I was trying to be positive with the title of this blog entry. Truth is, as I’m ready to publish my eight novel, I’m in a dedication pickle. Forget ‘artful.’
I started writing romantic suspense stories in 2001, got picked up by Wild Rose Press in 2011, and have published one book a year since then. My first book lauded all the people who encouraged me to keep on writing. Dedicating my second book to my father was a slam-dunk, because a character in the novel acted like my dad. I wanted another book to honor my mother. Then what?
We seat-of-our-pants writers don’t plan ahead. Thus, the dedication pickle.
Subject matter for book four fit my sister. Wait! I can’t leave out my husband. Book five lauded him. I consulted with my two brothers for books six and seven, so no worries there. Book eight is dedication-less, so far.
I’m curious about how you determine your dedications and the process you use to choose/ask/notify the dedicatee, or publicize the dedications for your books. I could use some ideas! Please leave your comments by clicking on the people said link below.
As you think about your answer, here’s my release, BAD LIES, dedicated to my brother, Colin, a brilliant geologist, who works on contracted projects with the U.S. Government. My main character in BAD LIES has a career like my brother’s, so consulting with Colin not only gave me information I needed, but brought me closer to understanding his passion for studying the earth.
Here’s BAD LIES, now out in Kindle and paperback https://a.co/0DuYNPn
Italy’s haunted caves spell danger for an American golfer and a NATO geologist…
Sophie Maxwell is a late-blooming, unorthodox golfer, and mother of a precocious thirteen year-old. Determined to put divorce, bankruptcy, and a penchant for gambling in her past, Sophie goes to Italy for a qualifying golf tournament.
Jack Walker turned his back on a pro golfing career to become a geologist. As a favor to his ailing father he’ll caddy for Sophie; off hours, he’ll find caves on the Mediterranean coast, suitable for NATO listening posts for terrorist activity.
Someone is determined to stop Jack’s underground hunt and ruin Sophie’s chances to win her tournament.
On a Rome golf course and in the Amalfi coast’s haunted caves, all the odds are stacked against Sophie and Jack. In their gamble of a lifetime, who wins?
Web and Blog: https://rolynnanderson.com
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4990049.Rolynn_Anderson
My questions, again: I’m curious about how you determine your dedications and the process you use to choose/ask/notify the dedicatee, or publicize the dedications for your books. I could use some ideas! Please leave your comments by clicking on the the people said link below below.
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I’m looking forward to hearing how you go about picking your dedication folk. I love to hear stories…so tell away. As it has to do with my novel, geology and golf are topics in BAD LIES. Golfers or geologists out there?
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Sometimes, I don’t include them at all because I don’t know what to say—especially if no one helped me or gave me inspiration for the book. Would I say, “Thanks to me?”
You might make the dedication to some life lesson, maybe?
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Chuckle…that’s great…after all, who did all the hard work on the book! You’re right, I could dedicate it to a concept/idea, maybe even a motto/prompt for how to live. The dedicatee doesn’t have to be alive, either. Dedicate to an author I learned from…
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One of the authors I follow often times just says something like: always for my family. A few sometimes give a shout-out to their beta readers and/or reviewers.
It’s funny, I’ve never noticed that Delilah sometimes doesn’t include them (I’ve read just about everything she’s written in the last few years). I always read the dedication in a book but I guess I don’t miss it if it’s not there. ❗
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Oh, I like the beta reader dedication. Thanks for the idea!
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Thanks for having me as a guest on your blog, Delilah. I usually draw more peeps, but folks must be busy getting ready for Memorial Day. And a happy one to you! Rolynn