Saturday, July 23, 2011

My Writing Companion

Everyone needs one, right?

Friday, July 22, 2011

Finally, Four!

Just two more months and the fourth book in the Heroes for Hires series will be out. I'm excited. It's been 7 months since the third book hit the shelves. In total, 9 months will have passed by the time the fourth book is released. 

You may wonder why I'm shoving those numbers out there. The fact is, to be successful as a series romance author, you've got to be prolific and keep your name circulating. That's the only way to grow a readership. Every month, 4 Love Inspired Romantic suspense books are released. Every month, readers have a choice about whose book to pick up off the shelf. All things being equal, readers are more likely to choose a name they are familiar with than one they are not.

So, I'm happy that book #4 will be out in September. Happier still that book #5 will be out in November and that book #6 will follow in April.


Hopefully, it won't be too long between those and the next three!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Oh Those Covers

Well, it was bound to happen. I just didn't think it would happen twice in one day. Two reader contacted me to let me know that the heroine's hair on my June cover did not match the description in the book.

I wish I could say they were wrong.

Alas, Susannah's hair really isn't described as it is pictured.

I lay the blame squarely on the feet of confusion.

See, when I originally wrote the book, the heroine was to have long, blond curly hair. Since the book is a continuity and that was the description given in the continuity bible, I went with it. I wrote the entire book with a heroine whose long blond hair reminded the hero of summer and sunshine.

And, then I was sent the cover. Which, in case you haven't see it, looks like this:

I immediately changed the manuscript to reflect the cover. I was absolutely convinced the heroine's hair was brown. The copy editor felt it was red. I think we eventually came to a compromise, but apparently not as good of one as we might have. Both the readers who contacted me want to know what color her hair really is. Let's call it auburn, shall we? And be content with that.

Happy writing!