I’m very excited about my new website! I think the designer did a terrific job, and it’s very easy to update. I hope you’ll enter my contest. I promise not to deluge you with e-mail. I’ll only send a message when I have news to announce.

I found an interesting article about hooks, and I thought I’d share it. The article is called How to Hook Your Readers Right from the Start. Hope you enjoy it!

In writing news, I’m back to editing Office Relations. An online friend has taken a look at it and given me some good feedback. The only trouble is that my edits are making the story shorter. LOL! Ultimately, my changes will result in a stronger story, but I want to make sure it’s at least 10,000 words when I’m finished. After this round of edits, I’m submitting the story somewhere else and moving on. Sean and Chloe are waiting impatiently for me to get back to them.

This manuscript of yours that has just come back from another editor is a precious package. Don’t consider it rejected. Consider that you’ve addressed it “to the editor who can appreciate my work” and it has simply come back stamped “not at this address.” Just keep looking for the right address.
–Barbara Kingsolver

The winners of the Amber Heat Wave contest were just announced. Office Relations didn’t make the cut. I’m feeling surprisingly peaceful about the whole thing. Sure, I’m disappointed, but I still believe it’s a good story. Plus, had begun to suspect I wouldn’t win, so it’s not a complete surprise.

The truth is, I’m not sure I write erotic romance. I write romance with plenty of sex in it (*grin*), but it’s mid-range on the heat scale. This is another thing that made me think it might not happen through this contest. I’m not giving up, though. I will send out OR again. I have a couple of options I’m considering, but first I’ll take a look at the story again and see how I can improve it.

Now I get to order my consolation prize.