I met Cami Dalton through our own, Leslie Kelly, who has been friends with Cami for, well, forever. Cami is one of the most fun, most loving people I know and I can’t help but laugh myself silly whenever I’m around her. I’ve had the pleasure of spending much time with her, going to Disney with our kids, drinking margaritas, talking about family stuff, writing stuff, girl stuff. She’s irrepressible and genuinely fascinating. Please welcome her to the jungle!
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Okay, so I get this really great email from Leslie Kelly’s uber fabulous hubby, Bruce, a couple of weeks ago. (I’ve been good pals with the Kelly clan for years now, and generally annoy them on most non-major holidays.) Bruce had spotted my newest book for the Blaze line (and, by newest, I mean the other book I wrote) on a store shelf in Maryland and sent me a quick cyber shout out. In his note, he mentioned that Leslie was going to call me about being a guest blogger for the Plot Monkeys. I was flattered and scared. I’m a huge talker, but blogger? Not so much. Blogging involves writing. My writing style is fairly slow and mostly neurotic.
Through a series of unfortunate events, I didn’t get to speak to Leslie, and my oldest son must have erased her message from my cell phone. This would’ve been the message, or so I assume, for me to get off my fat derriere and get busy jotting down my clever and insightful thoughts on the craft of writing. Good Lord…
Unfortunately, Sherry Thomas hacked into my computer, took my post, and used it last weekend. Okay. Not true. But, dude, she’s awesome. My first thought was– why, why, am I the author that has to go right after her?! Talk about a bummer. For all of us. (It’s sort of like being stuck in a beauty pageant- the bathing suit part of the competition- and having to waddle out after Miss California.)
Anywho, since there’s no topping that puppy, (and, by puppy, I mean anything written now or in the future by Ms. Thomas, including her Plot Monkeys article) I guess I’ll just have to share a few random things that I’ve found helpful when writing and selling my masterpieces. Er, both of them.
In regards to making that first sale, my biggest piece of advice is to join RWA and make friends with other authors. There are dozens of articles out there about how great RWA is and invaluable to the new writer. I won’t belabor the point. However, let me stress that I would not be published without RWA. I would not have made the friends who encourage and inspire me. It’s a well known fact that good company corrupts bad morals. (Well, something like that, anyway.) In other words, I find it hard to blow off my writing when I regularly interact with such smart, successful women.
Without the amazing conferences and workshops, I would not have learned so much about the basic tools of writing. I also would not have met my editor. I would not have embarrassed myself in front of my editor– a painful memory, but it all worked out in the end and I’ll move on!
Be yourself. That’s the secret to making friends. Even with editors and agents. Being professional is all well and good, but, unless “yourself” is a tequila swilling hootchy mamma, (though, this has been known to work, too) most people you meet want to get to know you. Not what you’re writing. That comes later. When I met my editor, she thought I was funny and liked my natural “voice”, so to speak. We never talked about the current story I was working on, which was good, because it didn’t exist past the third chapter. However, she flat out told me that if my characters had dialogue like the stuff I was rattling off, then she wanted to read my book. This was great news and I went straight home and wrote one. On a side note, I was introduced to my editor because I was friends with one of her authors, Leslie Kelly. At my first national conference, way back when, Leslie introduced me to Brenda Chin. Leslie also introduced me to Julie Leto, Janelle Denison, and Carly Phillips. How cool is that? But see, that how friendship works when it’s real. Also, the Plot Monkeys rock. Out loud.
Write what comes naturally. I often like to read about dark, twisted characters full of angst and pain. However, whenever I try to write them, they start cracking jokes and having sex like horny jackrabbits. As a relatively new author, I’ve learned to stop fighting my voice. It is what it is. Not everyone’s going to love it, but my efforts are more natural and engaging when they come from that place inside me that flows. My editor is awesome. She always tells me to go for it. It’s her job to reign me back in if needed. It’s my job to flood her with greatness. Okay, I went a bit overboard there, but you get the point.
When I get stuck and don’t know where to go in a scene, I pretend that I’m one of my favorite authors and write the pages as I imagine they would. Obviously, do not take any actual scenes or written sentences from your fav author’s work! This is bad. A huge, whopping no-no. However, since I don’t sound like, oh, say, Jennifer Crusie, and never will no matter how much I fantasize, then this helps get me over the hump. I find this especially helpful when I’m starting a book. How would author x grab my attention? Where would they start the story if they were telling it?
Unfortunately, I’ve taken too much time to give you the real secrets of writing that are passed down in the secret RWA sect and I have to wrap this up. However, if I’m ever invited back, then I’ll reveal the super-duper mysteries of the secret society of romance writers. How’s that for a final hook? LOL!
A huge thanks to Leslie, Julie, Carly, and Janelle. You guys are my heroes!!!
By all reports, Julie Leto was a sweet child once, somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories. However, being raised with three brothers in a loud, primarily Italian household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. Writing sassy heroines has worked out, as she’s sold over forty books to four publishers featuring strong, confident women. Julie lives in Florida with her daughter, a spoiled dachshund, a haughty lynx-point Siamese and a wide range of relatives all within driving distance.
Destiny
Dirty Little Secrets
Once Upon A Valentine
Through The Night
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Good morning and welcome to the jungle!!! And you are so right about RWA. I have met so many wonderful people through my chapters (I belong to 2 online chapters).
There’s a group of us that meet in the chat room at night and on weekends and write (sometimes it’s just our grocery lists)
and we’ve formed a Yahoo Group so we can post things for critiquing or just to check in if someone has been MIA for a while.They are critique partners, cheerleaders and a support group all rolled into one.
Congrats on your new release and I’ll have to check it out when I’m at B&N next time. Hmmm…I think I have a coupon that expires tomorrow, better get there today! I love a great reason to go to the book store!
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Paula R – I hope you stop by today and see this. I just wanted to say thank you for coming back by my website and posting a new comment. I was actually working on it all day yesterday but didn’t notice your new comment until about 7:00 last night! It was a wonderful treat!!!!
I had already decided I was going to post a note to you here and let you know I’d lost all of the other information and to please go back and comment again so you’d still be first. But you beat me to it.
Thank you!!!
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Gee, I’m just chatty Cathy today…
Julie, I’ll be watcing the weather this week (I’m a weather freak who’s as fascinated by weather as I am writing and, if Fay goes to the other side of FL then I’ll be hit by it
) and hoping it isn’t too bad for you.
Hope it turns out to be nothing more than a thunderstorm!
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He, Cami! Where the heck have you been, we’ve missed you here in the jungle! WELCOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Good morning jungle friends and my beloved :monkey :monkey :monkey :monkey…
I have the opportunity to visit now, so I am taking it…
Welcome to the jungle Cami…I like your book…I am glad that you were able to visit us and share your wisdom…your advice is really good…being yourself as well as being true to your voice is so key…mine is usually dark, and unlike you, when I write my characters don’t start cracking jokes and having sex like horny rabbits…did I say that right? See, that’s how I know I couldn’t write a romance novel…I am just too dark…anyway, I am grateful that there are authors like you and the plotmonkeys around to help lift me out of that darkness…I am so glad I swung by today…I really needed my monkey boost…
I will see if I can swing by again later…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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Hey Jodie…I wouldn’t just leave you hanging even though I am far away…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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Hey Cami,
Welcome to the Jungle!! I just wanted to say I loved Pleasure to the Max!!!!! I just finished reading it and let me say I couldn’t put it down!!!!
I can’t wait until your next book!!! :pray:
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Hi Cami :wave: What a great blog! I love romantic comedy and I get the impression that your a pro at writing it, I’ll definitely have to check out your masterpiece….both of them!
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I :heart1: Cami Dalton. I have :heart1:ed her since the weekend eight years ago when she climbed into my mom-mobile and we drove to Ft. Lauderdale for our first conference, RWA virgins heading into our first editorial pitches. She taught me the first great lesson of RWA conferences: wear waterproof mascara because with Cami around, you will laugh until ugly splotches of black roll down your cheeks. I finished PLEASURE TO THE MAX! two nights ago, and I’m still smiling. And fanning. And for some reason, I’ve dragged out my old journals and every jewelry box I’ve ever had. Hey, a girl can hope, right?
Great blog, Cami! You wrote the rules on how to use wit and charm to entice editorial interest, and then backed it up with laugh out loud, sexy, and emotional books! Congratulations!!!!
xoxo
Rocki
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Oh my gosh, thanks for coming to the jungle today, Cami. I have your first book and I’ve been waiting FOREVER for a new release. I live in a very small town without a bookstore, so I see a trip to the mall in the very near future – like TODAY! Looking forward to reading it.
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Welcome, Cami! I knew a creative writing professor who said, “If you lose your own voice, borrow someone else’s until you get yours back.” He backed that up by introducing the class to some really horrible fanfic, told the class to pick an author and emulate their voice by writing fanfic. I helped him grade. Some of the stories were…really horrible. Some were actually decent stories and plots, and several made me go grab some books to compare and then research to make sure they hadn’t pirated from an anthology I hadn’t read.
Beginning writers – and I consider myself one since I haven’t sold a novel yet even though I’ve been writing for *mumble*ty years – need to remember that their voice is just as important as the writer who has written 50, 25, or just 2 books. Thanks for the great advice! I’ve added your books to the TBR list!
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A big thank you for sharing today!!! I loved the blog!!! :flower4you:
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Welcome to the jungle! While I was reading your blog I started smiling because I could just see Brenda’s face as she was reading your work. She must have absolutely loved your voice, knew it would sell like gang busters and Brenda is never wrong.
I popped right over to the HQ web site and read the excerpt and ordered it. You do have a great voice. Love it!
Thank you for stopping by and for the great advice. And btw, aren’t the Plotmonkeys awesome! Everytime I’m in a store and see anything with a monkey on it I smile and think of them. Then I want to buy whatever it is so I can bring it to national to the next literacy signing. :giggle:
Have a wonderful Saturday all. It’s still raining here in Colorado and boy do we need it. And 50 degrees!
Cher
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Welcome to the jungle, Cami! :flower4you: Loved your article today — so many great points with a good dose of laughter thrown in for good measure! I hope you’re working on book #3!
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Welcome to the Jungle Cami. I am happy to say that I have Pleasure to the Max in the TBR pile! It may take me awhile to get to it as I am supposed to be getting ready to move!! However, the Plotmonkey’s Saturday guest was calling to me
I read, I don’t write but I still loved reading your “advice” on writing!
You are so right the Plotmonkey’s rock! The pleasure was all mine to meet them at RWA in San Francisco along with a few other favorite authors. Roxanne St. Claire talked me into two books at the literacy signing! What a saleswoman!! The literacy signing was awesome if a bit overwhelming with all that talent in one room! If you were there & I missed you sorry about that. I also got to meet Cher & Paula :wave: A plus to the whole experience.
Have a great Saturday everyone. I really must go weed, throw out & get this show on the road!!
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Pay no attention to that blonde behind the curtain. It LOOKS like Roxanne St. Claire is posting this response, but she is merely the fingers on the keyboard as Cami Dalton, sans internet due to a Florida storm, dictates her response to your comments.
Cami sez:
Thank you SO much for the warm welcome – I can’t wait to respond personally to each of you. As soon as the internet gods cooperate, I’ll post again and answer any questions and bask in the glow of jungle glory.
Keep your eyes peeled within the next hour and I’ll be back!
Cami
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Congrats on your new release. I will check it out next time I am in town.
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Cami, just a reader chiming in to say that I loved your post today! I haven’t read your books yet, but now I’m going to go get them! Wise-cracking sex-crazed characters? I’m all over that!
Congrats on your books, and I can’t wait for your return and the inside scoop on that whole romance writers’ society 
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Hi again everybody…twice in one day…your responses are so funny…I am sitting in front of the computer just smiling…
Good luck with the move Donna, and it was really great meeting you too…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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I’m cursed. My internet is still out and my dad’s computer does not like this page. The computer has frozen FOUR times.
Before it happens again- Thank you all so much for all your kind and encouraging responses. Life in the jungle is pretty awesome!! And HUGE thanks to all my new bff’s who already read or plan to read my Aug Blaze. You guys are the best. Especially Cheyl S who read my first and remembered my name- LOL!!
Okay, I’m posting this before it disappears. I’ll try again tomorrow
Cami
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love your blaze, very hot. great interview
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I’m reading “Pleasure to the Max” right now and I’m TOTALLY loving it. It’s so funny and I would SO love to have complete control of a guy that looks like Max. YOW. ZA. If you all aren’t reading this book yet, go now and pick it up.
Seriously.
Go. Now.