Behind the scenes of Rachelle Paige Inc.

~ rachellepaigecampbell ~ Leave a comment

cropped-rachellepaige_logo.jpg

At least, that’s how I like to think of my writing career.

If my blog posts have been making me seem…prolific…lately, understand it’s all smoke and mirrors. I could never blog full-time. Ideas for posts come in waves. I might draft and schedule and save ten posts one day and then not even think of another one for a month. This website’s purpose is to connect with readers and let you know what I’m up to.

But what I’m up to…is pretty consistent (and not very good fodder).

My pattern is to write a first draft in some crazy tight schedule (usually less than a month). Then I spend about double the time on editing the first draft on my own. After I’m sure I won’t embarrass myself, I send the book to my CP’s (critique partners) for their opinions. I’ll incorporate changes and fix the glaring problems that I didn’t see. And then, in the case of my True North series, I send the ms (manuscript) off to my freelance editor.

She reviews the entire book and sends me back her ideas and suggestions and once more I get back to work. Finally, after reading the book at least three more times, I’ll upload it to Amazon and let you know about the pre-order. It’s all very glamorous and exciting (and if you miss the sarcasm then let me paint you a picture of a very stressed out 30 something in sweats and no make-up sitting around, sometimes staring off into space, sometimes typing furiously, and always muttering to herself).

This has been my process for both Anchored in the Bay (True North Book 1) and very nearly for Tiny Island Summer (True North Book 2) with the exception that Kindle Press handled the pre-order page for me. Once I have everything ready to go on On the Rocks (True North Book 3) and  Off the Dock (True North Novella 3.5), I’ll let you know here. I’m working hard on those and can’t wait to share them both with you.

In the meantime, it’s back to work for me…

15 facts about… Darcy, Ben, & Tiny Island Summer

~ rachellepaigecampbell ~ Leave a comment
  1. Darcy’s keeps her highlighted hair flat-ironed and perfectly straight

2.  Ben is the second of five kids, all boys

3.  After living overseas for a year, Darcy always thought she’d end up back in the UK

4. John is Ben’s Irish twin (13 months apart) and they are the closest out of all the brothers

5. Char, aka Charlotte, Darcy’s best friend has been known to fall head over heels in love…at first sight…a lot; Darcy never has

6. Darcy loves old movies, especially musicals

7. Ben’s a dirty blonde (and the same hair color as Darcy…after she’s been to the salon)

8. Darcy learned early on that she can’t control others, only herself; so she’s grown quite rigid

9. Ben grew up spending every summer at the lake house but hasn’t been back since college

10. Darcy hasn’t taken a vacation since she started working; neither has Ben

11. Ben worked hard to establish his career and buy his condo on his own without any help from his mom

12. During freshman year, Darcy and Char read The Rules. Char proceeded to break every rule, but Darcy followed them. Their results were the same.

13.  Darcy is an optimist; Ben is not

14. Both drink WAY too much coffee

15. They both might be the best (and most challenging thing) that’s ever happened to one another

Tiny Island Summer, Darcy & Ben’s story (True North Book 2), is available now on Amazon. Kindle Unlimited subscribers, the books is free on your kindle.

#sytycw15 final update

~ rachellepaigecampbell ~ 1 Comment

SYTYCW-2015-Top-25-Finalist

Funny thing, I’ve started this blog post and had it saved in my folder since September. And I keep changing it and tweaking it. My first post said, well I didn’t make the top 55 but I’m so proud of this book, I’m going to keep moving forward with it. Then the editors floored me. They picked my book based on the pitch and first chapter and I moved on to the first round.

The next time I came in to update the post, I left it saved with “I didn’t make the top 25 but am so excited to have made it this far.” Only, with your support, I DID make the top 25 and that was amazing. Thank you to all of my friends and family for reading and telling your friends to read and for all of your encouraging words.

Making the top 25 means the editors read my entire manuscript for Tidal Patterns. As a new writer, this opportunity is awesome. Harlequin accepts manuscripts year-round from new and aspiring authors. But typically you are submitting a synopsis and a few chapters and can be waiting for a while to hear back. Knowing that the editors were reading my book in its entirety was both thrilling and frightening.

I didn’t make the final cut, but this is not the last for Tidal Patterns. After the competition wraps up, I’m going to submit to Harlequin or I’m going to go ahead and add this to my books for sale on Amazon. I’m not sure which yet.

But in the meantime, I have a lot of work to do, finishing up True North for spring/summer.  And then there’s an idea for another attempt at Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest for next year….