Mythical author

This is just too funny!

2009-11-23T10:22:00.000-05:00

Small Beer Press makes a great parody of the whole Harlequin Horizons fiasco. I laughed so hard that I decided to post a link for others to follow and have a good laugh for the day.

Enjoy!
http://smallbeerpress.com/not-a-journal/2009/11/22/small-beer-press-horizons/

Harlequin Causes Industry Stir

2009-11-21T10:41:00.002-05:00

Okay, I couldn't say it any better than the sites listed below. Check out the whole Harlequin self-publishing fiasco and let me know what you think.

http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/2009/11/trouble-on-the-harlequin-horizon.html

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2009/11/harlequin-hacks.html

http://www.sfwa.org/2009/11/sfwa-statement-on-harlequins-self-publishing-imprint/

http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/want-to-self-publish-how-about-harlequin/P300/

Velicicon 2010

2009-11-19T11:51:00.002-05:00

Okay, this is unprecedented...two blog entries in one day. But this subject matter warrants an extra entry. Please read the following:

Velocicon developed from the need for new tools in the paranormal, fantasy and science fiction writing industry. Velocicon will give you the means to take your story ideas out of this world and to the next level.
Dr. Dave Goldberg, keynote speaker for Velocicon 2010, is an Astrophysicist and associate professor from Princeton and Drexel. He will discuss the scientific reality of time travel. He’ll also be available for panel questions later in the day. What an awesome way to get your time travel off the ground and give it a new twist. What an awesome way to fire up you imagination.
We’ll have ghost hunters from TV with all their equipment. They go over a point by point explanation of their technique and equipment. Everything you ever wanted to know and had nowhere to go with your questions.
Barbara E. Szafranski, a celebrated medium and aura specialist will give a workshop explaining her science and customizing her presentation to your questions.
Finally we have a host of multi Award Winning Authors; Judy McCoy, John Grant, Isabo Kelly, Leanna Renee Hieber, who will bring it all together for you. Show you how to take all this new information, build on it and weave it into your story.
This is a conference like no other. This is Velocicon and we hope you can join us, March 6th at the Oyster Point Hotel in Red Bank New Jersey.

Velocicon
www.velocicon.com

Marketing-What works for you?

2009-11-19T11:08:00.002-05:00

I love to write. I hate to market.

I admit it, I could easily be a hermit. Heck, I'm already half-way there as it is. The best day is one where I don't have to leave home. I can write, spend time with my animals, go for a walk in the woods, clean the barn, lug some straw and hay...there's always something to do on a farm. When I do go to work, it's part-time on a goat farm where I spend more time with the animals than the people. Ahhh, the good life. :-)

So, what I'm getting at is that for me writing is the easy part of the equation. When it comes to marketing my books..."What do you mean I have to talk to people? Interact with them on a regular basis. Oh, no." (picture me clutching my head in my hands and shaking it).

Okay, I'm exaggerating slightly, but the truth is just as hard to take. Where do you begin? What even works these days. So many avenues are available that it's mind boggling to even figure out where to spend your time and money. EVERYONE seems to be sending out e-mail blasts, newsletters, etc. I think it's been overdone to death and people are fed up with receiving so many e-mails in the course of a day that they end up deleting a lot of them unread. Newspaper advertising might work locally, but that's not where you'll make your money. Google ads, facebook ads, social sites everywhere you look. Yahoo and google writing groups, but from what I can see everyone else is there to sell their books, as well. Yikes, it's mind boggling.

As every other published author who'd like to see their book sales soar, I've spent money, time, energy, and done a ton of research with minor results. So what really works?

Here is a very interesting link that deals quite succinctly with marketing and promotion

www.freepublicitygroup.com/marketing_manifesto.html

So, why not share what works for you and your books.

Have a great day,
Catherine

Free Short Story

2009-10-22T21:26:00.002-04:00

Just a short note to let you know that my publisher, Crescent Moon Press, has posted one of my short stories on their website as a free read. The story is titled, A Lifetime to Love
and is my take on the Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot love story...with a twist. :-)

This is the link that will take you directly to the story:
http://www.crescentmoonpress.com/Glade/ALifetimeToLove.html

While there, why not browse some of the books offered in the Shoppe. If you haven't read my latest, A Witch's Lament, you'll find it offered for sale as well.

Have a great day,
Catherine

What to write?

2009-09-22T20:02:00.002-04:00

That is the question. You'd think that being a writer, I'd find it easy to write a blog entry. The thing is, I can never think of anything to write. I open my blog, look at the blank page and have nothing to say.

Isn't that awful?

The thing is, I have a million stories rolling around in my mind and not nearly enough time to write them, so why can't I write a simple blog entry? Hmmm, I suppose that I function better in a fictional world. I can create, mold, shape and bring to life characters and places, but ask me to talk (write) about something real and I can't quite seem to shift into that gear.

So, since my brain doesn't seem to want to work today and I feel the need to give you some worthy tidbit of information, I'll let someone else do the work. Check out this site for some basic and interesting mythbusting information on writing and publishing.

http://www.articlesbase.com/writing-articles/get-real-publishing-myths-exposed-562837.html

Have a great night,
Cathy

Guest Author at Romance Junkies

2009-09-15T22:04:00.002-04:00

Take a minute to check out the link below and see what I wrote over at Romance Junkies.

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/?p=576#comments

The Wow Factor

2009-08-16T22:09:00.002-04:00

Wow. I have my first deadline.

Up until now I've written on a loose schedule, never having a reason to write other than the urge that drives me to create. Sporadic, maybe, but I managed to complete 5 manuscripts, get a good start on 2 others and write a few short stories. I lived through the drawer full (and I do mean full) of rejection slips and make it through the typical writer's lack of confidence. After the usual process of submitting my manuscripts and waiting for another rejection (or not), I've had 4 of my manuscripts published.

Well, Crescent Moon Press, publisher of my book, A Witch's Lament, loved the book so much they contracted me to write the sequel. I was expecting to write the book and submit for acceptance, but they sent me a contract to sign. How cool! They trust in me and my writing enough to give me a contract on a book that hasn't been written yet. Wow. I'm thrilled.

Now, I have no choice. If I want to finish the manuscript in time, I have to write every day and I have to say, I'm kind of enjoying the pressure. I love to write but have a terrible habit of procrastinating...the goats can be a very tempting time waster. Especially in the nice weather.

Writing every day makes it easier to keep in the mood and up to date on what's going on in the story, so I think it makes for a more even flow.

Anyway, gotta go...I've got a book to write. :-)

Barbara Bretton loves my book!

2009-07-18T22:07:00.002-04:00

Yep, it's the truth. I was fortunate enough to win a critique from Barbara Bretton at an auction a few years ago. At the time, my manuscript was titled Sweet Dreams in a Small Town, and upon reading the first 3 chapters, Barbara sent me the most amazing critique. It was a time when her encouragement and positive comments were appreciated and needed.

It took awhile and a couple of other manuscripts written before I was able to find a publisher for the manuscript. With a new title of Solitary Cove, my book is soon to be published by Treble Heart Books and Barbara Bretton agreed to write a blurb for the book. This is what she wrote about Solitary Cove:

If you love fast-paced romantic suspense novels peopled withcharacters you’ll cheer for, SOLITARY COVE is the bookfor you. A seaside village in Nova Scotia, a movie hero witha daughter he barely knows, and a woman on the run fromdanger equal the perfect formula for a terrific read. Catherine Anne Collins has a winner on her hands!

Award Winning Author
Barbara Bretton

For anyone who hasn't read any of Barbara's book...what are you waiting for? She's a great writer and I especially love her new series that takes place in a magical town populated with an interesting assortment of characters. Casting Spells is the first book in the series while the second one, Laced with Magic, will be released very soon.

Have a great day,
Cathy

Solitary Cove Cover

2009-07-08T22:24:00.004-04:00

My soon too be released book now has a cover and I love it. Solitary Cove is a romantic suspense that takes place in a small (mythical) town in Nova Scotia, Canada, and will be released by Treble Heart Books. I've posted a blurb and the cover below.

Solitary Cove

Stalked relentlessly by her husband's killer, Nicole changes her name and moves to Solitary Cove, a small town on the coast of Nova Scotia. Aware that danger lurks in the shadows for anyone she cares about, Nicole rents the local lighthouse and spends her time writing and avoiding people.
An aging movie star, Ian has a life filled with fame, fortune, and women. He loves the fame and fortune, but the constant women have worn thin. Cynicism and boredom creep into his life, and he develops a problem that chips away at his self-confidence—he can no longer perform sexually.
Coming together during the filming of Ian's latest movie in Solitary Cove, Ian and Nicole's uncertain relationship is tested by the appearance of Ian's daughter, Vanessa, who has fled her abusive marriage, as well as Nicole's stalker who appears in town renewing his death threats against Nicole.
Throw into the mix, a crusty fisherman, a flaky new age storeowner and a heroic dog, and Solitary Cove weaves a tale of love, self-discovery, suspense, and self-sacrifice.

Where's the summer?

2009-07-02T20:29:00.003-04:00

Yep. That's the question. It's now July and I'm still waiting for some summer weather. Oh, well. Always think of the positive side of everything...sitting inside and writing on a rainy day is ALOT easier than it is on a sunny day and I managed to complete a scene that has been giving me nothing but trouble, so I'm happy.

Here's a photo of one of my guys. I thought since the weather is almost wintery out...Actually, he's just so cute, I couldn't resist.

Have a great day,

Cathy

Summer Plans

2009-06-30T21:39:00.001-04:00

Good day, and what a beautiful day it's been. A bit of rain, but warm enough temps and some sun to brighten the day. I love the sun. I love being warm. I do love summer.

Does it sound as if I'm in a good mood? I am. I've spent the last 6 months working 2 part-time jobs as well as helping my husband run our business and trying to find time to market my two newest releases and do some work on my current WIP. On top of that, I have some very demanding goats who need ALOT of attention. Anyway, both part-time jobs have come to an end. One for reasons of retirement and the other, because the kidding season (goats) has come to an end, thusly ending my job. Now, I'll miss the extra money, no doubt about it, but having the free time to write is thrilling.

I've set myself a goal; by the end of the summer I'll have completed the sequel to one of my latest releases, A Witch's Lament. My publisher, Crescent Moon Press, has expressed an interest, (they seem to love A Witch's Lament), and I did leave the story at the end with the possibility of a sequel.

So, it's time to do some serious writing. Lucky for me, I'm able to take my laptop and write outside in the gorgeous weather. I just need to stay away from the goats or they'll be all over my laptop...just helping, you understand. One of their most endearing characteristics is their willingness to...ahem...help.

Have a great day,Catherine

I didn't remember writing this!

2009-06-11T20:07:00.005-04:00

I was clearing some files off my computer and came across this page of ramblings that I wrote about 4 years ago. Until I read the words, I'd totally forgotten even writing them. Since this reflects my state of mind at that moment, I've left it unedited and unchanged. As you read, please keep in mind that I wasn't worried about grammar, spelling...nothing but putting my thoughts and feelings onto paper...er, I mean, onto a computer.

Now, if I could only look through some old files and find a manuscript I forgot about that's brilliantly written and becomes a NY Times bestseller. :-)

Enjoy!

I AM A HUMAN BEING
I DESERVE RESPECT

I am not a guinea pig.
So don't use me as one to test unsafe products, not caring what effect it may have on my health, caring only about how many millions of dollars the product might bring you. Stop poisoning the air I breathe, the water I drink and the food I eat.

I am not a receptacle.
So don't fill my body with insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, chemicals and toxins that will shorten my life and degrade the quality of that shorter life. Stop poisoning the air I breathe, the water I drink and the food I eat.

I am not a drug addict.
So stop prescribing drugs for EVERYTHING and telling me that they are safe when we all know that ten or fifteen years down the road my organs will suffer and the side-effects will probably harm me more than the original health problem would have. When appropriate, advocate the use of natural herbs and remedies that have been around (and worked) for thousands of years. Stop poisoning me.

I AM A HUMAN BEING
I DESERVE RESPECT

I am environmentally concerned.
So stop letting the oil companies have a say in governmental decisions. Allow the knowledge of alternative fuels and ways to power vehicles into the public forum so that people can HAVE A CHOICE.

I am spiritual.
No, not religious, spiritual. Religion is a man-made concept with limitations and prejudices. At the root of each religion are the values of love, respect, peace and harmony. This is a Universal law. This is the foundation of mankind. Assigning a name, gender and physical attributes are a human concept placed on an energy force we do not even begin to understand. I say we do not understand because of the world-wide religious based hate and killing. If we truly understood what we call God, and allowed for various interpretations of this Universal energy, there would be no hate. No killing. No war. We have a long way to go. The essence of man is the essence of God, Buddha, Allah, the Goddess…however you refer to your Supreme Being. This energy force is in all of us, everywhere, and as energy is able to change form, so is this Universal energy that binds us all together. Don't limit what you don't understand. Love. Respect. Peace. Harmony. Live by those laws and your god will flourish. Mankind will flourish.

2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist

2009-05-16T19:23:00.002-04:00

Woohoo! Good news for me. I entered The Crystal of Light and A Witch's Lament in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Publishers Awards and they both finished as finalists. In fact, A Witch's Lament was a finalist in two categories. It's a great feeling to have my writing recognized in such a way...of course, mega sales of my books would be kind of nice as well. :-)

Have a great day--I am,
Cathy

Spring Has Arrived

2009-04-07T15:31:00.012-04:00

But it certainly doesn't look like spring as I look out my window at a winter wonderland. Oh, well, I know it can't last. A few more days and the rain will send all the snow into the netherworld where it will dwell until next winter. In the meantime, I can pretend that it's sunny and warm.

While waiting for the first brush of spring to turn the grass green and push the shoots of young flowers through the soil, I'm busy promoting my two newest books. Check out this link to the books page on my website to see what I've got for you to read. I'm sure you'll find something to suit your taste. www.catherineannecollins.com/books.html

I'd also like to introduce you to the newest members of our growing animal farm. Pixie, Lightning and Timber.

Pixie was the tiniest kid I'd seen of the over 800 born during the first weeks on the goat farm where I work. He used to stare at me constantly and I just couldn't imagine the poor guy going to the auction to be bought for meat, soooooo, I brought him home. Of course, I couldn't bring him home alone, all my other goats are too big for him to be with for awhile. I decided that Lightning with his airplane ears would make a great buddy for Pixie. I didn't realize until I saw them together that if Pixie was the smallest kid, Lightning had to be one of the biggest. He stood twice as tall and weighed twice as much as little Pixie. Oh, well, they get along great.

Now, raising my goat herd to 7 goats means I have more to worry about when it comes to coyotes. That's where Timber comes in. A Livestock Guardian Dog, Timber's job is to guard all my guys against predators. He lives with the goats and has been amazing at pushing all coyotes back from our home and barn. Where once we would see coyote tracks in our front yard, we now can only hear them howling way off in the distance. Poor Timber spends half the night barking and patrolling the property to keep the coyotes away, which means he spends a good part of the day sleeping. I guarantee I won't be without one of these LGD's ever again.

See you later,

Cathy

2009-03-17T21:52:00.004-04:00

It's official. My newest novel is now available for purchase. That makes two in the last month. Five years have passed since my last book was published so it seems strange to have 2 published so close together. And a 3rd one coming later this year. I can now claim to be a multi-published author. I like the sounds of that, but I think a NY Times best-selling author has a nice ring to it as well. I'll have to work on that one.

Even though these two books are quite different, I enjoyed writing them both and hope my readers will enjoy them as well.

The Crystal of Light is a fantasy, while A Witch's Lament is a paranormal romance. I'm showing the covers for both of them below and information as well as links to buy them can be found on my website http://www.catherineannecollins.com/

The Crystal of Light

A Witch's Lament

I love the covers on both these books. The cover artist for The Crystal of Light is Richard Stroud and the cover artist for A Witch's Lament is Kendra Egert.

Now comes the marketing and promoting aspect of the whole writing process. Living way out here in the country means I'll have to build a strong on-line presence, so if anyone has any ideas don't hesitate to pass them on. I'll take any help or advice I can get when it comes to the promotion of my books.

Talk to you later,

Cathy

I'm baaaaack

2009-02-04T18:36:00.005-05:00

Yes, looking at the date of my last post, you'll see that it's been a very long time since I've posted. Life has been...well, hectic, crazy, in a state of flux. Some good, some not so good. Suffice it to say that right now, things are very good. My life long dream of living on a farm finally became a reality. We now live on a 50 acre farm with a bungalow type house that sits in the middle of a cedar grove. Our long, winding driveway is lined on both sides with hayfields and there is a huge barn and smaller barn out the back that I can see from my kitchen window.

As a house-warming gift someone gave us a couple of baby goats. Goats, you say...why the heck would anyone want a goat. I would have thought the same thing, but now I'm totally hooked and in love. They were only a week old, cute and so very tiny. After bottle-feeding and loving them like crazy, they've become great pets. When given affection, goats are lovable, cuddly, affectionate and smarter than you'd give them credit for. They have the reasoning ability of a 7 year old and they are trainable. My guys come when they're called better than my dog does. You should see them come running at full speed when I call them. Anyway, I started with 2 and now have 5. Moonbeam, Joey, Merlin, Rebel and Snowflake. I'll post some photos of them.

On to business. Writing business. Drum roll, please. I have three books being published this year. Yaaaayyyy!!!

The Crystal of Light - Published by Wings ePress
A Witch's Lament - Coming soon with Crescent Moon Press (anytime now)
Solitary Cove - Coming soon with Treble Heart Books

If you check my website you can find out more about each of the books.
http://www.catherineannecollins.com/

It seems strange that so much time has passed since my first book was published and suddenly things are getting shaken up. I guess the important thing to do is to keep writing and keep the positive energy moving the right direction.

That's just a quick update, but I'll start posting on a more regular basis with any news, updates, or interesting tidbits of information to share.

Talk to you soon,
Cathy

2006-10-17T12:54:00.000-04:00

Sorry, my blog is closed for now. Check back later when I have more time and can return to posting. In the meantime, best wishes to all aspiring authors looking to get published.

What Famous Movie Kiss Are You

2006-03-23T21:01:00.000-05:00

Check out this interesting new quiz. Find out what kind of kiss works for you. I think I like how mine turned out.

Your Famous Movie Kiss is from Spiderman

"I have always been standing in your doorway. Isn't it about time somebody saved your life?"

What Famous Movie Kiss Are You?

Happy New Year

2006-01-23T22:15:00.000-05:00

Once again, I've been away for too long. Christmas has come and gone and it's now the end of January. With a couple of weeks off over the holidays, I found that I didn't do as much writing as I'd have liked, but I did start a new book, which involved a fair amount of research. It's called Cries of the Innocent and involves a past/present timeline that takes place in Salem, Ma. Gee, guess what the focus is of the story? Next step is to talk my husband into a trip to Salem so I can do some research.

The New Year started great with all kinds of phone calls from potential new students for the dojo. I don't understand it, last year we advertised and had the lowest membership we've ever had, this year we haven't advertised at all, and we have more than two dozen new members already.

I'm looking forward to the Ad-Astra conference taking place the last weekend in March. Finally, a conference worth going to that takes place close to home. The list of people attending this event is amazing. Check out the link here: http://www.ad-astra.org/

I sent out some more queries on both my manuscripts over the holidays, and I sit here waiting patiently as always. I figure something's going to happen for me this year. How can it not...It's the Chinese Year of the Dog after all.

How is everyone elses New Year starting off?

Cathy

Another Quiz

2005-11-09T10:11:00.000-05:00

I found another cool quiz, so I thought I'd share my results as well as the link. Have fun with it and let me know your results.

RAVEN EYES

You have Raven
Eyes!
Positive Traits: Intellectual,
Wise, Experienced, Honest,
Trustworthy
Negative Traits: Pompous,
Condescending, Withdrawn, Pessimistic,
Depressed

Your eyes are the windows to your soul. What type of eyes do you have?
brought to you by Quizilla

A New Time Waster

2005-11-04T19:12:00.000-05:00

I admit that I spend a lot of time at the computer and not always doing something with a purpose. Well, wouldn't you know that someone would have to invent another time wasting device to keep me at my computer even longer. I'm talking about blogs. Sure, I can fool myself into thinking that I'm searching out resources and hoping to make some new contacts, but the truth is that I kind of enjoy hearing about other people's problems, successes, and day to day lives.

Of course, when I explain the amount of time spent reading other people's blogs to my husband, I say that it's all for research. Reading from other people's points of view is a great way to help develop characters in my novels. Conflict, motivation, goals, soul-searching, it's all there. Makes sense to me and I think I've got him fooled.

I'm off to search out some new and interesting blogs.

Cathy

Rejected...again

2005-11-01T16:19:00.000-05:00

I opened my e-mail, and there it was--the dreaded reply from an agent who had asked to see my manuscript. No need to read the message, because as soon as I saw her name as the sender, I knew. But it's okay. I was asked for a full manuscript. That doesn't happen often and it means I'm one step closer to my goal. So, I keep submitting both my manuscripts and keep my fingers crossed that the day will come sooner rather than later. You know, the day when someone sees my potential and takes me on as a client. In the meantime, I keep writing.

Have a good one,
Cathy

How to stay motivated?

2005-10-23T16:44:00.000-04:00

Yes, amidst the constant stream of rejections that would be enough to cause most people to give up, I have a way to stay motivated. To give you an example:

I woke up this morning and checked my e-mail, which is usually the first thing I do every day, and I found an e-mail from someone who'd just finished reading my book, Sword Across Time. He told me how much he enjoyed it, that it was the perfect blend of adventure and romance, and he had goosebumps reading the final battle that takes place between Morganna and the other characters.

A great way to start the day, but I'm not finished yet.

Later in the day, I returned a movie my husband and I watched last night and rented another (Unleashed-last night's movie/The Interpreter-tonight's movie) and the woman who works there came over to talk with me. She bought my book a year ago and has never said a word to me about it. I figured she hadn't enjoyed it and I didn't want to bring the subject up and put her on the spot, so I said nothing. Well, it seems that she only just got around to reading the book, and, guess what, she enjoyed it immensely and has passed it on to her father who she says will love reading it.

So, what do I spend the day doing? Writing, of course. Now that I'm so pumped from praise, I'm even more determined to finish my manuscript (my fifth) and finally get an agent to take a chance on me.

The moral is that if you are a reader and you love a book by an author--Tell them! It has made all the difference to me on my uphill battle to make it in a tough business. I've been fortunate enough to have one book published, albeit with a small, independent publisher, but I'm not finished yet. No way. I'm going all the way.

Good luck to all you aspiring authors. Have a great day.
Cathy

It was bound to happen

2005-10-22T19:29:00.000-04:00

Yep. With all the books available it's near impossible to write a book that is 100% unique. Familiar plots are reworked, similar names and recognizable terminology used among particular genres. A writer is bound to have some duplication in any book they write. Well, recently I discovered an author I hadn't read before, and, besides an irritating habit of overusing the term began, I'm loving his writing. So, there I was reading away, tuning out the world, ignoring my dog, who was pestering me for attention as usual, when I came across a certain term that shook me from my reading haze.

The Ones Who Came Before.

A simple term with a self-explanatory meaning. Great. And also the exact term I used in my book, Sword Across Time to describe the people of Atlantis. My book was published a year and a half ago, and I'm only now reading this Robert Newcombe book, so there's no way I could have read it and picked up the term to use later. I know it was an original thought on my part.

Now, the question is:
A.) Great minds thinking alike
B.) Coincidence
C.) The result of a Universal consciousness at work re-creating a common memory

I know what I think, but then I write fantasy, so I tend to lean toward the unexplained and esoteric. What do you think.

Cathy