~Mia
Where were you when ~~~ by Kathy L Wheeler
When I was an aspiring writer (seven years ago) and sitting in my first Oklahoma Romance Writers of America meeting at the Belle Isle Library in Oklahoma City listening to some thirty authors (both published and unpublished) introduce themselves, and talk about the different agents, editors and other people they knew in the industry, I was terrified. I thought, “How will I ever learn all of this?”
It was overwhelming, to say the least. But now, indeed, seven years later, I have, viola, seven books out to date.
Am I successful? Yes! Okay, so it’s not overnight—but then, is anyone’s success overnight? I think not, it just may appear so. (The best of my journey is still ahead.)
Receiving rejection after rejection can be disheartening, certainly, but what are you going to do? Quit? Of course not. (Jayne Ann Krentz says you are allowed one day to mope then get rid of the letter. Great advice, btw.)
Instead, I set out to enhance my understanding of the craft, attend conferences, put my stories out forobliteration critique, meet other authors, visit other readers (because first and foremost I am a reader), and complete each manuscript to the best of my (and my critique partners) ability. Even when the darn things refuse to cooperate from the images in my brain to the dexterity of my fingers. (You see, on some occasions they do not see eye to eye.)
In correlation, it sort of reminded me of something I heard on the sports radio network. The analysts are quite annoying on most occasions, but they were speaking about the NBA draft and what good any particular player might be if he was not one of the first seven players selected.
Let’s think about that for a moment. There are thirty-two teams in the NBA. That means that only thirty-two players per year are selected in the first round. And out of those thirty-two, only seven are outstanding per year? Really?
I think it might be interesting to see where certain players were drafted in their careers.
Here are a few examples:
Dallas Maverick, Dirk Nowitzki – 1998 #9
LA Lakers, Kobe Bryant – 1996 #13
Memphis Grizzly, Marc Gasol – 1997 #30
San Antonio Spur, Tony Parker – 2001 #28
OKC Thunder, Kevin Durant – 2007 # 2 (Okay, I threw him in because he’s my favorite. He should have been #1—but I digress. . .)
My point is just because you weren’t one of the first twelve picks does not mean you aren’t great at what you do.
The same applies to writing, if not more so, just because of the sheer volume of books in any one particular area, not to mention the self publishing phenomenon we are experiencing. Our stories in different genres, subgenres, styles, fiction, non-fiction. . . the list is virtually endless. Am I good at what I do? Absolutely. Will I please everyone? Absolutely not.
Would I love if it you loved my books? Duh!
Will you pass the word? That would be fabulous.
But if you don’t care for my style, that’s okay. I’m the first to admit I am picky regarding my reads. There’s just too little time to spend on things I don’t fully enjoy. I know in my heart of hearts that when I write “The End” to one of my books, I’ve succeeded where many have failed. Will I be a NY Times Bestseller? Only time will tell. And if not? Well, another day, another story.
The satisfaction in completing something that is 7 pages or 307 pages is nothing short of miraculous. This is my definition of success. Thank you for taken the time in spending this moment with me.
Kathy L Wheeler
Blurb for Lies That Bind...Would a modern day woman marry for convenience to protect the identity of her daughter? Yes! But, Kelly Mancer doesn’t want a man. Any man. But danger has a way of changing a woman’s mind.
Alex Gentry needs Kelly Mancer, but convincing her to help him in his pursuit of a dangerous enemy who’s enamored his younger sister would not be easy. Soon the tables turn and Kelly becomes the prey. Alex may save his sister, but at what cost?
An excerpt from Lies That Bind...
She slid under the water to rinse the conditioner from her tangled hair. Let the heat seep into her sore muscles. She stayed under until she was forced to rise for air.
“Comfortable?”
“What the f…”
“Uh- uh-uh,” Alex reprimanded, wagging a finger.
She sputtered water. “Where’s Taylor?”
“Happily, cleaning the kitchen, on her own.” He grinned, turning her insides to mush.
“You bribed her?”
“Of course not. I told you, she’s happy to do it.” Alex sat on the closed seat of the toilet, legs stretched before him crossed at the ankles, arms folded, holding a piece of paper.
“You should respect my privacy.”
“I am. I’m sitting over here, aren’t I? When I’d rather be in there.” He pointed. “With you. Besides, I brought you more coffee.”
“You did?” She’d forgive him anything for that. Her irritation shifted to gratitude.
Alex handed over a new cup to her outstretched hand. One glance, showed he’d doctored it. His eyes, burning with heat, never lifted from the water.
“Did you want something, barging in here?” She eyed the paper he held warily.
He looked up quickly, clearing his throat. “Oh, yes. I…I wanted to ask if you were all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you for asking.”
“And I want to talk to you about Eck—”
“We don’t have to talk about sex.”
“Sex?” he echoed. Alex shook his head, drawing a quick smile from her. Apparently, he’d been as affected as she. “No, I want to talk about Eckert.”
“Now?”
“Can you think of a better time?” He leaned forward and dropped a kiss on her lips. “You’re naked, warm.”
Her cheeks flamed. “What’s that in your hand?”
“This?” Alex waved the paper in the air. “Colorado marriage requirements. I just printed them. Off Colorado’s state site.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped. “We are not getting married. I told you last night, we could just say we did it back then.”
“Did it?” he repeated, narrowing his eyes on her.
That bland tone might land him in the lake, she fumed. Or the creek. One hardly mattered over the other.
“Kelly, think of Taylor. If Eckert saw you with her, he might put the timeline together. Maybe demand a DNA test. If we were married, no one would question anything. No one has to know we just made the union legal. People will think what we want them to think. Even that bastard. Better yet, Taylor can’t slip up and say we aren’t.”
Damn it, he had a point. She narrowed her eyes on him. “What makes you think I’ll see Eckert? You said there wasn’t any chance.”
“Just in case,” he hedged.
Kelly stopped as his words penetrated. “Are you telling me . . .” The need to think was overcome by the onslaught of a panic attack. Her chest constricted limiting her ability to breathe. “There’s a chance…You’re telling her there’s chance I’ll see—” She couldn’t even say his name, at this point. She’d kill Alex. But first she’d marry the son of a bitch and take him for everything he owned.
About Kathy L Wheeler...
Kathy L Wheeler was born in Presque Isle, Maine. How she ended up in
Texas, then Oklahoma is as much a mystery to her as anyone. She graduated from
the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems
and a minor in Vocal Music.
She has been writing steadily for only a few years but has multiple completed manuscripts. She is published through The Wild Rose Press. An avid traveler, ports of call include a three week stint in Europe covering Madrid, Barcelona, Avignon, Paris, Koln, Amsterdam and London. Other exciting places she’s visited are Grand Cayman, Puerta Vallerta, Mexico, Vancouver, Canada, and roaming from one romance writing conference to another nationwide. You may have met her in Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego, Orlando, New York or Atlanta. She is an active member of the Oklahoma Outlaws RWA Chapter.
Kathy lives in Edmond, Oklahoma with her musically talented husband. They have one grown daughter and one bossy cat, Carly!
Where were you when ~~~ by Kathy L Wheeler
When I was an aspiring writer (seven years ago) and sitting in my first Oklahoma Romance Writers of America meeting at the Belle Isle Library in Oklahoma City listening to some thirty authors (both published and unpublished) introduce themselves, and talk about the different agents, editors and other people they knew in the industry, I was terrified. I thought, “How will I ever learn all of this?”
It was overwhelming, to say the least. But now, indeed, seven years later, I have, viola, seven books out to date.
Am I successful? Yes! Okay, so it’s not overnight—but then, is anyone’s success overnight? I think not, it just may appear so. (The best of my journey is still ahead.)
Receiving rejection after rejection can be disheartening, certainly, but what are you going to do? Quit? Of course not. (Jayne Ann Krentz says you are allowed one day to mope then get rid of the letter. Great advice, btw.)
Instead, I set out to enhance my understanding of the craft, attend conferences, put my stories out for
In correlation, it sort of reminded me of something I heard on the sports radio network. The analysts are quite annoying on most occasions, but they were speaking about the NBA draft and what good any particular player might be if he was not one of the first seven players selected.
Let’s think about that for a moment. There are thirty-two teams in the NBA. That means that only thirty-two players per year are selected in the first round. And out of those thirty-two, only seven are outstanding per year? Really?
I think it might be interesting to see where certain players were drafted in their careers.
Here are a few examples:
Dallas Maverick, Dirk Nowitzki – 1998 #9
LA Lakers, Kobe Bryant – 1996 #13
Memphis Grizzly, Marc Gasol – 1997 #30
San Antonio Spur, Tony Parker – 2001 #28
OKC Thunder, Kevin Durant – 2007 # 2 (Okay, I threw him in because he’s my favorite. He should have been #1—but I digress. . .)
My point is just because you weren’t one of the first twelve picks does not mean you aren’t great at what you do.
The same applies to writing, if not more so, just because of the sheer volume of books in any one particular area, not to mention the self publishing phenomenon we are experiencing. Our stories in different genres, subgenres, styles, fiction, non-fiction. . . the list is virtually endless. Am I good at what I do? Absolutely. Will I please everyone? Absolutely not.
Would I love if it you loved my books? Duh!
Will you pass the word? That would be fabulous.
But if you don’t care for my style, that’s okay. I’m the first to admit I am picky regarding my reads. There’s just too little time to spend on things I don’t fully enjoy. I know in my heart of hearts that when I write “The End” to one of my books, I’ve succeeded where many have failed. Will I be a NY Times Bestseller? Only time will tell. And if not? Well, another day, another story.
The satisfaction in completing something that is 7 pages or 307 pages is nothing short of miraculous. This is my definition of success. Thank you for taken the time in spending this moment with me.
Kathy L Wheeler
~*~
Blurb for Lies That Bind...Would a modern day woman marry for convenience to protect the identity of her daughter? Yes! But, Kelly Mancer doesn’t want a man. Any man. But danger has a way of changing a woman’s mind. Alex Gentry needs Kelly Mancer, but convincing her to help him in his pursuit of a dangerous enemy who’s enamored his younger sister would not be easy. Soon the tables turn and Kelly becomes the prey. Alex may save his sister, but at what cost?
~*~
She slid under the water to rinse the conditioner from her tangled hair. Let the heat seep into her sore muscles. She stayed under until she was forced to rise for air.
“Comfortable?”
“What the f…”
“Uh- uh-uh,” Alex reprimanded, wagging a finger.
She sputtered water. “Where’s Taylor?”
“Happily, cleaning the kitchen, on her own.” He grinned, turning her insides to mush.
“You bribed her?”
“Of course not. I told you, she’s happy to do it.” Alex sat on the closed seat of the toilet, legs stretched before him crossed at the ankles, arms folded, holding a piece of paper.
“You should respect my privacy.”
“I am. I’m sitting over here, aren’t I? When I’d rather be in there.” He pointed. “With you. Besides, I brought you more coffee.”
“You did?” She’d forgive him anything for that. Her irritation shifted to gratitude.
Alex handed over a new cup to her outstretched hand. One glance, showed he’d doctored it. His eyes, burning with heat, never lifted from the water.
“Did you want something, barging in here?” She eyed the paper he held warily.
He looked up quickly, clearing his throat. “Oh, yes. I…I wanted to ask if you were all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you for asking.”
“And I want to talk to you about Eck—”
“We don’t have to talk about sex.”
“Sex?” he echoed. Alex shook his head, drawing a quick smile from her. Apparently, he’d been as affected as she. “No, I want to talk about Eckert.”
“Now?”
“Can you think of a better time?” He leaned forward and dropped a kiss on her lips. “You’re naked, warm.”
Her cheeks flamed. “What’s that in your hand?”
“This?” Alex waved the paper in the air. “Colorado marriage requirements. I just printed them. Off Colorado’s state site.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped. “We are not getting married. I told you last night, we could just say we did it back then.”
“Did it?” he repeated, narrowing his eyes on her.
That bland tone might land him in the lake, she fumed. Or the creek. One hardly mattered over the other.
“Kelly, think of Taylor. If Eckert saw you with her, he might put the timeline together. Maybe demand a DNA test. If we were married, no one would question anything. No one has to know we just made the union legal. People will think what we want them to think. Even that bastard. Better yet, Taylor can’t slip up and say we aren’t.”
Damn it, he had a point. She narrowed her eyes on him. “What makes you think I’ll see Eckert? You said there wasn’t any chance.”
“Just in case,” he hedged.
Kelly stopped as his words penetrated. “Are you telling me . . .” The need to think was overcome by the onslaught of a panic attack. Her chest constricted limiting her ability to breathe. “There’s a chance…You’re telling her there’s chance I’ll see—” She couldn’t even say his name, at this point. She’d kill Alex. But first she’d marry the son of a bitch and take him for everything he owned.
~*~
Kathy L Wheeler was born in Presque Isle, Maine. How she ended up in
Texas, then Oklahoma is as much a mystery to her as anyone. She graduated from
the University of Central Oklahoma with a BA in Management Information Systems
and a minor in Vocal Music.She has been writing steadily for only a few years but has multiple completed manuscripts. She is published through The Wild Rose Press. An avid traveler, ports of call include a three week stint in Europe covering Madrid, Barcelona, Avignon, Paris, Koln, Amsterdam and London. Other exciting places she’s visited are Grand Cayman, Puerta Vallerta, Mexico, Vancouver, Canada, and roaming from one romance writing conference to another nationwide. You may have met her in Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego, Orlando, New York or Atlanta. She is an active member of the Oklahoma Outlaws RWA Chapter.
Kathy lives in Edmond, Oklahoma with her musically talented husband. They have one grown daughter and one bossy cat, Carly!
Connect with Kathy on the Web!
3 comments:
Great post!
Thank you, Kim. Sorry for the late response.
Thank you so much for hosting me, Mia.
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