Megan Crane & Caitlin Crews

Sweet Seattle

2009-11-07T15:09:45Z

I am off to the cold, wet north today. I haven't been to Seattle since I was on book tour with Frenemies, though I realize I feel as if I have. That's because I wrote a work-for-hire book earlier this year that took place (partly) in Seattle and I spent a lot of time looking at pictures of the place. What a hardship! It's hard to think of a city more beautiful than Seattle.

Seriously:

So pretty. I can't wait!

I have great plans to get a chunk of my NaNo writing done while I'm up there. I believe Jane Porter and I will do the whole sit in coffee shop and be working writers thing. I hear that works for a lot of people. I wouldn't know, as I prefer to lock myself away in my cave and stare at a blank wall.

But! Deadlines call!

And when I say "deadlines," I am not just referring to the NaNo deadline. My life would be inordinately better if I made that deadline, but whether I do or not, I still have a book to hand in at the end of December. So here's to a rapidly-expanding word count!

Happy Saturday!

megancrane @ 2009-11-06T19:15:00

2009-11-07T03:15:01Z

07:22 Must prepare to go into Seattle's significantly more wet and cold November weather. Yikes. Am fragile flower, y'all. Already chilled. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-11-05T19:15:00

2009-11-06T03:15:01Z

09:09 @teebenoit Wow! You're doing well! Keep it up! #
09:09 @JulieAnneLong I always suspected you were both a princess and pure. ;) Thanks for the RT! #
09:57 Why is it that the more I do, the more I have to do? #
09:58 @JulieAnneLong One, yes. The other, no. Guess which is which! #
12:23 @JulieAnneLong Yes! It is a romance novel, you know. It really ought to celebrate impurity, lustily, or it's a wallbanger, am I right? #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

See You Next Tuesday in Seattle: Workshop with Jane Porter

2009-11-05T17:13:21Z

I'll be headed up to Seattle this weekend to see my good friend Jane Porter and prepare for the exciting and fun workshop we'll be giving Tuesday evening to the Eastside RWA chapter. If you're in the Seattle area, I'd love to see you!

Jane Porter and Megan Crane, bestselling authors in category and women's fiction, will be presenting "Finding & Fueling The Story" to Seattle's Eastside RWA chapter on November 10th at 7 pm.

Workshop description: With more than 40 published novels under their belts, Megan and Jane understand what its like to know where your story is supposed to go, but struggle when the words fall flat on the page. Angst and experience have taught them that flat writing happens when you don't know the meat of the story, and the meat--the good stuff--is what the readers want. "Finding & Fueling The Story" will teach you how to access your story through zooming in on the structure of the novel, and understanding what sets your story apart. Inspired writing doesn't happen by accent. It's the result of discovering, and deliberately revealing, the truth of your story through character, conflict, motivation and emotion.

Bios:
Bellevue novelist Jane Porter is the author of twenty-five classic romances for Harlequin Presents, and six women's fiction novels for Grand Central, including the bestselling Flirting with Forty, recently made into a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear. The mother of three boys and a one eyed English bulldog, Jane always loves talking books and writing. Find Jane here.

Megan Crane has written four women’s fiction novels, many work-for-hire young adult novels, and two category romances (due out in 2010 under the name Caitlin Crews) since publishing her first book in 2004. She lives in Los Angeles with her artist husband and too many pets. For more info visit her here.

megancrane @ 2009-11-04T20:15:00

2009-11-05T03:15:01Z

22:06 @GLITZANDBLITZ It's going all right. Are you doing it? Good luck if you are! #
07:58 @GLITZANDBLITZ Shows you what I know! #
10:19 twitpic.com/o9g97 - The Mills & Boon Modern cover of my 1st Harlequin! #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-11-03T20:15:00

2009-11-04T03:15:01Z

08:05 The website for the new RWA Women's Fiction chapter is live! Want to join us? Check it out: www.rwa-wf.com/ #
08:07 @dpeterfreund I never read them, if that helps. ;) #
11:42 According to my own rules, must let editorial suggestions (always right on and incisive) percolate for at least 1 day. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-11-02T20:15:00

2009-11-03T03:15:01Z

12:15 @AshleyDWalsh Sad but true! #
12:20 LOL RT @JulieAnneLong If I remain in a sitting-and-typing position for 1 more whole day, fear I'll freeze that way forever. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-11-01T20:15:00

2009-11-02T03:15:01Z

08:14 Happy #NaNo day! Are you all writing madly in your extra hour? #
08:39 This is genius. How To Write Badly Well: writebadlywell.blogspot.com/ Via Argh Ink. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-31T19:15:00

2009-11-01T02:15:00Z

12:17 My favorite Muse: megancrane.livejournal.com/293285.html #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

My Fat and Demanding Muse

2009-10-31T17:12:14Z

Puck, "helping."

megancrane @ 2009-10-30T19:15:00

2009-10-31T02:15:01Z

08:23 More Rowen-y goodness! RT @michellerowen THE DEMON IN ME **cover** plus info about the book!! Hooray!! tinyurl.com/yfvo45k #
09:17 Okay, seriously now. Who do I think is going to do all this work while I faff about online? The helpful manuscript elves? #
14:07 I am thinking of dedicating next book to tea. Because let's face it, tea is how these books get written. Glorious, caffeinated tea. #
14:09 I think I'll go make some more! The jitters mean IT'S WORKING! #
14:14 @HeidiBetts I like it hot--black, green, white, whatever. In a steady stream, all day long. (Hmm. Good point about context!) #
14:28 @HeidiBetts I usually switch to decaf after lunch, depending on status of manuscript and closeness of deadline. Today is v. caffeinated. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

Packages Filled with Books

2009-10-30T16:13:04Z

Yesterday was a great day for packages.

First I got the brand new Marian Keyes book, The Brightest Star in the Sky from the UK.

I don't know how I am managing to contain myself. I love Marian Keyes. I love her so much that I cannot bear to wait for US publication of her novels; I order directly from the UK. I love her so much that is more tempting than I can tell you to ignore the things I have to do and sink into this new book right this minute... Unfortunately, no one else is going to revise and polish the manuscript in front of me and submit it, so Marian Keyes must wait.

But there was another package waiting for me yesterday. Look what arrived:

They are so pretty that I have been carrying one of them around the house, stroking it lovingly from time to time. I have never seen a book of mine in hardcover before. Well, that's not entirely true--the Russian version of English as a Second Language is in hardcover, but my pleasure in that is a touch constrained by the fact i can't read a word of Russian. These copies are library copies of my first Presents, which I believe are available in the UK in December.

It's hard for me to believe that a year ago, I had only written the first three chapters and a synopsis of this book as a proposal. I was calling it "The Italian's Proper Princess" then, and was working on a work-for-hire novel--because it is always best to have something else to do while you have a project on submission. If you don't, you'll go crazy. I didn't start working on the manuscript again until I heard from Harlequin in December about those proposal pages. I wrote the rest of the book that month and in January, more or less, submitted it in February, and everything after that happened very quickly. And now here it is, in my hands! It's certainly a whirlwind--and the fastest I've ever seen a book go from my head to the printed page.

Wow. It doesn't feel real.

But the book sure does. I'm holding it right now.

megancrane @ 2009-10-29T19:15:00

2009-10-30T02:15:00Z

22:13 Have marked up manuscript. Must now input changes and polish, polish, polish. Maybe tomorrow... #
07:35 Finished @michellerowen 's HOT SPELL last night. What are you waiting for? Trademark Rowen quirkiness and a hot hot hot... well... spell! #
08:53 @michellerowen I would like to know more about that hot Jacob, please. Like, way more. Several books more, in fact. #
12:12 @michellerowen I don't know who DOES deserve him, but he wanted Amanda, so I guess I feel he should have her. God, he's hot. #
15:36 Brand new Marian Keyes novel has arrived from UK. Book due Monday. Decisions, decisions... #
15:48 Oh! And package #2 in the mail contains my brand new library copies of my first Presents! Wow. They're just so pretty.... and pink! #
16:04 twitpic.com/nfyyj - Check these out! So pretty! #
16:06 @Keris Oddly, this is not helpful. Perhaps I will just stroke it at first. It's so pretty... And oh, how I love me some Marian Keyes! #
16:07 @scandalwomen Not fast enough. I really can't allow myself to even open it until next week... (But I'm not so good with temptation.) #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-28T19:15:00

2009-10-29T02:15:01Z

09:24 Today: must read through and polish work-for-hire before submitting it. Am terrified to see state of last few chapters. #
09:24 Luckily, I am a professional. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-27T19:15:00

2009-10-28T02:15:01Z

08:31 RT @michellerowen Official release day for my debut Hqn Blaze HOT SPELL! Only on the shelves for a month! Get 'em while they're hot! #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-26T19:15:00

2009-10-27T02:15:01Z

07:56 @Keris Mine is on the way too! Though it has a bit farther to go. I can't wait! #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-25T19:15:00

2009-10-26T02:15:01Z

19:20 @KeiraSoleore Alpha heroes never rest. They merely wait. #
10:25 Just bought entire @NaliniSingh category backlist. Am beside myself in anticipation of that AND, of course, Blaze of Memory due 11/3. Yum! #
11:29 Get ready, Seattle! I'm coming! megancrane.livejournal.com/291292.html #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

Workshop with Jane Porter at Seattle's Eastside RWA Chapter 11/10 2009

2009-10-25T18:17:21Z

Jane Porter and Megan Crane, bestselling authors in category and women's fiction, will be presenting "Finding & Fueling The Story" to Seattle's Eastside RWA chapter on November 10th at 7 pm.

Workshop description: With more than 40 published novels under their belts, Megan and Jane understand what its like to know where your story is supposed to go, but struggle when the words fall flat on the page. Angst and experience have taught them that flat writing happens when you don't know the meat of the story, and the meat--the good stuff--is what the readers want. "Finding & Fueling The Story" will teach you how to access your story through zooming in on the structure of the novel, and understanding what sets your story apart. Inspired writing doesn't happen by accent. It's the result of discovering, and deliberately revealing, the truth of your story through character, conflict, motivation and emotion.

Bios:
Bellevue novelist Jane Porter is the author of twenty-five classic romances for Harlequin Presents, and six women's fiction novels for Grand Central, including the bestselling Flirting with Forty, recently made into a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear. The mother of three boys and a one eyed English bulldog, Jane always loves talking books and writing. Find Jane here.

Megan Crane has written four women’s fiction novels, many work-for-hire young adult novels, and two category romances (due out in 2010 under the name Caitlin Crews) since publishing her first book in 2004. She lives in Los Angeles with her artist husband and too many pets. For more info visit her here.

megancrane @ 2009-10-24T19:15:00

2009-10-25T02:15:01Z

20:13 There is a Magnolia Bakery opening two blocks from my house. I am doomed. #
20:14 Thanks for the #FF love! @JulieAnneLong @scandalwomen @christabanister @amysondova #
08:06 @KeiraSoleore Both! You can create and then crash, create and then crash, on an endless loop-- just keep adding caffeine and sugar. #
08:14 @KeiraSoleore I can tell you, from sad experience: that doesn't work. Must crash, then rise again. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-23T19:15:00

2009-10-24T02:15:00Z

07:11 Today must speak to bright young minds re writing, then return home and attempt to actually freaking write. Guess which will be more fun? #
07:13 Also, have joined Nano: www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/539574 Come join me! Write 50K in November! It will be FUN! #
08:12 @organicsyes Not an actual book or anything, but if you ask me a question I'll be happy to answer it! Or you can take one of my classes. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

Offices and NaNo

2009-10-23T14:57:42Z

Today I have to be somewhere at a time I am usually just settling in to my workday at home, tea at the ready, dressed in sweats if I am feeling ambitious (pajamas if not). Please locate your violins!

I have not actually had to haul my carcass to an office, much less at a specific time, for a very long while now. I suppose being in graduate school required that I appear at certain places at a certain time, armed with particular knowledge, but I am hardly going to claim that my graduate school class load was onerous. It was not. (Preparation for class was far more challenging, unless you regularly read, say, The Tin Drum in about 48 hours.)

I would like to take a moment to celebrate you, commuter and office-worker, for your daily unrecognized superhuman efforts. The fact that you rise from your beds, manage to dress yourself, tend to your household, deal with the horrors of a daily commute, work all day under someone else's direction, then return home to do it all over again, perhaps after preparing food for others and tending to child care or chores, fills me with awe. The fact that some of you do all of that and then also do what I do--well, you are superstars, for sure. I salute you--with my sixteenth caffeinated beverage in hand, which I am downing before heading out there myself in the hope it will make me appear charming and awake. Or awake, anyway.

In other news, I have decided to join NaNoWriMo. What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? Here's what it says on the website: "National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30." I first heard of NaNoWriMo years ago, when I met the delightful Lani Diane Rich, whose first published book, Time Off For Good Behavior was originally a NaNo book. I even sort of tried it once, but without joining, which is kind of like pretending to go to a party by loitering around on the street outside. This year, however, I have decided to enter said party. Why not? I already have deadlines. Why not share them with untold numbers of others? A deadline shared is a deadline... less terrifying, I hope.

Doesn't that sound like fun? I have a 50 to 55K novel due at the end of the year. But I would very much like to get as much of it written as I can, as quickly as possible. Or at least a hefty chunk of it. This will make for a much more pleasant December for yours truly. The only wrench I can see being thrown into my NaNo plan is the revision of my work-for-hire, which will come pretty quickly after I hand it in. But! These are the challenges that make us thrive!

Want to write a book? Or make serious headway on an existing project? Don't be shy. Join the madness.

megancrane @ 2009-10-22T19:15:00

2009-10-23T02:15:00Z

09:52 Need to work on actual book in front of me, not tempting, luscious, beautiful new book idea tramping it up in my head. #
11:18 @JulieAnneLong LOL. Bet if I start trying to write the new one, the bloom will quickly be off the rose, as they are always prettier in head. #
11:19 @bethsbanter Too many books, too little ability to write them all at once! #
11:23 Too funny. RT @abbymcdonald Ah, the lure of plot promiscuity, I know it well! #
14:12 To NaNo or not to NaNo, that is the question. Another question is does it matter if I officially NaNo, when I have to write book either way? #
14:16 @SabrinaPhilips Me too. *I* don't think it matters, but I am hardly the authority! #
16:42 Very funny. RT: @WriterDaniel For anyone who's ever been in a writing workshop: www.mcsweeneys.net/2009/6/5rey.html #
17:18 @LizaPalmer Oh, come on. I've seen you produce whole books in record time. You can do 50K in a month. BRING IT. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-21T19:15:00

2009-10-22T02:15:01Z

23:20 My dog, the fabulous Faye, at her family reunion in Palm Springs: megancrane.livejournal.com/289402.html #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

megancrane @ 2009-10-20T19:15:00

2009-10-21T02:15:00Z

00:12 I have no idea why I am still awake, sitting at this computer, faffing about online. To bed. #
08:50 It is a lovely fall day in Los Angeles. Hopefully, the lower temperatures will inspire a flurry of writing! Here's hoping. #
10:55 @AshleyDWalsh That is not good news at all. Can I blame you? #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

Faye & Gus

2009-10-20T16:59:06Z

After a brief flirtation with disgustingly hot weather at the end of last week, and the attendant smog, we are back to cooler fall temperatures here in Los Angeles. Which is good, since we are mere moments away from November. It is time for fall. Really. Warm blue days, sunny skies, and chilly nights, please--stat.

We spent last weekend in Palm Springs, celebrating our friend HC's birthday at this crazy place. Which you can see on the current cover of Budget Travel Magazine:

One of the best things about the weekend was that Faye got to spend it with her brother, Gus:

It's true. These two may not look like each other in any way, but they really are brother and sister. It makes you wonder what their poor mother got up to, doesn't it?

Happy Tuesday!