Thursday, September 10, 2015

. Deadly Undertaking: Books We Love Accepted My Mystery, Keep Writng, Photofunia


BREAKING NEWS!! (in the world of J.Q. Rose anyway)


J.Q. Rose signs contract for her new mystery
Breaking News indeed! Books We Love Publishing accepted my latest mystery/romance/paranormal novel, Deadly Undertaking!

If you're a reader of this blog, you've probably followed the progression of this story. I started it in June 2012 after my murder mystery, Coda to Murder, was released in the spring. For some reason, I couldn't get a handle on the story. I think it was because the main character is the daughter of a funeral director. That's me. My dad was an undertaker. Her life was too close to my life and I couldn't find her among all the memories of my growing up in my small town in Central Illinois, the people I remembered, the situations. I never had that disconnect with a character. It was like she had put up a wall between us. She didn't want to be me!


When I finally made that realization, the summer was gone. I'd wasted a lot of time not writing the story. But I did write a couple of short stories that summer, and it was fun and healing. 


I don't actually remember when I picked Deadly Undertaking (originally titled Dead Right) up again and "found" Lauren's character. But last fall and winter, I determined I would finish this book and have it ready for submission in the spring. Well that didn't happen. I kept moving the submission time ahead because the story kept evolving.




Thanks to Roseanne Dowell, after reading the story, she encouraged me to send it to Books We Love. I did! And now Deadly Undertaking will be published this fall!! Wow--three years and then accepted in one day. No rejections. 

Yes, I'm crowing about the contract, aren't I? Forgive me, but I'm just so excited to know I'll be able to get this book into the hands of readers to entertain them and perhaps inspire and inform them too. Whether you write strictly to entertain, or if you have a message in your books, then you must share it. You have no idea how your book could enrich others' lives.

I hope you understand what I'm trying to tell you by writing about this experience--keep writing. You'll have a breakthrough. You can do it.

My dream was to be a published author and I have achieved that with three traditionally published books under my belt. I have self-published several too, thanks to this amazing technology available to us now. But just because I did it, doesn't mean I'll stop. This acceptance is like a shot in the arm and my brain is awash in story ideas.

Keep writing!


*  * *
Tidbits on Writing and Life by J.Q. Rose

Everyday I come across helpful hints on making life easier, writing tips, or discover information that I can use. In this new feature on my blog, I'll be sharing some tidbits I hope will help you too. If you have some bit you've uncovered and want to share it with my readers and me, please email it to jqrose02 at gmail dot com. 

Yellow car Photo by sattva
freedigitalphotos.net
  • Today I'm sharing the Photofunia website. I used this fun site to make my Breaking News photo above. They have many other choices to transform your photos into amazing pieces and put them in unusual places like a New York scape, a London tour bus, and of course on TV. Thanks to Joan Stewart's newsletter for this tidbit. Joan Stewart, Publicity Hound  Tips and Tricks for Free Publicity
  • Are you aware the image of a gas tank in your gas gauge in the dashboard of your car shows you which side your gas tank is on? There is nothing more embarrassing than to pull up to the wrong side of the island to fill up the the tank, then realize the gas tank is on the other side of the car. !! Just peek at that picture and find the indicator so you won't be the one everyone is pointing at as you move your car.
* * *

I mentioned I had a dream to be a published author since I was a girl. In my non-fiction e-book for girls, Girls Succeed!,  I interview fifteen women who worked hard to achieve success in their dream careers. These outstanding role models reveal the obstacles in their way and how they overcame them. This book will inspire and empower girls to dream big and go fo it!

* * *Celebrating Back to School with the special price of 99 cents for a short time.* * *
Available at all major online booksellers.

For more information and/or to purchase, click the book cover at the left. Thank you.


5 comments:

Tess Grant said...

Congrats JQ!!! This is such great news.

Helena Fairfax said...

Many congratulations on your contract, JQ. I can't wait to read Deadly Undertaking. And I loved your photo!

J.Q. Rose said...

Thank you Tess and Helena.

Marsha said...

Congratulations, Janet! So happy for you. Think I've commented maybe on FB about this, and I'm just catching up with some emails. Sound like a good read. Looking forward to it. :)

J.Q. Rose said...

Thank you, Marsha.

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