Anika's Books

We Were Spared . . .

However, others were not so fortunate. Hurricane Ike didn't come to South Florida as originally forecasted. On Saturday, it started moving futher and further south. Now it is ravaging the Caribbean islands. Currently, the hurricane is situated over Cuba.

Many people have lost their lives and many homes and businesses have been destroyed. It is scary, especially for Haiti who seems to be getting all the problemstorms this season. I think this is the fourth one they've gotten so far this year.

I also wanted to show what Hurricane Gustav did to Jamaica. This was two days after my family left and returned to our various homes here in the States.

Imagine our Luck...

Spared by Hanna and threatened by Ike...and a Category 4 no less...

So everyone is in a panic because its a bad mamajama. In other words, he's big and mean and headed our way. The hope is that it will follow in Hanna's footsteps and miss us. Unfortunately, the hurricane is dead center of us and the thought is that it is highly unlikely we will be spared.

It is still five days away and therefore things can change (waters heating or cooling, wind change, or whatever else can divert the hurricane). So yes, we are in the 'Cone of Uncertainty' but anything is possible.

Fellow authors Sedonia Guillone and Ashley Ladd are in the same predicament. Please keep us in your thoughts.

What More Proof Do You Need?

One of my publishers have directly on their website: "Due to lack of reader interest, we are NOT accepting F/F/M, one man with several women, or F/F." Sadly, I can't even say I'm surprised. I had already known this was an unpopular genre. But since it got me in the door, I can't really knock it.

Frankly, I'm glad they placed this note on their website. There can be no doubt about what they do and don't want. Also, I am noticing more and more publishers have a big no-no for F/F romance. What I didn't realize is that that genre is considered male fantasy in the writing world? Go figure.

So what does this mean for me? I have noticed the difference in the sales for my F/F romance and my M/F romance. But luckily for me, I write in other genres or I would be lost. Nevertheless, I am glad I got the contracts for both those stories because no matter what they were good enough to be accepted even though their isn't a real big market for them.

By the way, instead of writing the blurb and synopsis for the story I'm working on I'm doing this blog. I am such a procrastinator.

Happy Labor Day!!

Critique Partners/Groups?

As a new author, I am learning something new all the time. In fact, in life the minute you stop learning is the minute you stop growing (my opinion). I have tried to read as much as I can about the market and when that doesn't work, I try to ask the authors who have been in the business a lot longer.

I am a very private person. And I think I have mentioned a time or two before that no one ever read any of my works until I started submitting my books to publishers. So having someone I know critique my work is very difficult for me, I haven't quite mastered that thick skin yet.

So anyway, I've been wondering: If we are our own worst critics, why bother with crit groups and/or partners? Are they truly necessary to become the best writer one can be? Is that the only way to be truly successful as an author?

Why Worry . . .

Unfortunately, my family and I had to make a visit to the Halfway Tree Police Station in Kingston, Jamaica this past Monday (8/25/2008) to report an incident. Other than the actual reason for us being there, the visit was quite interesting.

First, the police officer taking our statements mentioned he had something very important he wanted to discuss with us. He then spent three-quarters of our time with him asking of the merits of moving to the United States. We were kind of shocked with the questions, although since our experience visiting this time was less than stellar, we understood. How weird! I think he had already made up his mind but we gave him our opinions anyway.

Second, this was found on one of the walls in the office of the same police station. Click the image to enlarge and read, it is very funny, well if you have my kind of humor.

I intend to have a wonderful weekend, and you should all try and do the same. :-)

None But Ourselves Can Free Our Minds . . .

This sculpture can be seen in the heart of Kingston in a place called Emancipation Park. The sculpture is depicting former slaves looking to the sky for "liberation and celestial reverence in an independent Jamaica" and the words "None but ourselves can free our minds" from Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley are written along the foundation.

The sculptor (Laura Facey Cooper) is quick to inform others that she did not embellish the female and male parts of the models she used. The people are real, she says, and they were already well-endowed.

I must say I'm surprised to see it because I never thought Jamaicans would be accepting enough for that. However, since there is a lot of public outcry against the sculpture I guess I am right. Some Jamaicans say the European features of the female is inappropriate, others say these two figures are an accurate depiction of the former slaves of Jamaica.

So tell me what you think about the sculpture? Is this totally inappropriate for Public Art?