Hard parts are done!

I’ve slogged my way through the most difficult part of the book and am now on the downhill slide. It’s kind of like the epilogue, except it’s more like a really epic epilogue (which totally does not make sense, but will if you read the book, I promise), so I’m still looking at  a good 5k or so of wrap-up.

Then it is done! Or at least, the first draft is. And then we’re immediately jumping back in to the second draft and clean-ups. I’m feeling good, overall. The book is moving along, and a few pieces I was mentally fudging around with seem to have slipped into place as I write, which makes my brain hurt a lot less. My notes page on the book has gone down from two full pages of bullet points to  2/3rds of a page.

Not bad, not bad. Not the most exciting way to spend a Saturday night, but it’ll do.

Just the FAQs, ma’am

Hey everybody! It’s Friday – WOOOO!

I think the majority of my blog tours are over for the moment – and I have to say that while it was fun, I’m glad to be able to give myself a little mental R&R for a few days! At least when it comes to blogging.

I did see a few of the same questions pop up repeatedly, so I thought I’d answer a few of them here so you don’t have to fish for answers.

Q: When does book 2 come out?

A: It’s out now! Honest! It’s available on Amazon and at Borders and anywhere you can imagine! I’ve even heard it’s at Kroger. Heck, I have SEEN it at Kroger. And it’s a pretty, pretty cover.

Q: Who’s on the cover of the first book? The 2nd?

A:  Noah is on the cover of the first book – the hair’s longer than I pictured for him, but the model is so pretty that I can’t even be disappointed! Zane is on the second cover.

Q: This is a series, right?

A: Yes it is! Same characters, multiple books. Book 2 can be read without book 1, but it’s a lot like watching a TV episode and missing the pilot. You’ll catch on, but it might take a commercial break or two.

Q: When does book 3 come out?

A: Very very early 2011. I haven’t heard the official month yet, but probably January 2011.

Q: Why so long?

A: Because my publisher releases two books a year for their authors and both of mine came out back to back! (btw, I <3 my publisher for the back to back)

Q: Why does your journal suck so much lately?

A: I know. Sadface! The thing is…I’m crazily busy. December was ridiculous, and January is turning out to not be much better. I have a day job and we’ve been at crunch-time and will be until March 1st. And that is also conveniently when book 3 is due to my editor.

Here’s a peek into my writing process – I write the draft at night, after work. It comes out in a flurry of words that are usually crap words. Like, I don’t give snippets a lot because they are WOAH BAD. I read a sentence aloud to my husband the other day to ask his opinion, and this is how the conversation went:

Me, reading sentence: Blah blah blah blah blah sentence stuff that I can’t share because it is spoiler-iffic. So what do you think, honey?

Him: Erm.

Me: Erm?

Him: That’s not…the finished sentence, is it?

Me: Well, it’s staying in here for now. But this is a rough draft.

Him: But that’s an awful sentence. Like, really bad.

Me: I KNOW BUT IT’S ROUGH DRAFT.

Him: You’re going to rewrite it, right?

Me: I didn’t ask your opinion about the sentence. I want to know about the PLOT.

Him: Is your whole book written like that?

Me: You know what? Nevermind.

Him: Do you need my help writing it?

Me: … I’m done here.

Heh.  So, first draft is badbadbad. But I never turn in a first draft! I go back through the book immediately after I finish it and begin to do a second draft of things I couldn’t squeeze in to the first draft. Things like uh, plot points I forgot, personality for characters, etc. Then once that’s done, I print the entire thing out and edit it again.

The book is due March 1. I am um….still not done with the rough draft. Normally the rough draft ends at about 80k, and after all clean ups, it ends at about 87k or so – a nice, sensible size for a book.

Book 3 (Which I am now calling THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SUCCUBI because I am weird like that) is currently 85k. And I still have at least 10k to go. Which I really need to write this weekend.

So – deadline crunch for Jill! The good news is that if you’re waiting on book 3, it’s going to be meaty and chock full of story, and longer than the last two books.  The bad news is that my brilliant journal will probably be less brilliant for the next few weeks while I try to squeeze all the brilliancy into my book.

So…I hope I hit everything pressing! If you have something else you want me to answer, leave a comment and it’ll give me fodder for additional posts.

The Final Stop on the Blog Tour – Holly Root!

(Late to post, but just a quick note that yesterday’s blog tour stopped over at Market My Words by Shelli Johannes Wells – we discussed marketing and pseudonyms.)

Thank you to everyone that has followed along on my blog tour across the interwebz! It’s been so much fun and I have loved seeing all the comments – even if I haven’t had a chance to stop by and reply to all of them!

(Tiny confession – I thought I would have more free time than I have. Ulp! Mea culpa!)

We’ve tallied ALL of the comments that you’ve been leaving and the final tally was well over 400 comments! Awesome!

The winner of the Holly Root Query Critique contest is Laura Pauling.

Laura left this comment on 1/02/10 at Dorothy Windsor’s journal:

laurapauling.wordpress.com
2010-01-02 04:04 am UTC (link) It’s so encouraging to hear that others have gone through the waiting process. I’m so glad you made it to the other side! Enjoy your blog tour. It’s cool.

Congrats, Laura Pauling! Send your query letter to my email address at jillmyles AT gmail.com and I will send it along to Holly on your behalf. For everyone that didn’t win, I’m sorry! But here is a small interview with the fabulous Holly Root to tide you over.

Holly Root

1) If I had to pick a factor as to what sort of client is ‘right’ for the ‘Holly Root Client List’, I’d say Voice is the #1 thing. Am I right? And if so, what really makes a voice stand out for you? Anything in particular?

You are correct! I am very much a voice agent, which doesn’t always mean super-chatty and conversational. While I do tend to like first person-when done well, I love that close perspective-I definitely have third person and even prescriptive nonfiction clients that I would describe as every bit as voice-driven. For me it’s about an indelible point of view, that sense of a character whose vision of the world is real and absolutely authentic to them, as well as a confidence to the storytelling. That confidence is the
real “know it when I see it” element-it’s a sense of being in good hands as a reader.

2) What’s the best part about being an agent? Worst part? (Is there a worst part?)

Best part is watching an author’s hard work pay off in the form of a published book, and watching that book connect with readers the way it did with me. Worst part is definitely the books that don’t work the way everyone hoped they would, the ones that don’t find their audience.

3) Is there one thing in particular you are tired of seeing? Vampires? Portals to another world?  Vampires with portals to another world?

I’m tired of seeing everything pitched as “Buffy meets whatever”, from romance to YA to nonfiction. I completely get the urge to have a strong, take-charge heroine (though I personally am very tough on these characters because they’re easy to make stereotypical) but the Buffy comp is way overused.

4) How do you go over projects with your client list? Do you like to work on it with them from inception, or do you prefer to just have a completed manuscript handed in?
It’s different with every client. Some people need and want my input on what to work on next; others just go away and cook stuff up and then share. Ultimately, I can tell you what idea sounds big or marketable to me right then, but the intersection of art meets commerce means that sometimes that “big concept” just won’t be the book you can write right now for any of a million reasons, and if you try to do it in spite of that it’ll just sound off. So final call is always down to the person doing the creating.

5) Is it true that you make every client rewrite the end of his/her book?

Pretty much, yes. I’m a pretty editorial agent; the competition is so stiff these days that I can’t imagine not being that way. There’s definitely a point where you just have to put it out and let the market speak but if I see a way to make a ms that much tighter, why wouldn’t I jump on it? As for why it’s always the ending-I have a slew of authors whose initial phone calls with me went “I love it, it’s amazing, I know just where to sell it, now go redo the back third.”

When you’re working with people who are exceptional storytellers the middles tend to be pretty tight, but getting in and out is where an outside eye can help. And honestly, when it’s the beginning it’s often tougher to get into the ms enough to get to the point where I’d offer representation, even with the request for revision. Tough fact but true, not just for me but for editors too.

6) Barbara Poelle – rumor has it that you’re friends with her. Is there some sort of blackmail involved?
No blackmail required! Our agencies used to share office space; our husbands are both working actors; our only choices were to become inseparable or go West Side Story on one another. Fun though a dance-off would’ve been, we took the high road.

This is a good point, though. Most agents have lots of agent friends; some of them are simply more social acquaintances but with others, I have a stronger sense of their taste and lists. Every now and then something will come across our desk that seems right for one of those friends and I’ll refer it along; if you get one of these, it’s the realest of real referrals and is very much a Good Thing.

7) Name something we don’t know about Holly Root (but should!)

I tried and tried to think of something dishy or exciting but I am just deeply devoid of mystique, I guess! Sorry.

(Aww, I forgive her.)

Thanks, Holly! And thank you to everyone that has stopped and commented along the way. Special thanks go out to my Blog Tour peeps and especially Gretchen McNeil, who kept the entire motley mess organized. Gretchen = awesome.

A wee bit tardy!

The Blog Tour continues today — sorry I’m so late in posting! But in case you haven’t already checked it out, hop over to Corey Schwartz’s blog where we discuss To Sequel or Not to Sequel.

Friday Business

Only a few hours to go until it’s quittin’ time here at Casa Jill. No big plans for the weekend, just massive writing writing writing. If you’re used to following this blog and wondering why I talk about nothing but promo lately, it’s because THAT IS ALL I AM DOING LATELY. It’s fun, but it does take up my spare time in which I could natter on about my plastic forks and such. I’m hoping things will get back to normal around here within a week or two. Be patient with me!

That being said, if you’re here for the promo, have I got a treat for you! First off is the Blog Tour of Epic Awesome, which continues over at Marissa Burt’s journal today. We’re talking about our favorite reads. I’m also over at Ilona Andrews’s journal with a pop quiz! Are you Serim, Vampire, or Succubi? Take the quiz and find out, and leave a comment to be entered to win books.

Thursday

Today is a busy day! I’m still knee-deep in day job, so I’ll keep this short and promo-riffic.

I’m over at:  Fresh Fiction – I’m blogging about road trips and some of the experiences I’ve had on them.

 Blog Tour continues over at Lisa and Laura Hilton’s journal – don’t forget to comment so you’re entered into the Critique contest.

 SciFiGuy.ca – I discuss why Jackie might seem a LITTLE bit like a Mary Sue, but really isn’t. And he’s giving away books! Just leave a comment or a question for me – I’ll be dropping by repeatedly throughout the day to answer questions.

Book 3 – It’s crawling along, 1k at a time! I’m in the middle of writing a big emotional scene between two characters. Going to be a heart-wringer! (fun times!)

Today’s blog promo

Someone should have been writing last night, but someone slacked off and watched the rest of season two of Weeds with her husband last night. We’re not going to name any names. She knows who she is.

Today’s blog tour goodies!  Jen K Blom  asks me about reading and genres! And Val Griswold-Ford  does the twenty-questions thing with me (well, okay, it’s more like ten).  She’s giving away a book, too! Books everywhere!

Release Day 2.0!

Today is the release day for book 2, SUCCUBI LIKE IT HOT.

Here’s the back blurb:

Nobody said Sucking was easy.

With a flirtatious new figure, her dream job as an archaeologist, and two  gorgeous boyfriends to scratch her seductive Itch—an angel and a vampire—Jackie Brighton is totally getting the hang of life as a succubus.

 Then her need for sex spirals out of control, and she accidentally knocks the pizza guy unconscious with her touch. Great, she’s cursed. Unfortunately, neither of her jealous lovers is exactly talking to her right now.

 So after Jackie strikes a deal with a crafty demon, she and her best friend Remy take a cross-country road trip to deliver a cryptic message to the nation’s oldest succubus (who doesn’t look a day over eighteen.) Their journey gets weirder with every mile—demonic possession, a charming stalker, a deadly hotel room warning—but when they get to New Orleans, Jackie discovers a dangerous catch to her supernatural bargain. Someone wants her dead (again), but has she been sleeping with the enemy?

 Or do the forces of evil think they’re some kind of match for a vixen in a miniskirt?

 #

I’m really excited about this one, as I think it’s a smoother, faster-paced story than book 1 (and hey, I liked book 1 too). You should be able to buy a copy just about anywhere books are sold.

As for blog tours today, I’m over at Ilene Wong’s journal today! We’re talking more sex. What can I say? It’s a fun topic.

More stuff on Monday (and more chances to win a book)

It’s a lovely holiday today, but there are no holidays when you are a writer! I’m up fairly early, laundry is almost done, and I’m about to get cracking on Book 3 once more. I’m in the home stretch of the last 25k, and really feeling the urge to be done.

In the meantime, the promo tour continues! Check out where I am today.

First off, on the Holly Root Contest Blog Tour (you’re commenting to be entered, right?), I’m over at Wendy Pinkston Cebula’s blog today. We’re talking about writing sex and how to make it work for your book. It was a fun interview.

I’m also over at Katiebabs’ Babbling About Books. We discuss everything from Demon Sheep to backseat drivers! Another fun interview. I’m a fan of Katiebabs’s blog.

Finally – I’m the debut author intro interview over at Dear Author, and I’m giving away MULTIPLE copies of Gentlemen Prefer Succubi. Just comment to be entered! If you’re thinking about trying my books, this is a great opportunity.

Good luck!

Friday’s blog tour!

Whew! Friday! Where have you been all my life?

The blog tour continues with mah boo, Gretchen McNeil. Remember that name, because I’m betting you’re going to see a LOT of her in the future. We chitchat about originality in UF and things along those lines.

Also, don’t forget that I’m over at DIK Ladies for the next few days!