Proud Writer Moments
Can I share my happiness? Y’all know about secret pseudonym and her erotic stories. Well, you don’t know who she is, but you know I’m too much of a silly prude to tell you. 
You’ve heard me laugh about her first story, where she got stuck because it was written and published serially, and she had to write herself out of a corner by switching heroes halfway between. Just to think of it makes me laugh. The dialogue, the non-paragraphs… it’s hilarious.
(And this first/third person thing is confusing me. I think Facebook statuses have scarred my writing craft.)
Unfortunately, the following two or three years of stories after that were not that interesting. They’re not terrible enough to laugh myself to tears, and not good enough to bother looking at. Just… blah. If you go for the sort of thing I write about, I suppose it will satisfy.
The fact that those stories were out there always embarrassed me, to be frank. When they were put out in the world, I cringed a little inside and tried to forget about them. That’s life, I suppose. I actually kept a copy of Nora’s first book (omg, not so great) in my writing bag to remind myself that it’s okay to have a… shaky start.
About three or four years ago, there was a big shift when I started writing a ton of words a month. Because I was writing a series for each of the two little pubs, they left them on their sites and didn’t put them out in the world after six months (like they usually do), so the subscribers could always refer back to them as they read the next story in the series.
My rambling point is that, for the first time, a story I love and am proud of is finally going to be released out in the big, bad world. And it has a BEAUTIFUL cover. I don’t know who she’s hired, but I think it’s the prettiest cover I’ve ever seen. And it’s the series I’m most proud of writing, too!
I can’t wait until it’s out there; this is such a new feeling for me. I think I’m going to have to redesign pseudonym’s site for it.
What’s your proudest moment as a writer?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
Yay! Congratulations!
I’m so excited, Kate!
October 21, 2004. The first day as a full-time writer.
Back in 1993, when I sold my first piece (I’d had some pubbed for free before), an essay in TRAVERSE Magazine titled “Blue Heaven.”
Really, Mark? I thought it was ages and ages ago that you started out freelancing! Well, five years is a long time ago, though.
We should have a “birthday” party for it on your blog, or something! A five-year anniversary isn’t just any old anniversary. I wonder when Eric’s is?
Wow, that is cool, about your essay!
Congratulations! I was proud of my first short story sale, but my proudest was probably with my book before last when I knew that was good, that I finally got it. When I look at what I wrote before then, there’s a big difference in everything — pacing, writing, characterization. It’s all much better.
Edie, isn’t it great? I have a turning-point book where I finally started touching readers, and then one when I finally seemed to start “getting it.”
Like you, the sales are proud moments, but they are fleeting. A book you’re proud of sticks, you know?
Congratulations. I know how good it feels to see a great cover for your book. Poisoned Pen Press sent Mary and me a .jpg of the cover of our first book Christmas Eve. How cool is that?
My proudest moment I guess is when Mary and I were told PPP was buying our first novel, although my first non-local sale — a humorous essay to to Baby Talk — was also big.
As for my freelancing…that began, more or less ( actually mostly less at the time) when I was laid off in April, 1994. But I have mostly worked for legal publishers, writing the sort of thing on contract which I wrote as an employee legal editor, so I have not really had to work at endlessly selling stories, novels, articles etc. quite like Mark or a “real” freelancer would need to. That said, there is no security and our books are a significant part of our rather insignificant income!
I think this last cover of yours is my favorite, Eric. And what a great Christmas gift!
I know what you mean about fiction being a significant part of a rather insignificant income. I think many would feel my writing income insignificant, LOL, but to me, it’s everything!
Congrats!
I know another published somebody!
LOL! They’re all over the place, G!
That is so exciting!! What a thrill!!
Thanks, Nadine!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!! Huzzah!!
So is it going to be in bookstores everywhere, or just through mail/Amazon or what? Will you be able to download it to your kindle??
You simply must send me an email or something when it is out and let me know where to find it.
Congratulations again!
Amazon, yes, Kindle, yes, the small press store, yes. Usually she releases it in a couple other places, but not in bookstores.
Thanks, Elizabeth!
That’s cool. Glad to hear it, and congrats. I sure wish you’d tell us who but I understand.
LOL, Charles! You know, I once told my RWA group. I couldn’t write for months after, and I wasn’t as honest. Then one of my RWA friends wanted to enroll her kids in lessons, and that just freaked me out. I don’t feel comfortable with sex anywhere near kids. That’s just me.
I do think I should be more open, and I won’t be devastated if it gets out, but for the time being, I gotta self-protect my work’s honesty and my future Plan B. If I ever return to teaching little kids, I just don’t think it would be good. And seeing as how that’s my only other marketable skill, LOL…
But I do plan on writing stuff I can put my real name on and share a-plenty!
Congratulations on the book deal, Spy.
Myself, I wouldn’t worry about what people would think if I wrote erotica. It’s fiction. But the important thing about sex, and some do tend to forget this, that it is part of a normal, healthy adult relationship. The kinky S&M stuff isn’t normal.
LOL, Barbara! Well I’m definitely kinky and definitely not normal.
For me, I’m very much of the to-each-his-own mentality. I’ve never felt like promoting my pseudonym’s books, and generally don’t, because I figure the people who love what I write about will find me, and the people who don’t are happier not finding me.
Congratulations, Natasha!!! That’s wonderful!!
My proudest moments as a writer are when kids and their parents have read my book and bring it to me to sign. I practically explode with pride. It’s beyond corny.
I LOVE your book, Robin! I just love, love, love it. I only wish more parents would read it!
Congratulations!!
Congratulations on publication of a story you love in a format you love!
Now I finally understand the mystery. At first I thought you weren’t published yet – because I assumed any published author would promote her work on her blog, and I couldn’t find yours. Then I read a different post about serials, which referred to your being on number six. I pondered your lists of interests in several places, many of which don’t list writing first. Yet your about section on this blog referred to you as a traveling writer, not piano teacher.
I’m looking forward to any future work you feel like linking to from here. Congratulations once again!
Thanks, David! My bits on the web are confusing, huh? I do have an essay in my “real name” in Perfectly Plum (to the right). I kinda like my setup, as I don’t believe in writing about writing on my pseudonym’s blog, because I fear it spoils the magic. As far as piano teaching, up until August, I was teaching piano full-time, so I sorta had to list it first, LOL, and be a little more secretive about my writing.
I’m not published with New York, so you can call me unpublished if you want.
I feel like I have a lot in common with other unpublished writers!