Writing for Different Publishers by Shirlee McCoy

Shirlee McCoy

July marks the release of my 27th book for Love Inspired Suspense. In November of this year, my first small town romance will be published by Kensington Publication. It’s the first in a three book series set in Apple Valley, Washington. After nearly ten years writing exclusively for Harlequin, it is strange and exciting to write for another publishing house. I wouldn’t exactly call this new venture a change in direction. I will, after all, continue to write Love Inspired Suspense books. It’s more the next step in a plan I set in motion when I first got published. I’ve always wanted to write longer books, and Kensington has given me the opportunity to do that.

A few of my readers have asked me what the difference is between what I write for Harlequin and what I’m publishing with Kensington. It really boils down to this – My Love Inspired Suspense books are Christian romantic suspense. My Kensington books are sweet small town romances. While each character in my Love Inspired books embarks on a faith journey, my Kensington books are not necessarily about Christians. While the characters are often searching for deeper meaning in life, there isn’t an overt faith message. There’s also a significant difference in word count. My Love Inspired books are between 55 and 60 thousand words. My Kensington books are 80K. For readers, that’s the difference between a book that’s approximately 220 pages and one that is approximately 350.

I could say more about how the books differ, but there are also ways that they are similar. No matter what publishing house I’m writing for, I explore the relationships that define us. In every book, my characters must come to terms with their pasts in order to embrace their futures. This often means forgiving and moving on, learning to trust again, believing that love can exist a second time around. Each of my characters is on a quest to find the things that all humans desire – love and acceptance, meaning and purpose. So, while the genres are different, the themes are very similar.

And, of course, the enjoyment I get from writing them is always the same!

Dora here.  Do you write for different publishers?

Care to share your experiences?

Defender for Hire
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Someone was watching her…

No matter how many times Tessa Camry moves, her mysterious tormentor always finds her… and leaves a grim reminder of all she’s lost. But, this year, no longer content to deliver roses, her stalker wants her dead. When former soldier Seth Sinclair becomes her bodyguard, he encourages her to stand her ground, even if it means letting go of long-held secrets. Seth realizes that Tessa may be his second chance at love, but their future depends on finding the man determined that Tessa never forgets the past. 

Award winning author Shirlee McCoy has published 27 books with Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense. Along with writing inspirational romantic suspense, Shirlee writes small town romance for Kensington. A homeschooling mother to five, she lives in the beautiful inland Northwest with her husband, three teenage sons, two tween daughters, a dog, two cats and a bird. Needless to say, her life is never boring!

The first book in her Apple Valley series, The House on Main Street, will be out in November 2013.  Holiday Hero, her twenty-eighth title with Love Inspired Suspense, releases the same month.

My Writer's World by Sandra Orchard

What a treat to be invited to share with you! I hope you enjoy this peek into my workspace.

Over the years, I’ve gone from commandeering small corners of the house to now having my own office with every organizational perk I’ve ever wanted. Like the journey to being published, my dream office took years to build.

 

My first investment was this large bulletin board, which I use as a storyboard. I divided it into four rows of five chapters each to see at a glance where my major plot twists should happen. When ideas come to me, I write them on post-it notes and then pin them in the general area where I think they might fit.

Along the side of the board are charts outlining the typical plot points I’ll want to touch on in the hero and heroine’s journeys.

The cupboard is great for laying out materials I’ve gathered in research, not to mention all that filing space. I love filing space, which brings me to my next acquisition…

I looooove this organizer. It’s actually a little empty since I cleared away the notes and drafts from my two now-published books. I keep workshop notes from online classes in the binders. For another series I’m working on, I use a portfolio with clear plastic sleeves to store the character, setting and plot details I’ll need to remember from book to book.

I use that spool of paper on the bottom right shelf when brainstorming. I write out ideas and connect them like a giant mind map diagram.

Of course, my desk is the heart of my writing center. My husband gave me the iMac for our anniversary last year. Isn’t he a sweetheart? It’s made a world of difference to my productivity--much less fatiguing than working on the old PC laptop and 100x faster. I use MS Office for Mac, and save my documents to Dropbox. That way, when I want to sit somewhere else to write or edit, the documents sync to my netbook.

Yes, I know. I am totally spoiled. Of course, when the days get colder, I’ll often curl up in the recliner near the woodstove with my notepad and pen, instead. Words seem to flow more effortlessly when writing in longhand.

In the interest of full disclosure: I cleaned up my office before taking these photos.

As much as, I like a tidy desk space, it rarely is. I usually have scene notes and post-it notes on every available surface…except the window. Have to be able to enjoy the view! 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this cyber walk through my office.  

Have I inspired any changes to your own workspace?

 

 

Sandra Orchard hails from rural Ontario, Canada where inspiration abounds for her romantic suspense novels set in the fictional Niagara town she's created as their backdrop. Critical Condition (October 2012) is the third book in her Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense series, Undercover Cops: Fighting for justice puts their lives—and hearts—on the line.

Sandra enjoys offering her readers book “extras” to enhance their reading experience. You can check these out, along with other resources for readers and writers, at her website: http://www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at: http://www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard