The Tale of Clueless Chick
The last time Edie invited me to guest blog on Magical Musings, I talked about rejection, a topic I know well, considering it took me 10 years to sell my first book. Today, along with telling you about my latest release, I’d like to talk about perseverance because for me, the two are intimately entwined.
LOVE, LIES AND A DOUBLE SHOT OF DECEPTION, which went on sale May 29th from Dorchester Publishing, is a romantic suspense about secrets and revenge and the lengths some people will go in order to bury the former and achieve the latter.
Life has delivered one sucker punch after another to Emma Wadsworth. As a matter of fact, you could say the poor little rich girl is the ultimate poster child for Money Can’t Buy Happiness — even if she is no longer a child.
Billionaire real estate stud Logan Crawford is as famous for his less-than-platinum reputation as he is his business empire. In thirty-eight years he’s never fallen in love, and that’s just fine with him — until he meets Emma.
But Emma’s not buying into Logan’s seductive ways. Well, maybe just a little, but she’s definitely going into the affair with her eyes wide open. She’s no fool. At least not any more. But Emma has dark secrets, and someone out there doesn’t want to let her forget her past quite so easily. Trouble is brewing darker than a double espresso for Emma and her newfound love. Now if only she can keep from getting burned…
LOVE, LIES AND A DOUBLE SHOT OF DECEPTION is the second book I sold, but it’s the first book I ever wrote. And how that came to be is the story I’d like to share with you today. You see, once upon a time there was this Clueless Chick who wrote a 50,000 word romance that spanned 35 years. And as if that weren’t enough, Clueless Chick didn’t know the difference between a category romance and a mainstream suspense. Point of view? She’d never heard of it. Needless to say, when Clueless Chick pushed her baby out of the nest, it flew right back with its beak stuffed full of rejection letters.
But Clueless Chick had a stubborn streak as long as the island of Manhattan, and she wasn’t about to be deterred by lack of knowledge. Undaunted, she handed over her VISA card to a friendly salesperson at Barnes & Noble and walked out with an armload of how-to-write-a-novel books. In one of those books she read about Romance Writers of America, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Clueless Chick joined RWA and got a clue. Actually, she got quite a few clues, thanks to RWA and some very generous, supportive members. And eventually Clueless Chick sold a book. But she never forgot about that first clueless effort. So Clueless Chick went back and rewrote that first book. And today you can walk into the bookstore of your choice and buy that book. Only don’t expect it to be 50,000 words and take place over 35 years. Remember, Clueless Chick is no longer clueless. LOVE, LIES AND A DOUBLE SHOT OF DECEPTION is now a 90,000 word romantic suspense that takes place over the course of a few months.
Moral of the tale of Clueless Chick? Never give up!
If you’d like to read an excerpt of LOVE, LIES AND A DOUBLE SHOT OF DECEPTION, click over to www.loiswinston.com. Stay awhile and check out the various articles I have posted, see what reviewers are saying about my books, and read an excerpt from TALK GERTIE TO ME. And while you’re there, I hope you’ll sign up for my newsletter.
Lois, I was Clueless Chick, myself, when I joined RWA, and like you, have picked up more than a few clues since, along the way.
Congratulations on your success.
I think we were all Clueless Chicks at one time or another. The trick is to lose that cluelessness. That’s when you become a “writer”. I find it amazing that even after numerous rejections, there are writers who just doesn’t get it. Obviously there is something they’re doing wrong … like maybe not studying the market, learning the ropes or reading books that have made it. Its a constantly evolving business and you have to keep up with it.
Great blog, by the way.
Inspiring story, Lois. I’m still gathering clues… I think the culprit may have been Heathcliff at Tara with the Purloined Letter… But then again, I could be wrong.
Great bog, Lois! I’m at the WisRWA conference right now, and it’s amazing how much new stuff I’m still learning. In so many ways I’m still clueless. RWA people are the most helpful of any organization I’ve belonged.
Your success and the success of every other struggling romance writer gives me hope. And I’m so looking forward to reading your newest book.
Lois, I’m smiling here. I had that stamped on my forehead and butt, Clueless Chick! You nailed it when you wrote about not being deterred. And I must say, you’re the epitome of professionalism, and honest to goodness caring when it comes to writers. We need more people like you. And I’m thrilled with your success. You go! Great blog.
Lois, you’re the poster child for “Knowledge Is Power!” Good for you for getting it right, and thanks for sharing your vast wisdom and history – I share your perseverance like we were separated at birth.
Lois, thanks for sharing your experience with us. We’ve all heard about the author who sold her first book five minutes after she wrote “The End”, but most of us know that is so not the norm. Your story gives all of us hope.
I agree wholeheartedly about RWA.
Great blog.
Wow! You’re the only person I know whose first book was under 200,000 words. That’s impressive.
I think all of us suffered the clueless-chick syndrome at some point. The best way to combat it is just like you said. Never give up.
Lois,
Great blog. As one clueless chick to another, congrats on your old baby’s release. . .:lol:
My story is polar opposite of yours though– a 300 page RS that took place over a few days.
I did manage to cut it down to a reasonable length, but it still takes place over seven days.