Rambling To Me

Since no one seems to read this blog, I'm going to write this just for me.

I got the news today that Kate Duffy, executive editor at Kinsington Books, had passed away. The news hit me harder than I'd have expected. I didn't know her well. I only knew her from Heather Graham's New Orleans workshops. I was the first winner of her Dufey Award, for best query letter. Through that I got to know her after I sent her the manuscript for the novel described in the query. We exchanged a few emails about writing, and publishing and what it takes to make it in this business. One thing about Kate, she shot from the hip, shot straight, and never let the gun smoke drift up your skirt. She had mentioned not long ago that she sometimes felt badly for having to reject so many writers' works. But as a friend of mine told her, sometimes we writers need that slap in the face to make us realize we need to get serious or move on.

Kate, I had a dream that you would be that big-time-edtor who would one day say, "Charlotte, this one is good enough." Now all I can do is try to write one good enough, and say, This one's for you, Kate."

Remember the Alamo

And remember the Twin Towers. We are strong. We survived. But we must never forget.

Rambling Mind

I don't really don't have a topic tonight. Guess I just want to do something other than work on EPICon or read the first five pages of contest entries.

It's surprising how much you can tell about a book with just five pages. Out of the entries I've judged so far, two have great hooks. I mean "don't want this to end" hooks. Two others are bland. But one thing about judging a contest like this is it makes you rethink your own first few pages of your WIP. Do I have a good hook? Will I capture the reader? Or will an agent/editor read them and think, what a hack?

Do you ever sit back and wonder how you can be so confident in life, but so insecure in the pages of the novel you put so much of yourself into? I stress over every word, sentence, paragraph, and chapter. Then when I type in The End, I stress over The End. Is it a good ending? Should I have gone further into this part or that part? Did I miss a comma? Should that comma even be there?

I entered my novel, Fugue Macabre: Ghost Dance in a contest. That little voice in the back of my mind keeps asking, "Who do you think you are? That book isn't good enough to win any contest, much less that one!"

Some days I want to walk away. Say to hell with it. I'm not a Faulkner or Hemingway. Then other days I think, "Hey, they had to start somewhere, too. I'm sure even Faulkner and Hemingway had rejection letters filed away. Lord knows I do. Not quite enough to paper the bathroom walls yet.

Okay, rejection letters...I've received those useless form rejections. They tell me nothing of why the work was rejected. Just...sorry, Charlie Girl. But I've received a few personal rejections, the ones that say close but no prize. Those are becoming flimsy from my reading them so many times, trying to read between the lines. I've not mastered that talent yet. But I'm working on it.

Okay. I'm finished. Go back to your regular scheduled reading. ;)

EPICon

EPIC (The Electronically Published Internet Connection) is NOLA bound. What is NOLA? NOLA is New Orleans, LA. And EPICon will be held there March 4-7, 2010. To register for the convention, please visit http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmVwaWMtY29uZmVyZW5jZS5jb20v Oh, and do they have some names teaching this year…Holly Jacobs, Debra Dixon, Deidre Knight, CT Adams, and even a forensic pathologist teaching 2 hours of class on the subject!
To boot, if you’re an EPIC member, early registration is only $195 and $225 for non-members. That includes…
Thursday Night Mixer
Friday: Buffet Breakfast and Keynote luncheon
Saturday: Buffet Breakfast, luncheon, and awards banquet
The hotel rooms are discounted for the convention, as well. You have to mention the conference.
One more note. Membership in EPIC is $30 per year anyway. If you join EPIC while you sign up for the convention, you still pay $225 for the combination of member going to the convention and EPIC membership dues, but you get a year in EPIC to go along with it. That gets you $10 off all EPIC e-book contest entries, networking on the EPIC lists, calls for submissions, a built-in place to ask research questions, industry information, and more. So, you make out like a bear on that deal.
And you don’t want to miss the gala awards ceremony, where the new name for EPIC’s contest will be revealed this year.

EPICon, EPIC Awards, Etc

EPIC's premier eBook competition needs YOU!How you may ask? Let me tell you how...there are a few ways you can help this wonderful ebook contest out.First, this contest is in need of entries. Last year you knew the contest as the EPPIEs but with the ever changing field of ebook publishing, EPIC has decided to revamp the contest and rename it more in line with what it has come to be to the industry as a whole. This is the best ebook competition out there and there are those within the finalist ranks who have gone on to become NYC authors.

EPIC has been seen as an innovator in the ebook industry for more than ten years and wants to continue to do so for each and every ebook author!

With over 30 categories to choose from there is a category specific to your genre in the ebook field. This includes categories in children, poetry, fiction, romance, erotic romance and many, many more.

Entries are still being accepted until August 15, 2009 for ebooks published between October 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009. Full details, plus entry forms here: http://bit.ly/ M9NUc

Finalists will be announced November 2009 with the awards presented to the receiptents at EPIC's 2010 conference in New Orleans, March 4-7, 2010.

Second, EPIC needs judges and if you feel you can qualify as a judge, please sign up immediately for participation! Only industry professionals need apply. Contact Anne Douglas at epic.competition. coordinator@ gmail.com for more information. You will read some of the best books in the field...and love doing it!

And finally, don't forget to sign up for EPIC's 2010 Conference in New Orleans. We have a host of great people this year with agents, editors and authors alike. The conference is still small enough that you will get the special attention you need as a writer but large enough that you'll be rubbing elbows with industry professionals in the eBook field. Just some of our schedules guest include Debra Dixon, Deidre Knight and Holly Jacobs, C. T. Adams as well as industry professional such as Daniel Reitz of Mundania Press with more signing up every day!

The information for EPIC can be found at http://www.epicauth ors.com/, so don't hesitate to stop by today!

EPICon 2010 Link

http://www.epic-conference.com/index.html

Want to know who the speakers are at EPICon 2010. Click on the link.

Want to know where to say while at EPICon 2010? Click on the link.

Want to sign up for EPICon, 2010? Click on the link.

Want to know what I look like? Sorry, the link won't help. LOL

OMG!!

OMG!! I did it!

I signed C. T. Adams for EPICon 2010!!

This is the best birthday gift C. T Adams and EPIC could have given me.

Doing the Snoopy Happy Dance!!