Free Book Giveaway: 3 Questions with Shana Galen

Special Instruction for the Drawing: We'll be choosing one lucky reader from among the commenters below to win a free, autographed copy of Shana Galen's wonderful new Lord & Lady Spy! We'll be announcing the winner on Wednesday at noon (Central Daylight Time.)


A couple of weeks ago, I was privileged to be part of a signing with historical romance author Shana Galen—and even more privileged to purchase and read her brand new release, Lord & Lady Spy.

And it was fun, readers, the most fun I've had with a historical romance in eons. Fresh and exciting, it had crisp repartee and a number of laugh out loud moments, but most of all, the story and the characters had heart.

So aside from recommending it like mad to everybody I know, I also asking Shana to stop by Boxing the Octopus for the traditional Three Questions.

BtO: Hello, Shana, and thanks for joining us. One of the things that stood out to me was your ability to blend seemingly modern plot elements (i.e. the Mr. and Mrs. Smith-like set-up, where each member of a pair of married spies knows nothing of the other's secret life) with a more traditional British setting. What gave you the idea to liven up the Regency romance with this idea? Could your secret past as a writer of contemporary chick lit have anything to do with it?

SG: Thank you so much for having me. I try to read the blog whenever I have a free moment and really enjoy it.

I don’t think my not-so-secret past as a contemporary author had as much to do with the idea for Lord and Lady Spy as did desperation for an idea for my next book. I was thinking and thinking and nothing was coming to me. One evening I was flipping channels and saw Mr. and Mrs. Smith on cable and started thinking, what if the year wasn’t 2005 but 1815? And what if the hero and heroine weren’t assassins but spies? Unemployed spies, since Napoleon was captured in 1815. I got chills and knew I finally had my next idea! Most of my books have a lot of action, and I’ve written heroes who were spies before, so that part wasn’t a huge leap. Writing a romance with a married couple was quite a challenge. I’ll get into that more below.

BtO: I recognized so many accurate historical details, I instinctively trusted that you'd done your homework. To what extent was the spy-related background really rooted in fact?

SG: There were actually spies during the Peninsular Wars, but they weren’t very well known. We tend to think of spying as dangerous and sexy. In the nineteenth century, spies were considered cowardly. A real man didn’t sneak around but fought in the open. So most of the spy-related parts of the novel were pure fiction. Two real people who did influence how I wrote the spy sections were George Scovill and Grace Dalrymple Elliott. Scovill cracked Napoleon’s Paris cipher for Wellington. His story is told in The Man Who Broke Napoleon’s Codes. Elliott was a British courtesan living in Paris during the French Revolution. She smuggled messages from Marie Antoinette to her sympathizers in Austria and saved several royalist sympathizers from being captured and imprisoned by the French Revolutionary government. A great book titled My Lady Scandalous tells her story.

BtO: For all the derring-do and funny moments (love your sense of humor!) what really made this novel stand out for me was the root cause of Sophie and Adrian's emotional estrangement, the heart-wrenching loss of three pregnancies to miscarriage. What made you decide to add such a serious issue to the story?

SG: I was struggling with the conflict between Adrian and Sophia for a long time, and I needed to come up with some reason they were estranged to make the book move forward. During this time, I suffered a miscarriage. It was my first pregnancy, and it completely devastated me. When I was able to get back to fiction writing, I started thinking about Sophia again, and I realized infertility/miscarriage could be one reason for a marital estrangement. Also, writing about miscarriage gave me a way to address a topic that isn’t covered in many romance novels. And yet it’s something many, many women deal with. I know so many friends who have suffered miscarriages. I thought my readers could relate to a woman who struggled with pregnancy loss.

I did face some initial reservations from publishing industry people because “miscarriage isn’t sexy.” But my response was that I thought readers could handle a more complex emotional subject without feeling it made the book less romantic or the sexual relationship between the hero and heroine less fulfilling.


BtO: I'm really sorry to hear of your personal loss, but I agree that readers will be very touched, as I was, by reading of an issue that impacts so many.

Is there anything else you'd like us to know about the book or future releases?

SG: I do have a book coming out in February. It’s the third in my Sons of the Revolution series. The first two were The Making of a Duchess and The Making of a Gentleman. We’ve been going back and forth about the title, so at this point, I’m not even sure what that’s going to be. It was The Making of a Rogue and then Once a Rogue and then The Dread Pirate’s Bride. It might be something else next week! But we’ll get it figured out soon.

Also, because of the great reader-feedback, my editor and I are discussing making Lord and Lady Spy a series. I’m currently contracted to write a new series, and the first book in that will be out in Fall 2012, but somewhere between books 2 and 3, there may be another Lord and Lady Spy book.

BtO: Yea! Glad to hear that! And I almost forgot the obligatory BtO bonus question. What are you reading and loving these days?

SG: I just turned a book in today, so I haven’t been doing much reading. I did finish Ashley March’s Romancing the Countess and really enjoyed it. Next up is Sophie Jordan’s Vanish, and I have your own Colleen Thompson’s Phantom of the French Quarter on my nightstand too. I am really looking forward to taking a week off and reading.

BtO: Thanks so much for visiting, Shana (and enjoy Phantom!) We're so glad to share Lord & Lady Spy with readers—who might be interested to know that the e-book version (the book is also available in paperback) is now on sale for the low price of $2.99. Score!

SG: Thank you for having me! I want to offer a signed copy of Lord and Lady Spy to one person who comments today. I’ll check in later today and reply to any comments or questions.

Win a Free Copy of The Restorer: Interview with Amanda Stevens

Every so often I read a book so great I just have to crow about it. Amanda Stevens' latest, The Restorer, is a Southern gothic-styled mystery so eerie and compelling, it kept me reading late into the night. From its creep-tacular Charleston setting, cemetery lore, and first-class mystery to its lushly sensual writing style, this novel gripped me from the opening pages and didn't let go…

Today, please welcome Amanda Stevens to Boxing the Octopus, where she's answering our standard three questions and giving away a free, autographed copy of The Restorer to one lucky commenter. (Note to our readers: Please include your e-mail address in your comment, written out like such to fool the spambots: myname at gmail dot com)

BtO: Hi, Amanda. We're delighted to have you here on the blog today. As I gushed in my e-mail to you, I just loved The Restorer, whose protagonist, Amelia Grey, is a cemetery restorer who's always dropping cool bits of info about funereal symbology, customs, and occult beliefs I've never even heard of. (Which is really something, as I recently finished researching and writing on an upcoming book whose heroine is a New Orleans cemetery tour guide.)

What gave you the idea of writing about this particular profession? You know, beside morbid curiosity (although that's always worked for me!)

AS: Thanks so much for having me!

You know, I wish I could tell you the book was inspired by a visit to a creepy old cemetery or some spooky paranormal event, but truth be told, I Googled ‘unusual jobs’ and up popped cemetery restorer. I’d just finished reading Charlaine Harris’s Harper Connolly series and I wanted to create a protagonist with a strange occupation and/or ability. My mouth literally dropped open when I saw cemetery restorer on the screen because I knew it would be perfect for the kind of series I wanted to write—a lush, modern-day Gothic set in my beloved South.


BtO: In The Restorer's powerful opening, when nine-year-old Amelia Gray sees her first ghost, her cemetery caretaker father is quick to give her a set of rules that she must live by at all cost. Can you share a little about these rules?

AS: Her father presents the rules as a way to protect her from the ghosts. Netherworld parasites, I call them because they devour human warmth and energy much the same way a vampire feeds on blood. And those who can see them—like Amelia—are in particular peril because the thing the ghosts want more than anything is to be a part of our world again. Hence, Rule #1—never acknowledge the dead. However, as the series moves along, Amelia will discover another purpose to these rules…but that’s all I can say for now.

BtO: I still get chills thinking about that scene! Next, can you tell us a little about the free, related e-book, The Abandoned, along with what's next for Amelia Gray?

AS: The Abandoned is called a prequel, but really it’s a stand-alone story that introduces Amelia through the eyes of the POV character, Ree Hutchins, a grad student who volunteers at a creepy mental hospital in Charleston (inspired by the old Jefferson Davis Hospital here in Houston). One night something follows Ree home.

The Abandoned is also a mystery so readers will catches glimpses of Detective John Devlin, Amelia’s love interest, and learn a bit more about the history of the abandoned cemetery featured in The Restorer.

Next up for Amelia is The Kingdom, where she travels to an isolated town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a strange, withering place where she’s never before set foot but is inexplicably drawn to. Think hex symbols, vortexes, and a cemetery at the bottom of a murky lake. Think Twin Peaks.

BtO: I've already downloaded The Abandoned and can't wait for The Kingdom! Before you leave us, Amanda, I'm sneaking in the standard BtO bonus question. What are you reading these days?

AS: I just picked up Michael Koryta’s The Cypress House about a man who can foretell deaths. It came highly, highly recommended and I can’t wait to really dig into it.


BtO: Thanks again for stopping by, and don't forget, readers, we'll be drawing to give away an autographed copy of The Restorer to one lucky commenter. Contest ends on Wed., May 11th at noon (Central Daylight Time) so don't forget to enter!

3 Questions With… Diane Holmes of Pitch University (Part Two)

Yesterday's post introduced Diane Holmes, founder of Pitch University, a free website devoted to helping writers sharpen their verbal pitches. Today, she returns to elaborate on improving the content of your face-to-face presentation.

BtO: I well remember my very first pitch session, with an editor at Harlequin. Desperately nervous and, well, just plain desperate, I blundered through pitching a type of book Harlequin didn’t even publish and came perilously close to puking on the editor’s shoes in the process.

Ironically, years later, this was the same editor who bought and published my first novel (when she was working for another house and I was writing in another genre). Probably only because she failed to associate my name with that pea-green nitwit she met outside of Houston. ;)

But I digress. Third question: Aside from the problems caused by nervousness, what particular problems do you see with the actual content of writers’ pitches?

DH: Oh, you have my sympathy! And I love that this experience didn’t stop you. Be resilient. That should be our motto! Okay, let’s talk content. Here’s my list of Top 3 Content Derailments:
1) They’re confusing.

This often occurs because you’re speaking the “pitch paragraphs” that you used in your query letter. We just don’t listen the way we read. Imagine trying to make sense of a verbal pitch that opens with, “When thrown from a horse while fleeing for her life…” only to find out later that the rider is a present-day 16-year-old girl who has time-traveled to 1916, and she running for her life because of a battle in WW1.

2) They’re misleading.

When I’m helping writers with their pitches, I listen to the pitch, then ask them fill me in on book. Often the pitch is totally misleading. The author has narrowed the story down to a few elements not realizing those elements imply a whole world in the listener’s mind.

For example, if you mention that the protagonist finds a body, I’ll assume we’re now talking about a mystery. Dead body = Mystery. Mention a famous person, and I’ll assume your characters spend the entire book interacting with this person. Talk about a child who has polio, and I’ll think this is a book about the child’s experience with polio, and not just a colorful complication.

When you choose which elements to highlight in your pitch, remember that the listener gives a great deal of weight to those elements and believes that “this” is what will fill up your pages and form the structure of your story.

3) They’re all over the place.

My dear friend Laura Gompertz told me the secret to pitching, and I share it now with you (come closer so I can whisper it in your ear): give your very brief pitch, then shut up. ☺

All the things you’ve learned about synopsis writing and query letters don’t directly translate to a pitch. Pitching isn’t a summary of your plot, including character internal conflicts and plot points. It’s more about setting an expectation, implying elements, and giving the shape or experience of reading your book. (It’s not the formula for Listerine, it’s the wonderful experience of using Listerine.)

This may be quite different from what some of you have been taught, so I understand if you’re shaking your head at me! But I’ve seen this work. And I’ve also seen “pitches that explain” fail.

Once you shut up, your pitch appointment turns into a conversation, and you learn if the person you’re talking to has questions (about plot points and internal conflict) or is the right match for your book.

And if you get a yes, stop! All you have to say at that point is say, “Thank you!”

BtO: Thanks for the tips, Diane, and I hope that many of our readers will stop by Pitch University and read the excellent advice you’ve collected from the generous agents and publicists who have shared their wisdom. But before you leave us, we always like to ask our visitors one last question. What have you been reading lately, and what was the last book that knocked your socks off?

DH: Well, Pitch University has taken over my reading as well as my life. I’m currently reading POP!: Create the Perfect Pitch, Title, and Tagline for Anything by Sam Horn, Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent’s Eye by Literary Agent Katharine Sands, and Who Dares Wins: The Green Beret Way to Conquer Fear and Succeed by Bob Mayer. (I remember fiction, and I miss it so….)

As for socks being knocked off…. You’re going to laugh at me, but it was a contest entry I judged. So flipping good I actually wrote a letter of referral to an agent on her behalf.

Colleen, thank you so much for inviting me over to your many-tentacled blog. It’s been an honor.

3 Questions With… Diane Holmes of Pitch University (Part One)

A few years ago, I first met the indomitable force of nature known as Diane Holmes. Diane’s not only a writer, she’s an amazing resource-builder for all writers, and during the time I’ve known her, I’ve seen her pour countless hours into a writing group’s annual contest, single-handedly organize retreats with publishing and creativity professionals from all over the country, and most recently launch a brand-new absolutely FREE project known as Pitch University, where writers can not only learn about the art of pitching, but can also create video pitches viewed by acquiring agents. Wowza! Wish that had been around when I was looking for my first agent!

Thank you, Diane, for stopping by Boxing the Octopus to answer a few questions.

DH: It’s nice to be part of the jolly crew! Thanks for inviting me.

BtO: Writers are often called upon to put together brief descriptions in order to sell projects, something that might be done in an e-mail or query letter. What made you feel the need to focus on the art of verbal pitching?

DH: Well, the number one reason is that I suck at it, which has always frustrated me! After all, my Dad was in sales, and I grew up immersed in it. Plus I have a degree in Marketing, for Pete sake. And, no, the problem is not public speaking, because I founded two writers groups and have given lectures, workshops, and writing retreats.

But when it comes to pitching… the problem is me pitching my own book. It matters too much, if you know what I mean. And I have no perspective!

The second reason is that while there are a number of quality e-resources focusing on writing query letters, there wasn’t any long-term resource focusing on hands-on learning (your book, your mouth!) for verbal pitching. And now, there is!

I found myself in the unique position of understanding that pitching is a type of sales career for many people, and we could learn how to pitch our books from these experts who make their living at it. And I understand why, as a writer, it’s so very, very hard.


BtO: What are some of the things you’ve noticed that can go wrong with authors’ verbal pitches?

DH: There’re really only two things that go wrong in a pitch: presentation or content. You may laugh at that, because it sounds so rudimentary, but pitching feels so overwhelming it helps to simplify the experience. Most writers experience stress over both areas, intensified by the perceived high stakes (a.k.a. “my career is over unless I get a yes.”)

The presentation piece is easy to “get.” Of course it’s difficult. We’re writers (behind the scenes) vs. actors (out on stage). And it doesn’t matter if we’re extraverted or introverted writers. Our strength is the written word and things that happen inside our own heads. Suddenly, none of that expertise matters. And we tend to realize this right about the time we’re sitting down at an agent appointment

The content piece is murkier. Agents and editors truly believe no one knows our books better than we do. (And that somehow this knowledge will translate into being able to generate a good pitch.) But, in a way, that’s like saying the makers of Listerine know their product better than anyone else. Who needs an advertising department? We’ll have the chemists do the advertising.

So, we authors know our stories, but we don’t necessarily know how to sell them. And to make matters worse, what sounds good to us may not be effective.

These are the types of topics we’ll be exploring at Pitch University. Our focus is on becoming effective and developing real skills that work.

BtO: Tomorrow, I'll be posting the second half of Diane's interview, where Diane gives some great tips on improving the focus of your pitch's content!

3 Questions for New BtO member Barbara Sissel

Today, we'd like to welcome a new blogster joining us here on BtO, the very talented writer and editor, Barbara Sissel with whom I've had the pleasure of critiquing for many years. A wickedly-smart reader and writer, she's been my go-to beta reader since before I first published, and I can tell you, I never consider a manuscript ready until she's given it her seal of approval. Or made me rewrite the danged thing until it measured up.

She's also the person, or one of them, I credit for my editors' (mistaken) belief that I write manuscripts that come in so clean they squeak.

BtO: Hi, Barbara, and welcome to Boxing the Octopus. First off, can you tell us a little about how you came to be so wise in the ways of the word?
A. Thank you, Colleen. The critique partner street runs both ways! As for my love of reading and language, my mother was definitely my major source of inspiration. A writer herself, she was the one who challenged me to read widely, who would say the proper understanding of a word in all its variations of color and mood was achieved only after you could define it in three different ways. From elementary school on, building sentences and then small stories from my vocabulary words was my absolute favorite activity. I always had my hand in the air.

BtO: What are your favorite types of books to write, read, and review? (Okay, technically, that's three questions, but you didn't really think I'd play fair, did you?)
A. I tend to love to read, write and review "thinky" books, books that pose a moral dilemma where something terrible happens to ordinary people and they are compelled to endure a "dark night" experience. I don't mind if a book doesn't end so happily with all the characters walking off into the sunset, but I like it much better if there is love and forgiveness at the end.

BtO: I find you such a perceptive reader, I've always loved sharing book recommendations with you and can't wait to hear about old and new titles you're loving? What's your philosophy going to be when reviewing books for the blog?
A. In the course of life I tend to go with the old adage, if you can't say anything nice ... etc. etc. If I feel the time I spend reading a book is wasted, I certainly don't want to then spend more time writing about that. Reading is so subjective in any case. Not everyone is going to love the same book, thank heaven! But if I read a book and something of its flavor lingers, if I come away with the gift of new insight, say, or if I'm reminded of some life-affirming treasure, I'm going to want to review that book, to share whatever jewels I've picked up, with others.

BtO: Anything else you'd like to share?
A.I'm delighted to be included with such a wonderful panel of contributors to BtO and looking forward to sharing my love of reading and writing with others. Thanks ever so much for the privilege.

Thanks for joining us, Barbara, and welcome to the group! We're delighted to have you here.

3 Questions with YA Author Tera Lynn Childs

Interested in learning about YA (Young Adult) the hottest "new" genre to hit the proverbial pike? Then you could do a lot worse than listening to talented RITA-winning author, Tera Lynn Childs, who knows more than anyone I know on the subject. We recently tracked her down for three questions.

BtO: I've been enjoying checking out a few great YA (Young Adult) reads in the past two years, and found both your clever debut, OH. MY. GODS! and the follow-up, GODDESS BOOT CAMP, fresh and fun, with their secret island high school for the descendants of the
Greek gods. Which leads me to my first question, why launch a whole new world (and series) with the release of FORGIVE MY FINS?

TLC: Honestly? Well, there are two reasons. Partly, I made the switch because the sales for the OH. MY. GODS. books started out kind of slow and my publisher wanted to start something new while we waited for them to pick up momentum.


But that's not the only reason. I'd started FORGIVE MY FINS way back in 2006, right before I sold OH. MY. GODS. We'd been getting rejection after rejection and my agent suggested I start something new. I was in Florida for the summer, spending lots of time on the beach. Growing up, I'd been a competitive swimmer and I still fantasized about magically turning into a mermaid. One day, I decided it would be cool if a merperson could bestow their magical powers with a kiss. And then, being a writer, I added conflict and wondered what would happen if a mermaid accidentally kiss the wrong boy.


Being a water baby and a wannabe mermaid, this was a book close to my heart, and my critique partner (Sophie Jordan) always thought it was my best. (Plus, we both love, love, love Quince.) So, when my editor asked for something new, I jumped at the chance to finish FORGIVE MY FINS.

BtO: Can you tell us a little about the heroine, Lily Sanderson, and give us a sneak preview of the fix she's gotten herself into?

TLC: Lily is the princess and sole heir to the underwater kingdom of Thalassinia. She's awkward and self-effacing and loyal to the core. Three years ago, she learned that her late mother was a human and decided to go live on land to learn more about that world. She only planned to stay a year, but then she fell head over fins for her crush, swim star Brody. And if she has to put up with her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince, to stay close to Brody, then that's a price she's willing to pay.


In the mer world, a kiss forms a magical bond between the kissers and grants mer powers if one of them is human. Lily's 18th birthday is only weeks away and, if she isn't bonded to her mermate by then, she'll lose her place in the succession. With Quince's help she's supposed to meet Brody at the school dance, confess her feelings, and hopefully--if he feels the same--be bonded and on her way home in plenty of time. Only the meeting doesn't go as planned (shocking!) and instead she accidentally kisses bane-of-her-existence Quince. Now she needs to get Quince home to Thalassinia asap, get her dad the king to perform a separation, and get back to making Brody see they should be mermates before time runs out. Guess what? Things don't sail quite that smoothly.

BtO: Okay, it's official. I cannot wait to read this book.

Some of your readers might be surprised to learn that I got to know you through a local chapter of the Romance Writers of America. Can you share with us how writing YA is similar to romance, and what are the major differences?

TLC: I can't tell you how many romance authors have asked me about writing YA, insisting they never could. Nonsense! Teens today are not the foreign creatures we melodramatically believe them to be. While their environment might have changed (they text instead of write notes, they face increased security measures, they spend more time on facebook than on the phone) teens today go through the same things teens have always gone through. First loves, first kisses, first betrayals, friendships, enemies, worrying about the future, trying to define themselves, trying to live up to expectations. Tell me you didn't go through that in your teen years.


As for the writing, the only difference between YA and romance is the fact that the main character is a teen. That, of course, leads to teen-specific situations (like high school and summer camp) and teen-like reactions, but otherwise the rules of writing are the same. You needs lots of believable conflict. You need sympathetic characters with adequate motivation. You needs a strong voice--and, no, you don't need to change your voice to sound teen, just stay true to your voice


People have tried to tell me there are "rules" in YA, things you can't write about or certain things you should do. Also not true. In fact, there are fewer rules in YA literature than in romance. We don't necessarily have the happily ever after ending. And there is no such thing as an off-limits topic. There have been YA books that address sex, drugs, alcohol, abuse, rape, suicide, incest ... you name it, the YA genre has it. These may be scary or uncomfortable topics, but the reality is teens out there are facing these issues everyday. Not writing about them doesn't make them any less real. The only rule in YA--and this is a rule that should apply to all fiction, no matter the age group or genre--is "If it serves the story, write it. If it doesn't, leave it."

BtO: Thanks so much for stopping by, Tera, and I hope FORGIVE MY FINS makes a (wait for it...) big splash on the YA scene!

3 Questions with Bev Vincent, Edgar-Nominated Author of The Stephen King Illustrated Companion

Today on Boxing the Octopus's "Three Questions" series, we welcome author Bev Vincent, whose book The Stephen King Illustrated Companion, has been nominated for a 2010 Edgar Award.

When I first met Bev, he was the president of the Woodlands Writers' Guild, and I could tell right away he was a man with serious plans for going pro. And sure enough, he's made good on many of them. From his website:

Bev Vincent is the Bram Stoker Award nominated author of The Road to the Dark Tower, an authorized companion to Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. He is a contributing editor with Cemetery Dance magazine and has published over fifty short stories, including appearance in the Bram Stoker Award winning From the Borderlands anthology, the MWA anthology The Blue Religion edited by Michael Connelly, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Doctor Who: Destination Prague and All Hallows. Visit his online store for links to anthologies and books.

BtO: Congratulations on the Edgar nomination, Bev! Can you tell us a little about how your admiration for the work of Stephen King grew into your two books focusing on his work? We'd love to hear, too, any details you can share on what it was like working with King on these two projects.

BV: Thanks! I’m thrilled and delighted to be considered in the same category as the likes of PD James and to have my work recognized by the Mystery Writers of America.

Back in the 1990s, in the burgeoning years of the Internet, I was a member of a USENET newsgroup called alt.books.stephen-king, where we discussed King’s works. I’m the sort of person who, when someone asks a question, I’ll look up the answer if I don’t know it off the top of my head. Because I had good reference books at hand, I gained a reputation as something of a know-it-all.

Though I never expected it, that reputation encouraged publishers, publicists and others to supply me with behind the scenes information. Apparently I had an authoritative disposition, so I became a credible and reliable source of King news, and the reputation grew.

In 2001, Rich Chizmar asked if I would be interested in writing the King news, reviews and commentary column for his Cemetery Dance magazine. Since that was an extension of what I was already doing for fun, I agreed—and I’ve been writing News from the Dead Zone for the better part of a decade. That affiliation has opened up a lot of doors for me. A few years ago, for example, I got to spend two days on the set of Frank Darabont’s movie The Mist, which was filming in Shreveport, Louisiana.

BtO: What fun!

BV: Over the years, people asked me when I was going to write a book about King, but I always deflected them. I knew he wasn’t fond of biographies—he’d rather people focus on his work than on the details of his life—and he’s so prolific that to write anything meaningful about his vast literary career would be a daunting project, to say the least.

However, when I heard that he had finished the first drafts of the final three books of his magnum opus—his Dark Tower series—an idea occurred to me. Since the writing of these books spanned most of his publishing career, and since the novels crossed over into most of his non-series books, an exploration of the Dark Tower series could be a manageable way to look at the bigger picture.

I pitched the idea to King, saying that if he hated it I would drop it immediately. Instead he said he was flattered that someone wanted to take his work seriously. He reads Cemetery Dance (he’s published fiction in that magazine), so he was familiar with my style and approach to his work, which helped, I think.

The second thing I said in that pitch—which was uncharacteristically forward of me—was that in my wildest dreams, the Fed-Ex truck would pull up in front of the house with the manuscripts for those last three books (which weren’t scheduled to be published for another two years) so I could start working right away on what would become The Road to the Dark Tower. The next day I heard from his administrative assistant: the manuscripts were on the way. The day after that I had 2500 manuscript pages sitting in front of me.

BtO: Wow! That's amazing. And amazingly generous of King.

BV: That endorsement—that magnanimous display of trust—gave me the ammunition I needed to attract the interest of NAL (a division of Penguin) and to get a literary agent. It also allowed me to have my book ready for publication at the same time as the seventh book in his series instead of a year or two later.

I tried not to bug him too much during the writing process. He’s an incredibly busy guy. I did fire questions off to him by e-mail every now and then. When I was done, he read the manuscript to fact check but requested no changes. Then he supplied a very complimentary blurb for the front cover.

The Stephen King Illustrated Companion came about because of The Road to the Dark Tower. When Barnes & Noble decided they wanted to publish a King readers’ companion, I was contacted to see if I would be interested in writing the text. When I saw their previous books on Poe and Jane Austen, I was sold. Their books are informative, but also beautiful and fun.

Knowing King’s aversion to biography I did my best to put a literary analysis spin on the book—it is biography through the lens of his fiction. How did what was going on in his life at the time bubble through into what he was writing?

For this book, I didn’t interact with King at all. He granted the publisher access to his literary archives at the University of Maine and to family photo albums. The documents expert from becker&mayer! (the book packager who produced the book for Barnes & Noble’s imprint, Fall River Press) went to Maine and visited the university and King’s office to find material that complemented my text. King had veto power, but he didn’t exercise it. His cooperation, though, turned the book into something that collectors, fans and casual readers alike have enjoyed. You can spend hours opening all the little envelopes and exploring the reproduced documents. Most of the enclosed material has never been seen before.

BtO: As a King fan, I'm definitely intrigued! So how has studying King's work influenced your own fiction?

BV: I’ve often said that if King decided to write romance novels, I’d still read them because it is his ability to create believable, charismatic, sympathetic characters that attracts me to his work. [Gratuitous note from Colleen: Believable, charismatic, sympathetic characters are what romance is all about! :)] That’s his biggest influence on my own fiction—the way he regularly demonstrates that everything arises from characterization. I used to plunge into writing stories driven purely by plot without much regard for the characters who were populating the story and how they were affected by what was going on. Now I don’t start a story until I know the main characters and understand what they want.

I don’t believe that my style or subject matter is strongly influenced by King, or any other individual writer. I was probably imitative of some writers in my early days. We probably all go through that phase. I hope that my style is the sum of everyone I’ve ever read plus a unique ingredient that comes from me. One of the greatest compliments a member of an online critique group paid to me was his claim that he could recognize a story as being mine because of the voice. The fact that someone else thought I had a distinctive voice was gratifying.

BtO: What's next for you? Are you interested in continuing to work with both fiction and nonfiction in the future?

BV: My primary focus for 2010 is going to be on revising the first draft of a novel that my agent thinks has promise. It’s a daunting process, ripping it apart and rebuilding it from the ground up, but I like the book a lot and I think it will be worth the effort. I would love to get a novel published, and then another and then another after that!

However, if another fascinating non-fiction project came along, I would certainly be open to considering it.

Thanks for being with us, Bev. Again, congratulations on the latest award nomination and best of luck as you reimagine and revise your novel! I hope you'll stop back by to field any questions from our readers.

Sisterhood over self help (3 Questions for Melissa Senate, author of The Secret of Joy)

New Yorker Rebecca Strand is shocked when her dying father confesses a devastating secret: Joy, a daughter he turned his back on, the result of an affair when Rebecca was a toddler. Now he wants Joy to read the unsent letters he wrote every year on her birthday. Determined to fulfill her father’s last wish, Rebecca drives to a small town in Maine and knocks on her half-sister’s door. As is always the case with sisters, secrets, and broken hearts, everything that happens after that in Melissa Senate's latest novel, The Secret of Joy, is complicated, to say the least. The book is in stores this week, and Melissa spared a moment for 3 Qs in the midst of launch-o-palooza.

This is fertile ground for a story to grow, Melissa. I'm curious about the roots. Where did the idea come from?
Several years ago, I received an email out of the blue that said: I think you might be my half-sister. I was. Am. It took me a long time to decide to take that little (huge) nugget and write a novel to help me figure out the answer to some burning questions, such as: if you haven’t seen or heard from your biological father, or any member of his family, since you were little (or, in Joy’s case, never at all), is his child from another relationship really your sibling? Or just a stranger? Does the word father or sister or brother mean anything without back up? I had a ton of questions and set out to uncover how I felt through a fictional character, but it’s interesting to me that I flipped everything on its head in the writing of the story. Nothing but the basic questions that are proposed in the novel are autobiographical. Just the questions! And I surprised myself quite a few times during the writing of this story with how I felt about certain things. Amazing how writing fiction can teach you so much about yourself.

When a book is about folks -- as opposed to lost symbols, car chases, etc -- the nuances and consistency of character mean everything. How do you anchor yourself, visually and conceptually, while you craft the people in your books?
I picture my characters’ faces with their personalities etched into their features. I rarely base my characters physically on celebs (except for my first book—Jane from See Jane Date looked just like Ann Marie from “That Girl” (a young Marlo Thomas). She did not look like Charisma Carpenter, who perfectly played her in the TV movie, but now when I think of Jane, I think of Charisma only. Which makes me think of hot David Boreanaz, which is a good thing. I have long been drawn to guys with dark eyes and dark hair, starting with my very first serious crush in 7th grade. But Theo, Rebecca’s love interest, has sandy-blond hair and pale brown eyes because that’s just the way he came out of the keyboard -- he sort of created himself. I never base the guys on anyone. They’re always inspired by the guy I wish I were dating. (Yes, I’m single!) Right now, as a single mother, I’d love a guy who, like hot, wise Theo, works with his hands and made things, like porch swings and tree houses for my son. A guy who’s smart and honest and romantic and always seems to say the right thing at the right time.

Okay, putting that out to the Universe. Meanwhile, you seem to have your feet firmly on the ground career-wise. Talk to us a bit about the nuts and bolts of process. (Whatever you're doing is working spectacularly well!)
An idea flits into my heart, mind and soul (if I may be so dramatic!) and I just know. The idea, just a wispy thing, grips me and I think about it until the two major characters—my protagonist and the person or thing who “forces” her change—become clear. Then I write out a one page treatment, a bare bones synopsis, then think about that, then revise the storyline into a “pitch” I can share with my agent. If she green-lights it, I’ll then let myself dream it into a full blown synopsis, which is what I usually sell a novel on. The synopsis, in its major plot points, rarely changes, but how the characters get from page one to page 325 is another story.

I’m crazy about my editor, Jennifer Heddle at Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books. I love working with her. She’s just so razor-sharp smart and aware and interested in the world and pop culture (which I’ve learned via being her friend on Facebook!). Her suggestions, starting with our first conversation before she even bought my book, were so intelligent and thoughtful. And she’s New York honest in a very kind way with her editorial letters and edits. I absolutely trust what she says. As I’ve gotten to know her, I’m even more touched that she bought my book. She’s a tough customer, I think. And that’s a good thing.

The Secret of Joy is a Simon & Schuster Book Club Pick. Click here for the Reading Group Guide.)

Three Questions with Steven Pressfield

I've recommended Steven Pressfield's THE WAR OF ART to so many writers, I ought to be on commission. As I've mentioned on the blog, WOA is one of the best resources at a writer's disposal for helping to fight the evil powers of procrastination, which Pressfield calls resistance. I'm such a believer, I'll draw the name of one commenter on today's post and send you your own copy!

And here's something even more exciting. Recently, I was very delighted when Steven Pressfield was kind enough to answer these three brief questions for the blog.

BtO: How does resistance make every other looming task (including toilet-bowl scrubbing) more attractive than the work we're trying to get started?

SP: I don't know, but it sure does, doesn't it? Somebody should write a book about all the different activities that suddenly become so attractive the instant the thought of actually Doing Our Work enters our mind. Did you read that one in Robert McKee's intro to WOA--where he took out all his clothes from his closet and arranged them into "winter," "summer," etc. That is demented! Me? I've done everything from drive across the country thirteen different times to totally screwing up my life. "Whatever works, baby!"

BtO: As useful as it is, I'm pretty sure the Internet is the handmaiden of resistance, with its myriad distractions and the dangerous temptation to hunt up your own reviews (and believe only the bad ones). How do you cope with the web's dark side?

SP: I get sucked into it too. I'm afraid there's no answer but pure will power. How do you stop yourself from eating chocolate? [Colleen's Response: Have been asking self that question for years.] There's a great book, not easy to find, by Roberto Assagioli called "The Act of Will." Try reading that. I started, but it put up so much Resistance, I stopped.

BtO: What's the most important thing you've learned about writing since the completion of THE WAR OF ART?

SP: If anything, I would say I have even more respect for Resistance now than I did when I wrote WOA. In other words, I believe it's even more powerful and insidious than I thought--and I thought it was unbelievably powerful and insidious back then!

The forms that Resistance can take, particularly in interpersonal relationships, seem to be infinite and incredibly subtle and pernicious. It's a subject for a whole other book, or certainly part of one.

Resistance, in my experience, doesn't diminish with time or skill or the accumulation of past successes. It's just as brutal for the long-time pro as it is for the neophyte. And I haven't found, nor do I expect to, any magic bullet to overcome it. The result is I've come to have even more respect for working writers and artists and entrepreneurs who face it down every day and do their work.

"Turning pro" is still the best answer--at least for me. And it helps to associate with other pros, whom we recognize if we ourselves are doing our work. As someone once said, "A gun recognizes another gun."

Hope that helps, Colleen. Thanks for three terrific questions.

This is terrific, Steven. Thanks so much for stopping by.

I hope every BtO reader will checking Writing Wednesdays over on Steven's blog. I especially loved the post "What the Muse Wants." Also, for those who enjoyed historical fiction, be sure to check out Steven's latest, Killing Rommel. My son, an avid WW II buff, loved it.

I'll leave BtO blogsters with one last question. What's the most ridiculous task you've been driven to (see toilet cleaning and closet sorting, above) in order to resist doing your actual work?