
What Ruthy said: "That gift of opportunity is never taken lightly here!"
Thank you!
Emily, thanks for being with us for the launch of this new, exciting contest!
ReplyDeleteI am a Harlequin pitch success story!
ReplyDeleteEmily - I'm so excited about this contest! I spent yesterday studying all the info available on Twitter and at Harlequin.
ReplyDeleteMy dream is to publish with LIS, so I'm busy working on my blurb.
I met with you at ACFW in St. Louis and received valuable advice.
Thanks for sharing your insights today. You make writing four books a year sound so doable!
Chocolate stuffed croissants? Who can argue with that? Yum.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this great opportunity for unagented authors as well as the reminder that small word counts add up to finished books as long as we're consistent. Can't wait to see who gets their foot in the open door.
Write on fellow Speedbo participants!
Good morning, Emily, and thank you, Ruthy, for hosting! Thank you, Emily, for your encouragement here and at ACFW last September. I break down the numbers like that continually to remind myself that my goals are doable. This opportunity looks tremendous, and it has my synapses firing with ideas. Also, like so many others, I miss the camraderie of Killer Voices. Can't wait to get started!
ReplyDeleteIt's almost noon here. Time to break out the M&Ms! :-)
Hi Emily and Seekerville!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful opportunity! I've been waiting for another Love Inspired contest. *rubs hands together* I'll be entering this year. An opportunity like this is a wonderful way to get feedback and learn!
Annie
So intrigued to see an editor here this morning and to discover From Blurb to Book! I unfortunately am not writing right now, but I'll definitely keep LI in mind when I am back to writing, hopefully soon.
ReplyDeleteEmily, any suggestions for someone interested in becoming an editor for a Christian publishing house?
ReplyDeleteSo encouraged by Seekerville and all the posts of late! I'd love to be included in the giveaway!
Cheerleading and praying for y'all's success during and beyond Speedbo!
I'm excited! Such a great opportunity for all those with a story to tell.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emily, for being with us today and for letting Seekerville help spread the word.
BTW, I have a feeling you're, once again, the catalyst that got this contest rolling! I see you running LI (after Tina James moves up, of course), if not all of HQ in the near future. :)
Feeling the swell of enthusiasm throughout Seekerville. Love that this exceptional contest falls within our Speedbo month when all of us are focused on writing that next story! I'm sure we'll see lots of doors open for many of those posting comments today.
#NOLIMITS!
I love to see God's timing at work. And it will be so exciting to discover who gets a contract because of Emily's visit during Speedbo. Please let the Seekers know the success stories. Best wishes everyone!
ReplyDeleteI love all the ways you're experimenting and innovating at LI
ReplyDeleteEmily I feel silly for asking this but I'm going for it! This has nothing to do w/anything but curiosity.
ReplyDeleteWhen we enter the contest do the editors begin reading them as they come on or wait until the end of the deadline?
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteEditing as a career is an apprenticeship type business. So I'd recommend getting experience wherever you can: internships, ect. Christian publishing in particular tends to be spread out across the country, so it can be slightly difficult to get a job if you don't already live in an area that has a publisher in it. I think there Nashville and Michigan are places where publishers are grouped. So if you're close to one of those areas, you might be able to gain some experience there.
Emily
Connie,
ReplyDeleteWe probably won't start reading right away, but we will start reading before the deadline.
Emily
Hi Emily! The contest sounds great! A wonderful opportunity for anyone aspiring to write for Love Inspired. I got my foot in the door with Love Inspired with the Speed Date Pitch contest back in 2012. Best wishes to all.
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting time! I urge everyone who dreams of writing for Love Inspired to jump in!
ReplyDeleteI got my contract with LI from a contest here in Seekerville and they are FABULOUS to work with!
Happy St. Patty's Day!
Sue
Emily - is there anything you absolutely don't want to see? How do you feel about serial killers?
ReplyDeleteI wanted to jump in and add that the idea of finishing a book in a short time-frame might seem daunting, but I'll echo what Emily said-- I needed the deadlines to keep me on track. The Killer Voices contest last year helped me successfully finish a book and have it selected for publication in a time-frame I never thought possible.
ReplyDeleteIt was an awesome feeling when I hit send on my manuscript, but when Elizabeth M called me and told me LIS wanted to publish my story--that is a moment I will never forget. Take a leap of faith and commit to it completely (let the house be a little messy and accept a little less sleep--it's for a good cause.) No matter the outcome, you will learn a lot and make new friends.
Terri,
ReplyDeleteFor LIS, we prefer not to see anything that is gory. So a serial killer could be ok, but it would have to be handled delicately. I'd avoid people constantly dying, but if it happened before the book started and the heroine was supposed to be the next victim, it could work.
Our readers also tend to react badly if you kill or hurt a child or a pet in a book. So keep that in mind for anyone targeting LIS.
Emily
What fun!! Speedbo'ing right into an LI contest.
ReplyDeleteSo good to have Emily and the whole LI team in Seekerville today. :)
What fun! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE LI books! It's about all I read anymore! I do have a couple other authors I read but mostly it's LI! All the authors are fantastic and the new authors that come along are equally wonderful! I love discovering new authors! I always write reviews for every books I read! It's the least I can do after all the hard work the authors do. Keep up the great work ladies!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity! I think a real deadline would do me a world of good. Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to go check it out. :)
ReplyDeleteHello, Emily! I've been reading the Love Inspired lines for years and really love the faith based reads for their strong emotional pull. I've been to the Love Inspired luncheon and have met many of the authors in person as well as through Seekerville and twitter. It's my dream to see my stories in print with those golden words emblazoned across the top.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited about entering the contest and can't wait to see who moves forward. I've loved seeing examples of blurbs from the success stories and reading all the encouragement. Harlequin definitely does a great job of finding new talent and giving us slush pilers hope.
My question is are there any hooks that are waning in popularity or that are less popular with readers/editors right now in inspirational romance?
And Ruthy, please enter me into the drawing. I love your surprises!
Ms. ZeyZey,
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say there are specifically that are waning in interest, but we did do a post on things that we'd love to see. Check it out here: http://community.harlequin.com/showthread.php/2663-What-we-re-looking-for-in-your-story
Emily
Susan, I just finished Healing the Widower's Heart. Lovely book. I loved Paige and Nathan, and little Zach, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emily, for being with us today and for providing so much information...and for answering so many questions!
ReplyDeleteWe greatly appreciate all the encouragement and support you give to your authors and to those interested in writing for Love Inspired.
I'm sure a lot of folks will be working late tonight on their submissions!
I came up with a possible story this afternoon. I will see if it is something I can develop in time to enter. This is exciting.
ReplyDeleteRuthy, please enter me in the surprise giveaway.
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great opportunity!
I forgot to say that I'd love to be entered in the surprise giveaway too!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Thank you for having me Seekerville. It's always fun to stop by. I hope you all enter the pitch session. You don't lose anything by trying. If you have questions later, the editors will be happy to answer them on the Blurb to Book threads on Harlequin.com or on Twitter at the hashtag #blurb2book.
ReplyDeleteHave a great evening.
Emily
Wow! How exciting. I will definitely be taking the plunge!
ReplyDeleteThank you Emily, for sharing this here, and LI for arranging the contest.
I would also like to be entered in the this drawing, and the other weekly drawings for amazon cards and critiques.
Thanks again.
Emily, This is great! I will definitely be entering. I went to the site mentioned above but didn't see where to log in to put in a blurb. Maybe I'm blind but can you point me in the right direction please. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSeeker ville thanks again for this inspiring month I'm winning in more ways than one when it comes to writing and prizes.
P.S. speedbo total at 11500
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity. What I am working on right now is not right for Love Inspired, but maybe I will have one someday.
ReplyDeleteYou talked about writing 500 or 1000 words a day in order to have 2 to 4 books a year. Right now I would settle for one. The words I am writing now are going to need so much rewriting and editing that it will take me twice as long to get this written. I'm going to keep at it though.
Please enter me in the drawing.
It is always encouraging to read about opportunities afforded to writers. It's also encouraging to read it broken down into numbers how a person can turn a little bit of effort each day into a full book.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to all those who are participating.
Wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteI had to run across town this evening to pick up a new-to-me wool braided rug for an upstairs room, so I missed our last two hours, but you all did great without me!
Emily, thanks so much for being with us today. I love for folks to see how delightfully normal, focused and professional the Love Inspired staff is. Let me say again how much I enjoy working with the Love Inspired team, the other authors, and meeting so many delightful readers through my LI books.
If you're on the fence, ask yourself this: How do I get off the fence, if I never let go and just plain jump?
Failure is guaranteed if we never try for success.
If (like me) you've waited a long time for this chance, then I say take it. Go for it. Strive, learn, build.
We'll cheer you on!
Wonderful opportunity. Hope you Seekervillagers who are ready take part. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteNancy C
OK. I'm definitely submitting!
ReplyDeleteRuth, thanks for the chocolate stuffed croissant to go with my coffee, and thanks, Emily, for this wonderful opportunity. Armed with both I think I might just be tempted to venture forth into the contest. :)
ReplyDeleteOpportunity is all about being prepared when the door opens.
ReplyDeleteHello...it's open!
Thanks for your interesting post, Emily!! Helpful info to consider should I decide to write a book, and a little less daunting to write - considering the number of pages required for a Love Inspired book.
ReplyDeletePlease enter me for the surprise package drawings. Counting on you to write some wonderful books this month, Speedbo-ers!!
By today's standards, they were poor folk, but the riches they passed on in ethics and memories won't fit in a teacup. Take the whole pot full, and steaming with love curls. Count me in. Historical fiction based on fact. I'm old enough to have known them well.
ReplyDeleteI love Love Inspired books! Now I've got my mother-in-law hooked on them too. We swap them back and forth.
ReplyDeleteThis is so exciting! I'm looking forward to entering. Thank you, Emily!
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity for those of us who love LI books ~ both hopeful writers and readers. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful for these new authors. Congrats to all with love inspired books coming out.. please enter me in the surprise prize :) Off to get some some of Ruthie's coffee!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the coffee and croissants, and thank you for this opportunity. I'm going to use a story I came up with a few years ago which is not part of the current series I'm writing and get the contest a try. I'm so thankful Love Inspired is so open to new writers. Thanks, Emily and LI!
ReplyDeleteMz. Zey Zey! Thank you so much for your kind comments! So glad you enjoyed Nathan, Paige and Zach's story!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Sue
This is a great opportunity! Thank you for sharing. I passed it on to my writers group :)
ReplyDelete1000 words a day and a 55K book in two months. I love it. And I love Love Inspired. This is a great post, Emily.
ReplyDeleteMy daughters are telling me to get writing....
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you Emily for the great encouragement and the ability to realize a dream! Choosing a love Inspired novel means that I can have a book without questionable language and compromising situations, I would so love to join this group of authors creating quality fiction. Going to the link to see how I can enter this contest. Please enter my name in the drawing for those great novels.
ReplyDeleteI've been giving it a lot of thought over the past few days and I think I'm going to submit. Still deciding whether to submit one of my old manuscripts or start something fresh... guess we'll see. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity and please drop my name in for the drawing.
I'm not sure if I will be entering the Blurb to Book - I am soo behind in my Speedbo goals. Everyone's excitement about it is tempting though!
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in this giveaway too!
I'm hoping my previous attempt at a post worked. Had troubles. I want my name in Ruthy's Kitty Dish!
ReplyDeleteVicki