IN THIS ISSUE:
My monthly column update
Book Happenings
Q & A Time

Happy Mother’s Day!

This Mother’s Day I’d like to wish mothers throughout the world a peaceful and relaxing day full of doting children and meals you don’t have to prepare. But to all the “kids” out there I want to say this--don’t give Mom flowers or chocolates again! Instead, take Mom to a fancy salon and pay to get her hair done. After all, you ARE the cause of all those gray hairs on her head, aren’t you? :-)

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Then check out this month’s “Every Day IS Mother’s Day” column, “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love” online now at:

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/cynthianna/momsday_index.html
(You may have to copy and paste the above URL into your web browser to get it to work.)

As always, I appreciate your feedback.

And if you’re interested in reading an “off-the-wall” type of celebrity interview, check out my answers to the questions Steve gave me at “First Person Quiz”. Just click on the link below:

http://www.firstpersonquiz.com/appel_cindy.html

~~BOOK HAPPENINGS~~

Is “no news good news?” I wonder sometimes. I’ve received no word from Dorchester Publishing on the fate of my romantic-comedy manuscript, BEAUTIFUL DREAMER, yet. I’m giving up on the phone calls and sending “reminder letters” to them. Nothing I do seems to prod the editors to take action. About the only thing I can do is pray for the general economy to pick up and/or the reading public to generate a great demand for new authors and new books. That’ll get those editors moving!

So, come on everybody, get out and start buying books-- lots and lots of books. (Preferably new ones, as author’s don’t get royalties on used book sales.) I’m doing my part as my overflowing bookshelves can attest. And, remember, May is National Book Month (www.nationalbook.org) and Get Caught Reading Month (www.getcaughtreading.org). Support your favorite authors—read!

On a more positive note, MORWA’s “Build-A-Book Workshop” this past weekend was a complete success. Everyone raved about our dynamic speaker (“Ms. GMC” a.k.a. Debra Dixon) and how smoothly the entire workshop ran. We promise that next year’s event will be even better! Stay tuned to this newsletter… I’ll keep you informed.

After the workshop, I signed a few books with a few fellow authors and collected a few more names for this newsletter list. So here’s a “big welcome” to all you “newbies.” Feel free to make yourselves at home! If you know of any online friends who’d like to join as well, tell them they can fill out the short form at my web site (link below). If they prefer, they can send a short email to cynthianna@hotmail.com with “Newsletter Request” in the subject line, and I’ll put them on the list pronto. Thanks.

Many of my fellow authors found “Literacy Day” (April 12) at Wal-Mart stores across the US to be very, very… interesting. Not quite what we expected, but, still, it’s great to promote the world of reading to folks, especially to the little ones. I read about five children’s books to a group of wiggly toddlers during my Literacy Day stint. I’m doubt these tykes will all grow up to be romance readers, but you never know.

At least I got to pass out my business cards to the local store managers. They all invited me back to have a “grown-up” book-signing sometime. That was nice! If you’d like an autographed copy of one of my books but can’t quite make it to my next signing in a store, don’t fret. E-mail me at cynthianna@hotmail.com and ask how I can do a “book-signing through the mail” just for you.

Now, here’s the skinny from another “satisfied customer”:

“By the way, did I tell you I read your book and couldn't put it down. Best of luck.” Rose.

Thanks for your kind words, Rose. It’s always great to know that readers out there (beside book reviewers) appreciate my work.

"Readers will not be disappointed...You will be rewarded with a down home love story that will long be remembered."--Bridges Magazine

COUNTRY BOY, CITY GIRL (ISBN 1-58851-918-X)
Publish America Inc. http://www.publishamerica.com
(trade paperback edition—available at Amazon.com, BN.com, Wal-Mart.com and other online booksellers. Electronic formats available at Wings ePress.)

"Cynthianna Appel is an exceptional writer with a flair for humor." --Romance Reviews Today

THE FIXER-UPPERS (ISBN 1-59088-984-3)
Wings ePress http://www.wings-press.com
(trade paperback and electronic editions)

Now, it’s time for everybody’s favorite—

~~Q & A TIME~~

Q: Is it okay if I submit more than the number of manuscript pages requested by an editor?

A: To answer your question let me give you a case in point. Once upon a time I was judging a “first chapter” contest, and I came across an entry that contained two chapters. I was in a real quandary. Should I disqualify the submission? It seemed it would be the course of action to take since it was obvious the author did not follow the guidelines.

I checked the contest guidelines again and read, “submit first chapter only, twenty-five page max.” So, why did this individual send in two chapters? Flipping through the pages I notice that the first chapter ended on page twelve. Chapter two ended on page twenty-five. I could see the contestant’s confusion. This writer thought the guidelines said he/she could submit a first chapter or the first twenty-five pages. I didn’t want to penalize this contestant unduly, so I put away the last thirteen pages and read only the first chapter. To be honest, this person didn’t follow the guidelines and it would have been unfair to the other contestants if I had bent the rules.

When editors ask for your first three chapters up to fifty pages and your first three chapters are only thirty pages in length, then you are not free to send in chapters four and five as well. If you could hear the mental musings of your typical submissions editor, they’d go something like this:

“What’s this? They are more than the first three chapters in this submission. Didn’t this writer study our guidelines before submitting? Oh, I see. There’s nothing’s much happening at all in these first few chapters and they’re hoping I’ll read further. I see what this person is trying to do now. I don’t think this manuscript is quite ready for the big-time. Now, where did I put those standard rejection slips…”

Remember, never give anyone an excuse to put your book down!

You can learn more about manuscript submission “dos and don’ts” in my program, “The Curse of the Manuscript-Eating Slushpile Monster”. Feel free to e-mail me if you’re interested in having me come speak to your writing group sometime.

In the meantime, if you have a question--any question, related to writing, publishing or whatever--email me at cynthianna@hotmail.com.(Do not hit "reply" to this newsletter--your email will bounce.) Results guaranteed or double your money back.

And don’t forget you can read my answers to writing questions from previous newsletters online at:
Writing Tips
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/cynthianna/writingtips.html

Until next time, may your Mother’s Day be merry and bright and the hairs on your head never turn all white!

God bless!
Cindy
(a.k.a. Cynthianna Appel)
My web site: http://pages.sbcglobal.net/cynthianna

P.S. Feel free to forward this newsletter on to an email friend or ten. You'll be glad you did. (But if you do forward this, please forward the entire contents and not just bits and pieces. Thank you.)