Amy Ruttan

Enemy Enchantress is now available in paperback! WOOT. You can get your copy at Amazon.

As for me, I’ve been so deep in my writing cave finishing up something which I can’t share with you. (It’s killing me, really). I’ve also been working out again since all my summer colds are over. (It’s been a crazy summer) I’ve been at it for 5 days now and I’m feeling great. Well, the first few days I was pretty sore.

Anyways, I have to get back into the cave.

I was on vacation last week. Disconnected, and it felt GREAT. I kind of dreaded coming back home to discover 300+ emails in my inbox, but there was 1 golden nugget hidden amongst the rabble.

My NaNo 2009, my ice road trucking urban fantasy, was offered a contract from Samhain Publishing! WOOT! I am ecstatic. I’ll be writing urban fantasies and dark paranormal romances under my alter ego A.C. Ruttan, while the rest of my stuff will be under Amy Ruttan. The main thing is both are me. LOL!

My book is not due out until summer next year and I can’t wait to share it with you all.

Here’s the unofficial blurb (as in the blurb I used in my queries LOL!):

When those who protect us from the Apocalypse are being murdered there is only one Incarnate left with the balls to keep mankind from being sucked into hell—too bad she doesn’t really have balls. Cia doesn’t mind banishment in the Canadian Arctic, what does bother her is someone is bumping off fellow Incarnates, and she’s the next target.She’s already died once before and she’s not about to let that happen again. Especially, since the killer is apparently her estranged husband, Arthur who hasn’t spoken to her in a decade since she killed his brother.

To prove Arthur’s innocence and earn back his love she needs to find the real murderer before the Wrath consumes him. Although that’s going to be tricky given the entire world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket and her past life continues to haunt her on every turn of the ice road.

She has thirty days to find the killer before Hell breaks loose—literally

I out with my CP yesterday for some bookstore haunting and coffee, and we got talking about craft…in particular the dreaded SYNOPSIS (I always hear jaws music when I think of it).

One of my faboo CPs has just become an editor, and she was talking in general about how a submission can be FANTASTIC, but when it came down to the synopsis it was incorrectly formatted, full of dialogue and fluff, was twenty pages long or too short … as in a blurb.

I do a lot of judging for unpub contests through my own RWA chapter and other online ones. I quite like judging, but it’s rare I come across a truly fantastic synopsis. I always try to leave helpful comments to help improve the synopsis.

All of this got me thinking to my very first synopsis … which I never subbed because before I subbed I had learned the proper way (thank heavens it was terrible). It was one of the twenty page offenders and full of dialogue.

I have some advice for those embarking on the synopsis writing:

1. A synopsis needs to show the Goal, Motivation and Conflict (GMC) of the hero and heroine.

2. The main plot should be fully outlined. A synopsis should NOT end on a cliffhanger. The whole “if you ask for the full I’ll tell you the end” doesn’t fly with editors or agents, in fact it ticks them off. I know this from listening to them speak or Tweet over the years.

3. Synopsis shouldn’t contain dialogue.

4. If an house asks for a synopsis 2-7 pages in length it means minimum 2 pages, not just a blurb typed up. So pay attention to editor and agent guidelines, they’re there to help you.

5. Don’t fill the synopsis with secondary characters, it should cover the heroine and hero’s conflicts. Subplots and minor plot threads can be left out.

6. Make sure your synopsis is just as polished as your manuscript. The synopsis needs to be grammatically correct and spell checked. A synopsis is a business proposal, and thus needs to be professional. I know one of my editors states that if the synopsis is full of grammatical errors and is sloppy then she’ll assume the manuscript is just as sloppy.

A lot of authors finish the book and then *groan* the synopsis, darn I have to write that damn synopsis. I have done this too many times, totally forgetting the best piece of advice I heard from Kelley Armstrong “WRITE THE SYNOPSIS FIRST” even then writing out the rough synopsis first doesn’t have to be perfect, and your manuscript may differ, but at least you’ll have a rough foundation when you go back after the book is finished to make sparkle, and takes the work out of doing it after the book is written.

 The rough synopsis I do first is my lazy way of plotting too. LOL!

Now these aren’t set rules, these are just things I have learned over the years and have helped me perfect the art of synopsis writing.

But remember, make it shine just as good as your manuscript. It’s a business proposal and a reflection of you.

 Goodluck!

I am so excited. This is Alfwyn’s book, and I have to say I adore Alfwyn. His book comes out September 7, 2010 from Eternal Press. Here’s the cover and then I have the unedited blurb underneath! YAY!

He saved her life. Little did he know, demons were part of the bargain…

It takes his father’s near-death to make Alfwyn realize he has done nothing in his life. He has far to reach to prove himself. Maybe too far. On a trip to the Westfold he rescues a maiden clinging for her life to a rock as the tide rolls in. A mysterious woman, none like he has ever seen. 

Desperation to avoid forced marriage to a powerful, demonic Warlord drove Morag to fake her death and have her “body” put to sea. The magic potion that set her free sends her to the safety of Alfwyn’s arms. Just as she is on the brink of falling in love with the melancholy, passionate man, word reaches the Warlord that she still lives.   Alfwyn’s sword arm may be strong enough to ward off a legion of possessed warriors from hell. Only an extraordinary man has the courage to reach for heaven…in a sorceress’s arms. 

I’ve been quiet, I was away from the computer a bit. Lots of things happening, inlcuding a new release for me in about 6 days (July 7, 2010). I’m trying to get a whirlwind social calendar in place, and dealing with a child who is already ‘bored’ since school ended.

 I have some exciting things lined up, a couple of guests who will be visiting my blog, and during my sojourn away from the internet land my Spam box held a surprise in the form of a request for a full from my 2009 NaNo. WOOT! So I’ll be spending today getting that ready to send out.

I’ve also been reading some hot hot books. I got to read a Vivian Arend book before she subbed it in to her editor, an Anya Richards hot Regency sequel and the much anticipated Christine d’Abo’s Letter of Marque. YES she’s finished it and I read it in one sitting. That good.

 I’ll be back. Right now I have to get that full ready and make a lasagna for my DH who is one year old today. Yeah my late June early July is full of birthdays. It’s never ending. LOL!

 How are you guys doing?

The plot monkeys visited me last night, and they hit me hard. Demanding I write, what might be the hardest thing I have ever attempted to write. Needless to say I’ll be writing in between other projects to rest my poor mind, but I am kind of excited about it.

Now, for a contest. As you know I’m over at Coffee Time Romance for the Reader’s Retreat, on June 19th I’ll be talking about my hobbies in the June Jubilee and I have an author corner over there.

Here’s the fun contest I’m having over there:

This will run the whole month of June. You have until June 30th to answer these fun scavenger hunt questions (you didn’t think it would be easy did you?).

The answers can be found on my website here.

Email me at contact@amyruttan.com with the answers and I’ll choose a random winner on June 30th and post the winner on my website and Twitter. When you email put CTR AR Scavenger Hunt in Re: line so you don’t get lost in spam.

My twitter account is http://www.twitter.com/ruttanamy

I’ll choose 3 random winners, with your choice of an ebook from my backlist.

Here are the questions:

1. What is the name of the plantation in Masque of Desire?

2. Who was Fox’s Bride? (Hint name of heroine).

3. What kind of stone was T’Koh the Rain God found in?

4. What was the name of the resort Pallator Sinclair owned in Hard Candy?

5. What was the name of the neighbor David was in love with?

Now, on with plotting that crazy project. Eep.

*Waving* Hello!

 Yeah I’m heading back into the cave. I have some editing to do, some critiquing to do and I’m getting ready for my entire family to descend on my house this weekend.

 If I’m a good girl and get all my work done I’ll indulge in an ebook or two over at Carina Press. It’s my reward.

 Don’t forget to visit over at Coffee Time Romance in the Reader’s Retreat, I’m holding a contest on my thread there. It runs to the end of June.

How are you all doing?

I have been stuck in my writing cave. Not only did I finish editing and the second draft of my 1920’s romance I also finished a gladiator novella I started around Christmas. Both are off to my CPs and I anxiously await their feedback before I attempt to submit … I’m also procrastinating on the synopsis and blurbs. LOL!

Right now I’m just having fun writing something small. A hot cowboy piece that’s contemporary.

I’m also trying to play catch up with housework and yardwork. Since I was indisposed with the baby last summer my poor yard is sorely neglected and I have friends and family coming over in a couple of weeks for the baby’s baptism. We were out yesterday and discovered our sunshade bit the dust. *sigh* Since my backyard gets full sun I need the shade for the kidlets. I went out this morning, bought some salad fixings (because it is SO hot today & when it’s hot I eat light) then bought 4 perrenials for my garden. I believe 2 Jacob’s ladder and I can’t remember the other 2 off the top of my head. I think garden sage. Nice purpley colors. Then I went to the JYSK stor and bought a new sun shade for my deck. I just have to convince the DH to put it up tonight so I can go outside tomorrow.

I feel like I’ve been running ragged, but it’s all good. I have a LOT to catchup on.

How have you been?

I love that part of Finding Nemo.

Whatever goal you’re working towards, just keep swimming seems to apply.

Of course, I forget this all the time. There have been times I have been wanting to pull my hairs out, when the characters want to go their own way, when other things just seem to want to go to hell in a hand basket … or when the words just don’t want to come.

Just keep swimming.

It’s hard. I’ve been there, through rejection, family sickness, writer’s block and just life in general. When the blinking cursor and the blank page was taunting me, mocking me.

Just keep swimming.

I learned, through the hard way to just write. Something, anything and the words will start coming and though they may not be the best, and though you may have to write many, many, many, many drafts you’ll never get anywhere when it’s just a blank page.

So … just keep swimming.

Whatever your goal is for MayNoWriMo you can do it. I have faith, and above all just keep swimming.

It’s been a crazy few days since my last blog post. I finished the last of around 1000 dictated medical reports this week and I’ve been prepping for the CRAZY 8 hour exam this weekend. If I get 85% on my objective and 85% on the transcription part I will be a full fledged medical transcriptionist. It’s a way to earn some extra moula at home. Diapers are NOT cheap, plus we have some home renos we would like to accomplish. I also find transcribing allows me to plot, I seem to daydream when I’m listening to dictation. In my EDJ I was a legal assistant and dealt with this daily.

I’ve also been scheduling guest blogs etc and getting my marketing in order for my upcoming re-release of my series this year.

On the writing front I’m rewriting a middle portion of my 1920’s romance to get it ready to sub, and I’m also busy finishing the 1st draft of my gladiator erotica.

In between all of that I’ve been chasing after James who turned 10 months. He’s crawling, hoisting himself up and I think getting ready to walk. I’m still in shock he’s 10 months. Seriously, where did that year go?

I also got a Sony EReader for my birthday, and so I’ve been reading again. I had a HUGE digital TBR pile, but because of my bad eyes I can’t read them on the computer, so I’m playing catch up on that. I’ve re-read Men In Kilts by Katie MacAlister and Hold by Zannie Adams on my pink Sony. I just finished Sin in Jeans by Ciana Stone (pretty hot actually), and I’m currently reading Vivian Arend’s Granite Lake Wolf Series (forgive me if I just butchered the title I don’t have my reader here beside me at the moment). Next on the reader is Edge of the Storm by Jennifer Leeland.

I’m also going to reread Rhevenge’s story from J.R. Ward to reacquaint me with the last book in the series so I am totally prepped when I get Lover Mine, which should arrive any day.

Anyways, that’s what I’ve been up too. I have some great things coming up so stay tuned! I plan on it being a fun summer.