Will you help me brainstorm?

2009 marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of my first novel (the picture at the left is from one of my very first booksignings), and I want to celebrate with you, my readers, but I'm not sure what form that celebration should take. I'd love to hear your ideas! I have some of my own, but in true brainstorming fashion, I'm keeping them to myself so I don't influence your own creativity.

Meanwhile, let me tell you a little about my beginning in the publishing world. I hope this will not only inform my readers, but encourage you aspiring writers to persevere, as well. 

I began writing a novel as a hobby in 1981, when I was working in a hospital as a social worker. I soon became addicted, and by 1985, I had 700 plus pages (typed on an electric typewriter, with carbon paper. Ugh!) about five adults who

1989 did finally arrive. Berkley Books submitted Private Relations to the Romance Writers of America's industry contest (the RITA awards) and I was stunned and thrilled when it was selected as a finalist in the "single title contemporary novel" category, up against the likes of Nora Roberts and other popular authors. I attended the huge and wild RWA conference in San Francisco, and was triply stunned and thrilled when Private Relations won! I love this picture of myself. My name had just been called as the winner. I'd taken my shoes off while seated at my table, and I was so shocked that I forgot to put my shoes on as I head to the stage to accept the RITA (amidst a very bored-looking audience!) I firmly believe that one reason I won was because, as I previously mentioned, I didn't know what I was doing. There were rules to writing a romance, and in my ignorance, I broke most of them. This is why I encourage aspiring writers to forget about the rules. Just make the story work. All in all, it was a lovely start to my career.

So now, 18 books later, I'm ready to celebrate! What shall we do?    

My current work-in-progress requires a disaster. Hurricane Katrina would work. So would 9-11. But I can't bring myself to use those tragic events. I'm even uncomfortable using this image from Katrina. It simply feels too soon, with too many of the hurricane's victims still in pain.

I recently finished reading Wally Lamb's wonderful new book, The Hour I First Believed. He plants one of his characters inside the library of Columbine High School during the horrific 1999 shooting spree that took so many lives, devastated a community and rattled the sense of security of an entire nation. Lamb uses the real names of the victims as well as the murderers. He uses actual quotes from the shooters' video tapes (available to the public). He imagines a scene at a memorial service for one of the victims. All of this made me profoundly uncomfortable.

Over the years, I've considered using a real tragedy as the backdrop for one of my novels, but I feared that doing so would smack of exploitation. I can't imagine using someone else's pain in one of my stories, knowing that I write not only to entertain but to keep bread on my table. I was startled and dismayed by Lamb's choice at first, but I've gradually grown more comfortable with it. I believe that's because he helped me, and I'm sure many other readers, understand what it's like to go through such a horrific experience. He illustrated the often misunderstood phenomenon of Post Tramuatic Stress Disorder beautifully and compassionately. Even with all my training as a  therapist, I don't think I quite "got it" as fully as I did while reading this book. That is a gift to his readers. I hope it can also be seen as a gift to the victims and their families, whose plight may now be better understood, but I frankly wouldn't blame them if they saw it as an affront and an exploitation of their grief. I'm not sure exactly how I would feel in their shoes.

For the most part, I've forgiven Lamb for using Columbine, but I'm not sure I could or would make the same choice in my own work. Right now, I'm planning on fabricating an earthquake in Ecuador for "my disaster." That may change, especially because I'm torn about setting a portion of my story outside the United States. But I won't be using 9-11, and I won't be using Katrina.

What do you think? I'm curious to know how you, as readers and writers, feel about the use of recent, real-life tragedies in fiction.   

I've got plenty!

We're closing in on 2009, and I think it's going to be a good one for me, and I hope for all of you as well.

I know many people pooh-pooh New Year's resolutions, but I love them. I love that "fresh start" each year. So I'm going public with mine, in the hope that will help me stick to them. Here we go.

In addition to maintaining my weight loss (18 pounds in '08!), getting to the Y at least three times a week, and making time to stay spiritually centered, I have a book to write! Yep, after all the angst of the past couple of months, my publisher has approved my new proposal -- well, I still have some changes to make, but it's almost there. All I'll say right now is that it's about two estranged sisters. I plan to keep you abreast of the writing, as I did in my "creating a story" posts that began back in October. Without giving anything away, of course.

As a matter of fact, I have three books to write. My new contract is for three books, nine months apart. Yikes! I won't be taking any non-working vacations for the next twenty-seven months, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to the challenge, though.

How am I attacking Book One? I've created a schedule that looks something like this: between now and January 5th, I'll re-write the proposal/synopsis, adding new layers to the story, changing the locale (right now it's a foreign locale, and my publisher wants at least the bulk of the story in the US). Then for the rest of January, I'll do my basic research and fully outline the story. That will mean lots of colored notecards on the dining room table. This will be a dangerous time, as "research" and "outlining", as opposed to actually writing, are amorphous tasks that can get away from me unless I exercise more discipline than I usually have.

Beginning in February, I'll write fifty pages a week. This should allow me to produce three drafts. The first will be a total mess. The second, much better. And the third, nearly perfect. In between drafts, I'll take a week for review and any needed research. 

In the midst of all this, I'll have a new book, Secrets She Left Behind, to promote in June, and other promotional duties throughout the year. I need to do a major update on my website: I hope to add some video interviews (of myself) and descriptions of my older, currently out-of-print books which will be reissued in '09. But if I can stick to my schedule, I should have a complete book in good shape by my deadline, August 1. Wish me luck on that!

Unfortunately, I'm losing my fantastic editor at my publishing house. I've worked with her for years and she is dynamite, but she's about to have a baby. This must be the only business in which, when someone calls to tell you she's pregnant, your first reaction is "Oh, $#^%!" She'll be a fantastic mom. And I know my new editor is sure will be another winner, since my publisher is full of them. Change is always a little scary, though.

So, that's my agenda for 2009. What resolutions have you made?