Posted by Leslie on January 13th, 2012 | No Comments
Posted by Leslie on November 9th, 2011 | No Comments
In case you haven’t seen me posting this everywhere, here is another chance to view my newest cover! THE IRON HEART, which is my steampunk/Victorian/suspense/romance will be released on February 7, 2012. I can’t wait!!!!!!! Isn’t she pretty?! (and bad-ass!)
Posted by Leslie on August 3rd, 2011 | No Comments
Here’s the latest from me as far as my writing goes: THE IRON HEART, a Romance Steampunk, will be available digitally from Samhain on FEBRUARY 14, 2012. Valentine’s Day! How cool is that? Yeah, expect lots of promo and contests around then! My Harlequin Spice Brief THE LADY’S BARGAIN is still scheduled for April 2012. I’ve started a new historical Gothic romance. I’m very excited about this one! The current title is A TOUCH OF MADNESS. I’ll post some (unedited) excerpts now and then as I get further into the story. RWA 2011 was a blast, although I wasn’t impressed with the hotel set-up and missed seeing so many people I was looking forward to hanging with. Next year’s conference is in California. Should be so fun, except for that pesky time change! 
Posted by Leslie on May 6th, 2011 | No Comments
Steampunk bookcoverI sold my sexy, Victorian Steampunk novel THE IRON HEART to my current publisher, Samhain! My editor said she loved the Jack-The-Ripper theme. YAY! I don’t have any release dates but the contract has been signed. This will be my fifth contract with Samhain.
Now, I need to write one of the following:
1) Follow up to The Iron Heart
2) Harlequin Spice Brief story (possible trilogy)
3) Historical Gothic
Posted by Leslie on March 24th, 2011 | No Comments
So I’m thinking of putting the Steampunk aside for a while (unless it happens to sell and the editor wants the sequel). I’m turning back to my first love, the Gothic romance. It all started with Wuthering Heights. Yes, that book wouldn’t be considered a romance in today’s world…not much of a happy ending and the main love interests never ended up together. But the isolated manor, haunting moors, and unrequited love still call to me. BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST was my first Gothic. I tried to stay true to the genre, by keeping my characters in the isolated manor and limiting their interaction with others. The house itself was in large, confusing, and in shambles. The yard wasn’t much better. Between a spooky house, mysterious noises, and a lurking menace, I hopefully succeeded in making it a true Gothic. So, I’m brainstorming my next story, trying to write another Gothic. What elements do you like best in Gothics??
Posted by Leslie on March 18th, 2011 | No Comments
I’ve dropped the price of IMPROPER NIGHTS down to 99 cents. How can you pass that up? And if you leave a review/comment at any of the distributors listed below, I’ll send you your choice of any of my other titles (print or electronic) — absolutely free! {for a limited time}
Posted by Leslie on March 9th, 2011 | No Comments
My editor at Harlequin told me they are releasing THE LADY’S BARGAIN in April, 2012! Just over a year away. Yeah…things move slowly in the publishing business. Stay tuned for when I get a cover and when it’s listed for pre-order!
Posted by Leslie on January 18th, 2011 | No Comments
Ok, yes, it’s been a LONG time since I blogged. I just don’t see the need when there is both Facebook and Twitter. But every now and then I’ll have something to say here. Some exciting things I am (impatiently) waiting on: 1) A full contract from Harlequin for my Spice Brief story As I wait, I am (1) judging a contest entry, (2) making final edits on THE IRON HEART to resubmit, and (3) expanding a short story to submit to Carina and/or Samhain. Oh and I’m making wire-jewelry in there too.
2) New covers from Samhain on my two Jordanna Kay stories, which are being relisted as Leslie Dicken
3) News from Samhain on BEAUTY and a possible foreign sale
4) Request from an editor on a query
5) A follow up to an interview I had about a new job
Posted by Leslie on September 21st, 2010 | No Comments
The online local “newspaper” The Germantown Patch featured me on their opening day! She came to interview me about my jewelry and a little bit on my writing. There are several pictures of my work, including the steps involved in making a wire-wrapped ring. And — you can see my very, very messy desk where I write and make the jewelry! While her jewelry doesn’t serve as a significant form of income, Dicken said she is satisfied to have found another way to foster her creativity, outside of her writing. Unlike the drawn-out process of writing and publishing a book, jewelry-making offers Dicken a much more immediate satisfaction. And she has regained her creative edge, recently releasing her latest book, The Tarnished Heart.
Posted by Leslie on September 14th, 2010 | No Comments
So if you’re one of the few who doesn’t follow my every move on Twitter or Facebook (*gasp*) and actually waits for me to update my blog — well, wow, who are you? I didn’t think you existed! Anyway, here’s where I’m at as we slide into Autumn…. My current work-in-progress, THE IRON HEART, is now with three agents. Two have the full manuscript and one has 100 pages of it. I’ve gotten rejections from some who had the partials and from several who only looked at the query. I also sent the query to other agents and haven’t heard back at all. Sigh. (Those are worse than a “no thank you.”) I’m planning and plotting the next book in my Steampunk world, THE IRON KISS. I’ve just about figured out my hero and heroine and will next be outlining the plot of the book. Once that’s done, I may actually feel comfortable enough to write. Lastly, while I’ve been waiting to hear from agents and thinking about my new story, I’ve been working on my jewelry. Fall is an active time for shows and I wanted to have new items to sell. As I showed in an earlier post, I have over 100 rings. After posting pictures of some on Facebook, I decided to open an official shop. So come check me out over at: http://www.zibbet.com/BeadsAndBooks Believe me when I say, have at least twenty times the number listed there. So, there’s the later half of my summer. What have you been doing lately?
