|
Monday, April 03, 2006
It seems like yesterday...
I made my first sale to Silhouette Desire in 1993. THE FORBIDDEN TWIN, which comes out next week, is my 18th, and I've recently begun to write for Harlequin NEXT, the new women's fiction line. My first book for NEXT will be out in September and is called THE MERRY WIDOW DIARY. Writing a story without the romance being the central plot was a challenge--an exciting one--but I didn't leave my roots behind. There's a bit of a love story and some sexy stuff, too. The widow needs to be merry, after all :-).
I started writing historical romances more than 30 years ago as a way to entertain myself as a stay-at-home mom, but I never tried to publish. Then when my children started school, I went to college, taking almost 8 years to get my B. A. I didn't write during that time, except a file cabinet full of essays and papers. English majors kill a lot of trees!
Not long after I graduated I started writing with the intent of publishing. I did all the things I was told I should: read, write, network, read, write, go to booksignings, read, write, join RWA. It was through my local RWA chapter that I joined a critique group, which was the smartest thing I ever did. We taught each other how to write. It paid off--I sold the second book I wrote, although not every book since. This is a business that keeps us humble :-).
My favorite heroine is kind, loyal and brave--braver than I am, sometimes. And my favorite hero admires her intelligence and respects her capabilities, but he's there the second--and I mean the very second--she needs him.
I get to make up what happens in accordance with my own fantasies. Is this a cool job or what?
posted by Susan Crosby at 6:55 AM
|
Previous Posts
|
5 Comments:
Playground Monitor said...
Definitely a cool job! And congrats on your NEXT book. I'm definitely going to read that one since I've enjoyed your Desires so much.
Marilyn
7:39 AM
Charlene Sands said...
Susan,
Yes, especially with our Desires, we get to act out our own favorite fantasies. I started out writing historicals too, but sold my first as a contemporary, then back to historicals. It's a give and take. Are you still writing historicals?
Charlene
9:19 AM
Susan Crosby said...
Thanks so much, Marilyn. You're going to be on my auto-buy list when it's your turn, too :-).
Charlene--I sold my first, and the rest, as contemporaries, too. I think I'd be waaay too embarrassed to even look at those old historicals now. Plus, I think they've all been done--and done better--by other people since then :-).
It's nice to be able to see your own progress as a writer!
Susan
10:01 AM
christa said...
Got my May Desires today and the first one I started reading was Mr. and Mistress. The 5th Elliott book. There goes any chance of sleep this week.
12:22 PM
Susan Crosby said...
Christa--
Sleep is HIGHLY overrated :-).
Enjoy! And I'm jealous. I can't buy that book for another whole month!
Susan
2:01 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home