Romance in the Backseat

2009-05-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

The Site is Up!!!
Check it out at www.romanceinthebackseat.com
Thanks

Looking for Authors

2009-03-24T16:41:00.000-07:00

RITBS is looking for authors. In April we are open to anyone in and around LA, San Fran, and Sacramento. Please get in touch with me at romanceinthebackseat@gmail.com. In June I will be in New Jersey, yes I am a Jersey girl. I will be headed up to Boston and down as far as South Carolina, so anyone with fellow author buddies let them know. I will be on the east coast for more then a month, but get in contact with me as soon as possible.
I look forward to hearing from fabulous new authors,
Terry Kate

YOU DO NOT NEED A "SCRIPT" TO BE INTERVIEWED BY RITBS

2009-02-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

Forgive me,
I made the mistake of using words like "script" when talking with authors and even here on the blog relating to author interviews. NO "SCRIPT" IS REQUIRED. I come from a film background and to me anything, like notes on a paper about what you want to talk about, is a "script". I was approached by authors this weekend who had "heard" you need the dreaded word to do an interview. NOT TRUE! The project is an open forum. I do not dictate where the interview goes or the material covered, you do. Authors pick the book they want to talk about, info they want to get out, and the tidbits about themselves that they think are the most interesting. That does not mean we can't figure it out together, just in the end the choice is yours where the project leads you. You know you better then anyone else, or at least better then I do, so I am taking advantage of that.
I have had a wide range of responses to my requests for info. I have received calls from authors who have no idea what they want to say and where the interview should go, to power point presentations emailed to me detailing what the author would like to cover. ONE IS NO BETTER OR WORSE OFF THEN THE OTHER! It is just an issue of at what point you most need fresh eyes and where we start off our "conversation". If I get bullet points, ideas, or the excerpt from the author it is a start to developing an awesome interview. One of the first authors I spoke with completely blanked on any ideas for her interview. So something to keep in mind...

RULE 1: Everyone thinks they are less interesting then they really are. Well, maybe not everyone, but lots of us.

She is fabulously fascinating and I can not wait to post her interview because I know it will grab people's attention. It just took the jump start of talking about herself with someone new to inspire something great. Others sent me some loose ideas of sentences they might use, see I can avoid the dreaded word :), and that allowed me to send them some ideas back. These words on paper help the author get the most out of their 3-4 minutes on camera. Also keep in mind...

RULE 2: There are no real rules to this project.

Open means open, and I want this to be an opportunity for authors to have fun, not something to dread doing. If you are not sure, but might like to give it a try, get in touch with me. I really hope no one else gets scared off, so if you hear someone say they need a "script" to be interviewed by Romance in the Backseat, tell them, "Not true!" Please. :)
Terry Kate
romanceinthebackseat@gmail.com

Calling All San Diego Authors

2009-02-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

Hello,
I will be in San Diego this upcoming weekend, the 21-22 of February. I already have three lovely ladies lined up to interview, but I am available to do a few more. I would love to hear from anyone interested.
Terry Kate

Updated Aspiring Author Contest Info

2009-02-15T14:16:00.000-08:00

Romance in the Backseat’s
Aspiring Author Contest
For up and coming Writers

For all the wonderful and talented writers out there who have yet to be discovered, Romance in the Backseat is running a contest to give you a leg up. Submit a 3-5 page excerpt from your book, whether the book is finished or not, for consideration. The goal, and I know it isn’t easy to do with so few pages, is to hook the reader/viewer. Your excerpt should expose the characters and conflict in your story, and can come from any part of the book. Use your tone to make me want to read more. Five winners will be chosen over the next few months to receive some fabulous opportunities.

The authors chosen will be featured on our website, Romanceinthebackseat.com, reading their excerpt beside big name authors in the publishing world. Best of all you will have a much sought after synopsis read by top Literary Agent, Kelly Mortimer. Use your 3-5 pages to catch her attention and sell her your story with the synopsis. If the manuscript is not finished yet, do not worry. Look at Kelly’s website. That is not a deterrent for her taking on an author. It is important to get your name out there even before you are published and use that to get a foot in the door. Having an agent doesn’t hurt either.

To enter visit www.Romanceinthebackseat.blogspot.com, or see me in person. I will be at the RWA meetings on the 14th and 15th in LA, and the 21st in San Diego. There is a $10 processing fee that you can pay on the site through PayPal or in person, then just email your work to Romanceinthebackseat@gmail.com. For any YA authors, I have had two fabulous young adults volunteer to read your work, the processing fee will go directly to them and you will receive their feedback via e-mail.

I look forward to hearing from you and I hope everyone will take advantage of this opportunity.

Terry Kate
Romanceinthebackseat@gmail.com

Tips and Tricks for Author Interviews

2009-02-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

Here are a few things that will help guide you in the dos and don'ts for your Romance in the Backseat interview.

1- Practice-practice-practice- The more people you demo your presentation to the better idea you get for what holds a viewer's attention. I am not saying it is easy to find people to sit there and watch you, I am not telling you it won't be awkward, but if at all possible try to get the opinions of people who know you well and those who do not. You want your piece to appeal to longtime fans and potential new fans alike.

2- Time yourself- 1 min for the short intro. 3-ish minutes for the longer interview/reading. Readings should be about 1-2 pages to avoid you staring down for too long. After that there will be two or three questions asked, to keep it interactive and help change things up. Note- Authors doing a strait/traditional interview need to provide their own interviewer. I will be doing camera and sound, the driver is driving, and it doesn't work well for either of us to be too distracted.

3- Keep in mind that this is a more or less a one take shoot. Think of it almost as a live interview and prepare that way.

4- This is a bit of a repeat from my last post, but remember to keep it simple and concise. Mention a large number of character names, book titles, or non-related details at your own risk. Confusion is the enemy.

5- Viewers are also not likely to be sitting in front of the computer screen taking notes, so repeat the things you want them to remember, the title of a single book, or the book series you write. Clear, dynamic, and fun are words you want associated with your interview.

6- For very specific reasons book covers will not be shot-displayed during the shooting of the video. The image quality for the online replay will be very low and the car we are shooting in is moving, a very bad combo for shooting closeups. There will be opportunities to show off your book covers, but for practical reasons, not during the interview.

Oh, AND PLEASE send me your material as soon as you can. A few key points on what you will be discussing would be awesome. I can not wait to hear what everyone will be talking about on camera.

I so look forward to hearing from you.
Terry Kate
Romanceinthebackseat@gmail.com

Tip 1 for Authors being Interviewed

2009-02-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!
Don't overestimate the viewer!
They will be watching you for three or so minutes and you don't want to confuse them by mentioning too many books or characters. Focus on one book and remember to repeat the title during the longer segment.
"I will be reading from..."
"What inspired me to write ________ is..."
"The characters for ________ came from..."
The idea is that slow Joe in the back row needs to hear things at least 3x. Do not go over the 3x though either, name dropping sounds like name dropping so make it as natural and casual as possible. Since the time is so short mentioning the title twice might even be more reasonable. Branding, but subtle branding. Feel free to mention that this book is part of a series, or very similar to the themes of your other books, but you loose the dynamic element if you read off a list of titles. Keep it clear, concise, and punchy. (That is a fun word I rarely find cause to use, :)
Oh yeah, and have fun with the idea too. Having fun is the most important part.

I look forward to hearing back from everybody, thanks,

Terry Kate

Notes on How to Enter the Aspiring Author Contest

2009-02-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

1-Pay the processing fee to PayPal and email your entry to www.RomanceintheBackseat@gmail.com.
Make sure to use the same name for both or let me know.
2-Or enter in person, I will be at the Orange County RWA meeting on Feb. 14.
Happy V-Day!
At the Los Angeles RWA meeting on Sun. Feb. 15.
I am making a trip down to San Diego to shoot six author interviews, yeah!
I will also be at the San Diego RWA Chapter meeting on Sat. Feb. 21.

Please, if you are there, find me if you have any questions.
Thanks for your support and interest,
Terry Kate

Aspiring Author Contest Info Ready to Go!

2009-02-05T15:24:00.000-08:00

Romance in the Backseat-
Aspiring Author Contest

Have the opportunity to appear on Romance in the Backseat's website beside your favorite Authors. Five winners will be chosen to read from their manuscript on camera, huge exposure,
and have their book synopsis read by top Literary Agent Kelly Mortimer.

Submissions are 3-5 pages in length, any genre.

There is a $10 processing fee that can be paid through PayPal on this site, or in person at up coming RWA meetings.

You do not need to be RWA, I will just physically be present and available to answer questions.

Tips for Submissions:

Entries should show the conflict and draw the viewer in.

They should leave the viewer wanting more.

Ultimately these excerpts will be read aloud, which is a very different experience to reading words on the page.
Keep that in mind when you are making you selection.

Good luck and I look forward to hearing from you.

Terry Kate

Website Drama

2009-01-30T22:56:00.000-08:00

I know the webbed world has its own language, but man. Every time I turn around I am trying to figure out what FTP or such stands for. My college education was sadly lacking in computer lingo.

In that light my efforts to embrace the web, sticky and full of spiders as it is, have been intimidating. While the busy little web designer works her magic I have created the so-so place saver that is up now. One more day and I will have successfully tackled the art of inserting PayPal and finalizing the Aspiring Author Contest.

My hope is to have enough entries before the "Official Launch" to pick some of the contest winners and have them on the site from day one. Spread the word.

Terry Kate

Website's Down But Do Not Fear

2009-01-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

I am switching hosting sites for Romanceinthebackseat.com. I thought I had it all set up where I was moving to, but alas no. It should come back online today, hopefully.
Thanks
Terry Kate

A Saturday Update

2009-01-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

Wow,
I look at other peoples Blogs and how often they post and just realized, I am not that interesting. Weeeeell, maybe I am.

Here is the latest. After finally getting a real move on the online aspect, the site is beginning to be built, my Blog will soon look even better, and I will start shooting interviews!!!

I had an author email me saying how great she thinks the project is, how I must be overrun with writers, asking if I had a free spot in my shooting schedule for August. I wrote back. I told her I was flattered, excited to have her on board, and that I hoped she was available before August.

I have fabulous ladies, so far no men have stepped forward, ready to get in the backseat and I can not wait to get started. If you too want to get in the car email me at Romanceinthebackseat@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you,
Terry

Confessions of a Blog Virgin

2009-01-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

I started this blog in an effort to embrace the internet. Not just blogging, all those things I have avoided in the past, Myspace, Face Book, and blogs. Most things where random people from your past can find you. My profile on Face Book still lacks a picture, people can think it is me, but there is as yet no picture confirmation. It is kinda scary to put yourself out there into the invisible land of cyberspace.
It is rather exciting too.

I have gotten such great feedback about this project that I am overwhelmed. Throwing myself out into the web world has brought more to me then I ever imagined. I want to say thank you to all the lovely people I have met over the last few weeks, it has given me the confidence to struggle through all SNAFUs that inevitably come up with such a low budget, large scale project.

To the authors who have signed on, thank you. To anyone who plans to enter the contest, thank you. And to anyone who decides to follow this blog, thank you too.
I look forward to meeting more of you.

Terry Kate

Aspiring Author Contest

2009-01-13T11:59:00.000-08:00

Good news!!!
I was hoping to offer more then just an opportunity to the Contest winners
to read their work on the site and now I do. In the top 10 literary agents
two years running, Kelly Mortimer has agreed to read a book synopsis from
each of the winners. Bonus Prize!!!

I look forward to this getting off the ground.
PS I will be at the LA RWA meeting this Sunday, so find me if you are
interested.

Terry Kate

Project Info

2009-01-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

Romance in the Backseat
A Series of Author Interviews
in the Backseat of a Car

As an avid reader and romance conference attendee I am always interested in what authors have to say, and so are other readers. When I interviewed readers buying books at signings what I heard most often is that it was the author and the personal connection they made with the reader that influenced the purchase, especially when it was an author they had never read before. The purpose of this project is to enrich that relationship between readers and authors, those that they have read before, others who they are invited to meet for the first time. The project will be filmed in and around LA featuring California authors, allowing viewers to embrace the author and local.

The video of the full interview will be on a website dedicated to the project, shorter teaser pieces (45 sec to 1 min) will be an opportunity to grab attention. Make it personal, fun, funny, and most importantly personal. I want this to be a forum where authors are allowed to express themselves more freely then a formal interview and have fun with the project.

As an opportunity for unpublished authors to feature their work on the website there will be a contest. Open submission of three to five pages from an unpublished book can be entered for consideration. Five writers will be chosen to read their excerpt on camera. The readings will be posted on the site.

I look forward to hearing from anyone interested and I hope you are as excited about the project as I am.

Terry Kate
RomanceintheBackseat@gmail.com