Cover Reveal - Ruby's Letters!!

Even though this isn't my debut novel, I've never done a cover reveal before. I hope you're as excited as I am! I love this cover. I've been dying to share it with you! So here it is:

Isn't it beautiful? My cover designer, Greg Simanson did an amazing job!

 Ruby's Letters is a contemporary romance set in Brooklyn Heights, NY. It's got ghosts and suspense just in time for Halloween!

Look for Ruby's Letters October 23rd!

Come back for upcoming posts which will include:

• The prologue to Ruby's Letters
• 10 things you didn't know about Ruby's Letters
• Details about my upcoming small town, contemporary romance series "Love and Laugh on Long Island"
• And, of course, new posts about leading a low-carb lifestyle!

Until next time, my friends, eat healthy and happy reading!

~Maggie

Reality Right Now-One Mother's Perspective

The tragedy in Newtown, CT has stopped the hearts of so many and has sent our country into mourning. Most can't fathom what the parents of those lost are going through right now. There will come a day, when life has moved on and they discover there is no going back to normal but learn to live with a new normal.

But that's not their reality right now.
 
They will laugh again. 
The day will come when they get through the day without crying.
There will come a day when they can say their child's name and smile.
They will be able to look at pictures/videos and remember without tears.
But the holidays, their birthdays and the day they passed will never be the same.

So what is their reality right now?

I an a writer who has felt this pain and still I have no words to describe it.

Breathing is a chore.

The idea of eating makes you nauseous.

They pray for sleep, search it out, if for no other reason than to escape their reality.

Movement is painful. Just lifting a limb takes effort.

Even if they are surrounded by loved ones, they might feel very alone. Many loved their child, but no one knows the loss like the mother and father.

The desire to wake up from this nightmare is so strong, there may be mornings when, for a few precious seconds, they believe it was just a nightmare.

Guilt. No matter how irrational.

They will have loved ones come to them and say kind, yet meaningless words. I don't mean this to sound harsh. When we see our loved ones suffering, we want to do or say anything to take some of the pain away.

Don't. You can't, so don't try.

Don't say they have to be strong for their other children.  The parent is mourning for the child they lost. Let them mourn. You want to help? Hug their other children. Comfort them. Because Mommy and Daddy might not be able to.

It doesn't matter if this is God's will.  Don't try to rationalize.

Saying the child is with Jesus (or whatever their personal belief) does not help. One day it might. All that matters right now, is that child is not with them.

Do not say they can always have more children. Yes, it's been said. And NO it does not help. You can never, ever replace a child. EVER.

You want to know what to say?  

"I'm sorry."

Cry with them. Hug them, And say you're sorry. That's it.

Don't ever forget the child they lost. If they had 3 children before the tragic event, don't say they have 2 children now.

Some grieving parents want to be left alone. Some want to be surrounded by people who loved their child. Whatever their choice, respect it.

Everyone grieves differently. Do not assume you know. Even I, who have been through this, can't tell you how everyone will react.

Don't put a time limit on their grief. Yes, people do this. It's been fourteen years since I lost Brandon and when people ask,
"How long did it take to move on?"
my answer always is,
"Any day now."

And it doesn't matter the child's age, or how he or she passed. Whether it be in a tragedy like the one on Friday, an accident or a long battle with illness, nothing eases the pain but time.

But that's not their reality right now.

All I can do is pray that these parents find the comfort I eventually did. I cry for them. Feel physical pain in my heart. I can't look at the pictures of the children lost being posted on Facebook. I just can't. And I know many of you feel the same way.

"So Mommy and Daddy, don't cry and wipe away that tear, for remember I'll be spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year"

Word Count

I don't know why I still obsess over this. Anyone I've ever talked to has said not to go crazy over word count. It's just an approximation for the editor and/or agent to go by.

When I first started out some years ago, I remember looking at one of the tabs on my Office Works document. Word count, hurray!

But wait. Editors and agents don't want you to use THAT word count. They want you to use the old formula: # of pages x 250 = word count. Okay, fine, but that formula only works if you use Courier 12. A lot of editors and agents accept Courier or Times New Roman (in fact, according to The Rejecter www.rejecter.blogspot.com TNR is now preferred). Have you ever seen the difference in them? Here's an example using my Office Word (I've moved up in the world) word count:

TNR 48 pages = 14,000 words
Courier 71 pages = 14,000 words

That's a difference of more than 20 pages! And, now I've read that some don't want you to use the old formula anymore, they want computer generated word counts(CGWC). Okay, now I'm going crazy (more so than usual)

True, some ePublishers want CGWC, but in my research, most publishers are still using the old 250 x # of pages = word count, system. With such a difference in outcome, how can we, as writers, decide what to use?

I have no idea, but for me, I'm sticking with the old ways until I'm told otherwise; Dark Courier 12, 1 inch margins (unless, of course, I'm entering a contest and I want to have as much of my work critiqued as possible, but that's another post ) .

Going Crazy

Wow, if life as a published author is going to be anything like the week I just had, I'm in BIG trouble (hopefully:). I couldn't imagine meeting a deadline when under the gun.

I recently started a new book. A quirky paranormal tale involving a successful New York artist, a preacher's son and a precocious German Shepard. The only problem is, I haven't been able to write!

Recently I attended my writers group luncheon (http://www.lirw.org/) and met with a few editors and agents. I really didn't go with the anticipation of pitching to any of them. I queried a few agents about my last book and two of them wanted to see more, so I figured, why add more work to my load?

I'm sure you can guess why! There's no guarantee that either of the two agents will like my work or have a spot for me. So until I have a signed contract I have to act like I have nothing (which, until that day comes where I have to sign on the dotted line, I don't)

So, I pitched to an editor and an agent. One wanted two of my books, with the first three chapters e-mailed to her. But one said "send em all!" Yikes! I think maybe I'll start with two. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a bit obsessive compulsive. Even though I've edited and re-edited those two manuscripts and I knew they were the best they could be, I had to check them at least one more time . . . and guess what? I found problems I never noticed before (here, I cannot stress enough how important it is for a critique partner)

So now I have to edit before I send it out. Then I have to check the other one. That on top of dealing with end-of-year parties, doctors appointments and just plain old housework, when will I ever get back to the baby I just recently conceived?

It's nuts, it's crazy and yet I still pray daily for those deadlines.

Oh the joys of editing

There is nothing more rewarding to any new writer than to type those two precious words "The End". It's also a big lie, because in no way is this the end (unless you have no desire to seek the Nirvana that is being published)

I do. So now, after sweating, crying, giving up then going back, and knowing that you did the very best you could, you have to put that newborn baby aside. Maybe for a few weeks, maybe a few months. Whatever the length of time, you need to put distance between you and the manuscript you've been with every day for the last few months.

Why? Because when you go back to it--and you WILL go back to it--it has to be fresh, almost new so you can objectively edit and edit and edit.

First, print it out. You won't believe how many typo's, grammar mistakes and just plain confusing text you've missed by reading it on the computer.

Second, have someone else read it. Someone who's not afraid to use a red pen and point out every little erroneous detail. A critiquing partner would be best, but if you don't have one, a trusted family member or friend will do. I ask my husband. He's not afraid to tell me straight up what he thinks and the man can pick out a spelling/grammatical error faster than any word processor. (I swear the man proofreads anything from menus to advertisements to posters for yard sales!) The best thing about my husband is, he doesn't read romances, they're not his cup of tea. So when he reads my manuscript and says "this is really good!" I know it means something.

If you don't know anyone who can read it and give you honest feedback, enter a contest and make sure it's one that encourages the judges to make notes on the manuscript pages. I found this to be invaluable. Even though I didn't come close to winning, I felt vindicated that at least two of the judges thought I had a good shot at getting published.

Third, be careful not to edit so much that you lose yourself in the process. No, I don't mean losing your identity--well, maybe I do--the important thing is not to lose your "voice". Sometimes the most perfectly written books can be stale and two dimensional because the author took her voice of it by editing TOO much.

Now that you've finished your book and have gotten to the editing part, DON'T stop learning about the craft. I finished my first book almost ten years ago. I just picked up a pen one day and started to write. I met someone who knew an editor for Harlequin/Silhouette and I sent her my work. I never heard back from her. Not very professional I feel, but looking back on the first manuscript I can almost understand why she didn't want a paper trail leading to me. The book was awful. I knew so little about writing that I might as well have written NEWBIE in the corner of every manuscript page.

I've rambled on enough for my first post. God bless and thanks for reading!