My #DecadentJourney with @decadentpub complete with BLOOPERS! #DecadentAuthors

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Decadent Journeys
http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-decadent-journey-insider-stories.html

All through 18th April,  the authors of Decadent Publishing are coming together to share their DECADENT JOURNEY. We'll be giving a behind the scenes look at how our books were produced and to offer insider tips for would-be authors hoping to submit to Decadent Publishing. From first contracts to exciting edits, and hilarious bloopers…we're dishing it all! And we're chatting on twitter - #decadentauthors #decadentjourney

So pull up a comfy chair, grab yourself a tasty drink and something to nibble on…and let's get started!

If a new-to-you author, let me dish a bit about myself: I write mostly contemporary romance with a few paranormals thrown in there - my stories are usually set in Britain or have British characters. I think I'm mostly known for my Irish Kisses series with Decadent Publishing.

DECADENT LOVE

I fricken love Decadent Publishing and everyone who works relentless behind the scenes to make my books shine. Heather and Lisa always answer any questions I have (even my silly questions) without judgement and always with a helpful, heartful attitude. And Valerie, the woman with many hats, does so much for Decadent I'm surprised she even knows what day it is sometimes. Then there's my editors. I heart my editors to death and then some. Yes, this chickadee is proud to be a Decadent author. And honored.

How about we start at...THE BEGINNING

I began my journey as a published fiction writer with Decadent when they accepted When A Mullo Loves A Woman back in late 2010, which was my first finished work of fiction. Looking back now, it was a small-big actually-miracle my story was accepted. I'll be forever grateful they took a chance on lil old inexperienced me. And thank goodness Decadent welcomed me into their arms and nurtured me into the author I am today, because my work was a sham. Terrible! Filled with all the big no-nos and then some. Holy heck did my very first round of edits come as a big shock to me. Editing quickly became my favorite part of the publishing process.

BLOOPERS!

Since my first story, I've written several more and have several hundred more to go. My favorite part of

being a published author has always been the editing process - I'm a sponge when it comes to editing, and adore seeing the progress to make my work shine and my future works better. With each new round of edits comes a new lesson for me as an author and reader to learn and put into practice.

Along the way, my wonderful DP editors have caught some fantastic mistakes. What the heck, I've already embarrassed myself, might as well go all the way... I stand here before you, completely naked, as I share my boo-boos for you all to giggle at from various stories... I know. I know. I hang my head in shame...but I also giggle away at my own daftness.

Hey, if I laugh, too, it means you're laughing with me and not at me.these beauts were caught by the awesome Kate Richards and are from various books:

Rachel grasped a plastic body, wiped away a trickled tear, and sniffled back her feelings

Sounds like the tear is on the mannequin

His hair sat on his head all skewed to the right

Hopefully it’s always on his head.

He explored her tonsils with his tongue like a pro 

Maybe not…

G-string hiding in the crevasse of her sex

A crevasse is an opening of considerable depth and width, like a canyon. Crevice, perhaps?

Erm, a blindfold, vibrator, and anal beads 

 Joanne! Way to go wild

Okay, so I included this one just because it's my favorite editorial comment to date. It was for Sweet Irish Kiss.

A sense of freedom enveloped her. And her limps, out wide and balletic in their movement, expressed her elation.

Limps?

Estella rose, smoothed out her wrinkles, and twisted her mouth into a smirk.

How did she do that?

Dunno, but if I ever figure it out, I'll be loaded!

He moved in close, his eyes squinting as if he planned on kissing her.

Why is squinting a signal of a kiss?

Here’s our room

How does he know?

He can totally read my mind. Oh…a male sookie. Shush, plot bunnies, not now!

He leaned closer, his moustache brushing her cheek and whispered,

His moustache is whispering?

It's that super hero dude again, the one who can read minds.

She cried out his name, feeling the orgasm grow inside her, bubbling in her stomach and burning the soles of her feet

Sounds sort of diseaselike.

MY ADVICE

Before you hit send, go through your manuscript and listen to it with a text to voice program for one more round of edits. It's amazing the little things you can catch when you can HEAR your story being read. If you don't have a text to speech program, try reading your story from end to the beginning, sentence by sentence; this allows you to focus on the technical stuff rather than the story; you'll catch more mistakes that way.

If I was to give any one piece of advise to an author hoping to be published with Decadent, it would be to be prepared to listen to your editor, and to not take editor comments to heart or as a personal attack on yourself. Editor comments are there to make your work shine and be the best it can be. Also, during the editing process, make notes. Lots of notes. And make a list of your noticed repetitive words. Oh, and ask questions. Lost of questions. Never sit on a concern and worry yourself. I've found my editors and publishers always happy to answer questions if they are able to.

MY LATEST DECADENT STORY TO BE ACCEPTED

It's not all bad, though. I am learning so much from Kate, my editor at Decadent. Look...see.. here's an exclusive excerpt from upcoming SEAL THE DEAL, Isle of Man and Selkie book one, a Decadent Publishing 1NS story. And it's unedited. Raw. Yes, I'm showing it all today! Dirty laundry and all. Why the heck am I doing that? Because I wanted to show how much Decadent has drummed, erm, I mean taught, me.

-- copyright, JoAnne Kenrick. All rights reserved.

Finn Kneale didn’t think another lunar eclipse on February 29th would be possible, yet there it was, hanging over the ocean like a dimmed lantern, the ring in the sky his last—and only—chance to undo the oceanic spell shrouding him in misery. Sliding from his watch-point rock a few miles out from the little tourist trap where he had lived for most of his life, he delved into the depths of the Irish Sea. Water lapped, and he twisted, clapping flippers over the seafoam. Waves crashed over his mottled grey and black seal self. Excitement rushed through him and exited in a loud, brassy roar, then he unleashed another and another, each increasing in volume for the benefit of his aquatic friends. The barking, intended as an announcement, told the world Finn hoped to meet his mate tonight.

He floated in shallows, waiting, watching as the old, white lighthouse fluctuated in and out of existence. The sliver of moonlight cast a silvery light over the once-in-ruins building sitting proud again, high on the cliff’s edge. Its beacon shined bright, yet the gray sky pitched gloom below. There was all but twenty-four hours to seal the deal—as long as the lighthouse stood—then the energy balance would return to normal along the rocky shores of the Isle of Man, the historical maritime building vanishing once again. At least, that’s what his father had relayed every morning for the last four years.

Shimmying his slippery body across the pebbled beach of Port St. Mary, he took cover between tall, bulky rocks for the transformation. Safely hidden, he squeezed his eyelids closed and tried to envision his human self. Too much time had passed; he wasn’t sure his memory was close to the mark.

Think, Finn, think.

Soft cotton towels against his whiskers, the warm touch of the sun on his shoulders as he worked the farm, tasty homemade soup tangy on his tongue. Soft flesh of a woman beneath him. Oh, to be admired for his manliness rather than his cutesy seal features and bubble blowing talents. Fragmented recollections of the little things was all that had survived years of watching the shoreline.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Got questions? Wanna chat about writing? Or tease me about my boo-boos?You can ask/tell me anything you like, I'll try my best to answer. I'm sure fellow Decadent authors will, too.

Use the comments section here, or on twitter @joannekenrick

Want to ask Decadent Authors a question today? Use these hashtags on twitter  #decadentauthors #decadentjourney or comment on the Daily Dose of Decadence blog!

http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-decadent-journey-insider-stories.html