heidi's blog

reviews are in

Well, one review. The very first for my November Silhouette Desire, BEDDED THEN WED.

Melissa of Joyfully Reviewed says: "You cannot go wrong with Heidi Betts! BEDDED THEN WED is richly emotional and stirred my heart. I found myself quickly invested in Emma and Mitch's relationship, and hanging on every page waiting for them to find their happy ending. Heidi Betts cannot write quickly enough for me, and each book is a treat that I can't wait to dive into."

Awww. (Don't worry, her check is in the mail. *vbg*) To read the full review, visit www.JoyfullyReviewed.com.

And hopefully soon, I'll also have some cover art & back cover copy for the book to share. I can't wait to see how they turn out! :-)

Have a happy holiday weekend, everyone!

posted by Heidi Betts at 5:36 PM 2 comments  

quote of the day

"The secret of success is to keep the five guys who hate you away from the five guys who haven't made up their minds." --Casey Stengel


Currently watching The People's Court
Currently reading I Think I Love You by Stephanie Bond

posted by Heidi Betts at 3:09 PM 2 comments  

Writing Tip #2

Don't get so wrapped up in trying to find an agent that you lose sight of the real goal: getting published.

I see this all that time & can only shake my head. Yes, it's important to have an agent. And, yes, we all want one. We have fantasies of this wonderful, fabulous Super-Agent who will swoop in to take us under his/her wing & help to make all our dreams come true. There's nothing wrong with that, & sometimes it even happens. :-) But if you're serious about a career in writing, then you need to approach it very logically.

For one thing, you don't need an agent straight out of the gate. In the beginning, the most important thing to do is focus on the writing, do the very best job you can, & get a manuscript--or a couple of manuscripts!--completed, polished, & submitted. You can submit on your own. You can make that first sale, or even the first few sales, on your own. And as much as you might not like the prospect, you can also negotiation the contract on your own.

True, you may not get the very best deal possible, or you may not get a few things an agent could have gotten you, but I don't think anything you miss out on will be of the committing-hari-kari variety. It will be small stuff--slightly lower advance, fewer author copies, a longer wait time on the option clause. You might kick yourself over it a little bit later, but it won't be the end of the world.

And just because you don't have an agent doesn't mean you have to go into the situation without a clue. This is a business; it may be a business built on author creativity, but it's still a business. It's your job to familiarize yourself with every aspect of the industry & to know how things work before it ever comes time to negotiate a contract. You can learn a lot of what you need to know by joining RWA, joining local Chapters or writing groups, attending workshops & conferences, talking with published authors, & reading books on the subject.

There's a brilliant man, a literary agent by the name of...Hmm, what it is again? Oh, yes, Richard Curtis...who happens to also be the author of a non-fiction book titled How to Be Your Own Literary Agent. Buy it, read it, memorize it. It really will help you. Richard is my agent, & I still bought the book & read it. Why? Because the fact that you have an agent is no excuse not to educate yourself & know what's going on. Remember, it's your signature & only your signature on those contracts. An agent can advise you, but you're the one who is legally responsible for the agreement you make with the publisher & any legal documents you sign. And if you don't have an agent just yet, this book (& there are probably others out there, as well) will fill you in enough to get through the first couple contracts on your own.

For another, before you start approaching agents, you really need to have something to offer them. Yes, technically your agent works for you, but there are more authors out there in search of an agent than there are agents in search of clients, so they can afford to be choosey. Plus, an agent doesn't get paid unless you get paid, so they need to know you're going to be well worth the time & effort they put into your career. You need to have a product they think they can sell. You need to have at least one complete manuscript to show them so that they A.) know you can finish a book, B.) can see the full spectrum of your writing & plotting abilities, & C.) have a strong, solid project to market. And you need to be prolific enough that you're not going to end up being a One-Book Wonder, either for yourself or for them. An agent is going to go to bat for you, talk you up to editors, try to convince at least one of them that you're the best thing to come along since sliced bread...& you don't want to leave him/her with egg on his/her face when it turns out you only had one good book in you & weren't really serious about being a career-oriented author, after all. Eeek.

I am here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with doing the legwork yourself, getting out there & selling a few books on your own. It may even be the smart thing to do, because you'll begin to build a reputation & create a track record for yourself. Both of which you can then take to an agent & show him/her that you're a good investment.

Last but not least, you don't want to be in such a hurry to find an agent that you end up with the wrong one. You've probably heard before that no agent is better than a bad agent. This is very true. And the agent doesn't even have to be "bad," but if s/he is the wrong agent for you, then you really are better off on your own. Believe me when I say this; I've been there, done that, & learned the lesson well.

The smarter move is to really do your research. All while you're learning the craft of writing, working on your first or second or third manuscript, attending conferences & submitting on your own...keep your eyes open. Take notes--mental ones, at the very least--of the agents you come into contact with. Whether you meet them in person, hear them speak on a conference panel, or simply hear their name mentioned at the luncheon table, take note. Start to build your opinion & gut feelings about them long before you ever need to query. Which ones did you like? Which ones did you not like so much? Which ones represent authors whose writing is similar to yours? Which ones have you heard positive or negative stories about?

Keep track of all these things, & begin to build a list of possible future agents. Organize your list from your number one choice of "Dream Agent" & move down from there. And then, when you're ready, you'll begin your agent hunt by being informed & prepared.

This is the way you want to approach the job of finding an agent, because the agent/author relationship is very much like a marriage. You have to work together, trust each other, & share all your assets. And you do not want to do that with someone you've come to realize was not the right agent for you.

posted by Heidi Betts at 11:29 AM 0 comments  

question of the week

Do you skim?

Be honest. When you pick up a book to read, do you flip to the last page to see if there's going to be a happy ending, or maybe to see if the heroine ends up with the right guy? While you're reading, do you flip ahead just a bit to see what happens next?

I'm a skimmer. There, I've admitted it. In fact, I'd probably have to say I'm a compulsive skimmer. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to stop myself from flipping ahead just a bit to see what happens later in the story. And believe me, there have been times when I've wanted to kick myself for ruining an element of the book that otherwise would have come as a real surprise.

The only time I really do try to curb this tendency is while reading romantic suspense. It only took one time of discovering who the killer was way too soon to teach me to be more careful with that type of book. I won't say I never skim a romantic suspense, I'm just more careful about it. :-D


Currently watching The Bourne Supremacy
Currently reading Countdown by Iris Johansen (& so far, not skimming!)

posted by Heidi Betts at 11:34 AM 6 comments  

fun with Creed & Maya

Thanks to a busy weekend of writing, I'm deep into chapter one of FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN. I would probably be farther along, but this story has a bit of a slower opening and more complicated set-up than I normally do.

See, the book opens with the heroine (Maya Blackstone) making out with another guy. A guy not the hero (Creed Fortune). :-) Now, before you get upset, there really is a good reason for this, & it will all make sense once you read the book.

But for me, it's been interesting. Those of you who are familiar with my backlist will know that I tend to get my heroes & heroines together as quickly as possible from page one. Sometimes on page one. (And by "together," I mean, get them to meet & start shooting off sparks, not the HEA together that comes at the very end. :-)) Having the heroine be with another guy in the beginning is definitely new to me. It's kind of fun, but also challenging.

And the thing is, I really like this guy. His name is Brad McKenzie, & he's not anti-hero material in any way. He could totally be a hero, he just isn't the right man for Maya. Which is why I'm bugging my editor to let me do his story, too. I've already got a couple of really nifty ideas in mind for him. And my editor said I could, we just haven't figure out when...or whether the story will be a full-length Desire or maybe a much shorter online read for eHarlequin.

We'll have to wait & see, since I have plenty of other projects to keep me busy at the moment. But don't be surprised if you see an extra "Dakota Fortunes" book somewhere down the road...or a follow-up to the series on eHarlequin.com. :-)

Of course, now I'm to the part in FFW where the hero does come into play & sparks are about to fly between Creed & Maya like nobody's business. I can already sort of see how chapter one will end, drifting directly into the first love scene for chapter two. Fun, fun. :-D

Time to get back to it!

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:52 AM 2 comments  

did you know...?

...that the lead actor in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is the same one who played the little boy in CBS's American Gothic? (What a freaky show--I loved it! Someone's at the door. :-))

And...

Hugh Jackman voices the sophisticated mouse character in the new animated film Flushed Away. If I hadn't already wanted to see it, that would have pushed me over the top. *g*


Currently watching Hellboy
Currently reading Laurell K. Hamilton's Blue Moon

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:32 AM 2 comments  

this is why so many writers become alcoholics

It's true, we're a tribe of lushes. :-P And even tho I have up till now avoided the lure of the bottle, I have to admit, I'm reconsidering my decision to stay semi-dry.

I just got an e-mail from my editor for the Harlequin "Summer Sizzler" anthology. They've decided on a title: HEAT WAVE. I like it. :-) It also turns out that Direct (as in Direct Sales) wants to pick up the collection. This is a big whoo-hoo because it means added sales and a wider distribution. Yay! The bad news is, in order to do this, they have to move up the delivery date on the book. And when they have to move up the delivery date, we have to move up the delivery date. Oy. Like I wasn't under enough pressure already.

My editor asked all three of us (I'll be in the collection with Stephanie Bond & Leslie Kelly, remember) if this would be all right, & of course we said yes. And the truth is, I do think I can get the story done early--I just didn't want to. LOL I'm already on a fairly snug deadline for FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN, and the upcoming RWA conference won't help matters.

Thankfully, my Desire editor said she can give me a little more time on the continuity story if I need it--which I hope I won't, but it's nice to know there's a cushion there, just in case--& I'm also pretty good at writing on planes. Once I get to the conference, I can't make any promises, even tho I'll have my AlphaSmart with me, but I've been known to get some decent work done during flights to these things.

So that is my life. Pressure, pressure, & more pressure. Did I mention that packing for RWA is the very worst pressure of all? Gads, I hate that. It also takes almost as long as the conference itself. :-P

But I am not going to drink. No, no, alcohol is no solution for my problem.

What I need is uppers. Or maybe a gallon of Mountain Dew & a carton of No-Doze. *vbg*

posted by Heidi Betts at 11:50 AM 2 comments  

thunder & lightning & chipmunks--oh, my!

Holy cow! There was such a thunderstorm here last night, I thought the world was coming to an end. The thunder was bad enough, but the lightning was crazy. I swear to God, I thought it struck the corner of the house right outside my bedroom. The electricity went out, & I thought for sure Dish Network was gone forever. LOL

At 2:30am, I had to jump out of bed & run around closing windows--in the dark, with a flashlight, no less--then I had trouble falling back to sleep because it was so hot & I couldn't run my fan. The big, noisy thunder & lightning didn't help, either. :-p

Surprisingly, even without the alarm, I managed to wake up just a little after 8am. Of course, a whining little kitty cat helped. *g* Then I had to run around outside, dumping water out of all the bird feeders I'd filled yesterday.

Also yesterday, I put up a new window seat for the cats, which they already seem to like. And we've got an adorable chipmunk who comes around several times a day to collect seed from beneath one of the bird feeders. He's so cute & keeps the cats entertained for hours. It's like Feline TV. I just know they want to get out there & try to catch him. :-)

And now it's time to get back to work on those galleys & FFW. Have a good day, everyone!


Currently watching Dr. Phil
Currently reading Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich
Currently listening to Jann Arden's "Insensitive"

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:40 AM 4 comments  

more work--oh joy!

The Sears repair guy just left, so this is the first chance I've had to get on the computer today. Well, I could have gotten on before he got here, but what's the fun of being on the computer if I can't check e-mail? And if the repairman had tried to call while I was online, he'd have skipped me for the day & I would have had to make another appointment. So, you know--this is my first chance to get on the computer. *g*

A little nut fell off the pedal of my exercise bike, which is why the repair guy had to come out at all. Thankfully, the bike still works & doesn't seem to be at any risk of dying on me in the very near future, but it does need new parts. So he's going to order those, then come back.

While I was waiting for the repairman to come, I made the mistake of starting to clean. Yikes, what what I thinking?!? I just wanted to move a couple of things, but now it's completely out of control. It's going to take me months to get everything put to rights again. :-p At least it was fun cleaning, tho...I was organizing books. :-D

Speaking of books, I think I might have made a mistake in picking up Janet Evanovich's Eleven on Top & Laurell K. Hamilton's Blue Moon at the same time. It never occurred to me, but both are written in first person & the main characters are starting to get a little jumbled in my brain. LOL When I'm in my office & pick up Eleven, it takes a minute to realize Stephanie Plum isn't hunting vampires; & when I'm upstairs with Blue, it takes me a second to remember Anita Blake isn't a bounty hunter. Both are good & I'm enjoying them, but I think I'll try to be more careful about coordinating my reading next time around. :-)

And, unfortunately, today's mail wasn't quite as fun as Monday's. Today's mail brought work with it. :-P The galleys for my November Silhouette Desire, BEDDED THEN WED, arrived & need to be proofed & returned by July 6th, I believe. But hopefully it won't take too long to get through; for the most part, all of my books with Desire have been very clean.

I hate having to stop what I'm doing to work on them, tho, because I just got started on FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN. But this is quite typical. And it doesn't have anything to do with Harlequin, lest someone think I'm complaining. No, no, it's called Murphy's Law. We (meaning writers) joke all the time that line edits & galleys & art fact sheets will always show up or be due at the very worst times--like when you're a week from deadline with 100 page left to write. But it's all part of the job, right?

And I'd better get to work!


Currently watching Yes, Dear
Currently reading Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich

posted by Heidi Betts at 3:29 PM 4 comments  

is it just me...?

I've been mulling over a couple of things lately.

For instance, ever since re-watching the episode of CSI where Nick gets kidnapped & buried alive, I've been wondering what the heck ever happened to that thread. Remember how it wasn't supposed to be over? How we were supposed to see more connected to that & find out that the kidnapper might not really be dead?

Is it just me, or do you remember hearing about that, too?

And if it isn't just me, are you bugged by the fact that they seem to have let the whole thing drop? I mean, sure, in the first couple episodes of the new season, we saw Nick get the jitters around bugs...hey, who wouldn't after almost being eaten alive by fire ants? And I think there was even something about a tape recording that Grissom found suspicious. But after that... Nothing. Nada. Zilch. It's like they forgot where they were going with the storyline & decided to do something else instead.

And that bugs me, okay.

I've also been watching the new season of Hell's Kitchen, cuz I'm a big fan of that British meanie Gordon Ramsay. :-) (Is it Ramsay or Ramsey? Anyway...) But is it just me, or did he seem to be even meaner right from the beginning this time around? He was mean last year, sure, but I seem to remember that he sort of eased into it, let the contestants get their bearings a little bit before he started screaming at them. This year, he's been so grumpy from the start, I'm afraid the man is going to pop a vein. Seriously, he's going to have a stroke.

These are the things that make me say hmmmm. How about you?


Currently watching Judge Hatchett
Currently reading Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich, Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton, & The Truth About Cats & Dogs anthology
Currently listening to "Angel Mine" by Cowboy Junkies (during commercials :-))

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:38 AM 4 comments  

happy Monday!

Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend & a Happy Father's Day!

Got some neat mail again this morning. (I love good mail. :-)) First, the finalized reversion of rights contracts for my last three historicals with Dorchester arrived, which means I can now do whatever I like with those books. Not that I have any plans or even a clue, but I'm glad to have them.

And then I also got an invitation to the National Readers' Choice Awards reception being held at the RWA National conference in Atlanta this summer. I attended last year with a friend, and it was lots of fun, but this year I get to attend as a finalist. Ohmigosh, I'll be so nervous! The invitation also came with an "NRCA Finalist" ribbon for me to wear on my name badge at the conference. Yippee!

Aside from that, it was a rather slow weekend. It was so hot & muggy, sitting around reading was pretty much a must. :-) Of course, I filled all the outdoor bird feeders this morning, so now it's raining. That's okay, tho--I'm actually glad because it seems to be cooling things off. Thank goodness!

And since I did a bit more work on my novella synopsis yesterday, I need to read over it today & see how everything holds together. Then I'm going to sit down & really jump into the next continuity book FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN. It's taking me longer to get started on it than I planned, but I have a feeling once I get going, it will zip right along. I hope, anyway! :-P


Currently watching King of the Hill
Currently reading Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:07 AM 4 comments  

happy, happy dance

What a nice surprise for a Saturday!

I just found out that my October 2005 Silhouette Desire, WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN, took First Place for First Coast RWA's "Beacon Award." Very cool! There was some pretty tight competition in the Short Contemporary category, too, so I feel very lucky & honored.

And then last night, I stayed up to finish White Hot. Very, very good. Really good. I highly recommend it! This was one of those books where you really start to bond with the characters & don't want the story to end. Even after I turned the last page, I kept thinking about them & imagining what might have come next. I love when that happens. :-D

Not sure what I'll read next, although I'm leaning toward Laurell K. Hamilton's Blue Moon. It's #8 of her "Anita Blake" series, & I left off with #7 some time ago. (Yes, I'm very far behind. :-p)

Have a good weekend!


Currently watching Hellboy
Currently reading Her Last Defense by Vickie Taylor

posted by Heidi Betts at 3:08 PM 2 comments  

Writing Tip #1

For a while now, I've been wanting to start posting the occasional tip about writing-related issues, but kept forgetting. There's no time like the present, tho, & since this one popped into my head, I thought I'd jot it down.

I can't promise I'll remember to post this type of thing on a regular basis, but I will try. And if you have any questions that are related to the craft or business of writing that you think I might be able to help you out with, feel free to post them in the comment sections...anywhere you like, even if it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with that day's post. I'll find them. :-) And I'll do my best to answer them.

Today's tip has to do with contracts. Since I just got one back yesterday, I thought I would share a little trick that I use when signing new agreements. It's not a big deal, but it provides huge peace of mind for the future.

Different publishing houses use different contract formats. At Dorchester, my agent & I were both required to initial clauses on almost every page, as well as date & sign the end of the document. Harlequin doesn't require initialing on any pages (unless there's a last minute change to the contract, usually made on my end rather than theirs) & my agent doesn't need to sign.

But this contract is also held together by nothing more than a staple, & we all know how easy it is to remove & replace those. In fact, I've had it done on contracts when clauses have been incorrect & it was easier to replace the page than make changes by hand. And because I only have to sign one of the last pages of these contracts, I take it upon myself to initial the back of every page. Every page of every copy, since I'm supplied with three--one for myself, one for my agent, & one for Harlequin. That way, should anything happen down the road, I would be able to tell if pages...pages I may not have read or agreed to...had been replaced.

I'll go on record right now saying I don't expect anything like that to ever happen, but I still like to cover my bases & know that every single page of a contract is one that I've read & initialed.

FWIW. :-)

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:13 AM 2 comments  

fun with the USPS & Winnie-the-Pooh

Which is sort of like "fun with Dick & Jane," but not quite. :-P Today did turn out to be a fun mail day, tho.

First, I got another foreign edition of one of my Silhouette Desires. This time, it's BLAME IT ON THE BLACKOUT in Italian. It's titled Complice il buio--Accomplice the darkness. Makes sense to me. :-)

I scanned the cover so I could post it here, but Blogger just isn't cooperating. &^%$@! I'll keep working on it & see if I can get the picture to post.

Second, my copy of the contracts for my Summer Sizzler novella with Harlequin showed up. It was kind of a surprise, since I'd forgotten I hadn't received it already. I always keep track of that sort of thing on my calendar, but I just hadn't been paying close enough attention to notice I hadn't gotten it yet.

After the mail--which can sometimes be the highlight of my day *g*--I put my new DVDs away (yes, yes, I'll watch them eventually, I swear) & washed the new Winnie the Pooh mug I also brought home with me yesterday. I know, I know--I need another mug like I need a hole in my head. But I fell in love with it the minute I saw it, & at least it's something I will use. I mean, I drink every day, right? (Tea, people! What kind of pathetic lush do you think I am?!?) In fact, I'm using it right now. (For tea, people, tea. Sheesh.)

posted by Heidi Betts at 4:56 PM 4 comments  

I did a bad, bad thing

Really bad. Horrible. I am such a pushover.

I just came home with not one, not two, but three new DVDs...two of them sets! Ugh.

Season 1 of NCIS, Season 1 of Arrested Development, & the movie Walking Tall.

I don't know how it happened. Honestly, I'm as surprised as anyone else. I was in Sam's Club, stocking up on Fruit2O, & otherwise minding my own business, when I decided to stroll down the DVD aisle. Just to glance, see what was out. Sometimes they'll have a movie or two that I want at a decent price, but I didn't intend to buy anything. Really.

Then I saw it--NCIS. The first season, newly released. Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, & the rest (whose names escape me at the moment) staring at me from the box cover. So I give a little yip of glee & grab one up, but still have no intention of buying it! I just wanted to hold it while I looked at the other DVDs. (I do this sometimes because, apparently, I'm a total nutjob. :-P)

But then I spotted the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer at a really decent price & picked that up, too. That one, I did intend to buy. I love that show & don't have any of the seasons on DVD yet. I didn't need them when it was being played on FX all the time, but now that it's only on at 7am, I miss it more often than not. :-(

And then... Arrested Development caught my eye. Oooh, such a good show. So pissed it got cancelled. And for a full season of TV, it was really decently priced. That one, I was pretty sure I'd get.

They also had the first season of The Sentinel...one whole copy, which either means they sold out of the rest (yay!) or they didn't get that many to start with (boo!). Frankly, I was surprised to see it there at all, since I was pretty sure I was the only person in the country who ever watched it. But alas, I'd pre-ordered that one the minute I found out it was being released, so I already own it. :-D

And they had the first season of War of the Worlds, which I was this close to picking up. Does anyone remember that show? Not the Tom Cruise movie, the television show with Adrian Paul in it. (Yummy.) Anyway, I used to like this one, too, but I thought the DVDs were a little pricey for a show that I thought only lasted one season to begin with...& I wasn't completely sure the discs were of the version of War of the Worlds I'm thinking of. The only picture on the box was of an alien hand reaching down, & there was absolutely no information to be found about the actors or when the show aired. If I find out it is the Adrian Paul version, tho, I may just pick it up next time I'm over there.

But even after having half the DVD section in my cart at one time, I finally decided to only get NCIS & Arrested Development. I put Buffy back--even tho I really, really wanted it--because they only had the first season & I think it would probably be easier & cheaper to simply buy The Chosen Collection someday, where I'll get all the seasons in one convenient package. Otherwise, I'll end up trying to piece my collection together hodgepodge & would probably end up missing seasons three & six or something, & never be able to find them. :-P

So even tho I'd already decided not to buy NCIS right away, I totally caved. I folded like a cheap suit the minute I saw it. Sheesh. And on the way out of the store, I spotted Walking Tall for only $7 & couldn't resist. (Okay, yes, so you've dragged it out of me...I happen to like The Rock. I like him best when he isn't wearing a shirt. And I like this kind of underdog, good vs. evil, action/adventure film. So sue me.)

Suffice to say, I have enough DVDs saved up to keep me entertained thru the next millenium. Haven't watched most of them yet, probably won't get to these for another decade, but I've got them. *Snort*


Currently watching CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on Spike TV...the one where Nick gets buried alive (I love this one!)

posted by Heidi Betts at 9:34 PM 9 comments  

and what do you think about...

...oversize paperbacks?

You know, those new paperbacks that are taller than all the others. The copy of Sandra Brown's White Hot that I'm reading is one of these tall paperbacks, & I can't say I'm a fan.

I'm loving the book (just for the record *g*) but the oversize paperback just seems bulky & awkward to me. I have to admit, I'm getting more used to it the longer I go along, but I still don't love it.

They're also not very easy to store. That's actually why I ended up reading White Hot sooner rather than later...it's too tall to store with my other books, so I left it out & decided to read it now so it would be out of the way. Kinda glad I did; it's really, really good. But still... They also don't slip easily into a--or at least my--purse, which is a definite strike against them, since I like to carry a book with me everywhere I go.

But what do you think of this new trend in publishing to add a couple inches to our regular paperbacks? Do they actually provide you with a more comfortable reading experience, or do they just annoy you? LOL


Currently listening to John Anderson's "Straight Tequila Night"
Currently reading White Hot by Sandra Brown (halfway thru now, shouldn't take me much longer--famous last words :-p)
Currently watching Galaxy Quest

posted by Heidi Betts at 11:01 AM 2 comments  

what do you think of...?

Yesterday was my mom's birthday, so we went shopping, did dinner, the whole nine yards. I got her a ceramic bird bath/feeder she fell in love with. It really is cute--this little bowl that partly looks like a nest, with these two tiny birds sitting on the edge. I'm just afraid it's going to get broken...I think it might be more of an indoor feeder, for decoration only, than to be used outside. But we'll see.

While we were out, I picked up a few books by new-to-me authors. Although they're authors I know have been around for a while, a couple of titles suddenly appealed to me.

Alex Kava, M.J. Rose, & Nicci French. They're all suspenses, tho I don't think they're romantic suspense, which is the kind I usually gravitate toward.

So have any of you read these authors before? What did you think? Am I going to like them? :-)


Currently listening to "Leave Virginia Alone" by Rod Stewart
Currently reading White Hot by Sandra Brown

posted by Heidi Betts at 12:53 PM 2 comments  

did you know...?

According to the June 13th issue of Woman's World, "studies show that losing yourself in a fun, quick read lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol."

Finally, we have scientific proof of what the majority of us have always known--that reading romance novels makes you both happier & healthier! :-D

posted by Heidi Betts at 11:39 AM 4 comments  

things I learned while polishing BLACKMAILED INTO BED

No, as much as some people might wish it, I did not fall off the face of the earth. I've just had a heck of a time logging in to Blogger the past couple days. Grrr. I hope none of you were sitting at home, holding your breath, waiting for me to say something brilliant. *vbg*

First & foremost, I finished proofing & polishing BLACKMAILED INTO BED, & got it in the mail Wednesday. Yippee! Whew, I love having another book finished & on its way to New York. I've even managed--for a short time, anyway--to pretend I don't have to jump right into the next one. :-)

So what did I learn while proofing & polishing this manuscript?

Well, for one thing, I apparently don't know the difference between "affect" & "effect." I even have a book that explains the difference, & I still can't figure it out. Actually, I do understand the meaning of "effect"...but I just get this feeling "affect" should be used occasionally, too. :-P So every time I ran across either word in the story, I stopped, looked up the official definition, & tried to make my best educated guess on which was right. (Thank God for editors who actually do know which is which right off the tops of their heads.)

I also learned that I write a lot by instinct, because I barely remembered half of what I read. I know I wrote it--I was there *g*--but I don't actually remember writing all of it, & was impressed by how well things held together. See, I write almost exclusively on my AlphaSmart, so once I finish a scene or certain number of pages, I send that text to my computer. But I don't usually read back over more than a couple of paragraphs of what's already written before launching into what comes next. Maybe if I were reviewing the previous chapter or previous day's work on a regular basis, the entire story would be more familiar to me by the time I started proofing. I like working this way, tho; it keeps the story fresh for me, & when I go back to do polishing & revising, it really is like I'm reading the story for the first time. I think I catch a lot more that way, because I'm actually reading everything...not accidentally skimming over sections where I already subconsciously know what happened. :-)

And last but not least, I'm amazed that I manage to write one of these every few months. I mean, really! I don't know how I do it. That's not bragging, that's me saying I can't believe I keep coming up with ideas & keep managing to write entire books...then manage to turn around & do it all over again. Every time I finish a book, I swear I think, "Okay, that's it. I can't possibly do that again." Then I take a couple days off, breathe deeply & evenly for a change, & sit down to start another one. If you must know, it's kind of cool. :-D

Oh, & I also learned that people are apparently quite impressed when I go out in public. Not in a "ohmigosh, you're Heidi Betts--can I have your autograph?" way...*snort*...but in a "my God, you're actually out of the house!" way. Seriously, I got dressed & went to town after hitting the post office with BLACKMAILED, & I can't tell you the number of people I ran into who acted like I was home from a long stint in rehab. LOL I know I don't get out much, but I'm not that much of a hermit. (Am I?)

On top of getting BLACKMAILED INTO BED polished, printed, & in the mail, I watched the season finale of The Apprentice, & was very happy when Sean won. He totally deserved it, didn't he? And that accent...oh, my!

I also started reading White Hot by Sandra Brown (told you I was thinking about it. :-)), & so far, so good. It was so nice to be able to just sit & read for a while without feeling like I should be writing instead. I think I have to get back to work today, tho. My novella synopsis needs a little more layering of conflicts & detail, so I'd like to get that done & out of the way before I jump into FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN. (I can't wait--Maya & Creed, here I come!)

Have a good weekend, everyone!


Currently listening to Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved"
Currently watching Feardotcom
Currently reading White Hot by Sandra Brown, the Velvet, Leather, & Lace anthology, & the last story in the Perfect for the Beach anthology

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:20 AM 4 comments  

DVD updates

Hmmm. I just noticed that yesterday's post showed up twice. Not sure why, but I went ahead & deleted the extra one.

Finished Kill the Messenger last night, & only have about four chapters left of BLACKMAILED INTO BED to proof & polish, so things are moving along well.

And did you know that the first season of NCIS comes out on DVD today? I'm very excited, even tho I doubt I'll run right out to buy it. Love the show, but since it's still playing on TV on a regular basis, I don't really need it on DVD just yet. But it's good to know it's out there for when I do! :-D

The first & second seasons of Wings & the first season of The Big Valley are also now out on DVD. The same goes for Wings as for NCIS, at least for the moment, but I am seriously considering buying The Big Valley. Oh, man, I used to love that show! It's probably the main reason I started out writing western historicals. I had a major crush on Lee Majors's "Heath"--& probably still do. :-p

Although it's not a favorite of mine, you may be interested to know that the first season of Walker, Texas Ranger is also coming out on DVD June 13th. I never really watched this show, except when the "Sons of Thunder" were involved. Now, if they'd come out with a special collection of just episodes involving those two guys, I'd totally be there!

And last but not least, Season 4 of The Pretender will be out July 18th. Now, that one is marked on my calendar. I can't wait, even tho I still haven't gotten around to watching Seasons 2 or 3, which I ran right out to buy. Hey, can I help it I'm always on deadline & feel compelled to watch stuff I've recorded from Dish Network's premium channel free previews before I dig out shows I own? :-P


Currently watching Suspect Zero
Currently listening to Sheryl Crow's "First Cut is the Deepest"
Thinking about reading White Hot by Sandra Brown

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:16 AM 2 comments  

it was such a nice weekend...too bad it's over already

The weekend went entirely too fast for my tastes, how about you? Of course, it probably doesn't help that I didn't really start vegging out until 7pm Saturday night. But still...

I did read, & only have about 20pgs left to go in Kill the Messenger. I'd be finished by now, but I sort of got sidetracked by goofing around online. I won't let myself spend too much time on that kind of thing while I'm on deadline, so once I was finished with BLACKMAILED & knew I was giving myself a day off before jumping into revisions, I went a little wild. LOL I cannot believe how quickly time passes when you're just screwing around at the computer. Sheesh. And looking back, I can't even think of a single constructive thing I accomplished. :-P

But now it's Monday already, & time to get back to work. Oy. No, no, I'm ready. I'm jazzed. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story holds together in one big read-thru, & then to getting it printed & mailed out. So the sooner I begin, the sooner that will happen. And I've already biked, had breakfast, & gotten a big jug of tea ready to get me thru the process. (I foresee many trips upstairs to the bathroom in my future. :-))

I have to say, tho, that my cat is driving me bonkers this morning. I may have to tie him up in a sack & hide him in the closet until I'm finished. (Kidding! I would never do something like that...altho, I would give him a big dose of catnip in hopes of getting him so worked up, he conks out afterwards.)

Today, sitting in front of the living room window doesn't seem to be enough for him. Oh, no. Today, he's been climbing on the treadmill & scratching at the blinds of a window that doesn't even offer a decent view. And now...okay, I admit I put him up there to shut him up...he's sitting on top of the television, looking out another window that doesn't offer much of a view. And that's only after he spent some time prancing between the top of the TV & the top of the air conditioner. Honestly. I don't know what he expects to see, but as long as he's finally quieting down, I don't care!

So, anyway, I'm off!


Currently listening to "Accidentally in Love" by Counting Crows (which always puts me in the mood to watch Shrek & Shrek 2 again. :-))

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:32 AM 2 comments  

bring in the hallelujah chorus

Hallelujah! I officially finished BLACKMAILED INTO BED at 6:04pm today. Whew!

The last chapter took me longer than I would have liked, but I think that was because wrap-ups are always hard. You've got your hero & heroine both confessing their feelings & apologizing for anything stupid they did earlier in the story. And this time around, in my hero's case, he had a lot to apologize for. LOL Then there's also the need to cross all my ts & dot all my is, tying up any threads I started earlier. Fun, fun.

I think it holds together, tho. Now comes the proofing & polishing stage, but I'll probably let it sit for at least a day or two before I jump into that. I like to relax a bit & let my head clear before I start that process. But I'm still hoping I can get it done, printed, & in the mail early next week.

My editor will be so pleased. I was given a July 15th deadline, but she told me June 1st or 15th would work much better for her. Well, I didn't get it to her by the 1st, but the 15th is definitely do-able. :-) Now I just have to hope she likes the story, too...

As for me, I'm wiped. I'm going to take a deep breath, let it out, & decompress. Then I think I'll veg in front of the TV for a bit & try to get thru the rest of KILL THE MESSENGER by Tami Hoag. I still have about a quarter of the book to go, but I've been carrying the darn thing around way too long--it's time to finish it already!


Currently watching Son-in-Law on TBS

posted by Heidi Betts at 6:23 PM 2 comments  

I was right!

I don't get to say that very often, either. Okay, I do, but I was trying to be modest. *vbg*

Anyway, I was absolutely right about backtracking & starting Chapter 12 just a little differently than I had Wednesday. As soon as I cut the last paragraph of Chapter 11 & went at 12 from a new direction, the scene positively flowed. I'm on page 11 of Chapter 12 already, so only a handful more to go before I am D-O-N-E. Except for a possible epilogue, of course. I haven't decided yet whether or not I'll include one--probably because I don't have a specific idea in mind to carry one off. But I'll deal with that later.

I'd have gotten even more written yesterday, too, if a certain whiny, yellow-haired kitty hadn't desperately needed to crawl up on my lap & go to sleep. Since it's Spring now--rapidly spilling into Summer, if the heat is any indication--I've had the windows open a lot, & he hates that because he remembers being an outdoor cat & wants out again like nobody's business. :-P Too bad, so sad. He is an indoor kitty now, & will have to content himself with sitting in front of the screens only smelling birds & bunnies instead of chasing (& usually catching) them.

Speaking of bunnies, the babies are back. They're so small, I swear they'd fit in the palm of my hand, & they sit outside the windows, chomping grass & dandelion stems like crazy. The cats love watching them...but only because they're fantasizing about breaking free & eating the little buggers. It's very entertaining to watch. :-D

I've already biked, showered, & gotten breakfast, so now it's time to get down to business. I wanted to get straight to writing & finish the damn book, but it turns out the Art Fact Sheet for BLACKMAILED INTO BED is due ASAP, so I may have to take a couple of hours this morning to fill that out. I'm hoping they'll give me until Monday, tho, because I'm currently clueless.


Currently listening to "If You're Gone" by Matchbox Twenty
Currently reading the same things as yesterday :-)
Currently watching Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:46 AM 2 comments  

still working on chapter 12

Okay, so I got thrown a little off track. I did at least start ch12. Unfortunately, it was very slow-going yesterday & gave me a lot of problems. And since I don't believe in Writer's Block, I suspect my problem is that I was going at it from the wrong angle. Gave that a lot of thought last night--especially as I was trying to fall asleep :-)--& I think I may have figured out how to fix it. It means backtracking a bit, but will totally be worth the trouble if it works.

It's also been kind of a neat mail day. First, I received the Reversion of Rights contracts from Dorchester for my last three historicals with them--WALKER'S WIDOW, CALLIE'S CONVICT, and HANNAH'S HALF-BREED. They've been out-of-print for quite a while now, and according to my contract, I could get them back after a certain amount of time. So a week or so ago, I requested them, & today they arrived. I already signed them & got them ready to return, but nothing will be official until The Powers That Be at also sign & finalize them.

I don't know what I'm going to do with the books yet, if anything. At the moment, it's not like there's a market for them. But you never know. I could become as big as Nora Roberts & have publishers scrambling for my backlist, right? (Hey, it could happen!) For the time being, tho, I'll probably do with them what I did with CINNAMON AND ROSES, A PROMISE OF ROSES, and ALMOST A LADY when I got the rights back to those...I agreed to "sell" them to E-Reads, an e-publishing venture my agent started. It's a long process, & the first three historicals aren't even available there yet, but at least they're in the process of being made available again instead of just sitting here, collecting dust. :-)

I also got a package from Entertainment Weekly. I just renewed my subscription & told them to send me my free "mystery gift" instead of asking for one of the CDs they were offering, which I already own. (I've been a subscriber for so long, I swear I own every special giveaway they've ever offered. :-P) The last mystery gift they sent me was a water bottle I ended up giving to Goodwill, but this time they sent me the DVD for Spider-Man. Now that's what I call a mystery gift! :-) Too cool! All right, so it's not a movie I love, but it's still decent & was definitely a pleasant surprise. Not to mention that it totally beats the more typical mystery gifts--water bottles...baseball caps...t-shirts...--any day. My only complaint is that it's the full screen version when I prefer widescreen. But beggars can't be choosers, right?

All right, I'm off to see if I can salvage the beginning of ch12...


Currently listening to "Kissing a Fool" by George Michael
Currently reading Bump in the Night anthology, Perfect for the Beach anthology, and Kill the Messenger by Tami Hoag (yes, still, but I am getting closer to the end :-p)
Currently watching The Dukes of Hazzard (movie remake, not TV show)

posted by Heidi Betts at 10:16 AM 2 comments