Please welcome Michaela Robertson to my little corner of the cyber wold!
Welcome to my third and final guest blog post of the Angel of the Centerfold blog tour. Thank you, Liz, for letting me take control of your blog for a day.
This is by far the hardest of the three posts. When I asked Liz, “what would you like me to write about,” she said "Whatever you'd like." Those three words are enough to strike terror into this author. There are so many possible topics…. What to choose? What to choose? What will you enjoy? What won't embarrass Liz? Hell, what can I write that won't embarrass me?
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…." ~Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
"It was a dark and stormy night….." ~ Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830)
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." ~ Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice (1813)
Those first lines have already been taken.
Every story needs a good hook—something that will grab a reader's (or a publisher's) attention. I have an editor friend who once told me that they could tell whether a book would be a good based on the first three lines. As in life, you don't get a second chance to make a good impression.
The first line of my freshman novel, Angel of the Centerfold, is: "The night Jennie met Chance Bly changed her life forever." Those were the very first words that went onto my legal pad when I was writing this tale. They were also the ONLY words for weeks.
I wrote them on a back page in my legal pad while sitting in a very dull business meeting. Things in my life got busy, and then one day, sitting in another veiury dull business meeting, I turned the page to continue with the doodles I was making, and there it was.
Oh, I had thought about my idea for a story off and on for those weeks, but I hadn't put pen to paper again. Turning that page and seeing that line was like someone had turned on the light. While halfway listening to the inane discussion going on around me, I began to add to those ten little words.
Betas, readers, friends, and editors all read those ten little words. While much of the story changed over time, improvements made based on comments, those ten words have remained a constant.
They survived my early betas…. They survived my own slash and burn when I decided to submit the story to a publisher, and they survived my editor’s very sharp red pen.
I hope that those words are strong enough to stand up to inspection and to draw you all into my little tale.
The editor who told me that she could tell a good book by the first few lines also imparted this wisdom, which if you lean a little closer, I will gladly share with you….
She said, "Those first lines get my attention, but what comes after must have the same strength as the first line. Authors who focus on that first line and don't remember that their writing must stay strong and continue to draw the reader into their world also end up on the slush pile."
Once you get past the slush pile and join a publisher's flock, your time of improvement isn't over. You will find that your publisher's editor will be your harshest critic yet. They will also be your cheerleader. Guiding you with tough love so that you can deliver the best book possible.
To be accomplished, we artistic types need to develop a thick skin and have the talent of separating our work from ourselves. Your editor is not asking you to dye your hair or lose weight,they are helping you fix plot holes, correct grammar and helping you be more eloquent.
A word of wisdom from this author about editing…. Something that I will forever proclaim loudly and long….. "Everyone needs an editor! Don't get upset when your pages come back with as much red on them as they do black. Smile when your editor says, 'lose this chapter' or 'take out half of the intimate scenes.'" Your editor is on your side. It's in their best interest that your book be the best product possible.
Have you hugged your editor today? If not, perhaps you should. This group of people are maligned by those of us with an artistic temperament, myself included. *HUGS*
All great authors have had editors. Austen, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Bronte…. Those of us who write today are all in good company.
"Soon, she would be starting the next chapter in her life with the man who sparked a passionate regard that couldn’t be snuffed out." This is the final line in Angel of the Centerfold. A line that also made it through the editing process.
Begin strong…. Stay Strong…. Finish Strong….
Thank you Michaela!
And now lets take a look at Angel of the Centerfold
And now lets take a look at Angel of the Centerfold
Book Blurb
Disguise of every sort creates difficulties for
recent Yale grads Elizabeth and Jennie Blackwell, who are eager to begin the
next chapter of their lives.
Elizabeth hopes her remarkable voice and
academic training will help crown her the new darling of the Met. But will her
burgeoning romance with world-renowned philanthropist Lliam Dafydd benefit her
career or derail it before it begins?
Elizabeth’s minutes-older twin, Jennie, plans to
translate her impressive résumé into a successful medical research program, but
her demanding academic pursuits leave little time for romance.
Feeling trapped by her girl-next-door image, Jennie adopts a daring alter ego who behaves as she never would. As “Ariel De Mer,” Jennie becomes captivated by mysterious photographer, Chance Bly. Handsome and suave, he smoothly awakens her desires, while Ariel’s sexiness and sassiness mesmerize her smitten lover.
But Jennie’s innocent charade has a powerful
impact on the lives of those she loves, and she is not the only one playing
games.
Release Date: first of October
Release Date: first of October
Buy Links
Author Bio
Michaela Robertson has dabbled in writing since her teenage years. In college, she initially majored in music until deciding she'd rather eat than enrich the world with her talent. A few years later, with a still-damp business degree in hand, Michaela entered the world of statistics. As the author of many dry technical documents, her artistic side was hidden from the world. Only her husband and daughter were aware of the musical talent hidden beneath the surface.
In the
late 1990's, she began traveling extensively for her job, and being away from
home and family created something she was previously unfamiliar with—spare
time. Bowling, mixed-doubles darts, and touring temporarily filled the void. A
chance encounter in 2004 with the 1995 Pride and Prejudice mini-series starring
Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle led Michaela’s down a new path. Having read Fan
Fiction in other genres, she went on a quest for Austen Fan Fiction and
discovered a world rich in stories and history.
Music continues to be
Michaela’s muse and has inspired her writing. Now a widow, she lives on a
couple of acres on the edge of the world in the Pacific Northwest with the
current love of her life, a border collie.
Giveaway
1 (one) e-book of Angel of the Centerfold
To Enter, please leave a comment with congratulating Michaela on her new release and be sure to leave your email address.
Giveaway ends October 25th.
Congratulations on the publication of your first novel, Michaela.I do like a modern take on the works of Jane Austen.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating insight into the world of a writer this post has been. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Good luck with the launch!
Congratulations on your release!
ReplyDeleteDenise
dholcomb1 (at) aol (dot) com
Sounds delish! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your debut novel, Michaela. I'm curious on why you remove Austenesque reference to make Angel of the Centerfold a non-Austenesque story. Anyway, I hope to see more of your releases in future so keep writing and don't give up.
ReplyDeleteevangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com