Q&A
Happy Halloween!!!!We're having a farewell party for a co-worker in my office today, so on top of all the Halloween candy hanging around, there's a table full of good food right outside my office door!!
The pecan treat Robin had at Panera Bread on Wednesday is probably nothing compared to all the calories calling my name right now. :-)
It's Q&A day again on the Posse blog. We've had a week full of interesting advice and fun stories.
Is there a burning question you forgot to ask? Something that kept you up at night niggling at your brain? Any final comments you'd care to share?
We're at the end of GH Month on the blog so don't be shy.
I'll be back to check in the a little while. I think I hear a tasty treat calling my name. :-)
Pris
posted by Prisakiss @ 9:13 AM
12 Comments:
Pris,
Funny how the treats at my house are calling my name, too!
I have a halloween related question. I know a couple of the readers from the column write gothic historicals. What sort of gothic elements do they use in their stories?
P.S. I got my first pair of progressive lenses today. It's a little weird trying to figure out which part of the lens to look through for whatever I'm doing, but I don't have to take my glasses off to write. Woohoo!
Oooh, good question about gothics, Mo. Just reading your comment started the "spooky" music in my head. :-)
As for the glasses, it may take a while to get use to them, but it'll make things easier for you. Good luck.
All you gothic authors, we're dying to hear your responses.
Pris - you're killing me with all that talk about food. It's making me so hungry I need to run right out...and keep running if I plan to eat goodies this holiday.
I can't answer Mo's question since I know squat about historicals, much less gothic historicals…other than I love to read them. “g” Good luck with the glasses – I tried them once a long time ago and was a driving hazard on the way home. Hope you do better than I did.
Here’s a question for those of you entering the Golden Heart – what inspired you to write the story you’re entering? (choose your favorite one if you entered more than one)
I’ve always loved hearing what triggered a story idea.
Hi,
This will be my first time entering the GH and I have a question...I've heard people say that they entered and an editor requested the complete (before they finalled). How does that happen? Is the editor a judge? I don't get it.
Valerie (Total Newbie)
Hey Dianna, funny you should mention holiday snacking. You're looking at the queen of holiday eating. :-)
The running? Uh, not so much lately. But I'm trying to get back to it.
The book I'm planning to enter in this year's GH is one that came to me in pieces. I've struggled with it a bit, but I love my characters. Their story and family issues really hit my heart. That's a good thing, but also kind of a bad one, too. I want to do their story justice, so I'm feeling the pressure.
Valerie, with regards to the editor requests. I believe those normally come from the final round editor judges. At some point during the competition (I'm trying to remember if it's when you make the finals, or if an editor requests the full), RWA gives you an opportunity to send in an edited version of your full.
So, if you enter the GH and send in your entry by the December deadline, but continue polishing your manuscript, you'll be given an opportunity to submit the revised version if you make the finals/get an editor request.
Does that make any sense?
Pris-- off to get into her costume and hand out candy (hopefully handing our more than she's eating!
Hi,
Thanks for the answer and yes, it makes sense. I guess I thought that's how it worked but in Robin Kaye's post earlier she mentioned that she got a request and didn't even know it until the editor got in touch. I think that was a couple of years ago though so maybe it works differently now. Thanks!
My GH entry this year is my Gothic historical set in the Regency period, so I guess I can answer that question, Mo!
The story was actually inspired by a photograph. I was doing a search of photos of Suffolk, England as I wanted to set a story there. I lived in Suffolk for there years as a child and I really loved it. The photo was of Dunwich (of Lovecraft's Dunwich Horror fame.) This is/was and English village that gradually disappeared into the sea due to the erosion of the cliffs on which it sat. The photo was of a tree-lined drive that lead to what had been a cliff-side manor house, now long gone. The photo was taken at dusk with fog swirling around and it looked as if the drive just disappeared into the mist. Really great eerie photo and it served as the inspiration for The Raven's Heart.
The elements I have included are - a cold, aloof hero with a mad wife, a daughter, a rake of a brother and a very angry brother-in-law. The governess is the heroine. So we have a really spooky setting to begin with and four years later when the story moves to London even that house gives people the creeps. We have a heroine with the ability to see the memories of animals, animals that can see ghosts, a little girl who has not spoken in the four years since her mother's death, the scent of attar of roses and sea breezes, the feeling you are being watched. Oh, and a house full of suspects when mysterious accidents start happening.
Here is the opening of The Raven's Heart for your amusement.
Suffolk Coast, 1812
“Something is amiss at the Hall.”
It was an understatement of the matter, if ever there was one.
Ravencrest Hall sat on the edge of crumbling cliffs, a stone gargoyle clinging to the land like some dying beast spat out of the sea. It devoured all who entered and sucked the last drop of joy, laughter, and life out of them as surely as the worms in the grave. She hated the place.
Madeline Carston glanced up from her seat on the rickety gig and realized the old Welsh groom was indeed correct. The ancient mansion was monstrous enough in its normal darkened state. As it stood now, candlelight aglow in every window, it took on the aspect of a smiling, hungry demon.
Love that opening, Louisa! Awesome!!
've heard people say that they entered and an editor requested the complete (before they finalled). How does that happen? Is the editor a judge? I don't get it.
Valerie, I think the editor request can happen in a variety of different ways. In my case, the judging editor bought the book on the complete ms that I sent in. Sometimes it works that way and sometimes they make a request for the full from the writer, in which case you can send in a spruced up version.
There is some debate as to whether the judging editors read the whole manuscripts of the finalists or just the partials. Lately I've heard it is just the partials, but they could request the whole ms from RWA, too.
I think the advice here has been to make your entry as polished as possible and don't worry too much if your whole ms is not quite perfect as long as it is complete.
Louisa,
This book sounds so greatly gothic!! I have my fingers crossed for it.
Woo, Louisa! You've got that gothic entrance down pat!
The rain washed away Halloween. That means a great big bowl of leftover candy. Hubby was kind enough this year to only buy my favorite varieties...
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