Year In Review -- Out with the Old, In with the New...Authors, That Is

As I posted yesterday, I read a lot in 2006. Over 130 books. Some short, online reads. Most full-length novels.

And one of the things that I loved was that I read a bunch of authors who were new to me.

Years ago, I read a lot of fiction by African-American authors. At that time, Walter Mosley was pretty new on the scene as was Valerie Wilson Wesley. I read Bebe Moore Campbell and Gloria Naylor. Mostly literary fiction but not much AA romance.

When AA romance began taking off, I found that I didn't like a lot of it. To me, these books seemed predictable. They tried too hard to have "in the hood" credibility. I was turned off. I turned toward Christian fiction, a genre which had finally figured out that there was a market for contemporary romantic stories with an element of faith.

(My goal as a writer is to marry these two sub-genres. African-American, or multicultural, romance with an element of faith. Publishers now recognize a market for this too.)

Anyway, part of my reading goal this year was to gain exposure to the authors who were out there selling AA/multicultural, inspirational, or just good romantic stories. Some of the authors I happened upon and enjoyed were:

Carolyn Aarsen
Theresa Alan
Hannah Alexander
Nikki Arana
Anjali Banerjee
Deborah Bedford
Cassandra Darden Bell
Adrienne Byrd
Kalista Buckhanon
Nathasha Brooks-Harris
Francine Craft
Jennifer Cruisie
Kyra Davis
Michelle Dunaway
Kristy Dykes
Aisha Ford
Gwynne Forster
Shelley Galloway
Marilynn Griffith
Cathy Marie Hake
Donna Hill
Brenda Jackson
Annie Jones
Tina Leonard
Kim Louise
Sandra Madden
Tia McCollors
Shirlee McCoy
Sarah Mlynowski
Celeste Norfleet
Allie Pleiter
Candace Poarch
Francis Ray
Jeff Rivera
Melanie Schuster
Maureen Smith
Sheila J. Williams
Sean D. Young

If you're looking for a new author to try, any one of thiese would be a good choice. (And I didn't really put my old favorites, like Angela Benson, Felicia Mason, Janice Sims, Lisa Tawn Bergren, Lori Wick, Terri Blackstock, and Rochelle Alers, "out". I still love and read you guys!)

Did you read any authors for the first time this year that you enjoyed? I'm taking recommendations for 2007.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Year In Review -- My Top 44 Books in 2006

Since this blog is about reading as much as writing, I want to talk about books I read this year.

Earlier in the year, I thought I'd share a list of the books I read each month. When my laptop died, so did my posting of book lists. I did continue to maintain my spreadsheet, however, so I do have the complete list available. At this point, there are too many to post every title but I thought it might be nice to post those that I really enjoyed.

Let me first say that I enjoy most everything I read...or I don't read it. I will hang in there with an author who doesn't grab me in the first few pages. A book has to be very poorly written or completely inane for me to put it down once I've begun it. I can do this because I'm selective in my choices, whether borrowing from the library or purchasing. The back cover or inside jacket blurb must grab me, especially if I'm unfamiliar with the author. Yet, I'm also adventurous, more than willing to try authors I've never heard of, authors I've heard of but never read, or plots that seem a little off my beaten path but interesting nonetheless. But once I start, I generally read to the finish.

So most everything I read is enjoyable. Enjoyable, yes. Memorable, no. Not many books grab me in a memorable way. Memorable for me are books that make my skin tingle while I'm reading them. The author's way with words, the intriguing plot line, the inspirational (not necessarily Christian) content, the freshness or newness of the author's voice. Months later I remember the plot line, the characters, or the message. This is important, since I read so voraciously. After I put most books down, they flee, hard to recall from memory.

I logged 134 pieces of literature this year, including the book I started this morning and will finish before the week is out. Lots of series books because I love series. Primarily authors that were "new to me". (I find it comforting to know I'm not stuck in a rut.) Romance, romance, and more romance, because that's my chosen genre so reading romance is as educational as it is pleasurable. (Although I did occasionally happen upon and read books in other genres.) Lots of Christian fiction because it lifts my spirit and it too is a genre I hope to publish in.

This year I read ebooks for the first time. Primarily short reads on eHarlequin but this was great way to meet new authors and examine different sub-genres within the world of romance fiction. There were perfect for a quick read when I needed to step back and break my concentration on whatever project I had been focused. I also continued writing book reviews, another nice way to read things I might not pick.

After a summer closing for renovations, my library reopened with a new way of shelving fiction. I mentioned this before. Whereas previously romance, Western, suspense and other fiction genres had been separated, everything is now shelved all together in alphabetical order by author's last name and title. Makes it harder to zero in on the books I want to read but I stumbled upon due to the new shelving system that I wouldn't have found and read otherwise. I'm adjusting. I think I like it better this way.

And of course, I read boat loads of books with my kids. There are a couple of YA titles on my list. I didn't put any of the juvenile fiction that I read with my two youngest, only because I didn't track those books. My middle son is completely focused on all things related to space and the Moon. My baby is just beginning to sit still while we read.

44 is a lot of books but if you count all of the books in a series as one, then the list is reduced to 33. Still a lot. That's encouraging. Not all of these were published this year but quite a few were. Lots of authors are still writing really good stuff.

So what were the memorable reads for me in 2006? I probably should pick the top 10 but that would be too hard. There were a number of great reads this year. Here are my top 44, as I would find them shelved in my local library:

• The Dangers of Mistletoe by Theresa Alan
  
• All My Tomorrows by Rochelle Alers
  
• Home Sweet Home by Rochelle Alers
  
• Shade of the Jacaranda by Nikki Arana
  
• The Winds of Sonoma by Nikki Arana
  
• Invisible Lives by Anjali Banerjee
  
• Mississippi Blues by Cassandra Darden Bell
  
• Breaker's Reef by Terri Blackstock
  
• Cape Refuge by Terri Blackstock
  
• River's Edge by Terri Blackstock
  
• Southern Storm by Terri Blackstock
  
• Upstate by Kalista Buckhanon
  
• Charlie All Night by Jennifer Cruisie
  
• You Can Write a Romance by Rita Clay Estrada and Rita Gallagher
  
• Blues From Down Deep by Gwynne Forster
  
• Love Runs Deep by Geri Guillame
  
• Made of Honor by Marilynn Griffith
  
• Veteran's Way by Robin Lee Hatcher
  
• Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz
  
• What a Woman Wants by Brenda Jackson
  
• 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber
  
• 204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber
  
• 311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber
  
• 44 Cranberry Point by Debbie Macomber
  
• 50 Harbor Street by Debbie Macomber
  
• Enchanted Heart by Felicia Mason
  
• Forbidden Heart by Felicia Mason
  
• Zora's Cry by Tia McCollors
  
• Me vs. Me by Sarah Mlynowski
  
• Grown Folks Business by Victoria Christopher Murray
  
• Truth be Told by Victoria Christopher Murray
  
• Dreaming of You by Francis Ray
• Trouble Don't Last Always by Francis Ray
  
• The Town That Came A-Courtin' by Rhonda Rich
  
• Forever My Lady by Jeff Rivera
  
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
  
• Desert Heat by Janice Sims
  
• That Summer at American Beach by Janice Sims
  
• A Heartbeat Away by Maureen Smith
  
• Just As I Am by Virginia Smith
  
• Ballantyne's Destiny by Kimberly White
  
• Only In My Dreams by Kimberly White
  
• To Love a Ballantyne by Kimberly White
  
• Girls Most Likely by Sheila J. Williams
  

Note a few have links to reviews that I wrote of those books.

What did you read in 2006? Were any particularly memorable for you?

Next I think I'll talk about the "new" authors I found this year.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Year-end Goals Assessment, Pt. 2

Day before yesterday (sorry for the brief delay), I talked a bit about how I got to where I am now in terms of my writing career. All of that was leading up to what my goals were for 2006, what I accomplished, and what my goals would be in 2007.

Getting to this point in my writing career, where I’ve had small successes and I'm building momentum, wasn’t easy. I had to cross a few hurdles and restart the race a few times, but I finally decided this year that it was time to earnestly pursue my interest in writing. Since there was more revelation that determination, I didn’t begin the year with any hard goals. I just knew I wanted to write and to get my writing published. So what did I accomplish in 2006?

Write and Publish Short Stories -- Done.
I managed to write and submit seven romance short stories to national confession mags. The sweet kind of romance. (In keeping with my spiritual sensibilities, I don't write explicit sex scenes.) Four were selected for publication, two rejected, and one is still under consideration. Can't tell you what a boost this has been to my writing confidence. It led to me to write the story of how I met and fell in love with my husband, in creative non-fiction style. That story was accepted for inclusion in an anthology, to be released early next year. Then, I revised one of my rejects and submitted it to an ebook publisher, who accepted it, and released it this month. (See below for more on the anthology or ebook.)

Write and Submit a Novel Manuscript -- In progress.
On the heels of my short story success, I determined I can do more. So I began working in earnest on a synopsis and the first few chapters of a novel. I work best when I have deadlines so I found a contest to enter. I even participated in the NaNo writing event to help me meet this goal. I'm glad I did. I got farther on this manuscript than I ever have before and lost some of my fear of the "sagging middle". Not quite finished polishing my entry although the deadline is looming (Dec 31st). Along the way I got derailed and haven't gotten the train back up on the track yet. (But there's still hope so pray for me.)

In publishing my ebook, I learned how to work with a editor through the revision process. What I learned will serve me well when I have to revise an entire novel.

Attend A Writing Conference -- No go, not this year anyway.
I got as far as making hotel reservations and checking flights for two conferences but had to back out when finances didn't add up quite right and I ran out of vacation days from my job that pays the bills. Not discouraged though. I'm going to try one closer to home in early 2007. And if everything else falls into place, maybe I'll get to go to RWA or ACFW this year. Meanwhile, I soak up everything I can from online writing loops, authors' websites, online workshops, blogs, writing books, etc. I've learned a lot, even if I still have a long way to go.

Network -- Lots of this.
The wonderful, inspiring, and supportive online family of writers. I don't know if I could truly pursue my dream without their support. From this group, I've learned about the possibilities, making my desire less of a dream and more of a goal. I feel like I have a whole new group of friends and I "meet" new folks everyday. I learn something every day that helps me to be a better writer and I find out about great new books to read. I've got a list of over 150 books, about a year's worth of reading. At least a quarter of the books I read this year, I won in contests on authors' blogs and websites.

Promote My Works. -- My Achilles heel.
I've learned more about the importance of writers learning to promote and market themselves and their work. This one is tough for me because it pushes, stretches, my comfort zone. Give me pen and I can write. Give me a platform and I can speak to many without hesitation. But please don't make me personally ask you to part with your money on my behalf. That's a tough one! It goes against my grain and pushes, stretches, challenges my comfort zone, going back to when I had to sell Girl Scout cookies and Trick-or-Treat for Unicef.

Yet, I began this blog, a way to promote as well as to network and share my experiences. I've got a long list of email addresses--of friends, family, authors, readers--who I'll eventually invite to receive a newsletter or other promotional email from me.

So what are my goals for 2007?
Simple. In a nutshell, my goal is to build on my successes from 2006.

• I will finish and submit a manuscript.
  
• I will attend at least one writing conference.
  
• I will continue to publish short stories. I would like to publish two per quarter.
  
• I will continue to meet and network with fellow writers, as well as readers, and learn all I can from them.
  
• I will treat my writing as a profession, and become a member of at least one professional organization (RWA, ACFW, and/or IBWA).
  
• I will learn more about marketing and promotion and pray, then work, away some of my personal fears about selling to others.

Beyond that, I plan to draw closer to God, love and honor my husband, love and guide my children, reach out to family and friends, be a good employee, and last but certainly not least, pamper myself more than I have in recent years.

What are your goals, writing or otherwise, for 2007?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

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If you're looking for a quick (and inexpensive) romantic holiday read, click here and check out "Love and Kwanzaa", published by The Wild Rose Press.

You may pre-order "How I Met My Sweetheart", an inspirational anthology to be released Feb 2007. To order, send a check or money order for $12 (includes tax plus shipping & handling) to:

Patricia Woodside
2219 Valrico Forest Drive
Valrico, FL 33594

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Year-end Goal Assessment, Pt. 1

It's that time of the year, when folks dust off those beginning-of-the-year goals and assess how they did.

Well, I didn't start this year off with a whole lot of goals. My family was in transition. We had recently moved into a new home, my youngest son had not yet turned one, and I was hoping to find steady employment in a new town.

Almost a year later, we're enjoying the house. My youngest is now a bruising toddler, and I'm working full-time outside of the home. Once the dust began to settle down, somewhere around late February, I did start to think of things I'd like to accomplish in my writing life.

Let me backtack a bit. I began writing in earnest in 2001, before 9/11, because I saw my 40th birthday on the horizon. I had been working professionally for over 15 years, had been married for 10, and had given birth to two children (my eldest son and firsborn, then six years old, and my daugher, who was stillborn). On top of that, my husband, who had entered the ministry early in our marriage, was called to begin a church a few years before. I felt as though I was giving everything I had to everyone but myself. At the end of every day, I was exhausted, stressed, beat, and felt like I was slipping slowly down a drain into a dark, black hole.

Next thing I knew, I was pregnant again. Middle son came in 2002. Difficult pregnancy. Then came unemployment in 2003, followed by relocation to another state in 2004, only to be followed by youngest son born in 2005. Another very difficult pregnancy. I made it through all of that with my sanity in tact, if not my burgeoning writing career. Tried to write after middle son but was too exhausted and pulled in too many directions. I knew my day would come. A dream deferred.

Along the way, however, I found a wonderful community of writers on the Internet. They helped me maintain my dream, even when the tank was empty and the dream looked like it was disintegrating into ethereal puffs of smoke.

So in the early days of 2006, I recommitted myself to pursuing my dream of becoming a published author. What did I accomplish toward that goal this year? Read Pt. 2 tomorrow for the answer.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you're looking for a quick (and inexpensive) romantic holiday read, click here and check out "Love and Kwanzaa", published by The Wild Rose Press.

You may pre-order "How I Met My Sweetheart", an inspirational anthology to be released Feb 2007. To order, send a check or money order for $12 (includes tax plus shipping & handling) to:

Patricia Woodside
2219 Valrico Forest Drive
Valrico, FL 33594

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

A Holiday Ebook and a Book Review

Now that I've gotten past Robin's death, my son and I have made it through the first semester of middle school, and I made a big dent in my Christmas preparations, I'm flying! Whole new attitude! I can hear Patti's dulcet tones ringing in my head. So let me share some good news.

First up, my holiday ebook, "Love and Kwanzaa" is now available for sale! I'm excited! This is my first publication outside of a few magazine short stories, although it started out as a short story mag submission. When it was rejected, I made a few changes and resubmitted my story to The Wild Rose Press. To my pleasant surprise, it was accepted. First time I've gone through the whole editing cycle: revisions, galley, cover art, more revisions, final galley, and release date. It was challenging and I learned a lot. If you're looking for a quick (and inexpensive) romantic holiday read, click here and check out "Love and Kwanzaa".

And now for part two of my great news... I have my first book review. And it's a good book review. My real-life inspirational romance is included in "How I Met My Sweetheart", an anthology to be released Feb 2007. I'm in the company of a great group of ladies who wrote wonderfully, inspiring stories. My good online friend, LaShaunda Hoffman, the publisher of SORMAG online magazine, is one of the authors too. You can read the review on her blog. An excerpt of my story is below. If you wish to pre-order a copy, you may send a check or money order for $12 (includes tax plus shipping & handling) to:

Patricia Woodside
2219 Valrico Forest Drive
Valrico, FL 33594

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Excerpted from Love Begets Love
by Patricia Woodside
"How I Met My Sweetheart", an inspirational anthology
Published by Amani Publishing
Release Date: February 2007

Bernard arrived to pick me up for the movie in a gray Cadillac. He held the door open so that I could seat myself.

“Hey Pat!” I glanced into the back seat, surprised to see additional passengers.

“Hey, Tabreeca. Charmise. Merry Christmas!” I fondly acknowledged two of Bernard’s sisters.

“This is Craig, Toni’s husband.” Tabreeca gestured to the gentleman who sat beside them. He wore an impish grin, clearly amused by the unfolding scene. Charmise looked miffed.

“He said he had to pick someone up, but we didn’t know it was you.” Tabreeca rattled on, her infectious manner ever present.

“You’re going to the movies too?” I struggled to clarify the situation.

“Bernard always takes me out for my birthday,” Charmise, the Christmas baby, answered.

His two younger sisters and a brother-in-law? Strange but hey, at minimum, it was a chance to enjoy a free movie. Maybe I had misinterpreted Bernard’s signals. Oh well. Shaking off my disappointment, I focused on having a good time. We did. We sat away from our chaperones and even held hands. We had a nice time, and I agreed to meet him for lunch the next day.

***

The waitress scribbled on her pad as she placed our menus under her arm and moved across the aisle to another customer. The lunchtime rush in full swing, the din of the increasing crowd made it difficult to hear. Sitting back against the worn leather of the Friendly’s booth, Bernard dipped his chin.

“I’m not looking for a casual date or a new girlfriend.”

My breath caught. I knew what he meant without him saying the words. He wanted to find his wife.

This was serious, as we both came from a background that emphasized “until death do us part.” Talk about an icebreaker! This was only our second date and our first real conversation. We’d only begun to get to know one another. I knew that he’d been engaged before but didn’t know what had happened. Yet, I felt oddly drawn to him. The soothing yet authoritative tenor of his voice gripped me. He had dark brown eyes that seemed to absorb my every word like a thirsty sponge.

“I understand.” I looked him squarely in his eyes. We were on the same page even if we used few words to express our shared sentiment. We continued our lunch, laughing and talking, sharing tidbits about ourselves over cups of steaming clam chowder. Would “enjoyable but unusual” describe all of our dates?

I had four days before my scheduled departure. We spent time together each day. I grew increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of flying to spend time with someone else. I’d begun to have real feelings for Bernard. I wanted to stay and get to know him better, but I also felt obligated to keep my commitment, not to mention that my airline tickets were already paid for, and I was strapped for cash. For his part, Bernard made it clear that he didn’t want me to leave, but that it was my decision. I figured we’d keep in touch. Everything would sort itself out in due time.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reflections on Life, Love, and Passing

Yes, my niece Robin passed away. 41 years old. Loving wife and devoted mother of two. (If I can get a picture, I'll post it.) Robin was bubbly, enthusiastic, always quick to laugh (more like giggle), and very friendly. She adopted every stray that ever came her way, whether animal or human, and always had a kind word for everyone she met. She suffered great pain stemming from the cancer that tormented her body in silence, and she prepared everyone for her departure, even penning the poem that was printed on the back of the funeral program. Robin will be greatly missed.

I attended the funeral services in NY with my three sons. The outpouring of love and support from the community was awesome, amazing, and inspirational. We grew up in a small town on Long Island. One square mile, predominantly African-American by the early '70s, the result of civil rights struggle, integration, and white flight. There was a good number of packed into that small area and everyone knew everyone. I often tell of how the winos at the corner knew us (they did), acknowledging our presence and letting us know that if we got out of line, they wouldn't hesitate to tell our father (they did). We were truly raised by the entire town.

Anyway, I think everyone who knew Robin and still lives there, or anywhere nearby, showed up for the funeral. I saw people I haven't seen in 30 years. For real. There were friends and acquaintances from school, old teachers and administrators, community leaders, etc. In the midst of the sadness, we had a great reunion, filled with smiles, laughter, and lots of hugs. I was happy that her children saw the impact that their mother had in life, the number of people that she and their father, Freddie, a volunteer fireman, have touched.

And of course, there was family. Lots of family. On both sides. Big, large, loud, raucous--and grateful to be alive--family. Again, folks I haven't seen or lost touch with for many years. At one point, my 11-year-old said, "Mommy, you have too many cousins." I whispered in reply, "Honey, they're your cousins too!"

On love. Freddie worshipped the ground Robin walked on and it showed. Childhood sweethearts, they did everything together. I'm sure they had their challenges but we never saw a hint of them in nearly 20 years of marriage. And he paid her tribute in death. Every aspect of the services was first-class. He paid her tribute in song ("You're the Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me", sung by an old classmate), affection (kissing her and later rubbing her closed casket as tears streamed down his face), and deed (her casket was carried to the cemetery in a white, horse-drawn carriage). He comforted us than we did him, saying he just wanted her to have everything she ever deserved.

Death is a funny thing. Inevitable yet we fear, or at least, try to avoid it for as long as possible. In Robin's case, although at a young age, I have a hard time calling it tragic. I truly feel that her death was purposeful, that people were inspired and changed by her passing. It's just a feeling that has stuck with me. And since we are believers, I believe God was glorified through her life and her death, especially since several people gave their lives to Christ during the service.

So, in the words of Dickens, it was "the best of times and the worst of times". Almost a week later, I'm finally getting my feet back on the ground, although I can't stop thinking about her. I suspect some aspect of Robin's life will become the basis for a story. I haven't felt like writing for weeks and now the ideas are beginning to bubble again.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.