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How to Write a Zillion Books An Interview with Jacqueline Diamond by Jann Ryan

April 2, 2019 by Jann Ryan in category Jann says . . .

Joining us today is USA Today bestselling author Jacqueline Diamond.

Jacqueline Diamond has sold romantic comedies, medical romances, Regency romances and mysteries—more than 100 titles. A former Associated Press reporter and TV columnist, Jackie is best known for her Safe Harbor Medical romance series, beginning with The Would-Be Mommy. She currently writes a spin-off series, the Safe Harbor Medical Mysteries. Jackie has been honored with a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and is a two-time Rita Award finalist. You can sign up for her free monthly newsletter at www.jacquelinediamond.net.

Jann: More than 100 titles!! How did you do it?

Jacqueline: One step at a time! I didn’t set out to write a zillion books; this has happened over the course of about forty years. When I was writing for Harlequin, I had to work on multiple books at once but at different points in the process. One book might be a short proposal waiting for a contract (or rejection); another book, already contracted, might be in the writing stages, while a third, completed book might require revisions at the editor’s request.

Frankly, I wish I had had more time per book, and am delighted to be self-publishing my mystery series (Safe Harbor Medical) at my own pace. When I regain rights to earlier books and prepare them for new editions, I rewrite and polish. It’s mostly minor stuff but I just didn’t have the time for it due to contracts (and need for money!).

Jann: Your Safe Harbor Medical romance series is a great success. Why switch to a medical mystery series?

Jacqueline: Three reasons. I basically felt that, in seventeen books, I’d completed the romantic storylines that felt natural for me in this setting. The second is that I’d been longing to return to mysteries (such as Danger Music, which had been published years earlier, and His Secret Son, a romantic intrigue). Third, I wanted to write and self-publish these mysteries to suit myself not some publisher’s requirements for length or subject matter.

Yet the setting and supporting characters of my fictional Safe Harbor Medical Center still resonate with me. I’ve enjoyed bringing them back to life while creating new major series characters—Dr. Eric Darcy, his PI sister-in-law Tory Golden, and a couple of frenemies, including a homicide detective and a schizophrenic doctor (sympathetic, contrary to stereotypes).

Jann: You have written Regency Romance, romantic comedies and romantic mysteries. Have you ever thought about a women’s fiction or another genre?

Jacqueline: I have also written fantasy (Shadowlight), s.f. (Out of Her Universe) and of course straight mysteries. Some of my romances border on women’s fiction (e.g. The Family Next Door, which is the first book in my Harmony Circle series).

Jann: Throughout your writing career, what changes have you seen in the romance genre?

Jacqueline: The biggest change is that the whole field has opened up. This is largely due to the freedom provided by self-publishing as well as to changes in society. Authors are no longer restricted by whatever publishers believe is selling today or subject to the whims of editors. Of course, there’s a downside as well, because we’re required (whether traditionally or self-published) to promote, promote, promote.

Jann: You have published 3 Safe Harbor Medical Mysteries, The case of the Surly Surrogate, The Case of the Questionable Quadruplet and The Case of the Desperate Doctor. Tell us about this series.

Jacqueline: My protagonist, Dr. Eric Darcy, is an obstetrician in a small town who cares deeply about his patients, family and colleagues. He’s a young widower whose closest friend is a homicide detective and whose crusty sister-in-law is a private investigator. He becomes involved in cases that affect his patients, their families and his own circle of acquaintances.

I’m sometimes put off by mysteries in which the amateur detective has no real reason to be snooping around and, frankly, would get in the way of the police. However, doctors have access to private information as well as the trust of their longtime patients, who might be reluctant to speak to authorities. In The Case of the Questionable Quadruplet, the mother of grown triplets stuns him by claiming there was a fourth baby, a quadruplet stolen from her at birth, many years ago. Was there really a lost child? If she’s still alive, where is she? When someone murders his patient, Eric believes the police are dismissing a vital clue, and feels a responsibility to the victim to discover the truth, aided by his sister-in-law. Night Owl Reviews called it “a very clever mystery where emotions and feelings ran deep.”

Jann: Is there a book 4 in the works? What can you tell about the characters and story?

Jacqueline: Currently, I’m about two-thirds of the way through the fourth mystery, The Case of the Long-Lost Lover. Eric learns that an old flame is missing and might have been trying to reach him when she disappeared. Even more stunning is the discovery that she had a baby that might have been his. When her body is discovered in an unmarked grave, he’s thrust into a quest for the truth, including the whereabouts of a girl who could be his daughter.

Look for Long-Lost Lover this fall! To make sure of being notified, you can sign up on my website, www.jacquelinediamond.net, for my free monthly newsletter. Also, you can follow me on Amazon or Bookbub.

Jann: What kind of writer are you?

Jacqueline: I jot a lot of notes before I start writing, and organize (and reorganize) them as I go. To me, it’s vital to incorporate both structure based on turning points, so that the pace never lags, and springing-to-life characters that I and the reader care about. I also place a lot of emphasis on accurate research in the medical field and in police work. My Beta readers include a retired sheriff’s investigator and an obstetrical nurse. I also consult other experts and do research online.

Jann: How do you stay motivated? What drives you to keep writing?

Jacqueline: Honestly, I knew from the age of four that I was meant to be a writer. Something inside drives me, which is fortunate, because there’ve been a lot of rejections and other setbacks along the way. If this were just a hobby, I’d have quit long ago!

Thank you, Jacqueline, for answering our questions.

A Few Books by Jacqueline Diamond

THE CASE OF THE QUESTIONABLE QUADRUPLET

DANGER MUSIC

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

THE WOULD BE MOMMY

A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

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April Featured Authors Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger

April 1, 2019 by Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as April 2019 Featured Authors, hard-boiled mysteries, Janet Elizabeth Lynn, The Skylar Drake Murder Mystery Series, Will Zeilinger

Book cover of Game Town and picture of Janet Lynn and Will Zeilinger

Published authors Will Zeilinger and Janet Lynn wrote individually until they got together and created the Skylar Drake Mystery Series. These hard-boiled tales are based in old Hollywood of 1956-57. Janet has published seven mystery novels and Will has three plus a couple of short stories. Their world travels have sparked several ideas for murder and crime stories. This creative couple is married and live in Southern California.

The next Skylar Drake Mystery, fifth in the series, GAME TOWN is available now and yes . . . they’re are still married!

In addition to Janet’s and Will’s monthly column, Partners in Crime, each week in April they will share with us some of the research they used to write GAME TOWN.

The Emmy Awards 1957

My husband Will Zeilinger and I co-write the Skylar Drake Murder Mysteries, a hard-boiled detective series that takes the reader to 1950s Los Angeles and other areas of the west. Our new book, GAME TOWN, is set in Hollywood and exposes a scandal that rocks the Toy Companies in Los Angeles.

While doing in-depth research into 1950s Hollywood, we came across news that amazed us! We discovered that the Emmy Awards and the Academy award were ten days apart. We wrestled with which one we should us in our novel. Since we couldn’t decide, we chose to begin the novel with the Emmys and end with the Academy awards.

The 9th Emmy Awards was held on March 17, 1957 at NBC Studios in Burbank. The ceremony was hosted by Desi Arnaz of I LOVE LUCY fame. Hence the book begins here.

The winners of the Emmy Awards were:

Best 1/2-hour series – Phil Silver Show

Best 1-hour series – Caesar’s Hour

Best New Program Series- Playhouse 90

Best actor in a comedy series – Sid Caesar for Caesar’s Comedy Hour

Best actor in a drama series – Robert Young for Father Knows Best

Best actress in a comedy series – Nanette Fabray for Caesar’s Comedy Hour

Best actress in a drama series – Loretta Young for Loretta Young Show

The Skylar Drake Murder Mysteries Series

SLICK DEAL

GAME TOWN

STRANGE MARKINGS

SLIVERS OF GLASS

DESERT ICE

STONE PUB: An Exercise in Deception

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Dear Extra Squeeze Team, Should I Just Give Up?

March 31, 2019 by The Extra Squeeze in category The Extra Squeeze by The Extra Squeeze Team tagged as Indie, Jenny Jensen, Rebecca Forster., Rejection, writing

Dear Extra Squeeze Team, I just got my 20th rejection. Should I just give up?

Rebecca Forster | Extra Squeeze — Rebecca Forster
USA Today Bestselling author of 35 books, including the Witness series and the new Finn O’Brien series.

Don’t give up!

Learn!

Something isn’t striking a chord with editors so figure it out.

Perhaps your blurb is off-putting, the book is slow to start, pacing is awkward, or your characters aren’t defined.

Are you sending the right work to the wrong editor?

Have you truly defined your genre or are you waffling between two or even three?

I often ask people about their genre only to hear “well, it’s sort of a historical, coming of age, horror novel with aliens”. That’s not going to fly with editors.

Ask the most successful author you personally know to read your pitch and first chapters and give an honest opinion. If they cannot articulate their objections, then ask them to point out the areas where they got stuck or where they lost interest. Some of my best learning experiences have been through my rejection letters. I keep a file to remind me of my strengths and weakness. It is like having a tutorial at my fingertips

P.S. I had a friend who write 70 books and when she hit, there was no looking back. Be objective about your work, learn, and move forward. Good luck.

We're Taking Questions | A Slice of Orange

Do you have a publishing question for The Extra Squeeze Team?

Use this form to send them to us.

Jenny Jensen | A Slice of Orange — *Jenny Jensen*
Developmental editor who has worked for twenty plus years with new and established authors of both fiction and non-fiction, traditional and indie.

Rejection – the inescapable bane of a writer’s life.

JK Rowling in her own words received “loads” of rejections and now she posts them on Twitter to encourage aspiring writers. I think that’s wonderful and says it all. If writing and sharing your work (publishing) is your driving passion then no, never give up.

It could, however, be time to ask yourself why. Publisher and agent rejections are based on a myriad of reasons. Sometimes you’ll get a form letter or you could receive a note with some details explaining the rejection. If you have, then study the reasons closely and consider revising your manuscript to accommodate the input. Hire an editor for a review from fresh eyes.

If you’re 100% confident your story is ready for publication, take another look at your submissions material. Could there be a better way to present the story? Be certain you’ve submitted to the right publisher. Harlequin is not interested in political thrillers and a romance editor would likely not read past the first line of your letter.

If you feel you have the perfect trifecta – manuscript, letter and synopsis – then keep on submitting until you land before the eyes of just that editor or agent who is looking for exactly what you’ve written. According to Ms. Rowling, that’s pretty much how it went for her: the right editor with the right eye and the right curiosity. Go for the long haul.

Today’s huge Indie market allows a writer to bypass traditional publishing (which has always seemed to be somewhat arbitrary) without giving up the dream. Self-publishing is a lot of work on top of the time and effort invested in writing a novel. It’s not enough to simply post the book. You must publicize and tout and twitter and tweet, Facebook and Instagram and fish for reviews. Going that particular long haul gives the author far greater control and ROI than any traditional publisher will provide—especially to a first-time author.

If you believe your work is the best it can be you have choices. Never give up.

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Kick Off Your Winter Doldrums with a Spring Writing Conference!!!

March 28, 2019 by Alina K. Field in category Quarter Days by Alina K. Field, Writing tagged as California Dreamin' Conference, Craft Workshops, Tessa Dare, Theodora Taylor

Normally I’d devote this Quarter Days column to a topic I’ve uncovered in historical research, but preparations for the California Dreamin’ Conference have consumed my life lately, and I have to share. This is going to be a great conference!

A Chance to Retool and Refresh

From April 5-7, 2019, authors and aspiring authors will gather at the Embassy Suites in Brea, California for workshops on the craft and the business of writing fiction. Plus, we’ll connect up with agents, editors, and industry professionals to help grow our businesses, whether pursuing traditional or indie publishing.

Craft, Craft, and More Craft

And we’re not just covering Romance! Kate Carlisle will teach us how to write a Cozy Mystery, Rebecca Forster will cover Police Procedurals, and Orange County Deputy Coroner Paul Hoag will talk about dissecting a death scene (sorry–couldn’t resist that image). We’ll have workshops on Women’s Fiction, and YA, and Historical Fiction.

Getting Down to Business

Authors pursuing traditional publishing will have a chance to pitch to seven editors and two agents. Those following an Indie track can meet one-on-one with representatives from Ingram Spark, Draft 2 Digital, ACX/Audible and WonderPR. And since everyone, both trad and published, has to market, we’ll find workshops on selling our stories to editors, Hollywood, and most importantly, the readers!

Add-ons

Conference add-ons include a fabulous all day Book Camp on April 5th presented by author and writing teacher, Janice Hardy, offered for $99. Learn how to write that story from start to finish!

Short on cash? You don’t have to attend the full conference to sign up for Book Camp!

For those who do attend the conference, our Editor/Agent critique sessions are full and closed, but we still have spots for a new conference add-on: Special Author Critique Sessions. Spend $10 for an hour of expert advice!

Inspiration, Good Food, and FUN!!!

What’s a conference without keynote speakers, and we have two! Beloved and bestselling author of Regency romance, Tessa Dare, will speak at Saturday night’s dinner. Bestselling Contemporary Romance author Theodora Taylor, known for writing alternative heroes and smart feisty heroines, will speak at Sunday’s luncheon.

And speaking of food–the conference features an opening night reception, soup-and-salad bar lunch on Saturday, and sit-down dinners on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. For those staying on site, Embassy Suites offers a full made-to-order hot breakfast.

After noshing on appetizers at the Friday night reception, attendees can pull out their laptops and tablets and take part in the great Friday Night Write-In. Get those words flowing onto the page in the company of your fellow writing enthusiasts!