Getting Ready for RWA Nationals

Well, it is only a week before I leave for the RWA (Romance Writers of America) National Convention in Washington, DC—and I’m madly trying to get things ready before I go.

I am traveling by train with my pal, writer Saoirse Redgrave (13 to Life, St. Martin’s Press 2010). We’re leaving at the crack of dawn on Wednesday, and won’t be back until Sunday night. (Don’t worry—the cats are being well taken care of!) That’s a long trip by my standards, so I am trying to get my “to-do” list done before I go, in case I am really wiped out from a week of networking, workshops and agent meetings (please goddess) by the time I get back.

I am really looking forward to my first Nationals. In part, because of the opportunities to possibly get my work noticed by people who could make a serious difference in my success or failure as a fiction writer (i.e. agents and editors), and of course the fab workshops that will hopefully make me a better writer. But mostly because I am finally going to get to meet up with some of the great folks who I’ve been talking to online for over a year—many of whom have gone out of their way to be helpful and supportive—but never had the chance to meet in person.

Tops on this list: author Mindy Klasky, author Candace Havens, author/agent Lucienne Diver, and author/agent Lois Winston. And then there are the writers I just follow around the web and admire (an occasionally correspond with): Jeri Smith-Ready, Maria V. Snyder and Jennifer Crusie. Not to mention a few agents and editors I’ve been in contact with professionally, like Patience Smith of Harlequin and agent Kevan Lyon. Needless to say, this is just the short-list.

Trying to figure out what to pack is just crazy, and the scheduling is next to impossible. But still, another week and a day and we’re on our way.

I’ll try and blog more often in the week to come, and from RWA itself if I can. Wish you were all coming with me!

Blessings,Deborah

Textnovel.com contest

I recently entered the textnovel.com contest with my paranormal romance/chicklit novel WITCH EVER WAY YOU CAN (winner of the EMILY "Best of the Best" contest earlier this year). If you are interested in seeing a sample of my fiction writing, I will be posting additions to the story every day, or close to it. I'd REALLY appreciate it if you would go take a peek and vote for my story. If you sign up to have the new installments sent to you, I get an extra point, too. Thanks!!!http://www.textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=997

A Spell for Relaxation

Anyone out there actually relaxing as much as they need to? Ha! Didn't think so. Here is a spell I just wrote for my next Llewellyn book, The Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook, coming out next year. Feel free to try it--I hope it helps!

Goddess great
Please grant me time
To put aside
For peace of mind

Relaxing moments
Isles of calm
To sooth my mind
Like nature’s balm

Help me learn
To slow my pace
Allow myself
An hour’s grace

Relaxation
Is the goal
To balance life
And keep me whole

So mote it be

Library Journal Review

Check out this fabulous review of my newest book, The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch. I'm told that the Library Journal rarely reviews Llewellyn books, and when it does, the reviews are rarely favorable. That makes this glowing review even more precious!

Blake, Deborah. The Goddess Is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch. Llewellyn. May 2009. c.240p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-7387-1486-8. pap. $16.95. PARAPSYCH
Blake (Circle, Coven & Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice) dons the mantle of the high priestess with grace, wisdom, and a dose of humility as she doles out advice on incorporating magic and pagan philosophy into everyday life. Brief but not superficial, the book glides smoothly from private concerns such as internalizing Wiccan beliefs or mindful eating to more external and social issues like creating sacred space, home keeping, and working with a coven. Along the way, Blake manages to cover most of daily life, from raising children in the craft to dealing with horrified unbelievers in a cheerful and inclusive tone. Lovely spells, ideas for rituals (with some unique adaptations to “mundane” holidays), and thoughtful assignments at the end of chapters round out the offerings. Blake’s view is highly personal, but she frequently references other Wiccan writers, such as Scott Cunningham, and concludes with a meaty bibliography. High praise and recommendations; this title is for all public libraries with a dedicated pagan or Wiccan collection.—Janet Tapper, Western States Chiropractic Coll. Lib., Portland, OR

Whoo hoo! If you know any librarians, please bring this to their attention.Thanks,Deborah

The new book is out!

It’s here! Sound the trumpets and send up the fireworks! My new book, The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch is finally out from Llewellyn and available at Amazon and your local bookstore. It has gotten rave advance reviews, which is very exciting. Notable Pagan authors Z. Budapest, Edain McCoy and Denise Dumars were kind enough to write blurbs for the book, too. Huzzah! I got the box of books I ordered the other day, and I have to tell you, there is very little in life that is more satisfying for an author than holding your “baby” in your hands for the first time.

Didn’t Llewellyn do a great job on the cover? Kudos to the artist, and to my two wonderful editors, Elysia Gallo and Becky Zins.

I am so excited, I am going to run a special “blog only” contest. Until the end of May, people will have the chance to post links to this announcement and/or to my website www.deborahblakehps.com and/or to the book on Amazon in as many places they can think of. The person who can send me proof that they’ve posted in the most places will win a free copy of the new book, signed by me. Just contact me through my website or this blog. If anyone manages to find over 50 places to post links (blogs, loops, facebook, twitter, myspace, etc), I will send them copies of ALL THREE of my books! So go out and spread the word!

And I hope you will find and enjoy the new book!
Blessings,
Deborah

April news and the EMILY Best of the Best Award

Hi All,

Happy “theoretical” spring! Here in upstate New York, we are still doing the moody swing between sunny and 60 and raining/snowing/30 blech.

But I have news to brighten the darkest day, so I don’t care!

I was notified that I won the EMILY contest “Best of the Best” award. They take the winners of all the various categories (I won “Romantic Suspense,” although my novel is really a paranormal with romantic suspense) and pick, well, the best of the best. And that was ME! I’m still over the moon about it.
Better yet, my prize was that I got to send the 1st 3 chapters of WITCH EVER WAY YOU CAN to Leis Pederson, at Berkley. Let’s hope she likes it!

I am hard at work editing my second novel, KING ME! – a humorous paranormal romance about a modern witch who accidentally brings back King Arthur to save the world. Oops. Many thanks to my “First Readers”: Judith Levine, Caere Dunn, and my two writing partners, Robin Wright and Saoirse Redgrave. You guys rock! As soon as I get through the first round of edits, I’ll be sending the first 65 pages or so to fabbo author and professional editor, Mindy Klasky.

Speaking of my pal Saoirse, she got great news, too. (Way better than mine, really.) Her YA werewolf tale, 13 TO LIFE, which won the Textnovel.com contest, has been “snapped up” by a great publisher! More details later when everything is official, but in the meanwhile, big cheers for Saoirse!

I’m more than midway through writing my fourth book for Llewellyn, THE EVERYDAY WITCH A TO Z SPELLBOOK. Today I started working on the “Q” spells, so it’s moving along nicely. And of course, book 3, THE GODDESS IS IN THE DETAILS: WISDOM FOR THE EVERYDAY WITCH comes out in May!

Booksigning news next time J

Many bright blessings, and may spring bring you good news, too!
Deborah

I win, I win, I win!

Got the call last night (happy Valentine's Day to me!) that I had won 1st in the contemporary series catagory of the West Houston RWA "EMILY" contest. It's my first "1st" (I have a couple of 2nds) so I am really tickled pink. In addition, I was told that the judging editor, Patience Smith of Silhouette, asked to see the full. Woot!

Of course, it is odd that I won in CS, since I am usually in the paranormal catagory [for some reason I entered both in this contest...no idea why...must have been that little voice in my head...and didn't final in the paranormal catagory). And my mss isn't really Silouette material, although you never know. I was aiming more at LUNA or MIRA. Still, just having the request makes me feel like I am on the right track and getting closer to my goal...

I hope everyone else had something wonderful happen this weekend :-)

Doing the happy dance,
Deborah