Contract Day

When I published The Belly Dancer, my big goal was for the novel to do well enough that I would be able to publish a second novel.

Well, I have to come up with a new goal because here's the contract for book No. 2.

There's no title yet, but here's the tidy blurb the lovely people (probably my awesome editor) at Berkley wrote:

A novel set in turn of the century New York City, about a young chorus girl whose love of dancing leads her on a quest to save a venerable vaudeville house from closing its doors, and who discovers in the process the price -- and value -- of true love.

My deadline for the manuscript is April 2011, so the book will be out, I'd expect, sometime in 2012.

I'm so excited about this story, and I've been spending a lot of time -- a lot -- researching the vaudeville world. A world that's full of colorful characters, big dreams, wit, drama -- everything a storyteller could hope for. And there's dancing! (If you know me at all, you had to know there would be dancing.)

I'm thrilled for so many reasons, not least of which is that this will be the first time I'm writing a novel on a deadline. The ex-journalist in me is so up for that challenge.

Which reminds me, I still need to finish today's pages... :-)

BACKSTORY: The story behind AWAKENED BY A KISS, by Lila DiPasqua

Historical romance author Lila DiPasqua makes her publishing debut tomorrow with AWAKENED BY A KISS, a collection of stories based on three classic fairy tales, scandalously retold, and marks the first in the author’s Fiery Tales series.

DiPasqua’s “lushly erotic writing is sophisticated, sensuous, and deeply romantic,” says bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt.
During the submission process, DiPasqua received two offers of representation, and the contract with a New York publishing house followed shortly thereafter.

“My editor at Berkley told me she read the book on the train to work and didn’t want the train to stop so she could keep reading to the end,” DiPasqua recalls. “The book is a fresh take on classic fairy tales as I’ve set the book in the very place and time when the genre of fairy tales was born.”

The series will continue in November with THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED, a collection of three more hot stories.

What is your writing process? Do you outline, or do you write by the seat of your pants?

I do a little of both, actually. I write a general outline before I start a book. I’ll know the characters and I’ll have some scenes drafted out. Then I dive into the book and let the muse take me where it wants. It’s a little scary and exciting at the same time.

How much time do you spend writing each week?

I write from Monday to Friday, during the day when my kids are at school. Depending on the deadline, I may write on weekends, too. I try to write a certain number of pages per day, but some days the muse leaves the building. I visit Facebook or Twitter until it returns.

How do you get yourself in a writing frame of mind?

I turn on classical music. I write historical romance and it definitely puts me in the “historical” frame of mind. Plus, it’s simply beautiful to listen to. To change things up, I sometimes listen to new age music when I write. Either helps to keep me focused.

What was the best advice you’ve received about writing?

Make sure your book has *escalating* conflict from the beginning until the black moment. That will prevent the book from having a saggy middle. For the main characters, the conflict can be internal, or coming from external pressures. Either way, the conflict should continue to build until the climax of the story. Sounds basic and common sense, right? But awhile back, as a new writer, when I heard that I had a huge light bulb moment.

What is something you know now about writing or publishing in general that you wish you had known when you started?

Organizing your time between writing and promoting is key. You can’t simply sit back and wait for the sales to roll in. You have to promote the book with as much passion as you had when you wrote it. As a debut author, I honestly had no idea just how much time and work authors put into promoting their work. It’s given me a whole new respect for authors—especially those who have established themselves in the publishing world.

How do you overcome writers block, or any rough patch as you’re working on a story?

I have amazing critique partners! I get writers’ block when I hit a snag in the plot. Discussing the problem with my critique partners always does the trick.

Do you work with a critique group?

Yes! I have a critique group, five wonderfully talented writers who are worth their weight in gold! We’ve been together for years. We’ve worked on many manuscripts together. Before being published, we used to get together once a week, but deadlines make that a bit difficult. Now we simply exchange chapters as we need. Their feedback is invaluable to me.

What is your favorite book on the craft of writing?

GMC: GOAL, MOTIVATION & CONFLICT, by Debra Dixon. It’s one of my first books on writing. I have it by my desk. It’s easy to digest, clear and concise.

What books are currently on your to-be-read list?

My to-be-read pile is huge, but on the top is Lisa Kleypas’s latest series (The Hathaways). I’ve heard so many wonderful things about this series and I can’t wait to dive in.

For more about Lila DiPasqua and her books, visit http://www.liladipasqua.com/.