Author name: Jill Monroe

Something happens the minute a person realizes you’ve sold a book – that unwritten rule about not discussing another person’s salary just disappears. Although my friend Gena Showalter told me it would happen, I was still unprepared. The first time was at a PTA sponsored party at my oldest’s school. I was passing out the cookies with another mother, and boom! “I heard you sold a book. How much did you get?” My eloquent response ran along the lines of uh, duh, hmmm. I think I finally managed to say something about how first time authors don’t make a lot […]

I’ve loved Brenda Coulter’s stories of creative shelving at the bookstore in the comment section. Creative shelving is when you place or face out your book (or a friend’s) for optimal viewing. I’m always nervous about doing this. First, because I’m a rule follower. Second, because of the rumors. “If you move your books around, the distributors get mad and will strip all your books.” “If you face out your books in one of the chain stores, they’ll put them all in the back.” Do you have one of your own? Anyway, because of this, I’ve always asked someone in

I’m a firm believe that snow should be a target on the map. It should be someplace you go to on purpose (like that scene from the movie White Christmas when Bing and the gang are on the train). Snow shouldn’t be something that just happens. This morning, I woke up to snow. In fact, we’re expecting an inch. I won’t be leaving the house. Okay, I know those in the North are probably rolling your eyes, but the high is only 28 today. I see a lot of blogs today.

It’s been an exciting time around the Monroe household. Our youngest finally lost that first tooth. It was a very stubborn tooth, been loose for over a month. By the end, it was barely hanging on. The oldest kept giving pieces of advice, each more horrifying than the last. “Let’s get the pliers” “Let’s tie it to a doorknob and close the door” Finally with eyes closed, youngest consented to letting my husband gently tug. It came out and she didn’t even know it. Now the hard part began. Youngest and oldest conspired in their room together and wrote a

A few weeks ago, Booksquare discussed the rankings listed on Barnes and Noble and Amazon. My question is…do these really help the reader? I’m convinced most people don’t even see these numbers. My husband didn’t even know they were there. Now he is painfully aware. This is a typical evening. Kids are in bed (finally) we’re sitting in front of the TV watching Whose Line on cable. Commercial. “Honey, I’m just going to get something from the back.” (Computer is in the back of the house.) I return two minutes past the end of commercials. “You were checking your stats

I have the codes, the passwords, and I now fully understand the complexities of posting links in html (yeah, uh huh). Of course it’s all very anti-climactic as I’ve been off-line due to a CPU upgrade. Can I just say AHHHHHHHH (and the reason I’m posting after 1:30 in the morning). But it does appear I can surf and generally spend colossal amounts of time on-line much faster. Which is really my goal. I’m thinking if I can get all my time wasters out of the way quickly, I can finally do something productive, like finally sort all my picture

You’d think Champagne and romance go together. Actually, it’s Champagne and the romance writer which probably don’t mix. As Gena and I enter PC Cast’s booksigning we’re each handed a glass of the bubbly. Since the two of us talked non stop from OKC to the booksigning (which was about 2 hours) we were both very thirsty. In only moments after downing my share, I feel the heat of a flush, and then I can’t stop smiling. “I need some food. Now.” Even a small glass is dangerous on an empty stomach. Crackers and one of those delicious herb cheese

I knew you were expecting it – the dirty talk finally arrived on the 15th. Okay, okay – the bad sex scene award winner has been announced. I have been told by NUMEROUS sources this is something I must comment on being a romance writer and all. I’m not sure how romance writer and sex are so linked… (do you believe that?) So here goes. I write romance novels. I write about people who meet, fall in love and ultimately decide to form some kind of monogamous commitment. And when people fall in love – that’s when the sex comes

I’d just hit “publish” on Booksquare to post the first bit about the road trip when my e-mail icon began to bounce. The instructions on how to login and do the live chat on writerspace.com had arrived. And here come the nerves! Why I’m getting nervous, I don’t know. No one can see my still unmanicured fingernails, and I don’t plan on even wearing shoes. Writerspace has been VERY supportive and helpful, giving tips like on how to handle long answers. There are also no paragraph breaks (something I think Booksquare also told me about on the blog, but I’m

Wow, real life has gotten in the way for the past two days, but was able to snatch a few minutes to work on my writing. When we bought the car I’m driving now, there was the option to buy one of those nifty navigational systems. Option being the operative word – we opted out. After the road trip, I’m not so sure it was the wisest decision. I did make one discovery on this road trip…I have actually found someone who has a worse sense of direction than I do – Gena Showalter. I’ve been to Gena’s house before,