WOTP Interview: Caitlin Bronaugh, Adult Romance Author

My Wielders of the Pen blog series kicks off with the first category of talented novelists: Writers Yet to Query or Be Published. 
Click here if you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about.
Caitlin Bronaugh is here today, offering up some facts of the trade, some fun details about her current project, and some great tips for fellow writers!

To start on a personal note, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Caitlin Bronaugh and I live in Charleston, West Virginia. I work at a bakery as a cake decorator and baker. My boyfriend and I have a catahoula/pit mix named Quinn (or Ninnie) and she is our world. My favorite books are the Harry Potter series although anything by Anne Rice is a close second. Currently my life consists of work and writing and drinking tons of coffee.
What novel are you currently working on? And what is it about in a few sentences?

I'm currently working on THE IDEA OF CONTROL. It's about Adam Walker, a Dom haunted by an abusive childhood and the ghost of Henry, his late father who abused him. He believes he isn't worthy of love until he meets Annabelle James, a local woman who is the farthest thing from submissive. Regardless of their differences, the two start a relationship that enrages Henry and awakens all of Adam's insecurities as he starts to fall in love with Annabelle.

I've got a few others in the works but currently TIOC is my main obsession.

Caitlin and Quinn

If you can remember, where did the idea for THE IDEA OF CONTROL come from?

THE IDEA OF CONTROL has evolved one hundred times since I started writing it. However, the idea originally came from Fifty Shades of Grey. It began as a mash up of FSOG and Beauty and The Beast but has become something else entirely.

Who is your favorite character from your novel and why?

Adam is my favorite by far. I have always had a soft spot for the broken people in novels. They love the fiercest, whether it be their family or a lover and they are the ones who are most deserving.

Do you have any tips for people who have “always wanted to write” but have never actually attempted it?

A glimpse at Caitlin's awesome writing area!

Just do it. I started writing when I was twelve years old and I haven't stopped. What I wrote as a twelve year old was terrible. What I wrote as a twenty year old was slightly less terrible. What I've written as a twenty six year old is much better. The more you write, the more you read, the better your writing will get.

How do you find the time to write? Do you give yourself a strict schedule or do you have a different plan of attack?

I write when I can. I'm not good at keeping to schedules I make for myself. Some nights I only get an hour of writing in. Those are usually school nights. But on my days off or on the weekends I'm up till 2-3 o'clock in the morning, drinking multiple cups of coffee and pounding away at the keys. But regardless, I write every day.

Finally, what are your future aspirations as a writer?

I tend to dream big so naturally I would love to be a NY Best Seller and maybe even have a movie made from my book. But at the end of the day, I just want my novel and all future novels to be enjoyed. So if I never made the NY Best Seller list and never got a movie deal, I would still be completely happy. 

Caitlin, thank you so much for being here today. It was a special treat. And I'm totally coveting that epic typewriter on your desk! Feel free to follow Caitlin and her writing journey on Twitter.

See you next Tuesday for more Wielders of the Pen interviews!

Wielders of the Pen Blog Series Kick Off!

I've been excited about this blog series for months!

Which is why today is the best day ever because I get to officially announce it and the fantastic writers who will be joining me. Some categories aren't 100% filled so I'm working behind-the-scenes to add more novelists, and this page will be updated as more join in.

On that note, if you're in a category (or know someone who fits in an open category) feel free to participate/spread the word. Click here for more info.

A new interview will go live every following Tuesday at 3 PM EST. Make sure you're subscribed to my blog so you don't miss a single post!

Below are the categories and the writers who you'll meet over the next few months:

DECEMBER: Writers Yet to Query or Be Published (FULL)

Caitlin Bronaugh, Stephanie, Alexandra K. Moon

JANUARY: Querying Writers (FULL)

Lindsay Adams, Emily Smith, Fiona Claire, Delise Torres, Michael Eigbadon

FEBRUARY: Agented Writers on Submission (FULL)

Heather Christie, Georgina Cross, Tracy Auerbach, Bethany

MARCH: Independently Published Authors (1 Spot Left)

S. J. Henderson, Katherine Bogle, Laura Baugh

APRIL: Authors Published Through a Publisher Only (1 Spot Left)

Abigail Borders, C.K. Brooke, Chanta Gadoury

MAY: Authors Published Traditionally (4 Spots Left)

...

JUNE: Readers of Young Adult Fiction (2 Spots Left)

Angelee Beauvais, Tako Chikhradze

I'm ready to meet some great authors, how about you?

YouTube, We Meet Again

It's been awhile since I posted a vlog on my YouTube page. Six months, to be exact.  The hiatus has been a good one. With the extra time not filming, I was able to finish editing three of my books, written in 2015. Plus I got an agent and am now on submission with THESE WICKED WATERS. Which is a pretty awesome development. Now that I don't have unedited novels haunting me, I can devote more time to my vlogs. Which is so, so exciting. To show you guys how invested I am, I went out and bought a microphone so my videos' audio quality won't be so white-noisey. These vlogs will be short. One to five minutes in length. I'll talk about a whole range of things: writing, reading, my life, the querying/submission process...everything! To make sure you don't miss a video, subscribe! Every second and fourth Friday at 3 PM EST a new vlog will go live. And this Friday so happens to be the second... P.s. Just a shout out! Today is my parents' 25th wedding anniversary. Love you both!

Hurry Up & Wait

As the eldest daughter of an officer in the U.S. Army, I've become familiar with the term "hurry up and wait." I often heard my dad describe the Army this way a kid. Back then I didn't know what the phrase meant. Now I do. And I also know that it applies to other areas of life. 

Like the publishing industry.

As a writer, I spent a little less than a year working on my book, wrote a query letter, and hurried to send it out (once it was deemed ready, of course). Then I waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

A little more than a year after sending my first query letter, I have an agent (yay!) and we've made four passes through THESE WICKED WATERS for editing purposes. Now we're embarking on the pitching process (to publishers) which will involve, as you might've guessed, more waiting.

After I've hopefully signed with a publisher, gone through edits and other changes, more waiting lurks around the corner until my book is finally printed. Which, from date of publisher-signing could take anywhere from 1-2 years.

Crazy, huh?

Yet, in a way, it's also wonderful.

While the publishing industry involves a lot of hurry up and wait, there's opportunity in the waiting. Waiting offers time to savor, to prepare, to research. Or to work on an entirely new book!

Because of that, I've decided to twist the phrase. Instead of hurry up and wait...

Hurry up and wait, while savoring each moment. 

I hope you do the same!

Query Critique #19: TOBIN'S WINDOW

My thoughts are added in red. Every comment is my own opinion. Readers, feel free to leave your own comments below and help a fellow writer out!

If you're interested in a Free Query Critique, follow the link for more information.

Original Version (with comments):

Dear ____,

Tobin wanted to be normal. He wanted to make his accountant parents proud. More than anything, he wanted to have friends. But Tobin couldn’t focus on the world around him long enough to do any of those things. It would melt away and a new world would erupt from the depths of his mind. He’d be standing on an enormous white ship with blood-red sails. Thunder would roar from the dark sky above him and bolts of lightning would hammer the raging sea. In front of him, Captain Red Eye, his left eye glowing red, would be smiling cruelly, ready to steal Tobin’s soul.

Just as he began to find the willpower to control his tendency to daydream and ignore the call of the captain to battle, Tobin found himself standing in an underground room miles below his aunt’s house, staring at a window. He watched as green mist rose lazily from a small opening in the red-paneled window and knew that if he ventured through, his daydreams would soon become his reality. Tobin glanced up the endless stairwell he’d descended and shuddered as he reflected on the predictability of what awaited him if he turned back. Smiling, he reached out toward the window and pushed it open.

I didn’t make an inline comments in the first two paragraphs because I wanted to look at it as a whole. I don’t want to be the one to say this (because query letters are SO AGGRAVATING and PAINFUL to write), but what you have here isn’t a query letter. In fact, everything in the first two paragraphs could be condensed into one-two sentences, introducing Tobin and his daydreams. For example: Sixteen-year-old Tobin prefers his daydreams to reality, so when given the chance to permanently escape the real word through a window—he takes it.

After this, you would go into what the window is, talk about the conflict Tobin faces in this new world (i.e. Captain Red Eye) and the conflict (like trying to get home or having to defeat the Captain and save everyone aboard his ship).

Click HERE for a great breakdown of the query letter process. Make sure you check out Query Shark as well!

The 72,000 words of my young adult novel follow Tobin to a world beyond the window where he is the only one who can vanquish Captain Red Eye and free the hundreds souls the pirate has stolen. (You would’ve already explained this in the other paragraphs of the query letter).

 Here’s a reword of this paragraph and the paragraph following: TOBIN’S WINDOW (you put the title in all caps) is a young adult (what’s the genre? Fantasy? Scifi?) novel, complete at 72,000 words with sequel potential.

The Red Eye Series, Book 1: Tobin’s Window is my first novel. 

I’d be glad to send you my complete manuscript for your review. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

 Regards,

You’ve got some good groundwork for this query letter. Keep up the hard work. I know you can get there! Other than my concerns mentioned inline, from the tone of your query, TOBIN’S WINDOW sounds more like an MG (middle grade) novel than a YA. Make sure you keep the voice age-appropriate in your query and also make sure that you’ve had at least one person read your book before you query!

 If you edit this query and would like me to take another look, please send it my way! Best of luck!

Book Buying Frenzy

An innocuous email from Barnes & Noble sparked a book-buying battle that resulted in me adding seven new books to my growing collection.

(One of my purchases isn't pictured. USPS got slow on me!)
Getting each story was like Christmas--in August! For fun, I wanted to share some of my purchases with you (some I've already read and some I haven't!). Click on the pictures to visit their goodreads' pages!

Haven't Read. 

This book deserves a special introduction, simply because I have the honor of knowing the author! Cyrus Keith has been such an encouragement to me as a fellow writer. I've struggled to get my hands on this book for awhile and can't wait to finally read it!

Read.

Haven't Read.

Read.

Read.

Haven't Read.

Read.

Happy reading!

What I'm Up To

Back in mid-June I got to share some very exciting news with you guys. You can find the original post here. 
So, what am I up to post-agent-getting?
I plan to write a series on what to expect after signing with an agent. But I haven't experienced each step yet. So this time around, I'm sharing updates of what's going on with me writing-wise.
My agent and I have been steadily working on THESE WICKED WATERS. No major editing overhauls, just a few tweaks and changes. If things stay on track, we're hoping to be ready to submit to publishing houses after Labor Day. How exciting is that?!

Yeah, I can't quite believe it. Yet.
But as excited I am about THESE WICKED WATERS, it's not my only toasted bread in the Fondu pot (can you tell I'm craving something particular?). I'm also editing SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS, my NaNo project from last year. I hope to have my first round finished in the upcoming days so I can send it out to beta readers.
On that note, if you're interested in swapping stories for beta reads, just let me know!
Isn't life exciting?

Third Time's the Charm

For me, 2016 has been the Year of Editing. If it was like the Chinese Calendar, for every month, instead of an animal, picture a dripping red pen.
Since we're almost to July (I can't believe it!), I'm considering myself a Seven-Month Expert when it comes to book editing. And I've decided to share my tips with you.

If you couldn't tell by the title, there's only three. I like to keep things short, simple, but effective.
1. Go traditional. Edit on your computer first. Do all the major rewrites, sentence tweaking, and flow-fixing.
2. Audiobook it. There are a bunch of programs online where you can transform your words into audio--yay for the digital age! My favorites are the ones that you can download the mp3's and put them on your phone, iPod, what have you. Listen to your words aloud with a notepad (or the word doc) handy so you jot down thoughts.
3. Hardcopy, for the win! Printing your book out, or putting it on your Kindle/tablet is a great way to pick up final typos that you missed by going through #1 and #2. A post I did earlier shows how to get your book formatted for kindle. Or, if you have a tablet, keep it simple and open the document in MS Word, reader mode!
Happy editing!

p.s. I have an exciting announcement coming next Tuesday. Prepare to be blown away!!!

A Texan Time

Last weekend I spent four days in Texas with half of my family. If you recall from the news, U.S. residents, the Lone Star state flooded with the amount of rain it received. Luckily, it only really rained the first day we were there.

The one big thing that stood out to me was San Antonio's crazy road system. Ever heard of turnarounds? I certainly haven't, having spent the majority of my life on the east coast (except for that two-year stint in Colorado). It made navigating a challenge, but my mom and I made a great team in our snazzy rental car. She was the driver, and I was the copilot. The GPS was our first in command.

My two favorite places, both inspiring in their own way, was the Japanese Tea Garden and Enchanted Rock. There's a lot of history behind both places. If you are interested from the below pictures, I strongly encourage you to research on your own.

In San Antonio I learned a lot of things. 
1. I love the country. As interesting as the city was (there are HUGE shopping centers every three miles, I swear), when we drove out of the city limits and hit ranch-country...that's where I really started to love Texas.
2. Hotels can turn off smoke alarms remotely (attribute this knowledge to a certain burned bagel). Wouldn't that perk be nice to have at home when the alarms go off at 2 AM?
3. Airports will never be magical. After being stuck at San Antonio International for six hours because of delayed flight, I'm not to keen on air travel. For now, anyway.
4. As much as I adored Texas, there's nothing quite like home. Or, more specifically, familiarity. 
Until my next adventure!

The Little Things

This past weekend I went with my mom to buy flowers for her front yard planters. 
While we were exploring the Amish greenhouse, we noticed a pot that had been knocked over, a seedling abandoned on the ground. I was going to walk by it, but my mom stopped. She proceeded to right the pot, scoop soil back inside, and ease the seedling back in place. 
I was in awe (though, I'm usually in awe of my mom so this was no freak occurrence). That simple act of stopping to rescue something as menial as a plant speaks volumes about her caring nature. A nature I long to replicate.
The same principle can be tied into writing. Is there a character that's horrendous, but you need the audience to sympathize with her? Have her do a small act of kindness. It doesn't matter what it is. Readers will be won over. I can say that from experience!
And just a quick shout out, because she reads all these posts and works so hard...
Thanks, Mom, for all you do. I love you!

A Twist in Routine

Confession time. Ready?
I struggle with acne. Not horrible, full blown, all-over-my-face acne. But it's not just the occasional pimple either (and it really affects my self-esteem, if I were honest). I've gone through dermatologist after dermatologist, cream after cream with no real relief. After some research on the glorious thing we call The Internet, I found one final option: A Naturopath.
A week or so ago, I took an hour drive to see A Naturopath. Long story short, she gave me a regimen to follow for a while to first see if the dreaded acne is stemming from any food allergies (even though I strongly doubt this, I'm willing to give anything a go).
Enter in the liver detox. The last week I've been gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and egg free.
If you know me at all, this is a huge challenge. Just check out my bio. See that "food loving" bit? Well, you can translate that into "junk food."
This week-long detox has been difficult, but it's also subtly inspired me.
While I stood over the stove yesterday afternoon, jealous of half my family sitting by the firepit cooking hotdogs, simultaneously sauteeing onions and celery that would go into my quinoa concoction...

Prickling began in my fingertips. An idea was forming.
What is it, you ask? I'm not entirely sure. I know two things:
1. I really need to write this down.
and 2. The main character in my next book is going to be a really quirky girl who loves to cook.
What's the plot? The conflict? The side characters?
Yeah, I've got no idea.
But if you guys followed my blog series Idea to Pages, you should know...
This is just the beginning.

Classics Challenge: "Wuthering Heights"

January is practically over, and I'm finished reading "Wuthering Heights." This post might be a little confusing because, at least for me, the book was confusing. Here's a quick summary for you:
Wuthering Heights is a wild, passionate story of the intense and almost demonic love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a foundling adopted by Catherine's father. After Mr Earnshaw's death, Heathcliff is bullied and humiliated by Catherine's brother Hindley and wrongly believing that his love for Catherine is not reciprocated, leaves Wuthering Heights, only to return years later as a wealthy and polished man. He proceeds to exact a terrible revenge for his former miseries.
First off, I wouldn't say it was a "wild, passionate" story. More like a story of five children who weren't taken care of in their youth who went on to have a painful future. The book itself moved very slowly, but the intense foreboding leaking through the typed script had me reading frantically. Things couldn't end well, I knew. Little did I know how bad they could get! Heathcliff. Before I started "Wuthering Heights," I figured Heathcliff was some roguish, but romantic guy. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Heathcliff was a total villain throughout. I kept waiting for him to be "saved."

He wasn't. And his death was so unsatisfying. Believe it or not, Heathcliff didn't earn the "Emily's Least Favorite Character" slot. The maid, Ellen Dean did. She went along with things so easily and allowed them to spin out of control. If anything, a majority of the tragedies in the book can be linked back to her! I also didn't like Lockwood. He wasn't the "hero" I was hoping for. The story weaved through different time periods in different point of views--which made the plot all the more interesting. It wasn't something I expected from an older novel. All in all, "Wuthering Heights" is worth the read, just be prepared not to encounter any "real" heroes throughout. The characters are forced to make their own happy endings from what life gave them. Some of them succeeded and some of them succumbed to the darkness that's in all of us. In the end, I suppose "Wuthering Heights" has human nature woven through it, which might explain why it's such a cherished classic today. Up next, "Pride and Prejudice," just in time for Valentine's Day!

You Don't Have What?

The modern age has spoiled us writers. And also created endless ways to feed our procrastinator minds. 
By why not take advantage of the good (and procrastinate a little)?
This is where I ask you a simple question, but an important one.
Do you have a Pinterest?
If your answer is no and you're a writer--what are you doing?! You're missing out on prime inspiration and organization. Let me lay it out for you.
I use Pinterest constantly before/while planning my books. I honestly don't know how I managed in the Dark Days prior to it. The pins help me to visualize characters, places, and objects--while keep it organized on one special board.
See Exhibit A: Second-Hand Scavengers Board.
If you prowl around my page a bit more, you'll stumble upon other boards I've created. Seeing a trend here? All of the books I'm proud enough to put on my website have a Pinterest board. Coincidence? I think not.
So, writer, what are you waiting for, sign up for Pinterest. Trust me, you won't regret it!
Besides, where else would you find cute gifs like this?

Foxes are totally my favorite animal, by the way...

The Writer's Raincloud

Every once in awhile I get what I now call The Writer's Raincloud. Like this week, for example.
What is The Writer's Raincloud? Allow me to illustrate:
It's this:

And this:

And also this:

Get my drift?
In non-gif format, The Writer's Raincloud is period of time where you (a writer) feels like:
1. There is no point to writing; the odds of being successful or even getting published are tinier than--well, you're too melancholy to be creative enough to think of something "tinier than."
2. All of your books are terrible. Awful, even.
3. There are so many amazing novels and novelists out there, you're just a sneeze at a concert.
What triggers The Writer's Raincloud? Maybe a mental recovery period from NaNo-ing? Or the realization that tons of work (editing and query-writing lies ahead)? I have no idea. I just know it takes awhile to get over.
And that's okay.
Though my mental timeline had me start editing this week, I'm going to push it off until my fervor returns. That's what writing is supposed to be after all: fun! 
Once my self-esteem recharges, I know it will be again

The End of a Novel

20 days of writing...
4,000 words/day (give or take)...
88,451 words later...
And SECOND-HAND SCAVENGERS is complete! 

Well, as complete as the first draft of a novel can get. Trust me when I say that this book will need a lot of work. But not this week! This week I'm taking off writing as a sort of Thanksgiving break.
Editing picks up again on November 30th (that's a Monday).
Final thoughts about NaNoWriMo?
Phew.
Oh, and yay. Because I now have my seventh book completed. It's such an amazing and rewarding feeling.
Okay, okay, I know I should probably be more chatty about how NaNo's been for me this time around and my feelings about it... But I'm kind of talked out. If you want to know the ins and outs (day by day, nonetheless!), click here.
Finished NaNoWriMo too? Not sure of what to do next?
First on the list should be a delicious Thanksgiving meal and well-deserved rest. Second (after said rest) will be lots of editing. Third, if you're feeling particularly crazy Camp NaNoWriMo picks up in April...
I'll just leave that tidbit of information with you. I'm not feeling particularly crazy at the moment.
Keyword: at the moment.

5 Beauty Tips from a Writer

Writers are such beautifully mysterious creatures. With an idea in their head and a far-off look on their face, it's no surprise they turn heads as they walk down the street (and likely bump into someone, they're so busy imagining). 
Want to get that "writer" look coveted by fashion magazines and celebrities worldwide? Just follow these five steps:
1. Only get a few hours sleep--four at the most. Doing this will get you those dark circles and wan look writers showcase. Those undereye bags are an outward sign of a night spent tossing and turning while new book ideas pranced around in your head.
2. Make sure you rest your chin on your palm for at least thirty minutes a day. This process will guarantee a red mark on your face depicting time lost in thought while plotting. That red mark is the sign of work being done!
3. If you're going for an old-fashioned look, rubbing the sides of your fingers in ink is a must. If you've seen Little Women you know what I mean. If not, go see it! I recommend watching around Christmas-time.

4. Type as much as you can, at least until one of your hands is sore and you constantly have to massage it. One of the great experiences of writing--finger fatigue! By doing this exercise daily, you will join the elite ranks of writers who shake their hands and flirt with carpal tunnel.
5. Stare into space often--squinted eyes is a plus. Pre-mature wrinkles? Who cares! With your eyes like this you'll get the air of mystery and aloofness that causes people to whisper things like, "Who is that?", "Does she have something in her eye?", "Wonder what she's thinking about?" 
And there you have it! The five steps to unlock the hard-won beauty that is a writer. Enjoy.

Query Critique #3: BEFORE ALL IS LOST

My thoughts are added in red. I may underline a sentence to draw attention for discussion. Every comment is my own opinion. Readers, feel free to leave your own comments below and help a fellow writer out!

If you're interested in a Free Query Critique, follow the link for more information.

Original Version (with comments):

Dear [Insert Agent's Name]:

Lady Henrietta Wickes was rich, pretty, and happy.

Lord Benedict Wickes was rich, handsome, and evil.

When Henrietta found out, she blindly ran. (The way you have this worded makes me think that your book is dual POV. If that's the case--great! If not, you may want to reconsider your opening. Also, instead of telling us Lady Wickes was happy and Lord Wickes was evil, show us in that opening line. Something like: Lady Henriette Wickes has the perfect life--until she uncovers her husband, Lord Wickes', secret experiments on orphans (maybe he's not doing that, but you get the drift). Then move on to your line, Disgusted with her husband's malicious actions, she blindly ran.) Now she's stuck in the cutthroat underbelly of society known as the Crease (This has me thinking it's Dysotopian. Is that the case? Or is it fantasy? Might want to make that clear up front by saying In the world of _____, Lady Henriette Wickes has the perfect life...).  Henrietta is rescued by a group called Temper Mints and finds refuge in the patchwork family of illegal magicians, mechanics, and thieves (You've hooked my attentions here! Love the concept of illegal magicians, mechanics, and thieves!).

Henrietta trades her social savvy for street smarts.

Benedict plans to replace the aristocracy with a tyranny (Again, here makes me think that there's dual POV going on).

 Struggling with ethics dealing with law versus humanity (Show us how she's struggling instead of telling us. Give events from the book that show this), Henrietta must protect her new friends,  fight off a new love interest (Why is she fighting off a new love interest?), and save the country from her husband.

BEFORE ALL IS LOST is my debut (You could cut this word, you don't need to tell an agents it's your first book!). It is a 71,000 word YA novel. The full manuscript is available on request. (Another version of this line could be: BEFORE ALL IS LOST is a 71,000 word YA novel.)

(Another note, from the beginning, I was thinking this was an adult novel because your MC is already married. Might want to mention her age up front)

Thank you for your time and consideration.

FINAL NOTES:

I plugged your query into MS word and the "meat" of it only came to 102 words. The basic line for a query letter is 250. I think you could stand to add some more plot in the end, especially some more information about what Henrietta is doing with these illegal MMTs as well as her husband's plan. Let me know if you want me to take another look at any of your edits. Good luck!

10 Reasons TO Date a Writer

In my last post, I warned potential "significant others" what to expect when dating a writer. Basically, I told them to stay away. Far away. (See post here)

Well, today I'm turning the tables. Now I'm telling you to come closer. In fact, don't settle for someone who doesn't like to write (or at least read!).

10 Reasons TO Date a Writer

1. You will never be bored. Writers can take the most humdrum activity (grocery shopping, per say) and turn it into a hunt through the wild jungles of ShopRite.

2. Chatting with us online? You won't have to wait forever for a reply. We're super fast typers. It comes with the territory. Want us to type up something for you? That might take some bribing, but if we really like you, the odds are in your favor.

3. We'll understand what you're thinking, even if you don't say it out loud. Our job requires us to get inside our character's heads. And they're imaginary (to some of us). A real person? It's a cinch.

4. If we argue over something, the fight won't last long. We're used to looking at different sides. We don't write antagonists and protagonists for nothing, you know!

5. Rarely, if ever, do we suffer from communication problems (spending 50,000+ words communicating with a reader!). Instead, we reserve that flaw for our characters and their romantic interests.

6. Patience is our middle name. Figuratively. The writing/publishing process takes years. That "patience" muscle has been strengthened quite a bit by now.

7. With us, you'll learn new words every day. You'd be astounded by the sheer number of synonyms there are for the word "fingers."

8. Rainy days don't make us grumpy. In fact, we love them. Bring out the tea and books! ...Care to snuggle?

9. The easiest way to sweep us off our feet is to use the phrase, "Can I read your book?" or "Let's go to the bookstore. You can pick anything you want." *SWOON*

10. We love relentlessly. If we can spend years writing and facing rejection with one book and still not give up... It's a guarantee that we'll never give up on you.

So do yourself a favor. Date a writer. You won't regret it. As long as you can handle the 10 Reasons NOT to date us. Which really aren't deal breakers anyway!