More Than Magic!

I'm doing that little happy dance! You know, the one Snoopy in the Peanuts cartoons does with his nose pointed joyfully skyward.

The reason Aunty is in such a rare and rollicking mood is because The Wild Sight WON the Best First Book category in the Romance Writers Ink "More Than Magic" contest! (You can see the entire list of finalists by clicking on the title of this post.) The first place winners in the ten categories go on to compete for the Grand Prize.

The Grand Prize winner will be announced on July 11th, so PLEASE keep your fingers xxed for The Wild Sight!!

P.S. 68 more days until The Treasures of Venice is released! But who's counting?

The Lion King

Last week three friends and I went to see one of the Broadway roadshow productions of Disney's The Lion King.

Aunty has been a live theater buff for decades and has seen it all, including Broadway and the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford-on-Avon, and I can honestly say -- It does not get any better than this!

The storyline had something for everyone: action, drama, romance and humor. The characters and songs were memorable, and the costumes were absolutely out of this world in creativity and innovation!

Here's a photo of two of the characters: Pumbaa the warthog and Timon the meercat.

As you can see, Timon is an almost-life-sized puppet that the actor manipulated with his hands and speaks for. Pumbaa on the other hand is a large costume with the actor's legs as the creature's front legs, and he manipulates the mouth (and tongue) with his hands. The back half of the animal is an elaborate decorated framework, with the animal's back legs suspended in the air.

My editor has four critical criteria she looks for in any book she acquires. One of these is "a world is created." By this she means that no matter what the time period or setting, the author vividly portrays a unique world for that story and those characters. Readers need to feel like they have stepped into a complete and fascinating world of its own.

The Lion King is the perfect example of a world being created! The audience is transported, even feels like a participant in this beautiful and unique world of strange and wonderful creatures. My friends and I were lucky enough to be included in that very special world for a few hours and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

If you get a chance to see a production of The Lion King-- GO! You will be very glad you did.

Hakuna Matata!

Care to share some of your experiences with being transported into another world?

Galleys and Fan Mail

This past week, I received the galleys for The Treasures of Venice! It was almost as exciting as receiving them for The Wild Sight, but this time I did know what to expect. Galleys are the hard copies of the typeset pages, two book pages (which will face each other in the final form) per galley page. They are large, awkward to handle, and some of the most beautiful things I've ever seen!

Since I've already received and read an ARC (advanced review copy) of the book, I know there are very few "mistakes" or changes I want to make, so going through the galleys will be a real labor of love.

I also received an honest-to-goodness fan letter this past week! Very few people (including me) bother to sit down and write letters any more. Everything is done via email or text messaging, so when I get a real letter (or post card, which I collect) in the mail it is a very special treat. Trust me, all authors LURVE to receive fan mail! The idea that someone would take the time to tell me that they enjoyed reading my book is just THE BEST thing in the world!

And not only did this lovely reader make my day by writing to me, she paid me one of the highest compliments, in my opinion. She said she loaned The Wild Sight to her friend who is from Ireland.

If you've read many of my blog posts, you know that Aunty is quite persnickety and a book (or film) has to really bowl me over before I will even consider recommending it. So anyone who recommends one of my books to a friend is paying me and my writing quite an accolade!

And on the subject of accolades...

A few days ago, I learned that the three items I donated to Brenda Novak's online auction to benefit diabetes research garnered over $100! I was thrilled my donations earned that much for such a great cause, and it was very gratifying to learn that both 'winners' of my autographed books were members of my newsletter group.

HUGE and humble thanks to everyone who placed bids in Brenda's auction. Special congrats to my winners! I will definitely be donating items next year.

Meanwhile... 85 more days and counting!

"The Fall" and The Alhambra

A couple of weeks ago, an artist-friend of the DH recommended we see a rather obscure film called "The Fall." This friend's eclectic tastes are not always to our liking but this movie was WONDERFUL! If I ever get the urge to write a screenplay, I only hope I can come up with something half so unique and entertaining. A story within a story much like "The Princess Bride," the locales alone were stunning.

"The Fall" is basically set in a 1920s Los Angeles hospital. A young movie stuntman has taken a serious fall from a railroad trestle and is paralyzed from the waist down, perhaps permanently. In the same hospital, a little girl whose family are itinerant farm workers has fallen while picking oranges and sports a huge cast from her shoulder to fingers.

I won't reveal any spoilers (because you really should rent this film and watch it yourself) as to how and why the stuntman and little girl become friends. Nor why he spins for her the most gorgeous and fanciful tale about five unusual men intent on killing an evil Spanish governor. But I will say that the settings for this story were shot in eighteen different countries and I could not begin to do justice to them with my descriptions!

My favorite scenes were shot inside the fabulous Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. The DH and I visited the Alhambra about fifteen years ago on one of our earliest jaunts to Europe and I have never forgotten how breathtaking the place was. We had quite a memorable trip on that outing to Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, and Morocco, but the Alhambra was definitely the highlight!

Built by the conquering Moors, the Alhambra was actually a series of towers and fortresses overlooking the city of Granada. The main palace dates from the 11th century and has some of the most beautiful and (to a Westerner like me) unusual architecture anywhere. The decorative stucco is so thick in some places that it resembles a honey comb. And I was awed that some of the original paint still survived almost a thousand years later.

Nothing else like the Alhambra existed then, or now. I totally understand why King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella moved right in as soon as they threw the Moors out in 1492!

I would love to return to Granada someday, but until I do, I guess I'll have to content myself with re-watching "The Fall." I highly recommend you watch it too!

Double Digits and An Early Review!

As of today, The Treasures of Venice will be released in 99 more days.

We are down to double digits! YAY!

Plus, a few days ago The Treasures of Venice received its very first review! BIG THANX to Wendy Hines of Armchair Interviews who had this to say about my baby:

"The Treasures of Venice is a captivating story of romance, suspense, and historical legend. Painted against a beautiful backdrop of romantic Venice, Loucinda McGary quickly draws you in with the legend of the Jewels of the Madonna. I was entranced from page one and loved it!"

To read the entire review, just click on the title of this blog entry. And sorry, but I LURVE the cover so much I can't resist posting it every chance I get.

And another little piece of good news -- The Treasures of Venice has been available for pre-order on Amazon for several weeks, but there is now a product description and here it is:

When American librarian Samantha Lewis and Irish rogue Keirnan Fitzgerald set off to find priceless jewels, they become embroiled in a 500-year-old love story that eerily prefigures their own...

In 15th century Venice, beautiful and wealthy Serafina falls in love with Nino, a young Florentine sculptor. They decide to flee to Padua, and to fund the trip, Nino copies a set of jewels that then disappear.

In modern-day Venice, Keirnan needs Samantha's help to locate the jewels so he can pay his sister's ransom. Samantha must decide whether the man she's so drawn to is her soul mate from a previous life...or are they merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasure?

I'm proud to say that the last sentence is lifted directly from my original query letter. ;-)

99 days and counting...

Snail's Pace

As of today, my second novel The Treasures of Venice will be released in 104 days. While that isn't a very long time, only a little over 3 months, considering I started writing this story in the spring of 2004, it has been a very looong time coming!

One thing I've learned since I made a serious commitment to becoming a published author, NOTHING in the publishing business moves fast.

For example, I think the timeline for my debut The Wild Sight is pretty typical.

It took me almost a year to research and write the story. But I did a BIG NO-NO in the publishing business -- I sent a query before the manuscript was complete! "GASP!" But this wasn't my first manuscript and I was pretty confident about how long it would take me to finish. Plus, I already knew how very slowly the wheels of publishing turn.

So on Feb. 14th, I sent a query asking if the editor would like to see a partial. Three months to the day, May 14th, I got a positive reply!

I sent the three chapters and synopsis and continued working on the manuscript, secure in the knowledge that "the first editor to read the story never buys it."

A couple of months later, at the end of July, the editor called me and asked for the entire manuscript! Yes, I was a bit thunderstruck (actually the DH was since he took the call) because an editor never called me before, but I was still SURE that old rule about the first editor never buying was true. I hurriedly did some final revisions to the manuscript and sent it off the first week of August.

I got THE CALL six weeks later on September 14th! So much for all those old rules!

But remember I had actually started researching and writing 14 months earlier. Then I got my revision letter, and finished those in the middle of December. Copyedits, galley proofs, and ARCs followed.

FINALLY on Oct. 1, 2008 The Wild Sight was released! Thirteen months after The Call and a full 27 months after I'd first started it. And two weeks ago, at long, long last, I received my first royalty statement, which only covered Oct. through Dec. 31st of last year. Still, it was almost THREE YEARS after I first started writing. This is why "Advances" were created, and why very few authors actually earn a living from their writing.

Why in the world would I put myself through all this toil and tears and very little remuneration?

Because nothing in the world is as exciting as seeing the book I wrote sitting on the store shelf, or hearing from someone who read it that they enjoyed my characters and their story! It's the realization of my long held dream to write books and have other people read them.

Yes, I freely admit, I AM CRAZY! But I'm loving it!

ARCs and a New Title!

A few days ago, I received my copies of the Advanced Review Copies of The Treasures of Venice, and may I just say they are GORGEOUS!

Somehow, seeing the cover in print on that glossy paper really makes it stand out. Plus, I LOVE the back cover which is dark red with white lettering. This is all subject to change in the final printing of course. But for now... I'm deeply infatuated (rapturous sigh) to the point that I'm sleeping with an ARC under my pillow.

Okay, Aunty can always find a cloud in the silver lining, one tiny little complaint is that this cover does not have a convenient vacant spot for me to put my "Autographed Copy" sticker. The Wild Sight had a perfectly sized blank area right above the word 'Wild'.

But while I'm gushing...

I received an email from my editor a few days ago with the title of my third book which is scheduled to be released in Spring 2010. Since my pubisher never seems to like my titles, I didn't bother calling this story anything other than The New Irish Tale. Yup, it's another one set in Ireland, this time the Republic, and YES again-- another Irish hunk hero!

Anyway, The New Irish Tale has now been rechristened The Wild Irish Sea!

I'm very happy with the title because not only does it harken back to The Wild Sight, but the story takes place on the rugged sea coast of Donegal, so it's doubly appropriate.

Finally, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, my editor's assistant emailed me to ask for my input on cover suggestions for The Wild Irish Sea! Not that the Sourcebooks Art Department has needed any help from me in creating fantastic covers for both my books, but I was very complimented and excited just to be asked. Now all I need to do is FINISH WRITING THE BOOK! ACK!

So with the title The Wild Irish Sea, what do you picture on the cover?

Gimme 5... Things to Look Forward To

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Bring out the pinata, guacamole and margaritas! Nothing I like better than a little fiesta. And being in a party mood makes me think about good things to come. There are quite a few things happening in the next few months that I'm really looking forward to. Here are five of them:

1. The DH and I will celebrate 20 years together in a couple of weeks! Nope, never believed we'd make it this long. HA! So I'm really looking forward to a very special night out.
2. Writing "The End" on my work-in-progress. Seems like I've been in the deep dark writing cave working on this story FOREVER! (heavy sigh) And yes, I do love my characters and their trials and tribulations, but I'm ready for the light at the end of this tunnel. Of course, I am writing this book under contract so I MUST finish it by my deadline.
3. Attending the RWA National Conference in Washington DC. OH GOODIE! (rubs hands together with glee) The conference last year in San Francisco was so much fun! Thanks to my CP's hubby giving me a frequent flyer ticket, I WILL be attending the conference this year, and I am so looking forward to seeing all my Banditas and other writer friends. Plus, this year, for the first time, I get to participate in the Literacy signing event!
4. Seeing my second book on the shelf! YES!!! September 1st is the "official" release date for The Treasures of Venice and I'm almost as excited as I was last year when my very first book, The Wild Sight was released. I do plan to have another launch party and will be doing another blog tour and giving away lots of free copies of the book. Can't wait!
5. Spending my birthday on a cruise to Acapulco. One of my best birthdays ever was a few years ago, when the DH booked us a cruise to Acapulco and the dining room staff made a fuss over me on my birthday. Well, my DH has done it again! Last week, he booked another cruise to Acapulco and my birthday will happen right in the middle of it.

What are you looking forward to in the next few months?

Brenda Novak's Auction

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY May 1st will be the start of Brenda Novak's fifth annual online auction for diabetes research!

Brenda has raised over half a million dollars in her previous four auctions, and she truly offers something for everyone. (click on the title of this post to go to the auction home page)

I'm thrilled to be able to support this very worthy cause! I have donated an autographed copy of The Wild Sight and an autographed ARC of The Treasures of Venice. That's right, you don't have to wait until September to read my second release! You just need to submit the winning bid.

The Romance Bandits have also donated a huge basket of goodies--books, promo items, chocolate and gift cards--and I'm including an autographed copy of The Wild Sight in that too.

Also, for aspiring writers, I have donated a critique of a first chapter and synopsis (up to 30 pages total) of your manuscript.

The auction runs the entire month of May so I hope you will check it out.

26 Pieces of Useless Trivia... About ME!

Still time to join my newsletter Yahoo Group (see the sidebar) and be in the drawing for one of three $10 gift certificates from Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

Haven't done a Meme in awhile, so here's one compliments of my friend Piowa Puff.

What time did you get up this morning 

Probably around nine. That's what time I usually get up. Being 'retired' is truly grand!

Diamonds or pearls? 

BOTH of course! Though actually, I think pearls are classier.

What was the last film you saw at the cinema? 

Australia and Hugh Jackman's chest filled that
wide screen wonderfully!

What is your favorite TV show? 

Used to be "Lost" but it's now so stupid
I only watch for shots of Sawyer's dimples. 

Favorite sandwich? 

Just about any with avocado on it

If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,
where would you go? 

New Zealand or the Pyramids in Egypt

Favorite brand of clothing? 

Don't really pay attention to brands except for shoes.
I like Clark's and New Balance.

Where would you retire to? 

Right here where I am! But if I win the Lotto,
LOOK OUT Tahiti!

What was your most recent memorable birthday?

About 3 years ago on a cruise ship going to Acapulco.

Favorite sport to watch? 

In person -- auto racing. Love the rumble of those engines!
On TV, probably football, but only for the huddles...

Are you a morning person or a night person? 

Morning?!?! What is that???

What did you want to be when you were little? 

Owner of a horse ranch  

What is your favorite flower? 

To look at, a camelia. To smell, a gardenia or sweet pea.

What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
Sept. 1st and the release of my second novel
"The Treasures of Venice"

What are you listening to right now? 

Nothing, it's nice and quiet, just the way I like it.

The first person you spoke to on the phone today? 

Somebody calling for Macy's. My phone number is one digit off theirs.

Favorite soft drink? 

 Diet Pepsi!

Real hair color? 

Salt and Pepper (and getting saltier every day)

What was your favorite toy as a child? 

Books (I was a geek, what can I say?)

Chocolate or Vanilla?

What is this vanilla of which you speak?!?!
There is no other flavor but chocolate!!!

Coffee or tea? 

Tea, hot with milk

When was the last time you cried? 

 Tonight while watching the movie "Grace is Gone" WONDERFUL FILM!

What are you afraid of? 

 The IRS.
I mean, THEY were the only ones to bring down Al Capone... SCARY!

How many keys on your key ring? 

The one I carry has 5 that I can think of,
but I have another key ring with spares and the key to the pool.

How many years at your current job? 

5 1/2 LOVELY years retired!
2  as a PUBLISHED novelist!

Do you make friends easily? 

Yes, I'm an EXTROVERT (big surprise -- NOT!)

Now it's your turn! Tell me some useless pieces of trivia about YOU!

Gimme 5... Venetian Things

For years and years, the place that occupied the Number One spot on my "Bucket List" was Venice. Every picture I saw, every guidebook, every travel program that had even a mention of the city nicknamed La Serenissima (the Serene One) made me salivate.

Lucky me! My DH took me there! (maybe he was truly sick and tired of hearing me carry on about wanting to go) And La Serenissima did not disappoint, it truly is one of the most unique places on earth! The city left quite a lasting impression on me. No wonder that when I sat down to write my very first contemporary romantic suspense novel I knew I had to set it in Venice.

So let me share 5 unforgettable and totally Venetian things:

The Bridge of Sighs -- I've mentioned this unique covered bridge and shared this picture before, but this lovely Venetian landmark plays a pivotal role in The Treasures of Venice, so here it is again. The bridge connects the Doge's Palace with the prison on the other side of the canal.


The Doge's Palace -- Another landmark with a role in The Treasures of Venice! The Doge's Palace was the residence of the elected ruler of the Venetian City-State as well as the seat of government. This huge and ornate building is not to be missed on any visit to Venice.


St. Mark's Cathedral and the Piazza surrounding it are the quintessential image of Venice and are the location of the opening scene of The Treasures of Venice. The Doge's Palace is right next door to St. Mark's and there really are about a million pigeons occupying the piazza at any given time.


The Rialto Bridge -- the largest and definitely the most
unique of the five bridges that cross Venice's Grand Canal, it is lined with very exclusive shops and has been since it was finished in its present incarnation in 1591! Yup, it makes more than one appearance in The Treasures of Venice.


Finally, what could possibly be more Venetian than a gondola? These long pointy black boats embody every cliche that is Venice, and in the best possible way! Of course I had to work in a gondola for a couple of very important scenes, include a very romantic one, in The Treasures of Venice.
Only 149 more days until the book hits store shelves! But who's counting?!?!

Back Cover Copy

YAY! I received the FULL cover that will go on my Advance Reader Copies and it includes the Back Cover Copy. Here's the photo:


I just LOVE the red background on the back cover and my name on the spine in a red rectangle! After all, red is a power color!

And so you don't have to strain your eyes, here's what the back cover says:

He's a charming Irish rogue who never met a lock he couldn't pick...

Keirnan Fitzgerald is desperate to locate the missing Jewels of the Madonna. With danger at every corner and time running out, he must use whatever means possible to uncover the stolen jewels in time to save his sister's life...

She's simply in Venice to relax and heal her broken heart...

Samantha Lewis is shocked with a dashing stranger approaches her in a Venetian cafe pretending to know her. She's ready for something new and exciting in her life, so she throws caution to the wind and accompanies the Irish charmer into his dangerous world of intrigue, theft, and betrayal...

As the centuries old story behind the Jewels disappearance is revealed, Samantha must decide whether the man she's so compellingly drawn to is her soul mate from a previous life or if they are merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasures...

New Cover!

HOORAY!

I'm so excited! My editor sent me the cover for The Treasures of Venice and she said I could share it!

All I can say is WOW!

The Sourcebooks Art Department has outdone themselves again.

I really expected a cover similar to The Wild Sight, not that I would have minded since I LURVED that cover (and so did a lot of other folks). But they went in a different direction and what a FANTASTIC RESULT!

So far the response has been all positive, even the DH likes it! Okay, he did make a snide remark about the guy taking off his shirt in church, but overall he thought it was very evocative and eye-catching.

What do you think?

Cappadocia

I have a post up on the Romance Bandits (just click on the title of this post to go there) with pictures of the Fairy Chimneys we saw in Cappadocia, Turkey.

As I mentioned, the weird formations and other-worldly-ness of this region made me feel like I was on another planet! Too bad I don't write science fiction or fantasy. Cappadocia would definitely inspire all kinds of story ideas.

Now be honest, does this look like any place on earth you've ever seen? (Never mind that alien creature standing in front of the formations.)

Amazon Pre-Order and A Contest!

Good news!

The Treasures of Venice is now listed on Amazon and Target.com as available for pre-order. Even though there's no cover image or story blurb yet, the title, my name as author, and the September 1st release date are all there.

Another small step down the long road to seeing The Treasures of Venice on the shelves!

I've also decided to hold my very first contest!

Members of my Yahoo Group (see the sidebar for info) are eligible to win $10 Amazon and Barnes & Noble gift certificates. If you are already a member, THANK YOU! You don't have to do anything, but if you convince a friend to sign up for my Yahoo Group between now and April 26th, you will increase your chances to win.

All NEW MEMBERS who sign up between now and April 26th will be in a special drawing for a $10 gift certificate. So please, PLEASE sign up now! You might win, but even if you don't, you'll get all the news FIRST, and you'll get to read monthly excerpts from The Treasures of Venice and my next release!

Gimme 5... Things About Treasures of Venice

It is now LESS than six months until my next release The Treasures of Venice hits the shelves, so I guess the countdown has begun!

I suppose a good place to start is by revealing a few things about the story. Here then, are five random things about The Treasures of Venice:

1. Even though the story is set in Venice, Italy, the hero is an Irish hunk by the name of Keirnan Fitzgerald (and any resemblance to Gerry Butler may not be all that coincidental),
2. The heroine, Samantha Lewis has the same color eyes as me (described by the hero as golden green),
3. The character of Serafina Lombardo was inspired by a Renaissance portrait of a young woman named Gianna Tornabuoni,
4. The story was originally inspired by a piece of music from the opera "Jewels of the Madonna" but also borrows liberally from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet,"
5. The book features a dual storyline that takes place in both current day Venice and Venice in 1485.
   

It still doesn't seem quite real that this story will finally make it's way into print (I actually wrote it before I wrote The Wild Sight). September feels a long way off, but I know (based on previous experience with The Wild Sight) that the time will fly by! Right now, I can't wait to see the cover!

Your Game

Here's a fun Meme that was sent from my friend Ian in Arizona. The challenge is to answer each to these 13 questions with a word that starts with the same letter as the first letter in your first name. Oh, and you can't reuse your name for the boy/girl name!

What is your name? Cindy
A 4 Letter Word: Cool

A Boy's Name: Colin (my son)

A Girl's name: Chloe (my previous dog, a Schipperke/Jack Russell mix)

An Occupation: Carpet weaver (saw these in Turkey)

A Color: Chartreuse

Something you wear: chaps (LURVE those cowboys!)

A Beverage: coffee

A Food: Chocolate! (Was there ever a doubt about this answer?)

Something found in the bathroom: cleanser

A place: Charleston (only been there once, but really enjoyed the historic section)

A Reason for being late: Channel surfing (Not something I do very often)

Something you shout: Cowabunga! (DUDE!)

Okay, now it's YOUR turn! If Ian can come up with 13 answers all starting with "I" you can surely manage.

New Title and Copy Edits!

It's been an exciting week with two more important steps down the road to my next release!

I received my copyedits for my Sept. 09 release and true to my copyeditor's email, they were LIGHT! Mostly they were a 'clean up' of my punctuation, and a few comments asking for clarification. So a big THANX to the two lovely ladies who were my copyeditors for this manuscript! I've finished going through all of them and actually returned them ahead of schedule (a very rare occurance).

The second and even more exciting piece of news, is that I finally have a new title for the book! The manuscript formerly know as Jewels of the Madonna, will henceforth be titled The Treasures of Venice. I'm very happy to have Venice in the title as I think this will be intriguing to readers.

What do you think?

And what do you picture on the cover?

Even More Turkish Delight!

I'm blogging today over at the Casablanca Authors about the hot springs at Pamukkale, Turkey. Just click on the title of this post to see a couple of pictures and here are a couple more...

Yes, those tiny little figures are people. The area is VAST! Actually it looks a lot like the Minerva hot springs in Yellowstone which is also an entire mountain side covered with mineral deposits.

It was so extraordinary to see these ruins and and think about all the thousands of years that people lived in this area. Being the huge history buff that I am, I get really excited by that kind of thing.


Oh what the heck! Here's one more piccie. This one looks like snow. Or maybe cake icing melting off the mountain, as in that old song MacArthur Park and the line, "Someone's left the cake out in the rain..."

As I asked on the Casablanca blog, would YOU read a romance novel set in Turkey?

My First Book Signing

Yesterday I participated in my first book signing and I had so much fun!

Three other local romance authors joined me at a local Barnes & Noble bookstore and we had a great time talking to each other and all the customers. In addition to selling our books, we gave away candy, book marks, post cards, pens, and buttons. Also, one of the other authors arranged to have 10% of sales go to benefit a local agency that provides goods and services to foster children. Talk about a winning situation!

We sold LOTS of books! I only had two copies of The Wild Sight left after two hours. Best of all, the B&N rep who arranged the signing is anxious to have us back!

One of the other authors' lovely DH took this piccie and added the captions. Yes, we romance authors know how to have FUN!
Hope you all had FUN on Valentine's Day too!