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

Happy Labor Day—
Happy First Day of School!

Be real--do we moms and dads ever “rest from our labors”? We’re at it 24/7. Luckily for those of us with school-age children we get to march them off to academia this month. I don’t know about you, but that’s a cause for celebration in and of itself!

This month’s column is sort of school-related in the sense that it’s about computers. How did we ever survive without them? We never realize how much we dependent on them until the darn things shut down for no apparent reason. Quite a few folks experienced this nasty phenomenon recently when the “MSBlaster” virus came on the scene.

So why do “intelligent” people create such mayhem? I wish I knew. Come along with me and climb into the mind of “The Mad Hatter,” a fictional computer hoaxer extraordinaire in this month’s column: “Alice in Cyberland.” (Be on the look out for white rabbits.)

Every Day Is Mother’s Day for September: “Alice in Cyberland” now online 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. And don’t forget to “share it with a friend” by passing the link along.)

As always, I appreciate your feedback.

~~BOOK HAPPENINGS~~

With the kids off at school I’ve been going through my files and checking up on the progress of my various manuscripts submitted to various publishing houses. I’ll be either receiving multi-book contracts soon or a multitude of rejection slips. But, either way, at least I’ll know what became of my (prose)“children”!

In August I had the privilege of being a “guest speaker” at an online chat for the Shades of Romance Online Writers Conference. This month I’ll have an article in the magazine, too. It’s called “Deleted Scenes: Editing on Remote Control” and it’s about ways to effectively edit at your manuscript. LaShaunda Hoffman, editor and publisher of Shades of Romance, puts out this wonderful resource monthly for both writers and readers of multicultural fiction. Be sure to check out the Shades web site at http://www.sormag.com . LaShaunda also hosts her own radio talk-show that you can hear via the Internet at Book Crazy radio, http://www.bookcrazy.net .
Tune her in on Tuesdays and listen to what she and her fascinating guests have to say.

Believe it or not, my books are still selling. I received an email from a cross country relative recently telling me how much she enjoyed COUNTRY BOY, CITY GIRL. Here’s what she had to say:

“My name is Kathi and I'm your husband's first cousin. I wanted to let you know that I've just finished reading COUNTRY BOY, CITY GIRL and I thought it was fabulous. You really are a talented author. I'm excited to think that someday soon we are going to have a famous writer in the family. I look forward to reading your next book.”

Thanks, Kathi. I look forward to making your dreams come true, too! :-)

So, why not grab a copy of one of my books to read at the beach, lake or backyard kiddie pool this Labor Day weekend?

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

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: If you send your manuscript to the senior editor of a publishing house is she the only one who gets to read it? (A question from the Shades of Romance Online Conference chat.)

A: Probably not. Depending on the structure of the organization, my best guess is she’s only one of many who will have the opportunity to see your manuscript before she make her final decision.

Usually, “senior” editors have assistants who help with manuscript submissions and get the first look at them. This is most likely true even if your manuscript was requested by the editor at a conference or workshop. Your typical editor is a very a busy person and needs all the help she can get to whittle down her “slush pile”. If your manuscript isn’t exactly what she’s looking for in terms of style, tone or content her assistants will weed it out before it takes up too much of her valuable time.

But, if the first reader thinks your book has potential, she/he will pass it on to another more senior editor—possibly the person you submitted to. Then again, there’s no guarantee. By the time a book is accepted by a major publishing house, the manuscript has been read (or at least skimmed) by several more people in various departments such as marketing, art, business, etc. Everyone gets to put their two cents in about why (or why not) they think your story will sell. Of course the editor could very well adore your story, but everyone else around the boardroom table is against it. Being the professional she is, she’ll carefully weigh their opinions before making the final decision.

I know it sounds like an awful ordeal for your manuscript, but you should feel proud when you do receive an acceptance letter. Remember, it isn’t just one person at a particular publishing house who has faith in your work—it could very well be dozens!

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 or your email will bounce.) Results guaranteed or double your money back. ;-)

Check out answers to previous questions online at: http://pages.sbcglobal.net/cynthianna/writingtips.html

Until next time, enjoy your end of summer celebrations. :-)

God bless!
Cindy
(aka 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. Better yet, tell them to sign up to receive the newsletter in their own email box. 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.)