tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60032454208273854502024-02-19T19:53:37.771-07:00Jesi O'Connellin which a paranormal romance/urban fantasy writer chronicles her publication journey, one word at a timeJesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-59081688184288884992011-12-13T21:22:00.000-07:002011-12-13T21:22:43.452-07:00new name, new site, new twitter, wow!Well, I guess later came sooner. I'm up and running as J.K. Harper! This blog will become inactive, *unless* I choose at some point to still use this name for whatever. I like to keep my options open. ;)<br />
<br />
In the meantime, you can find me blogging at my <a href="http://www.jkharper.com/" target="_blank">J.K. Harper website,</a> and tweeting under my new Twitter handle, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/_JKHarper" target="_blank">@_JKHarper</a> (which is just a name change from the @jesioconnell one).<br />
<br />
Hope to see you there!Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-21998127989861247062011-12-13T17:03:00.000-07:002011-12-13T17:03:52.312-07:00new pen nameI've firmly decided on a new pen name. Drum roll please:<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">J.K. Harper, author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.</span></b><br />
<br />
Yay! <a href="http://jesi-oconnell.blogspot.com/2011/12/different-genres-different-pen-names.html" target="_blank">I've been mulling over this decision</a> for some time now, and went through a lot of possibilities with a friend. Jesi O'Connell is an old name I used for some stories published way, way back in the day. I'd been wanting something new, and I'm pretty happy with J.K. Harper.<br />
<br />
I've also been working on a new website, and will unveil that as soon it's done. So Jesi O'Connell will go away, and my bright shiny writing future will appear as J.K. Harper. Woot!<br />
<br />
As far as different genres...well, we'll hurdle that bridge when it arrives. First, I need to keep writing...Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-30145771188547334652011-12-12T10:09:00.004-07:002011-12-12T13:28:52.800-07:00I'm a semi-finalist!Woot! I'm a<a href="http://brenleedrake.blogspot.com/2011/12/semi-finalist-15.html"> semi-finalist</a> in <a href="http://brenleedrake.blogspot.com/">Brenda Drake</a>'s Guess My Character's Age contest! I'm so excited. Entrants had to post the first 250 words of a WIP, from which the main character's age had to be correctly guessed from voice.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>You can see my excerpt in the <a href="http://jesi-oconnell.blogspot.com/2011/12/guess-my-age-contest.html">previous post</a>. The final one I actually emailed in was altered a bit from the original one I posted in reflection of some of the insightful comments it received. So that may have helped, I'm not sure. Either way, I'm very excited.<br />
<div><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div>This was especially good news this morning, since moments before I discovered I didn't get a p/t holiday job I applied for--I kind of didn't want it (working overnight? For retail? Ah, that sort of consumer madness pisses me off, to be frank, which may have seeped through in the interview, lol) but my little ego was still stung to not get it.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Then I check Brenda's blog and discover I'm a semi-finalist. Which to me reinforced the idea that I'm meant to be writing! :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Here's the final version I sent in to the contest. I'm still keeping the genre and age of the character under wraps for now, but I'll post it when the contest is over.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">I wake up with a very small, very ticked off firedrake sitting on my chest.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">“Aw, crud,” I mutter. Sunlight stabs through the light curtains jigging in the breeze. I've overslept, big time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">Sassy hisses in displeasure and taps me with an indignant foot. Luckily, her claws are as tiny as the rest of her, so I barely feel it. Her red-gold hide is sort of pale, like a washed-out version of her usually bright self. She's hungry. Which means all the others are, too.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">“Maddie!” calls a voice.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">“Okay, okay. Sorry!” Flinging back the light blanket still twisted around me, I sort of stumble-roll out of bed and promptly fall down with all the grace of a linebacker learning to dance en pointe. Sassy instinctively flies off but still manages to land upside-down next tome on the floor. Her claws scrabble at my bare legs as we both struggle to right ourselves and assess the damage.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">“Dammit.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">Sassy hisses at me again. This time she sounds suspiciously like my mother, whose approval rating of swear words hovers somewhere around a Disney cartoon.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">What the hell (sorry, Mom) did I fall over? Looking down, I discover a furry golden tail left over from my dreams. It's snarled around my legs and twitching a bit.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">Sassy jumps back when she notices my tail. A questioning chirp comes from her cute little beaked mouth. We both stare at my tail, and I try like crazy to grab the rapidly escaping dream.</span></blockquote></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #140201; font-size: 14px;">If anyone wants to post critiques on this snippet, feel free, but you can also do so on <a href="http://brenleedrake.blogspot.com/2011/12/semi-finalist-15.html">my post on Brenda Drake's site</a> as well. Whee!</span></div></div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-28890189970176534752011-12-08T11:46:00.005-07:002011-12-12T13:29:34.925-07:00Guess My Age contest!Just found out about this, and it sounds super cool! So I'm throwing my entry into the pot as well. The <a href="http://brenleedrake.blogspot.com/2011/12/its-on-can-we-guess-your-characters-age.html">rules are over at Brenda Drake's site,</a> and a bunch of writers have already signed up. But apparently plenty more can.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>So you have to guess the age of the main character based on the first 250 words of the ms., without knowing genre or anything else.<br />
<a name='more'></a> Put your guess into the comments, give me any feedback you want about the snippet, and thanks for playing. :) Oh, and go check out the other contestants, too.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Without further ado, here are my 250 words:</div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><blockquote><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">I wake up with a very small, very ticked off firedrake sitting on my chest.</div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">“Aw, crud,” I mutter. Sunlight stabs through the light curtains jigging in the breeze that comes through the open windows. Summer nights in the desert are warm, and I always sleep with the window flung open as wide as it can go. Sunlight this strong means I've overslept.</div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Sassy hisses in displeasure and taps me with indignant claws. Luckily, her claws are as tiny as the rest of her, so I barely feel it. Her red-gold hide is sort of pale, like a washed-out version of her usually bright self. She's hungry. Which means all the others are, too.</div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">“Okay, okay. Sorry!” Flinging back the light blanket still twisted around me, I sort of stumble-roll out of bed and promptly fall to the floor with all the grace of a linebacker learning to dance en pointe. Sassy instinctively flies off but still manages to land upside-down next to me on the floor. Her claws scrabble at my bare legs as we both struggle to right ourselves and assess the damage.</div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">“Dammit.”</div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">What did I fall over? I look down and discover I have a long, tawny tail left over from my dreams, snarled around my legs and twitching just slightly. </div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Sassy jumps back as she notices it too. A questioning chirp comes from her cute little beaked mouth. We both stare at my tail as I attempt to grasp the rapidly escaping dream. </div></blockquote><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-52388303020586734572011-12-08T07:31:00.002-07:002011-12-12T13:29:55.366-07:00different genres, different pen names?Ok. Here's what I like to read and, therefore, write:<br />
<br />
-Urban Fantasy<br />
-Paranormal Romance, especially shifters and less common ideas<br />
-a blend of the two genres above<br />
-Cowboys!!! Hot, hot, hot. Rowr. ;) Contemporaries and paranormals.<br />
-YA Paranormal<br />
<br />
So...my question is, same name for them all?<br />
<a name='more'></a> Or different names for some? The break-downs I see are as such: Paranormal; Cowboy; YA. Each one seems rather distinct from the others, although as said I could blend shifters and cowboys quite easily. (In fact, I already have. Hopefully to be self-pubbed soon-ish.)<br />
<br />
The thought of managing names, websites, twitter, and facebook for three diff names makes me sob, however. Some writers just do it all together, such as Rachel Vincent with her adult and young adult series. Some use completely different pen names specifically because they want to attract readers to each genre, and not potentially repel the other (especially if they write erotic or at least hot).<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>To top it all off, I have my "real world" persona, which writes and blogs and tweets on totally unrelated topics that have nothing to do with hot romance books. So now I'm looking at a plethora of names and pen names and selves, and it's starting to feel very insanely split-personality like. Um...eek?<br />
<br />
Why am I worrying about this now? Because branding oneself as a writer is very, very important, and I want to start right away.<br />
<br />
As an aside, I'm considering using a new pen name. This one (Jesi O'Connell) is old for me, and I just grabbed it when I first started getting serious about writing romance because it was easy. The name I'm leaning toward at the moment is J.K. Harper. For young adult, I'm thinking about J.K. Travers or Julie Travers.<br />
<div><br />
Ah...sigh. Thoughts, comments, your own stories? Anyone?</div></div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-74846892389871254432011-12-06T20:42:00.004-07:002011-12-12T13:30:13.244-07:00thinking about story lengthBeen mulling over the concept of story length; specifically, the shorter lengths. What are the parameters about short stories, novellas, short novellas, novelettes? In fact, what are those things?<br />
<br />
According to <a href="http://www.rwa.org/cs/category_descriptions">Romance Writers of America, novellas are 20k-40k, and novels are longer.</a> (Note that these definitions are specifically for entrants in their RITA awards.)<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Harlequin imprint <a href="http://carinapress.com/blog/submission-guidelines/">Carina Press uses these definitions:</a> "shorter length stories between 15,000 to 50,000 words, genre novels between 50,000 to 100,000 words and longer and complex narratives of over 100,000 words."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novella">Wikipedia</a> helpfully tells me "a novella is usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel." (Um...)<br />
<br />
My opinion is variable. I term it all as such:<br />
<br />
short story: up to 15k<br />
novella: 15k-40k<br />
short (or category) novel: 40k-60k<br />
novel: 60k-100k<br />
epic doorstop: 100k+<br />
<br />
I like to write longer lengths, mostly because I tend to the verbose side. However, I think learning to write short well is an invaluable lesson in the power of brevity.<br />
<br />
What say all ye?Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-62704434172910290612011-12-05T09:30:00.002-07:002011-12-12T13:30:29.620-07:00self-publishing: I wanna ride the waveSelf-publishing...I'm in. I want to do it. With a story almost finished, I plan to put it up as a self-pubbed book. Experiment, I say! Try things on, see what works.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Self-publishing is in a huge boom period right now, and I love that. It's only going to get bigger and bigger.<br />
<a name='more'></a> That's so exciting to me, in so many ways. The sky's the limit, the oyster is there for the picking, my future is in my hands, my fate and destiny are there for me to latch onto. Sweet, eh?</div><div><br />
</div><div>Recently got HP Mallory's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/-Books-Guide-Published-Author-ebook/dp/B005FM7P7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322887064&sr=8-1">How I Sold 200,000 E-Books</a>, and I also have John Locke's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/-Books-Guide-Published-Author-ebook/dp/B005FM7P7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322887064&sr=8-1">How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months</a>. Haven't finished either yet, but reading through them both, gleaning helpful tidbits, and focusing on my books. Their numbers seem like lofty sales, and they are. Which is really so cool! I find it pretty exciting, because honestly, I look at writing as a business. Do I love to write? Yes. Do I love to make up characters, worlds, plots, events, cool things on the page? Absolutely. And do I want to be able to stay at home (or in the funky little coffeehouse) and write and let my writing bring in money? Abso-freaking-lutely, I do. Been there with the 9-5 jobs. Been there with teh cubicle. Been there with the messed up bosses and weird coworkers and dull, listless life that made me wonder if that was all there was to living. Been there with dragging home after a day at work, being too mentally drained for anything but the boob tube, and wasting precious hours of my life. The Internet and modern technology (god, I sound like a fuddy-duddy when I say that, lol) are amazing boons to us all, and I feel pretty damn privileged to live now: This time, this place, and with the abilities I have. Sheer luck, really. Just have to remember to write, finish what I start, and then package and market the heck out of it.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I read a lot about self-pubbing, in general all over the Internet and on a few romance forums I belong to (such as <a href="http://romancedivas.com/">Romance Divas</a>, which is a really, really great place). Do my best to keep informed, learn things, see what others have tried. From that, I learn what works, what doesn't, and perhaps how to do it better sometimes. I believe this is all a part of my personal writing journey as well as furthering my career goals--it's like taking classes, brushing up on my industry. It's awesome! And when I think that I, too, will make a living this way (and a good one--that might sound boastful, but I believe in my writing), I just get goosebumps all over. Seriously!</div><div><br />
</div><div>What a hoot this all is. Self-publishing, which has moved far, far past the stigma once attached to it. Change is a good thing indeed.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Who out there has self-pubbed? Stories to share? </div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-83233329330319685692011-12-02T18:25:00.005-07:002011-12-12T13:30:48.066-07:00the writing process<div>Got an email today that made me think about the writing process. Good grief, what a complicated, many-faceted beast that is. Everyone has a different system. Some people sell their writing process systems for bundles of money, some people struggle for years to find the system that works for them, some people just sit down and bang the shit out, and voila! Story.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Me? I used to be a total pantser. Sat down, basic vague idea (but not much more) in head, and just started to write. Sometimes I wrote as much as 30 pages. Pretty cool. However, those 30 pages were usually meant to be part of a novel, which should be closer to 300, 400, or more pages. End result? No book. Not finished. Left to the dusty confines of its file, not to see the light of day unless I stumbled across it while transferring files to a new computer. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Years passed. Some (very) short erotic stories were published. That was cool. Novels? Nope. Nada. Of course not, since they not only weren't completed, they weren't even plotted out. How the heck could I finish something when I had no idea where it was headed? Correct answer: I couldn't.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Solution: Become a practitioner of plotting. Big time. Plotting, outlining, detailing until I knew the bones of the thing backward and forward, inside and out, yes and no, all of its all. And, while I have yet to finish a novel using this method (haven't even attempted one yet! Still working on stories and novellas first), I am a fan. Why? Because IT IS WORKING. My short story is just about done. Once I started working on it seriously, it flowed quickly. Why? Because I knew where the darn thing was going. I had it outlined out step by step, almost page by page. (By the way, this outline was on the front sides of two small sticky notes--so not too ridiculously long and detailed, but enough so for me.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>As it turns out, my writing process key is a map. I need the map, the coordinates, the locations, the trail, and the "X marks the spot"-ness of it all. That works for me. That helps me be an efficient, effective, and completed writer.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Is there room for interpretation? Is there a chance that this process will not always work for me, every single project, until the end of my time here? Of course. Case in point:</div><div><br />
</div>The goal this week was to finish the short story. Have I done so? Almost, actually. I of course ran into a snag at the very end, where what I'd planned to end with isn't sounding quite right, and I don't want it to start drifting into novella territory. I don't want to fall back into the old writing without a compass style. My compass points in a certain direction; I just can't quite see the very final end point of it. So I sit here at the coffeeshop overlooking the busy street (totally cool street, worthy of plenty of inspiration), document open...and of course I cruise around online instead. Lol!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>What I really need to do, though, is sit with that open document, read it from the beginning, and then I will know exactly where it is to end. Because that works for me too.</div><div><br />
</div><div>What's your writing process? How do you write, start something you want to write, finish something you're writing?</div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-62005439640178529552011-11-29T15:33:00.004-07:002011-12-12T13:31:03.823-07:00been a while...oopsOkay, so it's been a year since I've posted. Erhm...shrug?<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>I have been writing, though. I really have. I'm pretty determined of late, for sure. Writing is not only a passion, it's something that I intend to support me. So, write I must!<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Considering self-pubbing my short story that is about five pages from completion. Very excited about the prospect, a little nervous too. I have plenty of good direction from some great online sites about self-publishing. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Why self-publish? Reasons:</div><div><br />
</div><div>-control issues (ha!)</div><div>-time issues (I get it up myself when I want, not based on a publisher's schedule)</div><div>-money issues (I get to keep a lot more of the profits)</div><div>-learning curve</div><div><br />
</div><div>That said, off I go to write some more. And finish that story and get it up somewhere!</div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-81426092005343298832010-10-01T17:29:00.002-06:002010-10-01T17:34:06.016-06:00my week has disappearedI am having the hardest time writing this week. Even on contracted freelance writing! Ergh. Maybe it's the smoke in the air from the large wildfire burning somewhat nearby. My eyes are tired, from both smoke and staring at the screen. Makes wanting to write less and less appealing.<br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br />On a plus note, I am chock full of writing ideas. Love that!<br /><br />Current WIPs:<br />-novel, <span style="font-style: italic;">Uninhibited</span><br />-novella with shifters<br />-werewolf short story<br /><br />Is this writer's block? Eh. Not sure. Probably more of...writer's malaise??? Life block?<br /><br />Sigh. Again.<br /><br />Ok. Back to it, folks! And have a great weekend. If I get more inspired, I'll write a post more worth reading. ;)Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-2909602226928692422010-09-28T12:36:00.006-06:002010-09-28T12:51:54.572-06:00New Voices, New MeStill super pumped about the <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/">Mills and Boon New Voices Contest.</a> They announced the <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/News/23-The-Top-Ten-Announcement">Top Ten Finalists</a> the other day, and while I'm not one, a writer on the forum I'm active in is, and I'm stoked for her! Check out <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/Entries/104-Thigh-Noon">her entry,</a> it's great. They chose some good ones for sure.<br /><br />And, of course, you can still <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/Entries/536-Uninhibited/Chapter-One">read and comment</a> on my entry, the first chapter of my hot contemporary romance, <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/Entries/536-Uninhibited">Uninhibited.</a> I am working on finishing it. Have the outline, just need to crank out about 33,000 more words. Cake, if I focus! ;)<br /><br />Now, on to the new me portion of this post.<br /><br />I've long been a yoga practitioner and an exerciser in general. My body simply demands it. Over the last year or so, however, I let my yoga practice slide into near-nothingness. And let me tell you, I felt the ramifications in all areas of my life. I'm stiffer physically, mentally less focused, emotionally more scattered. My chi was basically trampled and tattered, and I didn't like that.<br /><br />As a writer, who's become a lot more focused in the past two months since I quit my day job (another story for another time), sitting at the laptop for hours on end does <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> do my body good! So I finally began taking my yoga practice seriously again...and what a difference! I feel so much lighter already, and it's only been a few weeks. I ordered a <a href="http://shivarea.com/">Shiva Rea</a> dvd the other day, and I love it. She's a fabulous teacher, not to mention so damn strong and flexible that I have a lot to aspire to in my practice. Heh. I've been doing morning and evening routines, and even though I knew from past experience I would feel so much better, I almost feel like someone new to yoga in my awe and gratitude.<br /><br />Of course, not only is this a wonderful thing for my body as well as psyche, it's doing wonders for my writing as well. Very, very pleased...and peaceful.<br /><br />On with my day. Have a beautiful one out there, everyone. Namaste, and happy writing.Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-87639808851113164952010-09-25T11:00:00.000-06:002010-09-25T11:08:12.975-06:00this weekend's to-do listIt's a gorgeous day, and I'm hard pressed to stay at my computer today. However, I do need to get some work done, since last week was less than fully productive. Here's my list o' things to get done by Sunday night:<div><br /></div><div>-finish and turn in book review for top secret reviewing place</div><div>-write cover copy for two books and turn in</div><div>-send in invoices for both places</div><div>-work on my shifter short story! Trying my hand at an erotic werewolf tale. Having tons of fun, so far.</div><div>-take a closer look at the novel WIP, <i>Uninhibited</i>, and tighten up the synopsis so I have a super clear idea of how I'm getting all the way to The End. I have a strong idea now, but a few gaps exist. Oh, and feel free to check out the <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/Entries/536-Uninhibited">first chapter</a>, in the <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/">Mills & Boon New Voices Contest.</a> I'm getting great feedback, which feels wonderful! Have four chapters plus some, and a decent synopsis/outline. This might be my NaNo project this year...</div><div>-mm...sleep!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ah. Feels good to see it all in black & white. Now to get started....</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-73933044671201011362010-09-20T15:04:00.002-06:002010-09-28T12:53:23.082-06:00Mills and Boon New Voices ContestWow, they've got hundreds of entries already! Here's <a href="http://www.romanceisnotdead.com/Entries/536-Uninhibited">mine.</a> I've been having a great time reading other entries and commenting. There is some very, very good writing out there. Good luck to the editors who have to go through and then whittle down to ten (ten! A mere ten! Eep.) the 2nd round finalists. And they'll have less than a week to do it. Well, I bet they've already been making decisions along the way.<div><br /></div><div>Now, off to keep working on my WIP...</div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-86808254451824381812010-08-10T08:41:00.001-06:002011-11-29T15:40:03.425-07:00I'm in love......with my Kindle. For reals. That thing sees more time with me than my print books now. The ease of buying! The quickness of the download! How light and easy to operate it is! Heaven.<br /><br />But I gotta tell ya. This is a funny pronouncement from a woman who was utterly opposed to electronic publishing back in the day. I mean, I was brutally against it. When Amazon attended <a href="http://www.bookweb.org/index.html">BEA</a> (Book Expo America, then called ABA), many of us print publishers and supporters of small, independent bookstores were horrified. Digital? Sacrilege! They were going to destroy small publishers, small bookstores, change the world!<br /><br />Well, they did indeed. And it was, and still is, sad in many ways. But here's more brutal honesty: That's the way of the world. Things change. Advances are made, discoveries promoted, things end, and people adapt. They really do. Eventually. I still do and always will love paper-printed books. I very mildly dabble in rare book collecting, and there are certain authors whose books I automatically buy in hardcover. But being the kind of voracious reader I am, as well as a total nature girl, the invention of e-ink and e-readers was a marvelous thing on many levels. Pocketbook, environmentally, my aching eyes. So I do now embrace it fully. Even so, I haven't abandoned print books, and I very much understand the multiple layers of debate that are swirling now on the subject of digital publishing.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/44085-dorchester-drops-mass-market-publishing-for-e-book-pod-model.html">recent announcement by Dorchester</a> that they are going to an ebook model is earth-shaking in a lot of ways. I totally, totally get that many people out there will never use ereaders. Print books should never go away, is my thought...although perhaps one day they will. (Shudder! Don't like that idea, but it's a possibility for sure.) You can read a more detailed analysis and very intense comments over <a href="http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2010/08/09/dorchester-update/">here</a> at Dear Author.<br /><br />How does the saying go, though? "The more things change..." Indeed. It will be utterly fascinating to follow this whole digital evolution of the book publishing world over the next decade, as we settle more into technology and try to find a good balance between that and what may now rightfully be called our "old ways." The dust will settle eventually. Always does. But here comes another round of ire, conflict, confusion, and basically balking at the amazingly quick changes our world is experiencing right now. And I do understand the reasons behind it all.<br /><br />Still in love with my Kindle as well as my print books. :)<br /><br />*more interesting links to further research on this subject:<br /><a href="http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2010/08/10/is-the-wylie-deal-creating-unhealthy-expectations/">Dear Author on Wylie Deal</a><br /><a href="http://normanspinradatlarge.blogspot.com/">Norman Spinrad</a> on the Publishing Death Spiral: <a href="http://normanspinradatlarge.blogspot.com/2010/07/publishing-death-spiral-part-one-cold.html">Part I</a>, <a href="http://normanspinradatlarge.blogspot.com/2010/08/publishing-death-spiral-part-two-my-own.html">Part II</a>, <a href="http://normanspinradatlarge.blogspot.com/2010/08/publishing-death-spiral-part-three.html">Part III</a><br /><a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/">JA Konrath's blog</a>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-3850937892720498392010-06-29T15:40:00.000-06:002010-06-29T16:04:26.138-06:00Kindle, Kindle, KindleSo I just bought my first <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-Reading-Display-Generation/dp/B0015T963C/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1">Kindle.</a> It should get here tomorrow. Whee! I'd wanted an ereader for some time, but utterly balked at the prices. With their most recent cutback to $189, it fell smack into a doable price range for me. (And yes, I've read that they should drop even more by the holidays. If they do, I might buy me a <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp">Nook </a>too, just to compare. Ha.)<div><br /></div><div>So, hooray! Now, years ago, when the concept of ereaders first came out, I was among the many skeptical. I love the heft and feel and smell of a real live book. Growing up in a household of readers and books, I early on acquired the habit of collecting as many books as possible. I am far more choosy now...but my shelves still groan with alarm at the sight of yet another paper book entering the house! Nothing will ever beat the feel of a real book in hand. Nothing.</div><div><br /></div><div>However. All that said, here are my reasons for finally buying one of them new-fangled futuristic ereader things:</div><div><br /></div><div>1) I feel bad for the trees. Like, really bad.</div><div>2) I feel bad for my bookshelves. I feel especially bad when I buy new ones and am faced with putting them together. Grr...</div><div>3) I love e-publishing, and reading tales pubbed in such form on my laptop is very hard on my peepers.</div><div>4) I love the idea of carrying around tons of books...in one slender little package.</div><div><br /></div><div>So hats off the developers who could see into the future. And thank goodness for the competitive market.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, back to waiting with one foot tapping for the man in the brown uniform to show up at my doorstep with my lovely new delivery...</div><div><br /></div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-88537930953667193852010-06-28T15:48:00.000-06:002010-06-28T16:12:13.512-06:00Books I'm ReadingOkay. I'm trying to get *slightly* more regular about posting on here. (Snort. This I ask of myself, the woman with waaaay to many projects to complete in one lifetime if I also wish to have a, um, life!) So today's is simple but fun: <div><br /></div><div><b>Latest Books I've Read (and enjoyed)</b></div><div><br /></div><div>1) <a href="http://www.allysonjames.com/stormwalker.html"><i>Stormwalker</i> by Allyson James.</a> This was fabulous fun. I live in the sunny, skinwalker-y, spirit-inhabited Southwest, similar to the setting of this paranormal urban fantasy romance. (That's my label, at least.) A feisty, young, yet reasonably mature heroine, plot twists & turns that left me smiling and turning the pages, and an imagination and creativity that seemed boundless. Fun stuff! I'm looking forward to the next one, <i>Firewalker.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>2) <i><a href="http://www.seananmcguire.com/">Rosemary & Rue</a></i><a href="http://www.seananmcguire.com/"> and </a><i><a href="http://www.seananmcguire.com/">A Local Habitation</a></i><a href="http://www.seananmcguire.com/"> by Seanan McGuire.</a> Ah...gritty, magical, classic urban fantasy. Totally fascinating. Must admit, I was actually pretty freaked out by <i>A Local Habitation.</i> Very creepy premise, in my mind! Well-done.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) <i><a href="http://www.faithhunter.net/wp/">Blood Cross</a></i><a href="http://www.faithhunter.net/wp/"> by Faith Hunter.</a> I am utterly in love with this series and this writer's voice. She does an amazing job of characterization, setting, plotting, and description. I love the skinwalker concept, slightly different here than in many other books/real life (hey, believe what you want--but skinwalkers are out there!). I love the "Beast" concept, and Beast's voice is so perfect. At least, it's what I imagine a mountain lion's voice might be.</div><div><br /></div><div>4) <i><a href="http://www.dianarowland.com/">Blood of the Demon</a></i><a href="http://www.dianarowland.com/"> by Diana Rowland.</a> Fun, dark, sensual, sexy, intriguing, full of "otherworld" things like demons, but set with the realistic and sobering insight into a detective's life. I eagerly anticipate the next installment!</div><div><br /></div><div>5) <i><a href="http://www.patriciabriggs.com/">Silver Borne</a></i><a href="http://www.patriciabriggs.com/"> by Patricia Briggs.</a> I love Mercy. I love her journey as a coyote among wolves (and all sorts of other things that go bump in the night). I love shifter books, yet what I also love about this is that the world is not only inhabited by shifters. Cool, cool stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>Clearly I'm on a paranormal kick. I don't see that stopping for quite some time. There are so many books out there to read...drool. </div><div><br /></div><div>If anyone is even remotely reading this (ok, I just hurt myself laughing), I'd love to hear what you're reading now too. Love finding new books!</div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-83941920853089279722010-06-27T20:48:00.001-06:002010-06-27T20:52:43.194-06:00summertime....Ah, summertime! My busiest time of year. Clearly, as I haven't posted since March. Right now is a bit of quiet time, actually. I have a lull before the real summer madness kicks in.<div><br /></div><div>So I'm watching the second season of <i>Breaking Bad</i> on Netflix right now. It's actually giving me plot ideas, frighteningly enough! Sadly enough, right here in my lovely little town we probably have real life Breaking bad stories going on. Sometimes, I wish fiction were just that...only fiction. But sometimes, it happens in the real world too. So, for writers, that means that the sweet but slightly zany woman who rescues kittens can also be a meth dealer...and suddenly you have a character and a whole new storyline! Ah, perfect for the hero and heroine.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back to the TV. Stories in visual form. I do love them!</div>Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-31293110281171748342010-03-09T19:34:00.001-07:002010-03-09T19:39:58.789-07:00well...I AM working on it......my synopsis, that is. I did start it last night! But I allowed life to get in the way. Eek! My usual excuse.<br /><br />Mars just turned direct, according to the helpful email updates I receive from <a href="http://www.astrology.com/">astrology.com</a>, so I should "turn my plans into action!" And I am, I am.<br /><br />I will not let this synopsis scare me...I will not...<br /><br />And one day soon, I will write a blog post with more substance. I will. I just have so many things going on right now, it's ridiculous. Really. My "alter ego," my <a href="http://red-rock-writer.blogspot.com/">other blog</a>, my Twitter accounts (<a href="http://twitter.com/jesioconnell">here</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/julietrevelyan">here</a>), my "day job" drama...oh, you know. You all have the same things going on in your lives!<br /><br />Onward to the syno...and wish me well on that journey. Please!Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-53588193489403391062010-03-08T14:39:00.000-07:002010-03-08T14:45:29.756-07:00synopsis hell...heaven...hell...I am writing a synopsis. Now, this may not seem like earth-shaking news to you. But it's kind of a big deal to me! It's intimidating. It's time-consuming. It's fraught with possibilities both wonderful and traumatizing.<br /><br />In a nutshell, though, it's pretty darn cool. Why? Because it means I am FOCUSED on my novel! For reals. And let me tell you, that's a <span style="font-weight: bold;">big admission</span> from me indeed. I have vacillated back & forth between writing dedication to writing graveyard over--well, my entire life, really. And recently, with some life-altering events (another post, another time), I've renewed my dedication to my writing, myself, and my future.<br /><br />Phew. Big deal indeed!<br /><br />Anyway. I'm off to complete my synopsis today. Wow! I love saying that. (Let's see if I post tomorrow that it's actually completed, of course.)<br /><br />Bonus: some <a href="http://www.charlottedillon.com/synopsis.html">great links</a> to help writing your own heavenly...hellish...whatever!...synopsis.Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-54474926713669414952010-02-24T21:43:00.001-07:002010-02-24T21:52:24.226-07:00dormant, i have beenThis is what happens when one loves too many things...has too many interests...follows the rules that there are only so many hours in a day...and, oh yeah, goes through existential crisis! (Not going to talk about that just yet. Know that all guilty parties will one day be the inspiration for evil characters who end up in the shitter. And the gutter. Heh heh.) In other words, my blog AND my writing suffer.<br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br />However, I am back on that horse. Writing. Blogging. Tweeting. Focusing! Of course, that might go out the window again when my day world catches up to me soon. But I have a new project that is capturing my interest....<br /><br />Procrastination and the writer. Why do these things go hand-in-hand at times? I can only imagine (mm, lovely imaginings!) that being WILDLY successful would make one adhere to deadlines that much more strictly. That's been my personal experience, at least. Not the wild success. Darn. No, the feeling obligated by responsibilities and deadlines of one sort or another. When someone else relies upon me, I do those deadlines, lickety split. Oh, indeed. (There's usually a paycheck attached too, of course.)<br /><br />But if it's just for <span style="font-style: italic;">me?</span> Lil' ole me? Eh. Toss her and her ideas on the scrap heap and come back later!<br /><br />I am making a new year's intention here. I am honoring myself and my deadlines! Personal deadlines, but there you have it. I'm 40 (that still feels soooo weird to say. I don't feel 40. What the hell is 40, anyway?), and who knows how long I've got left? (Well, according to that palm reader on Venice Beach about 15 years ago, I'll live "well into my 80s." We'll see. I'll keep you posted on that one.)<br /><br />Now. Time to write!Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-46765527093616705852009-12-01T10:29:00.001-07:002009-12-01T10:56:32.828-07:00wiki world building...huh?So I had the coolest idea for an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_fantasy">urban fantasy</a> the other day. I was reading a really well-written, sexy novella, and it mentioned something I'd never heard of before: Hedge Witches. Well, maybe I've heard of them, but don't know much about them.<br /><br />I don't want to spin off too much into my idea (the suspicious author says, nervously casting about her glance and clutching her fresh idea closely to her chest), but let's just say that a kick-ass UF heroine popped into my head, and she's not going away.<br /><br />I've wanted to write a UF for a long time now. I bounced back and forth between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranormal_romance">paranormal romance</a> and UF, and I've read some sexy hybrids (<a href="http://www.jeanienefrost.com/">Jeaniene Frost</a>'s Grave series, for one) that are probably more likely the route I'll take.<br /><br />Right now, I'm feeling both excited and overwhelmed. An entire novel? Really? And it will involve world-building too.<br /><br />Which brings me to this cool thing I stumbled across some time ago: <a href="http://magicdistrict.wordpress.com/tag/wikis/">wiki world-building</a>. Now, I haven't actually done it yet...because I didn't have a world to build yet, lol. But now of course I'm going to check it out.<br /><br />Any word out there from anyone who's done wiki world-building? Useful, confusing, any feedback at all?<br /><br />In the past, I've used good old real-world tools like 3x5 cards, notebooks, notes, pictures ripped from magazines, etc. etc. (This would be for all those, ah, unfinished masterpieces I have sitting around. Sigh.) These all work...but boy, do they take up a lot of room. So I think I'm going to dive into this wiki thing. I'll keep you posted... And wish me lots of application of the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair as I actually WRITE.Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-75868943741594519502009-11-22T18:37:00.000-07:002009-11-28T11:45:42.731-07:005 Reasons I Savor the Writing LifeI am a writer. Really, I am. I have the paystubs to prove it (well, the e-receipts and the looming taxes). I can give you links to my published work. I can tell you honestly that I get paid to sit at my laptop and put words to page. (Maybe not these words...but some words!<br /><br />And yet how I do my UTMOST BEST, at times, to act as if dragging me to the keyboard is akin to making me walk the plank, ball & chain strapped to my leg. Why is this? I love being a writer. I've been a writer since the 2nd grade, when I "published" (classroom project) a picture book about Hermie the hermit crab and his undersea friends. I adore creating worlds, characters, plots. (Well, I love it more when they just sort of spring fully-formed from my Zeus-like head, but you get my drift.) I LOVE getting hard cold cash (check, direct deposit, whatevs) for my writing. I mean, how cool is that, still? Chortle.<br /><br />So what the hell, eh? I love writing. Let me share with you, and remind myself, why:<br /><br />5) I can listen to the most disreputable music while writing, at full volume, and bother no one but the cat. She's finicky anyway. Oh, and the dog might hide out in his "den" under the guest room bed, but he's just unappreciative of loud noise. (Hey, I happen to enjoy Kid Rock and Eminem at certain moments. So sue me. Yes, I also listen to R. Carlos Nakai's soothing flute music if so moved. Either way, I won't get written up by my manager.)<br /><br />4) My office view is whatever the hell I want it to be, thanks to the miracle of technology. Have laptop, have wifi card linked to my cell service, have several hours of battery power. I can sit on top of a mountain and write. And post it to the web. And, um, shop and surf at the same time. (Danger, Will Robinson, danger.) But still. My view is sublime, and I can enjoy it in my ratty old slippers and animal-hair-covered yoga pants if I so choose. It's my office and I'll slob around it if I want to.<br /><br />3) Online support community! Gone are the days of the reclusive, lonely, hard-drinking writer. (Mm, I suppose they're still out there...but it's hard to be hard-drinking before noon if you have a <a linkindex="3" href="http://twitter.com/jesioconnell">Twitter</a> account you need to maintain with a semblance of sanity.) I can have writerly contact any time of day or night, in any corner of the world, in any genre, right at my fingertips. Ahhh...my people. They understand characters screaming in my head, plot conundrums that twist my brain into snarly little knots, and questions about the bad guy's virility that would raise eyebrows elsewhere. Only problem is how addictive and time-consuming these lovely communities can be...<br /><br />2) It's a total valid, utterly legitimate, and possibly tax-write-offable (hmm, and word-creationable as well) excuse to buy lots of books. Like, hundreds. Thousands, even. Can I possibly read all of them in one lifetime? I'm trying, I'm trying! I tell you, being a writer is the absolute best excuse in the universe to pump up one's personal library. Especially, as a romance writer, those books with such delicious covers of drool-worthy heroes...excuse me, must go swoon over my TBR pile for a moment.<br /><br />And (drumroll please), the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Number One Reason</span> I savor the writing life:<br /><br />1) Full-bodied, rich, yet still delicate, red wine. Zesty, orgasmic-quality dark chocolate. No, no, think about the implications here: I can drink this nectar of the gods, and eat their favorite sustenance, while I'm writing for hire...which means that <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">someone is paying me to drink wine and eat chocolate.</span> The mind boggles. Is that not simply the craziest best reason to be a writer? Whodda thunk? I never did. But, whoo-hoo! Bring it on! I'm drinking red wine at this very moment! Eating great dark chocolate! And in another window I have open the piece I'm writing for pay. Which means that in some sort of circular motion not to be examined too closely, I'm getting money to indulge.<br /><br /><a set="yes" linkindex="4" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjNCz_joRhVXWu4_xl62YKxhEvMUfm0M2IWw95ag6FjLLqO51IVAxFtRX5FRin0AElXHsPqi04Dje5fLIPrkdRnrR5eWw3ugWOj37qlUT8sQELK-Hn1BX_k11MKBjL096WaM2qfSgjJyC/s1600/red+wine+dark+chocolate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjNCz_joRhVXWu4_xl62YKxhEvMUfm0M2IWw95ag6FjLLqO51IVAxFtRX5FRin0AElXHsPqi04Dje5fLIPrkdRnrR5eWw3ugWOj37qlUT8sQELK-Hn1BX_k11MKBjL096WaM2qfSgjJyC/s320/red+wine+dark+chocolate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407125108635861378" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">(attribution aarontait)</span><br /></div><br />And that, my friends, about sums it up.<br /><br />Can you top my reasons to savor the writing life? I'd love to hear them (so I can possibly expand my list, of course).Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-32195845413723135992009-11-09T09:39:00.000-07:002009-11-28T11:44:18.424-07:00angela james might be one of my heroinesI've followed Angela James on <a linkindex="10" href="http://nicemommy-evileditor.com/blog/">her blog</a>, <a linkindex="11" href="http://romancedivas.com/">Romance Divas</a>, and most recently <a linkindex="12" href="http://twitter.com/angelajames">Twitter</a>. Her journey just as a woman and mother today has been pretty cool to see, and of course as an editor. Now <a linkindex="13" href="http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/publishing/angela_james_to_helm_digital_press_at_harlequin_142581.asp">the news</a> that she'll be heading up <a set="yes" linkindex="14" href="http://carinapress.com/">Carina Press</a>, a new digital imprint from <a linkindex="15" href="http://www.eharlequin.com/">Harlequin</a>, is so cool! My impressions of her from various boards etc. is that she's a good editor and has excellent business savvy...something I'd like in my own editor, lol.<br /><br />I used to be a book editor myself, waaaaay back in the day before the Internet was as friendly and all-pervasive as it is today (that would be from 1995-1998 if we must be exact). Working for <a set="yes" linkindex="16" href="http://www.alyson.com/">Alyson Books</a> as a 20-something was eye-opening and cemented my desire to stay in the writing field. It also gave me tremendous insight into the publishing process and what editors go through. I like to think I was a good editor, respectful of my writers' work, while also holding firm to the line of polishing a book in order to give the buying public something wonderful (and darn sexy) to read. In one of my "other" lives as a freelance writer & editor (yeah, I'm one of those...have several diverse interests, lol), I had <a linkindex="17" href="http://editworks.wordpress.com/what-some-nice-people-said/">writers say positive things</a> about my work as their editor that gave me confidence...and reminded me that the writer's work is always paramount, although a healthy dose of sound advice from a professional someone else is good too, heh. :)<br /><br />So. Congrats to Angela James, and congrats to Carina Press. I like the idea of NO DRM too and higher royalties too--very much so. And, having worked with Harlequin as a <a linkindex="18" href="http://editworks.wordpress.com/its-all-about-the-samples/">freelance back cover copywriter</a> for several years now, I respect their business savvy, marketing, accessibility, and definitely the friendliness and professionalism of the staff there with whom I've been in contact.<br /><br />Overall, a win-win situation for everyone it seems. I'm looking forward to seeing how this venture will progress. Congrats to all involved!Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003245420827385450.post-37338301963093271382009-11-08T15:44:00.000-07:002009-11-28T11:43:25.482-07:00venturing forth into the big, scary, fun worldI've been blogging for years...I <a linkindex="27" href="http://twitter.com/jesioconnell">twitter</a>...oh, and I write, of course. ;) But this is a brand spanking new blog for me, and it's a big first step toward my romance writing career.<br /><br />Under the name Jesi O'Connell I've published several short pieces, though in total I've published about 20 (using a variety of pseudonyms...hey, they were all super-sexy and sometimes there was more than one published per anthology so I needed multiple names). All of those were erotica, which comes easily to me. (Mm, nope, no Freudian slip there. Who, me? Uh-huh.)<br /><br />I have bazillions of ideas for stories. Yep, just like most writers out there. What I need is the follow-through, the dedication and commitment to my personal writing. As Mark Twain, I believe, said, the application of the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.<br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br />So here I go! Thanks in advance for the love (gulp...I hope that comes my way, lol!) and support. Sometimes it takes a following in order to keep producing. Kind of like belonging to a writer's group. A worldwide one in this case. :)Jesi O'Connellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03973548668462141343noreply@blogger.com0