On Awards and Popularity Contests

Isn’t she adorable? I would have liked to have been her friend. Most popular girl in her high school, and she doesn’t even look mean.

I wasn’t most popular. I was a theater geek. Oklahoma, Hello Dolly, Carousel, Cabaret, you know… those people. I didn’t know a single person who played sports.

I recently noticed that a bunch of writing contests are starting to get “outed”, fairly or unfairly, as popularity contests. PEARLS, Predators and Editors, EPPIES, CAPAs. Does that extend to Romantic Times picks?

Do you distinguish between contests in which people nominate themselves (EPPIES, for example) and contests in which reviewers nominate books? How about something like the CAPAs (don’t get me wrong, I’d love one), in which the luck might have it that your book wasn’t reviewed at The Romance Studio that year. Can we still call something the best e-para something then?

Are any of these contests “valid?” I’d love your opinion. Readers, do you notice the winners of such contests–and would a win or nomination influence you to buy a book?

Digging Deeper

Madam Philomena said this would be a very introspective month for me, and it has been.

Last night I watched Angel Falls, based on Nora’s book. I thought it was pretty good, actually, and although the director hit you over the head at least four dozen times with schizoid flashbacks (we get it, we get it), it got me to thinking why I like Nora’s characters, even the very cliched ones. Baggage, depth, vulnerabilities, often out of their element, always having to dig deep for some inner strength.

Then I thought about how sucky a writer I am. Then I got over that, and starting thinking about why I like to write.

It’s a bit like self-analysis. I’ve written my family in many stories, although no one could possibly recognize themselves. Damage and redemption are themes I love, along with a dash of divinity. I care less and less about the romance and more about the inner journeys, especially of the males. I don’t know why, perhaps it’s a hidden attempt to rewrite my own psychological history, the story of my family (it’s probably no coincidence I went back to some genealogical research recently).

What’s the point of this? No freaking clue, except that I think I found a good hobby. I never was good at keeping a journal, but I wonder now if that’s what I’ve really been doing the last few years, only shared it in ebook and trade formats.

It’s Over

I’m silly, I guess, but it broke my heart that they had to euthanize Barbaro today. I, along with so many, followed his struggle. I’m heartbroken, always rooting that someday he’d at least be able to limp around a green meadow. Hopefully there’s one for him somewhere, if even in my dreams.

Five Angels for the Princes of Anfall!!!

“Ms. Cullen has fashioned a new world for the reader to explore and enjoy… I enjoyed how Ms. Cullen took folklore and mixed it with our worldly beliefs to show how things maybe different, but in the end people are still the same. Thanks to Ms. Cullen for a wonderful read!” — Fallen Angel Reviews

You can read an excerpt here!

Come and Post Your Love II

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s awards season in Hollywood, and online, isn’t it? It’s been a half year since we posted our love for an unsung hero. That editor, that best pal, that reader friend, that supportive husband, that baby who sleeps through the night, that girl who turned you onto ebooks, that cover artist, gas station attendant, waitress, boss…

Who deserves your love? Not the “oh, thanks for the congrats, Sammy Jo,” but real affection. Post it here!

I’m sending love out to Melanie, who crossed through several states to sit by my side at a booksigning for hours while I got over a flu. I’d never met her in 3D before. She’s a doll, a wonderful, wonderful person. Sending her all the healing and prayers I have in me tonight.

Facing Simon

I’m not a huge American Idol fan, but I have to admit to a few giggles now and then. It got me thinking what kind of balls folks have to go on a show that big and sing. One shrink said the reason a lot of nonsingers don’t know they are nonsingers is because friends and family never tell them. Hmmnn. Well, my friends and family wouldn’t tell me my writing stinks, would yours?

But fortunately for writers, there’s a Simon there for all of us. Agents, publishers, editors, reviewers. Sometimes they’re trying to tell us we stink. I think a few of them actually mean it when they say “this isn’t right for us.” Once in a while you get the equivalent of “try another song.”

Some of you have sat across tables from editors doing a “pitch.” How brave, honestly. We’re all brave I guess, cause we found the guts to go in front of our table of judges and sing our hearts out.

I try to tell folks who are submitting for the first time, “what’s the worst thing that can happen?” It’s not going to be televised, and the worst you end up with is a slightly bruised ego and reality check. Then it’s time to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and start all over again. At least we get the chance.

When and Why Did You Start Writing?

In conversations with other writers, I’ve recently noticed a large number of relatively new writers in their 40s, 50s, even 60s. I find it very interesting that a lot of folks come to this later in life, perhaps as a “I always wanted to write and it’s time” thing, perhaps something that started as the kids grew up. I wonder if there’s a point when we all seek something more creative in our lives, something for us, something fulfilling we didn’t have before? Do you have a day job? Why did you start writing?

Men and Women–I don’t get it

I just liked this picture–it’s not very relevant to the topic. But I had a few “moments” this weekend over men, and some of it drifted into my writing.
Why do guys assume if you think someone is a bimbo that you’re jealous? That pisses me off to no end. Can anyone explain this to me? Are women so jealous of one another, or can we legitimately be offended by the T&A takeover of media. Even the newscasters show cleavage these days. It bugs the shit out of me, honestly.

Sure, I’d like to be young and look like Cameron Diaz. Does that mean I can’t be righteously indignant? I mean, come on, just think about cheerleaders. What’s up with THAT?

Ugh.

Can We Talk? Freaky Reader/Reviewer Comments

Share, won’t you? I’ve been on the receiving end of some really funky notes lately. It got me thinking about the weirdest reactions to my writing in general, or my books in particular. So, here’s my list of odd questions and comments. Please add your own.
1. Regarding Mayan Nights: I’m going to Mexico, where can I meet the archaeologists in your story.
2. Regarding The Biggest Kahuna: a reviewer complained about the forced sex scene (there isn’t one).
3. Today’s lovely question: How the hell did you get so high in the Predators & Editors poll? Answer: I have no clue (although a suspicion), it makes no sense to me either, but that’s a very rude question–bitch about me to someone who ISN’T me!
4. I really enjoyed your xyz book. These are invariably Cynnara Tregarth’s stories. Our names aren’t even close, although we are.
5. Also today: How did you get Deidre Knight as your agent? When I do, I’ll tell you how I did it.
6. I don’t like that a gay guy is the villian in your Lords of Ch’i. I don’t even know how to answer that one.
7. I don’t like the gay Jamaican guy in Princes of Anfall and The Ghosts of Key West (yes, he appears in both). I guess the writer meant he’s too flamboyant? I was in Key West, and this is based on a real landlord I had when I was there. So phooey on yooey.
8. Someone went out of their way to tell me they didn’t like a book. Okay, I don’t watch 24. Am I writing Keifer?
9. I don’t like your photo. Swear to God, I got that.
10. Your Wizard of Time is a rip-off of Harry Potter. Hmmn, I haven’t read a Harry Potter book. I guess I’m just psychic.
11. I think you write those Madam Philomena predictions. Okay, so that makes YOU psychic.
12. I heard you left Triskelion after a fight at RT. I’ve never been to RT.
13. I heard you left Triskelion because of their contract changes. It changed after I started writing elsewhere.
14. I’m tired of you talking about yourself on your blog and yahoo group. Okie dokie.

Share–come on, I know you can do better than this.

Contest and Review! Talons: King of Prey by Mandy M. Roth

Mandy Roth was kind enough to let me gush about her writing. Wait a minute… Well, anyway, she donated a copy of Talons: King of Prey, available now at Samhain Publishing. Wouldn’t you like to read it? I’m giving away a copy this week to one lucky, and I mean lucky member of my Yahoo group. All you have to do to enter if you are part of that group is tell me anything you’ve read of Mandy’s, or what you’d like to read of hers. But you have to be a member )

In any case, here’s what I thought! Mandy has my penchant for good one liners, but she comes up with better ones. This novella is chock full of them, as well as a sexy winged king who is incredibly lovable for no reason I could really figure out. What I mean is that it takes a lot of talent to create a compelling, gorgeous, sexy (oh, and she put in one of my all-time favorite type scenes…shudder) hero who you should think is arrogant but is actually so incredibly charming you fall in love along with the heroine. Kabril is our guy. He has to save his world, and lucky for Rayna, he has to swoop through a portal to Earth and find the nasty, smelly, icky Earthling the Oracle has predestined for him. She’s really not smelly, it’s just that he’s not a big fan of the planet. And he’s really not into the whole idea (“Nothing called ‘wooing’ could be good.”) Well, he changes his mind rapidly once he sees Rayna, who conveniently has a thing for avian nature. So the whole winged immortal thing may not turn her off too much. It won’t turn you off, either, I promise.

Mandy packs everything you need into a novella-length fairy story–love, sex, a world we’d all like to try on for size (even with its warring), some intrigue, some excitement, a solid secondary character, and oh, did I mention sex? Two wingtips way up–this is great stuff. You won’t be scratching your head over the deep significance of the story, but you’ll end up smiling as if you ate a nice, gooey fudge sundae. I can’t wait to get my print copy of the entire Talons anthology.

Don’t forget, a copy to one member of my loop! Contest ends Friday.