by Roseanna White | Apr 10, 2014 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized
So glad I got to share yesterday about how I’ve finally, after 19 years, sold
the first book I ever wrote. Okay, so it’s a little different than it was back then…which is why I’m plowing my way through a complete rewrite. As of this time last week, I was a little less than 1/3 of the way into my projected 110,000 words.
Right now, I’m at 76K. Chugging right along–and solely because of the awesomeness of a writing retreat with my best friend. Now, I know that lots of writers have get-togethers and retreats and writing marathons with each other. I don’t know how often they look like this for approximately 18 of each 24 hours, but that’s about what it was for us:
We were blessed to have an awesome home for our retreat–Stephanie’s parents volunteered their house while they were on vacation. =) So what you’re seeing here are the most amazing 0-gravity chairs I’ve ever had the pleasure of sitting in for 3/4 of the day, our laptops, our water, and our peanut butter M&Ms. You know, the staples.
Our meals most often looked like this.
And in the mornings we might be found at the breakfast bar.
But we did also surface about once a day to check in with the real world. One of our favorite destinations was Groundhouse Coffee, an awesome coffee shop also owned by the amazing parents of Stephanie. Here we daily received an amazing concoction of blackberry and espresso that they call, aptly, the Euphoria.
We stopped in on Saturday night for one of these, and there was live music. Apparently when one combines jazz with me shouting to the cashier “Roseanna!” when he asks for my name to write on my cup, you get this.
I decided to embrace the exotic appeal of Brizana (who is surely a Brazilian beauty) and answered to it the rest of the weekend.
But one of the highlights was when Stephanie took me to a Kansis City institution — Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue. Apparently part of the OJB experience is the long line that trails out the door and around the corner. So, you know, we waited in it patiently. And because we’re us, on a writing retreat, we started brainstorming. Our conversation sounded something like this.
“So I don’t know what to do now that they kidnapped Piper. Why don’t they just kill her?”
“Good question, yeah…does she know something they want to know?”
“Maybe. And then there’s the other girl. I kinda want her to take a bullet for her. Or a raid, maybe? That could work. I have the undercover dude.”
“Oo, yeah. But where’s Mariano through it all?”
“I really don’t know. He was at the police station. But they’re trying to set him up, so…would they try to get him there?”
“Well that’s what we need to figure out, I think. Once we know where Mariano is, we can figure out how to avoid killing Piper.”
This would be about the time when, from behind us, we hear, “This is a very strange conversation going on in front of us.”
Cue the laughter…and the memory of the sage advice from Brandilyn Collins, suspense writer extraordinaire: “Never talk about poisons and murder around normals. Trust me. You’ll scare them.” We’d never had to keep that in mind before, having spent our retreat last year brainstorming contemporary teen drama and how much faster travel was once trains came around.
Happily, no police came woo-wooing up to ask us what in the world we were plotting, LOL. And our next meals out, we kept our conversation tame. 😉
Overall, a fabulous retreat. Stephanie actually got to The End, and I, by the time I had to shut off my computer for the plane to land in Washington Regan, had logged 40,000 words for the weekend. It was a great time with my best friend, and a great thing to come home to my hubby and kiddos, who both greeted me in Superman shirts.
The trouble now is easing back into the real world and out of 24-hour-a-day thinking about Lady Brook Eden, Baroness and Berkeley, and the secrets that killed her mother and now threaten her… 😉
by Roseanna White | Apr 4, 2014 | Uncategorized
Happy Friday! Thanks so much to everyone who has dropped by for Circle of Spies Week!
I’m actually in Kansas right now, basking in the joy of writing without interruption. =) So you won’t hear from me again until Tuesday, when I’m home and settled and ready to do the drawing for the awesome prizes up for grabs.
Today I invite you all to hop over to Colonial Quills for one of our super-fun online tea parties, in honor of Circle of Spies and the premier of Turn. We’re traveling to Long Island for our party this time, where the Culper Ring first lived. I’m serving you from my very own tea set, with a cake I created myself. Pick out your favorite historical gown to wear (and since they’re digital, they’ll all fit perfectly!) and hop on over.
In addition to my big giveaway, I’m also giving away a copy of Circle of Spies (either digital or print, so the digital one is available to non-US addresses too!) strictly for Colonial Quill commenters!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Roseanna White | Apr 2, 2014 | Uncategorized
Circle of Spies week rolls on!
Today I have a guest post with on a friend’s blog about what real freedom is, and how it comes into play in the book:
http://www.racheldmuller.com/blog.html
I’m visiting with Ralene Burke and talking about how writing is my ministry–and a reminder that when we’re obeying the Lord, that is itself enough.
http://www.raleneburke.com/2014/04/enough-by-roseanna-m-white/
And don’t forget to read my first interview about Circle of Spies on Southern Fried Fiction!
http://www.anemulligan.com/2014/04/from-spies-to-downton-abbey-meet.html
And of course, we still have the giveaway going on here, for the 3-pearl Culper necklace and/or a complete, signed set of the Culper Ring Series!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Roseanna White | Apr 1, 2014 | Uncategorized
It’s release day! Woot woot!
White’s Culper Ring historical spy series keeps getting better. This
installment’s intricate plot, terrific twists and heart-stopping
intrigue, as well as the heroine’s deeply moving journey of faith, grace
and redemption, create a memorable book to be devoured and cherished.
~ RT Reviews, 4 1/2 Star TOP PICK
To kick things off, today I have an interview up on Ane Mulligan’s Southern-Fried Fiction blog! Marietta, my Maryland-born Southern belle, ought to feel right at home. =)
And we’re only six days away from the premier of Turn too! Culper Ring fans should definitely tune in. And hopefully Turn fans will also love Ring of Secrets.
If you haven’t seen anything about Turn yet, check out the trailer:
And while you’re in the mood for trailers, don’t forget to watch the one Harvest House created for Circle of Spies!
Now, of course, the really fun stuff. The giveaway! Obviously I have to give away a complete set of signed books. =) But I also thought it would be fun to give away the pearl necklace that is in each of the books. Readers of the series might remember where it got its start…
This one isn’t identical–it’s on silver instead of gold–but it’s the closest I could find. =) So feel free to enter through the Rafflecopter giveaway! If you’re only interested in one of the prizes, specify which. If you’d like be entered for both, that’s totally cool too.
#1
3-Pearl Neckalce
similar to the one featured in the Culper Ring Series
#2
The complete, signed Culper Ring Series
Don’t forget that Mother’s Day is fast approaching,
and either of these prizes would make excellent gifts,
even if you already have some of the books!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Roseanna White | Mar 31, 2014 | Uncategorized
Tomorrow is the official release of Circle of Spies!
The paperback has actually been available online for a while now, but the digital will now, finally be out too! Woot!
So this week, in lieu of normal posts, it’s going to be a
Circle of Spies Fest. =) With some attention, too, going to the also-just-released book by one of my good friends, Naomi Rawlings, whose book also has a spy element! How fun it
that?
I’ll have a few guest posts up throughout the week that I’ll provide links to as they appear, culminating in one of Colonial Quills’ famous online tea parties–where it’ll share the stage with AMC’s new TV show,
Turn. So, so kind of one of my favorite channels to release their Culper Ring series the same week my final book in
my Culper Ring Series releases, isn’t it? Readers of
Ring of Secrets will see a few similarities between the show and my book, I expect.
And if anyone would like to help me promote this happy coincident, I would greatly appreciate any post on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, or blogs that have my book titles and their show title in the same post! Putting viral marketing to work! 😉
And of course, we’re celebrating with a giveaway! There are 2 prizes – just comment telling me which one (or both) you’d like to be entered for. This giveaway will also be running at the tea party on Friday.
#1
3-Pearl Neckalce
similar to the one featured in the Culper Ring Series
#2
The complete, signed Culper Ring Series
Don’t forget that Mother’s Day is fast approaching,
and either of these prizes would make excellent gifts,
even if you already have some of the books!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
by Roseanna White | Mar 27, 2014 | Uncategorized
Well, the contest for the 5 signed copies of Circle of Spies is finished, and I just selected my winners! (Or rather, Random.org did it for me.) Big congrats to:
Janella
Amy Putney
Caitlyn Santi
AmyC
Andrea Cox
I’ll be sending y’all emails in just a few minutes!
And in case anyone’s curious as to what I decided to use when I sign these books…it isn’t exactly what anyone suggested, largely because I have very, very little space to sign in this one, so had to keep it very short. But it’s similar to a few suggestions. These 5 winners will be reading
May you never forget His promises
inside their books. =) Thanks so much to all who offered suggestions and entered to win! I really love this story, and I hope you all do too!
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.