Clearing the Calendar for Vacation and Writing
Posted by Morgan
Yep, it’s time for me to get all my work caught up (actually, I’m pretty much caught up, come to think of it, except for some reading) before vacation. The hubby and I are thinking of driving around to visit some of the “gardens”. Calloway, Barnsley’s, and maybe a visit to Dallonegha (yes, I know I probably botched the spelling of that).
Wherever we decide to go, I’ll be carrying my laptop because I’ll be writing on my next book in the evenings. It’s going to be fun…something I think you all will enjoy. I can’t say too much about it right now because my editor is waiting for chapters even as I type, so I better not spill any beans just yet, but I promise to tell you more as soon as I can.
Anyone seen the latest Johanna Lindsey novel in Wal-mart? I keep checking at both my local Wal-mart stores for it, but they don’t have it. Waaa! Wonder if it has something to do with the fact it’s in hardback? Guess I’ll have to coerce the hubby to drive me down to Barnes and Noble and get it there.
Oddly enough, I’m not as excited about getting my hands on it as I am the upcoming Karen Marie Moning book, FAEFEVER. Any of you signed up to receive her newsletters? My daughter is, and everytime she gets one she makes sure I read it…and darn it all, those teasers just drive a body nuts! I don’t wanna wait anymore. I just want to read the story!
Morgan
Sneak A Peek Inside The Legacy Of Sleepy Hollow!
Posted by Morgan
Yes! This afternoon I got the “go ahead” from my EIC at LBF Books to post an excerpt from The Legacy Of Sleepy Hollow on my website and I’m so excited about it!
This is the first I’ve been able to give readers a sneak peek between the covers of the book, and I’m dying to know what you think about it so you all go over to www.morganleshay.com/thelegacyofsleepyhollow.html and give it a read-through, please! Then (if you don’t mind) come back over here to the blog and let me know your thoughts. I’m kinda going nuts to hear what other people think about this story, so I’d love to hear from you.
Oh, about the “potato salad” scene…
Um…well…we’ll talk about that in another post I guess. I will say this though…today Jodi (LBF’s EIC) said it’s “priceless!” LOL. I think it is really cool, but I’m debating whether or not to post it too. What do you think? Wanna read the “Potato Salad Teaser”?
Okay, okay, go read the excerpt! We’ll talk potato salad soon.
Morgan
Why Choosing An Excerpt From The Legacy Of Sleepy Hollow Sucks - Or The Legacy Of Sleepy Hollow Edits Are Done
Posted by Morgan
Except for reading through after the copyeditor has a go at my manuscript, the edits for The Legacy Of Sleepy Hollow are done! Yes! And in reflection, I’m wondering why so many authors profess to hate editing. It was fun…and easy. But I think Michelle (my editor) had something to do with that.
Oh wait. After my last rant, you were probably thinking my editor was Dr. Jeckyl/Mr. Hyde, right? LOL.
Turns out Michelle was having technical/computer problems from heck, or we’d have had these edits done a lot faster! Bless her heart. When I finally discovered what was going on with her (blowed router, bad line, all sorts of techie stuff that mostly goes right over my head), I felt bad for being in such a rush. Really bad. I’d have been pulling my hair out if I’d had to deal with all that. Sheesh!
But anyway, edits are all done… and now I’m obsessing over the teaser and excerpt.
What should I use?
. . . thinking . . .
. . . still thinking . . .
After I read through The Legacy Of Sleepy Hollow three more times, and was still no closer to making a decision on which parts of the story to use for an excerpt and teaser, I called my daughter into my office for help. Since I love every single little bit of the story, I just couldn’t choose.
Bree loves the story too, she does. All of it. But it was still no surprise, really, when she said, “I like the potato salad scene.”
<Groan>
The “potato salad” scene?
It’s good. It’s really good. In fact, I love it! Romance readers will love it, too. But what about all the rest?
What about the other readers, I asked her. The ones who are going to want to see something, some hint, of how The Legacy Of Sleepy Hollow ties into the original Washington Irving classic, The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow?
So… I go through the manuscript again, to the “potato salad” scene, and thankfully yes, it’s in there. The tie-in to the other Sleepy Hollow that I just know everyone’s going to be looking for. So I decide the “potato salad” scene will be fine for the teaser my publisher asked for (although it’s a little long in word count). Now that decision is made, but…
What about the excerpt?
Obsess, obsess, obsess…
Well I finally did manage to choose. It was a difficult decision, and I may wish a thousand times over that I’d chosen a different one later, but for now, I think the excerpt I decided on is a good one. If you’re an author and you’ve ever had to do this for your own book, I’m sure you can understand.
For those who aren’t authors, choosing only a small portion of your story to let readers sample is like showing off a picture of your baby or grandbaby…but the only thing that shows up in the pic is the eyes. Or the hand. Or… you know what I mean, right? It’s just not the WHOLE picture.
<sigh>
But it’s enough, I hope, to intrigue you.
Anyway, I have to be sure it’s all approved by the publisher first, but as soon as I get word that it is, I’ll post a link to the excerpt so you can read it. Until then, keep wondering…potato salad??? LOL
Morgan
There Are A Few Places I Don’t Mind Doing It…
Posted by Morgan
Waiting, that is.
The line at the register in Wal-Mart, anywhere reaching the front of the line means I have to give someone else my money, really. 
But I hate waiting for email. Drives me NUTS! Like now. I mean, how hard is it to click “attach”, type a subject, then click “send”? Hmmm?
So what’s got my feathers ruffled this time?
For the last week or so I’ve been waiting to finish up my edits for The Legacy, but for some reason, my editor insists on sending me only five chapters at a time. Me? I want it all, right now, so I can go through while the kiddies are sleeping and send it back to her-complete-yesterday.
But no…
I think she’s playing some cruel, evil editor trick on me, don’t you? I mean, she *has* the edits done already. What is the big deal with sending them all on over, hmmm? LOL.
Okay, okay, for any of you out there who think I’m seriously dissing my editor, let me hit you over the head with the fact that the above was all said “tongue-in-cheek” for the most part.
I’m impatient. My editor knows this (she’s probably laughing maniacally at me right now while she takes my edits email *back out* of the queue for today!) but she also wants to make sure we do a good job with the story. Gotta make sure the “I’s” are dotted and the “T’s” crossed, right? If we rush, we might miss something. Besides, patience is a virtue, and I’ve asked for it, certainly, but whoever’s dispensing it needs to hurry up!
So anyway, while I’m sitting here obsessing over wanting the edits email and not getting it, I thought I’d ask what you’re all reading lately…anything majorly good? Tell me about it, please!
There’s a few books I’m waiting on, but dang if they don’t come out months from now (well, except for the new Johanna Lindsey, which I think comes out this month). I WANT FAEFEVER! Anybody else diehard KMM fans? Also waiting on … ahem … Acheron (looking around to make sure Bree didn’t hear me say that!) from Sherrilyn Kenyon. What are you waiting to read?
Let’s chat about it!