Tuesday 25 September 2007

New member alert!

Hullo Racers!

A couple months ago Kevin Killiany told me about a group of writers who blog from a little island off the north-west coast of France. He suggested I hang out with them for awhile, and maybe even join the group, since he felt I'd like it there. My immediate thought was: Island off the coast of France? He must mean one of the Channel Islands! How intriguing! I have a partiality to Jersey Island because one of my favourite writers, Gerald Durrell, founded a zoo and conservation trust there. When Kevin assured me that the 'little island' he referred to was England, I had a good laugh. To post-colonial societies like ours, England is not a little island, maps and geography be damned! The former motherland looms large in our psyche out here.

Nonetheless, I took Kevin's advice and I've been lurking for a couple months, and commenting occasionally. Now I'm a bona fide member! Thank you, Novel Racers, for the opportunity to join you.

I'm from Trinidad, that flyspeck in the Caribbean just off the eastern tip of Venezuela. I used to teach high school English, but I walked away from that job in 2000 - a move considered by those who know me as conclusive proof of my insanity. Maybe they're right. Since then I've done some traveling, worked in human resources and as editor of a newspaper, been unemployed, and laboured toward making my dream of writing for my living (ha!) a reality.

In April this year I received an offer from Dorchester Publishing for my first novel, a multicultural romance. My current peeve is that I'm still waiting for the publishing contract to materialize. I've been told that this time lag is normal, but I'm not convinced. Convince me, please, you published writers out there! Actually, my mind has been more relaxed since Kevin came to the rescue some weeks ago and did some reassuring on that score.

My second novel, a romantic suspense, is at the final edit stage, and I'm beginning to plan a third romance. I've written 60,000 words of a memoir on raising my son. It's in first draft stage. And my baby, a mainstream novel, is a mere 7,000 words along. So you see, I'm ready for the race!

Looking forward to visiting your blogs and making your acquaintance, and to learning from our joint experiences.

Wordtryst

13 comments:

B.E. Sanderson said...

Welcome to the fun, Wordtryst. I'm about as far away from any island as you can get (aka Eastern Colorado, or as I like to call it, Kansas Lite), but they let me in anyway.

I'm unpublished so I can't help you with your question, but I'm interested in hearing the answer.

Again, welcome to the race. =o)

Jen said...

Ah, now oddly enough, I actually AM from the rock of Jersey although I escaped a few years ago and live in good ol' Blighty now.

Nice to have you with us - look forward to catching up son. X

Unknown said...

Welcome :-)

KeVin K. said...

You had to tell them the little island story ...

I'm glad you're here, Liane.
Go visit her blog, guys.

Lane Mathias said...

Hi Liane.
Warm welcome to the racers:))

Rowan Coleman said...

Hello there - welcome to the racers! Your wait for a contract does seem a little long to me, but these things do take time. Worth a chase up I'd say if at all possible!

Rx

hesitant scribe said...

And a warm welcome to me too!

Jenny Beattie said...

Welcome from me too. I'm currently living in Bangkok, but 'home' is the UK, so we're all dotted all over.
See you at yours soon.
JJx

Helen said...

Hello and welcome. I'll pop over to your blog soon.

Juliette M said...

Hi Wordtryst! Welcome from another newbie. I'll go check out your blog this afternoon. Good luck with the novel!

Sarah*G* said...

Welcome to Novel Racers!

Matt said...

Good for you, Trystie!

Liane Spicer said...

I've tried to comment several times and Blogger wouldn't let me. I'm trying again, hoping this one goes through.

B.E. Sanderson, thank you. Kansas Lite, indeed!

Jen, that tickles me no end. A real, live Jersey-ite!

Thank you Liz, Lane, Rowan, Hesitant Scribe, Helen, Juliette M and Sarah*G*, for the warm welcome.

Kevin, I couldn't resist...

JJ, Bangkok indeed. We really are scattered all over the globe.

Matt, what's a guy like you doing in a place like this? Trysting, eh? :)

It's great to be here. See you on your blogs...