The Romance Reader's Connection

JANUARY AUTHOR OF THE MONTH

 

 

 Jamie Sobrato

 

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by Mellanie Crowther 

 

Every aspiring author dreams of the moment when her first manuscript is accepted for publication. For Jamie Sobrato, that moment was almost an anticlimax. She had sat down at her computer to check an email from her agent. Fearing that the message contained negative feedback on a story idea, Jamie says, "I opened the message a bit reluctantly, only to see the most amazing sentence ever--telling me I'd just made my first sale. It was so unexpected, I think I went into shock, and I simply closed the message and went on to read and reply to the other new messages in my inbox. It wasn't until I'd finished typing a long reply to a friend that the reality sunk in and I thought to write to her, in the very last sentence of the message, that I'd just sold my book. It was an amazingly low-key moment to some of the best news of my life."

For Jamie, mother of a toddler, with another baby on the way, being an army wife affects many aspects of her newfound career. Military life imposes special demands on spouses, who are encouraged to participate in Spouses' Clubs and Family Readiness Groups. These organizations are designed to help military wives cope with the unique demands that army life makes on them, and to foster sisterhood and fellowship among women forced into closeness by situation and circumstance. 

Jamie says, "Army life affects my writing career in various and strange ways. Before I'd sold a book, I always had a hard time being disciplined about sitting down and writing every day, so whenever we had a PCS (Permanent Change of Station, a move from one base to another), it would knock me out of my writing routine for at least 3 months. At our last duty station (Baumholder, Germany), we were part of a battalion, and there were various volunteer duties that often distracted me from writing at times."

"I'm not a member of any military spouse groups at the moment, though I'm sure I'll be much more involved when we move back to Fort Irwin next summer. I try to put my family first, my writing second, and everything else in order after that."

So how does a busy young mother find time to write? A set schedule is not possible in her circumstances, with a toddler to care for. Jamie admits, "I have to squeeze in writing wherever I can fit it during the day, but the majority of my work often gets done at night after I put my son to bed. I like to start by re-reading a bit of what I last wrote, though sometimes I dive in and start writing, and sometimes I just stare at the computer screen writing nothing."

Jamie's approach to writing has changed since the sale of her first book. "I used to work on several ideas at once, but now that I have contract deadlines to meet, I generally stick to one book until it's finished, unless something comes up that takes me away from it (like revisions on another book, or galley edits to read)." 

One benefit of success is the elimination of every writer's worst nightmare: "I've found that writer's block magically fades away in the face of a real deadline. There are times when I get stuck on my story, and I try to go back and figure out what's causing the problem. The answer can always be found in the story itself. If the problem is that I just need a break from the story so I can return to it with a fresh perspective, then I try to brainstorm new story ideas or work on another story that I've already started for a short while until I can return to the work in progress.

"Also, when I get stuck, I like to brainstorm potential solutions in writing, either on paper or computer. So many times, I've found myself writing to my critique partner for advice on a story problem, and I end up answering the question myself as I'm writing to her. Something about the process of trying to explain the problem to another person can really kick the brain into gear."

Asked how long it took her to write SOME LIKE IT SIZZLING, Jamie answers, "[This book] is a testament to the importance of revisions! I can say that after I wrote a rough draft of it and polished the first three chapter (which probably took a few months), it was rejected by one editor, so I revised it (a few more months of work) and submitted it to a few contests. Another editor requested it from a contest, and she ultimately rejected it, too, but it later finaled in Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart contest, where an editor judging the final round saw it and passed it to one of her colleagues, who sent me a detailed revision letter for it. I spent a few months revising it, and she was the editor who ultimately bought the book."

Unlike other stories she's worked on, Jamie says, SOME LIKE IT SIZZLING is definitely based purely on imagination. She adds, "I've never found a stranger handcuffed to my bed or visited an adults-only resort, and I've never been investigated by a PI (at least, not that I know of!)." Jamie got the inspiration for The Fantasy Ranch from stories she'd heard about Hedonism II, an adults-only resort in the Caribbean. "There are certain elements I could base on my own experiences, like Lucy's self-image. She has some of my insecurities and fear of risk-taking." 

An only child, Jamie has no siblings to draw on when creating her hero, so "Judd just came from my imagination. I think he was a fairly easy character to write, because I try to pay close attention to men and how they approach life. I love getting inside my heroes' heads." Lucy, her heroine, hit a little closer to home, however. "Lucy's lack of confidence is a lot like me, and her insecurities. Also, she's pretty reserved and cautious, and that's very much a part of my personality, too. I could really relate to her as a character. What's most different is definitely her healthy eating habits! I have to eat chocolate at least once a day, preferably more than once, and I'm not crazy about vegetables."

Jamie's experiences with the army inspired the setting for SOME LIKE IT SIZZLING. "My husband and I were stationed at Fort Irwin, CA," she says, "which is in the middle of the Mojave desert. I LOVED living in the desert, and I've driven through Arizona and remember it being very beautiful. I wanted a desert setting with a large city nearby, so that's how I came up with Phoenix. I'm not sure now why I didn't choose Las Vegas, but maybe I wanted to make sure everyone understood there was no prostitution going on there," she adds with a laugh.

A book with a military background is not out of the question either, according to Jamie. "I've tried to write a story with a military hero, and it did have promise. I might try to sell it someday, but it was not *set* in the military. The hero is on leave for most of the story. My problem with incorporating military life into a romance novel is that I don't see a romanticized version of it--I live the real thing! I know about the long separations, living far away from family, the long hours and demanding job conditions, the often less than ideal living situations.

"So I'm not sure if I'll ever write a book that is totally set in the military. If I did, it would probably have to be humorous, because I think a sense of humor is what helps us military spouses thrive in such a demanding life. I like romance novels to be an escape from harsh reality, so for now, I find it easier to create a sense of escape by writing about civilian life. On the other hand, I think military heroes are among the sexiest out there, and I love what the idealized military hero stands for--honor, bravery, and discipline."

Asked about future plans, Jamie answers, "Although I love to read historicals, I feel much more at home writing contemporary novels, so I'm pretty sure that's where I'll stay. I love the challenges of writing category romance, but if I ever get the urge (and the time!) to write a longer, single title romance, I'll certainly try that, too. I could foresee myself writing both category and single title romances eventually. I think whatever story I write will always have a strong romance element, because I am utterly fascinated by male/female relationships."

Jamie says that the biggest surprise in having a dream come true was the insecurity that came with selling her manuscript. "I never imagined how scary it would feel to finally accomplish my dream, because along with that accomplishment comes the desire to *keep* selling, of course. What I've enjoyed most about being published is getting paid to do what I love most--write."

Having been married to a soldier for nearly ten years, Jamie does not rely on her royalty checks for income, as other writers might. When asked when a writer can quit her day job, Ms. Sobrato said, "since I didn't have a *paying* day job anyway, I'm doing great. But I have a husband supporting me. So spousal support, how fast an author can write and sell, how high a standard of living she expects, how confident she feels that she can keep selling steadily--those factors all weigh in. 

"Selling on proposal is great," she continues, "but I assume different publishers have different payment arrangements. My contracts stipulate that I get paid half my advance on signing the contract (after the proposal has been sold, of course), and the other half upon the publisher approving the completed manuscript. I've heard it takes at least a few years (or maybe up to 6?) of writing steadily in the category market to build up enough income from advances and royalties to be earning what most people would consider a good, solid income."

So what advice would Jamie offer aspiring writers? "Respect the genre in which you are trying to get published. If you don't feel comfortable writing it, that's going to be apparent to readers. Be willing to take criticism and grow from it, but learn to take it without letting it get you in a funk. One person's opinion is just that--one person's opinion! Learn to judge your own work (and that's why taking criticism is important, because it helps us develop our own sense of what is and isn't working in a story), and always know that there is room for improvement.

"Read lots of fiction and lots of writing craft books. Attend writing workshops, but only use what works for you. Join a writing organization, like Romance Writers of America. Take your writing seriously, and devote time to it every day. Even if you only have an hour, or a half hour, it's extremely important to return to the page daily. Most important, though, write and write and write some more, and then submit it to editors once you've done the best you can do."

With SOME LIKE IT SIZZLING hitting the shelves this month, Jamie says she originally planned for the secondary couple, Mason and Claire, to have their own story. "I originally created the characters with a sequel in mind, but as it is, the subplot does have an implied happy ending. I guess I won't write a sequel unless lots of readers beg for one. The I could pass those letters on to my editor." Jamie's fans will not have to wait for more books from her, however.

"PLEASURE FOR PLEASURE, an April Blaze is due out this year.I'm currently writing a Harlequin Blaze, tentatively titled WHAT A GIRL WANTS (I'm sure the title will change). It has already sold on proposal, and I'm just finishing the book up this week. I also have two more books sold on proposal waiting to be written as soon as I finish this one! One is another Temptation called HOW TO TAME A VIXEN, and the other is a Blaze called SOME KIND OF SEXY. I'd like to finish them all before the new baby arrives and a month later we move back to the States. None of the above have firm release dates yet, but they'll probably be out in early 2004."

Jamie Sobrato, military wife, mother, and now published author, has a lot to be grateful for, but she's worked hard to reach her goals. "I'm a firm believer in never letting your dreams grow dusty," she acknowledges. Romance readers everywhere will be glad that Jamie polished her dreams and shared her gifts with them. SOME LIKE IT SIZZLING is a sparkling addition to the Temptation line. Jamie Sobrato clearly has a bright future in front of her. 

(Click here for a review of SOME LIKE IT SIZZLING)

 

 

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