On Writing & Publishing by Robin D. Owens

Personal notes on writing techniques, writing a novel, my writing career and threading your way through publishing a book.

My Photo
Name:
Location: Denver, United States

RITA Award Winning Author -- that's like the Oscar, folks! Futuristic/Fantasy Romance and Fantasy with Romantic Subplots.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

What I Want As A Reader In the First Pages

What I Want As A Reader In the First Pages: 1) Hook me baby! and, yes, if at all possible in the first line. "Today you will meet your HeartMate." DON'T tell me about the weather. Don't tell me that the day is going to be awesome. 2) I want SETTING Denver, Colorado I recently read a book set in the mountains. I'm from Colorado, when you say mountains, I think of ours. Turned out that it was the Canadian Rockies (somewhere in chapter 2?) and, actually, by the end of the book I still didn't know exactly what province in Canada, since I didn't recognize (and didn't look up) the place names. 3) Re: Group Scenes/Dialogue...give me a clue who the protagonist is, and, again setting...I started a book with someone on her cell...no setting was provided so for some reason I thought she was in a limo, turns out she was at a bus stop. 4) I don't mind starting with a single person on stage as long as there isn't a full chapter of backstory.

And, yes, I have the writer pickiness.

May you enjoy all the worlds you visit today.
Robin

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Writer's Desk



Heart Fortune printed and I'm ready to tackle the (significant) revisions and cuts.

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.
Robin

Thursday, February 14, 2013

$.99 Feral Magic Today, and Why Read Romance?



Also: I read romance to be swept away to another world with a sexy guy who knows I can match him.

May you love all the romances you have today.
Robin

Saturday, February 09, 2013

Feral Magic and Richard III


Working on Feral Two. I must admit I've always been a person who doubted Richard III's villainy (okay, I read Josephine Tey's Daughter of Time at an impressionable age). But one of the things that DID influence Feral Magic was Dak's love for his young and orphaned nephew, who is Chief, and Dak is regent. One of his fears was that people and enemies would accuse him of murder.

So I used that Richard III set up, and so interesting to see him in the news!

Friday, February 08, 2013

CONTEST! Web Design/Grapics Business Name!


Contest re: Feral enovella two. Brandy Svensson, my heroine, has a Web Design/Graphics Business and I need a name for it! Currently I am thinking of "Exact Imagination," but I am not wedded to that. She doesn't do websites JUST for artistic types, but for businesses too, you see. I don't think I want her name on the business. So if I find something that really rings for me, the winner will win the above clock. If there is more than one winner, I will determine an additional contest, and the winner of THAT contest will get the clock OR a choice of my backlist books, any additional winners will get a choice of my backlist books.

THE CONTEST ENDS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13th.

You have to enter here or on my facebook page.

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.
Robin

Thursday, February 07, 2013

Laev T'Hawthorn Family Tree

Laev T'Hawthorn Family Tree: I got an email from a reader who was confused about how Laev T'Hawthorn was connected to the Heathers -- essentially he is a grandson. In any event, I spent the night figuring this out...and here's the scoop.
 photo HawthornHeatherFamilyTree3_zps95992e52.jpg

Naturally, if it's too confusing, or if you know better than I that I made a mistake, please let me know...
Robin

Monday, February 04, 2013

And Gypsy from Feral Magic


May you enjoy your companions today.
Robin

Sunday, February 03, 2013

Pic: Tom-Tom in Feral Magic

This is Tom-Tom in Feral Magic:


Saturday, February 02, 2013

Feral Magic Cover Process


Feral Magic cover process: The original cover didn't have the quote at the top (as you can see in the pic). You can see an intermediate cover we made, still with a longish quote. I provided the quote, which, in full, reads: Exploring the themes of family, the author provides plenty of warmth, passion and danger. It's always a joy to visit an Owens world. --Romantic Times. It further got shortened to the quote on the actual ebook cover: It's always a joy to visit an Owens world. --Romantic Times. Cover below:




So, you see, even ebook publishing takes time and thought!

Out of the Blogosphere
[ Join Now | Ring Hub | Random | << Prev | Next >>]