This week’s discussion topic at Fangs, Fur, and Fey is an especially good one. I’ve commented on it briefly there, but thought I’d do so more thoroughly here. Because I like the question.

From a watcher at F, F, &F: What sparks your novels? Which element comes first: the title, the character, the idea, the world, the central conflict, a specific scene, or something else? Is it different for each work, or do you consistently begin with one? Do you wait until that element is in place before writing?

Make sense?

So, what about my fellow writers? Which comes first, the title, plot, or character? Or a pivotal scene? And how do you come up with your titles?

Readers, does this surprise you, or is it pretty much how you pictured the process?

Thanks for all the well-wishes, everyone. I'm feeling much better. My throat is still scratchy, but my fever is gone. However, thanks to the stupid strep throat, I had to miss a much-anticipated girls' night out this weekend, and didn't get much work done. Instead, I spent most of my weekend in Tudor England. Which was appalling, and depressing, but most of all, fascinating. ;-)

(And yes, I know it's fiction. I'm pretty familiar with fiction. ;-) )

And to complicate matters, I chipped a wisdom tooth on popcorn this weekend (Don't ask. I have no idea why my luck is running as it is at the moment.) and have decided to have it pulled (along with the remaining one), rather than repaired.

Also, I'm doing some emergency baby sitting today, so my work will no doubt be done in spurts. Still, I'm looking forward to digging into it!  

 That's right, I have strep throat, and a possible sinus infection. I'm supposed to be getting some rest and lots of fluids.

Ha! This doc obviously isn't very familiar with my life. ;-)

So, I'm all set with my laptop, antibiotics, Motrin, and a pint of New York Super Fudge Chunk.

I should feel better soon, right?

Wow. I almost forgot to blog today. Can't remember the last time that happened. Which will probably tell you how I'm feeling.

Not good. I'm seeing a doctor (not my regular physician) this afternoon. I think I either have a sinus infection or strep throat. My throat feels like strep, but the rest of me feels like it's a sinus infection. And maybe an ear infection.

Sigh.

But I still have to work. ;-)

Speaking of which, thanks for all the shared opinions about yesterday's YA question. I really enjoyed the various opinions, and was surprised at how varied they were, between responses on my Blogger blog and my LJ.

I worked on one last polish of MSTS all day yesterday, guided by my agent's awesome questions and comments, and some last minute brainstorming with Rinda, then finally turned it in at about eight o'clock last night. Thank goodness my editor takes email submissions.

Now I'm back at work on the revisions for Prey, my most massive revision yet. But I'm very excited about the new direction I'm taking the story in, and actually really looking forward to the work.

If I can just shake this stupid illness...

 When I fired up Ye Olde Laptop this morning, guess what was waiting in my inbox? Comments from Agent Awesome on MSTS! So now I have a few tweaks to make before I turn it in, either tonight or tomorrow.

Which leads me to a question. Those of you who read or write YA (and if there are any teenagers hanging out here, please speak up), I've gathered that dark subject matter and prose are okay for YA (and really, I've never written anything "light"), but how do you feel about bleak endings? Would you be disappointed with a less-than-uplifting ending in a YA? The feeling that things aren't going very well right now, but they might be soon? Or not...?

Inquiring minds want to know. As do feverish minds... ;-)

[ETA: I'm not talking about the romance with this question. I'm talking about a general, skeptical view of the world as a dangerous place, where good endings just aren't very common. Does that make sense?]

(I feel like the above should really be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but since no one's read MSTS yet, I'm forced to speak in generalities.)

Also, my interview with Jocelynn Drake just went up on Fangs, Fur, & Fey so click on over and leave Jocelynn a comment, question, or congratulations. "Congrats for what?" you might ask...

Go read the interview and find out! ;-)

P.S. Yes, I'm still sick, but I'm feeling well enough to work when the Motrin kicks in... ;-)

This is just a quick post to let everyone know I haven't dropped off the face of the planet. I'm just sick. Low-grade fever, ear ache, sore throat, bone aches, etc...

But, on the up-side, I've turned in the AAs for Pride, which means that it is officially done. Yea!

Rinda sent me the last critiques for MY SOUL TO SAVE this morning, and she seems to like it. She says it's even better than MY SOUL TO TAKE. Which is good, because I hope to improve with each book, and so far, MSTS is my favorite out of the nine books I've written. ;-)

Also, yesterday I ran several errands, including mailing off book prizes and requested book marks, and I also sent in my voter registration form.

I hope to be back tomorrow, and feeling better.

Wow, what a weekend. I went to Bunco on Friday night, had family over all day Saturday, and caught up on some errands, watched the Olympics, and did some work on the AAs for Pride on Sunday.

But the best part of the weekend, other than the US men's incredible win-from-behind in the 4 x 100m relay, was #1 playing Rock Band with my dad and my brother in law. That's right, my dad played Rock Band. It was awesome. ;-)

I have pictures, but #1 is camera shy and won't let me post them. ;-)

Oh, and for those of you who have asked me what Bunco is, it's a dice game which requires no skill and has no real point. Twelve people gather around three card tables and play in pairs, sitting opposite their partners. You roll three dice, hoping to come up with the number corresponding to the round you're on (1-6). We play three rounds of six. Then, at the end, there are prizes. We start with dinner, then play Bunco, then eat dessert and hand out prizes. It's a great excuse to get together with a room full of friends once a month, and each month someone different hosts.

We have a great group, mostly populated by people I've known for six years or so now.

Now, back to business...

Both Tetewa and Carol have claimed their copies of The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, I'm running a little behind on mailing stuff out, but I'm hoping to hit the post office and mail a bunch of stuff tomorrow! So if I owe you something, please let me know when it arrives...

Now, for today, I must finish my AAs of Pride. Must, must must...  

 I finished rewriting MY SOUL TO SAVE yesterday and sent the last chapters to Rinda. Now I just have to wait to see what she thinks, and I'll admit I'm nervous. I'm always nervous when I send new stuff out, whether to my CP, my agent, or my editor. And I'm especially nervous this time, because my CP's daughter is my teenage beta reader. My target audience.

I really love this book, but Rinda's response will tell me whether I've hit the mark, or gone clear past the target. And, as usual, since the book is done, there's that tiny, whiny voice deep inside me which insists that my perspective is skewed. That I'm the only one who will like the book.

This is the point in every novel at which I'm convinced the book sucks. After I've written it. I've heard that most writers suffer this certainty at some point during the rough draft, but for me, it's always afterward, when the time comes to let someone else read it.

I guess the next few days will tell...

Up for today are A(uthor) A(lterations) for Pride--my very last chance to change anything in the manuscript. After this, it goes to print. So you'd think Pride must be pretty close to being released, huh? But you'd be wrong. ;-)

Five and a half months and counting. Though, other than being printed and promoted, I honestly couldn't tell you what happens to a book after the AAs (most publishers call them galleys). But I can tell you that once I turn these in, my part in the process is done. My first contract is complete.

It's an odd feeling. And I think the completion of my first contract means I'm no longer a newbie author. I kind of mourn the loss of that status, though, because I really haven't been in this business very long, and I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing half the time.

Experienced authors, does that feeling ever go away?

Oh, and don't forget today's your last day to enter this week's giveaway (two copies of The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance).

 MY SOUL TO SAVE is due on August 15.

The Good:

• I'm rewriting the last chapter today
• I have more than a week left
• I get to turn it in via email, so I can hit "send" at the very last moment

The Bad:

• After I rewrite that last chapter, I still have to go over Rinda's critique (Bless her over-extended heart for keeping up with me!)
• After I adjust based on the critique, I still have to send the manuscript to my beloved agent.
• Author Alterations (aka: galleys) of Pride are due three days before I turn in MSTS, and I haven't even started them yet.
• I'm really struggling with a series title for my YAs. I've submitted several so far, but none of them properly captures the feel of the books. Series titles are hard.

The Good and the Bad:

• my weekend is completely packed with Bunco, a visit from a branch of my extended family, and real-life errands
• Number 1 and I have decided to take a mini-vacation. Just a long weekend. But I have no idea when to fit that in

So, what's everyone else up to? Other than entering this week's giveaway, of course... ;-)

Unfortunately, I didn't get as many pictures of myself as I would have liked, because it's terribly hard to take a good picture of one's self. But I did get many pictures of my fellow authors. And if anyone else turns out to have a good shot of me, I'll probably steal it... ;-)

So, here they are:


Okay, that's it for the pictures, unless I stumble on some that I didn't take. Now for the giveaway...

I have two copies of The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, to which I contributed a fun, weird little story about an alternate universe in which everyone is a vampire. My copies have the US cover, and they're only signed by me. Because though I took them to SF, I totally forgot to track down the other authors and make them sign for me.

If you'd like a copy, leave me a comment in the corresponding Blogger post before 11:59 pm (central) on Thursday, August 7. I'll draw two winners at random and announce the names on Friday.  

 First, I didn’t have time to end last week’s giveaway and announce the winner, so…

The winner is: Beth, who wrote, “I would love to meet any author there. I find it fascinating to meet anyone who writes since I love reading!”

Beth, email me (rachelATrachelvincentDOTcom) with your full name and address, and your choice from the list of available books, and I’ll put your book in the mail.

Now, about RWA…


Unfortunately, my return trip wasn’t anywhere near as much fun as the conference was.
[If you’re familiar with my ongoing series of kitchen disasters, this next bit will come as no surprise…]

Then, when I finally made it home and had started to relax, a long, nerve-shattering crash rang out from the kitchen. Number 1 and I raced from the den and were greeted with this sight:

The top shelf in one of our kitchen cabinets had collapsed, spilling glasses all over the countertop, stove, and floor. Including several cobalt wine glasses #1 inherited from his grandmother, and at least one souvenir glass he brought back for me from a trip eight years ago. So now I have to go shopping for new glasses.

Tomorrow I hope to post more details and pictures from my trip, and to open a giveaway for two copies of the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, which is now out! So stay tuned…!

 So, yesterday, by some strange coincidence, Jocelynn's plane and mine landed within ten minutes of each other, and she called me from the plane, right after it landed. I was at baggage claim, so I said I'd wait for her, and we could share a cab.

Jocelynn: Where are you?
Rachel: I'm at claim six.
Jocelynn: I'm at claim sixteen.
Rachel: I didn't even know there were that many claims.

So we started walking toward each other--and never found each other.

After several minutes, I called her back...

Rachel: I'm standing right next to the carousel for claim thirteen.
Jocelynn: I can see thirteen from where I'm standing.
Rachel: I'm on the opposite side of the carousel from the huge line of people waiting for their luggage.
Jocelynn: Rachel, there's no one here.

As near as I can tell, we were standing in almost the exact same spot in the airport, and couldn't see each other. So, of course, the natural conclusion is that we were in the same spot, in different realities. Or at different times. Like the Langoliers. I swear.

So we both caught separate cabs and wound up in the hotel at almost the exact same time. Somehow, our realities realigned themselves. Weird, huh? ;-)

Also...

 I'm here! After more than four hours in the lobby, during which we waited for our room to be cleaned, Jocelynn and I were finally given keys. So, we're in our room! Yea! And it's not bad.

But while we were in the lobby, we ran into everyone. In the whole world. I swear. While we were waiting on our room, we saw Teri Brown, Brooke Taylor, Gena Showalter, Jill Monroe, Jenna Black (we had lunch with her) Jorden Dane, Jocelynn's agent, and my editor. And others. The lobby is one huge mass of writers. Everywhere. Climbing up the walls. I feel kind of sorry for anyone staying here at the Marriott who isn't associated with the RWA National convention.

Because we've taken over San Francisco.

Tonight is the Literacy Autographing (and Jocelynn's very first signing), and I'm both excited and nervous. (What if no one comes? What if everyone who wants to buy Rogue already has, and I sit there all night with a huge pile of books?) And crossing my fingers that they actually have Stray. But not counting on it. ;-)

Tomorrow I get to sleep in!

P.S. Rinda would have loved the hotel. If she were still with us... ;-)

  That's right, Nightwalker is out!

 

... Rose W.!

Rose, email me (rachelATrachelvincentDOTcom) with your full name and address, and your choice from the prize list, and I'll put your book in the mail. On Monday. Because I'm actually at Conestoga right now.

Yesterday evening, Jeaniene Frost, Jeanne Stein, Ilona Andrews, Patrice Michelle and I got together to go through all the promo items all the FFF members sent. And let me tell you, those FFF bags are going to be stuffed with good stuff!

Then, late last night, I picked up my lovely agent from the airport.

This afternoon I have a panel to speak on, then some social events. I hope to have pictures soon. Sorry this is so short. I'm exhausted. ;-)

More later...

 

I just received cover flats, and will probably give a couple of those away next week. And I have to say that in person, they look amazing! So vibrant, and very eye-catching!

 If you subscribe to my newsletter, check your email, and if you belong to my proboard discussion group, check in today in the Pride thread, because yesterday I got permission to post the cover for Pride!

I'll post it here and on my website tomorrow, for those who don't get the newsletter or belong to the discussion group. But for now, it's a sneek peek, as promised!

Also, if you haven't entered this week's signed book giveaway, click here for details!

I leave tomorrow for Conestoga, but I plan to blog from Tulsa on Friday, and hopefully Monday I'll have a recap and pictures...