http://www.catauniversity.com/html/ PostNuke Powered Site en-us http://www.catauniversity.com/html/images/logo.gif http://www.catauniversity.com/html/ admin@catauniversity.com http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=175 Today's tip is to organize your bookmarks/favorites.  I save things all the time and if I don't have a folder for something, I just save it without a folder. Which means that my bookmarks are really unorganized.  And there's nothing more frustrating than wanting to visit a link but being unable to find it in my bookmarks even though I know I saved it... somewhere.So, your goal for today, your mission, is to organize your bookmarks.  Add more folders. Delete unused folders. Put like with like. Maybe have a writing articles folder, or how about research? If you have a ton of links o­n Scotland, have a folder called Scotland. You get the idea. Now go organize! http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=174 It's Monday.  Whether you love Mondays or hate them, here's an office organizational tip for you.Barbara over at www.ineedmoretime.com has an easy to follow schedule that will keep your office and desk organized and clutter free. Try it at work and in your home office."1.  o­n Mondays, de-clutter your office.  Remove at least o­ne item which you don't use at least monthly.  Remove all personal items from your desk.  Throw away pens that don't work.  Reduce your ketchup/salt/napkin supply by 90%."Copyright 2002-2006 Barbara Myers.  All Rights Reserved. Free "50 Ways to Manage Your Time" tips booklet.  Visit www.ineedmoretime.com. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=173 We all have goals. But sometimes it's hard to meet them. Today's tip is to think of your goals and determine what is the next thing/goal you want to accomplish.Send a book out to an editor?Write a magazine article?Finish a short story?Update your website?Whatever that goal is, decide o­n ONE.  This is your active goal.Now, what is the first/next step to achieving that goal?  On a piece of paper, write down this first/next step and post it somewhere you can see it... like the bathroom mirror, the fridge, or the computer if you're in front of it often enough.  This is your reminder note. It will keep your goal and your next step at the front of your mind.If your goal is to:Send a book out to an editor?Your first step may be to write a query letter or synopsis.  It may just be to get yourself to the Post Office.  Make your steps small and manageable. You'll feel better if you get to check things off your list.Write a magazine article?Your first step may be to decide what kind of article to write or where you'll submit it. Or who you'll talk to. The may be to write the article.Finish a short story?Your next step may be to write 1000 words. Or maybe 100.Update your website?Your next step may be to open a text file and start writing content and changes you want done. Or it may be contacting your web designer to schedule time to do an update.Whatever your next step is, write it down and do it! http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=172 Take 30 seconds and follow this lady's advice and you'll have a cleaner, organized desktop.http://organizeme.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!72F275A5FFD4FAF1!278.entry http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=171 A quick tip for your Tuesday. Take a few minutes right now and delete five files you no longer need on your computer. Things like old drafts of a sold manuscript... That recipe you've never gotten around to making... Old photos and graphics that you no longer need. Dig deep. :) http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=170 If you're like me there are pens and pencils and highlighters and markers and crayons.... you get the idea. The point it, there are writing utensils everywhere. But between you and everyone in the house it's a wonder if you can find one that actually works when you need it to. So take five minutes right now and round up all the writing utensils you can find. Grab the ones from your desk, nightstand... I sometimes find them hiding in the bathroom. Remember to check the kitchen, laundry room, between the cushions, the kids rooms, and your car. Got a nice pile? Now grab a piece of paper and scribble with each pen, pencil, and highlighter. Ones that don't work - toss. Ones that are weak - toss. Chewed items - toss. Lost the cap... you know what to do. It only takes a few minutes to do this. So do it now. Once you're done, distribute a pen, pencil and highlighter to each room. That way you'll always have one when you need one. And while you're at it, put a notepad by each phone... like for when you get The Call. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=169 Organize your writing magazines. Get inexpensive magazine holders (like these from IKEA: http://cataurl.com/XwcXt ) and write the YEAR on the spine. Then, as magazines come in and you read them, put them in that years holder. If you keep all your magazines you'll have a simple way of keeping them organized. If you get different types of mags (like RT, Publishers Weekly, Writers Digest & RWR) consider having a holder for each type of mag. IE, Romance. Business. Or, RT, Publisher's Weekly, etc. If you only like an article or two in each mag, consider cutting them out with a razor blade, hole punching them and keeping them in a writing binder. We'll talk more about writing binders tomorrow. If you like several articles from each mag (too much to clip out and refile) write what you like and the page numbers on an index card, staple the card to the cover of the magazine and then use one of the filing methods above. That way, they'll be organized and you can see your favorite articles at a glance. And if you're really organized (I'd recommend this only to those souls who are naturally organized, not newbies b/c you can drive yourself crazy and go overboard easily) consider making a spreadsheet of your favorite articles (like on the cards above) but on one big spreadsheet. Include the magazine's name, article title, page number, and the month/year of publication. And if you want, the location of where the magazine is stored (like Holder 2006). Good luck and happy organizing. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=168 Published authors, do you do a lot of your own promo? Then it's time to get organized. If you're constantly printing out promotional materials, stickers, and sending off packages, consider putting together a promo kit. It should contain all the materials you use to promote yourself all in one handy place so you don't go crazy looking for things. Do you print up your own return address labels or envelopes? How about stickers for your promo items? Have a stack of business cards, postcards or bookmarks waiting to be passed out? Consider designating a shelf in the nearest closet or getting a big plastic box to store your stuff together. If you send cards to editors, agents, etc. put those (a few stamps and a pen) in the box. Make your own promo material, put the “ingredients” in the box. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=167 Now is also a perfect time to organize your file system on your computer. No doubt theres plenty of junk you no longer need, stuff that you do want to keep and things that need to be more organized. You might want to start by removing programs that you no longer use. In Windows there is a Add/Remove Programs icon that will help you do this. Next up, organize your photos and graphics. I always start there just because it's easiest and my photos and graphics tend to get placed all over the place. Once that's done, start with your files. Consider having a WRITING folder with all your books inside in folders of their own. You can get as detailed as you want and move things all around. Again, consider how you used your computer and your file system last year. Do you have a ton of unused icons on your desktop. Clear those off and organize the remaining ones. Add a favorite background. Feel better already? I do. Have you backed up your files lately? Now is a great time to do it. You might even want to print out a hard copy. You could also print out your contracts and organized those. Get a folder out. Write CONTRACTS on the tab. Insert contracts and there you go. If you really want to be organized... take a Post-it and write 2007 on it. Stick the post-it off the edge of a 2007 contract. Use paper clips or staples to keep contracts together and put all 2007 contracts behind the first one. If you have contracts in 2006, 2005, etc. do the same thing and just keep piling them behind 2007. Have old book ideas that you want to keep. Do they have a folder of their very own? If so, yay! If not, shame on you. Those ideas need a space of their own. Somewhere you can stick all those little snippets. Now... get out a new folder. Write IDEAS. Insert all those little napkins and other snippets of paper. Good. You're getting more organized by the minute! http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=166 Do you have a writing procedure in place? How about for submissions or promo. Read on... Do you have procedures in place for your writing/submitting/promoting? If not, consider creating procedures, then tape them to your monitor where you can see them and repeat them and get into the habit. What kind of procedure? Consider how you write. Do you like to print out your chapters as you write them? Then edit them and then input your changes? If so, then consider writing up a procedure like this to help you stay organized: 1.Complete chapter. 2.Print chapter. Use headers to indicate chapter number, page count, and print date. (This will help you stay organized and keep your pages together. 3.Place chapter in the folder marked Current Chapter. 4.Make edits in red pen. (Clip the red pen to the folder so it's always handy) 5.Once edits are made, put them back into the computer and save the file. Save a backup too. (You have space to do so on yahoo – the briefcase – or your personal website space. Or use disks, CDs, or a flashdrive.) 6.Take the printed chapter and paper clip it. Put it in the folder called (whatever your title is). 7.Put the Titled folder back in your filing cabinet and put the other folder by the printer for your next chapter. Having steps and procedures in place really helps me stay organized. Thinking the whole process through and writing it down and keeping it where I can see it helps me follow it and life is more stress free because I know just where everything is. And if I've followed my steps, everything is in order. You can do this with any sort of writing process. Even submitting. It might look something like this. 1. Write first draft. 2. Send draft to critique partner. 3. Make changes. 4. Proof 5. Write synopsis 6. Write query letter 7. Research editors/publishers (visit CataU for editor/publisher inteviews) 8. Print chapters, synopsis, and query letter 9. Send package out. Or for promo you might do something like this once you're under contract. 1. Give book a title 2. Write a blurb about the book. 3. Pull an short excerpt and a long excerpt for promo purposes. 4. Compile info on the book (such as title, author, publisher, page count, ISBN, price, a buy it link, release date. Keeping this info in a file makes it easier to copy and paste later.) 5. Update your website and blog with the news about the new book. 6. Send out review requests 7. Send out interview requests (give interviewers an angel they can use!) 8. Arrange guest author days on various websites and blogs 9. Arrange advertising for the book. 10. Display cover art on website and blog. 11. Set up chats and author days as release date gets closer. 12. Make announcements in your newsletter. 13. Get with the PR person at your publisher to see what advertising and promotion they're doing. 14. Start arranging book signings, coordinate with fellow authors. 15. Set up a contest for the book. Announce the contest. 16. Update your website weekly as the release date gets closer. Give people a reason to come back and tell them to come back. 17. If you've corresponded with readers about your books, write them a personal note announcing your new release. 18. On release date, kick it into high gear and sing from the mountain tops about your new release. Send out a newsletter. Participate on your blog. Remind reviewers and interviewers about the release. Send out remaining promo materials and finish off with a favorite meal and a glass of wine and a big pat on the back. :) http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=165 Ready for part 2? Read o­n... http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=164 This is PART ONE of an all new Five Part series by CataUniversity's own Alice Anderson.  Check back each day this week for a new part. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=163 A brand new column by author and grammar guru Susan Greene. Susan Greene is a published author and an editor for Cobblestone Press, LLC. Her weekly column will feature common grammatical errors and simple ways to fix them. Got a grammar question for Susan? Email her at sgreene@bardstales.com, and watch this column for the answers! http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=159 Madison's "call" came in the form of an email.  After writing off and o­n for several years and completing several books, she submitted her novella Slow Burn to Cobblestone Press and heard back from co-owner Deanna 5 days later with a contract offer.  Needless to say Madison was thrilled and the rest is history. Slow Burn by Madison Chase is a July 28, 2006 release from Cobblestone Press (online at: http://www.cobblestone-press.com) Visit Madison o­nline at http://www.Madison-Chase.com http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=161 I have been writing seriously for the last five years, after I finally broke down and joined the world of computers. Sitting looking at my empty screen, I thought, yes I could write the first paragraph and see how it goes.Well it didn’t stop at the first paragraph, and it didn’t stop at the first book either. I am now the author of 6 novels, 5 which my dear editor Pam Lee has o­n her All Romance Books site. I was searching for publishers o­n the net when I spotted All Romance Books. I read their ad, and I read it again. Was my book good enough? I liked it. Would others see the potential?I geared up my synopsis, my first o­ne was extremely difficult but after I played around with it, it sounded okay to me. I made a nice letter to Pam saying how I was new and I asked if she had time maybe she could look at my manuscript.I wanted to send it in. I wanted to take the chance. I think the hardest thing I ever did in my life was to push that send button to All Romance Books. In a matter of days, not the weeks or months I expected I got an e-mail from Pam.I sent my work in o­n April 28, 2005 and o­n April 30, 2005 I was offered a contract. I still have that very first e-mail. I want to quote my editor.“I read Sea Of Love today. It is a very sweet, romantic story with plenty of emotion for the reader. You did a very good job and it will take little editing. We would like to offer you a contract for this book if you are interested.”Now that was the shock of a lifetime. I expected an immediate no because I didn’t have that much faith in my ability at first. My five books came out, almost o­ne after the other, so for me I didn’t have too much time to think about what was happening to me. I will forever be thankful to All Romance Books and everything they did for my writing career. Pam Lee and Gina are the best. Annette Newell hails from Nova Scotia, Canada. She has 5 contemporary romance novels published with All Romance Books. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=160 "Call" stories are some of the most inspirational things a struggling writer can hear. However, mine is a bit different. You see, I’ve never received a call from an editor I’d submitted to where they say. "Hi, this is___ with ___ and I’d like to buy your book." I have however, received a few letters that were something like that. *ggg* My first o­ne ever was from Virgin Books, the Black Lace Erotica line. That was three years ago. After concentrating o­n short stories for a while I decided to try something longer. Harlequin Temptation rejected my first novel because of my ‘writing style’. However, take heart, even rejected ms’s can go o­n to sell. That novel was GYPSY HEART, which not o­nly later received 4 stars from Romantic Times Book Club, and a pleasing 81 from Mrs. Giggles, but it also taught me to be true to my own voice, and my own style. There were a few more e-book sales, again, all through email. No phone calls for me. My first "call" came after I’d emailed Roberta Brown with a proposal for a manuscript to be shopped around. Again, after a couple of emails, she agreed to represent me! Then, she called me!!! Even though I knew the call was coming, it was thrill. It made the whole thrilling situation real for me. The call was just a "get to know you" thing. We talked about my future and what we were going to do with my proposal. She agreed to shop it around immediately. My heart pounded so hard I kept my hand o­n my chest to hold it in the whole time. I was a bit prepared for it because I knew the call was coming, and I actually took notes. Mind you, I didn’t know what the notes meant a day later. LOL After that, the next phone call I received was again, from Roberta. And I got it as a message o­n my voice mail. I’d just finished working a lunch shift, and was excited to go home and write. Funny how serving tables always makes me eager to work o­n building my career away from the hospitality industry. Anyway, I stepped out the door of the lounge, and was walking home from work. I pulled out my cell phone. My o­nly phone and checked my messages. I literally stopped in my tracks o­n the sidewalk when I heard Roberta’s voice announcing a sale to Kensington! I hung up to call her back right away, and the phone rang in my hand. Roberta. As I walked home, amidst a huge windstorm, she told me about John Scognamiglio, from Kensington. He loved my partial!! The next day John called me to introduce himself, and we spoke briefly about the novella. Since then, I’ve received more emails from Roberta. o­ne announcing the sale of a single title to Cindy Hwang at Berkley, and another telling me John wanted another novella for Kensington. Despite the fact that I’ve been published for a few years, the last month has been absolutely amazing. I’m here to tell you, don’t sit by the phone. "The Call" isn’t the o­nly way you can get great news, and dancing around your house like an idiot after receiving an email isn’t as embarrassing as screaming into someone’s ear o­n the phone, but it is just as magical. Romance with Heat, Erotica with heart. Gifted with a salacious imagination, Sasha has erotic romance stories currently available with Liquid Silver Books and Amber Quill Press, as well as close to a dozen erotic short stories in print with publishers such as Black Lace Erotica, Pretty Things Press, and General Media. 2006 will be bringing more of her books to stores inprint with both Kensington and Berkley. If you want to learn more about Sasha and her stories, please visit her website http://www.sashawhite.net and be sure to drop by her Blog and say Hi. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=157 I've been writing seriously for about 5 years now, and after having my fourth child, I found myself wanting to write something short and really 'out there'. So in six weeks I wrote Eden's Pleasure a Regency set erotic romance. I allowed myself to write whatever fascinating erotic fantasies came into my mind. Horrifed by what I'd written :) I promptly hid the story at the bottom of my filing cabinet. Fast forward a year and my wonderful mentor who happened to write for EC coaxed the story out of me. She loved it. Despite me insisting that it was in first person and that it was o­nly 28,000 words she encouraged me to submit it to Ellora's Cave. So I did last November. A week later, I was checking my junk mail when I came across an email from EC requesting the full. I was surprised to say the least! (Note to all authors, don't let this happen to you, I could've deleted it by mistake). One cold wet Sunday afternoon in March another email popped up (I didn't know editors worked at weekends) congratulating me and offering a contract. I was so happy I cried. (why do we do that?) And here I am today-just about to see the e-publishing of my first ebook o­n November 16th. Kate Pearce was born and bred in the UK and moved to far more sunny California in 1998. She writes in several romance sug-genres, is a member of RWA and wants to be Nora Roberts or Jane Austen when she grows up. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=158 My first call came in the way of an e-mail, the day after I returned from Europe, just a few short months ago. I can recall the excitement I felt at seeing a contract offer for my first book, deciding to keep it a secret from my family and friends until I had the finished product in my hands. I had this grand idea that I was going to surprise them in a big way. WRONG! If any new author can do that I take my hat off to you. When you get that call you just about bust open with happiness, you want to shout it to the world. I did it! My dream has come true and I'm finally a published, or soon to be published, author. Wow, it can't get much better than that. That is until I saw the cover of my first book and received my next contract offer. I've since received two more and have three books coming out in 2006, maybe more if I'm lucky. But let me tell you, it took a lot of work to get here and I received my fair share of rejections. I'd either submitted it to the wrong line, it was the wrong length, not what they were looking for, well, you get the picture. But every rejection o­nly fueled my desire to succeed. I didn't give up. And if you believe in yourself and you write a good story there is a publisher out there for you. I was born in Maine but have lived most of my life in the good old sunshine state. For more information about me and my books please visit my website at www.angelfire.com/me5/dawallace http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=156 I got "The E-Mail" o­n February 17th, 2005, 4 days after my birthday. I was just getting started in the erotica romance market so I was doing research o­n publishers. I saw this announcement for a Phaze o­ne Writing Challenge for the publisher Phaze. Instead of entering, I told my friend, erotic romance author Laura Bacchi. She entered and placed second in the contest. A week later, Phaze had their monthly author and reader chat. This would be her first chat as an author so I went to support her. Little did I know Stacey L. King, publisher and editor for Phaze was in the chat. I talked about a couple of my stories and she liked them. She said to me that night, "I want to see you published by the Romantic Times Conference in April 2005." True to her word, I submitted my story a couple of days after my birthday and was accepted the very next day. My science fiction erotic romance called "Adam and E-V-E" was published o­n April 25, 2005, the day before I flew up to St. Louis for the conference. And I have been o­n a whirlwind ride ever since!Bridget Midway writes what everyone else fantasizes about but won’t admit. She was recently named as o­ne of the winners in the BetterSex.com Best Erotic Fiction Writer Contest with her short story "Civic Duty" about how a husband surprises his wife o­n her birthday. An avid writer for all things fun, unusual and passionate, Bridget enjoys making her readers laugh as much as she likes seeing them fan themselves down after reading a hot, sexy scene. She writes long contemporary romance, single-title romance, light paranormal romances, science fiction, historicals and erotica, all with multi-racial characters and/or with interracial romances (because when you have a box of chocolates, you have to taste each o­ne and enjoy the differences). To get updates, read exclusive excerpts and participate in contests, please check out her website. www.BridgetMidway.com http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=155 My first novel was rejected three times by 'the big daddy's of publishing' before a writer friend suggested an ebook publisher. Fearing that it would be rejected again, I made a few minor changes and bravely sent it out to Triskelion Publishing. About two weeks later I got the request for the full manuscript. Then the waiting started. Followed by anxiousness. Stopped by fretting. Then the questions started. 'What if they hate it? Why haven't they responded? What am I going to do with this story?' I was having a shocking week when the bad thought demons won power of my brain and I was convinced that it was going to be rejected again and therefore no o­ne will ever see it. I got up o­ne cold winter morning, really early for some reason. After an eternity of waiting o­n earth (more like six weeks) I got the email from the main editor from Triskelion, Gail. I'd recognised the email addy and it felt like I'd be punched in the stomach. The email was cut in half and I could o­nly read the first line which read, 'Thank you Karen for your patience and I apologise for the delay.' I actually got out of the chair and had to take a deep breath because I thought this story was seriously going to be rejected. I forced myself to face facts and I made myself scroll down. I couldn't believe when I read 'we are pleased to offer you a contract' - I got tears in my eyes - I think more from relief than anything else. There were NO Oscar type tears! I wrote Gail an email thanking her for the opportunity. I wrote 'anytime you are talking about a contract by all means take your time'. This was the beginning of a very quick three months - I have signed four more contracts in a three month period. Karen is 27-years-old and lives in Newcastle, Australia. Just about everything you want to know can be found o­n http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KarenMandeville till her website is up and running by the end of September. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=154 It had been a long slog; 18 months of researching, polishing, submitting, revising, submitting again...it was never going to end."An Accomplished Lady" simply didn't fit.It didn't fit next to the Historical Romances from the major publishing houses and it wasn't steamy enough to turn heads in the new hot market of romantica.It didn't look like it would ever find a home.Then o­ne day I found it.I found the publisher where "Lady" would be at home...Wings.It was like a ray of sunshine bursting from my computer screen.I compiled yet another submission package, culling some of my earlier juvenile attempts at ingratiating my writing abilities to jaded editors, and hit the send button.I *knew* this was it.And it was!I received a contract within six weeks! From there the doors began opening.I knew now that it wasn't just writing a heartfelt story with warm and engaging characters, it was also finding just the right audience.Within six months I had my third contract in hand and I was exploring the varied opportunites that epublishing has to offer the willing and eager writer.This is o­nly the beginning!And maybe o­ne day there will be a phone call from somebody just dying to put my book o­n the shelves at every Barnes & Noble across the country, but until then I'm making it happen step by step. S.D. Grady's works include "Fire and Water" available now at Ocean's Mist Press, a tale of fantasy, passion and destiny. The sequel "Grelig's Hammer" is due out in January 2006 and "An Accomplished Lady" will be releasing in July 2007 at Wings Press.  What else is coming? Visit http://sonyadgrady to find out! http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=153 My CALL came during a strange faze of my life. After ten years of staying home with my children, I’d just returned to work nine months prior. Juggling work, four children, husband, and house, I was at the point where I feared I’d have to give up my dreams of becoming an author. Writing was forced to a back burner, but missing it tormented me. It’s a shame a day o­nly has twenty-four hours...   My agent had informed me that Chocolate Kisses was getting a second read, but I was too tired to think about what that meant to my career and too afraid to get my hopes up. Trudging into the house o­ne evening in mid August, 2004, with soccer and football bags tossed over o­ne shoulder and a fast food dinner for four hungry kids in the other hand, I didn’t think much about the flashing red light o­n my answering machine.   My husband, who hardly ever checks messages, told me I should listen to this o­ne, then stood there staring expectantly as I did. Five times! My agent. Saying something about an offer. Need to call her as soon as I get in the door. OMG! It was after 9:00pm in CA. After midnight where she was. Call her? This late? My husband reassured that that’s what she said. I grabbed the phone, ran to the living room couch, and cried. Dinners forgotten, my four little sports-grubby monsters danced and cheered around me as I bawled into the pillow. "Mommy sold a book" they repeated during their twirls through the house. Their excitement snapped me out of my tearful moment. What if it was something I wasn’t going to accept? I couldn’t let them be this happy, then let them down. So I dialed. And got the answering machine. At almost 1:00am my agent’s time, duh, what did I expect? Darn. I called my mom twice but got voicemail both times. I called my critique partner, but just as it started to ring the other line bleeped. I clicked over thinking it was my mom, but nope. It was my agent who sounded like she’d just crawled out of bed, which she had. She told me enough of the details. NAL. A sale. Enough to know that I’d sold. I’d sold.   Back in mom mode, I finished getting the monsters dinner, into showers and tucked into bed. It wasn’t until the house was still and quiet when I sprawled across my husband’s chest, tucked into his embrace and finished crying out those tears. I sobbed and my hero held me. Renee Luke believes in mixing the bitter with the sweet, as long as it's all dipped in chocolate. She dreams up her stories amidst the beauty of the Sacramento Valley, with her hero husband and four children, sharing the candied kisses, sweet hugs and salty tears that add flavor to life. It's Renee's belief that there's nothing better than good books, great friends, and that real strength is the ability to break a candy bar into four pieces and o­nly eat o­ne. For more sugary treats and sensual romance, visit her o­n the web at www.ReneeLuke.com http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=152 After eighteen years of writing, submitting and garnering a plethora of rejection letters, I finally received my first publishing contract o­n April 20, 2005 from Loose Id. When I saw the e-mail I read it at least three times before it sunk in. Then I jumped up from my desk and danced downstairs to tell my husband the happy news. I'll never forget that moment of pure unadulterated joy. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=151 Every acceptance is exciting for an author, whether you're multi-published or a first-timer. However, my most memorable "call" was from Melissa at New Age Dimensions. She actually called me o­n the phone to accept my Wolverine Chronicles. My other acceptances had been via email and were exciting in their own way, but nothing is more exhilirating than hearing a publisher gushing over your books, pleading with you to sign their contract. Hehehe Melissa was a joy to talk to, and she literally went o­n and o­n . . . and o­n about these books. (Love you, Melissa!!) You've got to understand, at this point, I was the o­nly o­ne who had read these books. So I had absolutely NO feedback whatsoever o­n whether they were actually any good or not. But Melissa put my fears to rest, literally burying them and slapping down a tombstone. :) The o­nly thing missing was a moment of silence. :P I remember holding the phone away from my ear when she mentioned (rather loudly) that the books had the potential to be an award-winning series and a contemporary classic. Now when an author hears this from a publisher, o­ne of two things happens. They either get a big head, or they have self-doubts. I can tell you, since this phone call, I've had my fair share of both. But having this series accepted by NAD was the icing o­n the cake for me. And hearing Melissa's enthusiasm first-hand was an amazing experience.Rebecca Goings writes both Inspirational and mainstream romance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four beautiful children. You can find out about her writing endeavors at www.rebeccagoings.com. http://www.catauniversity.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=150 My Call couldn't have come at a better time. I had been deep in conversation with a publisher regarding a free manuscript evaluation I won in a contest. The publisher mentioned interest in publication, but was slow to send word. While waiting, I had sent a second, steamier MS to Phaze for consideration and was pleased to receive an acceptance via e-mail. Truth or Dare was accepted, edited, and published within the year, while the other publisher still has yet to respond! LOLLeigh Ellwood is the author of the erotic Dareville series for Phaze and the vampire erotic romance The Healing for Venus Press.