Log file opened at: 2/2/01 8:25:38 PM
*** Topic for #chatterlings: Talk with author MJ Rose here tonight starting at 9PM EST
*** Topic for #chatterlings set by grmouser on Friday, February 2, 2001 5:06:50 PM
*** mjrose (newbie@cv533425-a.stmfd1.ct.home.com) has joined channel #chatterlings
kahtt: Hey!
kahtt: welcome back
*** Mode change "+o mjrose" on #chatterlings by kahtt
*** Lynne (Lynne@d1105.upc-d.chello.nl) has joined channel #chatterlings
kahtt: wb Lynne, did you sleep?
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*** Mode change "+o Lynne" on #chatterlings by kahtt
ginaav: hi lynne, mj
*** Mode change "+o Lynne" on #chatterlings by Kenn
Lynne: No 0 'fraid not!
kahtt: will you be able to stay up for a bit?
Lynne: Thanks
mjrose: Hi there.
Kenn: hI can stay up for a peice
Lynne: I hope so - I've just had two cups of cofee!
*** cats_afk is now known as cats
Kenn thinks about the rum and coke
Kenn: evening cats
kahtt: Hi MJ, glad to see you made it back. Sometimes in activity disconnects you
kahtt: wb cats
mjrose: How many people do you usually get to these chats?
cats: thank you kahtt
kahtt: cats is there another name we may address you as? or do you prefer cats?
Lynne: Hi mj
mjrose: Hi Lynne.
*** cats is now known as cheeri
Kenn: evening again mj
*** cheeri is now known as cheri
cheri: shesh
mjrose: Hello all.
kahtt: MJR: normally any where from 6-10. People come and go
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cheri: hello mjr
kahtt: Hi Cheri
Lynne: I'm coming and going myself at the moment - fighting sleep!
Kenn: think of me, that'll keep your eyes opened
cheri: 2H1e2H1e
Lynne: I'm sure it will Kenn!
kahtt: Just a little background on the "users" or regular chatters. They are mainly members from the eGroups now YahooGroups listservs - EroticRomance and Scrybes, and the Erotica Readers Association
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Lynne: Hi Joan
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kahtt: Hi Joan
Kenn: evening My LAdy
JoanZS: hi, Lynne! Hi, kahtt! hello, Kenn...
mjrose: got it. I think ERA is a wonderful site.
kahtt: MJ: Joan wrote the In Fidelity Review for ENE
kahtt: it is MJ
mjrose: What's ENE.
JoanZS runs for cover
kahtt: ENE's Home Page - the site I manage
mjrose: And I don't think I've seen the review. Have I? I'm half brain dead with promoting this book.
kahtt: plug here https://kahtt.tripod.com/ENE/
*** Kenn is now known as _Kenn
JoanZS: the review is also on my own website, which I'm updating as we speak. been there for a couple weeks now...
kahtt: lol
JoanZS: (kahtt, you must go to my site later, I've just discovered Javascript. I know just enough to be dangerous)
kahtt: I also posted this chat announcement in the DarkEros forum and three Yahoo clubs - romance and one erotica
kahtt: uh oh JOan
JoanZS: :-)
Lynne: What are the best ways to promote a book mj?
mjrose: wow - just went and looked at the review - its stellar. Thanks.
*** kahtt has set the topic on channel #chatterlings to MJ Rose Chat in session
mjrose: Oh Lynne. What ways aren't good.
*** kahtt has set the topic on channel #chatterlings to MJ Rose Chat - http://www.mjrose.com
JoanZS: You're welcome. I really enjoyed the book. It was a fun review to write.
mjrose: I thnk personal interaction with the reader and author.
mjrose: Anyway you can achieve that is key. Plus...
mjrose: The best thing to do is connect to fans so they become a personal army of people to spread the word of mouth.
Lynne: key plus?
mjrose: Like this offer... if anyone of you personally gets twenty or more people to buy the book - you'll get a signed authographed hard cover of Lip Service.
_Kenn: swoon
_Kenn: sorry
mjrose: In chats I post half sentances with .... and then continue so yu have something to read while I'm still typing. As to the contest. Spread the word. I have ten...
mjrose: copies of Lip I will autograph and sign. But you have to get twenty or more people to buy the book - In Fidelity. Its on the honor system.
Lynne: In your opinion how much of the work of promoting a book should fall to the author and how much to the editor?
kahtt: cool
kahtt: will do MJR
mjrose: The editor doesn't do any. Its the promotion dept of the publishing house.
mjrose: And as to who does what.
mjrose: they try... and we all wish they'd do it all...
mjrose: but the truth is that as much as they do...
mjrose: they are a publisher - a corporation talking to readers whereas I am the author and readers would much rather talk to authors than corporate types.
kahtt: I find that we sell more books when there is an interview with the author on ENE
mjrose: my email address is parispoet@aol.com if anyone sells the books. Yes kahatt, that would make sense...
mjrose: cause the reader starts to get to know us. I'll tell you something strange...
JoanZS: I would assume reviews sell books too, especially if they're in the right place...
kahtt: Reviews are great also because it prompts the people who are "just browsing" to get another's view point and they buy it
mjrose: when i started telling people that my boyfriend had almost died two years ago and went on kidney dialysis and was getting a transplant more - which I told people
mjrose: to explain why I was not around on line as much as before -
mjrose: not to get sympathy-
Lynne: Ah - I guess that's the difference between a large publisher and a smaller one - my editor doubles as the publishing department - and everything else for that matter!
mjrose: my sales jumped up overnight at Amazon. It was amazing. I asked people about it.
mjrose: and they said it was that suddenly I was a person, a friend, with issues... not just a black and white head shot on a web site.
Lynne: Hmmmm...interesting
mjrose: Lynne - do they do a good job of promoting.
_Kenn: very
kahtt: http://www.mjrose.com/
JoanZS: aha, that explains that thanks to the kidney people in In Fidelity! :-)
mjrose: Mind you guys - I didn't do it to sell books.
JoanZS: I think it's nice when readers realize that writers are people too.
Lynne: Well - sales are slowly increasing - very slowly!
mjrose: It was really to explain why I was missing in action a lot. Yes, the acknowledgement is becuase he got the transplant and a portion of the proceeds of my books go to the doctors research foundation.
mjrose: What kind of sales, Lynne, what kind of book.
kahtt: We know MJR, but I think anything that connects you more with your readers, especially a little tidbit from your own life, makes them feel like "Gee, I know this person. I'll keep an eye out for her from now on."
Lynne: ebooks
JoanZS: Wow, that's great, about the doctors research foundation.
kahtt: Renaissance E Books
Lynne: And a few a month
*** Signoff: cheri (Ping timeout)
mjrose: That's right kahtt. Like those shots of authors withtheir pets... that's for a reason. to make the writer warm and fuzzy. And I know David from Renaisance.
kahtt: Lynne has 4 books at REB
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mjrose: Four... have you run any contests? What do you do to promote?
kahtt: LOL! That David gets around ;o)
kahtt: wb Sheru
*** Mode change "+o cheri" on #chatterlings by kahtt
Lynne: That's why I was so interesting on hearing how to promote them!
cheri: thank you
Lynne: interested
mjrose: There are dozens - probably hundreds of ways. You know I wrote a book about how to do it. It's called How to Publsh and Promote Online. And I give away all my sectrets.
Lynne: I've had reviews on Kahtt's site (thank you Kahtt!!) and a coup[le of others
kahtt: ENE is a reseller of REB. I selfishly promote as many of the REB authors as I know each month. We are trying to do reviews each month now. Poetry collections need a lot of promotion
mjrose: Gotta tell you - you need to be on hundreds of sites with dozens and dozens of reviews.
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kahtt: welcome HS
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kahtt: HS - is Michael
Lynne: You're telling me - I haven't sold one of my poetry anthology yet!
JoanZS: That's why I'm happy to do reviews these days. So if anyone knows anyone who wants to be reviewed somewhere...
mjrose: Its real work to promote a book. And that's just as true for beginners as for big time authors.
_Kenn: Poets aren't read till their dead
kahtt: JOan is now on ENE staff - that woman turns out reviews in droves
Lynne: Me - me!! LOL!
mjrose: Then Kahtt you have to get more people to your site for all these authors!!!!
kahtt: that is more tru than not Kenn
mjrose: Do a drive to get more people to come to the site.
Lynne: Oh - well - um....I don't think I'll go that far in promoting it Kenn!
mjrose: Offer singed books that your authors will donate to the people who bring the most people to the site. Get authors to put together an ebook of their...
kahtt: MJR: I try as best I can. I even relented and joined some of the webrings. These webrings also have many of the authors I admire
mjrose: favorite romantic recipies and give the ebook out for free to everyone who signs up four more people.
kahtt: MJR: Doing that soon with Gary Blankenship
mjrose: Have your authors contribute stuff so that your front page changes every other day.
*** Signoff: HotScribe (Ping timeout)
mjrose: Why do I know Gary's name?
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mjrose: j
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mjrose: sorry.
HotScribe: Oops! Disappeared there for a minute. Stupid connection keeps cutting out on me.
kahtt: He is a moderator for the IBP - a poetry forum. Self published poet and is featured on ENE, MindFire etc
*** Mode change "+o HotScribe" on #chatterlings by kahtt
kahtt: wb Michael
mjrose: I've seen his name around. What is he doing for you?
mjrose: did i lose you all?
kahtt: He contributes to ENE, and is a part of the EroticRomance forum. His self-pubbed book Autumn Reflections just came out and we want to do a contest for the best poem including a poem
Lynne: I'm still here
mjrose: okay now I see you - for a minute I didn't.
kahtt: he will give away a signed personalized collection of his work
kahtt: that has not yet been announced officially
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mjrose: Is it tied to bringing in more people to the site?
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Lynne: Hi Gabriella
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kahtt: Alice Pero - a published poet, Mary Hazen Stern - self pubbed and Ryfkah - net pubbed, are poets who have helped Gary review his book
Gabriella: hi
kahtt: welcome GAbriella
Gabriella: thank you
mjrose: Does anyone have any other questions?
kahtt: I have a typical one
kahtt: Why do you write?
mjrose: actually no one has ever asked me that.
kahtt: no way!?
kahtt: I love hearing answers to that
mjrose: Lets see...
*** _kenn_afk is now known as _Kenn
_Kenn: Sorry important phone call
mjrose: I think I write becuase I love to read.
mjrose: and becuase the stories and the characters demand they be brought to light.
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mjrose: What are some of the answers you have gotten before? What was the best?
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kahtt: Hi Arina
Lynne: Hi Velvet
Velvet: Hi
Velvet: kahtt, how'd you know?
Gabriella: MJ I have a question
kahtt: Mainly - it's a need, the person feels compelled to write
mjrose: Yes...
HotScribe: Just hada look at your bio mj -- interesting thing: I first read some of Ayn Rand when I was babysitting back in ... oh, way back when ... and today on the bus home from work a friend of mine was reading Atlas Shrugged.
mjrose: And yes Gabriella?
Gabriella: On writing erotica, what do publishers look for?
kahtt: I have my ways arina ;o)
mjrose: Funny Hotscribe - that's called Plate o' Shrimp. When you just hear about something that you haven't heard of before or in a long time and then you hear about it right way again.
mjrose: As to the erotica question.
_Kenn: she peeks through the windows, looks through the locks
mjrose: Editors look for stories that work despite the erotica. That you'd want to read even if there was no erotica in them. And for writing that is wonderful.
kahtt: nah I just read the join script
kahtt: *** Velvet (arinadivin@esu172.emporia.edu) has joined channel #chatterlings
Gabriella: thank you MJ
Velvet: so, does that mean if there is little sex, than they may accept it?
mjrose: You are most welcome.
Velvet: kahtt, it was supposed to be 'secret' hee hee
kahtt: Same thing Nina Roy, Emma Holly and Joan E Lloyd says
mjrose: If you are talking about erotica no - it has to be sexy - I mean that if you took out the sex it would still be a great story.
Velvet: so, you don't nececessarily need to have sex in every chapter...
JoanZS: I would think that would depend on the publisher, Arina...
mjrose: I don't know that... but I'd think you wouldn't have to, no. Panic Snap is considered erotica and there is not sex in every chapter. The characters sexuality and sex life is very much the driving force of the book though.
Velvet: Oh?
JoanZS: Black Lace wants sex in almost every chapter.
JoanZS: But they're in their own category, I think. :-)
mjrose: You'd have to look at each publisher's specs. But I don't write genre books - don't think I ever could - so I don't pay much attention to publishers who have a "should have" list.
HotScribe: But isn't "sexy" subjective? That is to say, what is sexy for one person isn't necessarily sexy for another; so does that me one has to determine one's particular readership?
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HotScribe: me=mean
kahtt: Hi Jim
*** Mode change "+o Jim" on #chatterlings by kahtt
Lynne: Wher as Renaissance ebooks ask for "spashes of erotica"
Lynne: Hi Jim
Jim: hi!
Gabriella: I know in some books the sex is there out of the blue and not tied into any story line.
Velvet: and what about talking about your past or your mother and your guilt? some people seem to be turned off by that...should that be considered taboo?
mjrose: I don't think you write for an audience. You write for you. And then when you are done an dhappy with the what you've written you find a publisher who
Velvet: JIM!
mjrose: will like what you've done. Not the other way around.
HotScribe: Goody! I always write for myself to begin with... :-)
Gabriella: and not be discouraged if the first couple of publishers aren't the ones that are wild about your work.
mjrose: Yes, you have to becuase publishing is not the end goal here. You have to - you must - love the process of writing. You must feel you are in your own state of bliss
_Kenn: or rum
*** Signoff: ginaav (Quit: Trillian (http://www.ceruleanstudios.com))
Gabriella: I know I love to write and feel a part of me is missing when I don't write.
mjrose: when you are writing and have that be all that matters becuase there are no guarantees anything else will ever happen with what you've written. So...
HotScribe: I'm like that before I get to the sexbits... <grin>
mjrose: you have to get some major satisfaction just from the writing.
Velvet: what do you do when a story doesn't seem to just flow out of you?
mjrose: I don't believe that stories just flow. I spend three months cooking a book.
mjrose: Spending all that time working on plot, outline, characters, and if at the end of those three months I don' t have a workable novel - I know I should move on.
Velvet: there are times when I write a story and it seems to flow out, other times I struggle with every paragraph.
mjrose: I would say there are days when the writing flows - days it doesn't. The trick is to just keep writing.
kahtt: ASIDE: MJR's book "How To Publish and Promote Online" is available at Amazon.com
mjrose: And my website has lots of articles and things on epublishing and ebooks etc.
Velvet: push through until you get past the the blocks...
mjrose: www.mjrose.com
mjrose: Yes. Just keep going. Even if its bad.
kahtt: Excerpts on http://www.mjrose.com
mjrose: But then there are months I take off. Usually no more than two at a time but sometimes I think we can'tjust keep outputting. We need to stop and get some imput.
Velvet: how many times have you started a book and then junked it later when you decided it didn't work?
_Kenn: how did your friends react when you first started writing and how do they react now
kahtt: Soory correct URL for book list is http://www.mjrose.com/books/books.html
mjrose: I've junked dozens of ideas. I've thrown away three whole finished novels.
mjrose: And as to friends...
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Velvet: VOL!
Lynne: Hi Vol
*** Vol_afk is now known as Vol
_Kenn: evening My Lady
mjrose: I had many who advised me to give up when after a dozen years I still was unproduced.
Vol: Yup, it is I
*** Velvet is now known as secret
kahtt: wb vol
Vol: Oh, Hi, Secret
Vol: Thanks, Kahtt
_Kenn: aha!
mjrose: I didn't give up... now my friends are very supportive but I don't ask them for much as a writer. I keep that to myself.
Vol: I went away to write a flasher, and then the damned pootah kept freezing up on me.
Jim: hi vol!
_Kenn: sounds like good advice
Vol: Hullo, Jim
secret: MJ, do you feel like you had to 'come out of the closet?'
Gabriella: I find that I have more support from my close friends and husband on writing erotica. Now while my mother reads it, she doesn't want her daughter writing it! lol!
secret: and get over people's view of you as an erotica writer?
mjrose: I got burned by my best friend who wrote me and told me to stick to writng checks after he read a frist draft of one of my books. We didn't talk for a year. I missed him - so I took him back as a friend but no more sneak peaks at the work in progess.
mjrose: I don't think I write erotica.
Vol: Ack! Some friend!
Gabriella: secret - I'm going through that right now.
mjrose: I write books about people. And those people happen to have sex lives.
_Kenn: romance?
Vol: There you go.
Vol: Reality.
JoanZS: I don't think we should deny that people have sex lives.
Vol: Not my reality, sadly enough, but reality
mjrose: No. I write contemporay fiction. I refuse to put my books in a catagory like that. I think those catagories kill writers.
JoanZS: I mean, even John Ashcroft must have a sex life (although that's a pretty frightening thought).
secret: why wouldn't you term your writing as erotica then?
secret: Gab, are you pubbed?
JoanZS applauds MJR's thoughts on categories
Vol: I think the prudes class sex with excretion; most novels don't include detailed descriptions of taking a dump, and prudes put sex in the same category
Gabriella: no I'm not.
JoanZS: I think you're on to something there, Vol...
mjrose: Becuase I thinkt hat if I called them erotica it would force me to do certain things in my books and then they would get stale.
secret 's light dawns in her head
Gabriella: I just started writing erotica as per se. I have written romance with a little sex thrown in but now I want to write specifically for magazines.
Vol: You may have something there, MJ
kahtt: MJR: I know that I have called you books erotic thrillers before, mainly an echo of what others call it. I feel that there is still too much of a taboo with the term erotica. I mainly use it to describe the sensuality in the books. People tend to want to hide the sensual side of our humanity but it is always there
JoanZS: Vol, you took the words right out of my keyboard...
Vol: They might give you a quota: X number of blow jobs per book, X number of orgasms per chapter
Vol: Sorry, Joan
JoanZS: That's okay, Vol! (hug!)
Vol: But it's a mitzvah to give me something to think about
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Vol: Thanks for the hug!
JoanZS: Sure is.
mjrose: It is one of my biggest frustrations that people insist on catagorizing fiction. It's either good or bad. Other people call what I write erotic thrillers... or psychological thrillers. I let them - but I won't do it myself.
JoanZS: I don't care that much for categories. I've hung around with romance writers in the past, and that's their whole lives, categories.
secret is so new to writing that she has only written 'erotica'
_Kenn: well, by the apperance off all the NEM in here, we know what they like in a book;)
mjrose: What was Old Man and the Sea. What was The Great Gatsby? What was Gone withthe Wind. Just great books.
JoanZS: Good for you, MJR...
kahtt: MJR: the categories are a killer, I agree.
_Kenn: MEN thatis
Vol: I mean, one can really get into sub- sub-categories, too
JoanZS: especially in romance, Vol
HotScribe: I don't think we'll ever get away from categories -- modern advertising will certainly slot you
mjrose: I know Vol... romantic historical susupense. Now really.
Vol: Until you find yourself in a category of 17th-century, illegitimate hero, rouged-nipple romance
kahtt: true MJR!
JoanZS: Categories exist so the dumb bunnies in the chain bookstores will know where to put things on the shelves.
mjrose: And hotscribe... it is starting to erode becuase there are so many now.
mjrose: As more and more books are sold on line the catagories will erode.
HotScribe: You're right, MJ
Vol: Joan: Because the customers are too lazy to browse
Vol: Or the stores don't want them to ... Move 'em in! Move 'em out!
JoanZS: That's a shame, Vol. Browsing is one of the great pleasures in my life.
mjrose: Yes Joan, browsing is wonderful.
JoanZS: There are many things I would not have discovered if it had not been for browsing.
Vol: Would be mine, too, if I could stand longer -- or if I drank coffee
Vol browses the men's underwear section of the Sears Catalog occasionally
kahtt: I initially took on the categories of erotica and romance for ENE's Home Page because I felt I needed to Defend readers of those genres.
Lynne: OK guys gotta go - I just can't keep my eyes open any longer!
secret: when sitting down to write your first novel, did you know that was what you were doing, or was it a story that seemed to just keep asking for more?
JoanZS: good night, Lynne!
Vol: G'night, sweetie!
mjrose: night Lynne - thank you for coming!
Jim: night Lynne
HotScribe: g'night lynne
_Kenn: night My Lady
kahtt: night Lynne - thanks
secret: sexy dreams Lynne!
*** _Kenn is now known as DarkLord
Lynne: Night everyone - a very enjoyable chat - shame I can't stay.
mjrose: kahtt - I don't blame you - but why not put up a catagory of non - catagory books that force folks to browse.
DarkLord: lonely down there;)
Gabriella: good night Lynne
Jim: I was thinking along the same lines, secret
Vol: Oh, Lynne! A quick question!
Lynne: Yes?
DarkLord: double green stamps?
Vol: In Rijksmuseum, is it pronounced like eye or like ick?
Lynne: eye
secret: really Jim? that's where I'm at with a few stories I've got going...
Vol: AHA!!! Alex Trebek doesn't know everything!
Vol: Sleep tight. *Kiss*
Jim: making the leap from short stories to novels, that is
secret: I'm wondering if it will be easier for me to know I'm heading toward novel, so I make sure I get the plot right.
DarkLord: because hes canadian vol
Lynne: Rikesmewzeum
Vol: That's what I thought
JoanZS: How about a members choice section, kahtt, that crosses categories?
Lynne: phonetically
Jim: his writers know everything! LOL
kahtt: MJ: That is an excellent idea. I tend to do that more wiith the poetry books we put up. I also have more fiction titles on my personal home page. I just need to set aside the time to make the bookstore more rounded
Lynne: Bye all
DarkLord: night
mjrose: Bye lynne
JoanZS: There has to be a reason to put a bunch of books together on a page, but it doesn't have to be the category...
JoanZS: It can be the color of the cover, for heaven's sakes! LOL!
kahtt: night Lynne - sleep well
secret: do I need to have an outline? or just keep writing the next chapter? until I have 20,000 or 70,000 words?
Lynne: night mj - thank you for an enjoyable evening
Vol: Joan, you stole the words right off my keyboard!
*** Signoff: Lynne (Quit: Time to put theory into practice!)
mjrose: I love that - lets start catagorizing books by colors. Green books, red books... I love that.
JoanZS: Ha ha! My turn, Vol!
JoanZS heads for the green books, because they're her favorite color
mjrose: My fav too that's why I listed em first.
Vol: I just hammered out a little flasher that has nothing but kissing. It left me very satisfied.
kahtt: however, since ENE has built up a reputation as a place for feturing amateur and published authors or eromantica, I do not want to lose that feel
secret: save the blue ones for me
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JoanZS: Arina, I've heard of writers who have done it both ways...
BigB: wowsers
kahtt: Hi BB
Vol: I like blue *and* green
Vol: Hi, BB
DarkLord: evening Godd!
Jim: I want the black one with pics
JoanZS: I think you have to find the method that works for you.
BigB: never saw this many ppl here
kahtt: BB is or IRCOP
kahtt: IRC Operator
DarkLord: we're respectable tonight Sir
Vol: So far, anyway
mjrose: So any more questions?
BigB says Hi the the ppl he doesn't know...and tacklehuggs those he does
kahtt admits to judging some books by their cover
BigB: Dl...pls :)
DarkLord: watch it fella!
JoanZS: what are you working on next, MJR?
secret: and how do you know when you are ready? I mean I haven't even been paid for a short story yet...
secret hugs BigB
kahtt: Research - do you spend many hours researching a book?
JoanZS: BigB, ltns...
mjrose: Oh of course you judge them by their covers... you know how much time and energy publisher put into the covers... and the clues they put on covers so that you know wha to expect.
JoanZS: How very true!
mjrose: As to next - I jsut finished novel number three and am about to start on four.
Vol: I would not read anything that had Fabio on the cover.
secret: MJ, do you have a regular publisher?
Vol: Just one of my little prejudices
mjrose: and as to hours researching it depends what I'm working on. In Fidelity was a lot of research becuase of all the Zen stuff.
BigB: JoanZS...have we met?
kahtt: Ebook - Private Place
mjrose: Yes, secret. PocketBooks.
JoanZS: I take it you don't eat I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, either, Vol... :-)
JoanZS: a long time ago, BigB. I haven't been chatting here in a while.
kahtt: LOl JOan - one of my fave romances had him on the cover
BigB: ahh OK
JoanZS: But you read some of the stories on my web site and I think you liked them very much, if I remember correctly.
mjrose: The ebook - private places was comissioned by Mightywords back in the days when they were trying to attrack writers.
secret: does that mean that all of your next novels are pretty much accepted?
Gabriella: MJ who published your first book? Which publisher?
kahtt: I have to say that I have learned many things from fiction novels
mjrose: Pocket Books published Lip Service and now In Fidelity. They are the kind of pubisher who buys an author not one title. They buy the author cuase they like your style and expect to keep publsihing you. But it could happen that I write one they won't like.
kahtt: ahh
mjrose: Secret- they are not accepted yet.
kahtt: ASIDE: MJR's booklist
secret: what does buy the author mean then? are you on contract to write a certain amount for them?
Gabriella: that's nice to know about them MJ
JoanZS: be right back...
Jim: yeah, kahtt, I've learned from fiction too
kahtt: JIm: I think it's amazing how much research authors have to do to make the fiction real
DarkLord: have you carried a character from one book to another?
mjrose: No... they buy a book or two books or three at a time - depends on the author - most agents like to kepp it one book at a time so if you get to be a best seller you can get more moeny. What I meant was
DarkLord: agents?
Jim: I've learned I don't like green eggs and ham ;)
mjrose: that Pocket only takes authors for the most part who they want to grow -who they want to keep publsihing. they are not looking for one hit wonders. As to the character contining...
secret: Sam?
mjrose: I haven't done that yet.
mjrose: What's the agent ?
DarkLord: you have an agent?
mjrose: Yes. I absolutely do have an agent. And strongly recommend them.
Jim: my wife has always liked historical novels, which I don't, but I find I like Connie Willis' "sci-fi" books that put time travellers in historical settings
kahtt: and how important is it to have an agent? new author esp?
secret: If you write a book that is really good, are you better off sending it to print pubs first or E-books? What I mean is, how do you determine where to send you book to first?
mjrose: First agent question then ebook question...
*** Signoff: Gabriella (Quit: )
mjrose: you have to try to get an agent - they have the entry to the publishing companies and can negotiate the deals. You need to have representation cuase most publishing companies won't even read manuscripts that are not agented.
DarkLord: where do you find them, whats the cost?
BigB presumes from the chat that mjrose is a published writer and possibly here as aguest author...am I wrong?
DarkLord: no
JoanZS: no, you're right, BIgB
HotScribe: Uh-oh. Gotta go. Wife needs to use the phone. Grrr. Gotta get my own phone line soon... Bye, all
DarkLord: night
*** HotScribe has left channel #chatterlings
mjrose: As to the other... first you try to go the traditonal route then the ebook route. the reason is that only 10% of books are sold on line and you want to be in book stores and book stores don't take self published books or ebooks. You want a house behind you doing editing, covers, etc.
secret: sexy dreams HOT
kahtt: right BB LOL
BigB: thx kahtt and Joan
mjrose: Agents do you charge you. They take the books they like on spec. Never pay an agent upfront - if he or she asks for momeny to read the book walk away. Agents get a comission of the sale - when they make the sale.
secret: so try for print and if all fails try for the next best thing, e-books.
DarkLord: so much to learn, so dumb
kahtt: ASIDE: Read Joan's review of In Fidelity
kahtt: not at all Kenn
mjrose: Yes secret, that's what I really believe. maybe in two or three years that will change. But you want the most help you can get as an author and you want the most exposure.
secret: how do you go about finding a good agent?
DarkLord: do agents or publishers ever ask you to write a certian type story?
DarkLord: or type?
kahtt: REITERATION: "Never pay an agent upfront - if he or she asks for momeny to read the book walk away. Agents get a comission of the sale - when they make the sale."
Vol: I am leaving, but shall return later ... a temporary night-night to you all
DarkLord: night My Lady
*** Vol is now known as Vol_afk
Jim: bye vol
mjrose: There is a book in every library called the Writers Guide to the Literary Marketplace. It is published by Prima. It lists every repuatable agent and lists what kind of books the agent likes to represent. Do not send agents what they don't ask to see. It will greatly piss them off. On the other hand if you do your homework with this book - you can wind up sending your work to exaclty the right person.
JoanZS: bye, Vol...
mjrose: Agents and pubishers do ask writers for certain things - but less in fiction than in non fiction.
*** grmouser (grmouser@d103.as14.nwbl1.wi.voyager.net) has joined channel #chatterlings
grmouser: Greets, all.
kahtt: wb GRN
DarkLord: remember the book kahtt and email me the tittle
DarkLord: Sir HairBall!
*** Mode change "+o grmouser" on #chatterlings by DarkLord
mjrose: Any more questions, guys?
kahtt: getting info now kenn
Jim: hi mouser
secret: GRIM!
mjrose: Kahtt - you can post this chat.
DarkLord: I hope she does
kahtt: Thanks MJ
kahtt: MJR: I have one - always asked
grmouser: Good to see you made it, MJ.
kahtt: Do you live what you write?
secret thanks MJ for answering her questions
mjrose: Thanks grmouser.
DarkLord: I also thank you MJ
DarkLord: brb,grandkids
kahtt: You guys ask great questions
mjrose: Not at all - if I understand the question. My books are not reflections of my life at all. But the themes and are things I think about and the thoughts are thoughts I think. The hopes are mine - the nightmares aren't.
mjrose: You all ask great questions.
BigB would like to see a listing of mjrose's work...is it online?
secret: do you fine you live out your fantasies in your books?
grmouser: mj: Please forgive if it's already been asked, but have you been print pubbed yet?
BigB: fyi...I am not an ERA listmember
secret: and...did you start out writing and getting pubbed short stories?
mjrose: yes Bigb at my website mjrose.com click on books... or at amazon or bn click on all books by mjrose. Secret - no - I don't live out all those fantasies - I'd never get any writing done.
kahtt: um, hello! grm!
kahtt: She has three books out!
BigB: k
JoanZS: Mouser, you must read my review! :-)
kahtt: you have not been paying attention sir
BigB: lookin at mjrose.com
mjrose: No I don't write short stories - not good at them never have done them at all.
grmouser: kah: So I'm dim. Sue me. :P
kahtt: ASIDE: Read Joan's review of In Fidelity
mjrose: Actaully four books if you include the novella.
BigB: is that really YOU?
kahtt: ASIDE: MJR's booklist
BigB falls instantly in lust :)
JoanZS: Or go to my website and read it, Mouser, and admire my new Javascript hearts for Valentine's Day
secret: MJ, hope I don't offend...how young are you?
kahtt: Leave Sue out of this grm
mjrose: I'm forty seven.
JoanZS smiles (there's hope for me yet!)
mjrose: And that's me but you can't see the circles under my eyes in that pic.
kahtt: only 11 she is
BigB: right age too :)
DarkLord: grm, got any hot sause?
secret: how young were you when your first book was pubbed?
BigB is OlderThanDirt
grmouser: joan: I would, except that I've already started loading kahtt's site and it's pounding the bejabbers outta my poor poota.
JoanZS: Go look later, then. I'm very proud of those hearts.
mjrose: My first book was published two years ago - August 1999,
JoanZS: Almost as proud as I am of the stories! (Almost, I said.)
BigB: Joan...url?
JoanZS: http://www.users.fast.net/~joanzs/
BigB: thx
secret: Have you been writing most of your life?
kahtt: Sorry JOan
Jim: how long were you writing before you got pubbed?
kahtt: ASIDE Joan's website The Sharpe Tongue
secret looks at MJ's pic, Wow! You is pretty!
mjrose: Off and on yes... started when I was six. stopped when i was 20 - 26 to do advertising writing.; then started again. So I was writing forever before I got published.
grmouser also agrees with everyone's assessment of MJ's pic. Yummers. <G>
mjrose: Thanks for all the compliments folks.
DarkLord: me
secret: welcome
DarkLord email adress is. . . .
kahtt: I like this hairstyle MJ, it took me a bit getting used to but it's nice
DarkLord: yo! scanner rider!
BigB: Joan..nice hearts
JoanZS: Thanks, BigB! My first foray into Javascript.
DarkLord: thank you for your answer Kahtt
JoanZS: Think I'll stick to writing, though.
grmouser: jzs: Very nice hearts. :)
kahtt: ASIDE: Lip Service
Jim heads to joan's page now too
JoanZS: Glad ya like 'em, Mouser.
kahtt: np Kenn
secret: oh, perty, Joan, how'd you do it?
BigB: the title, The Enchanted Whip catches my attention
DarkLord: np? you laughed
mjrose: I'm afraid to go to anyone's page for fear I won't get back in here. So does anyone have any more Q's. I have a few more A's left in me till my fingers stop working.
kahtt: no problem kenn
grmouser: mj: I certainly hope you've told our young kahttling by now that it's not all that easy to get pubbed. <G>
secret thinks...to make sure she asked all her questions.
JoanZS: It's a Javascript I just copied and pasted. www.javascript.com, I think.
DarkLord: brb
Jim: everyone else asked all my questions
JoanZS: MJR, thank you so much. This was fun.
mjrose: No one knows beter than me that its damn tough to get published.. just read my web site and click on some of those stories about me... it was torture to get publshed.
JoanZS: Go read it, BigB, it's my BDSM fairytale.
secret thanks Joan with a hug.
kahtt: MJ: many of us in here have already written novels that we share with our forums - please reiterate how long it may take to get pubbed and that one must never give up
grmouser: mj: Thanks much.
BigB: I got it up onscreen Joan
BigB: :)
JoanZS: I'll double check that URL, secret. I'm taking a class these days. But a programmer I am not.
secret: did you find that at first pubs wanted you to have more experience on your bio?
mjrose: It took me twelve years. And then I self published and suffered the slings and arrows of everyone telling me that if I had to self publish my books must not be good.
Jim: the hearts are nice joan
DarkLord: I'm sorry, I have to go explain the short life of my grandkids their gonna have, thank you MJ and you to Kahtt, later all I hope
mjrose: Publishers didn't look at my bio.
JoanZS: Glad ya like 'em, Jim.
*** DarkLord has left channel #chatterlings
kahtt: ASIDE: MJ Rose's Q&A page
Jim: recently struggled to get a cgi script to work myself LOL
secret: so, bio doesn't really matter?
mjrose: You are a grand host Kahtt.
BigB is troubles...between mjrose and Joan's sites with kahtt's in the wings
kahtt: I'm trying
kahtt: thanks
mjrose: Nope. the book matters. And a rejection is only = the book doesn't fit their marketing plan that month.
BigB: I'm afraid I'm not getting anything else done tonite :)
kahtt: MJ: I bought your self-pubbed book Lip Sevice
secret: BigB, here's another one for ya http://www.dvnpleasures.com
mjrose: Kahtt - did you buy the self pubbed version before Pocket picked it up?
kahtt: I heard of you throught the net grapevine
Jim: I loved Lip Service, btw, and bought it specifically because of what I'd heard about your efforts to get it pubbed
kahtt: yes ma'am - it sits proudly on my shelf
JoanZS: I must be going, I need cranberry juice.
mjrose: Well hold on to those self pubbed versions I've heard they are collectors items.
grmouser: Very cool.
kahtt: ASIDE: Devine Pleasures hosted by Arina Devine
secret: will they be worth something later? ;-)
kahtt: cool!
secret: thanks kahtt, what a sweetie
mjrose: And thank you very much for supporting me back then, I really apprecitate it. If they are signed they are worth 65 dollars now.
grmouser: G'night, JoanZSie.
secret: Divine though, not Devine
JoanZS: Yikes!
BigB: nite jz
JoanZS: good night, Mouser.
Jim: night Joan
secret: sexy dreams Joan
mjrose: If you send me them to me in stamped return envelopes I'll sign them and send them back to you.
JoanZS: Good night, everyone. And so nice to meet you, MJR.
mjrose: Nice to meet you to Joan - and good luck - and don't give up.
kahtt: I never give up my first timers - I have the rev copies of In the Flesh by Emma Holly and In Fidelity
kahtt: night Joan
Jim: cool! what address?
JoanZS: Thanks, MJR. I'm a Taurus. We're too stubborn to give up! LOL!
JoanZS wanders off into the night...
kahtt: thanks for coming Joan
*** Signoff: JoanZS (Quit: "Go with all your heart for what is exactly your own.")
secret: MJR, do you get much fan mail? and how do you handle it?
grmouser grins at the Taurean reference
secret head is imagining the day... ;-)
kahtt: AND I have grmousers Kat Tales
kahtt: when that gets published my copy will be worth hundreds
grmouser: Hold on to that dream, kitten. <G>
mjrose: Send them to me c/0 Loretta Barrett Books 101 Fifth Ave NY NY 10003 11th floor and don't forget to put in the return envelope with your address on it. And I get about a dozen letters or so a week and answer them all - most of it is email.
kahtt: ASIDE: MJ Rose contact form
Jim: thanks MJ
mjrose: or contact is mjroseauthor@aol.com
kahtt: I love email. I find that most authors answer emails with in a couple of days. that makes readers feel very special
mjrose: Yes - we feel safe answering email. Its fun too - get ot know our fans.
kahtt: 10003? that's by NYU
mjrose: Yes.
kahtt: I used to work there :o)
mjrose: Its onl 18th st.
mjrose: Me too. I worked on 19th and fifth and lived in the Villiage. loved it there.
kahtt: have we exhausted you yet MJ?
secret: do you ever feel worried that someone wants more from you than just a nice reply?
mjrose: Yes secret, almost Kahtt. mostly what they want is one of two things:
kahtt: ASIDE: MJ Rose's bio
mjrose: for me to tell them how to self publish and/or promote their books - in fact so many hundreds of people wanted me to tell them that - I wrote tha tbook about it. And they want me to be the sexual person in my books and share that part of myself with them.
secret: I get that, and I'm not even pubbed...LOL
mjrose: LOL back.
grmouser: mj: What are your thoughts on getting an agent to help one get pubbed?
secret: need a body guard?
mjrose: I think it is of tantamount importance to get an agent.
secret: perhaps Grim or Jim would volunteer.
mjrose: And I hope I don't ever need the bodyguard but thankkks for the offer.
secret: :-)
grmouser: secr: Sure. Perhaps hanging about with a real live author might rub off on me. <G>
Jim: not me! I've never thrown a punch in my life
secret: oh, but you've tied plenty of girls up...at least in your dreams
mjrose: So... if that's it... gonna take my tired fingers off line. It was really great to meet each and everyone of you.
mjrose: And a good night to all.
secret: yeah, Grim, get busy!
Jim: thanks MJ
grmouser: G'night, MJ. Thanks for stopping by.
secret: thanks MJ!
kahtt: Thank you MJ
Jim: very much appreciated
kahtt: We really appreciate this
mjrose: Oh you are all most welcome. I'dlove to come back - just invite me.
secret: you've been a great educator!
grmouser: Open invite!
mjrose: Thank you thank you thank you.
kahtt: ASIDE: How to Promote and Publish
mjrose: And I'm out...
*** mjrose has left channel #chatterlings
kahtt: ASIDE: Articles ETC. by MJ Rose
Log file closed at: 2/2/01 10:09:05 PM