Q & A with GENIE GABRIEL

Thanks for being here today, Genie. Would you please share a short bio about yourself?
Thank you, Rebecca, for having me as a guest! I grew up in a small town--though not as small as the fictional town of Halo in my LEGACY series. When I moved to the city in search of better jobs, I took a lot of small town expectations with me. Once in the city, I spent twenty years working for the state social service agency, where I became fascinated with the question of why some people who experience unspeakable trauma crumble and others come through triumphantly stronger. Exploring this question--as well as my passion for writing romance--became the basis for my stories, starring heroes and heroines who overcome great difficulties and find true love.

Do you consider yourself a shy and/or introverted person?

Though I've learned to be sociable for a limited time, I'd definitely choose staying home with my doggies over attending a party. Which is kind of a contradiction, because I truly enjoy talking to people once I'm out in public. Go figure!

In what ways has being shy or introverted hindered your writing career?

I also have perfectionist tendencies. An introverted perfectionist--what a combination! Having these personality traits made me very cautious about sharing my work. What if it wasn't good enough? What if I forgot to cross a "t" or dot an "i"? What if I repeated the same word three times on one page? It was years before I felt confident enough to share my work with a critique partner and even longer to submit my work to a publisher. Fourteen years from first writers' meeting to a sale, but then I sold three full-length novels and two novellas very quickly, as well as being contracted for nine books in my LEGACY series, which started March 1.

In what ways has being shy or introverted helped your writing career?

I'm slower to jump on the latest "hot" story--which would be out-of-favor by the time I finished writing it anyway. So I've focused on stories I love and, being an introvert, I'm quite happy sitting at home alone and writing.

What’s the hardest part of this business for you? Hands down, it's jumping on the social media bandwagon. I have a Facebook page, but it's woefully out of date. Friends have offered to help me with this, but it's an abyss I keep backing away from. Unfortunately, when I would like to support others by "liking" them or retweeting, I don't know how! That's become embarrassing, so figuring out the social media maze is quickly rising to the top of my "to do" list.

Tell me about a time that you had to step outside your comfort zone either in your writing career or in your personal life?

I'm going to cheat and give you more than one: Moving from my small hometown where everyone knows your business to a city of over 100,000 people where I knew no one. Sharing my writing with critique partners. Submitting my stories to a publisher. Pitching a story to an editor in person--that was waaaay out of my comfort zone.

What’s one tip you could share with shy and introverted people that’s helped you?

I'll pass on what I've heard from others, "Fake it until you make it." I don't mean be phony, but take a deep breath and step into who you want to be until it's not so uncomfortable. If you want to speak in front of people without passing out, find a topic you're passionate about, make sure your research is solid, practice in front of a mirror or with a couple of friends, pray like crazy, and do it!

Would you please share a short blurb of your book and where my readers can buy it?

The most serious crime in small town Halo, Oregon, is one of its citizens "borrowing" a gorilla costume from an abandoned store. Until unconventional caseworker Marly O'Shea comes to town looking for the birth mother of a stolen child. Her search stirs up secrets long buried, and tangles Deputy Dawson Browning in personal and professional knots. As he works to stop the revenge of a beast-man who is supposed to be dead, he also faces challenges to a relationship with Marly from her seven overly protective brothers.

Available now!

Rogue Phoenix Press|Amazon|Barnes & Noble

Where can my readers find you on the web?
My main online hangouts right now are my website  or my LEGACYblog.

Once again, many thanks to Rebecca for having me as a guest. And if you stop by my LEGACY blog and leave a comment, you'll be entered to win a $25.00 gift card in a drawing on March 23. Hope to see many of you there!

WRITING: A Solitary Pursuit?

Please help me welcome this week's guest blogger, my friend and fellow Pixie Chick (aka 2008 Golden Heart® finalist), Avery Beck.

A two-time Golden Heart® finalist, Avery writes contemporary romance for Samhain Publishing and is currently celebrating the release of her second book, For His Eyes Only. For more information about Avery or her books, please visit www.averybeck.com.


There’s a common misconception that writing is a lonely career, with romance novels specially reserved for bored housewives or spinsters with fifteen cats. Writing is antisocial, quiet and private—after all, it’s just the writer and her computer. Right?


Wrong. Once you’re published, it’s you and the whole world. At the very least, it’s you and the millions of people on the Internet. Google me or my books, and up come pages and pages of results. Search images, and there’s my face plastered across the WWW dozens of times over. Ack!

Promotion is a must in this business. Readers can’t buy your book if they don’t know about it. Authors are encouraged to do workshops, signings, contests, guest blogs, social networking, you name it. Online and off, there are a barrage of opinions on each book, whether they be intelligent critiques from seasoned reviewers or scathing posts about how much “this book sucks”—written by anonymous twelve-year-old boys. How many people visit my website every day? Read my blog? What about the readers who might come across that scathing post from the twelve-year-old boy and believe a book is horrible…and the hot, explicit excerpts available to Mom and Grandma with the click of a mouse?


ACK!


For writers who expected to hide behind book covers and Word documents, finding ourselves in the public eye can be a bit intimidating. But books are entertainment, and authors are entertainers (though most of us, sadly, go without the bling and the red carpet), so take a breath and consider how to make the most of being “out there”.


Take advantage of the opportunity to edit yourself. In college, I took a required public speaking course. The planned, written-before-delivery speeches were fine and good. However, I also had to give two improvised speeches—as in, the professor handed me a topic and five minutes to come up with an argument to present to the entire class. Oh, boy, did I stink those up. In fact, I bailed on the second one and told the guy to give me a zero, because seriously. I don’t do improvisation. Being the center of attention is nerve-wracking enough with preparation!


When it comes to shyness, the best part of being a writer is that much of our interaction takes place in print. Our stories are revised multiple times and approved by editors before they go public. Online, we can use the magical delete button and rewrite sentences, entire posts or emails before hitting “send”. The computer serves as a great filter to help you put your best self forward. Unlike my miserable speech class, you have time to make sure you say what you mean—tactfully—and avoid foot-in-mouth syndrome later.


Make friends—and not just to raise your Facebook tally. Facebook is a useful tool, of course. But there are myriad ways to meet readers and other writers, all without having to worry if your shoes are cute, your breath fresh and your opening line interesting enough to carry a conversation. Comment on blogs, join forums, and if you find someone you enjoy talking to, send an email about a topic of interest to both of you. Ask questions. Give compliments. People I’d never met approached me at RWA’s national conference because they recognized my name from online communities. My fellow GH finalists and I greeted each other with the kind of squeals and hugs usually reserved for long-lost friends—and we didn’t have to fumble for a reason to approach and say hello. We already knew each other because we’d participated in joint activities online.


Frankly, just don’t give a damn. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is this: do what you need to do, and don’t worry about anyone’s reaction. I have a bad habit of hesitating to do or say things because I constantly think, “What if he says this? What if she does that? Oh, surely they’re going to laugh at me.” You know what? It doesn’t matter. You get nowhere fast trying to please everyone. Blow off the bad reviews, the internet pirates, the journalists who pull bits and pieces from your interview answers to make romance novels sound like the trashiest things ever.


If you spend your career trying to hide from that stuff, you won’t get your name or your books in front of your audience. And isn’t that the point of being an author?


Writers: what do you think? Has author-dom brought on more attention than you expected? Readers, do you care how much effort an author puts into public appearances (online or off), or do you just want to pick up a good book?


Next week: Debut erotica romance author, Cari Quinn, talks about busting out of her introverted comfort zone to write and sell erotica!

Shy Is As Shy Does

Please welcome fellow shy writer, Annette McCleave. A 2008 Golden Heart winner for Best Paranormal Romance, her debut novel, DRAWN INTO DARKNESS, released last month to rave reviews.

When Becky mentioned she was planning to start a blog dedicated to the needs of the Shy Writer, I hit the reply hit button and responded almost right away, volunteering to participate. Because if there’s one thing I understand, it’s being shy. I am a severe shy person. I constantly have to force myself to interact with other people. Not because I don’t enjoy being with people—no, as those who get to know me can attest, if I feel comfortable with you, I’ll talk your ear off. You’ll never get me to go home.

But meeting new people is difficult for me—I never know what to say, and when I finally get up the gumption to speak, I fear the words will spill out in a most ungraceful way. Unfortunately, the more nervous I am, the more likely it is that my worst imaginings will come true and I’ll stumble over my words or say something completely inane.

When I first decided to write, I thought being an author was perfect for my personality. I could stay at home, write my stories, and send out manuscripts by mail. I could ruminate over all my correspondence, think my thoughts through, and be deliberate. I could erase the stupid stuff before I hit SEND or put the letter in the mail.

But the more I got involved in the writing community, and the more I realized that the internet was taking down the barriers between people—making contact easier—the more I realized that even shy authors had to tread outside the walls of their homes and interact. It was easy to see the benefits—meeting other like-minded writers, making professional contacts that could result in a book contract, and eventually, if all went well, exchanging a few words with readers.

Oh, yes, I could see the benefits very easily.

But the worries about saying the wrong thing, speaking too fast, or blurting out nonsense were still there. They didn’t go away, despite believing my dream to be an author was worth pursuing at all costs.

So, here’s what I did:

1. Started slowly. I dipped my toes in. I got involved in my local writers’ group and volunteered. Just a simple job at first, something that allowed me to quietly get to know all the names and faces. I made some friends. Then I went to a few conferences. I hugged the walls and mostly listened, but I learned a lot and made more friends.


2. Put up a website. Creating a website was a relatively easy way for me to start getting my face out there. It didn’t feel too daring—especially when I looked at the traffic I drew.


3. Entered contests. This may not seem like an obvious way to interact, but it got my work in front of agents and editors. It also gave me a low-stress reason to correspond with fellow finalists by email (to congratulate them) and it introduced me to two fabulous groups of writers, the 2005 Golden Heart finalists (Wild Cards) and 2008 Golden Heart finalists (Pixie Chicks). I made even more friends.


4. Pitched. Whenever I had the opportunity, I pitched to an agent or editor in person. Why? Because this was a controlled situation I was able to prepare for, so I didn’t have to worry so much about saying something stupid. I met new industry people and grew my confidence.


5. Tested my comfort zone. Almost every social situation is hard for me. But I make myself get involved. Perhaps not as much as other people who are not shy, but more than my natural inclination would suggest. I push myself, just a little. I blog, I join groups, I go to cocktail parties, and I send out emails to perfect strangers (with good reason, of course). It’s not easy and I find every day a challenge. But the benefits I mentioned above have made it all worthwhile. Did I mention I’ve made some fantastic friends?

Every day is a step forward. I’ve already learned (from this blog!) that I can do some simple things to ease my journey—such as smile more. When I’m nervous, my face freezes up, and that makes it more difficult for friendly people to approach me. If I smile and let the real me sneak out from behind the fear, I’ll appear more welcoming, and they might even break the ice for me. Wow. I so need to try that. :-)

I wish you all the best with your own shy challenges. The good news is, even the severely shy can become published authors. I proved that when my 2008 Golden Heart winning manuscript was published in September as DRAWN INTO DARKNESS—another good reason to enter contests!

Thanks for stopping by today. Share one of your own ‘I stepped outside my comfort zone’ moments here on the blog ... and you could win a copy of my debut book. One commenter will be drawn at random.

Good luck!

--Annette
AnnetteMcCleave.com

Here's what critics have to say about Annette's new book, DRAWN INTO DARKNESS:

“Swords flash, spells are cast, and twist and turns come head-spinningly quickly…Readers will hope for sequels…”– Publisher’s Weekly

“4 1/2 stars …a fabulously entertaining tale of demons, angels and beings in between.”– RT Book Club

“A phenomenal debut! A refreshingly unique and vividly realized world with dark dangers and richly drawn characters.”– Sylvia Day, National bestselling author


Next week: Learn how to pitch with confidence, with 2009 Golden Heart winner Jeannie Lin--Wednesday, Oct. 7 (just in time for the Emerald City Conference, in Bellevue, WA)

How To Use Body Language to Appear More Confident

Please help me welcome my guest blogger, Julia Hunter. Julia is a public speaker throughout the nation and is a 20-year veteran law enforcement officer. She’s a pre-published fiction writer and teaches workshops on gadgets for busy writers, law enforcement and body language. Her website is at http://www.julia-hunter.com/.

by Julia Hunter

Do you think because you’re an introvert, it’s hard for you to succeed in business and social situations? Do you want to appear more accessible and out-going?


Most people who know me assume I’m an extrovert; in fact, they would swear I’m an extrovert. However, I’ll share a secret -- I score off the chart as an introvert. So how do I manage as a public speaker? I prepare, listen, and watch for body language cues.


Despite the label you identify with, the bottom line is that you are who you are. You know how you feel when you’re in a group, or when you’re giving a presentation, or when pitching your story – so my suggestion is to focus on where you are at and where you want to be.


Nothing will substitute for preparation, but body language can help with the transition from “about to vomit” to confident interactions.


Public Speaking: Book Signings, Workshop Presenter, Media Interviews


DO: Pick your clothes carefully. I tend to jingle change in my pocket and put my hands in the pockets. The former gives off a signal that I’m nervous and the latter gives a signal that I don’t want to be there. Although both may be true, I have a job to do so just take away the temptation and wear something with no pockets. Most of my suit jackets still have the pockets stitched up. Extra tip: If there is a possibility of television press coverage, wear any color shirt except white and choose solid colors vs. patterns


DON’T: Point when you talk to people. A study comparing audiences of the same speech delivered with different body language, found that 68% of audience members who were pointed at didn’t hear the message and left with a negative opinion of the speaker.


DO: Talk with open palms – it conveys sincerity and trust


DO: Locate receptive/engaged people seated in the left, right and center of the audience and rotate making eye contact with them. It will appear you are looking at everyone in the audience but won’t seem so intimidating for you.


Social Settings: Mixers, Parties, Conferences


DO: Stand with feet no wider than your shoulders (less for women), and keep your arms in an open position. Hold a drink if you need a crutch; it’s small enough to not appear as a barrier.


DON’T: Stand apart from the crowd or cross your legs and/or arms – you will give off signals that you are unapproachable.


DO: Smile. It’s contagious. It doesn’t have to be an animated toothy smile – just be pleasant.


DO: Walk slowly to mingle, look among the clusters of people for a friend or someone who makes friendly eye contact.


Pitches/Interviews


DO: Control what you can about the agent/editor’s body position. Offer to shake their hand when you approach. Hand them a business card as you sit down. This will open their upper body at least momentarily, which makes them more receptive to receiving information.


DON’T: Play with your hair when pitching as it depicts insecurity and shyness.


DO: Mirror their body language subtly. If they itch their face, then touch your face shortly after. If they take a drink then you might choose to touch your glass, pick it up or drink yourself. Mirroring is way to build rapport at the subconscious level. Watch (loving) couples in restaurants to see mirroring in action.


DO: Keep both feet on the floor and sit with good posture, leaning a bit forward if possible. If the agent/editor mirrors this position then you have an interested audience.


These body language tips will certainly get you started in the right direction. If you have an interest to use body language more extensively and efficiently, you will need to identify a person’s normal movements and read their gestures in clusters.


Do you have any body language suggestions that work for you? Do you have a situation/scenario that you’d like help with? Leave a comment and let’s discuss!


Best Wishes,


Julia

Next week's guest: 2008 Golden Heart winner and now NAL/Signet Eclipse author, Annette McCleave.