Today’s Write On! guest is debut author Sayde Grace.  (Hi, Sayde! Thanks for joining me!)  Sayde has recently sold her first novella (congrats!), and I couldn’t wait to pick her brain about the writing life.   Since Sayde joined my local RWA group, I’ve been impressed by her drive and determination to break into the romance market.

1.    What inspires you?

A lot of things inspire me. Mostly I’ll watch a movie or hear a song that really makes me think and before you know it I’ve got a story forming. For example when I was toying around with my paranormal romance where my heroine is a real hard ass I needed a way to make her seem a little softer around the hero.

As I was sitting in the car pool line waiting to pick up my kiddo from school Taylor Swift’s song “I’m not your princess”, came on the radio. What better way to make a hard ass seem softer than to have the hero call her “princess” and her not rip his beans and frank off?

2.    What is the best part of the writing life?

The best part is joining the different writing groups and meeting other authors. It’s amazing to find so many people out there going through the same ups and downs as you. Other writers can be your biggest support system and I’m beyond thankful for the relationships I’ve developed over the last year.

3.    Okay, flip it. What is your least favorite part of the writing life?  What do you dread?

Oh by far the absolute worst is the querying part. Most people don’t realize when they begin writing how hard this part is, but even now after having been offered a few contracts I’m still terrified of that rejection which could be lurking in my inbox. That never gets easier. And now as I’m getting ready for my first release I’m starting to get nervous about reviews. Oh the tortures we put ourselves through so the little voices in our heads will leave us alone!

4.    What’s the best book you’ve ever read—why?

Well of course ALL of Cynthia’s books are favorites of mine! But besides Cynthia’s books I’ve developed a fondness for historical romance and adore Mary Spencer’s book Dark Wager. The hero has such a dark tortured but redeemable soul and the heroine is so strong and loving.

After that book I love paranormals with werewolves. Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson books are ones I wait in line to go out and grab. Her character Adam is by far my favorite hero of all time, sorry Cynthia I adore Niol but…

(What?  I think we need a cage fight between Niol and Adam!)

5.    Tell us about your upcoming release.  How did you come up with the premise for this story?  Did you plot the book out from the beginning or did you let the story lead you?

Well right now I’ve got too many irons in the fire. I am working on a young adult manuscript where the heroine finds out her mother is actually Lilith (Adam’s first wife).     Then I’ve also got an urban fantasy with werewolves and they are out in the world as the Luna Nation. That story is by far my favorite and was inspired by the tale of little red riding hood! Yes that big bad wolf may indeed eat her up!

But what I’m currently tied up with is a series of short stories which will be published by The Wild Rose Press. This is my cowgirl series. Growing up rodeoing I learned a thing or two about the “Cowboy Way” and am proud to bring the kinky side of them alive (Oh did I mention these are erotica?? Well they are and smokin’ hot!)

The first book is entitled Riding Double and will release in May 7, 2010.

I’m by far a plotter. I plot the entire book out in a notebook along with character traits, sub-plots, and other ideas which could enhance the book.

6.    What’s one piece of advice that you would like to give to aspiring authors?

As they say in elementary school knowledge is power and well they’re right! The more you learn about the industry, craft, and writing community the better off you’ll be. Never be afraid to ask questions and take everything you hear with a grain of salt. No one person is going to hold all the answers or know what is best for you. You have to be the final decision maker and use that knowledge to further your writing. Never stop learning or writing.

7.    Any other wisdom you’d like to share:

I tell everyone to take all the advice you hear with a grain of salt and I truly mean it. People will tell you writing is subjective and it is! You may send out fifty queries, partials, or fulls of your manuscript and only get a few bites from it. Never be discouraged, this is where persistence pays off. The industry is subjective therefore you must strive to find one person who fits well with your work and sometimes that takes time, lots of banging your head on the desk time. Good luck to everyone banging their heads on the desk, we should have our own group.

Thanks, Sayde!  You can learn more about Sayde at her website or at her group blog, Southern Sizzle Romance. Her book may be purchased through the Wild Rose Press.

Well, I’m nearing “The End” on my current WIP, anyway.  In just a few days, I’ll finish my current work in progress–my fallen angel story.  I love nearing the end of a book I’m writing. The pages come faster and the thrill of the finish has me wanting to write constantly–I want that story done!

After I finish a book, I like to put it aside for a few days before I start editing and polishing up the story.  During that break, I try to distance myself from the story. This is usually my reading madness period. I grab as many books as I can and read as quickly as I can–by reading all these books, I create a sort of mental distance to my own work so that I’m able to go back and review it with more objective eyes (and, of course, I get the bonus of having read lots of great books).

But this time…I’ll be working on revisions for DEADLY HEAT during my break period (I’m actually working on those now, as I finish up my WIP). I don’t have a problem working on two stories at once, particularly if I’m doing a revision job on one, but I am looking forward to being able to focus totally on just one tale.   I feel like I can get deeper into a story if I work on just one at a time.

Different authors have different styles, though, and I know some authors who always work on multiple projects.  I also know some authors who write their books out of sequence. Me? Well, I’m a start to finish girl–straight line.

If you’re a writer, what’s your style? Share!

Today’s guest (for my very first installment of WRITE ON! WEDNESDAY) is the uber talented Megan Hart. Megan, thanks for answering my writing questions!

And, by the way, if you haven’t read Megan’s books, you are very much missing out.  Sexy and emotional–her books grab you and just don’t let go.

1.What inspires you?

Everything. I just watched an Adam Lambert video and plotted a whole book, no joke. I never even watched an Adam Lambert video before now, and BAM, there’s a book.

2.What is the best part of the writing life?

Making stuff up. Setting my own hours. Umm…being my own boss? Not having to commute. Not having to dress up. Flexibility. Creative outlet. My office. Fan mail. Seeing my books on the shelf. Royalty checks!

3. Okay, flip it. What is your least favorite part of the writing life?  What do you dread?

Hmmm. There really is no downside other than maybe the fact I work *all* the time. It’s hard to not be working, even when I’m not working. I dread the hamster-on-a-wheel syndrome. Yet I think I crave it, too.

4. What’s the best book you’ve ever read—why?

Gosh. So many, and it would really depend on the mood I’m in. I adore the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey. The Stand by Stephen King was the book that inspired me to become a writer. Umm….let’s see. Geek Love was pretty awesome. So was Flowers in the Attic. You see what I mean? There really is no “best” because books are so good! I’m more able to tell you the *worst* but I won’t, because I’ve blocked it from my mind.

5. Tell us about your current (or upcoming release).  How did you come up with the premise for this story?  Did you plot the book out from the beginning or did you let the story lead you?

NAKED would be my next release (summer 2010 from Spice) — and the story sprang from a single line. “Alex Kennedy doesn’t like girls.” Alex Kennedy, the secondary hero in Tempted, is one of my favorite characters. Ever. He’s also the favorite of a lot of readers, and I was being asked frequently if he’d have a book of his own. Well…hmmm, I hadn’t planned one, but then…I had to write it. I had a basic plot, but the story led me. They mostly all do.

6. What’s one piece of advice that you would like to give to aspiring authors?

Don’t talk about writing. Don’t listen to other people talk about writing. Don’t blog about writing. Don’t read other people’s blogs about writing. Don’t dream about writing.

Write.

7. Any other wisdom you’d like to share?

Umm…well…let’s see. Don’t eat food that’s been in the fridge long enough to grow “hair” and always wash your hands after using the bathroom.

LOL, thanks, Megan! And if you want to learn more about Megan and her most awesome books, please visit her at www.meganhart.com or at www.readinbed.net.

Tomorrow, I’ll be starting a new feature here at the blog:  Write On! Wednesday. A different author will be featured each week–that author will answer writing questions or post a writing craft blog.  My very first guest will be the awesomely fabulous Megan Hart. So come by tomorrow to learn some of her writing secrets!

And the ladies over at Southern Sizzle Romance have posted a fabulous interview with Kensington Editor Megan Records.  Definitely check it out!

I found out today that BELONG TO THE NIGHT (my paranormal anthology with Shelly Laurenston and Sherrill Quinn) is a 2009 PEARL Finalist in the anthology category.   I’m thrilled to be in such wonderful book company!  Congratulations to all of the other finalists (in all categories)!

In case you’re curious, you can see the full list of finalists here.