Said with a Caribbean accent. Okay, so this week is conference week, and I know there are a whole lotta writers out there stressing big time. Many for different reasons, but a lot of you for the same reason: The stress of being on. For some that means pretending. My advice? Be yourself. Relax. Have fun. Yes, yes we are all on to a certain extent, but when you’re on make it a super-sized version of your personality, not someone you aren’t. That comes across as stiff, false, and well, not genuine. And we ladies can smell a fake a mile away. I know, I know, there are some nasties out there, and you feel you have to put the walls up, but you really don’t. Here’s how I deal with them: I do not engage. Who needs that crap? At conference or at home? I so do not have time for other people’s created drama. I’m sure there will be more than one or two tempests’ in a few teacups this year, there always are. My advice? Ignore it, and for the love of God, DO NOT ADD FUEL TO THE FLAME! Walk away from that crap.

Look, when you get a bunch of women together there are bound to be some claws. Some sniping, some sideways looks and some downright rudeness. And it isn’t restricted to one certain group. It’s across the board. But here’s the thing: This will be my fourth conference, and I have never ever encountered one rude person. Not a one! I have never seen anyone being rude to anyone else, in fact, what I see most of the time are smiles. Okay, well, I see a few ladies wandering around in a daze, but other then that, it’s all good. It is what you make it. I have always approached conference as a friendly adventure. A time to connect, learn a few things but mostly to have fun.

So, for those of you who are nervous as hell about conference this year, take a deep breath, slowly exhale and smile a real I’m-going-to-have-way-too-much-fun smile! And, seriously, have fun!!! And please, if you see me, come say hello!

Oh, and I’m going to try and blog with updates, but don’t hold your breath!

Ciao, ladies,

K*

And I am soooo glad it’s local. I have a ton of crap to lug over there. As the chapter president for the San Francisco Area RWA I have been invited to speak to several groups, which I love to do, but what has me extra special excited about this conference (aside from all of the parties, meetings with my agent and editor, catching up with GF’s I only see once a year) is our chapter wrote a book! Writing Romance, the Ultimate Guide on Craft, Creation and Industry Connections! And we’re hawking it big time at Moonlight Madness! The book had been talked about for several years and when I was asked last year to give it the nod, I will say, I did so without reservation, but I had doubts it would get published. Why? Because I knew it would take a Herculean effort. But a handful of ladies did it!

And they did it in very fine form. If you can’t get to National to pick one up, follow the link and order one today!

I am off in a bit to take care of some lose ends, one of which is to hunt down a gown for my daughter’s wedding. I can tell you, I am not into this. I detest clothes shopping. I will admit it may have something to do with the fact that I don’t have one of those bods that make even a plastic garbage bag look good, but it also has to do with taking clothes off, then putting stuff on that doesn’t fit right, then taking that off only to fight my way into something else that looks horrid. I want to be Jeannie and just blink the perfect gown.

Okay, so, reluctantly I go…I’ll let you know how I fare…

K*

Ain’t! No on has sent me industry questions to answer. C’mon, ask and yee shall receive!!
Karin@KarinTabke.com Don’t be shy!

Now, for those of you coming to my neck of the woods for National next week, check out Candice Hern’s San Fran tips!
Awesome info!!

K*

I’m really jazzed. Let’s see by a show of hands who’s going? Are you getting excited? How many of you are going for the first time? Are you nervous? Why? Have any questions? Ask here, and if I can’t answer them someone will be able to.

So on the writing front, I thought I’d wait until after National to begin the next Master book, but alas, a scene took hold of me and I started today, and it feels great!

I am having some difficulty though in locating some info I could really use, so I’m going to throw it out there, and if any of you know the answer please tell me! So, I need to find out one, if Eadric Streona (d 1017) had any children, and two did Edric the Wild, Earl of Mercia and his wife Godda have any children (I know they did have a son but I think he was too young for use in my story). But I think what I need to know more is, when was Edric the Wild of Mercia born, (and was he Eadric Streona’s grandson?). I really need a rough age on Edric circa 1067.

Thanks in advance for any help!

K*

me on Fridays. Murder She Writes.

K*

Albeit a wee bit late…

And as promised I’m going to chat about the query process, but before I do, please bear with me. I should be careful what I ask for. I received my revisions a day early and they are significant, and I have until tomorrow to turn them in. My bad for turning a book in a wee bit late. But it’s all good. I nailed half of them yesterday and last night and will be working like a slave today and tonight to get them completed, so I apologize if the post is a little bare.

So, you send a query letter to your dream agent. You wait with baited breath for a request for a full. If it was an equery, in a perfect world you will receive the request for a full in a matter of minutes. If you snail mailed it, the prefect scenario would be a phone call (yeah, I know, hardly happens but we’re talking perfect world here).

In reality, you may get an email request for a partial or a full, but most likely an e.no thanks, yanno, the standard: this doesn’t fit with our current list at this time, or just a simple no thanks, or just as likely, you may get no response at all.

Same with a snail mail query. So? What’s a writer to do? Send a follow up query? Hey, Missy Agent, I sent you an equery six weeks ago, are you interested? Or Dear, Missy Agent, I mailed you a query letter seven months ago, did you get it? I sent one of those postcard things that says someone there received it. What’s up?

I’m going to tell you what’s up, and you’re not going to like it: They aren’t interested. There. Now what are you going to do? Get angry because the agent didn’t respond? I mean how dare they? How rude is that????? Hurmph! I wouldn’t do business with them now if they asked me too! Riiiight. Get over it, and move on. Yep, put your hurt feelings away and shrug it off.

Yanno why? Because it’s just business. And here’s another thing. If you ever wonder why agents generally don’t give small little snippets of why they don’t care for your work enough to request it instead of the form no thanks, it’s because people get pissed off if they don’t agree with the agent’s opinion (in a very subjective business!) and tell the agent so. Yes, it’s true. Happens all of the time, so the agent generally doesn’t bother. Why should they? To catch grief from a disgruntled writer? Who needs it?

Now some of you are still shaking your heads and insisting the agent respond. Okay, let’s do some math. Many agents are just them. No assistant or maybe a part time one. But let’s take a step back. An average agent gets 500 queries a week. It takes them less then 30 seconds to decide to read on. So 500 x 30 seconds at the very least equals 250 min of read time a week. Of those maybe there are 5 to 10 requests; those letters take time to write plus postage. Now, the agent has 495 query letters she has to say, no thanks, too, plus postage if there is no SASE. How do you think she’ll do that? A standard no thanks plus the postage or a detailed read on why not plus postage? I think if she gets around to sending out rejections she’ll do it when she isn’t reading her current author’s material and making suggestions, negotiating current author’s contracts, putting out fires for current clients, dealing with contracts that come in wrong, chasing advance and release checks, meticulously going over royalty statements, pouncing on the foreign rights sales bandwagon, following up on submissions she already has out there, putting out emotional writer fires, holding another author’s hand because she has just had a melt down, reading requested material and let’s not forget to mention the editor lunches, conferences and judging contests along with all of the other stuff I missed that an agent does. I am so sure she will have lots of time and energy to send rejection letters. Not.

Look, most of them try, some of them just don’t get it done in the sending-the-rejection-letter department. So what?

Frankly if I were an agent, I’d just state: “If I’m interested, you’ll hear from me.”

So, here it is in a nutshell. If you don’t hear from them, they’re not interested. Move on. It’s time to go to round two agent list. And do not query one agent at a time. Cast the net wide but cast it only on those agents you have researched. Doing your homework when an agent offers is not the time to start asking questions. Also, if you haven’t heard in say 4-6 weeks from the agent, cross them off as not interested. Hey, it happens. Now move on.

It’s really counter-productive to get all highfy over it. Highfy (high-fee) new word. So what, you don’t hear from them this time, maybe your next project will get a different response. It’s really not a good idea to cut your nose off to spite yourself in this business.

Okay, so unleash the fury, convince me why it is so important for an agent to send a rejection letter.

K*

Not writing. I think it’s because in my head while I know TORMENT is written, the story isn’t over. The second half of the story still needs revisions, and I have to write an epilogue. Actually, I want to keep writing Tarian and Wulfson’s story! I miss those two. That happened with Jade and Jase in JADED and Rohan and Isabel in SURRENDER.

It’s a good thing. So this week look for It’s Just Business Tuesday, I’m going to talk about submissions, and the reality of the process and the wishful thinking of the process.

Today I’m blogging over at Fog City Divas about lessons learned from our pets. I know, it sounds kind of lame, but hop on over and read the post. We can learn a thing or two from those little fur balls.

National is in two weeks? I’ll be chatting a bit about that as well. I’m really looking forward to getting out of here for a few days. Mostly though, I’m looking forward to seeing friends.

So, I know it’s been really quiet, but what’s everyone got going this week?

K*

Wow, what a year this has been deadlinewise! I turned in the polished version of MASTER OF TORMENT at 5 a.m. this morning! It’s already half revised, as my editor and I have been working very closely on this one. I expect the balance of revisions to be light.

It’s befitting that the cover flats for TORMENT arrived this afternoon. And, ladies and gents? I am in love! I can honestly say, I have never seen a sexier cover. The colors, the model, the dark foreboding ramparts in the background, the sword! The silver raised embossing, it all sets the mood so perfectly for this story. I love the art department at Pocket and love my editor for being so in tuned to this series. She really has made all the difference.

I really love my hero, Wulfson of Trevelyn, he truly is a man of all men, and my heroine, Tarian Godwinson, is extraordinary. Of all of the heroines I have written, she truly is a warrior in every sense of the word. She not only is a fighter and a survivor but she is not afraid to take control of her destiny as opposed to allowing the winds of destiny to control her. In the violent chaotic time she lived, it was truly survival of the fittest. It’s what I love so much about the conquest period.

While TORMENT, book two of the Blood Sword Legacy, is due in to release the last week of November this year, book three will release in June of next year. At this time, I have no idea whose story it will be or a title (Methinks we have more title fun in our future here!). Readers have asked me repeatedly when Thorin will get his book. I cannot answer that, as I have not found a woman worthy of him yet.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to pop in and say the deadline did not kill me. I love my book, and life for at least until the beginning of August will be deadline free. Not so sure how I’ll manage, but I’ll find a way.

So, what is everyone working on?

K*

Oh, and PS, I still have more prizes to get out this week, so if you have something coming, stand by!

MASTER OF TORMENT is in the can! And I love it! Sigh. I still have to polish it up, but half of it is already revised. I am really excited about this story. So much angst. Love it, love it, love it!

So, I’m going for a nice long walk (it’s after 11 p.m. but I need to stretch these aching muscles!) then I’m taking a nice hot bath, then I’m sleeping in! But starting tomorrow I am playing serious catch up. I have a ton of prizes to mail out and correspondence to catch up on. So bear with me

ciao!

K*

As usual, I’m over at Murder She Writes today. I also wanted to say to all of the contest winners who have goodies coming, bear with me. Everything is going out next week! I promise!!

Have a great, safe, fabo weekend,

K*