Fun Things are Afoot :D

Well the countdown to the Treasured Lies release is just about to begin and I am planning all kinds of exciting things - including some seriously EPIC giveaways that I really can't wait to tell you about :D

In the meantime, I am keeping busy finishing up a new manuscript that is due incredibly soon and I am ridiculously behind.

BUT! Back to the fun stuff :D Namely, some awesome newsletter goodness :D

When my publicist suggested that I start a newsletter, I was a bit hesitant. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I'd put in it or if anyone would even be interested in getting a newsletter from me. I wasn't sure there was a point to doing on - after all, I blog, I tweet, I Facebook....isn't that enough?

But then I realized that I myself subscribe to quite a few author newsletters, many from authors I don't know well, along with authors who are my friends. The reason I subscribe is because these authors often offer exclusive tidbits to their subscribers, or they release sneak peeks and news to their subscribers before the rest of the world gets them. I like getting these newsletters and seeing what is going on with my favorite writers....and getting to be in on the good stuff before everyone else :D

And I realized that with my own newsletter, I could do the same type of things. So...I went ahead and started a one in order to better connect with my readers and keep them posted on what's going on. I've posted it a few places (especially recently) and if you haven't subscribed yet you might want to because I have some really really fun stuff to share but have ONLY been given permission to do so in my newsletter.

Which means....my lovely subscribers will be privy to a few fun EXCLUSIVES that I am just busting to share with you :D

One of them is an excerpt from the upcoming Treasured Lies taken from one of my favorite scenes in the book. The other is some really fun news that hasn't been announced publicly yet.

Soooo, if you'd like to get a sneak peek of Treasured Lies, and find out my super fun secret, AND be entered in a giveaway for a $25 gift card to the online book retailer of your choice just follow the link ;)

Sign up here! :)

How do you feel about newsletters? Do you subscribe to them? If you are a writer, do you have a newsletter or plan on having one in the future?

And let's spread the love a bit!! If you have a newsletter or if you subscribe to one that you enjoy, leave the link in the comments! :)

The "Over-Many-Nights" Success

I read a 2007 post by Rick Riordan, about when people ask what it feels like to be “an overnight success.” It took him nearly ten years to reach his “overnight success.” His story parallels that of so many writers I know or have read about. I don’t think people realize oftentimes just how hard these overnight successes had to struggle before they “made it.”

Since my book deal was announced, I’ve had people ask me about my journey. When people hear that Treasured Lies was the first book I ever wrote, I think they sometimes assume I didn’t have to struggle much. After all, I sold my first novel!

However… :D

The very first draft of Treasured Lies was finished about five years ago. Since then, it has been completely rewritten at least three times, and I mean COMPLETLEY, with countless revisions of those rewrites in between. And I wrote other books between those TL rewrites. I queried that poor baby over 200 times (and then I stopped counting). I got many requests, some revise/resubs, and lots of “I love it, buts" :)

I’ve started other projects that I’ve abandoned. But this one I just couldn’t leave alone. I believed in it too much. So every so often, I’d pull it out of its virtual drawer and start all over again. So while it might technically be the first book I wrote, if you count up all the rewrites and books in between, it’s at least book number 5 or 6 :)

I’m glad I had a hard road of it, because now I can truly appreciate the success I've earned. And I know, and accept, that there is another hard road ahead. More importantly, I know I can handle the speed bumps that are going to come my way. Getting published is just one more step up. It's a good step, a very very good step that makes me smile whenever I think of it :) But I know there are still some rough times ahead, and probably always will be. And it's good to know that I can deal with all the ups and downs that will come with the journey to true success.

Rick Riordan says all this so much better than I am doing here :) Be sure to read his article. It’s inspiring – and wonderful to know that even the big names out there had to go through the same things I am :)

Cover Love?

So, I get to throw in my 2 cents for what I'd like to see on the cover for my historical romance TREASURED LIES. And one of the ways I do this is by showing my publisher (the awesome Entangled) three of my favorite covers from my genre. These are three I'm thinking of showing them:

But I'm curious. What type of cover do you like for a historical romance/romantic suspense? What draws you in and makes you think "oooo I must get this book!" :) Do you like gorgeous eye candy on the cover, a little skin showing, or something more mysterious, or just anybody in a to-die-for poofy ball gown? :D


I am having a very hard time narrowing this down because I love so many different styles of covers and can envision several different looks for my book :) Specific suggestions are welcome! :)

A Happy St. Patrick's Day Announcement :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the OA!!!!!

Well, I'm sure most of you have heard the news but I just had to celebrate with my awesome OA peeps :)

I am very happy to announce that my historical romantic suspense novel TREASURED LIES will be published by Entangled Publishing's new historical romance line Scandalous in Nov this year! Here is the PM listing:

Michelle McLean's TREASURED LIES, in which a woman reluctantly agrees to become engaged to make her aunt and her fiance's grandmother happy but finding a lost treasure could gain her freedom; in searching for that, she may lose her heart, to Erin Molta at Entangled Scandalous, for publication in November 2012 (World).

I want to send my OA ladies a HUGE thank you for all their support. This sale has been an extremely long time in coming (this poor book has been through A LOT!) :) And I couldn't have made it this far without all the help I get from my writer buds :) THANK YOU THANK YOU! :)