Sending in two new contracts...

Two down and one to go...

Subbed three of my older romances to my wonderful new editor at EC. The first two were accepted pretty much as is with minimal changes. (I made most of those changes before subbing.) The third one may need to be tweaked a bit more, but not too much. That's fine by me, as long as they get a second chance at life.  

I am thrilled that I have an editor who loves my work. That's a big plus.  It gives back a lot of the confidence that I sorta lost during the years that I had to get my stories past folks who didn't like my style of writing. I am SUCH a baby when it comes to criticism...especially when I know that ms was perfect. Snort. Oh, well...so they weren't totally perfect...

Now I have to get to work and finish those other books that I have partially written...finish transferring the epic fantasy romance from old 5 1/2 inch floppies in 12 bit format to 32 bit format...and remind myself that I can really write.  Sigh. :)

Thanks so much for your continuing support and encouragement, loves!

Fran

Going to Romanticon after all...

Sigh...isn't this what we all hope for?

 Things have begun to look up for me, thank God...and I have two contracts coming through...hopefully three.  I still have the option of self-publication on several other books.  And because of some very wonderful, supportive, and very pushy but loveable fairy godmothers, I have decided I will attend Romanticon, after all. 

I am thrilled that I will not be languishing in shame and sadness at home while others will be enjoying the revelry and the booze. Of course, I never indulge in revelry or booze, anyway, but...one can always pretend. :)

The publishing industry has taken some huge turns over the past few years, and new options are opening up daily for authors. I was asked just today why I didn't just go the self-publishing way and not share the profits with my publisher. Hey...that's always an option...but as long as my publisher treats me well and goes the distance with me and my books, I feel that sharing the wealth with them is only fair.  After all, they gave me my start, and they have been fair with me. They have not gone out of business, leaving a hundred authors hanging while still selling their books...and not paying royalties. A couple of my friends have had that happen, and it's a horrendous thing to have happen to you.  My publisher has had rocky times, but I still get that royalty check every month.

I am totally loyal to my friends.  I buy their books.  I try to be supportive and give a hand when someone is feeling like dog-poop.  You know that I have over 1,000 e-books that my various friends penned?  It's just one more way of helping friends succeed.  So if I have a publisher who sticks with me and respects me as an author, I will also be supportive of them by continuing to share the wealth, so to speak.  :)

It's a partnership.  They put the seed money in, and we feed each other.  Sigh...

What do you think of my thoughts?  Now keep it clean...LOL!

Hugs!

Fran

http://www.franleeromance.com  

Subbed two of my recovered books to my editor at Ellora's Cave...

I decided to submit this one to my editor...

If she doesn't contract it, I will be hunting for a hot cover photo...got any suggestions?  I can't use this one...

I subbed my short novella (almost a Quickie really) to her last week and she likes it.  We'll see where we go on this one.  This is the shorter of my two full-length novels (78,944 words).  The folks who have bought it enjoyed it...the reviewers liked it very much...now let's see if EC likes it.  If not, it goes onto Kindle.

Still revising parts of Dictated by Fate.  Still deciding which way I want to take that one.  Either way, it's a win-win situation.  It only sold a few hundred where it was with the old cover in a two-and-a-half-year period.  My older back-list books over at EC sell way better than that.  Sigh.

If you have any ideas for a great cover (just in case it's a no-go) please let me know.

Hugs,

Fran

Just bought a "new" older car...

  I had to do it!

Whoot!  Now I can actually DRIVE twenty blocks without having to pull over, turn off the car, then restart it to reset the damn computer codes that absolutely have to go meshuga every few miles.  Neither of my magnificent personal mechanics (Yes, they are mine, since I gave birth to them) has been able to pinpoint the problem, and the car has more new electronic parts than a video game system.  I have been unable to drive anywhere over 25 miles from home for over two years.  Couldn't trust the poor car to make it both ways.

Ever had a car like that?  One that played games with you when you were headed somewhere important?  One that works perfectly fine until you turn on the radio, heater, or AC?  Then it decides to chug, choke, cough, sputter and other wise make you wonder what is wrong with the stupid thing?  It was a great car for the first 18 years of its venerable life...but over the past 18 months, it has driven me bonkers. 

No, I don't plan to burn it on a funeral pyre...I will keep it in case the newer one decides to need work...at least I will have a spare that way.  

So share your car nightmares...I HOPE I'm not the only one out there who has a tricky car...

Hugs,

Fran

http://www/franleeromance.com

Are you wearin' th' green?

Protector of the Irish Church...

The Saint's Feast Day that ran amok...St. Patrick's Day has become a celebration of all things Irish.  The feast day of St. Patrick has, since it was instituted in the seventeenth century, become a grand celebration of Irish tradition and fun.  Very few people outside Ireland know the story of St. Patrick...but his feast day (he died March 17, 461 AD) has continued on through the past 250 odd years as a showcase of Irish fun and frivolity!

Why green?  Few people know that the color originally used to commemorate St. Patrick was actually blue.  Over the years, however, the wearing of green ribbons and shamrocks on March 17th eventually changed the color scheme of the day to emerald green.  

So enjoy your green beer, your Irish Whiskey, and your green Mardi Gras Beads...pinch a few hot butts...and generally become Irish for a day.  Now is your chance to become as Irish as shamrocks and leprechauns...Erin go braugh!

Hugs!

Fran Lee

http://www.franleeromance.com

Is having a blog worth the time and trouble?

I am bone tired...I feel chilled and shaken by the past 10 days and I am actually wondering if maintaining a blog is even worth the trouble.

When I was rah-rahing everyone's books and cheering all my pals on, I got a lot of hits on my blog.   But I have noticed that maybe only a couple...or three or four come by anymore unless I go out to the loops and spam everyone.  And you all know how I feel about spamming folks.

All my energy reserves have sort of gone into the toilet lately.  I need a bit of rah-rahing, and I do appreciate those of you who have dropped by to leave me comments.  

Thanks, and if you don't hear from me much, it isn't because I don't love you all...it's just because I am plain worn out.

Hugs...

Fran

Wow...Leap Year done leaped right past me...

Sigh...

Time has flown since last year ended, and I am not sure where it has gone.  I have changed my plans three times about attending Romanticon again this year, but right after I decided the thrid time that I would go, my son became very ill, and will be in a very touchy situation for a couple of months.  He had an explosive headache for a week, and then when he couldn't take the pain any more he went to the ER...where they told him he had a large, leaky aneurysm at the base of his brain where the spinal column is attached.  He was rushed to the best hospital around, and had emergency surgery to "coil" the aneurysm. Very touchy, highly complicated procedure...with an 80% fatality rate.  If that isn't enough to give me a heart attack, I don't know what is. 

Anyway, the surgery was a success, and he is fighting his way back to health.  But I genuinely think that someone out there in the Universe is trying to tell me not to make plans...and so I decided not to go.  

Murphy's Law seems to be playing leap-frog with my life at this point, so I am in a holding pattern.  

Thanks to all of you who guided wishes and prayers to him the past few days...I know the power of prayer and positive thought.  My deepest gratitude to all of you.

Hugs,

Fran