MY WINGS HAVE ARRIVED!

Posted by: Amber Angel

I had to earn my wings? But I just asked Sable Angel to order them and they arrived yesterday! LOL!

Seriously, it took me fourteen years to earn my wings. That's how long it took from when I started my first serious attempt at a manuscript until I sold it. Of course, there's more to that story...

During that time, I found out how little I knew about the craft of writing. I knew what books I liked and didn't like, but when I sat down to write one, I floundered and fluttered--a LOT! Fortunately, I found Romance Writers of America very soon after I started writing seriously, and attended many meetings and conferences that featured speakers who had not only written books, but were bestselling authors. Each time I had an "aha!" moment of how to put a story together, I went back and rewrote that first book because I liked the characters so much. It was completely rewritten at least a half dozen times, then edited and polished for submission.

I don't think I took rejection letters as well as fellow angels, Allana and Sable. When a rejection arrived in the mail, I questioned my ability to write a coherent letter, let alone an entire book. However, in between doubts and rewriting my first manuscript, I also worked on several other manuscripts and amassed a couple dozen ideas for stories. I still wasn't sure I had the perseverance to become a published author, and had in fact decided to set aside my writing career indefinitely.

Then Allana Angel urged me to submit my first completed manuscript to Awe-Struck E-Books. Within a week and a half, Awe-Struck offered me a contract to publish SONGS OF THE HEART. I was dancin' with delight!

Encouraged, I submitted a spin-off manuscript titled, FEATHERS ON THE FLOOR, which was also accepted. Wow! I was ecstatic by this time. However, the third related manuscript was only notes and sketchy scenes. Could I pick up the writing pace and write to a deadline? I hedged by telling my editor I'd have it finished by the fall, and that was my third sale to Awe-Struck E-Books titled, STARS IN YOUR EYES. 

In the meantime, Awe-Struck changed owners and I didn't want to wait for print versions of my electronic books, so approached Allana about doing this through her new e-publishing company, Rogue Phoenix Press. SONGS OF THE HEART was already in print, but RPP has the print versions of FEATHERS ON THE FLOOR and STARS IN YOUR EYES. All three of these stories are intense drama with a sprinkling of humor and, of course, a happily-ever-after ending. 

Rogue Phoenix Press is also publishing my first romantic comedy, CHASING RAINBOWS, as part of A VALENTINE'S DAY ANTHOLOGY, to be released Feb. 14. This anthology also contains stories from Allana Angel and Sable Angel. Our book launch party is scheduled at the Willamette Humane Society in Salem, Oregon from 2:00-4:00 p.m. on release day. We're celebrating at the animal shelter because three "write-in" parts--similar to cameos on TV--were auctioned off for each story in the anthology. It seemed fitting to launch the anthology at the shelter and donate $1.00 from each sale to WHS. 

If you're in the area, come celebrate with us--we'll be wearing our wings!

How did this Angel earn her wings?

Well, I have to admit I didn't work as hard as Allana Angel for my wings. I penned my first book, sent it off to about a dozen agents and publishers and got back the same amount of rejections.

At one of the Romance Writers of the MidWillamette Valley meetings, a young mother, and incredibly talented writer, was glowing from having received her first contract from an on-line publishing house. I was very impressed. She was going to see her work printed! The other members of the RWA group [many of whom no longer belong to the chapter] were very encouraging about her contract and opportunity. I asked her how she found her publisher and she directed this internet-challenged writer to a listing of internet publishing houses. I already had the latest Writer's Market but, at that time, epublishers were still considered a "fad".

From her list, I found the House who first took a chance on a very green writer--me. I was encouraged, coached and treasured and very proud of my writing accomplishment. So much so that when a call went out for someone to help do a "bit" of accounting for the mostly volunteer publisher, I said yes as a way to pay forward my gratitude.

Since that time, I've become a reader, editor, copy editor, managing editor and senior editor for them. I have also written and published 4 books as of this writing with the same publisher.

Oh, yes. I've helped another Angel who started her own publishing house by agreeing to become one of her Angels. She also asked me to submit some of my work and has been kind enough to print one mystery and in February will release two more publications. To pay forward her kindness, I edit and copy edit.

I enjoy reading the work of new writers and hope my editing helps to tighten up their novels. Someone was kind enough to encourage me, and it's my responsibility to encourage others to write the best novels they can.

Time to get off my soapbox. I hope my skills as an editor and struggling writer make me worthy of wearing my wings. Time will tell.

As always, keep your feathers dry.

Sable Angel

How does an Angel earn her wings?

I remember a conference many years ago when a very popular author told us she had wall papered her bathroom in her office with rejections letters. At the time I took that to heart and realized that, yes, I could keep receiving rejections and still publish. I still don't have enough rejection letters to paper my entire bathroom, but I think I could come close. Shortly after that conference I did publish with Kensington. I had a short but very memorable experience with Kate Duffy. Kate Duffy was an icon in the business and I will never forget that phone call from her when she offered me a contract. I had several other conversation with her and she was always so upbeat and postive. Recalling one phone conversation when she told me how much she loved my books but by hero and heorines were all frequent flyers. Yes, the stories I sent to her the characters did move around. Oh well, not all my characters move from place to place.

How did I get my wings? I published with Kensington in 1998. Dakota's Bride was my first novel and My Angel the second. I now have my rights to Dakota's Bride and it will be published by Rogue Phoenix Press this March. I have sense published the Highland series with Awe-struck and the rest of the Dakota's Bride series with RPP. I have another series with Awe-struck. It is a regency series, a spin off of the fairy tale about the twelve dancing princess.

I hope to publish more of my books with RPP.

WHO DOES AN ANGEL SLEEP WITH?

Posted by: Amber Angel

This is a trick question. However, it's fun to see the various expressions when I reply that I sleep with four males. Then everyone has a good chuckle when I add these males have paws and fur coats. 

Yes, I'm owned by six dogs--four males and two females--which can make finding space in the bed a challenge, because they usually call it a night before I do. 

Now, if you ask the question, "What do dogs have to do with writing?" I can truthfully say, "A lot!" Many of my stories feature pets as secondary characters with unique personalities, just as real pets do. 

In addition, all of my current canine crew were adopted from a local shelter, Willamette Humane Society, where I worked for a year and a half. A fundraising auction for that shelter resulted in a "write-in" part--similar to a cameo appearance on TV--in each of the stories in Rogue's Angels' first anthology, to be released in February 2010. A VALENTINE'S ANTHOLOGY will feature retired librarian, Linda Hamer, in three fictional roles. Linda's daughters were the winning bidders for these roles, which they gave their mother as a gift. 

On February 14, 2010, Rogue's Angels will be at the Willamette Humane Society for the launch party of A VALENTINE'S ANTHOLOGY. We invite anyone who might be in the Salem, Oregon area on that day to join us for this celebration. There will be free goodies, a good read, and lots of pets waiting to meet you. That's a promise that's easy to deliver!

How much do I tell?

Hello all,

Sable Angel checking in today. At our last angel meeting, we decided to give up a secret we're holding. Okay. But what do I tell? Do I share my deep, dark only-best-friend secret or do I tell a not-really-going-to-hurt-me secret? Where is the line drawn?

I've decided to walk the line and give up a personal, but not too, secret. I began this writing journey in earnest nearly 10 years ago. I was scared but a tad bit cocky feeling I could write as well as some of the authors whose books I'd seen, and read, on the book shelves. One decade later and I realize I know less now than I did at that time.

I've learned the more I write, the less I seem to know. Once I get one writing concept understood [I think I understand what my "voice" is], I realize I'm still struggling with the idea of another [point of view, whew...].

But that is not my secret. My secret is the overwhelming fear of failure. I find myself putting off writing a story I love because I'm afraid I will have worked my fingers and imagination to the bone and... no one will care.

My first attempt at writing was, well, tolerable. My second novel was easier to write and read better than the first. My third novel flowed from my fingertips, was the book my heart wanted to write and read quite well. And yet, my sales are dismal causing me to wonder if I really have what it takes to make it as a published author.

Would the world really miss my voice were it not out there?

This is my secret and I fight the urge to fall into the pit of "poor-pitiful-me" every single day. It is very simple, really. If I'm fearful enough I will stop writing all together. On those occasions when I think it is the best path to take, I find myself getting the shakes when I can't get to a keyboard to write. My characters wake me up in the middle of the night demanding to be heard and friends who've been kind enough to buy and read my work ask when my next book is being published.

I guess there are those whose kindness and faith won't let me fail. It is for them and my often distant dream I continue to put stories on paper.

There you have it--Sable Angel's fear, out in the open and exposed to the world.

Keep your feather dry and aim for the moon.

Sable Angel