Writers often don't work with anyone else when producing their work-- at least other than their own editors and beta readers. Anthologies though are team efforts; and in that sense, it was interesting to be part of this as working with creative people and making group decisions. Beginning the middle of December 2012, I've had many new experiences. As a writer, trying something new is part of the fun.
Saturday there will be a Facebook barn dance with many of the authors each taking an hour where they will answer questions, offer their thoughts and yes, have some prizes. Check it out and try to remember to come by for at least part of Saturday from 10-5pm PST at
Everyone is welcome whether you belong to Facebook or not. IF you come and make a reply make sure you leave contact info in case you win something. I'll be there at 4 PM PDT. Since I've never done anything like this, I can't say what I'll do or but come and keep me company anyway ;). A paperback or eBook copy of Arizona Sunset will go to one visitor who comments (if the reader already has it, I have other eBook options).
“Rawhide ‘n Roses is an anthology
then?” He ran his fingers through her long hair. It was obvious his mind wasn’t
on her words.
“Of short stories. It was born in
Maggie’s Western Romance Authors at Amazon.”
“Born, huh?” He laughed. “Kind of a
silly way to say it.” He smoothed her hair and kissed it lightly, to show her
he was fine with silly.
She gave him one of her looks.
“Generated. Take your pick. Maggie, an avid western reader from Wyoming,
created this great site at Amazon’s Meet Our Authors Forums, for writers of
western romance to get together, talk about their books. The idea for an
anthology grew from there.”
“For the ones experienced at
writing short stories?”
“You would assume that. No, only a
couple of them had done it before. The challenge appealed to them all. They
then voted on rules (win some lose some), came up with a title, created a list
of writers wanting in, those to organize it, and everybody went off to their
writing caves see what they could create. It has a gorgeous, very western
cover, created by Charlene Raddon.”
“Nice cover. Not that I am into hot
cowboys,” he teased.
“The roses represent women—hot
women.”
“You’ve convinced me. I will buy
it—just to show I’m a sensitive kind of guy.”
The watchers stood above, weighing
the words they’d read. “Why is one of them a man?” the first asked with a
pensive expression.
“Because all these short stories
are also romances,” the second said with a huff as if it should have been
obvious. The first looked properly humbled. Okay, not very humbled.
“Dialogue is a lot more interesting
than paragraph upon paragraph,” suggested a third.
“I have to get back to work,” the
fourth said heading off. “I had two thousand words scheduled for today. This isn’t
getting them written.”
“Be back for the blurbs,” a fifth
ordered. “This isn’t done yet.”
“And to write your own author bio,”
offered a sixth.
“People do like to know from where
authors come,” the seventh agreed.
The writers then headed off to
watch over other fields, mountains, animals, towns, people, and worlds that
would remain unknown until their words were set down and brought them to life.
