New Member Introduction-Fictionista

[fictionista]

Feels a little lonely at this time of night, but I'm stopping in to introduce myself. I've written nine books for Harlequin's SuperRomance line, the most recent one (cringe) The Baby Doctors hit the shelves last October. I'm now working on a longer, more mainstream book--what I'd intended to write several years ago when I took a romance detour. Also do some freelance writing, including travel and teach fiction writing at the local college.

Best to all,

Janice

[Steve E]

Feels a little lonely at this time of night, but I'm stopping in to introduce myself. I've written nine books for Harlequin's SuperRomance line, the most recent one (cringe) The Baby Doctors hit the shelves last October. I'm now working on a longer, more mainstream book--what I'd intended to write several years ago when I took a romance detour. Also do some freelance writing, including travel and teach fiction writing at the local college.

Best to all,

Janice

Nine Harlequin SuperRomance novels? I think you and Lady M will get along famously.

 

What's the difference between super-romance and regular romance?

(That was a serious question Isaac!)

-Thoth.

[marguerite]

Nine Harlequin SuperRomance novels? I think you and Lady M will get along famously.

 

What's the difference between super-romance and regular romance?

(That was a serious question Isaac!)

-Thoth.

Super-romances are longer. Harlequin has word-count restrictions, because they turn out books by the ton, so they have to streamline production. But they're also leaders in the e-book business, which should please the Kindle lovers among us.

 

Welcome, Fictionista! As Thoth notes, I write swashbuckling romances, somewhere between historicals and SF (because they portray a simulated past). I'm currently experimenting with rewriting one of them as a YA novel—don't know yet if it will work, but re-imagining is much more fun than plain rewriting.

 

Like you, I wrote in Word for years (and still do, somewhat—hush, don't tell Steve) till I discovered Storyist quite by accident in a MacWorld review. Now I love it and can't imagine writing without it. For some of the reasons why, see /Using Storyist/Notes on the Notebook, /Using Storyist/Character Groups, and some of the feature request threads (not only my posts).

 

And the community is lots of fun as well, as you'll discover if you'll stick around.

Best,

Marguerite

[Steve E]

Super-romances are longer.

So they're not more romantic or involve super powers. Just longer. Sounds like beach reading.

 

Thanks for the info.

-Thoth.

[fictionista]

So they're not more romantic or involve super powers. Just longer. Sounds like beach reading.

 

Thanks for the info.

-Thoth.

[fictionista]

Hi everyone, thanks for the welcome. Marguerite you're right, Supers are longer (apx 300 pages) than say Harlequin American (apx 250 or so) although TPTB have been shaving word length in the last year or so. Harlequin has many lines, each with a different feel--no pun intended. Supers were/are considered more mainstream and often have fairly intricate plots and subplots and more than two viewpoint characters. Okay, this is probably far more than anyone wanted to know. Is everyone writing fiction? Is there a place to check out bios? Probably so (she said, answering her own question) I'll take a look around.

 

 

I'm looking forward to using Storyist, quite excited about it in fact. May be the cure for my current state of chronic procrastination.

Janice

[Steve E]

I'm looking forward to using Storyist, quite excited about it in fact. May be the cure for my current state of chronic procrastination.

Take a read through the Procrastination Station in the Writer's Lounge. It might give you a few ideas, or drive you completely out of your mind.

 

-Thoth.

 

BTW: I notice that you post quotes and replies to those quotes separately (one after the other). Not that it matters but is there any particular reason for that?

[fictionista]

Take a read through the Procrastination Station in the Writer's Lounge. It might give you a few ideas, or drive you completely out of your mind.

 

-Thoth.

 

BTW: I notice that you post quotes and replies to those quotes separately (one after the other). Not that it matters but is there any particular reason for that?

 

no reason, just not familiar with forum--and somewhat challenged technically.

[Steve]

I'm looking forward to using Storyist, quite excited about it in fact.

 

I'd love to hear your feedback as you put it through its paces.

 

May be the cure for my current state of chronic procrastination.

 

I liked the way you phrased it on your site: "deadline hooky"

 

-Steve

[marguerite]

So they're not more romantic or involve super powers. Just longer. Sounds like beach reading.

 

Thanks for the info.

-Thoth.

Well. longer means more space to develop characters and relationships, which are crucial in a romance, so in that sense the super-romances are often both more romantic and more plausible than the shorter series romances, which in my long-ago college days I could rip through in an hour and a half.

 

For superpowers you go to paranormal romance, populated by werewolves, vampires, and various other "heroes" who seem, shall we say, capable of doing much worse than slapping bunny ears on a puppy. But they're huge sellers—a rather terrifying phenomenon when you think about it. Are the great hinterlands of America chock-a-block with females dreaming of Dracula?

M

[Steve E]

Well. longer means more space to develop characters and relationships, which are crucial in a romance, so in that sense the super-romances are often both more romantic and more plausible than the shorter series romances...

You are sooo not a dude. Seriously.

 

For superpowers you go to paranormal romance, populated by werewolves, vampires, and various other "heroes" who seem, shall we say, capable of doing much worse than slapping bunny ears on a puppy. But they're huge sellers—a rather terrifying phenomenon when you think about it. Are the great hinterlands of America chock-a-block with females dreaming of Dracula?

Love bites.

 

-Thoth.

[marguerite]

You are sooo not a dude. Seriously.

Why thank you, sir!

Love bites.

-Thoth.

Don't it just?!

Doing my best for the matriarchy (see why we need you, Fictionista? Calli and I are on our own here),

M

[codemer]

Feels a little lonely at this time of night, but I'm stopping in to introduce myself. I've written nine books for Harlequin's SuperRomance line, the most recent one (cringe) The Baby Doctors hit the shelves last October. I'm now working on a longer, more mainstream book--what I'd intended to write several years ago when I took a romance detour. Also do some freelance writing, including travel and teach fiction writing at the local college.

Best to all,

Janice

 

Welcome to the Storyist boards. Feel free to kick your shoes off and stay a while.

 

When I'm not writing crap, I'm usually working on my science fiction/fantasy novel. I am a software developer by trade, though.

 

Be well,

IF

[codemer]

For superpowers you go to paranormal romance, populated by werewolves, vampires, and various other "heroes" who seem, shall we say, capable of doing much worse than slapping bunny ears on a puppy. But they're huge sellers—a rather terrifying phenomenon when you think about it. Are the great hinterlands of America chock-a-block with females dreaming of Dracula?

 

Is that the kind of stuff Nora Roberts writes? Her books are lying all around my house, though I've never read one.

 

IF

[codemer]

Love bites.

 

Seriously? That sounded like a pun.

 

IF

[Steve E]

Is that the kind of stuff Nora Roberts writes? Her books are lying all around my house, though I've never read one.

Wait. Why are they lying around your house? Who have been buying them and scattering them hither and yon?

-Thoth.

[Steve E]

Seriously? That sounded like a pun.

A serious and very intellectual pun; so very deep on oh so many levels.

 

Still five hours to deadline and I can take off my gauntlet. Then you'll read some silly, let me tell you.

-Thoth.

[codemer]

Wait. Why are they lying around your house? Who have been buying them and scattering them hither and yon?

 

My wife buys them and stacks them up neatly. My children find neat stacks of books and think it would be fun to take those books and put them all over the house.

 

IF

[Steve E]

My wife buys them and stacks them up neatly. My children find neat stacks of books and think it would be fun to take those books and put them all over the house.

Your offspring are very wise. If they had remained neatly stacked someone might have been tempted to read one.

Still serious.

-Thoth.

[Christina]

Feels a little lonely at this time of night, but I'm stopping in to introduce myself. I've written nine books for Harlequin's SuperRomance line, the most recent one (cringe) The Baby Doctors hit the shelves last October. I'm now working on a longer, more mainstream book--what I'd intended to write several years ago when I took a romance detour. Also do some freelance writing, including travel and teach fiction writing at the local college.

Best to all,

Janice

 

Welcome, Janice! It's exciting to see an experienced, published author join the forum here. Your presence will elevate the level of discourse!

 

I have a question--why did you write "cringe" in announcing your latest book? I hope that's not in reference to the genre or your publisher. You should be proud that you have had NINE novels published by a nationally known publishing house! Maybe you have no idea how many people think about writing a novel, talk about writing a novel, and very earnestly intend to write a novel--and never do. But you actually did, and got paid for it. Nine times. I'll never write nine novels of any type. If I finish the one I started for NaNoWriMo 2007, it will be a miracle. Anyway, congratulations, and we're looking forward to your comments here.

 

I should also note that I am working on the Storyist User's Guide, so if you have any advice/questions/requests regarding what you would like to see in a user's guide, what you would like instructions for, etc., please post. Of course, Storyist is pretty easy to use, so you might not have any questions. But there's help here if you need it.

 

Welcome!

 

Christina

Managing Editor, Storyist

[codemer]

Your presence will elevate the level of discourse!

 

Hey! What is that supposed to mean?

 

IF

[marguerite]

Is that the kind of stuff Nora Roberts writes? Her books are lying all around my house, though I've never read one.

 

IF

No. Nora Roberts writes a lot of stuff, but no paranormal as far as I know. She may have done some time travel, which is sometimes subsumed under paranormal, and she has at least one trilogy based in part on an invented Irish myth—the only books of hers I've read. She also writes mysteries as J. D. Robb. No vampires or werewolves (werelions, whatever), though.

 

She's the exception to the "prolific means poor quality" rule, actually. The three I read were quite good, even though she churns them out at a rate that makes me wonder if she, too, has a stable of ghost writers.

 

Probably not your cup of tea even so, Isaac!

Best,

Marguerite

[fictionista]

Hi Christina, the cringe referred to the title and, actually, the cover. Really irked me that both main characters are physicians, but the female looks like Barbi and while the male looks like Ken he is at least dressed in surgical scrubs. Don't get me started on an earlier cover--although I'd be glad to rant without much arm twisting. I also dislike the simplistic/lowest common denominator titles although I'm told the marketing knows what sells. My first book had the very high minded title: A Degree of Compromise. Ended up: The Doctor Delivers. I was teased unmercifully.

Good luck with the NaNo book, I know several people who are doing that.

Janice

[marguerite]

Hi Christina, the cringe referred to the title and, actually, the cover. Really irked me that both main characters are physicians, but the female looks like Barbi and while the male looks like Ken he is at least dressed in surgical scrubs. Don't get me started on an earlier cover--although I'd be glad to rant without much arm twisting. I also dislike the simplistic/lowest common denominator titles although I'm told the marketing knows what sells. My first book had the very high minded title: A Degree of Compromise. Ended up: The Doctor Delivers. I was teased unmercifully.

Good luck with the NaNo book, I know several people who are doing that.

Janice

Janice, my sympathies. If it makes you feel any better, my critique partner ended up with a cover featuring a headless guy wearing only a towel with a woman's arms and legs wrapped around him from behind. Does this have anything to do with the plot? You might think so if you read the blurb on the back, but that has nothing to do with the plot either. Now folks are slamming her in Internet reviews for false advertising, and she's going, "Don't look at me. I didn't write the stuff."

 

Ain't publishing grand? (Not that I'm published in fiction yet, but watching it from the sidelines is hilarious, not to say mindblowing--academic publishing is a whole different ball park.)

 

Congratulations on the nine novels! There are other published writers on the Storyist forums, but I don't know how many. A lot of us are still writhing in outer darkness, I think.

Marguerite

[Steve E]

Hi Christina, the cringe referred to the title and, actually, the cover. Really irked me that both main characters are physicians, but the female looks like Barbi and while the male looks like Ken he is at least dressed in surgical scrubs.

Hi Christina,

 

I looked up the cover on Amazon (search: "The Baby Doctors" Janice Macdonald). It's not really all that bad, at least to my eyes. Certainly not cringe-worthy. If it sold well, I could learn to love it.

 

"No one's immune to love..."

-Thoth.