Alison Kent's Blah Blog

Today, I heard long time published authors actually say it was too much hassle to either 1) format a manuscript into one long file, or 2) format a manuscript into individual chapter files – depending on what their house required the submit on disk and what they were used to doing.

I could NOT believe THIS was what published authors had to worry over and complain about! As John Stossel would say . . . Give me a break, LOLOL! Why don’t we use our time, space and opportunity to discuss, uh, strengthening our writing? The market?

A subject that is relevant to our careers???? ;)

Oh, and Maili? My editor said, “Our export copies are handled by TimeWarner and so someone in the sales department will contact them for me and they will let me know and I will let you know and you will let readers know and so on and so on and so on….”

And another picture of Mick Savin for fun!

I have a very good author friend (or friend who happens to be an author!) who admits to being an adrenaline junkie – as in, she runs up against the wall on her deadlines each and every time. Not necessarily on purpose as she does plan them out and gives herself time, but then she doesn’t buckle down consistently and ends up forced to cram and work allnighters – sorta like what happens with a lot of students and finals!

I’ve decided I’m like this, too, in very many ways. I know my absolute limit on getting pages done and, until I reach that point, I tend to procrastinate, writing less than I could be. Maybe it’s the idea that hitting the point of no return means 1) the pain will be less by not lasting as long, and 2) the book will be on the shelves that much sooner. Who knows! I just realized that as much discipline as I try to maintain, it doesn’t happen.

Because of that *g*, I’ll give away another ARC of THE SAMMS AGENDA. Previous winners / recipients are eligible (unless you’re a cp or unless I’ve already sent you one!), and the first person to answering the following question by responding via the comment link will win.

Which book did I sell on a national broadcast of CBS 48 Hours?

Thanks to Laurie D for sending me the Waldenbooks newsletter with this link inside!

… but right now I’m swamped in writing and promo and I’m all about the ME! LOL!

It’s hard not to get excited and self, uh, focused *g* when packages arrive daily with copies of my books and ARCs after writing this stuff for a YEAR, and I spend a day brainstorming new titles with my editor (we settled on the next one – more info soon!), and I have a huge breakthrough with a plot point and it makes it more fun and less work to get back to a story that’s been giving me fits.

Oh, and Tripp’s story, THE SHAUGHNESSEY ACCORD, did get 4 stars from RT so I’m very happy about that. I haven’t seen the review yet . . . but I did get this today from Pat Rouse, which is cool:

“Alison Kent segues from series into mainstream romance brilliantly with her stunning spy series “The Files of the SG-5″ for Kensington Brava! In this HOT series five agents, who formerly worked for the military and other covert branches have been recruited by Hank Smithson for his elite force. Book #1, THE BANE AFFAIR (October 2004), a full-length novel, features Christian Bane posing as crime syndicate Spectra IT boss, Peter Deacon to infiltrate the estate of reclusive scientist, Dr. Wickam Bow. Christian’s assignment is to rescue another scientist he thinks is being held hostage there to crack the government’s encryption code. Since Peter Deacon is a known womanizer it’s only natural that Christian seduces Dr. Bow’s personal assistant/goddaughter, Natasha Gaudet. Christian soon discovers that the other scientist is being paid by Bow, who hopes to sell the encryption code in exchange for a cure to his crippling disease. Natasha and Peter find themselves in a torrid affair but will it end when Natasha finds out who Peter really is? Move over 007 and make room for Kent’s terrific SG-5 agents: Christian, Tripp, Julian, Kelly John and Eli, who are aptly described in her logo: Bad Boys. Good Spies. Unforgettable Lovers. Unforgettable indeed!!! Don’t miss the rest of the remarkable SG-5 series with consecutive short stories:”The Shaughnessey Accord”, “The Samms Agenda”, “The Beach Alibi” and “The McKenzie Artifact” November 2004 – February 2005.”
- Patricia Rouse, Rouse’s Romance Readers Groups

Anyhow, no more giveaways for awhile, as I have tons of work to catch up on and get back to, but I wanted to leave you with my current inspiration for my next Brava single title. This is my working inspiration for Mick Savin! *gg*

I love my editor! Ten bazillion more copies of THE SHAUGHNESSEY ACCORD! Who wants one? Sing out! (I’m sending them to critters anyway, so you three needn’t apply, LOL!) But anyone else who wants one, I’ll give away fifteen copies. Post here in the comments section and then email me your snail mail info to alison @ alisonkent.com!

I need to describe this hat in my text. If I say “hiking hat”, is this what you’re going to picture?? It’s like a ragged-out army surplus version that’s very sexy pulled down to my hero’s sunglasses as it were. But I don’t know what to call it!

… and want a copy of THE SHAUGHNESSEY ACCORD, I will give away 5 copies to the first 5 people to post in response via the comment link. (No critters!)

I have ARCs of THE SAMMS AGENDA!!!! And actual COPIES of THE SHAUGHNESSEY ACCORD!!!! It is so dadblamed cute I can’t stop grinning! Oooh, I feel lots of giveaways coming here soon . . . . must think of something cool . . . . but I will give a copy of the Samms book to the first non-previous winner, non-crit buddy person *g* to respond via the comments link. Just for fun!

Ignore this post. This is only a test. *g* Oh, and ignore the comments, too, LOL! I closed this post, which screwed up my dashed outline. I opened this post, and the dashes are once again correct. Ergo, this post about nothing is going to stay here as a placeholder! Grrrrrr.

I’m so glad some of you are adding yourselves to Authors’ Blogs. Do NOT feel slighted that I didn’t add more than I did to start with; I will, I’m just swamped. And, uh, not really blogging . . . *g*