Writers in the Storm

This week’s Sensational Summer Friday guest post is from Sue Grimshaw!

Sue was the romance book buyer for Borders and Waldenbooks stores for more than a decade. As of April this year, Sue is Ballantine Bantam Dell’s Category Specialist & Editor At Large.

A highly sought after expert in her field, Sue has consulted with publishers for many years. Over the last decade, she has been an honored speaker for romance writers and readers at numerous conferences and workshops. You might remember her as the host of the “Borders True Romance” program where she interviewed the world’s most accomplished Romance writers. 

Bonus: Click here to see Sue in action during her fabulous interview with Nora Roberts. 

At BBD, Sue is working primarily with the digital end of the business thus learning how to ride the waves of the changes that are ongoing of late in the romance industry. Below is a summary, in her own words, of her amazing journey.

Life’s Funny Changes . . .by Sue Grimshaw 

First of all, I must thank Laura Drake for offering me some 'post' time with you all.  As we emailed back and forth about a topic, we decided you all might be interested in hearing about my 'Life's Funny Change,' from bookseller to editor!  So here it goes . . .

January 2011, I received a call from a publisher (name withheld so as not to incriminate anyone), asking how I was, would I be ok and so forth.  I thought, wow, how kind of them to contact me to see how I was holding up (because as far as I knew things were still fine at Borders).  I thought they must be misinformed because we were doing great – ordering books, shipping and selling them. 

That afternoon, we had a town hall meeting within our organization, announcing that we were unable to pay our bills, however, employees will be paid.  Oh My.  That is when I first realized that bankruptcy was indeed looming.

So, now I’m thinking – oh crap!  I should have been more aggressive and discussed opportunities with said publisher (hindsight and all that).

The next day, another publisher called, asking if I’d be interesting in submitting a proposal for a job.  I said, YES.

February 13^th, evening  – after 3 weeks, I was still working on my proposal for said publisher. I had also been working on my resume, getting it up to snuff.  Sadly, however, I was working myself into a tizzy worrying about where I’d go, what I’d do, etc. 

That evening, my husband and I talked about my options. I said, “Why can’t someone hire me to work on the internet, managing their website, doing their social media, and also be willing to train me to acquire and edit books?” 

Of course, Bill told me to get my head out of the clouds and we continued to discuss other options.

February 16^th, 2011, bankruptcy was announced . . . statistics show that only 10% ever make it out of that nasty hole, so I knew it was time to make a job change.  I was still working on my resume and proposal and was, unfortunately, behind schedule. 

I was trying really hard to compile my talents, and thinking I had little to offer:

• I sell books to readers
• I promote them on a blog site and do videos
• I travel and speak to authors
• I work with publishers to suggest authors for their lists, etc. 

On top of it all, the market sucked, book retailers were downsizing and digital retailers wanted someone with an HTML background . . . and, I’m not able to relocate. 

 The ‘tizzy’ was getting the best of me.

February 17^th: call from NYC publisher with a ‘job offer’ — the ‘job offer.’  I swear, to this day, I think there was a microphone in our living room, because when Scott (the publisher) called me and told me about the job available at BBD, it was nothing less than what my husband and I had just talked about that Sunday night . . .blessed?  Yes.

Well, you know the rest.  I did have other wonderful offers, but bottom line for me was that I really wanted to become an editor – that was the KEY selling point.

So now, here I am, Category Specialist & Editor At Large, for Ballantine Bantam Dell.  I work from home in Michigan and travel to NYC monthly.  I continue to travel and speak at various RWA chapter groups, and reader groups too.  Life is busy, fun and I’m learning soooooooooooooooooooo much!

I totally loved my job as a bookseller – the years I spent with Borders were the best.  But life has its funny changes and my new role at BBD could not be any better.  I work for an amazing company that has an amazing team that is willing to work together and support one another.  Our goal is to be the best, all of us, not just any one person, we are a team and that ROCKS for me.

I’ve had just 4 months under my belt at BBD, so things are still new.  Our Romance At Random website launched on 6/28 with the introduction of our new LOVESWEPT line.

LOVESWEPT will be re-launching 8 titles in August, with new titles monthly. Our brand new title, releasing in November, is BECAUSE OF YOU by Jessica Scott  (the first book in her COMING HOME SERIES). 

I’m working with our editing team now on line edits – those are interesting . . . BBD is all about quality, so I am getting the best training around.  There is a lot to learn about editing . . .  some of it is intuitive, some is opinion and some is craft.  I’m thrilled to have this opportunity. 

Elisabeth Barrett is another debut author in our LOVESWEPT line – her books publish in 2012.  And there are two more authors who are now accepting contracts, as our list continues to grow.

 

Why is Romance at Random exciting for writers?

The LOVESWEPT line is a digital first published imprint, with books ranging from 30K to 90K words, retailing from $2.99 to $4.99.  Like the LOVESWEPT’S of old, the imprint is author focused, meaning that our goal is to grow these authors into some of the new, big best sellers wihtin our print and digital lines.  We are also reviewing our LOVESWEPT backlist for reissue.  

I must say, we’ve been overwhelmed with the positive feedback from our industry —  everyone has a LOVESWEPT that they love and remember. These LS fans are as energized as we are to bring back the line, with old favorites and new authors.

Why is Romance at Random exciting for readers?

The Romance At Random website is a perfect opportunity for us to create a community of romance readers and exchange ideas about books, promotion, authors, and so on.  Every week, 5 randomly chosen commenter’s win a FREE book, winners are posted on Sundays.  I’ve noticed so many of my friends from the Borders True Romance site joining us at Romance At Random, which is extremely gratifying for me. 

We are working on all sorts of plans to generate excitement and traffic to the site, in order to offer our readers something unique and special, that they can’t get everywhere else.  Bottom line: Romance At Random is a romance community for all to come and enjoy.

Future plans are to attend ROMCON in Denver CO, August 5-9. I think reader events are the way to go – especially with the new digital frontier. Then it's on to New Zealand August 16!  I’m becoming the world traveler, LOL!

Well, you know the old saying, ‘when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.’  For me, there is no truer statement —  I’m proof positive that you can!   Who knew a bookseller could one day grow up to be an editor!

Thanks for having me at Writers In The Storm!  So, now you’ve heard my saga . . . do you have one of your own? One of life’s funny changes?

Happy Romance!
SueG

Sue Grimshaw ∙ Category Specialist & Editor at Large∙ Random House Publishing Group
www.romanceatrandom.com
http://www.facebook.com/RomanceAtRandom

by Denise Domning

Following is the second in a series of Denise Domning's journey in self-publishing (here's Part 1.) Read on - not only is the journey facinating and educational, this is entertaining stuff. How many writers do you know trying to get on The Howard Stern Show? 

Take it away, Denise:

Well, the snail marches on.  That’s publishing, even when you’re doing it on your own.   Everything just seems to take too lo-o-o-o-ng.

First, we had a talk with our agent Katie Kotchman of the Denise Marcil and Don Congdon Literary Agencies.  Katie’s been our book’s biggest supporter from the the first nineteen pages I sent her by email; she’s very much looking forward to seeing the book(s) in print.

She laughed when we told her we’d renamed the first book, which is a little more than half the book she was originally pitching, to “Men-ipulation”.  She laughed harder when we told her the name of the second book, which is the last third plus more of the original book: “Men-sturbation”.  It fits.  While the first book is Monica’s recovery from drug addiction, the second is the chronicle of Monica skirting sex addiction.  I’m thanking Katie here again for all her time and effort on our behalf.

We have a cover that’s as edgy, sexy and provocative as we wanted.  Monica is now the only bona fide troop in The Men Wars.

What we need now is someone to do our PR.  Last week we spoke with Annie Jennings of Annie Jennings PR and Book Promotion. Her firm was the one we included in our original book proposal, but in this second conversation with her she warned us that PR doesn’t guarantee book sales.  That’s not news to me.  But PR does bring attention and we need attention. 

I also sensed that Annie was having a little trouble with the tenor of this version of the book, so I sent her the working manuscript and asked her to read it before sending us the contract.  If she doesn’t love what we’re doing, she won’t be worth hiring. 

My idea to put out a teaser book was nixed by Amazon.  Apparently only the biggest publishers are allowed to put out free books on Kindle.  Hmm.  No problem.  I’ll just make those chapters available on our new TheMenWars.com website (not viable yet but coming soon). 

I have now conquered both Nook and LuLu/iBook formatting.  It was too easy.

• For Nook I downloaded Google’s free epub program, Sigil. 
• I converted my original Kindle html files to xhtml (that’s a “save as” in Dreamweaver or you can copy and paste the right formatting information into the header of your web page. )
• The hardest part was breaking my single large book file into individual chapters and making sure they stayed in order when I inputted them into Sigil. 
• Nook appears to require the ncx file that Kindle makes optional, but I’d already written one for the Kindle so all I needed to do was move it into the right directory. 
• As for using Lulu.com (I gave my old MAC to my niece and you can’t make your own iBook on a PC), it simply uploaded my Nook epub file and said “Thank you very much”.
• Then it asked me to make a cover.  It took longer to figure out that page than it did to upload the book. 

Back to The Men Wars and getting this book into the hands of readers.  We now have our social media contest gifts: an iPad, a Kindle and a Nook.  What else?  We want people to read the book.  That’s why I’m making our website and any promotional sites prominently display the PC apps for Kindle, Nook and iBooks.  

Note: You knew you could download a free app and read on your computer, right?

Now it was time to find reviewers.  Sometimes I hate the Web.  No, I do not want to buy your eBook to learn how to reach reviewers.  Not that your book wouldn’t be incredibly informative.  No, I do not want to join your newsletter list so I can get your amazing words of wisdom about publishing, which I’m sure will be most illuminating.  It's just that you’ll send me your words on a daily basis and my inbox is already overflowing with other people’s words of wisdom (most of which I don’t read anyway).

I miss my local library and the reference librarian.  That’s how I’m used to doing my research.  The Web is crowded with repetitive information, which means I spend way too much time sifting through the dross trying to find that one gold nugget I need.  However, I did finally find list of reviewers, including what they want to review…and, miracle of miracles, someone has already said yes! 

The copyright is almost filed—it’s just waiting for the finished manuscript to be uploaded. Although the system is definitely not user-friendly, it only costs me $35 to file.  I’ve also bought us the ISBN number, including a widget for “See Inside”, which I have yet to figure out.    I’m wondering if I even need it.  I got Amazon’s information on “See Inside” and my eyes crossed while I was reading it.  I figured this had to be easier.

There’s still the interior artwork to be designed, but the edits are done, up to the final chapter which I’m writing right now, or would be if I weren’t typing this.  Only another sixteen to twenty pages and this project will be officially written. 

Ack!  I know I’m forgetting something. 

We still haven’t heard back from Annie Jennings.  I’m afraid this will be a no-go with her.  But without her, how in the world are we going to get Monica onto Howard Stern?

How is your self-publishing journey progressing? Post questions for Monica, and she'll do her best to check back (in all her spare time!) and answer them.

REMINDER: On Friday, Writers In The Storm will be hosting the quick-change artist, Sue Grimshaw - who went into a phone booth a buyer from Borders, and emerged as an acquiring editor for Random House's new Loveswept line!

Before Lyn gets started, I just wanted to let you know. We've had requests to repost the finalist's entries of the Going to the Chapel Conest. We were happy to comply! Just go to the Contest page to view. Here's Lyn:

By Lyn Horner

Modern Druidism, or Druidry, sprouted in 17th century Britain. This period is known as the Druid Revival.

Studying scraps of historical records equaling only ten pages of translated text, scholars of that time began to formulate a new spiritual philosophy. Rooted in nature and the living earth, it attracted interest all over Britain, and a number of people embraced this new path. It offered an alternative to the rigidity of organized religion and the materialistic views of philosophers like René Descartes.

English Druids claim the first modern Druid order was formed in 1717, during a meeting
at the Apple Tree Tavern in Covent Garden, London. There is no proof of this legendary meeting but, whether it occurred or not, the revival was well advanced by that date.

Some of its followers hoped to modify Christianity into a more nature-based religion. They supported the Latitudinarian movement in the Church of England. Latitudinarians urged tolerance toward religious dissenters and favored meditation and individual study as a spiritual path.

Other members of the Druid Revival sought to create a totally separate faith. Many believed in pantheism, which asserts that the universe is a living, divine being. The term pantheism was created by John Toland, an Irish writer whose views greatly influenced the Druid Revival. Pantheist Druids believe everything in nature is divine. Polytheistic Druids believe in many gods of nature. Such beliefs were crimes in 18th century Britain, subject to severe punishment.

Eager to learn from their ancient predecessors, Druid Revivalists latched on to any bit of information they could find. In his writings, Julius Caesar said the original Druids taught their students about the planets. This caused Revivalists to tramp across the Salisbury Plain, examining megalithic sites in search of clues to the Celtic Druids’ knowledge of astronomy. References to the ancient ones worshipping in forest groves had an even greater impact, leaving a vision of white-robed figures communing among the trees imprinted on our imaginations even now.

In the 19th century Welsh Druidry came to prominence. It’s founder was Edward Williams, who took the name Iolo Morganwg (Iolo of Glamorgan.) A gifted poet and scholar, he sometimes added his own poetry to authentic medieval texts, inventing lore that influences modern Druid rituals. He and his Welsh Druid compatriots were often at odds with the Druids of Britain and France.

The same holds true for Irish Druids of that era. Throughout the 19th century, Irish
Celtic nationalists bitterly opposed their British overlords. Most were conservative
Christians. Those few who were attracted by Druid lore turned their backs on Druid groups outside traditional Celtic nations. These regional and political rifts within the Druid movement lasted for decades.

Despite such setbacks, Druidry has evolved and spread to many corners of the world over the past three centuries. The first American Druid societies came into being during the Revolutionary War. By the early part of the 20th century Druid orders included large branches in the U.S. and Canada, and reached as far away as Australia and New Zealand. France also developed a strong Druid presence with its own special traditions.

Archeological finds during the past century forced modern Druids to reassess some of their beliefs and traditions. For one thing, some Druid orders had claimed a continuous, unbroken link reaching back to the ancient Druids. Archeologists and historians have proven this false. Some modern Druids found it difficult to dispense with their misleading claims, but nowadays most realize they do not need that fictitious link to the dim past. They have established modern Druidry with a unique three-hundred-year-long tradition of its own.

Cairistiona Worthington, in The Beginner’s Guide to Druidry, states, “A Spiritual Path, a way of life, a philosophy, Druidry is all of these . . . Druidry today is alive and well,
and has migrated around the world forming a wonderful web of people who honour
and respect the Earth and the sacred right to life of all that is part of the Earth. Like a great tree drawing nourishment through its roots, Druidry draws wisdom from its ancestral heritage. There is a saying in Druidry that ‘The great tree thrives on the leaves that it casts to the ground’. Druidry today does not pretend to present a replica of the past, rather it is producing a new season’s growth.”

This concludes my brief review of the history, culture and religious beliefs of Celtic and modern day Druids. I have only skimmed the surface of a subject that has been written about at length by scholars far more knowledgeable than I. If you would like to learn more about the Druids, please refer to the resources listed after each of my posts.

Books:
The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer
The Beginners Guide to Druidry by Cairistiona Worthington

Websites:
What is Druidry from The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids
The Druid Network – a directory of Druid groups in theUSA
South  Central Druid Coalition – Networking opportunities for Druids in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Louisiana

Has this series been helpful to you? Do you write about other periods, cultures or religions in your books? Do you enjoy doing research? How many of you find that, until you do the research, you cannot proceed with your story?

Lyn is hosting a new collaborative series -- “Western Romance, The Story of Us” –on her home page. Several talented authors and readers are contributing. She hopes you will stop by http://texasdruids.com/posts/ and give her guest bloggers some comment love!

Don't forget to check back - our guest blogger this Friday will be the amazing Sue Grimshaw, former romance buyer for Borders, now acquiring editor for the new Loveswept line for Random House!

We love hearing from you! Not only do we hope that you enjoy the blogs here at WITS (and comment on them!) we also hope you'll visit our Writers In The Storm Page on Facebook.