Kira Sinclair BLAZES new trails

Hi, Kira. Congratulations on the release of your first book. I can't wait to read it. Could you share with us a little about how this book evolved from an idea to a paper and ink baby in your hands? No easy answer, I'm sure... How about how the manuscript got the attention of an editor?

Squeeeee!!!!!! I'm so excited for you, Kira! Wasn't it just awesome to finally hold that book in your hands?

 Have there been any surprises during the publishing process?

I’m in serious need of some caffeine this morning.  How about y’all?  And I have to admit that I’m a little intimidated by the heading for this discussion…Blazes new trails.  Sure, my nickname is Instigator but that’s a whole lotta pressure 

Andrea asked:  Could you share with us a little about how this book evolved from an idea to a paper and ink baby in your hands? No easy answer, I'm sure... How about how the manuscript got the attention of an editor? 

Well, the idea evolved from a workshop I attended about post traumatic stress disorder.  The subject itself was interesting to me and I started playing the What If game.  That’s how I came up with Karyn – a woman who’s suffered a traumatic past and Chris – the only man who can help her move on.  That’s usually how I get most of my ideas…while I hate the What If game from my kids I find it has served me well for writing

This manuscript had a long and tumultuous journey.  I know we often refer to our books as our babies and I think that’s appropriate.  We spend so much time and effort on them.  And if that’s true…this book (as dubbed by a wonderful friend) is definitely the child that went off to college and returned completely different.  It was almost a 2 year process from start to sale.  I began with a pitch session – where I was asked if I had anything else to pitch.  Thank God I had this idea.  I placed second in the Blaze contest with the first chapter and synopsis.  And then went through 2 rounds of major revisions (pulling out about half the book each time) and 1 round of minor revisions.  And I wouldn’t trade a moment of that time for anything.  I learned soooo much during that process.  Of course, the real test is going to be whether or not I can remember the lessons

Danniele asked:  Wasn't it just awesome to finally hold that book in your hands? Have there been any surprises during the publishing process? 

It was absolutely awesome!  Indescribable.  Almost as good as getting that First Sale phone call.

Surprises?  I’m not sure I’d exactly call them surprises.  I mean I was told that the first sale isn’t a cure all for everything – you trade one set of problems/concerns/obsession points for another.  I just didn’t know what those new points would be.  

It’s great to see you, Sam!  Thanks for dropping by.

Add me to the list of those who can't wait to read your first book and all the ones I'm sure will follow.  I still remember that excited phone conversation with you last summer after you'd received "The Call."  In just a few weeks we'll be seeing "Whispers in the Dark" on book shelves all around town.  Squeeeee!

Kira

I forgot to congratulate you on your first release.  I know the feeling. My fifth went on sale today right here in the eharlequin.com store.  Here's to lots more! Your fifth is just around the corner. 

wj

Congratulations, Kira!  How exciting to see that first release.  It sounds like a tempting tale to me.

And Wayne, congrats to you, too!  Seeing your newest book on the shelves never gets old. 

Best,

Julie Miller 

I'm coming out of a drug induce coma to say Congrats!!! I'm wishing you the best with this first book and the many I know will follow. I'll be back after my nap to catch up again. HAHA.

 Misty(who is ready to be back to normal...getting there...slowly)

Congratulations, Kira. This is so very exciting and I cannot wait to get my greedy little hands on this book. What an accomplishment and inspiration to everyone here reading your journey and your advice.

And when I say I knew Kira when....I remember eating at a NY Diner with her and a bunch of other people during RWA and giggling. We had the best flirtatious waiters, the best burgers and of course cheesecake later.

Rae

PS Happy Anniversary!

LOL Rae!  I knew Kira when, but not that when.  My first conference was a year or so after NYC.

And now a question -- which comes first for you?  The plot or the characters?  Do you have a premise in mind and come up with characters to fit it?  Or do characters come to mind and you let them tell you what their story is?

Good Morning everyone!  I just wanted to say thank you for stopping by to talk to me this week.  You know, it’s like that dream where you go to school naked…I could just see myself babbling to an empty room in here   Of course, if you ask any of the Playfriends they’re liable to tell you I’d do that no matter what.   

Now for some answers… 

Marilyn asked:  which comes first for you?  The plot or the characters?  Do you have a premise in mind and come up with characters to fit it?  Or do characters come to mind and you let them tell you what their story is? 

Characters…usually.  And then I work the plot around their background, needs and fears.  Even if the plot comes first (which is rare for me but does happen) I find myself lost until I can figure out the characters that fit inside it.  I think romance, and Blaze more specifically, is so character driven that without knowing who these people are, how they fit together and why they perfectly fill a void for each other the plot doesn’t really matter much. 

Celtic asked:  1.  How many manuscripts did you write before selling this one?  As a new writer, did you go ahead and send them directly to Harlequin, or did you send through an agent? 2.  What class are you teaching at Nationals?

I wrote 4 manuscripts before this one and was working on a fifth project that has kinda died a slow death from ignoring it and focusing on my Blaze projects.  I submitted directly to Harlequin and actually still don’t have an agent.  I’m not sure you really need one with Harlequin.  Some people might disagree and I’m certain there will come a time in my career where I might choose to have one but at the moment I don’t see a reason to have one.

I’m teaching a workshop with Kimberly Lang, a new Modern Heat author, Andrea Laurence, a member of the Writing Playground and Brenda Chin, Senior Editor for the Blaze line.  The title is Do As I Say, Not As I Do:  Rules for Breaking and Making It.  Basically we’re going to discuss 10 dos and 10 don’ts for the writing profession touching on craft, submissions, promotion, working with industry professionals...  We also have props, an interactive PowerPoint presentation and prizes.  It should be very fun and hopefully very informative. 

Avery asked: After writing for x number of years, what do you think pushed you past that final hurdle to publication?

Finding an editor who believed in me and my story.  Honestly.  I learned so much from the revision experience but I never would have learned those lessons without her believing in me enough to let me have those chances. 

The hard thing is I don't think I can even put into words what those actual lessons were.  They were things I needed to learn about myself and my writing so that I'd know (hopefully) what holes to look for the next time around.  I have a tendency to miss things like escalating danger.  It's a habit of mine that I didn't realize was there.  I tend to let myself wander sometimes and don't notice that the scene I've just written - while brilliant of course - does nothing for the story I'm trying to tell.  For me the problem is usually stepping back to take a look at the whole picture and not just the scene or chapter in front of me.   

Looking forward to seeing you at the workshop, Avery.  Be sure to come up and say hi.

Funny, Rae! I remember that little restaurant too. Kira and I were the only unpubbed authors from our chapter to attend that NY conference. We flew and roomed together. Man, that was so exciting and terrifying at the same time. The conference, not the roomie.  ;)

 Danniele

Kira

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to drop by and interact with the fans....

I know how busy a writer's scheule and be. :-)

wj 

Thanks Msjaxs!  I hope you enjoy it.

 Kira