Lynn Raye Harris

Let’s not forget Dara Torres, who at age 41 is the oldest swimmer on the US Olympic team and the US record holder in the 50m. In a sport dominated by youngsters, Dara won a silver medal in the 50m freestyle. When you realize that the ages of the gold and bronze medalists combined still don’t add up to 41, you realize how terrific a feat it is.

Hmm, maybe the 40s aren’t going to be so bad after all. Go, Dara! You’ve made us proud.

I don’t typically post on Saturday, but watching Michael Phelps barely win his 7th gold medal last night made me think about what it means to have drive. Clearly, he has it. He does not give up.

Was he hurting after all these races? Was his body marginally slowing down because the muscle tissue has been stretched and torn and worked to the max of endurance?

Maybe.

But clearly it didn’t stop him. As the other swimmer glided in for his gold medal, Phelps (at the top of picture) took that extra stroke and touched the wall 1/100th of a second faster than the man who looked certain to win the race at that point. Do you think that guy will be watching videos over and over and kicking himself for not pushing that extra 1/100th out?

Friends, as writers, we must push for that extra 1/100th. Even when we feel beat up and bruised and so tired we think it’d be nice to curl up in a ball for a while. Push it out and write your pants off; because so much hangs on that extra effort, doesn’t it?

I’m inspired. Phelps may have the perfect swimmer’s body, may have the conditioning and genetics to be a champion, may have the best coach and the best of everything — but I’m not sure any of that would carry him to 7, possibly 8, gold medals if he didn’t have the one thing that nobody can give him: drive. He refuses to lose. He simply refuses to accept anything less than the best from himself.

It’s something to remember as I sit in front of my computer and contemplate today’s goals.

*(Photo from the BBC)

I’ve been thinking about branding and promo lately. Probably because of the RWA National conference. Writers are urged to get a brand, to associate something about the types of stories they write with their name. Start the association early and get the idea planted in the minds of your fellow writers at least. Once you sell, the brand is there, ready to branch out for readers.

I don’t disagree with this. And yet, my brand is undergoing an evolution and I’m uncertain how to proceed. I branded myself as a military romantic suspense writer. I still hope to do this.

But now I have international tycoons to add into the mix. And I love them. Oh, I am so happy writing and rewriting my story for Presents right now! I realize how much I fit there, how much I love those stories — even if it’s taking me a bit of work to get into the proper groove with my own story.

But how to combine these two things? Many writers start out with one kind of story, one place where they know they fit. Some write a bit of everything. In that case, I think brand is contained in tone and voice. It’s about sexy or flirty or dangerous or whatever the underlying core of a writer’s voice is rather than a specific genre like suspense or paranormal.

I realized in San Francisco that my own brand of suspense is dangerous and sexy, not gritty or dark or terrifying. And, in many ways, this describes my heroes — whether they are military warriors or wealthy tycoons. I love dangerous and sexy men.

In my stories, not in real life. Thankfully the hubby’s most dangerous habit is abandoning me to play on the computer when I’d prefer he help me unload the dishwasher. This is dangerous to my temper and his well-being, but that’s about it.

But dangerous conjures up danger, so maybe it doesn’t work for tycoons. Which brings me back to my dilemma. How to brand myself with something generic enough to work for more than one subgenre without being so generic it’s forgettable. Or should I even worry about this? I haven’t sold anything yet after all.

What are some of your favorite author brands? Is there any tagline that stands out to you? Do you have a brand?

more cat pictures

So I’m working on revisions again. *sigh* Thank GOD for the Presents and Modern Heat authors at conference who told me this is normal and not to feel like a big dummy! The encouragement I found in those ladies has really made a difference in my confidence this time around.

But that’s not the diversion. The diversion is my very first newspaper interview. Today, a reporter and photographer came to my house. I was terrified — until I met them. The interview took two hours, and we laughed and talked and had a good time. I have every confidence this interview will put a positive face on romance writing. I don’t know when it will be available but as soon as it is, I will post the link.

It’s interesting to talk about novel writing with people who don’t write novels. And yet, the reporter is a writer because she’s a journalist. A different type of writing, but still writing. So we were able to understand one another very well. For instance, we both cringe when someone reads our work while we’re in the same room. Don’t know why, but I’d rather be in another room if you want to read my story. I guess I don’t want to see puzzlement on your face. Or worse, disappointment. She felt the same way about her stories. I found that comforting.

The photographer had a trunk full of equipment he brought inside and set up, complete with this huge umbrella thing that helped with lighting. I felt like a movie star! Thankfully, I’d changed out of the writer’s uniform of pajamas and into something more attractive. I even took a shower and put on makeup. Definitely not the way I usually write. In fact, she asked me what my routine was. Here it is: wake up around 6:30, kiss husband goodbye around 7:15, pour coffee, go to office and write. In pajamas. With hair scraped back in a bun. Shower around 2 or so — sooner if stuck in a scene. I always shower so the hubby doesn’t think I sat around all day in my pajamas — even though I do. I figure if the man goes to work and lets me stay home and indulge myself this way, the least I can do is appear presentable when he gets home.

Unless I’m on deadline and then all bets are off.

If you’ve ever been interviewed, how did it go? Were you scared? Did you think of something later that you should have said? So far, I haven’t, but who knows how I’ll feel tomorrow.

Finally got the SF pics onto the computer. Here’s me with the RITA/GH board. No names on the board, but still too cool to know I was a finalist in one of those categories listed there.

A pic of the Heart of Dixie ladies after the ceremony. L to R from back: me, Linda Winstead Jones, Marilyn Puett, Linda Howard, Kira Sinclair, Beverly Barton, Kathy Bone, Jean Hovey. Front L to R: Kimberly Lang, Stephanie Jones, Andrea Laurence. Don’t we look happy?

My Harlequin editor Sally Williamson (she’s the thin gorgeous one) posing with me after the RITA/GH ceremony. Yes, in spite of not winning, I was happy. It was a fun night, and quite the honor to be among the talented group of 2008 finalists known as the Pixie Chicks. Look out in the future, btw, because the Pixie Chicks are going to blog. We don’t know when, we don’t know where, but we’re working on it.

Ten things I learned at the conference (or in the conference city):

1. Never tell people you haven’t had a cold in over two years. Kiss of death.
2. Double-sided tape does wonders to keep your bra from showing.
3. Spanx really are the bomb.
4. 400 women + open bar = hilarity for sure.
5. San Francisco really is freezing in July/August.
6. Seals smell bad.
7. No one ever escaped from Alcatraz and lived to tell about it.
8. Lining up for pitch appointments feels oddly like lining up to see the hangman.
9. Free books make some people crazy.
10. The conference will end and you’ll realize you never met up with/talked to several people you wanted to see.

What have you learned recently?

Conference is over, all the happy writers are back in their caves, and new stories must be written. Or old stories must be revised. Last year, after Dallas, I left National feeling very inspired. And it must have worked because I finished my novel and it became a Golden Heart finalist.

This year, I also felt inspired. I came home very run down and sick (that was me with the tissues last week), and then I had company (who left this morning) and I’ve been unable to get to work until today.

So, I’m sitting down this morning with my coffee and the whole day free to get back to work. And I’m so jazzed about it! I have ideas I can’t wait to explore. I’m somewhat intimidated by all I have to do, but I’m also excited and inspired.

I never got to blog from SF, though I intended to. But the best of intentions just don’t stack up against the never-ending things one has to do. Meetings, workshops (uh, I think I made it to 3…), chatting with friends, dancing at publisher parties, rehearsals, spontaneous gatherings in the hotel bar, etc. I didn’t sleep much, and I paid for it in spades when I got sick. My body was too run down to fight off the cold germs. I haven’t had a cold in over two years — which must be why this one hit particularly hard. Still, I’ll do it all again in DC next year.

August is notorious for beginnings (back to school) so do you feel fresh and new, or do you want it to still be summer play time? Are you inspired or intimidated this morning?

Y’all, conference was a blast! I was busy from the moment I arrived to the moment I left. Appointments, meetings, running into friends, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, chat sessions in friends’ rooms, etc. It was non-stop. I didn’t sleep much, didn’t eat as much as I probably should’ve, danced my tail off at the Harlequin party, and managed to contract a nasty cold somewhere along the way.

After staying an extra two days to see Chinatown, the Muir woods, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the wineries in Sonoma, I boarded a plane for home. Everything went fine until the connection in Dallas. I sat on a plane for 45 minutes because a catering truck bumped the engine. Finally, the plane was declared unfit to fly and we had to go back to the waiting area. Ten minutes later, a new plane was found. After a 10 minute train ride to the International terminal, a 20 minute wait to board, and a short wait on the plane itself, we were on our way. I arrived home only an hour later than I was supposed to.

I’ve been sleeping most of the time since, so this post isn’t likely to be too coherent. You’d probably like to hear about conference, though. The best part: being a Golden Heart finalist. The worst part: the lack of sleep. I got to a couple of workshops, but not as many as I would’ve liked. I had a couple of impromptu pitch sessions, which were fine, and my two appointments which both went very well.

One of the highlights of my conference was meeting my Harlequin editor, Sally Williamson. (I have pictures, but they must wait until I feel a bit better.) We spent two hours talking about all kinds of things, TSMR included, and I am so blessed to be working with her. She knows her stuff and she’s going to whip me into shape before too much longer. I have every confidence that I’ll be a Presents author someday.

I think I’ve used up my allotted energy for the time being, so I’m ending this post and hope to be back with something for tomorrow. If you went to conference, what was the highlight for you? If you didn’t go, did you get lots of writing done?

It’s been a busy few days here in San Francisco! I’ve barely had a chance to breathe, much less find Internet access and check email or write a quick post for this blog. I’ve met lots of old friends, made new friends, had breakfast with my editor and discussed my book, and met my fellow Golden Heart Finalists, the Pixie Chicks. We have had so much fun together!

Tonight is the Harlequin Party! Later today I have a champagne reception for GH and RITA finalists. Tomorrow night is the big event, the GH and RITA awards. Honestly, it really truly is an honor just to be nominated. Winning would be icing on the cake, but the cake is still pretty damn tasty without the icing. If I don’t win, I won’t be disappointed. I’ve loved being a finalist and meeting the other finalists.

I’ve also met several Mills & Boon authors. Very awesome. Kate Walker is lovely, and Trish Wylie is so fun. The M&B editors have all been fabulous. Yes, I know this is short, but I have an event in a few minutes. Hope those of you who stayed home are getting lots of writing done. And lots of sleep. Both are very lacking for conference attendees, I assure you.

Hope to blog again soon….