Ms. Cartland was an English author, known for her numerous romance novels. She also became one of the United Kingdom’s most popular media personalities, appearing often at public events and on television, dressed in her trademark pink and discoursing on love, health and social political issues. Other than her fictional romance books, she also wrote books on health and nutrition, advocating vitamin supplementation, as well as biographies and stage plays. She was often billed as the Queen of Romance.

However, before you can produce a romance novel, there are a few things you should know. First, the 2008 report from Simba Information reported that romance fiction generated a whopping 1.37 billion dollars in revenue despite the worst economic slid since the Great Depression and snagged the largest share of the consumer market. Why is this? Despite the cynicism of some for romance fiction, it has proven to be smart, fresh and diverse.

Secondly, you first need to know how to write a romance novel. “Know the romance market,” says Sheri McGregor, author of “Under One Roof.” Romance novels make up more than 50 percent of mass market fiction. “Read in the genre and find where you think your story ideas fit. Get the guidelines. Then write your story with the market in mind, without letting go of your story’s heart,” McGregor says.

1. Know the story you want to tell, and know your characters.
2. Join a writer’s critique group, either online or face-to-face.
3. Write, write and write more. Nothing helps more than practicing your craft.
4. Develop a thick skin. No one writes a masterpiece the first time.
5. Learn from criticism, but don’t lose the voice that makes your writing unique.
6. Read books about writing, such as Anne Lamott’s “Bird by Bird,” Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones,” or Evan Marshall’s “The Marshall Plan for Writing a
Novel.”
7. Study your market, and be prepared to write for a specific genre.
8. Become familiar with the publishers in your genre and subgenre.
9. Join a romance writers’ club and attend writers’ conferences. Make sure to schmooze with agents at these conferences.
10. Submit your book to an agent to make the rounds of publishers.

Blessed is the author who continues to write despite the circumstances in their lives, for eventually their story will be published. Times are tough in the publishing industry? Write! Your personal life is going to hell faster than a jet? Write! You can’t find an agent? Write! Your manuscript is still orphaned? Write! Your book finally sold? Keep writing!

Until next time – stay well and be blessed!

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TIME TO WRITE?

I absolutely have a special time to write. It’s when the duties of mother, maid, cook, chauffer, doctor, business owner and referrer have ended. It’s when I stumble down the stairs, groping in semi-darkness for my best friend, the coffeepot. It’s when there’s graveyard silence in my house.

The illuminated numbers on the clock indicate one in the morning.

It’s the right time for me to write.

Until next time – stay well and be blessed!

HOW CAN I GET MY BOOK PUBLISHED?

The first tip I’d give an aspiring author is to prepare. Preparation can be accomplished in a variety of ways such as: reading books from authors published in the genre you want to writing in, taking courses or workshops, entering contests, and if possible, speaking with published authors in your targeted genre. Once you have a workable draft of your manuscript, join a critique group and above all, accept constructive feedback. All of these things will help in the end so that you provide a quality product for agents and editors to review.

A couple of books I’d highly encourage aspiring authors to purchase are: Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen and Writing Novels that Sells by Jack Bickham.

See you on the New York Times Bestsellers List!!

Until next time – stay well and be blessed!

In the year 1007, a Japanese noble woman named Murasaki Shikibu wrote the world’s first full novel entitled, The Tale of Genji. This is the story of a prince looking for love and wisdom. In its English translation it covers 54 chapters over 1000 pages of text.

Curious to know more, I dug a little deeper and discovered that an impressive African-American influence had been woven into the fiber of RWA from the beginning. Since 1981, this association has advanced the professional interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy. However, the existence of an organization with over 10,000 members today would not have been possible without the vision and of its Founder, Vivian Stephens.

As the editor for Harlequin, Dell (Candlelight Romances) and Bantam, Ms. Stephens launched the careers of authors such as Sandra Brown and Jayne Ann Krentz, but didn’t stop there. Recognizing the importance of getting African-American romance published, Ms. Stephens established Women Writers of Color with the goal of assisting African-Americans who wrote commercial fiction with people of color as the major characters and guiding them to ultimate publication.

Multi-published author, Shirley Hailstock walked through the doors opened twenty-years earlier as the first African-American board member for RWA. In 2002 she became the first African-American president of the largest genre writer’s organization in the world.

The year 2010 ushered in another milestone for RWA. My author colleague and friend, Michelle Monkou was elected President. My only regret is that I wasn’t able to attend the convention in Orlando when Michelle assumed the reins. Congratulations, Michelle!

Thank you is such a simplistic phrase, but it’s the only one I can find to express my heartfelt gratitude for the courage, wisdom and leadership these three pioneers have given to the largest consumer market that’s 1.37 billion dollars strong.

Until next time – stay well and be blessed!

SO, WHEN WILL YOU WRITE SO-IN-SO’S STORY?

First, let’s define who “so-in-so” is.” These are the secondary characters (flat characters) in a fiction novel. Although these characters rarely undergo any substantial growth or change in the story, they do provide a supporting role to a story’s main characters.

Not ever secondary character I create will have their story. Remember, they were created to serve a particular purpose in a particular story. However, I’ll go so far as to allow my intuition to take over so the character speaks to me outside of the role they were originally created for. If the character shows me their strengths and weakness, what they fear and what event will spark them to rise up and fight like hell then there’s a fair chance a story is in the horizon for them.

For those readers who’ve followed my writing career, they’ve become intimately acquainted with the Baptiste Clan. As the saga of this family has progressed, many secondary characters have emerged. Two of my favorites are: Alex Robinson and Zachary “Zach” Tate. Many readers have threatened me with bodily harm if I don’t come up with a story line for both of them. Only time will tell, so stay tune.

Until next time – stay well and be blessed!

WHERE DO YOU GET THE IDEAS FOR YOUR STORIES?

A casual conversation with friends, a newspaper article or even a television show can spark the beginning idea for a story plot. So far, the premises of my stories have dealt with the social issues I’ve experienced and/or taught as a public health educator for the past twenty-plus years. Trust me I’m not talking about your typical run-of-the-mill romance story plots, either. I love to take real-life issues individuals face every single day and spin a romance from it.

Now you would think after I’d come up with the idea that sitting down and outlining the story would be a fairly simply process, right? Well, most times it isn’t. Let me share an example.

It was Thursday, May 27, 2010. On this day, I walked through the doors at the Port of New Orleans with gleeful anticipation. After a grueling, but successful two-month promotion for my latest release, If I Were Your Woman, I was about to board the Carnival Triumph. The last thing I wanted to think about was another story. All I wanted was to enjoy total relaxation and kid-free bliss on my four-day sail to Cozumel, Mexico.

However, weeks prior to my cruise, I’d grappled with an idea for my next story. I’d become so acquainted with the persona of my characters, that I knew them as well as I know my best friend. Scenes from this yet to be named story boomeranged in my head. The premise for the story had even settled in my spirit. Still, I couldn’t take all of this and connect the dots. Oh well, I’ll deal with it after the cruise or at least that’s what I told myself.

The cruise was fabulous!! On day three, I spent hours shopping in Cozumel and had a few mango margaritas along the way. After dinner that evening, I made my way to the ship’s lower deck. Alone with the coolness of the night air at my face, I stood with my arms draped over the rail. For a moment, I glanced up and studied the stars. They were crystal clear against the velvet black skies. Then it happened.

Upon a midnight clear, the story I’d struggled with for weeks flashed before me from beginning to end.

No, I will not go on a cruise every time I have trouble outlining a story Here’s my point: The problem wasn’t that the story wasn’t there. It was. The problem was me. I wasn’t in a place to receive it. Before the cruise, I was juggling a zillion projects. But once I got into a setting where I was uninterrupted by the hustle and busy of life, the story manifested itself. Ever been there??

Until next time – stay well and be blessed!

There is no standard or routine screening test for the early detection of testicular cancer. Also, there are no proven ways to prevent testicular cancer. However, performing monthly TSE’s and knowing the symptoms of testicular cancer increases the possibility of detecting the disease at an early stage, when it’s most curable.

National Cancer Institute

There are several ways to treat testicular cancer once it is initially diagnosed. The most common way starts with an orchiectomy, which is the surgical procedure to remove the testicular mass. Once removed, the mass is sent to a pathologist to determine if it is indeed malignant and if so, the stage of the cancer. Other treatment options include: Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection, Chemotherapy, Radiation and Surveillance.

Men may experience a wide range of emotions after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. However, do not, and I repeat, do not let these emotions interfere with understanding and receiving appropriate treatment options. In addition to speaking with a health care provider, men should join a support group to discuss their feelings with others who’ve had similar feelings.

WebMD.com