Chat with Kay Hooper 9/27/00 at Writerspace

Chat with Kay Hooper 9/27/00

CSailor - Dang, I forgot the cat's name already.
KayH - Sailor, Josie was originally intended to be the first of a new series ... but then Loveswept was folding and I bailed out. But some of those characters are slated to start appearing in my work for Bantam ... I think. <G> Tucker MacKenzie, for one.
CSailor - So we'll see the cat again? ^_^
JenWagner - I love that cat!!!!!! I can still picture him!
KayH - Yes, I believe you will see the cat again. <G>
CSailor - Was Tucker from that book too?
Dragons - JaY
psg - ?
KayH - Yes, Tucker was heard -- but not seen. Phone conversation with the hero.
Jay - Uh huh?
Cissy - Celeste, you're next (JL, Mari, Cissy, cindy, kamy, psg are in line)
Celeste - Kay, have any of your books been published in hardcover (not including any book club editions)?
KayH - The cat was Pendragon, btw.
Cissy - I remember Pendragon!
KayH - Celeste, my "girl gothics" were all hardcovers: Amanda, After Caroline, Finding Laura, and Haunting Rachel.
CSailor - Pendragon! That's right! I knew it had Arthurian connections... ^_^
Jay - Hey Kay - My mother owns a Paint horse stud called Pendragon! LOL!
cris - Pendragon is a very famous cat!
JenWagner - PENDRAGON! Of course!!! <sigh> Senior moment.... <G>
KayH - I love horses too, Jay!
Dragons - where do you think i took the name from, albeit shortened?
Jay - Aren't they just the best thing on legs?
cindy - No senior moments! They are only intellectual lapses.
Cissy - JL, you're next (Mari, Cissy, cindy, kamy are in line)
JL - Kay, when I listen among my fellow women writers talking, it seems we women can easily fall into the trap of being the child and the publishers/editors being our parents, e.g., we're afraid to phone and check up on a manuscript, we obsess over the fonts/margin widths we use in the version we mail out.... Have you avoided these pitfalls, and seen yourself as a strong EQUAL with the publishers-etc all along.... and if yes, how did you manage it?
KayH - Love horses. Wish I had time to ride the way I did when I was a kid ...
kamy - LOL@Jay...not sure about that one
Jay - I have four - without whom I would curl up and never leave my library! LOL!
KayH - JL, the way I avoided it was to be a pain in the ass. <G> Seriously. I've always been ... proactive ... when it came to my work. Ready to fight an editor at the drop of a hat. I tell them if they aren't prepared to argue with me about a suggested change, they might as well not bother making it. <G>
Cissy - you go, Kay!
JL - Kay, noooo, really?
Cissy - Mari, you're next (Cissy, cindy, kamy are in line)
Jay - Kay must be a Ms! LOL!
KayH - The only thing in this business I can control is my work ... so I damned well control that.
JenWagner - You go, Kay!! I needed you when they couldn't title my book for seven months!
Mari - Do you get to pick which kind of book you want to write, or does the publisher say they want so many of this kind first, and then so on... I've heard other authors are contracted for only one kind at a time ie: suspense, gothic, son on.
KayH - Jen, I fight for titles, too. <G> Virtually all my titles are my own.
spin1 - No she isn't Jay because if she was it would make her a demented bumble bee and one of them would write neat like she does!!!! pocking out my tounge
JenWagner - Kay, really??! <sigh> I'll remember that for the next one. I've found it hard to argue as a "newbie."
KayH - Mari, after 20 years, I'm really not told what to write. Never have been, really. NIta (Taublib) did ask me to write "several" of one kind of thing so she could package and market effectively -- but what i wrote was always up to me.
Jay - And what if I have a deep abiding fascination with demented bumble bees?!?
KayH - Begin as you mean to go on, Jen. Argue when you KNOW you're right. They respect that, honestly.
cris - ?
spin1 - I don't know- maybe you'd be weired HUH?
Dragons - Been nice talking and listening to you all and especially to you Kay, but I've got to go now. Thanks for the great evening!
Jay - *sigh* I prefer eccentric......
KayH - Bye, Dragons!
Cissy - Kay, I don't really have a question. I just wanted to say that I've loved your books for years. When I first started reading your in Loveswept your talent was just shining - grabbed everything of yours that I could. So it's really a thrill to have you here chatting with us tonight.
Cissy - cindy, you're next (kamy, cris are in line)
KayH - Thanks, Cissy! You've all made my day, really.
KayH - Bye, Jay! I've enjoyed it.
JenWagner - Ditto to Cissy's comment! When my Loveswepts arrived every month with a Kay book, I was in heaven!! Have them all!
Jay - No - I lied - I'll be back very shortly!
Cissy - Yep, we've run WAY over time 3 last questions and we'll let you go, Kay. You've been wonderful to stay so long.
spin1 - Oh Jay I'm soooo sorry c ya again later I hope have a good day
cindy - Kay, I enjoy listening to audiobooks and comparing/reading along with the books. Any chance one of your books will be out on audiotape? If so, will you be able to keep fighting for your rights with it?
JenWagner - Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, Kay!
CSailor - I think the only books of Kay's that I don't have are her Regencies and very early Loveswepts. *sigh*
KayH - Cindy, the only one I know published as an audio book was After Caroline. But there will be future sales, I'm sure.
CSailor - or some of the early Loveswepts, that is...
Cissy - kamy, you're next (psg, cris are in line)
JenWagner - CSailor, her Loweswepts never last at my UBS. People grab them immediately.
kamy - Kay, you mentioned that it's tough without an agent...but with all the publishing houses out there now, and series lines, isn't it easier to get published? If so why not?
KayH - Only one Regency, Sailor. Well, plus the novellas.
Jay - I'm back Haha!
CSailor - Jen, why do you think I couldn't find In Serena's Web? or the Regency? *sigh*
spin1 - gee that was a quick change Jay WB though
KayH - Kamy, it's more difficult, I believe, because series is no longer such a huge part of the business -- and so many of us started in series. Now, if Silhouette or Harlequin rejects you, there's really no place else to take a series book.
Cissy - psg, you're next. cris will follow.
KayH - Hey, Jay. Long time no see. <G>
JenWagner - I'll keep an eye out for you CSailor. I'll grab them if I see them and then try to find you!!
Jay - Had to swap computers - this one is sooooooo slow, though!
psg - this is a personal request....Could you make one of your Hero's look like Adrian Paul/Duncan McLeod the Highlander?? LOL
CSailor - thanks Jen. I don't recall if I'm missing any of her other books, but I know I'm definitely missing Serena's story and the Regency...
Jay - psg - oh yum - isn't he a honey?
KayH - psg, you'd be more likely to get that from Linda Howard -- she's a huge Highlander fan. I'm afraid I never got into the series (no channel I could get showed it in the beginning), but I do think Adrian Paul is gorgeous ... so maybe ... <G>
psg - and do you picture someone you know in real life of movie/tv??
Jay - One of the few good things on legs that doesn't neigh! LOL!
CSailor - maybe if Adrian Paul gets tired of acting, he should do romance book covers... <g>
KayH - Rarely, psg. It's all in my head, so I generally make them up.
Cissy - cris, you have the honor of the Final Question
psg - i knew i liked Linda Howard. : )~
cris - First I wanted to thank you for seeing me through so tough times in my life, and for all the hours of enjoyment and I'd like to ask what you think of switching names for different genres
cindy - Didn't he (Adrian Paul) start out doing book covers?
KayH - Glad I could help, Cris. As for switching genres, using different names might be a good idea. Depends on the situation; I'm afraid there's no "right" answer.
psg - he did modeling, but i've not seen a bookcover with him on it. there was one that was supposed to resemble him tho.
cris - you have a gift!
cris - an amazing one
Sara - Thank you very much for coming Kay!!
Cissy - hear, hear, cris
KayH - Thank you, Cris. I'm so glad the readers enjoy the stories I want to tell.
Helena - ok I didnt get to ask a ? but I Have to tell Kay that I loved Stealing Shadows
JenWagner - Thanks for chatting with us, Kay!!!
kamy - thank you Kay...enjoyed it very much
Jay - I was keeping it clean for once, spin!
Sara - I enjoyed ALL three of the Shadows!! great books!!
KayH - Thanks for having me, guys, Maybe we can do this again -- without all my phone problems!
Cissy - Kay, thank you so much for coming and chatting with us tonight. We'd love to have you back any time. And of course, you can always drop in informally too. There are people chatting here most every night
Mari - Come back soon Kay
Sara - looking forward to the next trilogy!!
CSailor - Thanks a lot for chatting with us, Kay! I'm in heaven! ^_^
KayH - Thanks, Helena!
cindy - Thanks so much, Kay, for coming and chatting with us.
Cissy - Kay, we'll be putting up a transcript of tonight, in case you'd like to link to it from your site
Celeste - Thank you for chattting with us Kay and hope you will come back soon (maybe after your next two books are out).
KayH - Thanks for telling me, Cissy -- I just might visit!
Jay - Thankyou for putting up with me and chatting with everyone else, Kay! It was really good!
Helena - yes cant wait for the next book
spin1 - thanks kay will continue to look for u'r books
psg - sara??? how hve you read them all??
CSailor - yeah, Sara, how???
psg - Kay, is there a chat at your site?? board??
KayH - Guys, if any of you have further questions, my e-mail address is on the web page. I'd be happy to hear from you!
JL - KayH, I'd love to be in your position of having written and published for so many years, AND thereby given the world so much pleasure! (I wonder if you think of that and if it inspires you...) Anyway, thank you for chatting and for the helpful answers. Good night!
shy - Thanks for coming to chat with us Kay Night
KayH - No board, psg -- yet. I'm working on improving beyond a basic page ....
JenWagner - Can't wait for the next two Shadows books, Kay!!!!
KayH - Good night, all! Hope you enjoy the rest of the Shadows series!
CSailor - night Kay!
Jay - You need a Cissy, Kay!
Helena - too bad you cant come to WriterSpace
cris - nite!
CSailor - night Kay!
Cissy - Goodnight, Kay, and thanks again!
psg - ok, this was fun.
Mari - Night
spin1 - nite Kay and goddbye ladies I've a lawn to mow down
Celeste - Kay, you do realize that our web goddess, Cissy, is fantastic at doig web sites, right (hint, hint).
cindy - Cissy, how soon will the transcript for tonight's chat be posted? I missed some of the comments.
Sara - There is always room for another author at writerspace!!!
Cissy - why can't she, Helena?
psg - it's much better when you actually know the author's work. : )
cris - JL, do you mind my asking who you are?
shy - Night Spinner
KayH - Maybe I'll join WriterSpace ... in the meantime, talk to you guys later.
cindy - G'dnite, Kay!
Celeste - Night Kay
KayH - - 9/27 at 10:46pm EST