Where is my snow?

[erastes]

WHERE. IS. IT? How did it sneak past me – in the furthest east spot, and dump all over the middle of the country and skipped me?

I Knew Him will hit 60k tomorrow!  I am now seriously doubting I will finish it by end of year, which is a bit galling. But I feel better about it today than I have for weeks. I guess that was the “hump.”  The first “half” of the book (although it’s more than half, or at least I bloody hope so) has been pretty much set up, and the next section has to encompass the action and fall out – but it’s all a bit complicated and I’m sort of sticking my head in a bucket and writing round it. Does anyone else do this?

I got my contract back from Harlequin for Muffled Drum – editing should begin this month.  Eek. I’ve heard my editor is good, and I don’t doubt she is, but there’s always this fear that you aren’t going to see things the same way, and that you’ll start bickering over stuff. Not that that’s happened to me, yet, we’ve always managed to make a compromise. And I have edits for Mere Mortals coming soon too…Argh. I don’t know if Steve Berman does his own editing or whether he has ediminions-guess I’ll find out soon!

 

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Comments

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

Clicked the dragons. What is the little purple hatchling? I've never seen that one before.

Congrats on the contract.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

It's a Summoned Egg - I'm not sure of it's real name (beause I don't want to spoil myself)

You have to have one each of the Legendary Trio (Ice, Volcano and Lightning) and then you get the Summon ability which you can use about once a month - and it's a slim chance that the Summon will work. I've been trying for many months. I'm looking forward to seeing what it becomes (I have a horrid feeling that it won't be breedable, and that I'll have to try all over again.)

[jl_merrow]

I thought you'd be knee deep in the white stuff!

We only have a little sprinkle here in Herts - enough to make things look pretty, but not enough to shut the roads down, thank goodness!

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

I don't have an ice egg, so that's why I didn't know about it.

I'd love to see some snow here. It's been in the 50s and 60s all week, way too warm for December.

Oh, I meant to ask, is the contract actual Harlequin or is it with Carina? I'm curious about Carina though I'd love to see some sales figures on them.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

If i ever get a spare ice egg, you'll be my first port of call!

the contract is with HQN and it's their boilerplate contract and cannot be negotiated - I guess they deal with hundreds of authors every year and they aren't going to be fussing about with every author's whim.

I'll certainly be comparing my sales with Carina to those of the current epubs (which have been hugely disappointing so far) - i swore i wouldnt ever publish an ebook only again, but I was swayed by it being part of HQN.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Sprinkle here too. Dad however is swimming in the stuff - only 17 miles away!

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

So it's an m/f book or did HQ take an m/m? The curious author needs to know. LOL

I've seen NYC boilerplate contracts, they make my hair stand on end, but if the numbers are good sales wise it might be worth it.

Let me know when/if you plan to breed an ice egg so I can be sure to have a slot open for it. That way we can make the transfer.

Did you see the stuff on the DC forums about the upcoming changes they're going to make? Number of eggs/hatchlings will be based on bronze, silver and gold achievements so those with the awards get to have more eggs/hatchlings. There are other changes too, all of which look good, including the ability to rename dragons.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I will - definitely.

Yes, they took m/m - me? write an m/f - when hell freezes over..... they've already done a good few m/m's and they've done quite well as far as I know - Lanyon, and Vashtan for two - and some others.

No - I don't go to the forums very often - can't manage 1300 pages of one word comemnts, but that's interesting - thank you! I have silver at the mo.

I wish they would make a quest to get golds and silvers or something.

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

They are breaking up the way you get eggs into 'biomes' meaning sea based dragons in one place, etc. They've promised golds, silvers and holiday dragons will be found in all places.

I don't read the reply posts, just the mod posts at the top of the threads because, frankly, I don't give a rat's bottom what the other players think.

Okay, maybe I need to investigate HQ and Carina for m/m stories. How are they regarding plot to sex ratio? Can you have a plot or is it all sex no substance? Yes, I'm picking your brain. *grinz*

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I don't know about the ratio. I wrote the story first and then submitted it to them, but i didn't write it particularly for them. I think they expect some sex but i don't think it has to be particularly lots of it. My main characters don't even have sex in the book, although it's said they have had it - and I think they are giong to want at least one sex scene with those characters. I would say plot is more important, and that should be the case whoever the publisher is. I know that's not the case, but it should be. romance with erotic elements rather than erotic romance?

[m-barnette.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. Now I have several different publishers to check out for my work.

I'm a bit tired of worrying about getting a sex scene in every other chapter.

[clarelondon.livejournal.com]

If it's any help at all, I received the best editing ever from Carina. I know it's a separate imprint of Harlequin, but I assume they all follow the same corporate procedure. It wasn't always easy and Deb and I had a few wrangles, but I hung on to the advice I once received - to choose my battles - and tried to make any agreed changes my own, not just imposed by the publisher. And it definitely made my 2 works with them the better product overall.

And your damned snow's down here, *lol*, gumming up my car door and icing up my front path! Though the rain has melted most of it this morning :).
Have a good weekend :).

[erastes.livejournal.com]

oo - lookslike i have the same editor, which is good - thank you!

[clarelondon.livejournal.com]

Deb N really is the best I've ever had, though I haven't had that many really hands-on ones. Keep in touch, let me know how it's going! (I don't like to chat about it too publicly :))

[erastes.livejournal.com]

no - me either- will do!