Writing Updates as of July 30, 2011
What have I been doing in July? (Besides sweating, that is. Because as of today, July is the 5th hottest on record, and if tomorrow hits 90 as they expect, it will creep up to the 4th hottest July) I’ve been fighting with my blog. I can’t see comments unless I use my mouse to highlight them. I don’t know what to do about that. I’ve sent an emil to someone who might be able to fix it, so here’s hoping she can. Back to updates! Here’s a brief rundown of my writing activities.
1. I finished the 2nd draft of Tracking Tami and turned it over to the beta readers. I’ve received feedback from one, and she pointed out some areas that will need a little more work. I’ll wait until I receive the other one back before I begin making changes. I still plan to have this ready to be turned in by August 13.
2. I made minor revisions to Sleeping With the Wolf and Wolf’s Glory in preparation for getting them into print. The cover artist, Lyn Taylor, gave me permission to use her lovely cover art. April Martinez is formatting them for me as I am a complete idiot when it comes to that sort of thing. She sent me a proof of Chapter One of Sleeping With the Wolf so I could see how I liked it or wanted any changes made. I liked it a lot. So I’m hoping to have those available in a few weeks. We’ll see how long it takes. 
3. I’ve been ordering some promotional material and swag to send my street team. See the pretty Romance Trading Cards for Wolf’s Glory? I still have room for 3 or 4 more people. so if you’d like to receive a package of Romance Trading Cards and magnets, etc please sign up in the top right corner for my newsletter and include your mailing address. I have people in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, so yes, I do ship overseas. . I’m planning to mail the first swag packages out around the end of August.
4. I’ve been mulling over Rose and Sky’s story. They were both so young when his wolf claimed her. How have they changed in the past seven years? Is Rose an Alpha like Glory or a sweet shy thing like her best friend Ellie? How has growing up as the darling princess of an overprotective wolf pack formed her character? What does she want for her future? Is Sky a bossy Alpha like Shadow? Can he be a tender lover like Taye? Why on earth has he stayed away for seven years? What has he learned about the world outside the Pack and the Clan while he’s been in the new Sin City of Omaha? How will the Princess and the Wolf come to love each other so utterly that they can’t live without each other? I know some of the answers to these questions, but some are still waiting for me to figure out. Sometimes this is the fun part of writing for me. I still need a title. Since Rose is seen by townies as the “princess” of the wolves, I thought of “The Wolf’s Princess” or “Princess of the Wolves” or “The Wolf and the Princess” but I just don’t know. Any suggestions?
How Do I Write a Story?
People sometimes ask me “How do you write a story? Do you write in chronological order? How many drafts do you write? Where do you get your ideas? How long does it take? How do you do it?”
Let me start by saying every writer will have different answers to these types of questions. And there are no right or wrong answers. What I am going to say pertains to me and the way I write. Your mileage, and that of every other writer, may vary.
1. Where do you get your ideas? Well, I don’t know. That’s not very informative, is it? Sometimes an idea will just spring into my head. For example, I was idly wondering how Rose will react to a certain thing that Sky does (I’m trying to not give spoilers here) and her reaction sprang into my head and made me laugh. Because I was totally not expecting that, but it fits perfectly. Or sometimes I’ll watch a movie and something in a scene or a character will make me think: “That’s cool!” and I’ll branch off of it.
2. Do you write in chronological order? Yes, almost always. The exceptions are when the idea for a scene come to me and I’ll quick jot it down, usually in brief outline. However, there is an exception to that, too, like the proposal scene in Tracking Tami. I ended up writing it in detail because it seemed so clear in my head and I didn’t want to forget it.
3. How many drafts do you write? As many as I think I need. For instance, I wrote four drafts of Sleeping With the Wolf before submitting it. The first draft I wrote for some friends at work. They really liked it and said I should submit it somewhere. I ended up doing quite a bit of chopping and re-arranging, as I had written one story that told both Carla & Taye’s and Lisa & Eddie’s stories in one manuscript. The second draft was pretty choppy and uneven. The third draft I thought was pretty good so I had some other friends do a read through and give me their take on it. The fourth draft incorporated their suggestions. Of course, the editor at Liquid Silver had me do further revisions, which produced a story I’m proud of.
4. How long does it take? Too long. Actually I wrote my first draft of the story of Sleeping With the Wolf/Eddie’s Prize (Originally titled Carla & Lisa, Prize Brides) in only about 2 months, but I wasn’t trying to write super well. Wolf’s Glory took me seven months. Tracking Tami took me five months (and it’s not really done. I’ll have one more draft to do before I turn it in)
5. How do you do it? Well, that’s a pretty vague question. Here’s my rather lengthy answer:
A. I get home from work, pour a mountain dew or a cup of coffee and sit down and type. Sometimes I’m on fire with a great scene I’m dying to get down. Sometimes I’m just slogging along on something that I know I’ll have to re-write. I sometimes tell myself I have to write until I finish a scene. Sometimes I have a word count that I shoot for.
B. After I finish a first draft I try to leave it alone for a couple of weeks while I either work on something else or knit or haul out my spinning wheel to spin. The point of that is when I come back to the story it will be fresh. When I’m writing a story, I’m so involved that I never leave it. The scenes and characters are always with me. I’m so close that I can’t see it clearly. When I put it away for a while and then come back I’ll see it with fresh eyes and I can tell (hopefully) where a scene isn’t working or a character isn’t behaving like himself.
C. I write the second draft to correct things and add more to fill in gaps. Then I send it to some friends (a lot of writers call them betas, because they are the second set of eyes to read the story). They read it and then send it back with comments like “Why does your hero do this?” and “Chapter 12 seems kind of boring. Nothing really happens” and “The whole scene where the heroine does X needs more showing and less telling” etc.
D. I write the third draft, taking into account the betas’ suggestions. I call this the polishing draft. When I think it’s as good as I can make it I am ready to submit it. And that is a whole other blog post!
13 Sentences From Tracking Tami
I am buried in revisions for Tracking Tami, Book 3 in the After the Crash series. Tami is a modern woman who runs a wilderness survival school but is thrown into a future where women are treated in some places like possessions. She was married against her will and runs away. Tracker is a loner from the Clan who was hired to find her and bring her back. It’s a long hard chase for both of them. The woman that Tracker expected to be an easy job challenges him every mile of the way.
1-3
As she turned to leave the kitchen to get her snare set up something on colorless, papered wall caught her eye. Stapled to the wall was a sun faded, age-yellowed calendar. For the year 2017.
4-6
“Sky,” Rose uttered with loathing.
Tracker politely pretended to not notice this sign of discord in his young cousin’s mating. He would allow himself be amused by it later when he was alone.
7-8
The first thing that struck Tracker when he came back to camp was the rich enticing scent of one particular woman. The second thing was that the damn woman had made off with his dinner.
9-11
“Ma’am?”
Tami woke with a silent gasp. The quiet murmur came out of the cold dark like a lover’s whisper.
12-13
Helpless was one thing she was not. Tracker wiped at the blood on his face with the back of his wrist.
There we go. 13 sentences from my WiP Tracking Tami. What are you writing or reading these days?
Tracking Tami Updates + Newsletter News
I have decided to put out a newsletter. I’ve had people ask me if I had a newsletter and I’ve always said no. Newsletters were for “big” authors. I’m still a newbie, and it’s not like I put out four books a year or sell 100,000 copies a year. But some of the writers over on Romance Divas were talking about newsletters, how to do them and how effective they were. And I figured, What the heck. If only ten people sign up I’ll happily send out news about my writing to ten people.
Let me tell you how I plan for this newsletter group to work. If you sign up for the newsletter you are only required to enter your email addy, your first name (or a nickname) and the format you want the newsletter to come in. You will receive an emailed newsletter about 4 times a year, although there may be an extra here and there when I am having a contest or something extra special happens.
If you would like to join my street team you can also enter your mailing address. Those on the street team will receive extra bling in the mail once or twice a year. In exchange I ask that they promote my books when possible. I want to clarify about that. I don’t expect anyone to stand on street corners and preach about my books. *shudder* No, I mean that if it seems appropriate, mention my books. Maybe write a review on GoodReads or Amazon or Shelfari. If someone on a readers forum asks for a recommendation you could mention my books. Don’t leave your comfort zone. I want this to be fun, not work.
Okay? Then go here to sign up for my newsletter.
Updates: I said there would be updates, so here you are.
I am working hard on Tracking Tami, Book 3 in the After the Crash series. I finished the rough draft on July 5, then put it aside for a bit. I plan to finish revising Tami by next Monday so I can get the manuscript out to a couple gals who agreed to read it for me and catch any errors or rough spots in the story. Writers call these types of readers “beta readers”. They are the second sets of eyes to look at a story. I hope to have the book back from them by August 1st. Then I’ll go through the story again and hopefully get it submitted by August 13. You know, it’s hard to pick a favorite hero. But Tracker is definitely in the running. Where Taye was tender and coaxing and Shadow was demanding, Tracker is silently, hopelessly in love with Tami. But he just can’t find the words to say so to her.
In between times I am working on Eddie’s Prize. It’s actually mostly written, but I have to add some scenes to flesh out the story. Right now Eddie’s an angel, so in love with his newly won bride that he can’t get enough of her. But that’s going to change and I know I’ll be fighting the urge to slap Eddie silly. Hm… Maybe Lisa will do that for me. That woman has the patience of a saint combined with a spine of Minnesota-Nice, but she does have a temper. I think Eddie is going to have to grovel extravagantly to win her back.
Updates – Sherry’s Wolf & Maddy’s Baronesses
Lookie! I made my own cover art! And boy, can I tell that I won’t be doing this much! Oy! Those cover artists must have very thin hair from pulling it out. This will be the cover for a free read I will be posting sometime around Valentine’s Day. This is Stag and Sherry’s story. Why aren’t I posting it right now? Well, there’s still a few things that readers have to learn before they can can get to read about Sherry finally coming to accept and love Stag. Poor Stag. I just wrote a scene where Sherry refused to let him hug her. In Tracking Tami you find out why she has resisted him. It’s been tough on Stag to see his cousins and their mates find happiness while his mate turns away from him. But in Tracking Tami she has shown some signs of thawing. He did something nice for her and she got teary-eyed about how sweet he can be. So he will get his happily-ever-after eventually.
I am hoping to finish writing Tracking Tami this week (if only I hadn’t spent all evening wrestling with graphic art!!) and then set it aside for a week or so before starting the self-editing and then sending it out to a couple beta readers. My goal is to have it submitted to the publisher by August 14. But that depends on how the revisions go.
I also wanted to invite any readers who would be interested to join my “Street Team”. I’m calling them my Baronesses. What would that involve? Four or five times a year I will email my street team exclusive excerpts of the books I am working on. I will email any free reads to them a few days before they are available to the public. They will be eligible for private contests before each of my books come out to win a free readers copy. Two or three times I year I will send my Baronesses a package of freebies like Romance Trading Cards, posters of cover art, maybe some jewelry, and other promotional items that I think are fun but too expensive to buy 300 of to hand out at conferences.
Well, you say, that sounds great, Maddy, but how much does it cost to join your Street Team?
Nothing. All I ask is that you promote me and my books where you can. You could Tweet about me and my books, or post on Facebook or Tumblr or Good Reads, or Amazon, talk about my books to your friends…. If you would like to be on my team, please email me at maddybarone@gmail.com.
13 Paragraphs from Wolf’s Glory
To celebrate last week’s release of Wolf’s Glory, here are 13 random paragraphs from the story.
1. Shadow watched the woman riding beside him with wonder. At last, his wolf had chosen a mate for him. And what a mate. This was no thin scrap of a woman. No, his mate was tall and strong, with soft lush curves that he wanted to explore in great and loving detail. Her face was a soft oval with startlingly pale blue eyes and a soft, plump mouth that he wanted to taste again. He couldn’t stop looking at her hair. “Why is your hair pink?” he asked, fascinated.
2. After one last kiss he stepped back. Good thing, too, thought Glory, because the kid was back, all big curious eyes and long black braids. Shadow took the bowl of stew and shooed the kid off. As she spooned warm stew into her mouth she looked around his tent. Spartan didn’t begin to describe it. Glory hated camping even more than she hated clothes shopping. Good thing she wouldn’t be here long.
3. “Excuse me.” This voice was different. Glory looked up and saw one of the plane-crash survivors politely raising a hand like a kid in school. Well, it made sense. She was still in the all-arms and gawky-legs stage of being a teenager. “Excuse me. What exactly do you mean by wolves within you? Is it symbolic?”
4. Glory tried not to cry. She hated crying, especially in front of strangers. But everything hit her at once. Her parents were dead. She was stuck here, in this crazy world with werewolves. For God’s sake, werewolves? She wanted her own bed. Her own bathroom. She wanted her own life back.
5. Glory waited for Sky to hand over the rolled-up bandage, but he was staring open-mouthed at Rose, inhaling deeply, bandage forgotten in one hand. Glory smirked a little. “Rose, have you met Sky yet? Rose, this is Sky, Shadow’s brother. Sky, meet Rose Turner from the plane.”
6. Shadow flipped his waist length hair over his shoulder. This time his kiss was a lot less comforting and a lot more sexy. Damn, he could kiss. His kiss could bring a dead woman back to life just so her toes could curl. It was the type of kiss to make a woman forget the hurt people around her, the blankets boiling in the pot behind her, and even the fact that she was wearing torn, filthy clothes. She felt beautiful and desirable and reveled in it.
7. Did werewolves give off extra-strong pheromones? Glory had read that modern Americans had showered and deodorized natural pheromones away. That couldn’t be the case with the Clan. They all smelled pretty natural, sometimes to the point of stinking. But Shadow didn’t smell bad to her. She inhaled his scent and felt a whisper of desire curl deep inside.
8. He lifted his lips away and stared at her with eyes that shimmered wolf-gold in their black depths. “Are you giving me orders?” he asked with mild disbelief. “All right. But when I come back we’re going to finish this.” He gave her one more kiss and walked away, fading to his wolf form even as he untied the string of his breechcloth and let it drop. Glory had about a second to admire that muscled physique before it blurred into fur.
9. “Yes,” Glory crooned at the dog. “Those two girls are Bad. Calling them bitches would be an insult to you, wouldn’t it? You’re a very smart little dog.” She made little kissing noises before she straightened back up. “Seriously,” she told Shadow. “Those two are a waste of time. The other one, Sherry ? Some guy says she’s his mate, but she’s scared to death of him. And I know why.”
10. Carefully, slowly, Shadow released her. His eyes were almost frightening in their intensity. He turned with deliberate calm and walked with dignity around the fire back to his place. His face was smooth and cold, but his eyes shimmered across the fire at her. Glory swore she saw his wolf in those eyes. And Wolfie was not happy.
11. Before the sun was up Shadow forced himself out of bed. He was careful to smooth the blankets back into place around his mate so that she would stay warm. Did she love him? Once he had thought that just her acceptance of their mating would be enough. Now he knew acceptance alone would never satisfy him. He wanted her heart.
12. Quill put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. His voice was hardly even a whisper when he said, “It’s hard to not be able to claim your mate.”
13. A familiar scent in the crisp air made Glory inhale deeply, her heart flinging itself into her throat. “Shadow?” She thought she yelled, but it came out in a choked whisper audible only to wolf ears. She didn’t notice the way all the wolves stopped their play to watch her scramble to her knees and swing around. He was there, long hair drifting in the breeze over his naked body, gaze fixed on her. She devoured him with her eyes. He looked magnificent, all bare brown skin and taut muscle under what seemed like miles of black hair.
Free Download Winners!
Congrats to Ruth who won a free download of Sleeping With the Wolf, and to Steph who won a free download of Wolf”s Glory! I have emailed the winners. Thank to everyone who posted a comment.
For those who didn’t win, Wolf’s Glory can be purchased from Liquid Silver Books here.
Updates + Contest! Win Wolf’s Glory
Until 5pm tonight (central time) you can make a comment on my post below to win a free download of Wolf’s Glory or Sleeping With the Wolf.
I have made a few updates to my website. I have fixed the broken link for the excerpt to Sleeping With the Wolf on the Excerpts page. (I hope) Let me know if it still doesn’t work. I also have finished buying my swag to give away at Lori Foster’s Reader & Author Get Together. Just have to assemble the little goodie bags. Hard to believe it’s less than a week away! I am hoping to meet lots of people there.
Wolf’s Glory is releasing today from Liquid Silver Books. If you don’t want to enter my contest to win, you can go there and buy the book. But since the winners will be announced at about the same time the book is made availoable, what can it hurt to enter? Go ahead. Make me type more names into the random name generator. 🙂
Win a Free Download of Wolf’s Glory!
Enter to win a free download of Wolf’s Glory, book 2 in the After the Crash series. Or if you 
haven’t read book 1 yet, you can enter to win a free download of Sleeping with the Wolf!
After the Crash Book 2: Wolf’s Glory will be released on Monday, May 30 fromLiquid Silver Books! In honor of my new release I’m holding a contest. One winner will receive a free download of Wolf’s Glory and another will receive a download of Sleeping with the Wolf.
13 Characters In Wolf’s Glory
For Thursday 13 I’m going to introduce you to thirteen characters from my upcoming book Wolf’s Glory. Some of these characters were first seen in Sleeping With the Wolf. Others are brand new. Some play large roles, some are mere mentions. Ready? Here we go:
1. Wolf’s Shadow. Hero. Second in Command of the Wolf Clan. He’s claimed his mate and will not accept no for an answer.
2. Glory Peterson. Heroine. Mouthy goth princess. She’ll say yes to a few things, but only on her own terms.
3. Jill Lampett, the Clan Lupa. Called Grandmother by all because she’s the oldest woman in 500 miles.
4. Arthur Muddy Wolf. Alpha of the Wolf Clan and Shadow’s father. He loves his son, but has to act in the best interests of the Clan.
5. Jumping Stag. A wolf of the Clan who has also found a mate. Stag courts her, but won’t force his mate to accept him.
6. Sherry Rowe. A plane crash survivor who is terrified of the wolf who claims her.
7. Blue Sky at Midday. Shadow’s younger brother who had been living at Taye’s den. He sees a survivor and his wolf claims her.
8. Rose Turner. A plane crash survivor, barely 16, who fiercely denies Sky’s mating claim.
9. Two Bears. Not wolf-born, he wants a wife and decides that Rose will suit him well.
10. Connie Mondale. The co-pilot and only surviving member of the plane’s crew, she takes charge of the surviving women.
11. Quill Wolfe. A quiet young wolf assigned to be Glory’s guard in Kearney, he tries to ignore his wolf’s claim to Taye’s cousin.
12. Tami Casper. A plane crash survivor who didn’t fare as well as Carla in the husband department. She escapes her “husbands”.
13. The Tracker. A lone wolf from the Clan known for his tracking ability, he is hired by Tami’s men to find her and bring her back.
