If you’ve never participated in Brenda’s auction, be sure to check it out. She has some amazing auction items up for grabs–jewelry, manuscript critiques, vacations, etc. Something for everyone. Last year, the auction broke the $1 million mark, which is amazing.

The auction runs from May 1-31. There are more ONE DAY auction items, too.

We hope you’ll join in on the fun and BID ON RU!

Don’t forget to check out Brenda’s Online Auction for Diabetes Research, which runs through the end of May. Brenda has raised over $1,065,298 for diabetes research so far!

Virgil Skinner served fourteen years for a murder he didn’t commit. He’s finally been exonerated, but he can’t escape the gang he joined in order to survive. They’ll do anything to keep him from telling what he knows. And if they can’t get to Virgil they’ll go after his sister and her kids.

The California Department of Corrections needs someone to infiltrate another gang, one that’s taking control of the state’s most notorious super max. Virgil’s the perfect candidate–and he’ll do it in exchange for his sister’s protection.

Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams is opposed to having Virgil in her prison. How will she protect him if things go bad? Besides, she’s attracted to him; she might even be falling in love with him. That makes her all the more desperate to keep him safe–and it gives him someone else to lose.

Here’s the set-up for the scene:

It’s the middle of the night and Virgil is at Peyton’s house because she’s hiding him until they can slip him into the prison as a “transfer” after the weekend. They’ve been going over various members of the gang he’s supposed to infiltrate, which has forced them into close proximity and their attraction is sizzling. Still, she’s trying to keep a lid on her reaction to him. Getting personally involved with him could jeopardize her job, the investigation, maybe even her life (since the gang goes after those he loves if they can’t get to him).

Here’s the excerpt:

Her chest rising and falling much too fast, Peyton stood in the middle of her office long after Virgil had stalked out. She knew she needed to calm down, but she couldn’t. She was caught in a web spun by her own emotions and desires—one that challenged every instinct she possessed regarding self-preservation, not to mention sense of duty. She’d hoped to achieve some sort of equilibrium with this new person in her life. But she couldn’t. For one thing, he wasn’t someone she could talk to and simply explain how she felt–because he understood more than she wanted him to understand, looked far deeper, to the hard truth, blanching at nothing. For another, in all her years in corrections, she’d never encountered anyone so at war with himself. That made everything more complicated. He understood that she was attracted to him. She’d made that obvious enough. He also understood that she was fighting it–that she wouldn’t, couldn’t, take a chance on someone like him–and he couldn’t help resenting it.

He’d said, You know what I want from you. If you want it, too, you don’t have to make me dinner. You don’t have to view me as an equal. Hell, you don’t have to do anything at all. Just ask. But somehow, he’d raised the bar. Now he acted as if he would accept nothing less than her soul.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she counted her own heartbeat. Bu-bump. Bu-bump. Bu-bump. It hammered away, refusing to slow down.

Go back to your room, close the door and lock it.

She promised herself she would. But once in the hallway she turned to the guest room and, swallowing hard, lifted her hand to knock.

#

Virgil’s whole body tensed when Peyton came to his door. “Go away,” he snapped.

“That’s it?” she said.

Yes. No. God, he had no clue. He liked her and he hated her. Or maybe it was all she stood for that he both liked and hated. He barely knew her, and yet she represented everything he couldn’t have and everything he wanted all at once.

He’d be better off keeping his hands to himself. That was the one course of action where he couldn’t go wrong. So he gritted his teeth and clung to his control. “Yes.”

He heard the weight of her footsteps as she left. Then his stomach knotted and his hands curled into fists because he longed to hit something, something that would send enough pain through him to crush the physical longing.

Pulling the pillow over his head, he ordered himself to let her go. But it wasn’t fifteen minutes later that he got out of bed and descended the narrow stairs leading to her room. “Peyton?” he called, once he reached her door.

It took her a moment to answer. He got the impression she couldn’t decide whether or not she owed him that much. “What?”

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say; he sure as hell couldn’t explain his actions or his emotions.

She must’ve believed he was sincere because her pained expression dissolved and she began toying nervously with the bottom of her T-shirt.

Once he allowed his gaze to fall lower than her face, he realized that the sweats she’d worn earlier were gone. Bare legs extended to bare feet, the sight of which sent a fresh charge of testosterone through him.

“I can’t figure out how to help you,” she whispered.

“Maybe I don’t want you to help me.”

“Then what do you want?”

For her to see him as a regular man. To desire him as a regular man.

“Take off your clothes.” His voice sounded so raspy he almost didn’t recognize it. There was far more going on inside him than lust, but whatever else he craved was like an itch he could never scratch. He figured he could be happy with pure sex. Being able to make love to a woman, a woman like Peyton, was far more than he’d expected to achieve before returning to prison, wasn’t it? So why had he tried so hard to resist?

She stood as if transfixed. Would she refuse? He’d made his request an order because part of him hoped she would. That she’d save him, since he couldn’t save himself. The other part felt as if he’d die a little inside if she shut him down….

“Why do you have to tempt people, challenge them, into not giving you what you want?” she asked.

His chest burned; he wasn’t sure why. “This isn’t a psychoanalysis session. Are you going to take it off or not?”

“No. Forget it. Just get out of here.” She started to turn away, but she didn’t close the door, and he caught her elbow.

“Don’t say no,” he murmured.

She stared at him as if she was just as lost as he was. Then she lifted her T-shirt over her head and let it drop to the floor.

If you’ve never participated in Brenda’s auction, be sure to check it out. She has some amazing auction items up for grabs–jewelry, manuscript critiques, vacations, etc. Something for everyone. Last year, the auction broke the $1 million mark, which is amazing.

The auction runs from May 1-31. There are also ONE DAY auction items.

We hope you’ll join in on the fun and BID ON RU!

Want to know how you can help Brenda in her fight against diabetes? First check out her web site http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/. You’ll find an array of gift baskets, autographed books, agent and editor manuscript evaluations, beautiful trinkets, and weekend vacations. Some items are available for only one day, but the majority can be bid on throughout the auction. It’s super easy to register and place bids. And a lot of fun — the bidding part, at least! The auction begins on May 1 and wraps up on May 31.

Romance University is donating a Crafting Your Career basket this year.

Inside, you’ll find:

• A European lapdesk
• A beautiful hand-crafted water hyacinth basket
• A Knock-Knock Stickies set
• Three (3) craft books
  • Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon (Kelsey’s fave!)
  • Scene and Structure by Jack M. Bickham (Adrienne’s fave!)
  • The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass (Tracey’s fave!)
• A Romance University notepad and bookmark
• A 4 GB SanDisk with RU Faculty’s favorite writing templates installed

Help Brenda meet her one million dollar goal by joining in on the fun and supporting this fabulous cause. One click on the link above and you’ll be transported to an awe-inspiring site for writers and readers that is also helping save lives.

Let’s give a big RU welcome to bestselling author Brenda Novak.

Boundaries

 I’ve never been good at setting boundaries. “Pleasers” usually aren’t. They are trained—or programmed from the beginning, maybe—to give others what they want and expect, no matter how difficult or time-consuming. So I spent a good portion of my life living for the praise of my parents, my teachers, my siblings, my husband, even my children.

And then something happened. I started to write romance and that evoked some…gasp… disapproval from certain people, several of which were very close to me.

As silly as it may sound to those who have always been assertive, weathering that disapproval without succumbing to the pressure to quit was a difficult exercise for me. It required a lot of soul-searching. But I’m glad for the challenge it presented. I feel as if it was necessary to my growth as a person. I finally learned how to break out of that childish “pleaser” mold, if only a little, and do what I thought I should be doing regardless of whether anyone else agreed with it or not. Once I took a stand, I felt empowered. It was the first time I had ever really set any boundaries, the first time I put those in my life on notice that I was going to live according to the dictates of my own conscience.

 I’ve now been published for eleven years and have been fortunate enough to hit The New York Times. I love what I do and am far more confident in it than I was during

 those early years. And yet…I am faced with another challenge regarding boundaries. Slowly but surely, as I’ve built my career, I’ve lost control of my time. I have a steady stream of people–wonderful people so this is nothing against them–writing to ask if I’ll tell them how to get published, read their manuscript, critique their query letter, introduce them to my agent/editor, donate to their cause, visit their blog, meet their daughter/wife/mother, speak at their event, etc. The attention is exciting. So are all the opportunities. And I sometimes need favors myself, right? Look at all the people who donate to my diabetes auction! I owe thousands!

 But agreeing to do it ALL means there’s no time for my family, no time for my writing, no time for my fundraising, no time to replenish the well from which I create my stories.

So how do I reclaim my life while still doing all I can to help others and take advantage of the great opportunities that come my way? How do I achieve the right balance? Is it possible to set boundaries without offending?

Whether it is or not, I fear saving my sanity will mean using a word I’ve never felt comfortable with—No.

***

RU Crew, how do you set boundaries in your own life?  We’d love to hear from you.

A special thanks to Brenda Novak for being with us today. After all, she could have chosen now to say no and we are so glad she didn’t. Please join us tomorrow when Jeannie Ruesch of Will Design for Chocolate will offer advice on what unpubbed writers need to establish a web presence and why they need it.
 

Please take a moment to read the following note from Brenda regarding her annual auction to benefit diabetes research. This is a wonderful event and the auction items are amazing (be sure to check out the RU basket.).  Once again, here’s Brenda:

I started this fundraiser in 2005 and have made it an annual event in an attempt to help my thirteen-year-old son (diagnosed at 5) and the many, many others who struggle with diabetes. The need is there. Anyone who lives with a diabetic will tell you about the constant fingertip pricks, the shots, the pump insertions, the danger that comes with blood sugars that are too high or too low or swinging wildly from one side to the other. It’s almost impossible to avoid the fluctuations, no matter how hard you try. But you rarely hear about that, or about the tragic side affects. Diabetes affects every part of the body—the heart, the liver, the kidneys, the skin, the nerves, the eyes, everything. But thanks to my many, many generous donors–and shoppers–we’re doing what we can to help!

Last year we managed to raise over $280,000, which brings us to over three-quarters of a million so far. In 2010, we should break the $1 million mark! Judging by the increase in donations and web traffic, I think we’ll get there. Not only do I offer fabulous items like original paintings, handmade quilts, trips and stays and autographed books and baskets from Big Name authors, I offer fabulous opportunities for readers and writers. How would you like to have lunch with one of your favorite authors—authors like Barry Eisler, Diana Gabaldon, Linda Howard, Beverly Barton or Catherine Coulter? John Lescroart and Christine Feehan are offering you an opportunity to name a character in one of their novels. Jane Porter is offering a fabulous trip to Hawaii. Heather Graham has donated a trip to New Orleans, which includes her Writers For New Orleans Conference. Nora Roberts is offering a stay at her inn. Hank has donated a whole category of wonderful items, including a visit to your book club. And Anna DeStefano has put up a whole category of Coach purses. For aspiring writers, we have more agent and editor evaluations and author critiques than ever before. There are too many items to list here, so hop over and check it out.

For those of you who have never participated in an online auction, don’t worry–it’s easy. This auction runs just like E-Bay. You shop the entire month of May (there are also one-day auctions so be sure to check the schedule), bid on whatever you like and pay for what you win via  credit card or Paypal when it’s all over, at which point it will be shipped to you (in most cases, the shipping is free). The person who places the highest number of bids each week will be awarded a fabulous prize (the first week it’s an iPad as well as an Advanced Reading Copy of my new book, WHITE HEAT, due out July 27^th). There will also be lots of other prizes given away via random drawings.

And we have something new this year for aspiring writers. It’s a writing contest that will be judged by New York Times Bestselling Authors. The winner will receive a 6-month mentoring package from me and guaranteed reads from my agent and editor. One other thing I should mention. To help promote the auction, I’m currently holding a drawing for a fabulous Trip for 2 to Curacao. This trip includes airfare and hotel stay at the Hyatt Regency. To enter, visit brendanovak.com and click on the Contest link.

***

 Brenda’s bio: New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak has three novels coming out this summer—WHITE HEAT, BODY HEAT & KILLER HEAT. She also runs an annual on-line auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com. To date, she’s raised over $770,000 and is hoping to break $1 million this year. Brenda considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life.  

Romance University celebrates its first anniversary with an entire week of fun and information! Put on your party hat and bring your tooting horn – come celebrate with us and our great line-up!

Mon, 5/17 – Crafting Your Career: Author L.A. Banks and Kimani Press’ Executive Editor Glenda Howard dig deep into the multi-cultural romance sub-genre. Stop by to get their take on makes a hot romance in this growing sub-genre.

Tues, 5/18 – Happy Anniversary Romance University!!! Carrie Spencer puts Kelsey Browning, Adrienne Giordano and Tracey Devlyn in the hot seat during this revealing look at the brains behind Romance University as they celebrate their first anniversary.

Wed, 5/19 – Anatomy of the Male Mind: Bestselling author Brenda Novak takes a look at how an author can separate his/her public and private life.

Thurs, 5/20 –  Special Feature: Jeannie Ruesch of Will Design for Chocolate kicks off a series of posts on building a web presence and will offer advice on what unpubbed writers need, why they need it and what to focus on.

Fri, 5/21 – Chaos Theory of Writing: Red Sage Managing Editor Theresa Stevens responds to a reader’s call for help about how to effectively setup an eavesdropping scene. Don’t miss the answer!

All Romance University lectures are generously provided by our Visiting Professors. RU is a tuition-free zone!

Best regards,

Kelsey Browning, Adrienne Giordano, Tracey Devlyn and Carrie Spencer

PS  - Want RU’s weekly lecture schedule in a cool new email format straight to your in-box? Sign up on RU’s homepage or any of the lecture posts!

For those of you unaware, some items on Brenda’s auction (www.BrendaNovak.com) close tonight so be sure to place your bids. Romance University donated an amazing “Sampling the World” gift basket to the auction. Check it out – http://tiny.cc/VJrTa

The thing that is not listed in Brenda’s bio is how big and generous her heart is. As an added bonus for us, Brenda is giving away a Brenda Novak tote bag filled with goodies and a $50 gift certificate to her online auction for diabetes research. Just post a comment or question for Brenda and your name will be included in the drawing.

Learn more about the auction in her post and bid often because she has great items on the list.

Class is now in session.

Adrienne: What strategies did you use to help you become a NYT bestselling author?  Do you have a sense of what tipped the scale? Marketing? Writing great books? Diabetes auction? Website?  Or did all these things coincide at the right moment?

Brenda: I think the strategy that served me best was to take advantage of every opportunity that came my way. These days it often takes more than being a great writer to get ahead. There are a lot of great writers out there. You also have to be a good businessperson. So I’ve always tried to do that–to be a “complete package.” I believe success in writing starts with a solid book, of course. You have to have a great product to sell or nothing you do will bring people back to your product if they’ve tried it and they don’t like it–but marketing can make a difference if you have that foundation in place. I try to do plenty of speaking engagements, maintain an interactive and appealing web site, run fun contests, making myself available to fans as much as possible. All these things drip into the bucket of success, I think plain old luck plays a part, too. <g>

Adrienne: How did you keep yourself motivated while trying to get published?  Did you have an agent prior to being published?

Brenda: I did have an agent. I kept motivated by having my expectations in the right place. I didn’t expect to become an overnight sensation, so I wasn’t disappointed when it didn’t happen that way. I expected it to be a long journey, sometimes painstaking, and filled with disappointment. But I ultimately believed in myself, and I think that has to be there. You have to believe in yourself or no one else will believe in you. Fortunately, I did have an agent for my first sale. I was lucky enough to final in the Golden Heart at the same time an agent was expressing interest, and I think that sort of solidified the deal. She took me on and sold that first manuscript to HarperCollins. It’s the only historical romance I’ve had published because I was orphaned before it ever came out, but I still love that book. LOL.

Adrienne: How long were you writing before you were published?  How many books did you write before you hit the NYT list?

Brenda: It took me five years to teach myself the craft of writing and to finish my first manuscript. I had five little kids and couldn’t devote a lot of time to it back then. Now it’s a full-time job for me.

I hit the list with my 8th single title. I’d also written quite a few Superromances by the time I hit, but those aren’t really contenders for the list (they’re only out for three weeks, for one reason).

Adrienne: How did you get started with your auction?

Brenda: When my son was diagnosed with diabetes at five years old, I knew enough about the disease to understand that he would need constant care, and that his care would not be comfortable for him (lots of shots and finger pricks per day), but I was blown away by all the side effects that go hand in hand with this disease. I couldn’t bear the thought of watching my son go through what so many people with diabetes suffer and I really wanted to do something to make a difference. I had very little resources at the time (and all those kids, remember! LOL.) so it took me a couple of years to come up with just the thing–but then, one night I was at a silent auction for the elementary school and as I stood there looking around it hit me that I could do the same thing on my web site and invite my fans and publishing associates to get involved. Since then I’ve watched the auction double each year. Last year, we raised $252,300. And every year I grow more impressed with the people who come together to help me do this. They are amazing!

Adrienne: Tell us about your auction.

Brenda: Every year, in the month of May, I run my online auction for Diabetes Research. The auction takes a full year to plan and pull off, but it’s a labor of love—for all the people who, like my son, suffer from diabetes.

My very first auction ran in 2005 and was a huge success. Together with my generous donors, which included some of the biggest and brightest stars in publishing, I raised $34,982, which went directly to research. In year 2, we did even better and raised $62,705. In year three, we more than doubled at $141,700. Year four, we raised over $250,000. We’re definitely on a roll – each year gets bigger, brighter and better.

You can get involved – either by donating an item or by bidding when the auction starts in May.

This coming year, instead of waiting to add items in the months just before the auction, we’re going to start adding them as we receive them. So keep tabs on the 2009 Auction Spotlight page. We’ll keep you up to date with some of the best and most amazing donations you can bid on next year.

Each year, I offer a fabulous prize package to the person who places the most bids over all (even if that person doesn’t end up winning a single item). The 2008 winner received:

• A brand new Camcorder (retail value of at least $1,000),
• His/Her Name in My Next Book,
• An autographed copy of TRUST ME (6/08–the first of The Last Stand series)
• And Chocolate (lots of chocolate!)

Thank you to Brenda Novak for visiting today.

We’ll see everyone on Wednesday when author Milton Grasle will discuss women writing in the male POV.

]]> http://romanceuniversity.org/2009/05/18/crafting-your-career-brenda-novak/feed/ 77 http://romanceuniversity.org/2009/05/16/welcome-to-romance-university%e2%80%99s-launch/ http://romanceuniversity.org/2009/05/16/welcome-to-romance-university%e2%80%99s-launch/#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 22:52:20 +0000 Kelsey Browning http://romanceuniversity.org/?p=183 RU Ready?

This week, we’ll feature three special guests:

Monday, May 18 – Brenda Novak – Staying in for the Long Haul
Wednesday, May 20 – Milton Grasle – Women Writing Male POV
Friday, May 22 – Theresa Stevens – Got Backstory?

Stop by Monday to chat with Brenda, who will head the class with details about her road to becoming a New York Times bestselling author. Leave a comment and your name will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 gift certificate and a tote full of goodies.

WAIT! We have more good news.

Would you like to win a nifty new iPod Nano? Leave a comment during our launch week, May 18 – 22, and your name will be entered in a separate drawing. Courtesy of RU’s faculty members (Adrienne Giordano, Kelsey Browning and Tracey Devlyn).

Romance University – A place where friends are made and dreams are realized