Sad News at Inara Press

I have sad news for my blogs today. My publisher, Inara Press is closing its doors, as of June 30, 2006. All of the remaining episodes of the Inara serials will be released at that time, and can be downloaded to customers’ computers. After that, the rights revert to me. Dawn Seewer, who was both the publisher and cover artist, will also sign over the rights to the cover art, provided she receives proper credit for it. I can’t even begin to express my feelings on this turn of events.

The good news is that I am considering other opportunities in both the editorial realm and in terms of re-working Rock Bound and shopping it around to other publishers. In fact, I’ve been contacted by a publisher directly, and I am definitely considering this offer. I’ve reached the conclusion that it is more hard-core sci-fi than romance and that I might do better to offer it to a sci-fi publisher. Nonetheless, I think it needs more polishing before it goes out again.

I attended another science fiction convention. I went to DucKon in Chicago (Naperville, actually) and spoke on two panels. One was on getting published and the other was called “Where Does Your Romance Belong?” There seems to be a lot of crossover among genres these days—especially in the romance world. This was the second such panel I’ve seen. MARCon had a similar one and I caught the end of it.

I’ve reached the conclusion that in order to be sold successfully as a romance, even if it is a sci-fi, fantasy, or paranormal romance—a book has to follow a certain formula. It may not have to be quite as rigid is the Harlequin formula, but certain elements must be there. Boy meets girl and they fall in love, but something stands in their way until the very end when they finally fall into each other’s arms and live happily ever after. In Rock Bound, the couple doesn’t even speak until halfway through the book. So I don’t think romance reviewers quite knew what to do with it. Every review said that science fiction fans would love it, but none said it was a good romance.

So, I don’t plan to sell Rock Bound as a romance any longer. Which means I need to change a few blurbs and such. I felt that I rushed to finish it while I was trying to edit and proof other Inara Manuscripts. I will be able to do that more easily than I originally thought. The VA took another set of x-rays of my wrist and it is not broken. The pain is gone and I can type again. Woo Hoo!

So, watch my blog and join my Yahoo group at riw_author@yahoogroups.com for updates on Rock Bound when it reaches its new home and is re-released.

Well, that’s it for this week.

News & Another Review!

Haven’t updated this in awhile, so I thought I’d do so. There is no set subject—just news. First, more reviews are in and we received a rave from Coffee Time Romance. I’m really thrilled about this one. It made me cry when I read it. You can read the whole review at http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/rockbound.html

Jake Johnsrud is an account manager at a family-owned marketing firm in Chicago, his clients range from manufacturers of food and other items used in the home. His life is about to change.

Annie Peterson is an administrative assistant with a major accounting company, married to Paul who works as a construction foreman. Paul no longer serves in the Army but feels obliged to protect and uphold the Constitution rights. Annie and Paul leave for the protest rally in Washington taking their son with them.

Rock Bound allows all of Annie’s emotions… pain and loss come to life through the pages. When she begins to hold feelings for Jake while still harboring moments concerning Paul, the scene is riveting. Ms. Weber instills a serial that leaves the reader breathless with on-the-edge-of-your-seat entertainment with an endless list of characters. I can hardly wait to read more about these very interesting characters in this great tale. This is a very tightly written story.

I probably won/t be blogging a lot this summer, as I have a broken wrist. I fell and threw my arm out to “break” my fall and broke my wrist instead. Typing is somewhat laborious with a cast on.

However, I’m just back from my second sci-fi con as a panelist and I’ve been invited back. In fact, next year I may be assistant program chair for the writer’s track! My next convention will be ConClave in Detroit in October. Meanwhile, you can meet all of the Inara Press authors at a Romance At Heart tomorrow evening. Visit www.romanceatheart.com and click on the Chat Suite link for more info!

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