I'm so excited today!! I have a special guest blogger, one of my Soul Mate Publishing sisters, Char Chaffin. She's here to us all about being published, about her new release Unsafe Haven, and about being an acquisitions editor.
Take it away Char!
Writing on the Side –
Hi folks, I’m Char Chaffin and I’m thrilled to be blogging
with fellow Soul Mate Author Donna Shields today!
I’ve been writing for about twelve years, seriously writing
for publication about four of those, and finally published my debut novel, Promises to Keep in November 2011. Years
ago when I began writing, never did I imagine I’d actually publish one day. I
guess back then I still thought of writing as an unattainable goal. I wrote for
my own enjoyment, because I loved the words and the worlds I could create and
thus escape to. Once I decided to write for publication, I found myself steeped
in romance, even though I adored science fiction and horror. As much of that
genre as I’d taken in over the years, you’d think the very first characters to
spring from my fingers onto the keyboard would have been a herd of psychopathic
vampires with werewolf DNA who’d all howl at the moon as they ripped through
some hapless village on a planet far, far from Saturn.
Instead, a young girl named Annie, her best friend and first
love, Travis, and family secrets came forth. Before I knew it I’d written a
mainstream romance that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The
manuscript went through all the usual: agents who didn’t like it, rejection
form letters, skeptical frowns during face-to-face pitch sessions, more
rejections. But, like anything else, it only takes one to breathe life, and my “one”
came when I pitched to Soul Mate Publishing, and they said, “Yes.”
Now, a year later, Promises
to Keep is in print as well as ebook format and both formats are doing
well. My second novel, Unsafe Haven,
is out in ebook format (and doing great!), plus I’m an Acquisitions Editor for
Soul Mate Publishing. And, at least for a little while, my writing is firmly on
the side as I acquire and edit manuscripts. I cheer each time one of my
“babies” is released and the author I worked with so closely is happily
bouncing with joy as she realizes the dream I myself experienced a year ago. No
feeling is stronger, better, for a writer, than when they can say aloud, “I
published a book!”
I’ve discovered something about editing others’ works: it
makes me a better writer. Each time I finish a manuscript, I find I’ve learned
something new, something more that I can apply to my own writing. Right now in
my life, this couldn’t be a better pairing for me. Editing an author’s work is
time-consuming and frenetic, sometimes frustrating, often harrowing, and
requires a great deal of patience. Gee, no wonder the job goes along so well
with writing: the two might be twins separated at birth. When the book
succeeds, the editor is a happy camper. When the book flounders, the editor
feels the author’s pain, believe me. It’s rather like Little League for
Manuscripts. ::wink::
This past year I’ve often been asked if I have advice for
newbie writers and fledgling authors who are beginning to get their feet wet in
the biz. The best advice I can offer starts with the word, “Never.”
Never stop writing; write every single day. Never stop
reading as a way to stretch your brain. Never write in only one genre; try
others, too; another way to stretch yourself. Never think you can go it alone,
because you CAN’T. Never think you don’t need writing organizations to join and
learn from. Doesn’t have to be RWA, as long as it’s a group that will help you
grow as a writer. Never say “no” if you are asked to join a critique group
especially if members of that group are already published, because boy, can you
learn from them. And never, never
lose your humility—or your sense of humor.
I can also offer advice that begins with, “Always.”
Always remember to offer tit for tat. If you want a fellow
writer to help promote you—whether or not you’re already published—then offer
them some promo in return. Review an ARC for them, host them on your blog if
you have one, mention them on Facebook or better yet, friend them and help get
their numbers up. “Like” their releases on Amazon, mention them on Twitter.
Always thank anyone who helped you get to your goal of publication: your family
and friends, fellow chapter members, critique partners, your agent, your
editor. Because you didn’t get there by yourself. Yes, your talent is stunning
and finally someone has recognized that, but you still received plenty of pushes
along the way, so acknowledge them. And my biggest “Always:” Always be willing
to promote! Carry one of your books with you wherever you go. Have swag handy:
bookmarks, post cards, business cards, pens, whatever, with your book info on
them. Not published yet? You can still hand out business cards and such with
your manuscript info included. You never know when you might meet an agent or
an editor.
Too shy to do any of that? Tough. You chose to be a writer,
and as a writer you can’t afford to be shy. Buck up and do it, anyway. You’ll
figure out very quickly that writers just starting out need to eighty-six their
shyness. When you get to be famous, you can go all solo and hermit-like, and
your fans will simply call you “eccentric.” But until then, you have to get
yourself out in the public eye, at least online.
As editing takes up more and more of my day, I try to set
aside time to do all that promotion I just mentioned. Every writer has to
decide what they can handle financially and whether or not they want to pay or
search out the freebies. You’ll find plenty of both. For me, a combination of
both seems to be working. I will say this: blog tours are a lot of fun and you
meet some fab folks!
Now for some promo: My second novel, Unsafe Haven, is a true novel of my heart. It’s set in Alaska, and I lived
there for sixteen years. It’s an amazing state, one that I think should be on
everyone’s “bucket list” to visit. As I
wrote Unsafe Haven, I got to relive
some of my fondest memories from my time there, and what could be better than
that?
Here’s the blurb:
For Kendall Martin, a small, remote
village in Southwest Alaska seems like a good
place to start over. On the run from an abusive relationship, she leaves
everything familiar behind and begins a new life as owner of a small souvenir
and sportsman trading post in picturesque Staamat.
Denn Nulo knows everyone in town:
he’s the Chief of Police in Staamat. He’s lived there all his life, except for
his college years, spent in Anchorage.
Originally planning on practicing criminal law and living in Anchorage permanently, Denn is forced to
change his plans when he receives word that his widowed mother has passed away,
leaving his young sister, Luna, alone. Denn comes back to Staamat to care for
Luna.
When Kendall
meets Denn, she begins to believe there are truly good men in the world. Denn
is everything she wants: strong, loving, dedicated to family, protective. .
.and patient. There is instant attraction between them, but Kendall
is leery of men, and Denn craves a serious relationship that includes marriage
and children. Their courtship is a conflicting mix of hesitancy and passion,
with Luna, desperately needing a mother figure in her life, cheering them on.
As Kendall learns how to trust
again and her romance with Denn grows more intense, a local woman who’s had her
eye on Denn for years releases a torrent of damaging jealousy. . .and the
nightmare from Kendall’s past discovers where she’s hidden herself.
Do I have an excerpt? Why, yes, I
do! Here’s the prologue and first chapter:
PROLOGUE
Northeast
Oregon, April
Hidden was good.
She could live with hidden.
Kendall Martin
stared at the speck on the map. She’d have missed it if she blinked twice.
Lakes, streams, and rivers surrounded it. A single road, at least something
resembling a road, ran from the speck to another, slightly larger dot, both
surrounded by rough terrain and flanked by a ribbon of river.
On a map of Alaska, within the
vastness of its landmass, the minute spots of civilization were insignificant.
She laid the
oversized atlas on the edge of the bed, and continued folding sweaters. She
stashed underwear and nightgowns, neatly-rolled socks, and three pairs of
slippers in the open packing box. Two more boxes, already sealed and labeled,
sat stacked in a corner of the bedroom. She’d packed her linens, cleaned out
her medicine cabinet, and threw away anything resembling a sedative.
Where she was
headed, she should never again need a sedative.
Her kitchen looked
stark with its scrubbed counters and empty cupboards. What few plants she’d
nurtured had been given to a neighbor. Dry foodstuffs went to the local Bread
Line. She’d dumped the rest.
A single,
four-hour garage sale had ridded her of the sofa and matching recliner, a few
end tables, as well as the stripped bed. Its new owners were slated to come for
it later in the day. She hadn’t been in town long enough to collect more than
some basic furniture and a few necessary kitchen odds and ends. Nevertheless, Kendall had ruthlessly pared her belongings down to what
she could fit in a handful of boxes and three hard-sided suitcases. Without an
ounce of regret, she’d rifled through a collection of photographs, using
scissors to cut out images she didn’t want, keeping others intact, and tossing
the discards into the trash.
She didn’t want
any visual reminders. She had enough mental ones to last a damned lifetime.
Nerves,
anticipation, worry, all fluttered inside her stomach, a queasy, anxious mix. A
hundred times already, she’d asked herself if such a massive move was right for
her. She couldn’t help the tremors overtaking her as she sealed the last box of
clothing. Several times during the day, she stopped in the middle of whatever
she’d been packing, and sucked in one long, deep breath in an attempt to keep
from hyperventilating.
She’d never lived
anywhere other than Oregon.
And yet, her journey would take her to a tiny speck within the immense,
formidable force of nature called Alaska.
Scared spitless.
Unbearably excited.
Yeah, that
about covers it.
Chapter One
Southwestern
Alaska
“There it is.” The
pilot pointed toward a grayish mass off in the distance, dipping a wing as if
in salute. Kendall’s stomach promptly tried to
revolt, and she swallowed three times in a row, forcing back the nausea. The
tiny plane was difficult enough to deal with, without its pilot doing wing
flips.
“Do you see it?”
Thom Banks nudged her shoulder, before he gave his full attention to his
piloting. Kendall figured she had to be as
white as the snow coating the highest mountain peaks visible outside the
window. She also knew Thom wasn’t trying to purposely scare her.
Cautiously, she
nodded, relieved when the queasiness abated. “Yes, I saw. How much longer until
we land?”
“Maybe another
half-hour. We’ll probably have to circle a few times, in case the wind’s too
strong for a safe landing. But we’ll make it. Eventually.” He eyed her again.
“You always get airsick?”
“I guess so. I’ve
never flown like this before.”
“Yeah? You mean in
a two-seater?”
“I mean in
anything.” She wiped her clammy brow and longed for a tissue.
“Ah, I see.
First-timer.” Thom indicated a compartment near the floor between their seats.
“I got a roll of toilet paper in there. Help yourself.” He shrugged at the look
she gave him. “Hey, you never know when you have to improvise. I don’t always
fly this thing between real airports with bathrooms.”
“No, I guess not.”
Kendall opened the compartment and ripped off
several sheets, blotting the remaining moisture from her skin. A careful peek
out the window assured her they’d gotten closer to the area Thom had pointed
out. “There’s a lot of snow. More than I expected.”
“Yeah. The
mountains never lose it. But in town, it’s mostly melted. Still damned cold,
though. Won’t warm up until mid-May.” He reached above the console and flicked
a switch. “So, what’s your story? Staamat isn’t exactly the kind of place
someone like you would be moving to,” he commented, as he made a few
adjustments on his console.
“Someone like me?
What do you mean?”
He gestured toward
her bare left hand. “In most remote Alaskan villages, you’re in the minority,
if you didn’t know already. Single, right? Usually whites who move to a place
like Staamat are married. They work for the state, take professional jobs.
Teachers, nurses. Sometimes even a doctor. You any of those?”
She shifted
uneasily in her seat. She knew the bush pilot was just being friendly, but she
wasn’t used to answering questions. When you answered questions, people often
were compelled to ask even more. Until you had no secrets left. And then,
somewhere down the road, they’d remember you, and the answers to those
questions.
Okay, too
paranoid. To be fair, the man hadn’t been overly nosy, aside from the
usual, polite questions strangers often asked in any given social situation.
Not that flying in a dinky plane over the Alaskan Range
could constitute a social situation.
Still, old habits
were hard to break, and so she kept her response vague. “I’m not sure what I’ll
be doing, until I get settled in.” Her tone was even, but her body language
said what her words wouldn’t. He didn’t probe any further.
For the next
twenty minutes, Thom whistled tunelessly through his teeth as he maneuvered a
few areas of mild turbulence. Kendall made
herself stare out the side window at what patches of terrain she could spot
between the clusters of low clouds. She leaned her head against the icy
plexiglass and wondered, yet again, if she’d made a huge mistake. Everything
would drastically change for her. Her old, once-familiar life was gone. Her friends,
gone. Not that she’d had so many, because she hadn’t. But what few she’d
claimed were important to her, and none of them knew her destination. She’d
purposely kept quiet about her plans.
Nobody would know
how to get hold of her. Nobody would know if anything happened to her.
Anything bad.
Her teeth
chattered as trembles swamped her body, and Thom spared her a fast glance of
alarm. “What, are you getting sick? Airsickness bags are under the seat.” He’d
been banking to the right but straightened out, no doubt thinking his maneuvers
were going to make her toss her cookies.
Kendall
shook her head as her trembles became larger shudders. She’d have liked nothing
more than to confide in someone, anyone. She’d taken note of the photos the
pilot taped to whatever free space was available in the cockpit. A pretty,
middle-aged woman held a toddler in her arms. Other photos, some of young
adults also holding babies, told her Thom Banks was a family man, old enough to
have grandchildren. He seemed like a nice person, probably compassionate and
wise. Someone you could talk to.
For a moment, the
words hovered on her tongue. This is why I’m scared. This is the reason I
left everything to come here, to bury myself, hide myself. This is why I
tremble.
But she couldn’t say
it. Not a word. Because if she told him anything, sooner or later he’d tell
someone else. And they’d tell another, and then another. Until those impulsive
words trickled back to Oregon.
Until they fell on the wrong ears.
“Ms. Martin? Are
you all right?” Thom’s concerned voice broke through the fog of panic, and she
unclenched her fingers, opened each fist. She didn’t know she’d gripped the
armrests so hard.
Deep breaths,
calming breaths. Throttle back the damned fear. She’d done the right thing.
Kendall met Thom’s worried frown with as much
reassurance as she could dredge up.
“I’m all right.
Truly. Just a bit of claustrophobia.”
“We’ll be on the
ground in no time. I promise.” He sounded relieved. Probably wanted to escape
before she either sobbed or puked all over him. She had to smile at the
thought.
Twenty minutes
later, they skated quickly across what appeared to be the shortest runway in
the world, bumping over the packed dirt. The brakes caught on a hard jerk, and
again Kendall clutched the armrests, this time
to keep from being thrown forward.
One more shudder
and a grind of brakes, and they were still. Thom gave her a smile.
“Welcome to
Staamat.”
Links? I’ve got them, too!
Book Trailer for Unsafe
Haven:
Thanks to Donna for hosting me
today, and thanks, everyone, for taking the time and stopping by!
You are most welcome Char. Thanks for being here with us.
