Thanks, Allen

Thanks, Allen.  My poor blog is lonely and I appreciate your visiting and well wishes.  I'm excited and now will be facing editing.  It will be mid next year before it will appear.  I'm not sure at this point whether it will be an e-book or print or both.  I'll continue updates on my blog and now I'll need to investigate construction of a website.
I hope your running continues well.  I have a runner romance short story of the sweet variety you might be interested in.  It is entitled Runner's High and is priced at 99 cents.  You can read the first 20% free.  Here is the link.  http://www.smashwords.com/b/252442

Wonderful News

Welcome news on the publishing front.  I just received an email saying that my science fiction story The Higher Mission has been accepted by Champagne Books, the Burst Books imprint.  I have reviewed the contract, accepted it, signed it and emailed it back to Ms. Smith at Champagne Books.  I'm so excited.  After 37 years of writing I have finally gotten a full fledged novel accepted.  Joe Cramer and Mona Watson are now bound to be viewed by the public when it is released. That will be sometime next year, maybe after July 1, 2013, which is the latest deadline mentioned in the contract.

Cover for Help Sessions

I received my cover for my Wild Rose story Help Sessions today.  I like the cover and emailed the cover artist to tell her so.  There is no release date yet but that should come soon.  I also heard briefly from my two novel submissions.  The science fiction thriller, The Higher Mission, doesn't have news yet on acceptance by the acquisitions editor but my editor who has read my novel through three times and used to be the acquisitions editor emailed me and asked a question about time dilation at a particular part in the novel.  Also I heard from Wings e-Press about my romance novel A Change of Heart and it is in the hands of the senior editor from the second reader and I should hear something by the end of the year.  Let us home good news on all fronts.

News on my two novels

I inquired with the two publishers where I have my two novels.  One publisher, Burst Books, has had my science fiction thriller/romance for three and a half months.  The other publisher, Wings e-press, has had my romance novel for five months.  They both answered me in the same day as I inquired.  The romance novel, A Change of Heart is now in the hands of a second reader.  My science fiction novel The Higher Mission being with the acquisitions editor has a new development.  The acquisitions editor has resigned but she asked me to send my manuscript again which I did.  Today, Sunday December 16th she emailed me with a suggested change in one part of it and said she would recommend to the present acquisitions editor acceptance on Monday if I agreed to the change she suggested.  I gladly agreed with a careful and tactful minor change to her wording.  Now it is the waiting game once again.  By the way, she will ask to be my editor but doesn't know if the present acquisitions editor will go along with that or not.  I hope that happens.  This is as close as I've ever come at gaining acceptance for one of my novels in my 37 years of writing.

New Smashwords Story: Runner's High

I have a new story listed as of today at Smashwords.  The cover is as above and is priced at 99 cents.  Cover is by Miss Mae using an image I downloaded from istockphoto.com.  This story is about Ted Stoddard who lost his young wife twenty years ago to cancer.  He never thought another woman would catch his eye until Hillary Hansen moved to town.  She captured his eye and his heart without even trying.  He despairs though because of their vast age difference.  He is 59 and she is 28.  When he joins the local track club she is assigned as his trainer.  Hillary gets on his case for harping about their age difference and reminds him of two couples in the Bible where the man is much older than the woman.  Will Ted muster the courage to tell Hillary he loves her?  What will her reaction be?
The web address for downloading this story and reading the blurb and description is http://smashwords.com/b/252442.
A word about my other Smashwords stories.  Small is Beautiful has had 91 downloads and Photo Beauty has had 95 downloads to date.  Both of those are priced at 99 cents each as well.

A popular ebook

This my most recent release via The Wild Rose Press, the vintage line has been my most popular story.  Since its release this past February it has had more down loads than all my other stories put together and in fact nearly double even including Lab Partners.  Thanks to all who downloaded Beautiful, Inside and Out.  I have another story via vintage line coming out sometime next year, hopefully early.  I've not received the cover or final galley proofs yet on it.  Its title is Help Sessions.  I do have a personal photo I sent to Wild Rose.  It may not be used but I'll attempt to display it here.
Of course it isn't a spectacular image but it shows the old days of slide rules and physical chemistry texts.

The Higher Mission submitted again

After the first revision of The Higher Mission was rejected because of continued grammar problems, I worked for a month on it again.  I consulted Strunk and White's Elements of Style at Ms. Gill's suggestion, my Harper's Handbook, and Grammar Girl on the internet trying to straighten out my errors in verb conjugation.  I went through chapter four of Strunk and White trying to correct my usage of the words in that chapter that we typically misuse.  I have submitted it again for Judy Gill's look at it.  She is the acquisitions editor at Burst Books.  At the time she received it she was on a boating vacation so I expect a reply no sooner than the end of this month.  She is very communicative and nice to work with.  I've done about all I can do with grammar.  If nothing else comes out of this I will have learned some grammar.  That's a good thing.

No word yet on my Leroy and Jody romance novel submission.  It's title is A Change of Heart.

Higher Mission revised still not right

The acquistions editor at Burst Books has looked at my revised The Higher Mission novel and I still have too many grammatical mistakes.  However, she says this doesn't close the door on my submission.  If I can correct the horrible grammar mistakes I still have a chance.  Beta Readers on the internet are way too expensive so I'm going on my own.  I'll see what a teacher friend of mine has to say about the first chapter which she has graciously agreed to do.  I knew she would.  She's very nice, name of Kathy, a grade school teacher and running friend.  Still no word from my Leroy and Jody romance novel.  It will be a while on that one.

Bad and good news, sort of

Being concerned about not hearing from Wings Press for six months about my Leroy and Jody romance novel I tried to figure out who to ask at their site.  Being unable to do that I expressed my concern and confusion to my good writer friend, Joyce Dipastena.  She graciously found the email addy and gave that to me.  I emailed my inquiry to someone named Pat and she replied in short order and said she never received my submission.  I wondered if they considered my story as a solicited manuscript since they don't accept unsolicited manuscripts anymore.  Pat said yes, they had asked me for it.  I sent it again and this time it didn't get lost in cyber space.  She said she would add it to the readers list.  How long this will take is unknown since they have a big backlog.  I have included the image from my short story Lab Partners because this is a novel about those characters only cast in modern times.  The segment of this short story is in the novel only modified as Leroy and Jody had aleady met in the novel when they are lab partners whereas in the short story they had not met.
Still no word on The Higher Mission, my science fiction thriller.  I sent the revisions back and Judy Gill said she would get to it soon.  She is a person of her word so I may hear within the next week.

The Higher Mission revised

I have revised my novel The Higher Mission and tried to address everything the acquistions editor from Champagne Books Group, Ms. Judy Gill, has asked me to do in her lengthy email.  I've probably not addressed everything but it took me nearly a month to do it using every spare moment I had.  I just sent it back to her today.  Also, I've heard from my Wild Rose editor and she will ask the Historical editor for a contract for me on my short story Help Sessions.  When Wild Rose reconvenes on July 9 after their summer break I'll hear from them about that.  I'll keep you posted on both of these projects.

Update on The Higher Mission

Ms. Gill from Burst Books came back to me in a week after I submitted the full manuscript of The Higher Mission and said the story has potential but before considering a contract I must revise it, changing passive to active voice, clean up my grammar and do some other things to it.  She said she wouldn't ask for a revision if she didn't think the story had potential.  So I'm feverishly revising the 300+ pages and am half way through on that.  If this flies then it will be my first accepted novel.  I hope that happens.  So far I've cut 4000 words out to tighten up the prose.  Again the image I've included is Saturn as seen from Iapetus which is appropriate for the opening chapter of this novel.
On another matter my short story Help Sessions is being considered by Wild Rose and I believe I'll get a contract for it soon.

The Higher Mission submission update

The submission of my first three chapters to Burst was on April 23 and I received a request for the full manuscript from Judy Gill of Burst on May 30.  I sent the full manuscript to her the next day and she acknowledged receipt of it the following day.  So now it is a waiting game again but I'm hopeful that this first hurdle has been cleared.  She said she read it "with interest" so I can hope.

The Higher MIssion submitted again

My recent rejection of my science fiction novel The Higher Mission is now in the hands of Burst Books which is an imprint of Champagne Books. In the same day they acknowledged receipt of my submission package and assured me I would hear from them in two weeks.  At that time I'll know if they want to see the entire manuscript or not.  They have the first three chapters, a synopsis, bio and a promo plan.  I've included the scene of Saturn as seen from Iapetus, far orbiting moon of Saturn.  This painting by Chesley Bonestell is appropriate for the opening chapter of the novel as Cramer and Mona fly to Saturn's rings to mine the rings of the radioactive boulders dubbed "hot rocks."

Rejection

My science fiction novel The Higher Mission has been rejected by Crescent Moon Press after a six month wait. I have another place to submit it. I must check their submission guidelines before sending it along. Although they don't take sweet romance they do take science fiction. My novel is a combination of science fiction and romance of the sweet variety. I'm still waiting on word from eWings Press on A Change of Heart. I have more hope on that submission. That one features the characters Leroy and Jody from my first accepted short story Lab Partners.

Marcy's Struggle rejected

My short story Marcy's Struggle was rejected by Wild Rose the vintage line. The editor said my characters didn't come alive like my other stories. I still believe in the story and feel the characters do come alive. Marcy is a smart chemistry graduate student and is trying to convince Ross the quarterback that she is over Leroy. Of course she does in the end.
Also, I've just sent an email to a lady looking for a critique partner to see if she still is. I've decided to work on my Rescue novel and get it ready for submitting again. I still have not heard from the two novels I have out under consideration. One is a SF novel and the other is my Leroy and Jody romance novel. Waiting is difficult. I had predicted that Marcy would be rejected and that one of my two novels had a chance of being accepted. So far I'm right and hope I can score on one of the novels.

Excerpt pasing experiment

My chat date approaches with Coffee Time Romance. It is this Friday, February 17th at 5 PM to 9 PM EST. I have a lot I need to do to prepare for this and will no doubt fall flat on my face in trying to make effective use of this important scheduled chat. Okay I'm going to try pasting my Motorcycle Woman excerpt in this post.

His
motion slow and deliberate, he removed the blue felt, revealing a beautiful
jewelry box. She gasped. Johnnie’s workmanship, always topnotch, soared to a
new level on this project. It would command a high price compared to his other
efforts. Earlier, he showed her the router bits he used to put borders around
the box base and lid. He utilized his fanciest bit to place ornate curves,
channels, and edges along the base and lid of this box. The inlay of flowers,
which he had called marquetry, spread across the lid, different colors, red,
green, light brown giving it a realistic floral look. The wood, highly polished,
reflected Tess’ face from the soft sunlight illuminating the lid and sides. She
had not seen this kind of wood on the other boxes. Johnnie mentioned using
mostly walnut, some cedar, and some cherry. She slid her hand over its smooth
surface. It stood about four inches tall, six inches wide, and ten inches
across the front.
“This is the most beautiful jewelry box I’ve
seen you make. What kind of wood is this?” She looked at Johnnie a few seconds
then back at the box, continuing to feel its smooth surface.
“A
rare wood called teak. Open the lid, Tess.” He touched the front of the lid
with his forefinger, and then withdrew it as she moved her hand toward the box
lid.
Opening
the lid part way, she heard Beethoven’s Fur Elise begin to play. Raising
the top full open, she centered on the fancy cursive writing on the inside of
the lid. Tears came to her eyes as she read, “To Tess, All My Love, Johnnie.”
“Oh, Johnnie.” Her voice caught.
“Before you get onto me about getting
personal, I don’t remember you including the written word in that restriction.”
His
face told her he did not expect that excuse to hold up.
She closed the lid, the music stopped, and she
turned away from him, holding her mouth, trying to keep from shaking with sobs.
“Don’t you like it?” he asked, his voice
betraying his uncertainty.
She could not answer, only nodding, remaining
turned away until she managed to say, “Of course, I do.”
She could not hide her tears, her voice giving
her away. As she turned to face him, he took her hand. She did not resist as he
raised it to his lips and kissed it. Her breath caught, the sensation of the
kiss almost tearing down her defenses. She fought the urge to throw her arms
around him.
“I
never intended for this to happen,” she whispered.
“If
you mean me falling for you, the only way you could have prevented it was pass
me by in Minnesota,” he said, releasing her hand.
She continued to look into his brown eyes, the
eyes that had pierced deep into her soul from the start. He breathed deep and
asked with a dreadful fear in his voice.
“You’re leaving soon, aren’t you?” She
swallowed hard, nodding.
“I know I can’t talk you out of it. I just
want to say knowing you for these five weeks will be a time I’ll always
cherish.” His eyes filled with tears.
Tess turned away again, gritting her teeth.
Her eyes dwelled on her photo, the head and shoulders shot. The framed picture
sat on a shelf above a workbench where Johnnie did much of his work.

Well, the cover image didn't actually paste. I had to browse to get it.

Chat date for CTR on my new release

The release of my new romance short story from Wild Rose is set for February 15th. I have scheduled a chat at Coffee Time Romance for friday February 17th from 5 PM to 9 PM. I'll provide a link later but if anyone, author or reader would like to show please let me know who you are and I'll enter your name with Regina before the chat takes place. Showing for any length of time would be appreciated and I'm giving away a copy of my ebook End of a String. My new release as you can see is Beautiful, Inside and Out. It is about a sharp college engineering student named Bess Simpson who perceives she's overweight. Can she win the heart of Art Fuller who is dating Angie the petite drum major? So far Miss Mae, Gail Pallotta, Anne Patrick and Cindy Christiansen have agreed to show up on chat night. I thank them for that.

Marcy's Struggle final submitted

I've sent Marcy's Struggle to Wild Rose editor Nancy Swanson hoping this final version will make the grade. Our computer quit for several days and is going again although I fear it will go out again. I'm glad at least that all the files are intact at this point. Now again it is a waiting game.

Next Publisher and their request

After my rejection I sent a synopsis of A Change of Heart to Wings ePress and they immediately came back and requested my full manuscript. I spent a lot of time formatting my manuscript according to their instructions. It is about ready to go and I'm filled with hope. I've penned a blurb as they asked. Here it is:
Leroy Doyle has been hurt deeply when his childhood sweetheart leaves him. He enters college, resolved to avoid women--that is until he meets Jody Stinson. Jody carries past baggage herself that has left scars so deep that she continues to push Leroy away. Leroy pulls out all the stops to win Jody's heart, but how long can his persistence stretch?
Will Jody ever have a change of heart toward Leroy? After four years of college and two years in the work place, Jody wakes up, but is it in time? Leroy has quit his job and left.

Rapid Fire Rejection

Musa Publishing says on their website that their response time for submissions is 6-8 weeks. Well, I submitted yesterday and today the rejection came through on my novel A Change of Heart. This has to be a record: 13 hours. The upside is that I don't have to wait for another two months for a reading on the novel before I submit somewhere else. Should I even submit again? This publisher said they like sweet romance so why such a rapid rejection? Kay I need more boosting from you here. Thanks again for your encouragment on an earlier post.

Bad news in bunches

Well, bad news comes on the same day or in bunches. I received a rejection email on my novel A Change of Heart from Turquoise Morning Press and my short story An Arm and a Leg was rejected by The Pedestal Magazine. My science fiction novel is still at Cresent Moon Press and they say it will be a long time before they get back to me on that. In checking my files yesterday I realized my SF novel has been rejected more times than I thought. Those rejections are from agents.