Crit partners

I belong to a crit group like many authors. We call ourselves the Pink Martinis. I can’t tell you all how wonderful it is to hang out with these ladies and talk writing. Yesterday I met with two of the other members (there is usually 4 of us but one couldn’t make it) and we had a very productive day. Three of us were starting new stories and we brainstormed and plotted out three books, Black Heart’s Bride was one of them. I am very excited about the story and used today to write down everything that we discussed to happen. I totally love the plotline. I was accused of being in love with my hero, Captain Mendoza. You know, I think a writer has to fall in love with their hero a little. At least that is my opinion.

My crit group is a great group of ladies living in Florida: Margaret “Glen” McCafferty, Tara Greenbaum and Shannon Greenland. Glen is working on a great idea for a novella for the Ellora’s Cave younger man/older woman series. I think the story has big possibilities. I hope she gets to work on it so I can read it. Tara plotted out a EC Quickie featuring a ghost! It’s a great idea. Pretty sure it is going to be hot. Yeah, they are both hoping to get a foot in the door at EC. I probably gush over EC a lot. I can’t help it, I do like it there.

Tara is over at Echelon with a short story, Traffic Jam. If you haven’t read it, go now and get it. It’s wonderful. Looks like she wil be coming to Red Rose Publishing with a short contemporary romance involving a Navy SEAL.

Glen and I are going to the GA conference in Sept. I am hoping Tara will come along too. Should be a lot of fun. I am hoping to chat a bit more with the agent I am interested in having rep me.

My only crit partners aren’t the Pink Martinis. I crit with Sloan McBride. She is a newbie author with two books coming out over at NCP soon. I think one is a historical and one is a time travel. She is working on a paranormal fantasy right now that was requested by NY. I am crossing my fingers for her. She doesn’t write erotic, so every time I write something like “cunt” she highlights it, questioning its use. It’s kind of funny. I didn’t let her read all of Crossed Swords though. There in parts in it I think would make her very nervous. LOL

I definitely thing any author out there wanting to improve their writing needs to get with a partner(s) to plot and crit. It is all a learning experience.

Reposted from my blog.

Comic by Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Inkygirl Inkygirl