Lauri gets "The Call"

Yes, THE CALL - Every author out there knows what THE CALL is... it's that one phone call you wish for, hope for, barter for, from the first moment you send your manuscript to a publisher to read.

Lauri Robinson is a very talented author I've had the pleasure of getting to know through author channels and she has agreed to come onto my blog and share her 'Call' story with us. Lauri is now part of a huge romance family... one of the first... Harlequin.

Take it away, Lauri.

Hey, Catherine, I love reading your blog and am so honored to be here today.

Everything in life begins with a dream, a single, perhaps fleeting, thought that builds and builds. For me that dream was becoming a Harlequin Author. I’ve always loved their books, (I blame that on my dear mother, her bookshelves were full of Harlequin books) and over the years, used them as a stress relief. At the end of the day (or the middle of it sometimes) I could forget about all my ‘to do’ lists and immerse myself in once upon a time and happily ever after. Soon I was imagining myself writing for them, and started penning stories. After many years of re-writes and rejections, I had a book published, then another, and though I love writing for other presses, my dream remained to write one for Harlequin.

When Harlequin announced their Undone line, (short, sensual, historical stories) several writer friends and I decided we should each write one and sub it to them. I was so shocked, honored, and disappointed when almost a year after I subbed my story, I received an email from HQN saying they were interested in my story. The problem was, since I hadn’t heard from them, I’d assumed they weren’t interested and sold it to another publisher. HQN asked if I would write another and sub it. Of course I said yes, and eventually sold that story to them, and over the course of the next year sold them four more Undone’s. Yes, it was awesome, exciting, I was finally writing for HQN, yet, my dream was a full-length book.

In June of this year, hubby and I had just returned from a ‘ten states in ten days’ road trip, and I slept in one morning. When I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the coffee pot, I picked my cell phone off the counter to thumb through emails. To my surprise, there was an email from HQN, asking if they could call at 3:00 pm UK time, that’s 9:00 am my time, and it was then 8:45! I quickly sent an email from my cell, telling them that would be fine, and barely had time to brush my teeth before the phone rang.

With my coffee cup in hand, I sat on my front deck and accepted their offer for both a full length story and a shorter story for their Christmas anthology. The stories are western historicals and will be released in 2012. Tentative titles (title changes are very common) are Unclaimed Bride and One Wish.

Okay, so long story about my dream, what about yours, right? Well, I’m telling you all this to assure you dreams to come true. If you’ve subbed a story to your dream publisher, just hold on a bit longer, you will hear from them. If it’s not what they want, don’t give up, try again. THE CALL will be worth all the time, efforts, and waiting!

Ultimately, if you believe in yourself, others will, too.

Cheers,

Lauri

Lauri Robinson’s chosen genre to write is western historical. When asked why, she says, “Because I know I wasn’t the only girl who wanted to grow up and marry Little Joe Cartwright.” She lives in rural Minnesota where she and her husband spend every spare moment with their three grown sons and five grandchildren. Visit Lauri at www.Laurirobinson.blogspot.com or view her books by clicking HERE.

Top Ramen or Steak?

It's been awhile since I wrote a blog about the business of writing... and today I though I'd give a bit of insight into the life and business of a new author trying to make it in a big sea or books.

Some of you who know me have heard me use the terms - Top Ramen or Steak - For those who don't know me, let me 'splain! LOL

When you first start writing... 'really writing'... which to me means you actually finish a book and go through the effort of editing said manuscript and writing a synopsis and start to query agents or publishers... you actually think that when you sell your one-of-a-kind story you're going to be eating steak and signing autographs! Right? Well, hold on... There are some great articles put out by writers all over the Internet who give the good, the bad and the ugly about the actual paycheck of an author. I'm not going to give you numbers... I'm simply going to use food as a barometer.

When an author receives a e-mail accepting their manuscript for a contract... chances are the author will be able to spring for Top Ramen for dinner. Chances are an e-mail means they are being contracted by a small e-press who doesn't offer any advance of any kind. Once their royalty check comes in... McDonald's may be in the works for a small family of four. Not all e-presses are alike however... sometimes a royalty check can mean a nice dinner out at a trendy restaurant (omit any adult beverages) but be sure and order the special!

Now... if a "call" is received to tell an author that they have sold their masterpiece... Steak Baby! And please order that bottle of wine! For whatever reason, the only publishers who really call their new authors to tell them they want their book are the big NY houses who put their books out in mass market or trade in book stores everywhere. I want to stress here that a celebratory dinner will be in the works... but a every night spree isn't going to happen. An advance is just that, a payment to the author that the author has to earn after the fact.

Most authors I know don't 'count' on their earnings from their stories to pay the rent. Otherwise this blog would be more about the size of cardboard they're living under as oppose to what they are eating.

I recently read a book that was simply awful. And NO, I'm not going to tell you the name of it. I don't do that here! But the entire time I was reading this book I kept saying... "This author ate steak!" UGH! It amazes me sometimes what books make it to the big houses... and why some authors are still eating Top Ramen when they have Steak quality writing.

I know a lot of authors who LOVE their e-publishers to death! I think I will always write some stories for the smaller presses, regardless of when I'm eating steak. (notice I said when? Positive thinking... not cocky) The autonomy of writing for a small press who doesn't hold an author in a small box is worth a lot. I've heard of several steak-eating authors who would love to stop writing historical romance and start writing about vampires... but their steak-calling publishers have tied their hands. Which isn't always a good thing. So hence, I'll take my Top Ramen on the side with my Steak, thank you very much!

So, when the day comes (notice I said when again?) that I write a blog saying- "I'll have my steak medium rare please"... just know that means that I'm earning an advance.

I'll try and order that steak on a cruise ship, too.

So, authors... What are your thoughts? And what did you order when you received "the call" - or cook up when you opened your inbox?