The first time I ever “met” an author, I was eleven years old, pajama-clad, sitting in the back of my mom’s blue station wagon while Romancing the Stone played on the giant screen in front of me. The author’s name was Joan Wilder. She was a romance author. And she looked like this:
I can’t believe it’s already September!
Now through December is my favorite time of year. I love fall and winter, but living in Florida means experiencing those seasons a bit differently than most. Our “sweater weather” doesn’t typically begin until November, and sometimes not even then. Many of our trees–especially our numerous live oaks–tend to lose leaves in March rather than September. And you’d be hard-pressed to find an apple orchard or a natural pumpkin patch in most of the state. But we find ways to feel fall-ish anyway. I will still happily drink my PSLs and salted caramel mochas, even in shorts with sweat running down my neck. I’ll deck out my home in pumpkins, fall leaves, and autumnal knick-knacks. And I’ll put fall-scented candles on the warmer so the still humid air smells like pumpkin, cinnamon, and woodsmoke. Then, mid-November, I’ll switch it all out for winter decor, even if it’s too hot in the attic to get the boxes down until after dark.
Believe it or not, the end of this month will mark one year since Ashes Swept was published. All during the year I’ve been hard at work on another book, and though I’d hoped to be much further along with it by now, I’m aiming for a Spring/Summer 2019 release. Thankfully, this is the time of year where I tend to write more, so with any luck I’ll be able to get a lot done. Then there’s also NaNoWriMo, and this year would be my ninth in a row. I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to do it, though I kind of hate to break my streak when I’m so close to ten in a row.
Here are a few other things…
Currently Reading: Into the Fire, Broken Gears #2, by Dana Fraedrich (and I’m OBSESSED!)
Currently Watching: Steven and I just started Brooklyn Nine-Nine and I’m HOOKED!
Currently Writing: Still on draft two of novel #8 (which will be published novel #2)
Currently Loving: The new “Good Eats” segment on my friend Melissa’s author blog. If you, like me, sometimes struggle to find a balance between making home-cooked meals and getting things done, give her a follow so you can collect some great recipes!
I missed it, but there was a conversation on Twitter last week about whether or not to include college-age protagonists in the Young Adult category. From the sound of it, people were evenly split–and since this is something I was already pondering, I know exactly where I stand.
“Young Adult” is a book category featuring protagonists in the 15-18 age range. Although YA fiction is enjoyed by young and older adults alike, it’s often geared toward teenage readers. However, what truly defines YA isn’t so much the age of the characters or target audience, but the novel’s issues and themes. High school drama, first love, increased independence from parents, discovering self-identity, blossoming sexuality, and facing peer pressure, are just some of the subjects tackled by YA fiction. But now something funny is happening…
After the release of Ashes Swept, I was surprised by how many readers said they were excited for the sequel and asked when it would be out. This caught me completely off-guard, because Ashes Swept was always meant to be a stand-alone novel. The book covers the important part of Synda May’s story, so I’d never even considered adding on beyond that.
Continue reading “Why I’m Not Writing a Sequel to Ashes Swept”
In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Hillary Clinton said: “The whole romance novel industry is about women being grabbed and thrown on a horse and ridden off into the distance.”
I laughed when I first read that. Then I grumbled. And then I set out to write a post about how unjust that sentiment is. That’s when I fell down a familiar rabbit hole. And bear with me, this subject change is going to give you whiplash…
Julia J Simpson 