Guest Blogger Karina Buchanan: The Road to Publication or Why You Shouldn’t Be a Whiny Brat

Six months ago I was featured here as an aspiring romance author and today marks the release of my very first novel, Daring to Love, with Breathless Press. Woohoo!

As writers, we strive to see our writing in print and I’m thrilled I stuck at it even when it seemed like such an unattainable goal. I could paper the house with the rejection letters I’ve received over the years. But, if I’m honest, last year was the first time I actually completed a novel. With each knockback I received from a publisher, I threw a strop and resolved never to write again, abandoning whatever WIP I was working on.

I think I imagined the hissy fits and moans of “What’s the point? I’ll never be any good” would severely wound whichever editor had slighted me, not realising the only person I was hurting was myself. In this industry there really isn’t any room for self-pity.

It was the death of my mother at the age of fifty-three that opened my eyes and gave me a new outlook – life’s too short to sit around whining. If you want to be a writer, you have to get off your ass and write!

So, last year I was determined to finish that first novel and I did, only to face more rejections. This time I used the feedback I received as a learning experience of what not to do in future work. I took a couple of days to mope and wallow but then I took out my trusty notebook and pen and started on a new manuscript. I was actually excited to put the advice I received into practice, especially when adrenaline junkie Matt and Miss Stuffy Knickers Andie were so keen to make an appearance!

A huge part of my new attitude is also thanks to my crit group, who I met on-line eighteen months ago. My fellow inmates of The Nuthouse Scribblers have been so supportive and are always there to give me a kick up the behind when I need it. Every time I reached a stumbling block with Daring to Love, they gave me a leg over it and pushed me on to the end. It’s no wonder that many of them are now enjoying their own successes, because they all have such fabulous imaginations!

Breathless Press was the first digital publisher I submitted my manuscript to and signing the contract for Daring to Love was a big deal for me. And, whilst I may not be a best-selling author, yet, I want to share a few things with other aspiring writers who need a little push in the right direction.

• Write! It seems an obvious thing to say but I know in the past I talked more about getting published than actually writing.

• Find yourself some writing buddies. I was reluctant to share my work with anyone at the start but good critique partners are worth their weight in gold. They will give you honest opinions and suggestions that will undoubtedly improve your work.

• Rejection is a part of the process, get used to it! Don’t throw your toys out of the pram and swear never to write again. Absorb any feedback you get and use it to further your writing. I can guarantee that when you get a little distance from the ms, you will realise the publisher was right.

Remember, being a writer is just like being self-employed – no-one else is going to do the work for you!

 

 

Daring to Love by Karina Buchanan

Andrea Macleave is determined to lose her ‘Miss Stuffy Knickers’ nickname with a rappel down Ireland’s famous Europa Hotel, for the hospital where she works. Risk taking goes against everything she believes in and it takes a kiss from her hunky instructor to send her on her way. With her wild side let loose, a one night stand with the action man seems the perfect antidote to her staid life.

Excerpt

“I should have known you couldn’t handle your drink.” With the devil in him, Matt pushed the buttons guaranteed to re-activate his Andie.

A frown, a purse of full pink lips and she took the bait. “I’ll have a whiskey if you’re buying.” The determination to prove him wrong blinded her to the goggled looks she garnered and the sudden quiet at the table.

He couldn’t help his smile getting wider, the more irritated she became. “One whiskey, coming up. Jimmy give me a hand getting these in, will you?”

“I’ve a good mind to get you fired!” Matt hadn’t noticed Andrea following him over to the bar. At the sound of her sexy, pissed-off voice, he slowly turned his head.

She stood, ram-rod straight, giving him clear appreciation of long, lean legs. They seemed to go on forever in those spiky black heels she had swapped for her trainers, even if she still had to look up at his six foot four frame. The figure-hugging jeans would bring a grown man to his knees but he would prefer to see her in something to better show off those pins.

The rose tint in her cheeks gave away her embarrassment at being so openly admired and coming across as a letch was not how he wished to be perceived. Nevertheless, he did enjoy throwing her off guard.

“You should be thanking me really.” He wound her up and let her go.

“Thanking you?” She crossed her arms across her chest, drawing the V of her top down to give a tantalizing peek at her cleavage. “I should have you arrested for the way you behaved, never mind getting you fired.”

“It got you over the edge, didn’t it? You were so caught up, being ticked off at me that you didn’t have time to think about what you were doing.”

“In that case, turn around.”

“Why?”

“So I can slap the gold star on your backside for a job well done! Do you seriously think that’s a good enough reason for your behavior? Is that the way you carry on with all your clients?”

“Only the pretty, obstinate ones. As for having me fired, well,” he backed his elbows onto the bar, “I do the charity rappels voluntarily. It’s difficult to replace a trained instructor willing to work for free but if I caused you so much offense, do what you must.”

Her delicious mouth opened and closed and he was assaulted with memories of tasting her. And how good it would be to do it again.

“Since it’s for charity and all, I suppose I’ll let the matter drop. Forget it happened.” The defensive arms slackened and fell to her sides. With the thaw setting in, Matt impulsively stepped forward, to invade her personal space.

“Are you sure that’s what you want, Andie?” If he could forget his rules for one night, she could stop pretending she didn’t want him.

Instead of seeing the look of longing staring back at him, her pupils narrowed. “Where do you get off calling me ‘Andie’, anyway? My name is Andrea.” She lifted the tumbler of the finest whiskey from the bar, knocked it back and stalked back to her friends.

Matt King never was one to back away from a challenge.

***

I’m doing a giveaway on my blog to celebrate the release of Daring to Love – a copy of the book and a little gift from Ireland – so pop over and say hi at http://karina-buchanan.blogspot.com/ or contact me here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002715462350