Nerd Erotic Romance

Posted by Leslie on September 26th, 2007 | No Comments

As usual, Smart Bitches has a hilarious post today. It’s on book titles for Nerd Erotic Romance! LOL! Click over and read the ones she posted, plus those readers left as comments.

And if you can think of any of your own, I’d love to see them posted here. Unfortunately, my brain isn’t being clever today — can’t come up with a single one!

Have I ‘Made It’ ?

Posted by Leslie on September 25th, 2007 | No Comments

now that my book is for sale on eBay here and here (and maybe more I haven’t found)? And three people are bidding on it! Of course this means that I see none of the royalties for it and the buyer is getting the book at a HUGE discount. But this could lead to other sales. Perhaps the buyer will seek out TABOO and then switch on over to some Leslie Dicken reads. Yeah, I try to see the bright side of things when I can!

Love Those Lists

Posted by Leslie on September 24th, 2007 | No Comments

Take a look at this list reprinted at Smart Bitches. I love these kinds of lists. They’re either “You know you live in Maryland/The South/Mountains when…” Or “Things a harried-mother-of-three-who-works-full-time-and-spends-too-little-time-writing would say.”

I could come up with a list for Victorians instead of Regencies, but, really, would it be all that different? LOL!

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Posted by Leslie on September 22nd, 2007 | 1 Comment

Yup, that’s me! I’m not only famous (LOL!) but I’m rich too! Well, only last week I got a royalty check from one of my publishers for Quarter 2. The grand total: $9.23 — yes, you read that right. I didn’t forget a number. And that was for the quarter not the month.

So, what’s my point? Well, first, not enough of you are buying my stories! But, mostly, it’s that the majority of writers don’t write for the money…or to be famous. We write because we love to do it. Because we can’t NOT do it. And if we have the added benefit of selling the story so that others can read it, well, that’s certainly the icing on the cake!

Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to sell a book, get a large advance, have extra print runs and foreign copies. It would be awesome to make enough to not have to work my other job. But that’s not a guarantee.

So, while, I consider how best to spend my nine dollars, I hope you readers realize that we aren’t necessarily getting rich. We’re just hoping that we’re enRICHing your lives!

Journey of the Hero

Posted by Leslie on September 20th, 2007 | No Comments

Just about every writer has heard of the Hero’s Journey. Its something that’s been around for ages — literally. Many Hollywood movies, a large part of classical literature, and even popular fiction is based on this idea.

There is the Ordinary World, the Transformation, Challenges, the New World, etc. - even stages called “Belly of the Whale” and “Atonement with the Father.” Some writers use this journey without even realizing they are doing it. For a great example of how universal this is, take a look at this from this website. It’s quite startling, actually.

As for me, I incorporate some of the more major points conciously. Anything else that I include is all, um, coincidental.

Romantic Comedy

Posted by Leslie on September 19th, 2007 | No Comments

I don’t write them, but they can be wonderful to watch. And who better to star in one than, oh, say, Gerry Butler? He looks so cute in this movie, not just hot and sexy, but cute and fun and goofy and completely awesome. See for yourself!

Go forth and vote!

Posted by Leslie on September 17th, 2007 | 1 Comment

One of my Writers Across Time pals is up for the win at Ciar Cullen’s poll. So head on over there and vote for PROMISE ME FOREVER by Rebecca Goings.

Thanks!!

New Historical Cover Trends

Posted by Leslie on September 17th, 2007 | No Comments

Wordwenches has a fascinating post on the newest cover trend for historical romance and fiction. The use of art, instead of cover models. Instead of a male sweaty torso, we see a period-custom painting of a young woman.

I’m liking this new trend. It’s a mix of two creative lures: fiction writing and art. It automatically tells you that you are picking up an historical and yet you aren’t embarrassed to read it out in public. No more half-dressed men and women who are on her knees before them. I see, instead, a strong woman, who is beautiful and regal AND in her own time period.

Of course, Wordwenches states a few of the problems facing these types of covers:

Which leads me to my Question of the Day: With all the thousands of historical images available around the world and over time, why are publishers using the same paintings over and over?

However, for the sake of fair reporting, I have to note that fine art covers on historical romances are, in several cases, proving more confusing than enticing. Readers aren’t “seeing” these covers as romances, and seem to feel a traditional clinch (however overdone) announces a romance much better than a 19th century portrait — or so the marketing folk are whispering with trepidation.

Honestly, when it comes to the sale of my own historicals, my opinion probably won’t mean much. Very few publishers ask their authors for ideas and some even limit an author’s pushback. So we’ll see…one day…

It isn’t just us.

Posted by Leslie on September 17th, 2007 | No Comments

Nope. Apparently chimpanzee males will raid villages and steal fruit in order to get more attention (read: grooming and sex) from the females. And, yes, the females in turn trade sex for the better fruit.

This article in The Telegraph states:

“The male who shared the most food engaged in more consortships and received more grooming than the other males, even the alpha male.

“Therefore the male chimpanzees appear to be ’showing off’ and trading their forbidden fruit for other currencies, for example ‘food-for-sex’ and ‘food-for-grooming’.

Hmmm…sound familiar?