Writing How-To: Bleeding red ink.

Being a writer means editing is a part of life. It boggles my mind when I hear newbie writers who haven't even been published, or who have only published one or two small articles or short-stories, whine about the editing process. Since I'm currently working on edits for two of my publishers, I thought it a prime time to address the issue of working on edits.

Let me write you a reality check: I have over twenty published titles to my credit thus far, most of them full-length novels. I am the FIRST person to welcome editorial input, even when my editors usually tell my my copy is fairly clean to start with. (That is the result of twenty-five years of work on my career, and lots of experience writing non-fiction on tight deadlines.)

No, it's usually not possible for a writer to catch ALL typos and mistakes in their manuscript. I am the first to admit I need more than one set of eyes going over my work. You will never catch me standing on a hill and screaming that no one should touch a word of my stuff, because that would mean I'm delusional. (If that ever happens, catch me and make sure I take my meds.)

But when someone gives you feedback, don't get all huffy and outraged. Even if some of the feedback can later be discounted, LOOK at it. The sign of a PROFESSIONAL writer is they approach edits...well, professionally. No, not all comments can or should be used. But if you have several people telling you something needs fixing, FIX IT!

I've had editors who were fantastic, and some not so much. And everywhere in between. No matter what, I put myself into professional writer mode when approaching edits. You have to.

No writer is perfect, and I am the Queen of Imperfection. Any writer who looks down their nose at critiques/edits without actually considering what's been said is doomed to fail in their career.

Yes, sometimes I've had editors tell me things that I stood my ground on, and I was proven right later. But there are plenty of times I've taken their advice, or used their advice as a starting point to make revisions. Use edits as a learning experience, not an adversarial encounter. I learn something from every edit.

For a newbie writer to start out slamming an editor without giving serious weight to their comments (I've heard this gripe too many times to count) is to be a writer not serious about their career. You don't get to be a diva until you put the time, effort, sweat, and sales figures into it. If you can draw in the readers and make your publisher money, only then can you even think about the diva card. (And even then, I STRONGLY recommend not going there. It's just plain tacky.)

Remember my earlier post: You are NOT a special snowflake, sunshine. Now shut up, go take your meds, and read your editor's comments instead of thinking you're the universe's gift to readers. Those of us who label ourselves professional writers won't show you a bit of sympathy.

Writing the book is the EASY part. Once you turn that puppy in, that's when the hard work--including editing--starts.

Happy Writing!

Glass half-full.

Well, a follow-up appointment to the doctor gave some good news, some troubling, but overall not bad. One test we all suspected would be positive turned out negative (good), and the biopsy turned out to show "pre-cancer." Which is terrifying, even though it's only "pre." (That's like saying you're "pre-mugged" and not feeling weird about it. Go ahead, try it, I dare you. *LOL*)

We're still waiting to hear back from the pathologist on whether or not she needs to go in and do another biopsy, so fingers crossed. And now I'm on a six-month regimen of doctor appointments until they decide if they've caught everything or not.

Yes, it could have been a lot worse. I truly appreciate all the well-wishes I've received, it means a lot. And now to the finger wagging portion of my blog: when was the last time YOU went to the doctor? If you've been putting it off, go do it. No excuses. It's better to catch something early than to put it off until it gets too serious to ignore.

Six little words.

There are few phrases that can strike terror into a woman's heart faster than the six little words: "Your pap smear came back abnormal."

I have raised a child with spina bifida. For the past fifteen years, I'll be honest, the medical care of everyone else has come before mine. When my grandmother had her first heart attack, I was the one in the ICU demanding they find out why this lucid, gentle woman, in the space of thirty minutes, had turned into a combative and incoherent person. (Turned out it was an allergic reaction to a drug they gave her.) I was the one demanding a stroke team eval when the staff wanted to sit back and thought they were dealing with an Alzheimer's patient. I have forced my hubby to get his colonoscopy and waited (although blubbering like a blithering idiot) for him to make it through hernia surgery.

Me, not so much.

I'm a fairly independent person. I consider myself a denning animal, like my dogs. If I don't feel well, I try to suck it up and go on with life, or curl up somewhere dark until I feel better. I try to deal with it on my own. Even when I had to have back surgery, my poor hubby nearly had to sit on me to make me stay in bed when I was insisting he could go to work and leave me alone at home. I despise being reliant on someone, feeling weak.

When I go to the doctor, I usually go by myself. The conversation between myself and hubby is usually, "When is your appointment?" "Oh, soon." "Want me to go with you?" "Hell no."

Today, for example. A follow up from two weeks ago, to do a routine biopsy of something the doctor is pretty sure is benign. My pap smear results were also in from the previous appointment. Yes, bad me, the first one I'd had in a couple of years.

I deal with stress with snark. It's how I roll.

"So," I said all cockily, metaphorical balls dangling in the breeze to hide my nerves. "How'd my test come back?"

My OB/Gyn sat down with "that look" on her face. "We need to discuss that, Mrs. Richardson."

Then those dreaded six words. Followed by a handy-dandy color brochure with all sorts of options my doc could highlight showing me what it had come back as, what our next step was, and, depending on what that showed, what the next step following that might be. (Which, of course, leaves me stressing about the other options listed in this helpful brochure, where we haven't gotten to yet, but might.)

Oh, did I forget to mention I have a history of cancer on both sides of my family?

Yeah.

So the ballsy, snarky bitch, after sitting there in shock and going through the biopsy (hurts like a bitch, thank you very much), promptly got on the phone after the appointment to update hubby and proceded to bite his head off.

No, not one of my finer moments. And yes, I did apologize.

Once he got home and I cried in his arms.

You know, it's fine to say oh, probably nothing. Probably working myself up over nothing. Just a scare. Lots of people have abnormal pap smears and they're fine.

Let me tell you what, when you're going through it, no amount of logical thinking and rationalization will take that sharp knife edge of fear away from your jugular.

The whispered "what ifs" that sit there echoing in the back of your head. And there they'll remain until next week, when I have my next appointment and get the next round of results.

I mean, I celebrate my first annual perpetually 39th birthday this year. I'm young. And I've never been one to sit and wax melodic about milestone birthdays. Once I hit twenty-one and could buy alcohol (ironic, since I'm not a big drinker) it didn't matter. I didn't stress thirty. I usually have to literally do the math when someone asks how old I am, because I can't remember.

Seems life sometimes likes to slam you face-first into contemplations of mortality.

Those six words sure are one way of doing it.

Safe Harbor in print and random notes.

A few random notes today...

I've got a new print release! "Safe Harbor" is now available in print.

http://www.amazon.com/Harbor-Siren-Publishing-Menage-Amour/dp/1606016652

And, yes, I'm working on Triple Trouble 4. *LOL* But first I'm going to finish the bridge book that merges "Steam" and "Trouble Comes in Threes." That will fill the time gap. (You can still read all the existing books and not miss anything by going back to read that one once it's finished and released.)

If I don't write that book first, some of the things that happen in book four won't make sense to anyone. Again, you can read all the other books first ("Boiling Point" in Tasty Treats Vol. 3, "Steam," "Trouble Comes in Threes," "Storm Warning," "Three Dog Night") and then go back once the bridge book is released. But it has to release before book 4 in the series releases.

And also, I have books 2-4 in the "Deep Space Mission Corps" series under construction. (Working titles: "Bightmares," "Spider Bight," "Out of Bight, Out of Mind")

And yes, still working on books 3 and 4 in the Love Slave for Two series. (Technically books 4 and 5 if you count the prequel.) Here's a hint: If you haven't read "Love Slave for Two: Beginnings," you need to, because some events that happen in book 3 won't make sense if you haven't. Well, they'll be understandable, but trust me, it'll be better if you know the background history. Let's just say a ghost from Tyler's past comes knocking, and I don't mean his mother. *LOL*)

I can't believe how many of you have asked if Clay will get an HEA with Tyler's father, Andrew! *LOL* No, sorry, that's not in the cards, but trust me when I say I think y'all will be happy with events in that book. And it will be much lighter in tone than book 2 - think the Robin Williams movie RV meets "Love Slave for Two." (Honestly, can you picture technically-challenged Tyler trying to drive a huge Class A RV through Yellowstone? LOL)

Yes, I'm still working on my Good Will Ghost Hunting series, and on my Brimstone vampire series (both writing as Lesli Richardson). But I'm at the mercy of my characters, and for now they've decided to hang back for a little while and let me get the Lyall/Alexandr story told (dragons and wolves and bears, oh my! *LOL*).

And so far I've received two great reviews for "More Than Make-Believe," so if you haven't picked that up yet, it's available at http://captivapress.com and through Kindle.

Thanks!

New Release! "More Than Make-Believe"

Woot! Earlier than expected, I've got a new release! (And no, it's not an April's Fool joke either! *LOL*)

"More Than Make-Believe" (writing as Tymber Dalton) is now available from Captiva Press.

http://captivapress.com

When you fall for a fantasy, how do you know if it’s more than make-believe?

Travis, an unquestionably straight college student, finds himself in a financial bind. He’ll do anything legal—including going gay for pay—and spends a weekend as Craig Rocke, letting gay porn star Marston Cougar have his way with him on film. Marston tells him to remember it’s all just a fantasy for the camera, even though it sure feels like more.

Gary, also known as Marston Cougar, has a respectable day job. A straight guy, he started out making gay porn to pay his way through college. After getting his heart broken he has a no-dating rule. Now paired with “virgin” Craig Rocke, he finds it hard to keep it make-believe when he’s losing his heart.

Gary’s young niece needs surgery, and he almost has enough money to quit for good. But now that he feels a true connection with his fantasy co-star, will he be able to find a happily ever after with him when it’s more than make-believe?

Contains a modern fairy tale, hot manlove, movie magic, flipped perceptions, and a cranky three year-old who really wants her pizza.

Content Warning: Graphic language, sensual and explicit scenes of m/m sexuality including oral sex, anal sex/play, sex toys, public exhibition, group sex, and public sex.