Hi everyone,
My old publisher (Barbour) contacted me a month ago and asked if I wanted to be a part of a Regency Novella collection. If you don't know what Regency is, think Jane Austen's time frame. Honestly, at first I wasn't sure about it. After all, if I write this, it will delay my next book. But after some prayer and discussion with my husband, I agreed. Yikes! I only had a few weeks to come up with a good idea, plot, some great characters and write it all down in a synopsis. I've only written one Regency book before (The Falcon and the Sparrow), so I'm not very familiar with the time period. However, the Lord came through as He always does and voila, I got an idea.
I'm calling my story The Highwayman's Bargain, but that's all I'll tell you about it now. Because it's a novella and part of a collection, it will only be a quarter of the size of my regular books, but I guarantee it will be just as fun, romantic, and adventurous. Of course there are also 6 other authors participating. I'd love to tell you their names, but I don't have their permission. I will tell you one of them. My good friend, Michele Griep!! I'm sure some of you are familiar with her work. She's one of my favorite authors, super funny and super smart! If you don't know who she is, I encourage you to check her out on Amazon.
The problem with being contracted is that this collection will not be published until November 2017. Yup, that's right. It's the way things work in publishing... very, very slowly.
In other news, I signed a contract with Tantor Audio to have She Walks in Power narrated for an audio book. That will release in just a couple months, so I'm pretty excited about that.
RESULTS OF LAST WEEKS SURVEY on what I should write next. (I was actually surprised)
49.9% The next book in my Protector of the Spear series
34.4% The next pirate book
34.4% Revolutionary War Privateer story
15.5% Captain Poole and Abigail
15.5% Modern day supernatural suspense
THANK you all for voting! This really helps me. So, yes, after I write my novella, I plan on writing Book 2 in my Protectors of the Spear trilogy. I'm entitling it She Walks in Love, and it will be Cristiana and Sir Jarin's story. What say you to that?
Pray for me if you think about it. I've been fighting a cold for several weeks.
If you didn't see my Monday post on the Revelation 12 Sign, please check it out.
Have a great weekend!!
Wow, Marylu, you have my most sincere congratulations! May the Lord bless your work abundantly, I'm sure this new novella will turn out wonderful.:) I pray that your cold will go away soon. Stay safe, my friend! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Manuela!
DeleteFriday 23rd,
ReplyDelete"Morning, MaryLu ... and Rose."
Congratulations on being asked to participate in the "novella" MaryLu ... good for you ! As always, I am sure you will do a wonderful job of it ! Why, and I "sure" ??? Because you always rely on the Lord's strength and direction to guide you through !
Thrilled you are going to be writing Book 2 in "The Protector of the Spear" series !!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy !!!!
Yes, I definitely read your post on Revelation 12 Signs. Will need to go more slowly to totally digest it all again. I was speechless after first reading it ... not because I didn't agree or didn't like it. I was just overwhelmed with the depth and intensity of it all ... basically "needing to fully concentrate" on all of that information. Well written ... boy does your mind delve deep !!!
Will be lifting you up in prayer, namely that your cold takes a "long hike" !!!
Thanks for all of what you shared today. Have a great weekend.
Take care, and, God Bless, In Him, Brenda
Thanks for your prayers, Brenda. And your encouragement!
DeleteCongratultions! :)
ReplyDeletePraying your cold goes away quickly and you are well again soon!
Thanks for praying, Caroline. That means alot!
DeleteOh my gosh! I am SUPER excited about ALL that you just shared! Oh, the wait! Painful but worth it! Thank you MaryLu!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cherie! The books take so long to write and so little time to read. Not fair! LOL
DeleteExcited about your new venture and know you'll do a great job. Sorry you've been feeling so badly. Praying you'll feel better soon. Thanks for sharing your news even though it comes with a long wait time.
ReplyDeleteYes, Traditional publishing takes forever. Usually it takes about 8-9 months for a publisher to publish a book after I turn it in.
DeleteLove all your wonderful news - congrats!!
ReplyDeleteSo excited about the new novella!! Before I even read her name - I guessed Michelle would be one of the other authors involved. She was sitting just a few feet away from me in the lobby of the Omni Hotel in Nashville several weeks ago - I so wanted to meet her, but didn't want to interrupt her conversation with friends.
YAY for book 2 in the Protectors of the Spear trilogy, and the 'She Walks in Power' audio book, also!!
So sorry you are continuing to have health issues - continued prayers for you!! You probably aren't getting to enjoy your rest this month as much as you had planned.
Love, prayers, and hugs!!
Bless you, Bonnie! Michelle would have loved to meet you. She's really down to earth and a wonderful person. I'm praying for your health too, sweetie. :-)
DeleteSo happy for you, my friend. The Falcon and the Sparrow is one of my favorites of your books. I'm positive you will write a great story. I love that Michelle will also be a contributor in this collection. I'm curious if Linore Burkard is contributing too....She writes great Recency stories, but I don't know if she writes for Barbour. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that, Chappy. Wow. I would have thought my pirate books were your favorite. Don't think Linore is included this time, but she would have been a great pick!
DeleteWow, congratulations MaryLu! I am excited for you and happy to hear about the second book in Protectors of the Spear trilogy is about Cristiana and Sir Jarin's story and the audio book!
ReplyDeletePraying your cold leaves soon.
Blessings, Tina
Thanks for your prayers, Tina. :-)
DeleteCongratulations my friend in all your news. You are a blessed woman and also a gifted one. I have the Falcon and loved it also. So I know you have this wrapped up in a big red bow already. Praying for your cold and also for some special time with your little grandbabies. They certainly are a blessing.
ReplyDeleteSo much to look forward to for us your readers, and so much for you to do to please those of us who love your gift of writing. So prayers for you and thank you for being you.
Blessings overflowing from Him who loves you.
Elsie
So sweet, Elise.. thank you for all your kind words!! Just spent the day with my grandbabies and me, with a cold. Ugh. But they were fun. I'm exhausted now! LOL
DeleteCongratulations. If there is going to be a delay, what better reason then a contract. Regency is not my area of interest, but I said that about mermaids, and medieval, and you made me a fan. I am becoming a more well-rounded reader because of you. Thank you for the hours of entertainment!
ReplyDeleteOkay, now I'm on a mission to make you like Regencies, Tammi!
DeleteCongratulations on the regency novella, MaryLu! How exciting! Yes, Michelle Griep writes great regency novels so it's exciting you'll be partnering up with her. I'm curious who the other writers are! I'm in suspense! Hehe November 2017 is such a looong wait but as long as I have another book of yours on the hook I shall be fine. :)
ReplyDeleteI speak healing over your sinuses, lungs, bronchial tubes, throat. Praying you're well and healed! I anoint you with healing over your body.
Hugs and blessings!
Thank you so much, Regina! Yes, Michele does write great Regencies. She's going to have to help me with some of the historical details ;-) I'm receiving the healing you have spoken over me. Thank you!!!
DeleteWow!! So excited for you. I'm not a fan of novellas, they are just to short! What fun is it when you are getting into the characters and plot and you want more, more,more, then boom it ends!�� but I will read yours. I loved your Regency book that you wrote , so I think that you are going to do great in that area!! He will see you through. Bummed about having to wait for the second book in the series the protectors of the spear, but it will just add to the anticipation when it does come out. Prayers going up for you in your health and your coming Novella. I also read your latest about the stars and constellations. It was so insightful. I so look forward to your blogs about the coming of our Lord and have learned much. You also have cleared up some areas that I was having trouble understanding, so thank you, but I wanted to ask you, have you ever considered writing about the end times? I think you would be amazing in this area. You could do a fictional book but I also think it would be great if you did a non fictional. You have such insight with this time and I know that I would love to learn more from you about this.
ReplyDeletePrayers always going up to our Heavenly Father for you!!
Faith
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Faith! I have actually been thinking of writing a novel about end times... We shall see what the Lord says. :-)
DeleteMaryLu, congrats on your novella contract! I'm praying you are well soon! Blessing and (((((HUGS))))
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Caryl!
DeleteYay! I adore clean Regency novels and am so happy to hear this. I don't read a lot of novella collections, but this is one I will read. :)
ReplyDelete