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PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER AND LET'S HEAR SOME NOISE! COME ON NOW, YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT! GIVE ME A COUPLE OF HELL, YEAHS!


Congratulations to all the Casablanca authors who have releases this month! When I was thinking about a post for this month, a vision of our blog site with all the pretty covers along the right side came to mind.

Each of us know what it takes to go from a proposal to getting our cover on that side of the board. Believe me, it does not happen by osmosis or by magic.

But for those of you who don't have an idea, here's the process.



No matter how many books an author has sold, zero or a hundred, it all starts with a after hours and hours of beating our heads against a brick wall trying to come up with an original idea, a plot that hasn't been worked to death, a hero that our readers can fall in love with, and a heroine that they can relate to. And the more books we've written, the bigger the bruises on our poor little foreheads.

Once that first step is finished and we have the plot that is going to blow the first place NY Times best seller into second place, the next step is writing the book, or proposing it if the author has a proven track record, in which case it's still pretty much writing the book.

Characters become real and live in our heads the whole time we're writing. We cry with them. We laugh with them. Sometimes we argue with them right out loud and get thrown out of ice cream parlors but we feel every single emotion that our characters do and at the end of a day's work, we're drained. The take-out industry does take advantage of this situation for real. I should buy stock in the local pizza place.

The book is written. It's sold and now the fun part arrives. Edits...first round, second round, third round, sometimes fourth rounds. We hack at the scenes. We build new ones. We work at getting every word just right so our readers will enjoy every scene, every nuance, every single time a shape shifter, vampire, a biker, a cowboy or Duke or Earl says a word our readers are right there with them. They can see the room our characters are in. We want to touch emotions so we give it all we've got and then we dig deeper and give it some more.

Now the edits are done and the book is off to the copy and proof folks. They send it back with lots of red ink and we read it one more time to be sure we agree with the changes. It's off again and then it comes back for one more final reading. Then finally, it is done, finished and sent to the printer.

The books that we are writing this year won't see publication until next year most usually. That means when our beloved readers tell us how much they love our new book that they get a blank stare as we try to sort through our minds and figure out which book they are talking about.

In two weeks the final book in the Cowboys & Brides series, How to Marry a Cowboy, will hit the shelves and I get my gorgeous cover on the right side of the site. I'll be proud enough to bust the buttons right off my shirt, let me tell you!

I wrote it about this time last year. I've just finished the third book, One Cowboy Too Many,  (and sent it to my awesome editor) this week in the next series, the Burnt Boot series. I'll begin to write the final book in the Burnt Boot series real soon. At the same time, I've been doing that step one thing from up above trying to come up with the next proposal and I think I've finally at least got an idea out of my bruised head. We'll hope that Awesome Editor likes it and I can start writing that series when I wrap the last Burnt Boot one up in October.

But now it's back to the planning board on that fourth Burnt Boot book to figure out just how the cowboy and the sassy bit of baggage that everyone has gotten to know in books one, two and three of the Burnt Boot series, will ever get their HEA when they are definitely the most stubborn couple I've ever worked with.

So now you readers all know what that blank stare we give you is about. We wrote that story a year ago and now we're thinking about finishing up next year's novel and on the back burner is the books for the year after that.

Today, though, a huge congratulations to all the folks with books lined up down the right side of the page. A standing ovation wouldn't be out of order, neither would champagne, flowers and chocolate.

To celebrate I will give away a Casablanca Kindle or Nook book of your choice at the close of today. You can choose from the new June books on the right side that we've been applauding today. Comment about which of our wonderful Casablanca authors that you like and I'll put your name in the red boot for a free book.
Please include your email address! And happy reading, everyone!   

 

 

Comments

  1. Hell yeah Carolyn browns in the house! Can't wait to read How to Marry a Cowboy . Carolyn sure knows how to love them cowboys! Congratulations Carolyn on the upcoming release! With all my love from your favorite stalker! Oh and Lisa says hi and congratulations!

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    1. Woo-hoo...so glad to see you and Lisa, Miz Kim. I love it that you stalk me!

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    2. Yes, exactly, Carolyn! One of my fabulous readers recently emailed me about an ARC she read, complimenting my hero and heroine. I seriously thought she'd emailed the wrong author. I had no memory of these characters as being mine. Just before I replied, I remembered them. I was so wrapped up in the book I was writing at the moment and the other book I was promoting, I forgot the book coming out!

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    3. Yes, ma'am! Been there many times, Shana!

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  2. I am very much looking forward to the release of your latest, How To Marry A Cowboy. I will be sad to see this series end but, then again, I know I can count on you to come up with another winning series.
    There are so many great authors in this group. I am lucky enough to get to see Victoria Roberts after she releases a book since she lives in my area and is kind enough to visit my local book club. I also really enjoy Terry Spears' books and have her latest on my tbr list.
    Finally, I am hoping I get to meet you next month at RWA in San Antonio. I will be carrying my copy of The Cowboy's Christmas Baby, my favorite of yours, in hopes of getting it signed. Anticipate a "fan girl" moment.
    margie.hager@yahoo.com

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  3. Oh, I will gladly sign that book for you, Miz Margie, and I might have a "fan reader" moment while I do it! Thank you for stopping by and being such a wonderful fan of us Casa folks!

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  4. Congrats, all you wonderful authors! I whole-heartedly second Carolyn's suggestion of champagne, flowers and chocolate to celebrate.
    mochfly(at)swbell(dot)net

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    1. Thank you, Miz LSU...I agree Casablanca has some totally awesome authors.

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  5. I enjoy so many Casablanca authors! Every month I add a good many of them of to my list and your newest cowboy book will definitely be on the list!! Congrats to all the fantastic authors!!

    thebigbluewall77 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. Thank you, Anita! These folks are fantastic authors and really nice folks!

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  6. Elisabeth Staab, Pamela Sherwood, Gina Lamm, etc.

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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    1. Thank you, BN...I think those ladies are pretty great, too.

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  7. Carolyn Brown!
    patoct@yahoo.com

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  8. Congratulations to all the wonderful authors who have books being released. Champagne, chocolate, and roses for all of you!

    kscathy AT yahoo DOT com

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  9. Must add my congratulations to the awesome authors with new releases!! Confetti and tiaras for all :) It's always great to see what Casa authors have for us readers each month!

    ahui89 at hotmail dot com

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    1. Oh, my! Tiaras! Now why didn't I think of that, too!?

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  10. Congratulations! I can't pick only one of you because you're all great.

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  11. Great releases from great authors!! Congrats all! I couldn't pick just one off the top of my head!

    sheryll1974@netscape.net

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  12. Thank you to everyone who has come out today to visit with us about the new releases here on Casablanca Blog site! We appreciate you readers so much! The WINNER of the contest is Anita H. I will be getting in touch with you in the next few minutes...happy reading!

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