When I became a novelist, I jumped right in. It's a weird story really. I had been working on a wordy 5-book masterpiece for years (I call it my magnum opus or MO for short). When the end of the tale drew near, I began to fret. What if no one wanted to read it? What if I couldn't get a publisher to even take it on? I had experienced sad rejections back in the early 1990s when trying to get my children's books published. I mean, if publishers didn't want my adorable children's books, would they even want my adult fiction? Did I really want to go through all that self-esteem bruising again?
I determined what I really needed to do was to get inside the process so when the time came to pitch and publish my MO, I'd know what the heck I was doing. But how?
Well, something happened in the span of a week that set my feet on a different path. Several things came out of the blue to tell me just go for it, but not in any way I expected. First, my daughter asked me what I knew about ebooks. I knew nothing. Then later that same day I heard an interview on public radio that said ebook publishing was the next big thing. Two days later, I saw a TV interview with the guy who owns Amazon.com and he was talking about epublishing. The day after that I opened a writer's newsletter and the topic was epublishing. That same email listed opportunities for writers, one of which was an epublisher looking for unsolicited manuscripts from unagented authors. Unsolicited and unagented? I read it and thought that's me! The synchronistic bell rang in my head so loud I'm surprised my dogs didn't start barking.
Well, something happened in the span of a week that set my feet on a different path. Several things came out of the blue to tell me just go for it, but not in any way I expected. First, my daughter asked me what I knew about ebooks. I knew nothing. Then later that same day I heard an interview on public radio that said ebook publishing was the next big thing. Two days later, I saw a TV interview with the guy who owns Amazon.com and he was talking about epublishing. The day after that I opened a writer's newsletter and the topic was epublishing. That same email listed opportunities for writers, one of which was an epublisher looking for unsolicited manuscripts from unagented authors. Unsolicited and unagented? I read it and thought that's me! The synchronistic bell rang in my head so loud I'm surprised my dogs didn't start barking.
There was a problem though--that publisher was looking for erotic romance. While I knew erotic romance was different from erotica, I didn't even write romance, let alone erotic romance. (My magnum opus is rather heavy fiction). Still, when the universe raps you on the forehead and says EPUBLISH in all caps, you just have to. It took exactly seven days to write an erotic romance about an online affair and I submitted it with fingers crossed. The story was accepted and I've been writing romance ever since.
Yes, Rose Anderson writes award-winning erotic romance and will continue to do so. But I also write children's and youth books, murder mysteries and high-concept fiction, as well as historical non-fiction. You just can't mix those genres. And that's where Madeline Archer steps in. Under Madeline's name I'll write the other flavors of adult fiction. As for my kids' literature and non-fiction... Rose and Madeline and I will keep you posted. One day I may even finish my magnum opus!
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I'm happy to announce Madeline Archer's debut with two fun projects available for pre-order on October 1st ~
Entice Me ~ In this anthology of nine amazing authors from Romance Books '4' Us, I offer this sweeter novelette:
Heart of Stone.
Just for kicks we've set up a Pinterest board and are in the process of loading pins of things that inspired our stories. Come see! Entice Me on Pinterest
We also have this happy little video into
Blurb ~
A story that begins with the witch hunts of Salem.
As formal education for women lacks substance in 1904, Neila Flannigan leaves Ireland to attend Radcliffe women’s college in America. Shy and solitary, Neila passes her lonesome hours drawing interesting features of the Harvard grounds to send home to her father. A chance encounter with a kind and elderly Irish woman inspires her to sketch a statue in an old unused building. Desperate for companionship, lonely Neila shares her thoughts and feelings with a man carved in stone. Some days it feels like he listens.
As formal education for women lacks substance in 1904, Neila Flannigan leaves Ireland to attend Radcliffe women’s college in America. Shy and solitary, Neila passes her lonesome hours drawing interesting features of the Harvard grounds to send home to her father. A chance encounter with a kind and elderly Irish woman inspires her to sketch a statue in an old unused building. Desperate for companionship, lonely Neila shares her thoughts and feelings with a man carved in stone. Some days it feels like he listens.
Also available for pre-order October 1st~
The ChangelingA spin on the Scottish ballad of Tam Lin
Blurb ~
Half-fae Lenox Pendry is surrounded by secrets and none are his to keep. Plucked from his mother’s arms as an infant and raised a changeling, Lenox grows to adulthood unaware of what and who he is and oblivious to the danger unfolding as his birthday draws near. After he’s unwittingly sent to the Scottish Lowlands out of harm’s way, he chances to meet a beautiful healer named Janet Roxburgh. The townspeople believe her to be a witch. It would appear Janet has a few secrets of her own.
Note: Madeline Archer is the pen name of award-winning author Rose Anderson. The Changeling comes from the sweeter side of Rose’s imagination. Rated PG.
Stop by my Main blog for interesting topics all month long. http://calliopeswritingtablet.com/
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