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Welcome to the Brand New Casablanca Authors Blog!


We authors of Sourcebooks new romance line called Casablanca are here to talk about books, writing and just about anything that tickles our, and hopefully your, fancy.
And I’m lucky enough to be the first poster here!


By way of introduction. My name is Linda Wisdom and I’ve been published in the romance genre for 28 years writing as Linda Wisdom and Linda Randall Wisdom with 77 books for six different publishers. All that time I was honing my skills to write what I’ve always loved; paranormal.


And in a way, that’s a story in itself. And there’s nothing a writer likes more than telling a story.

Once upon a time there was an author who loved to write romance. She wanted all those happily ever after endings and when she sold her first two books she knew she was going to write more. When her first book had the hero’s point of view she was told “you can’t do that” and she couldn’t understand why since she felt it was just as important to know the hero’s thoughts. But it wasn’t done then. Just as the heroine and hero couldn’t make love unless they had planned to get married very soon after and the author had to say so.


So each time she was told “you can’t do that” she asked why and from then on, she did her best to break one or two “rules” and get away with it. Sometimes she succeeded in sneaking something past her editor’s eyes and other times she got caught. And sometimes she again heard “you can’t do that”. But that didn’t stop her.


She also knew she loved to write about things that go bump in the night and anything that couldn’t be properly explained. At first, she was told the paranormal ideas she had wouldn’t sell, but it didn’t stop her. After all, the time would come when she could write the books she well and truly loved to write.


And when she sent three paranormal ideas to her agent at the time she was told nothing could happen, but luckily, her editor was looking for some Halloween type stories and the books had a home. So along the way she wrote about a psychic who watched a woman’s death through the murderer’s eyes, about a woman who hit 30 and had her dead parents come back with the intention of staying until she found the right man, about the daughter of a famous horror actor who lived in a house that had a few secrets and prompted questions of “could that be …?” About a woman who thought the life of a society belle was better than hers until she was killed and ended up in that woman’s body only to learn she was now a suspect in the belle’s fiancé’s death. Another woman who stumbled onto a small village that only appeared the month of December where Christmas was celebrated in a big way, a woman who almost gave up her life because she was slowly fading from life until she returned to her home town where no one knew her and a dark-natured homicide cop who has a long murdered woman haunting his house and he falls in love with her.They were all practice works for what she really wanted to do.


She wanted to leave that comfort zone and write a book that had all of those “you can’t do that” in it and maybe even a few she hadn’t thought of yet. Thanks to a sassy witch named Jazz Tremaine, who’d been around for the last 700+ years, she was able to do just that.


It wasn’t easy forgetting those old rules and just going for it, but she did it because the book deserved the absolute best she could give it. So this author worked hard, laughed, cried, sweated blood and discovered that writing about Jazz, Nick, Irma, and Fluff and Puff was the most fun she’d ever had.


That author was me and the book was 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover.Another form of living happily ever after since I’ve since sold three more books in my witch series. The second, Hex Appeal, will be out this November and Wicked By Any Other Name and Wishing You A Hexy Christmas in 2009.


It’s not easy writing outside your comfort zone. It’s like giving up that blankie that’s worn and soft and makes you feel better. But sometimes, jumping off that cliff and swimming through uncharted waters throws you into a whole new world that may be unfamiliar, but it can also be so fun you never want to leave.
That’s what happened with this author. What about you? Do you like to venture into new territory or do you stay in your comfort zone?
I'd also like to add that I have donated a hexy relaxation basket to Brenda Novak's annual auction to benefit Diabetes Research. I hope you'll stop by!
http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=997005&_UserReference=D1D0771446B60053F24574EC7E6F481A1BCE


Linda

Comments

  1. Linda,
    Thanks for being our inaugural blogger. I love the story of how you came to write 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover. We have so many fun stories to share on this blog, since we all write something a little differnt. Look forward to hearing everyone else's story!
    Marie

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  2. Great post, Linda! Yes, I definitely write out of my comfort zone. I love to do research and I like stories to have some basis in fact and/or mythology, so when I began writing Heart of the Wolf, I did a lot of research about wolves and the mythology associated with werewolves. Now I'm working on Allure of the Wolf, and this is going to be one of my biggest challenges--writing about barren Canadian Arctic wasteland. But it's fun, too, as I discover so much about the Inuit people and their way of life and incorporate it in the story! :)

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  3. Hey My Sourcebooks Sisters,

    Here we are "officially" in cyberspace! YAY!

    Linda, thanx soo much for sharing your journey that led to "50 Ways..." You are truly an inspiration for us debut authors who are still trying to feel our way through this very overwhelming publishing maze. Knowing that there are fun and caring authors like you willing to help along the way makes the process a lot less scary!

    Cindy

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  4. A great start Linda, and I agree, there's nothing more important than breaking the rules!

    I see far too many beginning writers getting hung up on "whether you can do that."

    In my opinion there only one rule: learn to write well. Once you do THAT, none of the other rules apply to you. :-)

    Mary Margret

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  5. Popping over from the Romance Bandits to say hi and congrats on your new blog! Great blog - and what fun to see pals like Terry and Cindy here.

    And OMG, Linda - you may not remember me, but I sat next to you at lunch at one of the Nationals (Dallas I think) and was a total fan girl about your Silhouette books! You're still one of my faves!

    As for me - I try to push the boundaries of my comfort zone one step at a time. As for rules ... well ... I push the boundaries of those as well ;)

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  6. Hey Vrai Anna, WELCOME!

    THANX A BUNCH for stopping by, and yes, I can corroborate the evidence, Anna's Hockey Hunks break the rules! And someday soon, some smart editor will recognize how much readers will LURVE THEM!

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  7. Thanks all!

    And yes, I remember you, Anna. Are you going to be in SF? If so, I'm signing so please stop by to say hi.

    It's so easy to stay in a comfort zone, to not want to push the envelope, but once you do it you find being out there is a lot more fun.

    Linda

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  8. Great post Linda
    I am so glad that you authors push yourselves so hard so that we readers are never short of fantastic books to read.
    Congrats Ladies on your new blog I have it marked in my favourites and will be stopping by daily.
    Have Fun
    Helen

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  9. Another Romance Bandit popping by to help launch the good ship Casablanca! May your blog sail with a good breeze and fine weather and make port to stock up on goodies on a regular basis!

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  10. Hi, Linda!

    I followed Aunt Cindy here from the Bandit lair, & I'm really glad I did! I found your rule breaking saga so inspirational! I love women who fly in the face of accepted behavior & blaze their own trail. I'll bet your books are full of women who do just that. I'll have to check them out!

    Susan

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  11. Great launching of the Casablanca authors' blog, Linda! I'm popping over from Romance Bandits to wish you all a grand beginning.

    I love how you explored so many stories until you were able to write 50 Ways. Perserverance really pays off doesn't it? And to be able to write outside the box like that -- how wonderful!

    I also like your counter with the Sourcebooks lightbulb. Cool!

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  12. HUGS!!! to Helen, our most loyal fan!

    We love hearing from readers, esp. YOU, Helen, you are always so upbeat and encouraging!

    Thanx a bunch for dropping by!

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  13. Banditas AHOY!
    THANX A BUNCH to FoAnna, Smoov/Susan, and Jo-mama for swinging by along with VAnna. Please come back often and TELL A FRIEND!

    As FoAnna likes to say, "With 6 Banditas you get eggroll!" So counting me, we need only one more! LOL!

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  14. Aww thanks, AC - from your lips to a certain editor's ears!

    Linda - yes, I will be in SF - I'll definitely come and see you.

    Helen - you are the best! We'll have to find a way to meet you.

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  15. I would love to personally meet you all. There is a conference in Melbourne Australia in Feb 2009 that I have all intentions of going to. Maybe we could all meet there it is the Australian Romance Readers Conference and I am looking forward to it. I keep buying lotto so as one day I may be able to go to the States.
    Meanwhile Ladies keep writing because I love reading.
    Have Fun
    Helen

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  16. *waving hello*

    I look forward to learning more about your books!

    Congrats on the new blog!!!

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  17. You all are fabulous! This is a great first post :)

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  18. I've always believed there's no road blocks. You just have to find a path to go around them and that's what I've always done with my career. Some paths were harder to find, but I always managed to stumble upon them.

    Linda

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  19. Hi Jennifer! Our other loyal fan. :-)

    Thanx so much for all your support!

    And HI DANIELLE! Everyone wave to our Sourcebooks Publicist! So glad you will be joining us on a regular basis.

    This is gonna be a FUN and INFORMATIVE blog!

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  20. Well, I didn't actually know there was a comfort zone when writing. LOL I mean it is quite weird to let people see what goes on in your imagination, don'cha know. But still, I agree, pushing boundaries is a good thing, both for the artist and the reader.

    Great blog. Great story. Cheers to our new blog

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  21. Linda,
    What a great debut blog. Thanks so much for leading the parade! I've always felt that loving to write means you make your own rules. Of course, I haven't yet had that editorial meeting where someone says, "Uh, no . . . I don't think so." Maybe with trailblazers like you leading the way, that won't happen so much.
    Your pal at Sourcebooks Casablanca,
    Christina

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  22. Great blog, Linda!
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You've given us all something to aspire to!
    This is me, waving hello to everyone!~~~~~~~:)
    Cheryl

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