|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Hello all and welcome to our
Professional Connection live interview.
|
|
|
Tonight my guest is publisher
Rhonda Penders.
|
|
|
Rhonda Penders and The Wild
Rose Press publish short stories (less than 5,000 words), up to and
including 100,000 word novels. They offer all short stories electronically
but any book over 55,000 words is available in print and electronic
formats. In addition to a very active forum where writers talk to one
another and our editors, they also offer a greenhouse where writers can
"grow". Their stated mission is to take a new writer and help
them become published. Their goal in doing this is to add to the garden of
their authors by working with writers in the beginning. Rhonda says they
are also thrilled to have established and, often times, already published
authors with them as well, but the new writer will find they are a kinder,
gentler, publishing house who wants to work with them. They don't believe
in form rejection letters (isn't that refreshing!) and they keep an open
mind about what type of stories they publish. All their writers, including
Rhonda herself, and business partner,
|
|
|
RJ Morris, are writers as
well as editors. She tells us that they approach the business from the
writer's standpoint.
|
|
|
You'll find their website: The Wild Rose Press
|
|
tory
|
Sounds wonderful. So glad to
"meet" her and learn of The Wild Rose Press!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Hi Tory and Mary and all. I'm
so glad to be here.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
We all are glad to meet her!
Welcome, Rhonda!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Thanks Mary, this is great.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Rhonda, one of the things that
fascinated me about your publishing house is your focus on 'new' writers!
How
|
|
|
did this come about?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Well when we decided to do a
publishing company one of the things we wanted
|
|
|
was to be different than the
others. One of the biggest disappointments or
|
|
|
upsets as a writer is when you
get rejected without even knowing why. So that
|
|
|
combined with wanting to be
different sort of evolved into a publishing house that
|
|
|
grows writers. We even have a
greenhouse with tons of articles.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I am ALL for a pointed
rejection letter...how else will a new writer learn whether it was a craft
issue or the editor had one just like this book in inventory?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Definitely Mary, in fact
|
|
|
all our rejection letters have
to be personalized and to the point. We
|
|
|
try hard to point out in as
kind a way possible what is wrong and what they could do
|
|
|
to improve on it and we very
often suggest if they want to revise it we will look at it again.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Do you offer specific revision
suggestions?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Yes.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, cool. :-) So I'm curious...
|
|
|
I know that editor friends
claim that they can't do 'personal' rejections for two reasons...one is
time
|
|
|
and the other is that people
'take them wrong' and want to argue. Have you had that happen?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
The first part of your
question about time is that they do take time and I think
|
|
|
that as we grow even bigger
they'll take more time, but our response to that is
|
|
|
I'll put on more staff, more
editors or asst editors whatever it takes.
|
|
|
The second part
|
|
|
is that we have had a few
authors argue with us, but that's ok too, if they don't
|
|
|
want to listen, they don't
have to, but we offered what we said we would.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Good for you! I gather that
responding to authors is not counted as 'part of the job' in the NY
publishing houses...at least not the rejections.
|
|
|
So they're extra time.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
They definitely take time, but
the editors know all that going in.
|
|
|
They are all writers and know
how important it is to know why your manuscript
|
|
|
isn't working or isn't
accepted. We've had several letters already from rejected
|
|
|
writers praising us, actually
gushing over how good we were to give them a rejection.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, I bet! Most writers would
LOVE any kind of personal rejection!
|
|
kems
|
Are your printed books available
for sale in bookstores?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
They really are starved for
this type of feedback.
|
|
|
Our books, anything over
55,000 words, are done in print and electronic format and
|
|
|
have ISBN numbers so you can
walk into Barnes and Noble and ask for them
|
|
|
but you won't find them on the
shelves...yet.
|
|
|
That's a tough thing, but we
plan to crack that nut too.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
That IS a tough thing, and I'd
love to get your 'take' on where the proliferation of smaller publishers
will take us
|
|
|
in terms of how readers find
these books? The publishing world does seem to be changing.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
The publishing world is
changing so fast its hard to keep up. But the important
|
|
|
thing is these ISBN numbers,
you have to have those to be found anywhere --
|
|
|
Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble
or wherever. We do sales through fictionwise.com
|
|
|
and also through our web site.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Are you finding that reviews of
your authors works help send readers to your books?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Oh definitely. Anytime you can
get a reader's attention through reviews or
|
|
|
through interviews or any
other marketing means-for example we have a
|
|
|
forum where authors an talk to
the readers and other writers right on our
|
|
|
web site and that helps get
readers to pick up the books as well.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, what a lovely idea! Tell us
about that!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
The forum?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Yes. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Well it’s a lot like
yahoo groups, hopefully most of you have heard of those.
|
|
|
Anyone is welcome, its on a
tab right on our web site and you log in and away
|
|
|
you go, you can post a
question of a certain author or just see what everyone is
|
|
|
talking about or even talk to
the editors. It’s kind of an open door policy.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I love that idea.
|
|
|
Are you getting a lot of
traffic from readers?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Its very popular....actually
we are open right now for submissions so most of
|
|
|
our traffic has been writers
but we are planning a grand opening celebration in early
|
|
|
September for the bookstore on
line and that's when we anticipate a lot of readers coming in.
|
|
|
That's not to say we don't
have readers there, we do but we expect a large
|
|
|
increase in September.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Your Grand Opening is going to
be exciting! If you'll email me the week before, I'll be sure to mention it
in the website updates I do.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Wonderful, I'll be sure to do
that.
|
|
|
I'm hoping to have a bit of a
cyber party if I can pull it off right.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh that will be fun! :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Yeah, I’m excited.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Tell us about what you publish.
I know people in the audience want to know.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
The main thing we publish is
romance, all types of romance. We have several
|
|
|
different lines for example
our white rose line is inspirational, our Scarlet Rose line is erotic
romance,
|
|
|
our Black Rose line is
paranormal like vampires and werewolves, and we have a line that I love --
|
|
|
It’s the Yellow Rose
line and its all about cowboys!
|
|
|
We're also unique in another
way.
|
|
|
We are one of the few publishers
around that publish short stories
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I know, and I was thrilled!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
yep its been very successful
for that type of writing
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Tell us about that...I have a
number of students who write short romance ...and NO markets!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I know! Terrible isn't it? The
most exciting thing to tell you all first is that we are currently running
a short story contest.
|
|
|
The details are all on the web
site right on the home page but the deadline is August 31 so check soon.
|
|
|
Basically we publish the
shortest of stories like 4 pages even
|
|
|
all the way up to 54,900 words
before it becomes a full length book. Our short stories have lovely covers
and are available
|
|
|
for sale on line.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Are they collected into print
anthologies at all? Or might they be?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Right now all the short
stories are sold separate, but this contest I mentioned is going to include
all the first prize
|
|
|
winners in an anthology and we
plan to offer this once a year. We've talked about doing other anthologies
but
|
|
|
but don't plan to do them in
the next few months, but definitely at some point.
|
|
dreamergirl
|
Is this a real possibility for
new writers?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
It sounds as if you prefer new
writers, actually. Is this so?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
To be honest, at least 75% of
our writers are new writers.
|
|
|
I don't think we prefer them
over published or the other way around it’s just that we are willing
to take
|
|
|
a chance and we are willing to
help you grow. We have tossed out the rule book of "what type of book
sells" and if we
|
|
|
like it, we publish it. It
doesn't matter if some other house might say it won't work.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
What a refreshing attitude. You
know, once upon a time this was how publishers felt
|
|
|
before the publishers were
merged into large corporate entities and the bottom line took precedence.
|
|
|
It’s marvelous to think
this might return to the business! :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Here's the thing Mary and
I’m being completely open and honest here.
|
|
|
My buddy and partner, RJ and I
both work other jobs, we have families. We aren't doing this to make an
income...we simply
|
|
|
want the business to grow and
be self sufficient and to help writers get their stories out to readers.
Somewhere along the way
|
|
|
publishing houses got in the
way of good stories getting out there. I can't tell you we aren't
interested in selling books, we are for our
|
|
|
authors and ourselves, but we
want to publish good stories.
|
|
|
I have some tips from my
editors if you'd like to hear them.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Yes, please. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Number one thing they all
asked me to pass along is that everyone needs to read the submission
guidelines on our
|
|
|
web site. So many things come
in without following the guidelines and it’s frustrating to them..
|
|
|
Second, know what line you're
writing for and submit appropriately. Some of our lines are confusing.
|
|
|
We are always willing to
answer an email from someone asking questions about the lines. For example.
|
|
|
We have two paranormal lines, Faery
Rose and Black Rose. Faery Rose stories are all about elves and trolls and
fairies and things like that
|
|
|
whereas Black Rose would be
darker, vampires, shapeshifters, werewolves, etc.
|
|
|
We love writers who are
willing to let us help them.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Read the guidelines! But you
ALL know that right, folks????
|
|
tory
|
How long has your press been
publishing?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Sigh, you'd be surprised at
how many people skip the guidelines. Tory good question.
|
|
|
To be very honest here, we
opened our doors on May 1 (my birthday!)
|
|
|
But here's another thing.
|
|
|
I'm not sure if anyone is
familiar with Triskelion Publishing? They've only been in business two
years and already
|
|
|
they are RWA recognized which
is the brass ring so to speak for a romance publisher.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
They're quite a success story.
:-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
So my point is if we do this
right, we can do it too.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I believe you can. :-)
|
|
kems
|
You can talk to
editors?????!!!!! Can you ask for advice?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Thanks Mary! We hope so. It
elevates us to a much bigger level. Kems...you not only can talk
|
|
|
to editors but they will talk
back! They will answer your questions and help you and try to do whatever
they can, within reason
|
|
|
to get your story where it
needs to be. Now we won't rewrite for you, and we won't do the work but we
are available through email all the time
|
|
dreamergirl
|
You are giving us so much good
info, thank you.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I think I said before every
editor was told how this was going to be before she signed on.
|
|
writermom
|
Wow what a concept.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I love helping writers.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
It's a great concept. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Our mission is to be a kinder
and gentler publishing house. Thanks.
|
|
writermom
|
Are you planning on expanding
the types of genres you publish or will you stick with largely romance?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I like to be honest, so while
I'd love to say maybe, honestly I doubt it. We love romance, we're romance
writers and it’s what we know.
|
|
|
I wouldn't have a clue how to
publish a Sci Fi book.
|
|
|
But we are thinking of maybe
doing a young adult line someday.
|
|
|
We even have a name for a YA
line - climbing roses.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I think electronic format would
have good YA appeal.
|
|
|
We have a generation that does
read onscreen.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I think so too Mary.
|
|
|
This next generation won't
have the "e" fears we sometimes have.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I love your rose names for the
lines, by the way.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Thank you! We did get grief
for one of them...
|
|
|
Someone objected to our Last
Rose of Summer name, said we sounded like older women were half dead
|
|
|
Ha-ha.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Goodness!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Can I talk about that line for
a minute?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Please do!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Our Last Rose of Summer line
was sort of loosely modeled after Women's Fiction but we still wanted it to
have romance in it...basically
|
|
|
the heroines are older, over
35 and have probably been around a while, either divorced, widowed or
something like that, and yet these are 22 year old
|
|
|
heroines. I explained it like
this once. These heroines, like the last rose in summer, cling stubbornly
to whatever life has dealt them.
|
|
|
They bloom and are
magnificent.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Very cool!
|
|
|
I hope that line gets some real
attention by reviewers!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
The only thing we've found
lacking is there's not a lot of writers out there who "get" the
concept.
|
|
R J Morris
|
Just want to say ditto on all my
partner has said
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Hi, RJ.
|
|
|
Welcome.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Positive reactions from
reviewers would be nice. Ha-ha look who's here!
|
|
|
How'd she get in? Didn't we
lock the door?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
You never know who'll wander
in. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
True.
|
|
sweett
|
Very great on the later in life
love. Sounds just like my current work in progress!
|
|
megger
|
Well, speaking as a Last Rose
myself, I can't wait to get started on that one! Brava.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Sounds like a winner! :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Oh great! Send it our way.
Seriously, if any of you send a query, send it in and mention you hear
|
|
|
were here I meant to say.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
That's nice of you. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I'm excited that it’s
generating some interest in here.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, you're generating a LOT of interest!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Awesome. I love it.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I knew you would. It's such a
wonderful concept.
|
|
sweett
|
Awesome. Thank you.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
We like to think so. We're
glad we were the ones to "grow" it.
|
|
gwanny
|
What about mainstream fiction?
Do you have a spot for us?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Does it have romance in it?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
So the romance doesn't have to
be the overwhelming central theme?
|
|
gwanny
|
But of course dahlin...don't they
all?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
J
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
That's getting into a grey area,
I mean it has to have romance in it. Yes, but we aren't afraid of the
bigger book.
|
|
|
If that's sort of what your
asking. The best thing to do is send us a query and tell us about it.
|
|
R J Morris
|
About chatting with editors,
cover design is two way too
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, how lovely.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
All our covers are created
personally by RJ, right now.
|
|
|
She does awesome work.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
The ones I saw on your website
were quite nice. Lovely work, RJ.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
As we grow she'll have a staff
working for her.
|
|
pthib
|
So you are open to things that
don't necessarily fit a particular niche?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Definitely, again I can't
stress enough, there has to be romance and try hard to find the right line
for your work and then
|
|
|
query that editor.
|
|
|
That leads me to submission
timelines too
|
|
|
If I may?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Please do.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Right now if you send in a
query to an editor, you should get a fairly quick response, sometimes
within a couple days, but definitely not later than two weeks ..for a query
anyway.
|
|
|
Once the editor has requested
a partial as they usually do...it shouldn't take more than, and this is a
stretch but more than 60 days to hear back. Generally right now
|
|
|
it’s a whole lot less
before you're asked to send the full or you get a rejection.
|
|
|
And everything, most
everything is done via email.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
That's a very prompt response,
considering you're giving feedback and not just a form rejection.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
We have been the writers,
remember, sitting around waiting sometimes over a year for responses from
publishers...we aren't going
|
|
|
to do that to our writers.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
For those of you who have asked
me to repeat the website link: The
Wild Rose Press
|
|
|
There it is.
|
|
R J Morris
|
ALWAYS query regardless of
length and to THAT line editor.
|
|
dreamergirl
|
Will I find all of this
information on your site?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Everything and if you can't
both our emails are there too just look under about us
|
|
|
feel free to email either of
us at anytime.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
That kind of accessibility is
wonderful. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I also tell any writers groups
I talk to that if you find our "service" at The Wild Rose Press
to not be what we've said, RJ and I want to know.
|
|
writermom
|
Do you think you can maintain
that attitude as the business grows?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Weeds will be plucked. hee hee
|
|
|
I intend to. I've said often
that if our editors can't do what we need them to do because of too many
manuscripts or whatever, we'll put on more editors.
|
|
pthib
|
Are there any taboos in your
lines...for example can a "contemporary" novel have faith in it?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I have no problem having
several good editors on each line. There are some taboos and to be honest
with you
|
|
|
each editor for each line is
the expert on her line. For example I know that our White Rose Editor,
Ruth, has certain
|
|
|
restrictions for the inspirationals.
I can't tell you what those are, but you are encouraged to email her and
ask her directly.
|
|
pthib
|
Is the Last Rose line modeled
after HQ's Next line?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Very good! Give that writer a
prize.
|
|
|
Yes they are.
|
|
|
I don't want to come out and
say that on the web site but that's what they are.
|
|
pthib
|
If you get a submission for one
line and it would fit better in another, will you pass it to that editor?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Always. Without any
hesitation.
|
|
|
We work very very close
together.
|
|
bud
|
Do you need a query for short
stories or just the manuscript?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Tough call there, because of
so many computer virus you hate to open anything you haven't requested as
an attachment.
|
|
|
However, I don't have a
problem with someone sending me an email and a brief query and then
attaching it. RJ probably cringes at that.
|
|
|
I guess the best response
would be to always query first.
|
|
|
Just to be safe and keep us
virus free.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
The virus issue IS a real one.
But I've found that reformatting from an email submission is a PAIN in the
backside.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Definitely. That's why I say
if you send an email with a brief query, the editor will usually then ask
for the full and she'll know who you are.
|
|
kems
|
What rights do you buy? All
rights, first rights? How does that work with e-publishing? Is the story
always there for readers to purchase or is there a "shelf" life
for e-books?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Good question. How are you
handling rights?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
The author retains all her
rights.
|
|
|
With us you can pull your work
back at any time, even after its published and up on our web site. You
retain your own rights.
|
|
|
As for shelf life, we don't
have one at this time, I don't anticipate having one for a while but I
suppose fifteen years from now
|
|
|
we probably should pull off
some of our first stories if they are no longer selling.
|
|
|
Another way we're different or
so I've been told - as far as rights go.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Well, an electronic inventory,
at least, doesn't take up a lot of shelf space.
|
|
kems
|
Wow! That is generous.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
You are very generous.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
We're trying.
|
|
|
We're trying to be different
and better.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
How is author payment worked
out? Royalties?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Yes royalties, unfortunately
no advances.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Who gives advances in small
press?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
But authors get royalties on
all their sales, editors get a small piece of that too.
|
|
|
No one I know of, but I always
feel bad we can't cut some big fat checks along with the contracts.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
So how does your contract work?
The author retains all rights, but agrees to let you publish the work until
she/he withdraws it?
|
|
|
No minimum time?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
I think too with shelf life as
Mary said, there's no limit really to what books we can keep up there on
the site for the future....The contract says
|
|
|
that the author gives us the
publishing rights...and I'd have to get the specifics...but I think we have
one year
|
|
|
to publish her/his work...they
can withdraw at anytime but if there's been substantial edits done, she may
owe a small fee to the editor for their work.
|
|
|
But yep she/he can withdraw at
any point in the project.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
That's good protection for
you...so that you don't end up a 'free' editing service for a book
published elsewhere
|
|
|
and more than fair.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Yes.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I have to say, that one of the
appeals of small press to authors like myself with a NY publishing track
record is that small press publishers
|
|
|
keep books that go out of print
from NY houses in print.
|
|
|
I LOVE that.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
You’re saying that they
won't go out of print right?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
In small press, usually they
don't.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
We also will print books that
have been published before and are out of print, but the author has the
rights back.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
The NY publishers only keep
them in print for a couple of years, usually.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Oh I see, yes we'll keep them
in print indefinitely.
|
|
|
I can't imagine why we'd need
to take them out to be honest.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I suspect you'll attract your
share of well published authors with an out of print inventory. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
We have two right now, to be
honest, we rejected one of them.
|
|
|
Her story was just too, well
80's maybe.
|
|
kems
|
Would you consider a book set in
1993 dated? It isn't based on anything significant that occurred in that
year. It's just the year I choose because that is when I was in the
university setting, but I would have a better opportunity to get published
if I set it in 2006.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
But the other is fabulous and
we're publishing it and the rejected author is sending us something new.
|
|
R J Morris
|
You could say shelf life is 2
years - that's the contract
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Question about the year.
|
|
|
Yes I would consider that,
unless you thought changing the year would make the story stronger.
|
|
|
The editor might ask if you’re
willing to do that.
|
|
|
RJ can you explain further on
that?
|
|
|
I think we could definitely
keep books longer than two years.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Is the contract for two years
and then open after that?
|
|
R J Morris
|
Yes - the contract is
automatically renewed unless asked otherwise.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Ah, thanks.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Whew, thanks RJ.
|
|
|
I wasn't positive and didn't
want to say something inaccurate.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I'm sorry,RJ, I don't have the
means to invite you onto the stage as well, here.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
That’s ok, most of the
time I can answer everything but she knows those contracts like her own
name.
|
|
dreamergirl
|
Do we submit queries by mail or
just e-mail?
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
We much prefer email, it’s
cheaper for the writer and its quicker. But we certainly will take regular
mail too.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
RJ has a bit more information
on the contract.
|
|
R J Morris
|
No problem - it renews for 1
year continuously after the first 2years.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
So if you're happy, your book
will simply stay with Wild Rose and in print there.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Yep.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Nice contract. Very fair to the
writer. :-)
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
What else can I share with
you? How about what we have on our shelves right now that I'm excited
about?
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, yes, let's hear about that!
|
|
|
You seem to have quite a few
lined up.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
One of the best books, in my
opinion, coming out this fall is in our Champagne Rose Line...its called
Thin Ice
|
|
|
and its the story of a
professional hockey player and a woman doctor. She's escaped an abusive marriage,
her husband was a sports fanatic.
|
|
|
Already you see the
conflict....she has a young son who is crazy about hockey and she considers
it to be way too violent.
|
|
|
The conflict between the hero
hockey player and the doctor is fantastic as we watch the story unfold.
|
|
|
Her son meets the hockey
player during a career day thing at school and of course hero worships him.
I won’t say more but it’s a fabulous read.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Sounds like fun.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Another really neat one I'm
told..
|
|
|
although I haven't read it
yet, is a White Rose - the Inspirational Line---about a woman who lives
with a traveling circus. I've been told
|
|
|
by Ruth that it is laugh out
loud funny.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Oh, what a great milieu
|
|
|
Good circus details, I hope!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Yes lots of circus details I'm
told. We also have several books by multi-published Jo Barrett, she writes
all sorts of stories from cowboys to ghosts to contemporaries.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Tell us what's coming out in
your cowboy line. That fascinates me.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Ohhh I sense a fellow cowboy
lover.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
I'd certainly have the most fun
writing those!
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
The yellow rose line is all
cowboys. These are contemporary stories not old west that's our Cactus Rose
Lines.
|
|
|
But this line has ranchers and
cowboys and cowgirls and we have a series called the Double B coming this
fall
|
|
|
by Roni Adams. Her first one
To Tame A Cowgirl should be out around mid October.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
Nice that you have both
contemporary and old West.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
Our Historical line is broken
into three sections...
|
|
|
American which is basically
the Civil War stuff, and the period right after that. English Tea Rose
which is Regency, and then
|
|
|
Cactus Rose which is Westerns.
|
|
Mary Rosenblum
|
You are covering the sub genres
VERY thoroughly.
|
|
Rhonda Penders
|
We try. We've been told by
historical writers that there are no "homes" for them so we
wanted them to come to us and they wanted
|