tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67950130434866902062012-02-16T09:49:54.787-05:00I Am Not A-Mused.O Muses, O high genius, aid me now!
O memory that engraved the things I saw,
Here shall your worth be manifest to all!Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.comBlogger771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-82555611022598479082011-01-03T08:19:00.001-05:002011-01-03T08:33:58.141-05:00I am not a-writing here, anymore!If you'd like to see what I'm up to, please come visit me at my new home: Positively Cyn-full.
Thank you and HAPPY NEW YEAR!Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-32079811775263776502010-11-29T07:55:00.000-05:002010-11-29T07:55:35.519-05:00movingCome join me at my new and probably not much improved blog at: www.cynthiaselwyn.blogspot.com.
Thank you for your patronage. ;)Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-49294055113241449982010-10-06T15:04:00.002-04:002010-10-06T15:08:30.717-04:00Book Giveaway!Author Carrie Pulkinen's book, Sweet Release, is coming out on Friday and she's giving away a free copy!
All you need to do is click on the link and comment on Carrie's blog: Sweet Release's sweet release
Ain't that a purty cover?Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-3237707123345919382010-10-05T12:11:00.000-04:002010-10-05T12:11:44.631-04:00Conflict......there's never too much conflict in a story.
Last night, I figured out what my hero has to do to solve his problem. My problem is--will it be so much of a sacrifice for him? Or is it something he'd be happy to do anyway?
Could the conflict be that the woman he's going to sacrifice for not want him to sacrifice himself? Or that she doesn't believe his sacrifice will make a difference? And howCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-23529626807080363742010-10-04T09:43:00.000-04:002010-10-04T09:43:34.219-04:00The Muse has paid a visit!YAAAAAY!
I'm happy to report that I wrote seven pages (that's almost two thousand words) of a novella this weekend.
It's a Christmas story and it probably won't make it to the publisher in time, but...well, if that's the case, I'll just post it somewhere. Like, here. The title is, Naughty Can Be Nice. (Hmmm...do you suppose it might be a tad erotic?)
Dear Muse, thank you for the visit. I've Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-83546810024091112642010-09-21T09:23:00.000-04:002010-09-21T09:23:25.088-04:00The Food Fairy Came!This post is intended mainly for any readers I have who are (God, I hate this term) homemakers. The rest of you can roll your eyes and go read something more interesting. Like...the weather.
For the trapped-at-home moms out there: The Food Fairy arrived! And she looked like a member of ZZ Top with a lip ring.
I don't know why I haven't taken advantage of this before now. Stop&Shop has this Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-89148525252529543682010-09-06T21:59:00.001-04:002010-09-06T22:07:11.593-04:00Point of View. Again.I'm editing yet another manuscript where the author's point of view hops all over the place and I'm perplexed. Why is this happening?
Is there any way I can help writers understand this concept or learn this technique? What do you need to know? What don't you understand?
Because I'm getting cranky, people. Really, really cranky. To the point where, if I see even a shade of headhopping, I'm Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-90291774286393583742010-09-02T10:46:00.000-04:002010-09-02T10:46:18.401-04:00W.I.P.: First chapter, The Girl and the Goombah
Chapter One
"What is this?" Francesca Albasiano's father wrinkled his nose at the pizza she held. "It's pizza, Pop. Pesto pizza." Chesca kept her voice light, despite her feelings to the contrary. Her Nonni, hiding in the kitchen doorway out of his sight, made the thumbs up sign. "Pesto? Annnng. You're the pest. That's what." He shook his head. "This isCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-80821892498818912372010-09-01T00:00:00.000-04:002010-08-31T17:48:31.753-04:00Back to school: A lesson in point of viewThis post is for all the writers out there, especially those who are yet to be published. For everyone who's already got a handle on the following subject, you can go here and enjoy, especially if you're a True Blood fan: http://babyvamp-jessica.com/ (If you're not a True Blood fan, you're out of luck. Sorry.)
As you may or may not know, I edit for two different e-publishers. So I get to see a Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-86535286146262543852010-07-21T05:20:00.005-04:002010-07-21T05:20:00.186-04:00It's a Matter of PerspectiveOkay, kids. This editor is cranky. We're going to go over Point of View today, AGAIN, and this time, I want you to pay attention. Because I'm getting mighty annoyed at seeing the same mistakes over and over and over again.
When you are writing in a character's point of view, you must remain in their head and see only (I repeat ONLY) with their eyes. This doesn't mean their eyes can suddenly Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-15888207080446766182010-04-26T08:37:00.000-04:002010-04-26T08:37:14.048-04:00Monday Manuscript Fix: Can this chapter be saved?One of my critique partners (also an editor for a different epublisher) pointed out that--in her opinion--the entire first chapter of my current w.i.p. is backstory. (If you heard a primal scream earlier this morning, that was me. Sorry.)
Ah, backstory. Sometimes it sits there out in the open, being itself: a bunch of information setting the stage, introducing the characters and maybe even Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-21948583817641189172010-04-23T11:37:00.001-04:002010-04-23T11:48:03.883-04:00Fiction Focus Friday!Yay!
My ten-year-old son's baseball teammate slept over last night; the two of them plus my three-year-old boy are all talking to me at once (or were, until I shooed them outside to irritate the neighbor with their yelling--honestly, she's such a bi-otch...she once yelled at a landscaper for blowing leaves because she couldn't sleep at 8:30 am. And she doesn't even work third shift, like my Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-67982227382338998842010-04-21T08:59:00.000-04:002010-04-21T08:59:01.540-04:00Wednesday W.I.P.FixHow are your words working for you?
Recently I edited a book where the author had a habit of writing that the character "kind of" did something.
Jane kind of twitched. Bob kind of ate his sandwich. Cynthia kind of got stuck on -itch words.
I'm not sure why she did this, but I can tell you--I kind of got annoyed with it after awhile. Not only is it extraneous wording (don't forget your Strunk Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-20214991560071145102010-04-16T17:43:00.000-04:002010-04-16T17:43:11.753-04:00Fiction tip Friday: Di-uh-logical Um-brage.Dear Writers:
Here's a tip for you: Dialogue is not like speech.
Speech, what we humans emit, is replete with well, you knows, yeahs, yups, ums. uhs, ohs, ha's, huhs and even ayuhs.
Though it's good to try to replicate speech--to some extent--in your dialogue, never forget that the main purpose of the conversations your characters have is to tell your story in a dynamic, cohesive way. AddingCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-26600383873223050072010-04-13T23:20:00.002-04:002010-04-13T23:45:53.522-04:00Word Nerd WednesdayI'm going to get t-shirts made with the slogan: Word Nerd on them.
Word: concept, designation, expression, idiom, lexeme, locution, morpheme, name, phrase, sound, term, usage, utterance, vocable...
Nerd: Part of Speech: noun; Definition: geek
Synonyms: dolt, dork, dweeb, fool, goober, goofball, jerk*, oaf, techie, trekkie, weirdo
Notes: a geek is any smart person with an obsessive interest, Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-64780883790308414262010-04-12T13:07:00.000-04:002010-04-12T13:07:37.788-04:00Trying to get organized.
My husband will tell you I'm anything but organized. I'd like to disagree with him; pre-Mommyhood (aka "the time before the brain got sucked out of my head and replaced with rainbows and fairy dust), I was the Queen of Organized.
Color coding. Charts. Calendars. Schedules. Menu plans. A place for everything and everything in its place. File folders. Budgets. Bills paid (on time!). Balanced Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-15830364012910703582010-04-10T10:02:00.000-04:002010-04-10T10:02:01.413-04:00Another first!Today, I'm doing my first presentation as a "professional, published author".
I'm so excited. I don't know about you, but when I was writing and hoping to be published, I wasn't dreaming of the day I'd see my words in print, or my cover or do a booksigning or any o'that stuff. I was looking forward to doing a presentation.
It's a dream come true.
Wierd, huh?
Most people rate the thought ofCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-26307564478540542332010-03-29T22:00:00.000-04:002010-03-29T22:00:12.073-04:00What's your name?Dear Authors: it's dark-hearted muttering time. Ready?
I appreciate your creativity and the thought you've put into your pseudonyms. Honestly. And really, I know you think you're being very clever when you come up with something like:
Stormie Skyes.
Sunny Daye.
Misty Dawn.
Red Hott
But the truth? When I read names like this on submissions, I roll my eyes and gag. It's like being stuck on the Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-8908863939385743762010-03-29T09:38:00.001-04:002010-03-29T09:45:16.076-04:00Red Sails got four stars!...from Manic Readers.
I really love this book. It was a little bit like Dracula meets the Pirates of the Caribbean, with some werewolves thrown in for fun. What I really enjoyed, however--forgive me while I begin sounding like the English major that I was--is Edward Erdelac's use of language. It's a genuine sea story, with a rhythm and texture that reminded me of Melville (only less dense and Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-83467838243745308932010-03-24T15:02:00.002-04:002010-03-24T15:07:37.060-04:00Promotion is a never-ending process--so get started: an article by Lyrical author, Gwenna SebastianThe following article was written for me by author, Gwenna Sebastian, who is already jumping on the promotion train. And I'm glad--her book is fabulous. (I should know...I demanded to be her editor. )
A few days ago, I mentioned to Cyn that I'd managed to get myself booked for several blog interviews. She immediately wanted me to spill my secret on how I managed to do that. In all honesty, I'm Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-20591886119477750852010-03-22T22:54:00.000-04:002010-03-22T22:54:59.988-04:00Funny thing happened on the way to my birthday...So I turned 45 on March 14th. Gasp. (They grow up so fast...)
My husband threw a birthday bash for me; it was going to be a surprise party, but he decided to tell me about it that morning by whispering, "Happy Birthday. I invited my mom and your parents over for your birthday. My friend Steve might come over, too. Make sure the house is clean." and falling asleep. (He works third shift.)
So whileCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-68366305319050668122010-03-19T07:44:00.001-04:002010-03-20T13:23:27.991-04:00An interview with Lyrical author Nyki BlatchleyToday, I'd like to introduce you to Nyki Blatchley. His latest book, Kaydana and the Dragon Prince, was released this week by Lyrical Press and is available now.
I'm pleased to say I worked on this book with Nyki; spending time with Kaydana was amazing. She's a great character and I'm looking forward to editing the next book in the series, Kaydana and the Pool of the Gods so I can spend more Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-4386157761287764602010-02-25T03:10:00.001-05:002010-02-25T03:11:46.408-05:00It's a Major Award.No, not this kind.
It's not even Frah-geeel-eh. Or, Italian. (For those of my readers saying, "huh?", I refer you to the wonderful Christmas movie, A Christmas Story, based on a series of stories by American humorist, Jean Shepard.)
Nope. It's this kind of award, bestowed upon me by my friend and critique partner, Joyce Yip. (Joyce is also one of my fans, which is kind of a cool thing to be Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-82512100605359119562010-02-23T10:42:00.001-05:002010-02-25T02:48:59.359-05:00Wha' happened?My husband had plans for Valentine's Day, this year. Probably for the first time in almost twenty years of marriage, he decided to take me out for dinner.
What he didn't count on was that I wouldn't be able to order more than some hot tea and soup that remained completely untouched.
Or that I'd hiss and shiver every time the car hit a bump--or maybe even just a pebble--in the road.
Or that Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-46304558081614556092010-02-12T11:23:00.003-05:002010-02-12T17:07:17.168-05:00Fiction Focus Friday: Between the Sheets.Yesterday, I made you go search for an article quoting moi, among some best-selling, big name authors about writing sex scenes.
Today, I’m going to share with you some words of sex scene wisdom from five other erotica writers: Nyki Blatchley (Kaydana the Sorceress series and others ), Annie Nicholas(Angler, Book One: Bait), Isobael Lui (Moonlight and Magick: Where magick dances in the Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-79609459774303288382010-02-11T13:05:00.000-05:002010-02-11T13:05:01.201-05:00How to give an interview about writing a sex scene...In keeping with this week's theme: I'm quoted in an article on writing sex scenes in The Mercury. With Annette Blair and Hannah Howell and Donna Morin Russo!
Okay, so...well...gee. I'm thrilled. Anyhow, check it out. :)
HOW TO WRITE A SEX SCENE
Tap into emotion, pace the panting and, hey, lay off the body parts now
BY JANINE WEISMAN
Cynthia D’Attilio wants to get one thing straight: the bodyCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-39660082578537519062010-02-09T11:03:00.000-05:002010-02-09T11:03:59.587-05:00Tasteful Tuesday: Let's (Not)Talk about Sex.eu·phe·mism
AC_FL_RunContent = 0;
var interfaceflash = new LEXICOFlashObject ( "http://sp.ask.com/dictstatic/d/g/speaker.swf", "speaker", "17", "15", "", "6");interfaceflash.addParam("loop", "false");interfaceflash.addParam("quality", "high");interfaceflash.addParam("menu", "false");interfaceflash.addParam("salign", "t");interfaceflash.addParam("FlashVars", "soundUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsp.ask.com%Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-77508085815338043392010-02-07T22:44:00.003-05:002010-02-07T22:51:40.424-05:00A Night Owl Review Top Pick!I got the most exciting news tonight. (Other than the Saints winning the Superbowl, of course. But that's a post for a different day...probably a different blog, come to think of it. But really. Drew Brees.)
ANYHOOT--Night Owl Reviews gave Kissing Trick 5 out of 5 stars! I'm so...just...wow. Thank you, Melinda, for your time and your praise.
To read the wonderful review she wrote for me, go Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-85258322011176489972010-02-06T08:40:00.000-05:002010-02-06T08:40:07.650-05:00Fiction Focus Friday: Point of View Due to a recent sinus infection, this Friday post is being posted on Saturday. If you don't understand, you've never had sinus issues. I suggest you try them; they're so much fun.
My first novel. I didn't just head hop, I leaped. Everyone had a point of view. Even the horse.
And the point-of-view didn't change per scene. It was per line. As an editor (and a writer) I see other writers making Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-1072715454546009382010-02-02T12:36:00.002-05:002010-02-02T12:43:11.859-05:00Cowboy up for my new release!Alex Deville writes historical fiction, not erotica. But now, her editor wants her to write a story about a cowboy and a bordello and gives Alex a “present” to aid her. Can she do it? Will Alex, a woman who writes sweets, be able to come up with enough erotic scenarios to write a best seller, the best seller her editor is hoping for?
Zach O’Conner is a cowboy cursed by his own looks. His best Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-7906424642366266082010-02-01T01:29:00.002-05:002010-02-01T01:34:22.642-05:00Manuscript Fix Monday: Enh...I feel enh today.
Writing is hard.
Sometimes reading is hard, too.
Reading bad submissions is especially hard. You know the author has high hopes for their book, but your taste and theirs doesn't match. Enh.
I used to get so mad when I'd hear about a rejection that said, "I just didn't fall in love with it." I used to think that was lame. I mean...what does it mean?
It means...enh.
Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-17534294181739026822010-01-30T20:49:00.014-05:002010-01-31T00:33:24.524-05:00Synopsis Psychosis: Part Three. The End and an ExampleYesterday, I wrote about complications as the points you must concentrate upon as you write your synopsis. Each complication (or twist) in your plot is a paragraph of your synopsis; you write from complication to complication until you get the resolution of your story, which is The End.
One thing I didn’t touch on (because I didn’t want anyone to need a Xanax) is the second part of the Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-29896298632206254762010-01-30T03:01:00.000-05:002010-01-30T03:01:54.090-05:00Sorry for the delay.Sick kids. Sick Mommy. Sick Daddy.
It's 2:58 a.m on Friday into Saturday. and the three-year-old might fall asleep soon. Ear infections suck. (Ooh! Idea for my w.i.p....)
If my head doesn't explode from compacted sinuses/fever, I'll post the rest tomorrow.
Again, I apologize. But in the world of priorities, it's always family (kids!) first. Much to my chagrin and disappointment.
Greatest Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-30832778977392684502010-01-28T19:23:00.002-05:002010-01-28T19:37:16.869-05:00Psynopsis Sycosis, part two: Things Get ComplicatedYesterday, I left off at “the inciting incident”, also known as “the moment of change” or even, “the call to adventure”. (For more about this particular use of the term, I suggest you read ChristopherVogler’s The Writer’s Journey.) I don’t want to go into this too deeply here; for our purposes, all we need to know is this inciting incident is the information you want to place in your first Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-32308525905534785942010-01-27T10:29:00.003-05:002010-01-27T10:42:07.560-05:00Synopsis Psychosis, Part OneIt’s inevitable. Whenever someone sends you their synopsis, you receive something like this:
Here’s my synopsis. It sucks.
When I write a synopsis, my voice changes. It sounds awful.
I hate my synopsis.
I can’t write!
For some reason, writing a synopsis inspires…psychosis.
psychosis [(seye-koh-sis)]
A severe mental disorder, more serious than neurosis, characterized by disorganized thought Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-12586471873733992192010-01-22T12:25:00.001-05:002010-01-22T12:39:19.487-05:00Fiction-focus Friday: Character buildingSo last night I worked on my workshop and realized: Crap, this is a lot of stuff to think about.
One bit o'stuff I touched on is your character tag.
I'm not sure where I learned about the character tag formula I'm about to show you so I can't give credit where it's due. Somewhere out there, is a writer who came up with this:
adjective+noun+name=character description
Example:
devoted Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-4527186420008265162010-01-21T16:29:00.001-05:002010-01-21T16:44:35.538-05:00Thoughtful Thursday: Qualities for a good query.Okay. Stop yawning and pay attention. This is important.
It's all about first impressions.
Before I became an editor, I thought everyone was like me. For each and every submission, I spent hours making sure all words were properly spelled, margins were correct, the font was the acceptable size and shape and that there was nothing which would detract from the professional image I wanted to Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-54390847584687955042010-01-20T10:50:00.001-05:002010-01-20T10:54:18.200-05:00It's a two-yay day!
First of all--shameless plug time--I received confirmation today that my erotic novella, In the Cards, is going to be released on February 1st from Blade Publishing.
I'd post the pic of the cover, but it's over there ---->; in my sidebar. Somewhere.
It's got Zach on the cover. He's my hero. I wish I could yank him out of the pages of the book and keep him, even if I had to fight my critique Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-54854191420685073582010-01-18T11:09:00.002-05:002010-01-18T11:13:25.977-05:00Monday Manuscript Fix: Spell check this, please.Dear Authors: Another week has passed and another group of hopeful writers have proffered their manuscripts, thus giving me another Monday Manuscript Fix rant:
Do not rely on spell check. Do not relay on spell chick. Due knot relay in spill chick.
I know it's easy, and convenient and that nun of us make spelling mistakes. We never type the wrong word of a sentence. We really don't knead to ask Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-56904941695471730592010-01-14T09:35:00.001-05:002010-01-14T09:38:57.629-05:00Magic.My sister took these pics. She can. Her children are grown-up and she has a life, again. These are places that the characters in my books might go, too.
These are winter scenes at Point Judith, in RI. I don't know about you, but when I look at these, I can feel the chill wind in my hair, smell the salt and hear the swish-hiss-sizzle of the waves on the rocks. I can hear the gulls scree-ing Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-31415846659778640782010-01-11T11:16:00.001-05:002010-01-11T11:32:45.912-05:00Manuscript-Fix Monday: show and tellOne of my crit partners posted a question about showing vs. telling this weekend--always a fun topic. She said that sometimes, she can't always tell the difference between the two in her own writing. And you know, it's hard to, sometimes. I don't blame her for feeling overwhelmed, especially when someone points out "this is telling" in a crit but doesn't explain why. (I'm not saying this happenedCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-88260033660987983612010-01-06T14:56:00.001-05:002010-01-06T15:07:19.610-05:00Not all pirates
...look like this.
In fact, some pirates probably look more like this:
I wouldn't doubt this geek is the same one who uploaded a copy of my friend and fellow author, Jennifer Shirk's book, Role of a Lifetime,onto their site for people to download, read and keep. That seems like a good deal, except--it's stealing.
Anytime you download a book to your computer, keep it, distribute it, upload Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-86618890510498909662010-01-03T16:21:00.002-05:002010-01-03T16:21:42.459-05:00Lyrical Call for SubmissionCall for submissions: Erotica/BDSM
Lyrical Press is actively acquiring all sub-genres of erotica, with a focus on BDSM.
Let your imagination run wild. Explore the darker side of sexuality. Shed all inhabitations and give free reign to your secret fantasies. Entangle us in a world where sexual boundaries are pushed and readers can dance on a razor’s edge of sex and danger.
Please note - LyricalCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-1565055267247110332009-12-31T08:49:00.000-05:002009-12-31T08:49:23.019-05:00I resolve...Like everyone else in the world (or mostly everyone else), I'm shucking the quest for a creative post today, to announce my New Year's Resolutions, which I will subsequently (like everyone else) forget to follow or give up following in about a week and a half, after the gleam has rubbed off the shiny new year and real life has set back in.
Anyone wishing to edit the above sentence has my Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-52503837123414088082009-12-29T12:27:00.002-05:002009-12-29T12:39:27.159-05:00My lazy American students - The Boston GlobeMy lazy American students - The Boston Globe
Posted using ShareThis
This article has practically nothing to do with what I normally write about, but I felt it interesting enough to share with you. I agree with the author in many ways, so much so that I was compelled to comment:
"I recently wondered what message students at my daughter's middle school received when she brought home a "progress Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-76664547226484214972009-12-26T15:27:00.000-05:002009-12-26T15:27:58.178-05:00The best gift, ever.My daughter gave me this letter as a Christmas gift. I'm very proud. And teary. As much as I complain about them, they really are good kids. I'm truly blessed.
Dear Mom,
Merry Christmas! It is impossible to say with words how much you mean to us. You do so much for the whole family and I think that it isn’t recognized enough. The things you do to keep this family together and functioning are Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-612378739949348102009-12-15T23:01:00.001-05:002009-12-15T23:06:15.351-05:00Glad tidings.My publisher, Lyrical Press, is about to offer a contract to a writer I know, based on my recommendation.
I'm so excited for her. She told me she's doing the Snoopy Dance, and I'm dancing right along with her.
A little over a year ago, I received a request for one of my books. I still have my acceptance email--my first one, ever:
Dear Cynthia:
I know you've been on pins and needles waitingCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-25352761232948987112009-12-13T22:08:00.000-05:002009-12-13T22:08:11.448-05:00Halleluia! (silently)If you haven't seen this yet, you should. (You probably will. If not here, somewhere else.) Sit back and enjoy. Oh! And crank up the sound, too, for added fun...
Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-39640998623028294932009-12-09T08:09:00.001-05:002009-12-09T08:12:02.750-05:00Writing AnxietyI'm gonna blow.
Any second now. I can feel it.
I haven't been able to write since September because I've been going to school and editing other people's books.
I'm getting anxious.
Random characters keep wandering into my thoughts, pushing me. "Wouldn't this by a great thing to remember for my book? You do remember my book, don't you? Don't you?"
Shane and Dale from my half-finished Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-18849266235913847622009-12-08T06:44:00.001-05:002009-12-08T07:06:53.077-05:00Free book!Want to win a free copy of my book? (e-book or print)
From now until Thursday, Dec. 10th): Go check out my review at The Long and the Short of It Reviews , then come back here and comment with the answer to the following question:
My hero, Patrick (Trick) has the power to...? You'll have to read the review to find out!
I'll draw a winner from the comments. Good luck!
(Sorry for the "Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-46735782204105762182009-12-07T10:11:00.000-05:002009-12-07T10:11:41.981-05:00Making it perfect instead of getting it "write"
My littlest guy has a favorite show: Max & Ruby. Based on the books by Rosemary Wells, it's about Max (a young bunny) and his bossy older sister, Ruby. In her perpetual quest for another Bunny Scout badge, Ruby thinks Max is in the way and tries to boss him around. But when she runs into problems, it's Max who invariably shows her the way in his persistent, mono-syllabic little brother fashion.
Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-76998268578552655862009-12-03T08:57:00.000-05:002009-12-03T08:57:48.380-05:00Virtual Christmas Cookies--and real (edible) ones, too.My friend, crit partner and Samhain author, Jennifer Shirk, is having a Christmas cookie exchange over at her blog today. Post your favorite cookie recipe on your blog, go over to her blog and leave a comment, and get entered to win a one-pound gift package from Crazy Susan's cookies.
Free cookies! Yeh!
I found my recipe in the 2007 edition of A Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies and Bars. I loveCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-7866865513923159652009-12-02T10:29:00.000-05:002009-12-02T10:29:04.114-05:00It's just plain oogy!Your cranky editor (as opposed to your cranky mommy/lighthearted-romance writer) here, with a message to writers:
Repeat after me. PEOPLE control their body parts. Independently moving body parts belong in a horror movie, NOT in a romance/erotica!
Remember Thing, from the Addams Family? Thing was a hand that lived in a box and performed menial tasks for the family in the days before remote Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-6733430910460814492009-11-30T14:27:00.000-05:002009-11-30T14:27:54.094-05:00It's beginning to look a lot like...aw, hell.It's that time of year again. I've stocked up on headache reliever and Zantac in preparation for the holiday season; it's a ritual of mine.
We all have our little holiday rituals. I used to make cookies, but then everyone went no and low-carb. So that's over.
I still do my yearly search for the most outrageous Christmas displays. (And yes, this year I've asked you to participate, for prizes.) Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-82158620754817384872009-11-29T10:23:00.002-05:002009-11-29T10:33:06.865-05:00Perfect? Or "good enough"?Part of my job as a editor at Lyrical Press is to review and accept (or reject) manuscripts. I've been doing this for a few months now, and there are a few tips I'd like to share with other writers who are hoping to get their manuscripts at least considered for acceptance.
The reason for this is that I've been a writer longer than I've been an editor; I've been a member of Passionate Critters Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-10445252255563658052009-11-28T09:05:00.003-05:002009-11-28T20:54:30.137-05:00writing and editing through the holidaysI bet you're hoping I'm going to tell you how to do it.
Sorry. I was hoping you could tell me.
Yesterday, I spent the entire day (or so it seemed) in the car or on my feet, doing stuff. Okay, grocery shoppping was a necessity, but that was it. Really. Picking up the Christmas tree and figuring out how to tie it to the roof of the Jeep,in the pouring rain, with three kids trying to "help". Not Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-79377403379402579602009-11-27T08:20:00.002-05:002009-11-27T08:30:42.051-05:00I need a vomitorium and a contest announcement
Like many Americans, yesterday I ate too much. In part, this is because my husband is half-Italian and his sister married a full Italian-American. So when they feast, they feast. In the style of the ancient Romans. We ate until we lay across the table and moaned.
And then, we ate pie.
No, seriously, it was a splendid affair. I have to give my sister-in-law internet kudos. She did an awesome Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-23789253138325244712009-11-26T10:05:00.003-05:002009-11-26T11:07:19.461-05:00Happy Root-of-All-Your-Nerosis' Day!I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I'm pretty confident that most of my family doesn't read my blog. Because I'm not a "real" writer, in their minds. (Don't ask.)
With that in mind, I can say this without hesitation: Thanksgiving is a day where you eat lots of food with your family and count your blessings that you only have to do it once a year. Now, you must understand. It's not that I Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-48874158856733681812009-11-25T15:05:00.004-05:002009-11-25T15:11:36.748-05:00Oh...f--k!Note to self: Do not edit lesbian erotica when the nine-year-old is in the room. He can read.
When you're a two (almost three)-year-old boy, it's really cool when Daddy uses a shocking word when he's angry. It's even cooler when your big brother--who you idolize--uses it when Mommy's not paying attention. It's so cool, you decide to use it yourself, all the time. Especially when Mommy tells Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-26957887666025573162009-11-20T10:23:00.000-05:002009-11-20T10:23:34.026-05:00New arrivalsUnlike everyone else in the writing world, apparently, I'm not going to blog about the recent Harlequin hoopla and ensuing RWA kerfluffle.
Instead, I'm going to blog about--my new great niece! Hello, Shae Evelyn, and welcome to the world. Weighing in at exactly 7lbs., she was born on November 18th after 2 days of labor. (Her mom, Lora, thought it was her Crohn's acting up...oops.)
Anyhow, here Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-32622680714982736762009-11-18T08:13:00.001-05:002009-11-18T08:14:24.802-05:00I just didn't fall in love with it...a tough thing to say about your own book.
Of course, I'm at the point where I loathe this particular book anyway. It's JP's story. He's one of the other McCullough brothers readers can meet in Kissing Trick, and it was the first of the books that I wrote.
I wrote it about eleven years ago. Way back when I still was trying to figure out how to properly plot a book (or plot a book in a way Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-4902165554469195462009-11-17T10:25:00.000-05:002009-11-17T10:25:26.677-05:00Ch-ch-ch-changes...I'm sad, today.
I have to drop out of my writer's group. I can't go to meetings, I barely have time to post to the loop and I need to focus on what my family needs instead of what I want. (Or need.)
Rhode Island Romance Writers was the first writers group I ever belonged to. Filled with amazing, supportive, smart and savvy women, it was the first place I realized I wasn't alone in hearing Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-59697190432000803912009-11-16T11:04:00.001-05:002009-11-16T12:03:23.773-05:00What? Another new genre?One of my crit partners posted this to the Passionate Critters forum, today.
The Agency Gatekeeper Blog and Georgia McBride's site let me know about this new contest by St. Martin's Press. Previously, we've talked about the emerging genres of cyberbilly, elegant erotica, and quagmire fiction. Now it's "New Adult." (By the way, I love subgenre categories - I find that stuff fascinating.)
Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-3076008944037327292009-11-14T13:21:00.000-05:002009-11-14T13:21:14.307-05:00Kissing Trick! In PRINT!!I wanted to wait until I was sure that the links worked and the pages were set and now--it's twu, it's twu.
Kissing Trick is available as a print book! An honest-to-goodness, able-to-be-autographed, will-have-a-smell-and-a-feel-book!
Guess what everyone in my family is getting for Christmas? (Question: Do I rip out the sex scenes in the one I give my parents? The thought of them reading scenes Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-65827641972616270262009-10-19T19:11:00.000-04:002009-10-19T19:11:19.118-04:00A contest! A contest!But first, a word from our sponsor...
Have you ever had writer's block? That nasty feeling that makes you feel uncreative and worse--like a hack?
Have you spent hours hunched over your laptop, staring at a blank page in your current w.i.p. and wondering...what am I going to write next? Will I ever write again?
You know the feeling. You have the next scene all mapped out. You know what you needCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-9361883803647305842009-10-14T08:02:00.005-04:002009-10-14T09:24:22.570-04:00Finally! A release!Note to self: If it's dangerous, they will find it.
Hey. Bet you'd like me to explain my "note to self".
Later, my child. Later.
No, what's important, today (to me): KISSING TRICK IS FINALLY RELEASED!
Woo-hoo!! (happy dance)
This is a very special book, to me. I LOVE my hero. He's sexy, smart, kind, calm and sexy. And did I mention, he's sexy? Yeah, the guy on the cover looks good--but Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-29584875146746869562009-10-06T08:59:00.001-04:002009-10-06T09:04:52.423-04:00Who am I today?
I'm starting to feel like Sybil. She was a character based on a real woman and artist named Shirley Mason. Sybil was made famous through a movie based on a book by the same name.
She had disassociative personality disorder and the thirteen personalities to go with it.
I don't have thirteen personalities. But I have five. Their names are Cyn, Cyn D., Cynthia, Cynthia B-T and Mommy.
Mommy Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-89887121164846618372009-10-05T21:05:00.000-04:002009-10-05T21:05:46.653-04:00Treats. No tricks!How do you like my background. Isn't it adorable?
Even better--it was FREE!!
I wish I could donate something to the two very talented ladies who created this background and dancing witches hat. But I'm poor. So the best I can do is give them credit and tell you to go here.
Maybe YOU can afford to donate to these two moms: Becky and Ashley.
Ladies, you rock. ;) Thanks for the graphics. :) Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-10073950252249630812009-10-03T18:50:00.001-04:002009-10-03T18:53:37.719-04:00Welcome to my life.It's sheer hell, I tell you.
I bet it sucks for The Wiggles, too. After all, I just have to listen to it repeatedly. THEY have to perform it. Again and again and again...Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-25339423045895032952009-09-19T08:17:00.001-04:002009-09-19T08:23:28.857-04:00Note to self: Laundry is like death. You can't hide from it. Eventually it will come to claim you. (And smells just as bad.)
On this morning's walk with the 2 y.o., I let him push the stroller. How wonderful that such a simple act can inspire confident in a young person. "I vewy stwong, Mommy. I a big boy. I can push it MYSELF."
(Those of you familiar with small children know the shiver that Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-73283767450891451352009-09-18T12:27:00.002-04:002009-09-18T12:41:27.364-04:00What are you wearing?Note to self: When trying to teach a two-year-old the alphabet, remember that "the letter u" can accidentally be translated into "the letter me".
On my Rhode Island Romance Writers loop, we're discussing what we wear when we write. (Well...we're romance writers. What do YOU think we wear?) Stereotypically, romance writers wear slinky robes with boas and mules with feathers. But the most Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-37352337631809487772009-09-15T06:55:00.000-04:002009-09-15T06:55:10.910-04:00Mice are good and plentiful!Hello. Duffy here. Mommy is taking a break today; she's been busy working on her website and her brain is mush. You can take a look at it if you'd like: Mommy's Website
She's a bit distraught. We have practically no food in the house! Mommy takes solace in the fact that we are not alone. Many humans are now suffering from the effects of "The Great Depression 2.0". But I, Duffy, have a solutionCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-71300450786401951182009-09-13T06:41:00.001-04:002009-09-13T06:47:20.189-04:00If only...Note to self: At 5:00 am, apple pie counts as a breakfast for a demanding two-year-old. (It's got fruit in it.) Sugar-free vanilla ice cream counts as a dairy.
I had a million pre-coffee/still-asleep ideas to blog about, twenty minutes ago. But you know how it goes. The millisecond I sat down at the computer, my family began to talking to me. Even my husband, on third shift, called me to say "hiCynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-58592985694935937192009-09-11T07:46:00.000-04:002009-09-11T07:46:31.785-04:00Technical difficulties, please stand by.Note to self: orange poop looks like Playdough, but it's not.
I really want to blog every day. Honestly. But I've been busy trying to fix my website. My host provides website builders for technopoops like me; for some reason, I can't get it to work. I get error messages. Of COURSE I do. I always do!
If anyone has any (helpful) suggestions, I'd be happy to listen. Even better if they take Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-70045554070111663282009-09-05T07:37:00.000-04:002009-09-05T07:37:32.619-04:00Last Saturday of the SummerNote to self: Blogger looks like "booger". Gross. Oh...don't forget to buy Kleenex, today.
So I'm wondering if it's time to close the pool. It's always a quandary. What if we want to use it?
True, no one's been in it for two weeks, now. But what if it gets really hot?
Has it been really hot this summer? What about global warming? If the world is warming, why didn't we get to use the pool Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-64967057656346709842009-09-04T07:37:00.001-04:002009-09-04T07:42:52.405-04:00Just a thoughtNote to self: The amount of paper towels left on the roll is adversely proportional to the amount of piddle (dog or child's) left on the kitchen floor...
It's payday! I luuuuuv payday. For about two minutes (after checking our account balance) I can pretend that we don't have any bills. The sky's the limit. Wa-hoo!
Then I fill up the Jeep.
Today, as I stood pretending not to look at the pump,Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6795013043486690206.post-22814178906925698022009-09-03T16:26:00.001-04:002009-09-03T16:34:27.090-04:00Royalties!Note to self: Skunk odor can be removed with a mixture of white vinegar and water, even on sheets, pillowcases and other household furnishings.
I got my very first royalty check today, money I made because I sold some books. MY book!
Free coffees for...one, two, three...and a half...friends. Stephen King, eat your heart out. (Never, never, NEVER thumb your nose at the Money Fairy.) I've Cynthia Selwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03124701658999044827noreply@blogger.com0