Breaking the Rules

Friday, June 27, 2008

27 June 2008, Friday

Today we're talking pen names *whoopee* I originally had my heart set on using my real name - well an initialled version of it anyway. I thought I had it all figured out until I bumped into a whole bunch of rules about pen names which totally threw me out of sync.

Apparently, readers should be able to at least know how to say your name. So my real name? Who in the world is going to be able to pronounce it? Gods, at times even I have trouble pronouncing it myself. And spelling it? Yea well, I have little hopes of any one remembering how to spell such a complicated name so lets not go there. Soo... scrap that. Instead I chose Trisana le Chante but the problem with this is that it makes me sound un-asian and people might think, from the sound of my name, that I'm quite English or something.

Dang it all! Now my pen name sounds as though I'm trying to be a French or at least an English person when really I'm not. So what the hell is a gal to do? I'm stuck in such a god awwfal dilemma and I wish I could say shucks it all, I'll do whatever I please, but I can't.

So... your wondering why an aspiring writer with not a chance of ever getting published is even worried about her pen name? You're right; why am I worried?! Sheesh!

 

Auction

Monday, June 9, 2008

09 June 2008, Monday

Firstly I would like to take this opportunity to announce (yeah, I sound like I'm making a speech into parliament or something - blergh!) that there is a wonderful auction organized by our awesome authors Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, and our gem Kim Castillo over at the EJ/JQ Bulletin Board. This is to build an educational fund for one of our members children who has recently lost her husband. I have of course blown my budget and gone and bidded on a whole lot of stuff - which were more than I could afford but I couldn't resist! - The person you see with no car and petrol for the next one or two months (oh you got that right) is ME!

Do join us in this generous auction to help out for an extremely good cause. There are many wonderful things being donated including Advanced Readers Copy's of Eloisa James' When the Duke Returns, Julia Quinn's Mr. Cavendish, I Presume, Loretta Chase's Your Scandalous Ways, Teresa Medeiros' Some Like it Wicked, Christina Dodd's Into the Shadow and Into the Flame, Laura Lee Guhrke's Secret Desires of a Gentleman and so many more. For all of us aspiring authors there is a fantastic query letter critique and even manuscript critiques offered by renown authors such as Kathryn Caskie and Joanna Bourne. There are also autographed books going, tote book bags, book packages and bundles, and so many other fun stuff which keeps on growing everyday! Join us HERE

Onto my writing now, today I received an email saying that my RWA application has been accepted. I am so excited. Even my member number is sending me into fits of ecstasy *g* This is like the first major step to committing myself into this chosen pathway of my life (I still haven't completed the other pathway of my life). I remember taking my time contemplating really hard on whether or not I should do this. I'm still taking my darn time graduating so I wouldn't be able to commit totally to writing without worry about my future, there are no RWA chapters in Australia but I reasoned an online chapter would work fine, the travel to the RWA conference each year would burn a hole in my pocket (eek!) but then it would be worth it since I've never been to America before and meeting everyone would be a treat... So what do you think I thought when I found out there was a Romance Writers of Australia? I couldn't believe myself and then laughed myself silly. But there you go, I had made my choice and my decision remains.

Have you ever wondered how your life would be like if you never gave the other road a chance?

Note: This blog will stay up for the period of the EJ/JQ BB auction and will not be updated until such time as the auction concludes.

Updated: Sunday, July 6, 2008

Thank you to every one who participated in the EJ/JQ BB auction. We were able to raise a ball park total of $4000 for Alyx and her children. Special thanks go out to Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, and especially Kim Castillo who put out the time to organize this event. Big thanks also to all contributing authors who donated items to make this event a success. Thank you all!