Perking My Next Novel

The ink of my new book is not dry and I've already begun working on my next. No, I'm not cranking out my 1500+/- words per day yet and I'm not scribbling down a synopsis. In fact, I don't look busy at all. If we were to meet, you'd find me pleasant enough to speak with, but mildly distracted and not paying full attention to our conversation.

Believe me. I'm very, very busy.

I'm perking.

The books I write are part of a series. The characters and time periods are defined. The structure and histories of the story are established, and a tone has been set. All I have to do is decide what happens next. Easy, right?

It's both a luxury and a curse to write a series. It's a luxury because many decisions have already been made. Who is my main character? What drives her? What does her world look like? But it's a curse for the same reasons. I think creating the next installment is akin to playing a game of bumper pool. You know you want to put the four ball in the corner pocket, but it's not a straight shot to get there. Hard stops and obstacles—like giving your city-dwelling character hay fever in one book, then wanting her to live in the boonies the next—block the way and force you to take alternative angles and approaches. Getting to that corner pocket may be more difficult, but the game becomes much more interesting.

So, right now, I'm perking. I'm thinking about all the reasons why readers wanted to know what happens next. I'm thinking of the time period of the novels and the events that shaped the character's world and our real world into what we know today. I'm thinking of what conflicts we bring upon ourselves and what are thrust upon us. I'm thinking of what questions I may have raised in the first two books that I can answer in the third. I'm thinking of ways to give my readers a wild emotional ride and thrilling reading experience.

All of the ideas are roiling around somewhere deep inside my head. An idea heats up and darts to the surface, where it then filters down over imagined and hard facts. The longer this happens, the more potent the brew becomes. I add things to the mix. A story steeps. The color deepens.

If you see me walking the beach or staring off in space at a gathering, please understand. I'm working.

The Troubles, sequel to The Charity, was released May 20.

Noir at the Bar Boston Event

Noir at the Bar 2

The Pour House, Boston, Massachusetts

Boston has a new literary tradition. Back by popular demand, Noir at the Bar features some of the region's best noir authors. Authors hail from Maine, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and more. From hard boiled crime, mystery and thriller, to the edges of horror, readers will be entertained with original works crafted especially for the evening. Each author will read for about ten minutes.

I'm very pleased to have been invited to be a part of this night. As time gets closer to the launch of The Troubles, The Charity's sequel, I'll be reading something to whet reader's appetites for more of the main character's story.

If you're not from around Boston, make sure you don't peg yourself as an out-of-towner. Locals love their "Noo-WAH at da Bah in BAH-stin." And be careful where you pahk ya cah.

I'll be joining Rory Flynn, exposed as his true self - Stona Fitch, Mike Miner, Chris Irvin, Patrick Shawn Bagley, Bracken MacLeod, Dale Phillips, Tony McMillen, and Errick Nunnally.

When Your Editor Slaps You Upside the Head

Whoo, doggie! What a wild ride.

Getting book blurbs for The Troubles has been challenging. I've reached out to authors I admire and who inspire me with their accomplishments. It has been anxiety provoking because I'm forcing myself to reach beyond my comfort zone. I'm human. Maybe it's an author thing, a creative-person-angst-thing or a woman thing. Or maybe I'm triple cursed by feeling all three, but I'm keenly aware of all of that isn't perfect.

I was at a reading for an author who expressed the same sentiment. Myfanwy Collins read from her beautiful novel, The Book of Laney. Afterwards, she commented she couldn't bear reading the whole work again now that it's published because of the changes she would want to make. Her reading left audience members in tears and she still felt she could edit more. I know she would agree that at a certain point in time, you just have to declare your work done and get it out there.

Feedback from writing groups or beta readers is one thing. Feedback from authors you greatly admire is another. So, when I received feedback on my book from an award winning author, I really took the message to heart. Candidly, the author was critical of my first paragraph. Egads! If a reader doesn't like your first paragraph, what is going to make them want to read more? It's the Big Kahuna. First sentence leads to first paragraph that leads to first chapter that leads to let's-buy-this-book-and-read-the-whole-thing. Simply put, screw up early and you're screwed.

I yelped and sent the message to my editor. As a senior editor at a major publisher, she knows her stuff. I trust her. Getting barked at by the author made me question if I was doing enough. Maybe I should work the manuscript more. Maybe I've missed something.

The only thing I was missing was a good slap upside my head. In clipped and precise phrases that only an experienced editor can utter, she told me that I've done the heavy lifting, the homework, and the revisions. I've gone the extra mile to make sure my work was as perfect as I could humanly make it. Then I let the work cool.

I sent it out and I listened. I didn't just sit quietly and let the reviewers speak. I heard what was being said. She reminded me that no one person or one piece of work is going to be all things to all people. Filtering the criticism and taking from it what works for me, my genre, my readers, and my instincts is what will make it my work, not something watered down by committee.

My first paragraph does what it was intended to do. Set the tone. Set the scene. By using seventy-five words to establish time, place, and action, the rest of that chapter crackles with tension. Sure I could fret and revise, but if I did, I'd be losing something in the totality. The author read two paragraphs and dashed off an email. Perhaps those were actions of someone not invested in giving me the time to begin with.

She said the following:  "You wrote an exciting, unusual story that your readers are going to devour. The writing is strong. Characters and plot are strong. Backstories are strong. Action, pacing, transitions, and flow are strong." She reminded me how many times I've had that paragraph critiqued. Author panels. Agent panels. Peer groups. No one stopped at the first paragraph.

Since receiving that one comment from that one author, I've received other comments along the lines of "amazing." 

I've worked in the "men's world" law, banking, and finance. Times are changing, but I feel I had to be better than my peers to succeed. The same is true for being an indie in a "traditional" world. My book has to be that much better for it to succeed.

I'm human. I get rattled. Having the confidence of my editor behind me will make my skin a wee bit tougher to manage in the big bad world. She slapped me upside the head. She had me assess the comment through the prisms of the author and my vision and take from it the validity, not the criticism. 

This is why I love my editor. I've done my homework and worked within the process and gone the extra miles. I need to be confident that I've written another kick-ass book.

Will everyone love me? Nope. But that's okay.

More on Author to Reader Marketing (A2RMarketing) can be found here.

Book Blurbs and Marketing: Putting on Your Big Girl Pants (A2R Marketing)

There comes a time in your book writing life that you have to put on your big girl pants and get out into the world.

There are many stages to getting a book in front of the public. When a launch looms, palms begin to sweat and the second guessing kicks in. A writer must trust that she has made every effort to create the best work possible. Then it comes time to say, "Publish."

While the final draft is readied for public consumption, an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) or other uncorrected proof is distributed for - gulp - blurbs. Early reviews and cover blurbs are an essential step in a successful launch. This is where the rubber hits the road.

A blurb is a one or two sentence endorsement of your work that graces the cover or first pages of your book. The best are from a person with a voice, a name, and an audience. Maybe it's another author in your genre or a professional in an industry your book touches. What horror author would not want a "Gotta read this book!" from Stephen King or a "Love It!" from Blake Shelton if your romance novel touches on life as a country singer.

I am a firm believer in soliciting feedback on a work in progress at many points during the writing stages. Writers groups and beta readers are critical components of creating a good work and the more harsh the criticism the better you will learn. Having your manuscript buffed by a professional editor is essential.

Lots of advice exists for asking for a blurb. There is even advice for writing your own blurb. But, there is very little advice in getting up the nerve to ask for a blurb. This is where big girl pants help.

If you're traditionally published, many publishers have a stable of folks they routinely ask to blurb for a new book. It can be a give-to-get: I'll give your books blurbs if you give my book a blurb. It's the way business works. But what if you don't have that kind of support from your publisher or you're an indie. Then what?

Then you have to do it yourself.

1. Read. Read. Read. Note the authors that resonate with you. Write down their names. Figure out how to contact them. Meet them if you can.
2. Make sure you have the best damned book you can create. Don't skimp on the process. Workshop it. Beta it. Have it professionally edited. 
3. Aspire. Reach. Target peers but also target someone who is beyond where you are now and is where you hope to be. 
4. Know the answer to this question: Why should I blurb for you? 
5. Craft the best possible query letter you can. Then shorten it.

This process starts six to eight weeks before your launch date. Potential blurb writers will need at least three to four weeks to read your ARC. Hope for them to say "Yes." Don't fault them or you if they say "no." Some authors like to blurb only within their genre. That's fine. I believe readers are interested in reading outside of a genre's silo, so I like to solicit authors who write suspense as well as genres my books touch, like women's fiction or political thrillers. 

So remember:

Be gracious. Be appreciative. Do your homework.

...then put on your big girl pants, write that request for a blurb, and press "send."


More on A2R (Author to Reader) Marketing can be found here.

Help for Local Stable

To everyone at Flying High Stables,

I was devastated to learn of the toll this winter took on your farm. People in the horse community look out for one another and the outpouring of support to your stable was heartwarming. To help the farm and to acknowledge the community that supports Flying High, I'd like to dedicate proceeds of signed copies of my book to the farm. 

My book, "The Charity," captures the perseverance and grit that are hallmarks of the equestrian world. Anyone who would love to read a good book and support your farm can go to my blog and purchase a copy by using the click through in the upper right corner. Please have your supporters state "Flying High" in the memo line. 

I wish all the best for Flying High.

Sincerely, 
Connie Johnson Hambley

Amazon Reviews may be read here.

Poughkeepsie Journal Article on the Heinchon Dairy Arson

Thanks go to the Poughkeepsie Journal for helping to mark the fiftieth anniversary of my family's barn fire.

The anniversary allowed us to reach back to that day and reflect on the changes one event had on our family. Cobwebs and dust on old memories were swept away and deep appreciation for what we have in our lives - rather than what was taken from it - emerged.

Heinchon Dairy is no longer in business, but Eastern Hay and Heinchon's Old Farmhouse Ice Cream are thriving.

More pictures may be found on my Facebook page here.

The above picture is what the barn and surrounding neighborhood. Pawling folks will recognize the John Kane house on the right, Dutcher Golf course in the foreground and Route 22. The barn, silos, dairy and my home are in the center.

True Grit and The Art of Productivity

We creative types have a black hole in our lives. In its sweetest form, we call it our "muse."

We stare at a blank canvas or keyboard and sigh. We look out our windows and wait for our muse's arrival all the while believing that our work can only be done deep within this elusive synergistic partnership. Much has been written about finding our muse. Without our muse beside us, we dither with writer's block or fret about a creative dry spell. If this has happened to you, grab a hold of whatever screen you are reading this on and slap yourself over the head with it.

Waiting for your muse in order to produce is utter and complete nonsense. Breathe deeply and square back your shoulders. Grow up. Dig in and use some grit.

"Grit" is defined as having courage and resolve or possessing a certain strength of character. It's a "stick-to-it-ness" and perseverance that neutralizes the alternatives of giving up on or drifting away from a task.

One of the best discussions of the power of grit was given at a TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworth. In it, she discusses how innate intelligence is not enough to guarantee success, but that grit is the better predictor. She describes her successful math students as those who actively and continuously engaged on a task until it was mastered. IQ did not matter. Sticking to it did.

Grit is different from discipline. A recent posting caught my attention with the headline, "Screw motivation, what you need is discipline." My favorite line is, "If you wait until you feel like doing stuff, you’re f*****d." Perfectly stated! Motivation is a mood. Discipline, it states, is a process and the engine to productivity. I agree with the post, but argue more is needed than merely discipline. Discipline makes us say "no" to temptations and time sinks (like water cooler chats or vacuuming under the couch one more time). Discipline parks our butts in the seat while waiting for the muse bus to arrive. 

Grit makes you an active participant engaged with being productive. Grit makes us put one foot in front of the other and forces words into sentences. Grit makes us sideline our fears and supports us in stepping up to the task. Grit helps us realize that we are the only ones who can make it happen and then makes us take those small steps forward in our goal.

I hear examples of grit every day. It's the writer who stays glued in her seat until her daily word count is met. It's the artist who allows herself to begin a piece of art with a crappy idea only to begin molding it into something fresh and new. It's the executive who gathers the team together one more time for an ad hoc brainstorming session. It's the worker who asks for help and insight that one time more. 

Grit is in each of us when we turn our backs on the window and stop waiting for our muse.