Book Review: "Breaking Ties"by Jo Grafford

The tale of Rose Payne leaving behind everything she knows for the unknown in America was phenomenal! From the first chapter I was hooked and couldn't bear to put the book down. Intrigue, betrayal, and mystery plague the colonists aboard the three ships traveling to their new home. Just when you think you've figured out who is behind the problems another twist in the tale leaves you guessing yet again.

The attraction between Rose and the mysterious Manteo is very captivating! Each interaction between them leaves you wanting to know what will happen next. More than once Manteo comes to help Rose out of the bind she's in and shows her through his action what's in his heart. Though Rose isn't looking for love, it finds her.

I absolutely cannot wait to see what Jo Grafford writes next! I'll be looking for the second book in this series actively! As soon as it's available I'm buying it! This is a fantastic clean romance that was well thought out and written expertly! Jo definitely did her research for this novel.

Visit Jo Grafford's website.

Purchase Breaking Ties from Amazon.

Purchase Breaking Ties from Barnes and Noble.

Book Review: "The Dead Game" by Susanne Leist

Today I finished reading "The Dead Game" by Susanne Leist. This book isn't what I typically read but did like her style!

“The Dead Game” is very well written. The author has a gift at being descriptive and a talent with spinning a tale. This book will keep you guessing. Even when you think you’ve gotten everything figured out something new changes things for the reader and the characters.

The only two issues I have with this novel are that it just didn’t draw me in and there is an overabundance of characters in the book. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this book. It just wasn’t typically the type of novel that I read. Trying to keep all of the characters straight became difficult at times. For those who are into spine tingling tales and vampires they will love it.

Purchase "The Dead Game" on Amazon!

Back to Work!

I've been away from the blog for a while now. I've just been extremely busy at my day job and by the time I get home at night all I want to do is relax. Well things have settled back down and I am able to get back to working on what I love: writing! Specifically right now I am editing.

Back in April I participated in Camp NaNoWriMo and finished a novel that I'd called Pagan Ways. Well, I've changed the title to The Old Ways and am working with my publisher to get it ready for publication. Today I've been editing like a fiend! I hope to have it ready to go to some beta readers in a couple of days. Speaking of beta reading, if you're interested in beta reading for me, please let me know! I'd love to hear from you.

Currently The Search for Mrs. Claus is available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and is on several different book websites! Check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, and Smashwords as well! If you are interested in obtaining a FREE copy of The Search for Mrs. Claus in exchange for reviewing the book for me, please let me know and I'll get you a code for a free download from Smashwords!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and stay tuned for more updates about my books as they come!

Book Review: "The One" by Steve Justice

Tonight I finished reading "The One" by Steve Justice. This was definitely not my usual book that I'd choose. However, different is good! Below is my review of his novel that I've posted to Amazon and Goodreads.

This novel is very different from my usual choice of books. However different is a good thing. The story of the professor and Hana Kim is reminiscent of Lolita with a more modern twist.

The story is a little bit slow in the beginning but the words Steve Justice uses weave a tapestry of a tale bringing the imagery and emotions to life on the pages before you. The more I read, the more I wanted to read. I was captivated by this novel and truly look forward to reading more of the works of Steve Justice.

Purchase "The One" on Amazon!

I've Been Rescued!

I've been rescued!

As you all know, my publishing experience has been filled with difficulties. From formatting issues to lack of communication, things were pretty rough. Last week I severed ties with my publisher. I wish them all the best but it was best for me to move on.

After terminating my contract I had a long discussion with my husband about my troubles. From problems in 2009 with a vanity press to my recent publishing concerns I wasn't exactly interested in putting myself in the position to have someone else in control of my books and be set up for that same difficult situation once more.

Enter the knight in shining armor on a white horse! My husband has started a traditional publishing house! Let me introduce you all to Rescue House Publishing! Rescue House Publishing is different from other publishers out there. I'll let him explain more about it on his website. The website is still under construction, but keep checking back for more info. In short, it's a traditional house where the authors have a lot more control over their books than most other houses. Rescue House Publishing is also a clean publisher. That means the books need to be PG-13. No erotica or porn here. If you write clean books and are looking for a traditional publishing option, keep checking in for calls for submissions. Once he's ready, he will let you all know. Rescue House Publishing also believes in giving back to the community. Dogs are one of our passions and a portion of our sales will be donated to Rescues to Heroes, a local organization that rescues shelter dogs and trains them to be service dogs for the disabled. It's a great way to give back to the community!

Meanwhile, "The Search for Mrs. Claus" has been republished with Rescue House Publishing! I am so excited to be able to publish my books with a house that truly was created for the benefit of authors and to be able to give back to the community with my work!

If you'd like more information about Rescue House Publishing please e-mail Nick Daisey at requests@rescuehousepublishing.com and he will get back with you.

Author2Author with Alisha Guenzel

Today I'd like to invite everyone to check out the books of my friend and fellow author Alisha Guenzel. Alisha's debut novel "Unspoken Dreams" is published with the same house as "The Search for Mrs. Claus." Alisha is married and the mother of five children. Her passions are her family, her horses, and her writing.

Courtney: What made you decide to become a writer?

Alisha: I couldn’t talk as a kid and I found it much easier to make friends on paper. Like any other writer, stories come to me. And if I don’t write them down my mind is filled with that story until it is written.

Courtney: Your first novel “Unspoken Dreams” is very poignant. Tell me what events in your life led you to write this novel?

Alisha: To be honest Courtney I have an eight year old boy with autism. I wrote the original "Unspoken Dreams" when I was a moody teenager and I was going through a lot of changes at the time. When I picked up my old manuscript it just started out as something to do while I took care of my five kids while my husband was out of town. But as I began to write I saw I was putting in a lot of my experiences with my own son into the story. I’ve been asked if it’s a non-fiction story and I tell people no. But it does have a bit of reality. As you know yourself from reading "Unspoken Dreams", Jaime has many issues he must work through every day. That is real. Autism can be scary, that is real. The hope of a normal life is real. But what also is real is the hope of acceptance. I see it every day online. These parents of kids who are just diagnosed are heart breaking to me. So I put my real life experiences into "Unspoken Dreams." The tantrums, the "jitters." The frustration I felt as I raised not just my son but daughter as a single mother. The improvement in Jaime as he met Jonathan came from my experience of when I met my husband John. He taught Rhett (my son) how to control his behavior and today people can’t believe he has autism. Rhett talks, laughs, and functions. I want people to know that there is hope for a bright future. I know that is a lot and probably more than you asked for. But life is what led me to write my first novel.

Courtney: Do you have a particular method you use to write (like outlining) or do you just write as it comes to you?

Alisha: Oh my method is crazy and messy at first. I just write at first. But I have a big black 2” notebook that holds ideas for scenes and outlines and character sketches. I first start with the story in my head. Then I do what’s called a character sketch to see my character. For example for "The McGregor Saga" I have character sketches on all three brothers and their love interests. What they like, dislike, how they look, their hair and eye color stuff like that. Even what kind of food they like. Then after I finish the first draft I read it and do two sets of rewrites until I have the story where I want it. And even then I go over it again. I learned a lot while publishing “Unspoken Dreams” and I want my saga to be better so I begin with one draft of the story the outline really and then after I put in what I think the story should be I go back to my character sketches and see what my characters want the story to be. I know that sounds crazy but I look at it this way. As a writer I build the stepping stones to the story but my characters really tell it.

Courtney: Tell me about your upcoming novel “A Cowboy’s Duty.”

Alisha: Well to be honest Courtney I changed the name to "Jason’s Duty." It is book one of a series called "The McGregor Saga." The saga takes place in Montana and there are three brothers: Jason, Jesse, and Jude. All three are romances. But they are each different in their own way. For example in "Jason’s Duty" it revolves around the eldest McGregor. Jason Jameson McGregor. He’s his father’s foreman on his horse ranch. He’s a trainer and he is a country boy with lots of chores. But when a car accident brings his father’s friends daughter and wife to their ranch Jason’s world is turned upside down. He can’t do his job because his mother puts him in charge of watching over Haley (daughter of a friend) and Jason starts out really hating her but as time goes on he starts to fall for her and he feels torn between his heart and his duty as his father’s foreman. It’s kind of special to me because the main horse characters in the book are inspired by my own horses Ranger, Lilly, and Peanut. And some of the scenes with them are stuff that I do every day with my own horses.

Courtney: What or who inspired you to write?

Alisha: My Gram. From a very young age she taught me to dream big dreams. And to not limit my ability to go for what I want. My first A+ in school was a paper that I wrote about her house. It was labeled “My Favorite Place”. After she read it, she saw the talent I had and always encouraged me to keep writing.

Courtney: Tell me about your publication process. What did it entail?

Alisha: A lot of work but it’s fun. I started with a vanity press before I joined MSH. Then Allison Bruning took interest in "Unspoken Dreams" and wanted it because it had to do with autism. The editing part of it was a lot of work but after learning more about the craft of writing and learning how to make webpages and teasers even book trailers it was a lot of fun. It’s like my Gram always told me: “Alisha, nothing in life comes for free. You must work for what you want, if you don’t it’s not worth having.”

Courtney: Why do you write? Is it for fame, money, or the story?

Alisha: I would have to say the stories. I may not write a best seller but they are my stories. If I can bring hope to one struggling mom/dad of an Autistic child I have done my job. Would I like to be known or have someone just wait for my next book? Sure what author doesn’t but if I just write “Unspoken Dreams” and "The McGregor Saga" and that’s it and it’s made someone smile then I’m happy. Of course I want to make money but Rome wasn’t built in a day either. So I’ll just keep working and creating because that is my job.

Courtney: Is there a particular author that really influences your writing?

Alisha: I would have to say Devika Fernando. She really made me think about my story “Unspoken Dreams.” She taught me to listen to my characters and to not be afraid to do more. For example “Unspoken Dreams” was released earlier this year. And it was a good book but it was my first. I see it going places but just like everything else in life it needed time to sit and after I went back to it I saw where I could make it better and I did. Devika showed me that there is always room to improve your story.

Courtney: What are your goals over the next five years, both personally and as a writer?

Alisha: I hope to be as happy in five years that I am now. I have everything I need or want, a wonderful husband, five kids that bring me pride and joy to be called their mom. I have a horse who although is challenging is my best friend. So in five years I hope I can just be happy. As far as my writing, I’m not sure. I hope to have my name known in book stores. But then again I’m just starting out. I would like to say I hope "Unspoken Dreams" and "The McGregor Saga" is a success and that I go on to write more stories.

Courtney: What’s your favorite part of writing? Also, what’s your least favorite part?

Alisha: My favorite part of writing...hmmm...that is so hard because everything is so much fun. I love creating the story. But what writer doesn’t right? The rewriting can be a little discouraging at times because I have an idea in my head and when I realize I have to edit to make it better I think to myself “And I’m a published author?” I know that’s silly but it’s the truth. Editing is the hardest. But oh how I LOVE promoting! I know to most writers that’s the worst part but it runs a close second to be my favorite part of writing. I love it because the job is done and you get to play with ideas on how to get your audience hooked.

Be sure to check out Alisha's links below to keep up with her books and writing!

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/alguenzel

Web Page: http://alishaguenzel.wix.com/unspokendreams

Book Trailer for Unspoken Dreams: http://youtu.be/sakYujcOO0c

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ajbrown718689/unspoken-dreams/

Book Page: http://www.facebook.com/my.debut.book.unspokendreams

Book Page for Jason’s Duty: http://www.facebook.com/ACowboysDutyB1

Book Trailer for Jason’s Duty: http://youtu.be/4D6ob0swLJI

Book Page for Jesse’s Choice: http://www.facebook.com/MSJessesChoice

Book Page for Dancing with Jude: http://www.facebook.com/DancingWithJude

Blog: http://alishaguenzel.blogspot.com/

Book Review: Etched in History by Amanda Marie

I like to read on my lunch break at work. Having the Kindle app on my tablet makes that very easy. Earlier this week I purchased "Etched in History" by Amanda Marie and began reading it. To say this novel is phenomenal would be an understatement!

I really enjoy reading historical romances and novels. I'm a huge fan of "North and South" and "Gone With the Wind." Though set in the same time frame, this novel is quite different from either of those. Below is the review I left this wonderful book on Amazon and Goodreads.

"This book captivated me from the first chapter! The story is completely different from what you're used to seeing out of a romance from a post-Civil War setting. This is a story about love and overcoming differences in a time when differences are shunned.

Unlike many stories, this one was told from the perspectives of all of the characters involved. I really enjoyed this because it allowed me to see into the thoughts of each character as the events were taking place. Amanda Marie makes it very easy for readers to know who is speaking and thinking though so there's no way you can get confused.

This was a very sweet historical romance! It's about love, not physicality. I could easily see this being made into a movie. It was a truly excellent read! I take my Kindle with me to work and read on my lunch break. I can't tell you how many times over the past few days reading this book I wanted my lunch break to be longer so I could keep reading! I look forward to reading more of Amanda Marie's novels!"

If you're looking for a clean, captivating romance novel, this one's for you. Snag a copy of "Etched in History" today. I promise you that you'll enjoy it.

Etched in History - Amazon

Etched in History- Smashwords

Author Central Page on Amazon

Courtney Daisey's Amazon Author Central Page

Fellow authors, I've recently been made aware of a great tool available to us! How many of us are published on Amazon? If you are, then you really should consider creating an Author Central page.

What's Author Central? It's almost like a home page for your work on Amazon! Just visit http://authorcentral.amazon.com. If you already have an Amazon account you can use your same login information for your Author Central page. It's a great tool you can use to help promote yourself and your work! For example you can have a photo and biography information, a listing of all of your works on Amazon (including links to all of your works as well), and even a forum where you can post and interact with your readers! Link your Twitter to your Author Central page and your latest tweet shows up right there for everyone to check out! You can also link your blog there, which I am going to do as soon as I post this! That way my blog posts will show up on the page as well. Best of all, this tool is completely FREE! I love just about anything that's free, especially if it can help me out.

Also, notice that you can "like" these Author Central pages as well. Do you have an author you like? Definitely go like his or her page! Just like with Facebook, Amazon uses these likes to gauge the popularity of the pages. The more likes you have the greater your chances of Amazon promoting your books!

So please, check out my Amazon Author Central page, like it, and share this info with your author friends! It might just help them out a bit.

Christmas in July

The concept of Christmas in July actually came from a girls camp in 1933 in North Carolina. The girls had a Christmas tree, presents, and even a visit from Santa. From this little celebration, the idea of having Christmas in July has grown. While not very common here in the northern hemisphere, south of the equator it is winter and many countries take part in winter festivities. Sometimes people in the northern hemisphere also partake in Christmastime activities as well. Think about it. There are no holidays between the first week of July and Labor Day in September. That's a long time to go without something fun to celebrate!

Some people go all out and put up Christmas trees, decorate their homes, and have holiday parties during July. Even some television stations get into the theme. The Hallmark Channel is showing Christmas movies right now as part of their Christmas in July celebration.

That's why I am so glad my book was released at this time. It's a great time to pick up a copy and get into that Christmas spirit! Right now on Kindle it's only $3.99! I am hoping to see the paperback version out by the end of the week.

Pick up your copy on Kindle today and get into the spirit!

"The Search for Mrs. Claus" for Kindle

First review: 5 stars!

The first review is in and it's a 5 star review! Oh this made my night! Thank you to reader Samaire Provost for your review and kind words!

I immediately read through my Kindle copy of the my own book and found a few errors that I didn't catch during editing. I've sent that info back to the publisher and they are working on correcting the errors prior to releasing the print version of "The Search for Mrs. Claus." If you're ready for a print copy of this book, stay tuned. It's definitely in progress. You can purchase the Kindle copy here on Amazon right now for only $3.99!

I'd also like to invite all of you to attend my virtual release party that I am hosting on Facebook next weekend. it will be July 12 from 3:00PM to 6:00PM EST. This will be a fun gathering to celebrate the release of my book, talk about Christmas things, play games, and even win a prize or two! Please come by, invite your friends, and come have a jolly good time with me that afternoon!

Christmas in July - "The Search for Mrs. Claus" Virtual Release Party

The Book is Available!

The Search for Mrs. Claus is available on Kindle right now for $3.99! Please click on the above link to purchase! The print copy will be available soon!

Please purchase your copy, review it, and let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is always appreciated!

Delays

Folks, it looks like there are unexpected delays in the release of "The Search for Mrs. Claus." I do not know exactly what the holdup is but I am trying to find out. Please, hang tight and as soon as I know more I will let you know.

Thanks for your patience while I work with the publisher to figure this out. I sincerely apologize for this delay.

T'was the night before the book release...

T’was the night before the book release

And all through the author’s house

Everyone was excited including

The kids, the pets, and the spouse!

Amazon was loaded on

Her computer’s screen.

Barnes and Noble was up as well.

T’was all that she had seen!

Everyone was counting for

The clock to strike midnight,

For then there would be a brand new book

She’d taken the time to write.

The cover art has been designed.

The editing was through.

Now it was time to pass the book

Into the hands of you!

So take some time, buy this book,

And read to your heart’s content.

Share the story with your friends

And be a part of this big event!

Read it, love, it, and review it please.

We love to hear your applause!

Thank you for taking the time to read

“The Search for Mrs. Claus!”

I'll post the links tomorrow so that you can buy a copy! Stay tuned!

2 Days To Go!

I heard back from the publisher today. Everything's ready to go for the big release on Friday! Two days left until "The Search for Mrs. Claus" is available for you!

Releasing this book has been very much like the coming of Christmas for me. First was the writing of the story. Believe it or not, this novel was my NaNoWriMo project from November 2013. I've participated in NaNo several times but this was the first novel I ever finished during that month. Most NaNo projects usually don't turn out that great but I really fell in love with the story in my mind as I was writing it. It basically wrote itself. I love how I was able to sit back and let the thoughts flow out of my mind and onto the screen of my computer. While writing it, I was basically watching the story unfold in my mind like a movie. That was one of the most fun parts of writing this! I was seeing the action in my mind as it came to life on the computer screen.

After the writing was done, I did my first edits. It was then that I submitted the novel in the hopes that it would be chosen for publication. I was ever so pleased when it was selected!

Then the waiting game really began. The novel spent time with the editor and the formatter. My husband and I designed the cover art in the same way that wrapping paper is carefully chosen for a special present. Finally, today I heard back from the publisher. Everything's a definite go! I can't wait for Friday when I will see this novel available!

Yes, I can't help but feel like a kid at Christmas right now, sitting by the fireplace, listening and waiting for Santa to arrive. It's going to be hard for me to go to sleep on Thursday night because I know something wonderful will be waiting for me on Friday morning!

Five Days Left!

That's right! There are only five days left until "The Search for Mrs. Claus" will be available!

Everything is on track for the release date. I heard back from my formatter today. Then book is formatted and ready to go. The cover is designed. The editing is done. The formatting is done. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time!

This is going to be a great week for me. I've taken two days off from work for this book release. I'll be off on Thursday and Friday. Thursday is also my anniversary and my husband and I have plans to do some things together. That will be nice! We're going to go see Maleficent that afternoon. Dinner still hasn't been planned yet but I am sure I will cook something incredible! And of course I'm off on Friday too, as that is the official release date for this book! We have to put in for vacation far in advance at my job and I was so glad that I was able to get this day off.

Today is also Father's Day. I was fortunate to spend the evening last night with my dad. His band was playing at Maguire's here in Senoia. We went to hear him perform and had a great time! We're looking forward to seeing him again soon. I hope you all were able to spend time with your father this weekend as well.

My website is live!

I am so excited to share that my website is live! There is still more work yet to be done but the bones are there and it's ready for visitors! I invite you all to stop by and check it out.

Courtney's Website

I've also placed a link to it over in the "Links" section on the right of this blog.

We're down to six days to go until the release date! I am quite nervous about it, much like the nerves of a mother on her child's first day of school. You prepare. You write. You edit. You rewrite. Then that fateful day arrives and you send your baby out into the world! Well that day is right around the corner for me.

I'll definitely be looking for reviews of my latest work as soon as it's out! Would you be interested in reviewing it? If so, let me know!

Cover Release!

T-9 and counting until "The Search for Mrs. Claus" will be released! I am so excited about this release that I don't know what to do! Now that we're in the single digits I wanted to release the cover for you all to see!

The image of the Christmas tree was taken by my husband and I designed the rest of the cover art. I hope you all like it as much as we do!

Stay tuned as we are in the home stretch of the release countdown! Thanks for all of your love and support!

16 Days and Counting!

I cannot believe there are only 16 days left until "The Search for Mrs. Claus" will be released! My editor has been working very hard to finish the final edits. My husband and I have been working on the cover design as well. We have several in mind but just need to narrow it down to one cover.

I sincerely apologize for not blogging in so long. I've just been so busy writing, editing, and designing the cover for this book that I put the blog on the back burner for a bit. I can't believe that the time is flying by so quickly though! Before I know it June 20th will be here and "The Search for Mrs. Claus" will be available! Once the cover's been accepted by the publisher I'll be able to release it. I'm dying to give you all a sneak peak but I'm going to hold off until the official cover has been decided.

Are you getting excited about the release? I certainly am!

The End of a School Year

Friday is the last day of school here in Coweta County. It's the end of my daughter's kindergarten year. I know she has enjoyed her first year of school and will be looking forward to spending the summer playing and having fun. I couldn't help but think of Alice Cooper's song "School's Out For Summer" when I contemplated the end of Brenna's first year.

I remember when I was a kid that it seemed to take forever for summer to come. The school year seemed to take forever! Now that I'm all grown up time really flies by though. The wheel of the year seems to turn faster and faster as time goes by. Now holidays and birthdays seem to come around before I know it. I know that scientifically the minutes and seconds haven't changed at all. It's all in perception. Time doesn't actually pass by any faster, but it is perceived as passing more rapidly as a person gets older.

Summer plans aren't all that grand. There's no cash for a vacation (yet again) so we're not taking one. We haven't been on a real vacation since 2010 when we spent a week at Disney World in Orlando. We're working on saving money so we can go back though! We're all so ready to go back to Disney World.

It won't be a boring summer for our family though. We're planning on still having a good time, even though we're not taking a major family vacation. We're planning on visiting White Water in Atlanta and getting season passes if we can. We did last year and I'm hoping we can just renew them. Brenna loves White Water! That little girl would stay in the water all the time if she could!

Enjoy your summer. Even though you may not be taking a big family vacation, take some time to make the summer fun for the whole family. It's all about the memories you make. For example, I can remember being a little kid and going fishing with my dad. He'd get up around three in the morning, throw on clothes, and head for the lake. He'd let me come with him. I've never been a morning person so waking up that early was definitely not easy! More than once I fell asleep in the truck on the way to the lake. We'd reach the lake and he'd get his bass boat into the water. We'd climb in and set off for the best fishing holes before the crack of dawn. We'd stay on the lake all day long! It was just us fishing, talking, drinking sodas, snacking on Vienna sausages and sardines in mustard sauce, and having a good old time! We'd come back home telling my om about the fish we caught and smelling like the lake. Those are the kinds of memories that we want our children to have of summer vacations. I'm looking forward to making lasting, fun memories with my daughters as well!

Competition and Reviews

There are definitely reasons why Monday is referred to as "Moan-day" from time to time. Today was really rough. I'm hoping that things will be better tomorrow.

On a positive note, today was Field Day for my daughter's school. I remember Field Day! It was always so much fun! Our school split into two teams and the teams were pitted against one another. One team would win first place and the other would win second. We'd all go home with ribbons for whichever place our team won and we all had fun! I still remember the egg toss, the water bucket filling race, the tire race, and kickball. My absolute favorite was tug of war! There was a huge rope that in my elementary school eyes had to be a hundred feet long! Each team would grab either side of the gigantic rope and on the sound of the PE teacher's whistle we'd begin tugging for dear life. Somehow I always ended up on the second place team until my fourth grade year. That was the triumphant year when we finally took first place! I still have my huge blue ribbon showing that I was on the first place team. It was such a proud moment for me in my elementary school years.

My daughter didn't bring home any ribbons. I am guessing that everyone participates for fun now and not for the chance of winning first place. That is a bit of contention with me. In today's world children are given trophies for participation, not for winning. Don't get me wrong: I think it's great to congratulate everyone for taking part in an activity. There's something to be said for winning an award though. It's about showing that a little bit of extra effort can pay off. It's about going above and beyond to achieve a goal. And it's about the competition. Seeing who's going to win is a big deal!

See, this is a problem in the world today. Everyone's so afraid to step on the toes of another individual so they make everyone equal. Wait, wasn't that the goal of communism? Everyone was supposed to be equal? Well, we can see how well communism worked out, can't we? Yes, you're supposed to see the sarcasm dripping from that sentence. Competition isn't a negative thing. It can be made negative but the act of competing in itself isn't negative. Competition gives people something to achieve. It gives people a goal to reach. Look at the pro athletes. Michael Phelps and Kristi Yamaguchi didn't start out at the top. They had to work for it. They practiced. They honed their skills. They competed in tournaments and meets. What happened? They improved. They got better at what they do. Eventually they reached the top and earned those coveted gold medals. Competition makes people better.

Writing is also a competition. Think about it from this angle: every day a customer logs into Amazon to buy a book. They have the option to choose from thousands of books! Romance, mystery, children's books, and more...all available to them! Which books do they choose? Some come with a book in mind. Others are looking for something that comes highly recommended. Not every author has the status of a Nora Roberts or a Dean Koontz and have people googling their names on Amazon to see what they have written. Every author is in competition with every other author out there. For example, if a customer looks at three books by authors they've never heard of before how do they pick which book to buy? The answer lies in reviews! As a reader it's extremely important to leave reviews for the books you've read.

Reviews are gold for authors. It lets them know that someone's read their work. Good reviews are more like platinum. That means someone's read and enjoyed their work! Do you have a book in mind that you love dearly? Go to Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble and leave a review. I guarantee you that the author will be ever so grateful that you did! Then another customer will come along, read your review, and might just buy that book because of how much you liked it and that you cared about it enough to review it. Trust me when I tell you that your review doesn't have to be a wordy work of art. My simplest review yet actually made it into a fellow author's blog! That surprised me but yet it pleased me. Even a few sentences about how much you enjoyed the book will make all the difference for that author.

Save an author. Leave a review!

The Search for Mrs. Claus - release trailer

The Search for Mrs. Claus Trailer

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there! Today is your day! Enjoy it! For my Mother's Day, yesterday I gave myself a little present. I never go to a hair salon and get my hair done. I've pretty much had the same hairstyle for most of my life. I decided to change things up a bit. I had a foot of hair cut off yesterday! I'll be donating it to Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children with cancer.

There's the foot of hair I had cut. Wow! After it was cut I couldn't believe how much lighter me head felt! You really don't realize how much your hair weighs until it's not hanging on the back of your head anymore. I also got some blonde highlights to brighten up my hair. What do you think of the finished product?

Here's the back view.

And Here's the front view.

This was a really big deal for me. Honestly, of all of my physical attributes my hair was the one that I liked the most. Cutting it off was a bit scary! Yet, when she brought the scissors over I didn't even flinch. I think I was ready for a new me. I wanted to have a more professional appearance when I had my new author photo taken and my previous hair was...less than professional in appearance. My new do is much better suited for professionalism!

I was really surprised at the difference! So far I like it! Take today and do something special for yourself. Enjoy the day with your families!

44 Days and Counting!

Happy Tuesday friends! Take a look above. Santa Claus is coming to town...or at least the tale of how he met and married his bride is! He's given me an early release day present: a countdown clock for the blog! This way everyone can see how much time is left until the release day of The Search for Mrs. Claus!

Thinking back on the writing of this novel I am reminded of the Christmas presents that I've received over the years. I can vividly remember the Christmas when I got my ten speed mountain bike! I was nine years old and I'd been asking for a ten speed for a while. My mom advised me to be really good and Santa Claus might bring me one for Christmas. Well, Christmas morning arrived and I woke up and hurried to wake my parents! See, there was a rule in our house on Christmas morning. Parents had to see the presents first. Otherwise, everything disappeared. I was always terrified of my presents from Santa being magically whisked back to the North Pole if my parents didn't see the gifts first so I always ran to wake them up on Christmas morning. My dad went out into the living room and turned on the Christmas lights. He then called me to come on in. I ran into the living room and a huge grin spread across my face when I saw that gorgeous black ten speed sitting beside the Christmas tree! Santa came through on his promise and I couldn't wait to get outside and start riding that amazing new bike!

Tell me about your most memorable Christmas gift. What really sticks out in your mind as a special present?

Pagan Ways is finished!

Today I sat down and wrote the ending of Pagan Ways, my Camp NaNoWriMo novel! It really made me feel good to get the ending down on paper. It's been in my mind for a while but today the story just basically write itself. I love it when I'm so into what I am writing that the word flow so easily!

Blythe Barton, a writer for a local magazine, is asked to write an article about real witches for an upcoming Halloween issue. As a Christian Blythe feels very strange about researching the pagan ways but reluctantly agrees to do it in order to earn a promotion. She meets with a local potter and Wiccan, Rick Conrad, who agrees to give her an interview if she will agree to study his religion for a few months to fully understand why pagans believe what they believe. She agrees and Rick, along with his high priestess, Arden McMurphy, begin teaching Blythe about their religion. Arden's distrust in Blythe combined with growing feelings Blythe has for Rick complicate matters and could bring problems for Arden's well established coven. Will Arden's past, Blythe's future, and Rick's love all come together for the mutual benefit of all or will their own wishes break apart the coven for good?

This novel is very personal for me as it highlights some aspects of my own life. In fact, I've put my own wedding picture from my marriage to my second husband in the temporary cover art that I designed tonight. The temporary cover art is above and I hope you enjoy it!

Now that Pagan Ways is finished it's time to concentrate on the preparations for The Search for Mrs. Claus that will be coming out on June 20! Stay tuned to this page for more information on this fun, magical novel and to get into the Christmas spirit a bit early!

Getting rewards!

I have a daughter who just turned six. She's absolutely hilarious! She's a lot of fun but is also rather strong willed and likes to do things her own way. That often presents a bit of a problem in school. Her kindergarten class utilizes a behavior chart based on the colors of the rainbow. Everyone starts the day on green. As your behavior improves throughout the day you can move up to blue, purple, and pink. Pink is the top of the behavior chart. If you misbehave you move down to yellow, orange, and then red. Red is not good and often results in a note home from the teacher.

Throughout the school year it's been a real challenge for my daughter Brenna to get green or better. However, this week she really nailed it! On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday she brought home green. On Thursday she brought home blue. And today she brought home purple! She improved throughout the week! I'd told her this morning if she managed to bring home purple we'd take her roller skating tonight. Well, here we are at the skating rink and she's having a blast, as you can see from above!

Am I skating? Not on your life! With my balance issues I'd fall flat on my face out there. But that's all right. They have WiFi here so I can chill, read, write, or whatever I want to do while she skates and had a blast! It's good to be able to reward your kids for a job well done. Brenna definitely deserves to have a fun night tonight for doing so wonderful this week in school! I'm so proud of her!

Camp NaNoWriMo Win!

Well today's April 30. It's the final day of Camp NaNoWriMo. I achieved the goal of reaching the coveted 50,000 word count! My novel, Pagan Ways, still isn't quite done yet but I managed to get enough words written to achieve a NaNo win. That's enough for me for the night! I can spend May editing and working on improving this novel.

Last November when I achieved my first NaNo win I was a bit lost after the month ended. I'd gotten so used to coming home from work and writing until I couldn't see straight that when the month was done and I wasn't spending my evenings glued to the computer I felt odd. I will probably have that same sort of writing withdrawal for the first week of May too. However, there will still be plenty to do now that Camp NaNo is over.

The Search for Mrs. Claus will be coming out in six weeks! I can't believe the release date is so close! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this! It's a dream coming true!

Well, last Sunday we did successfully get the pool from my mom's house to ours. However, the filter pump cord was chewed through by some sort of little critter and there's an inch long hole in the bottom of the liner. We can buy a patch for the hole and my husband's going to order a new filter pump. Once we get those we can get the pool set up and ready to swim! My daughter will be so excited to have a pool at the house! I'm hoping this year we'll be able to teach her how to swim.

Well, my brain is shot and my fingers are tired. It's time for this gal to take a break from the computer for the night. Tomorrow is another day!

Quick Update

Happy Sunday everyone! Today's going to be a busy day for me. We'll be heading to my mother's house shortly to help her clean out her garage. She also has an above ground pool that we're going to bring back to our house and set up for the summer. It will be fun to have a pool this year! Honestly it gets so incredibly hot here in Georgia and a pool will be fantastic for the summer! I'm looking forward to being able to come home after work and float in it to cool off. I know my daughter will be in it from the time we get home until the sun sets!

I finished reading a really great book this morning as well and wanted to share it with you. Now, you know that I typically read romance novels. I rarely ever branch out of my little comfort zone. However, K.R. Morrison's Be Not Afraid is classified as a horror novel. There's absolutely nothing romance about it! This is a chilling tale of God vs. the vampire Vlad over the soul of a Christian woman, Lydia. Now don't get the image of Edward and Bella in your minds when you start considering Lydia and Vlad. They are far from that image! This book kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. I am truly looking forward to the next book in the series! You know, this may encourage me to branch out of my romance comfort zone more often. I'm looking forward to the next installment so I can find out more about how Lydia and her family deal with the frightening changes taking place around them!

I've still got some writing left to do on my Camp NaNoWriMo novel. I had a rather lofty goal of 75,000 words set for myself and I will most definitely not reach that. However, to get a true NaNo win you need to write more than 50,000. I've just a hair over 40,000 words right now. I can definitely make 50,000 by April 30. The book, Pagan Ways will not be complete then but I can continue working on it even after Camp NaNoWriMo is over.

I've got to go get ready and head for my mom's house now. Have a fabulous day and happy reading!

So Much To Do...

Hello everyone! I absolutely cannot believe that the month of April is nearly gone. Where does the time go? It's been a rather busy month for me. I've been working fervently on my Camp NaNoWriMo novel. I have a lofty goal of 75,000 words. I am knocking on the door of 40,000 as of tonight. Can I write 35,000 in eight days? I doubt it, but I'm not going to give up! We'll see how far I get!

Aside from my latest writing project I've really been spending a lot more time on my Facebook and Twitter accounts. I may have neglected the blog a bit while growing those two avenues. I'll strive to balance the social media a little better.

Balance. That's definitely something that's a struggle in the lives of people today. We work 40+ hours a week while juggling bills, savings, family, pets, and more. How do we all do it? Honestly, there are days when I wish we could just wind back time a couple hundred years to a simpler day. The rat race of today's world would be gone. However, I'd really miss indoor plumbing so it may not be the best idea. I just need to find a way to try to balance my life a little better. How many of us come home and feel so overwhelmed at the laundry, dishes, cooking, homework, and cleaning that needs to be done very night? Lord knows I do. I think if I could learn to not be such a perfectionist it would be a bit easier, but that just goes against every ounce of my being.

For example, weekends should be a time of rest, relaxation, and chilling out. For me weekends are a time to catch up on all the stuff I didn't have time to do during the week. This weekend my Saturday and Sunday are both completely planned out already. Somehow in the midst of my plans for puppy obedience class, cleaning out my mom's garage, moving the pool from her house to mine, catching up laundry, and shampooing my carpets I'd love to find time to do some writing. It's not going to be easy though but I will find the time. After all, if something's important enough you make the time.

Thanks so much for your understanding on my two week long absence. I know you have busy lives too. If you've got some suggestions that can help be better juggle my responsibilities, I'm game. Please share! I love feedback!

Writing and Life

Boy have things been eventful for me lately! I've been working on my Camp NaNoWriMo novel but have just been so overwhelmed during the past few days that I haven't had any time to write. Saturday night I was at a Highway Katz show and it was incredible! I tell you, if you happen to be in the Atlanta area, check them out if you can. I was able to sit in for a few songs at this show with my flute and I had a blast! It's not often that I'm able to get out and play like that. Music and writing are my two outlets for my creativity. I love both!

I am taking a vacation day on Wednesday from work and will be able to catch up my writing then. Unfortunately it's too late tonight to write. I promise I'm not throwing in the towel! Those 75,000 words aren't going to write themselves. I've just been tied up with some other projects that needed doing. I finished them tonight though so tomorrow it's back to Camp!

Yes! I am writing!

So today is the second day of Camp NaNoWriMo! Are you writing for this event too? I hope so! I'm extremely pleased with my progress so far! I am at 8885 words right now, which is really great for me! Perhaps making an outline ahead of time is the right way for me to handle a NaNo event. It really seems to be working so far. It's keeping me on track and allows me to keep writing without having to think on the fly the entire time. I'm really enjoying this so far!

Today I was introduced to my editor, Lisa Taylor, at Mountain Springs House. She'll be editing my novel The Search for Mrs. Claus. I'm really looking forward to working with her on this project! I hope she sees as much potential in my novel as I do. Lisa also blogs on Blogger. Please feel free to check out her blog as well!

Trust me, editing and proofreading are extremely valuable to writers! After all, I made quite a typo earlier this week at work. Oh how I wish someone had proofread this e-mail before I sent it! Of course, I've removed the customer's name, the recipients' names, and my employer's name to protect the innocent. Without a doubt I was quite shocked when I went back and read my message to my boss and three co-workers!

My apologies for the small print. I wasn't sure how to make sure it all fit on the page here and still keep the print large enough to read. Yep...that was a pretty good office typo there! At least folks got a good laugh out of it. Seriously though, it's errors like this that make editing and proofreading very valuable!

Sorry for the short blog post tonight but I've got a lot more writing to do on Pagan Ways tonight. The lure of the Word document calls to me! I'm off to Camp NaNoWrimo for more literary abandon and creative writing pleasure!

Camp NaNoWriMo 2014 Begins!

It's that special time of the year! The first of two Camp NaNoWriMo events begins tomorrow! Have you considered participating? If you've ever wanted to give this a shot, now is the perfect time for you! It's not too late to take part is this fun and fabulous event either.

My Camp NaNoWriMo novel is called Pagan Ways. It's a religious romance set in the modern era but centers around a very ancient religion.

Blythe Barton, a writer for a local magazine, is asked to write an article about real witches for an upcoming Halloween issue. As a Christian Blythe feels very strange about researching the pagan ways but reluctantly agrees to do it in order to earn a promotion. She meets with a local potter and Wiccan, Rick Conrad, who agrees to give her an interview if she agrees to study his religion for a few months to fully understand why pagans believe what they believe. She reluctantly agrees and Rick, along with his high priestess, Arden McMurphy, begin teaching Blythe about their religion. Arden's distrust in Blythe combined with growing feelings Blythe has for Rick complicate matters and could bring problems for Arden's well established coven. Will Arden's past, Blythe's future, and Rick's love all come together for the mutual benefit of all or will their own wishes break apart the coven for good?

I'm hoping tomorrow you'll grab your pens or laptops and begin that novel you want to write as well. If you've already signed up to participate, that's fantastic! Please friend me on my Camp NaNoWriMo profile. I look forward to connecting with you and seeing both of us reach that coveted word count!

Tomorrow I'm off to Camp NaNoWriMo!

So you've been published. Now what?

You've written. You've edited. You've sent your manuscript off to a publisher. They liked it! After more editing and cover design, you're finally a published author! That's the end, right? If you think that's it, you may want to rethink this whole process.

Once you've gotten your book published, there's much more work to do if you want to find success with your work. Don't think your publisher has an army of promoters walking out the door of your publishing house with your book in hand ready to spread the news. Don't get me wrong. A really good publisher will do some marketing and promoting for you. But the grassroots part of getting your name and your product out there won't be done by them. The main chunk of the marketing needs to be done by you.

So, right now you may be thinking, "How do I market my book?" Well there are several ways to do that. We live in the modern era of social media. So you don't have a Facebook account, Twitter account, or blog? Well sign up for one. Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger are free for your use! These are fantastic tools that you can use to get your name and your book in the spotlight for free! A great way to start is to connect with other authors and readers alike. After all, these are people who have the same goal you do. They've published a book and want to see it be successful. Find groups online that promote or review the genre you've written.

Don't saturate the groups with your posts though. If you post five and six times a day links to Amazon or Barnes and Noble where people can buy your book you might find yourself getting banned for overdoing it. You've also got to promote to the right groups. If you write mysteries, a group of romance readers may not be the best avenue for you to visit to promote your book. Saturating the market makes you look desperate. Trust me, I understand that you're extremely excited but be smart about your promoting.

The internet is an excellent tool for promotion but don't forget about old fashioned face time. Check out your local book stores, especially independently owned ones. Attend events at the bookstores. Make yourself known there. Get to know the staff and owners. Once you have a copy of your book in hand, then pay a visit to them and talk with them about the possibility of them stocking your book. If they know you already, that can make things a bit easier to convince them to give your book a chance.

I've made the mistakes above. My first book was published in 2009. I fell for a scam from a publisher that agreed to publish and market the book for free. When my book came out, it looked perfect. It was everything I'd hoped for in a cover design. Inside though, it was clear that the book had not been edited at all. During the publication process I found several errors and e-mailed them corrections. They charged me $50 to make the corrections. I paid it, but found many more errors after it was published. By then it was too late to make any more changes. I then became inundated with e-mails from them saying that they would submit it to various places for certain fees. Apparently in order to get the so-called promotion they promised I had to pay hefty fees or buy large copies of my own book to get that done. Even though I know that copies of the book had sold, I never once saw a single royalty payment from them. As a new author I was led to believe that they would handle it all and I'd be reaping the rewards of success. The reality was far from that. In talking with local bookstores, most of them didn't like to stock self-published books or ones by this particular publisher because they often didn't sell. I was sunk before I even began.

Don't make the mistakes I did the first time around. My first book went nowhere because I didn't know how to market it. I expected the publisher to handle all of that, as they said they would. Since then, I've read and researched. I've gotten involved with a wonderful, reputable publisher now whose goal is to help me be successful and will give me the tools and guidance needed to find that success. After all, my success will be their success! They believe in me. I believe in myself. As a partnership, we can share success in my book!

Don't think that once you've been published that all you have to do is write. Market yourself and your product. Interact with your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and blog readers. Show them that they are important to you! Make friends with your local booksellers. Last, don't fall for any self-publication scams. Find a reputable traditional publisher who will be your partner, not one that offers empty promises as a self-publication scam. Believe in yourself!

This blog post will offer some insight into what happens once you have a book in hand. Even then, it's not a cake walk. There's still plenty of work involved.

Are you still up for the challenge? Do you still want to be an author? If so, go for it! You believe in yourself and that's the first step!

A Good Read!

Even when I was a child, there was nothing more relaxing and fun than cracking open a book and being magically transported to another land, another time, or another person's life. Today this still holds true for me. For me, when I read the words on the page cease to exist and show themselves like a film in my mind. As I read I'm watching what's happening in my book in my imagination. It's quite intriguing really! Everything that happens around me I don't even notice. I zone out to the world and zone in to the world inside the book. Nothing else can give me that amazing sensation as reading does.

That being said, I'm very particular about books that I read. I prefer to read books that put things in a happier, fun light than not. I suppose that's why I usually read romances. However, I am reading two books currently that are quite different from my norm. One is The Protector's War by S. M. Stirling and the other is Calico: Children of the Shawnee by Allison Bruning.

The Protector's War is actually the second book in a trilogy. The first one is Dies the Fire and it was fantastic! Imagine yourself in the modern world when suddenly all electricity ceases to work. All of physics and science changes and nothing is as it once was any longer. The modern world is plunged into the Dark Ages and people have to learn how to survive. Factions are formed and people rule their lands differently. That's the story of this trilogy. In The Protector's War two friendly factions, the Mackenzies and the Bearkillers, are preparing for war against the Protectorate, as the Protector really is an evil, conniving man whose goal is to further his own good. This book is definitely a drama and keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Calico: Children of the Shawnee is the first book of a series by Allison Bruning. From the first page, I was hooked on this one. You are taken back in time to the mid-1700's to a time when the Native Americans were in control of the land and the European settlers have just arrived. The book centers on a young white girl named Calico, who is growing up as a member of the Shawnee tribe. She is at odds with Little Owl, a boy from her tribe and the two fight often. I am currently about a third of the way through the book and Calico is twelve at this point. She's struggling with growing up and feels more comfortable hunting than she does at home cooking, sewing, or doing other tasks left to the women. I'm thoroughly enjoying this book. It reads quickly and I look forward to reading more each day.

So if you're looking for a couple of good reads, you might want to check these out. Happy reading!

Oh Glorious Weekend!

The weekend is finally here! I'd jump for joy if I wasn't still relaxing in bed. Granted I have my laptop out and we've already had breakfast but my whole family is relaxing and being a bit lazy. It's the weekend so we can do that! My husband is snoozing, my daughter is watching Disney Junior, and I'm online. The pets are the active ones today. Lucy and Bear (our two dogs) are playing with a squeaky toy in the living room. Our kitten Chibi is running around. He's a typical kitten really. The silly little guy just jumped into the bathtub and is chasing his tail in there! It sounds like a little earthquake is coming from the bathtub! The other two kitties are being lazy. Athena is asleep on my jewelry box and Socks is in his basket on top of the bookcase in the living room.

So what's on tap for today? Aside from the usual housework that needs to be done we plan on staying home, relaxing, and enjoying being with each other. Family time is very important. Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of the week we don't get to spend as much time just being together as we like. Fortunately we can make up for that on the weekends!

The weekends are a great time to catch up on all those TV shows we've recorded on the DVR during the week. I admit I'm notorious for recording shows that end up not getting watched. We have three episodes of Dallas to catch up on today as well. That's one show that I definitely go back and watch! We love Dallas! I'm sure some of you are glued to your screens for the March Madness basketball tournament going on right now. As for me, I';m just ready to see something besides cartoons. My daughter loves to monopolize the TV on Saturday mornings. I certainly did as a kid too, so I'm all right with that.

I hope you all have a wonderfully relaxing weekend!

TGIF!

Happy Friday everyone! I know I'm thrilled that I made it through this week unscathed and I am sure you are thrilled that you did as well. Good news has come my way though! The Search for Mrs. Claus is set for release on June 20, 2014! I'm excited to share this with you!

This has been a difficult week at the office but has been extremely productive for me as far as my writing goes. I outlined a very pivotal chapter for my upcoming Camp NaNo work that really gives me a guide to how the novel will end. It excites me to reach a point like that when I'm writing or outlining! Reaching a point like that really makes me love doing what I do! It's just fun!

This weekend's going to be a stay-at-home sort of weekend for me. I've got a lot that I want to get done at home. Spring has sprung and there's lots of spring cleaning that needs to be completed. And April's almost here so I really want to work on more outlining. I have a lofty goal of 75,000 words for this Camp NaNo project and it will take a lot of hard work, imagination, and direction to make that happen.

If you're looking for a good book to read over the weekend and love crime novels, you may want to check out Sketch of a Murder by fellow MSH author Aya Walksfar. It looks like you'll be on the edge of your seat while reading! Aya's a captivating author and I'm going to have to check it out myself!

I'm hoping you'll all have a fabulous weekend! Rest, relax, and read!

Continuous Progress

My author page on Facebook is growing! So far I have 50 likes. I know that's not very many but the number is slowly growing. I love seeing the progress that I am making!

March is halfway over. Honestly, where is the year going? It seems like only yesterday we were toasting the sparkling grape juice and wishing everyone a happy New Year and now St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow. This year is truly flying. There's an old adage that says "time flies when you're having fun." That's apparently true. This year so far really has been a fun year for me. Summer is just around the corner already!

Oh, speaking of St. Patrick's Day, for those like me with a love of all things Irish here's a book that you may enjoy! Bailey's Revenge by Allison Bruning is available now! I'm looking forward to reading this one. Some of my favorite novels have been historical romances set in Ireland. Do you remember Outlander by Diane Gabaldon? That series was wonderful and I'm hoping this one will be just was incredible! Do check it out if you're a fan of books set in Ireland.

Enjoy your St. Patricks' Day tomorrow and don't forget to wear something green!

Relaxation

Today is a much needed vacation day from work! For the past five weeks I've been working six days a week. My brain is a bit blurred from so much work and overtime. I really need this little break. I have today and tomorrow off, which will be really nice. I'm hoping to take today and just relax.

My plan for today is pretty simple. I want to outline another chapter in my next work, Pagan Ways. It's also my husband's birthday and we'll all be going to dinner tonight at Olive Garden. I'd also like to get a few things done around the house that I just haven't had time to do while working so much.

Camp NaNoWriMo is almost here! If you are planning on participating I wish you much success! If not and you've been thinking about writing a novel, consider it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain just by going for it. If you dream of becoming a published author, this is one avenue you can use to help your dream become a reality! And speaking of dreams, Unspoken Dreams by Alisha Guenzel will be released on March 22, 2014!

I invite you to check out her page.

Enjoy your Friday. I most certainly plan on enjoying mine!

Progress Update

Today was a tougher day for me. I've been a migraine sufferer for the majority of my life and woke up with a real doozy of one today. I took my Imitrex and waited for it to get to work on my head. I still ended up calling in to work because the pain was just so awful. I really detest calling in, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Health takes precedence. It's now mid-afternoon and after one Imitrex, two Aleve, and the morning snuggling with my two dogs and one of my cats I'm feeling much better. I have a couple of hours before the family gets home so I am going to take this time and work on my latest novel idea.

Even when I am at work I can find a little space to jot down my thoughts. When I'm on lunch break I typically sit in a corner of the break room by myself. The photo above is my little corner of the office break room where I write in my green notebook. See, if something's important enough then you can make time for it anywhere! There are some friends who always invite me to sit with them but lately I've been declining because I really want to get my ideas outlined for my next NaNo project. Camp NaNoWriMo is just around the corner beginning in April and I want to have my outline ready to write come the first day of April! I've already signed up for Camp NaNo and am excited to get it started!

Mountain Springs House did receive my contract back earlier this week in the mail. Hooray! I'm excited for the next step in the publishing process. Several other authors from MSH will be participating in Camp NaNo as well and I'm excited to see their success at camp!

It's time for me to log off of the blog for a bit and go grab that green notebook. There are ideas in my head and need to get out and on to paper.

Making your passion a priority!

We all have a passion for something in this world. Be it writing, music, sports, baking...anything can be that one task you enjoy doing more than anything else in the world. Some days the world gets in the way of that passion though.

Today was like that for me. I work a full time (more than forty hours each week) sales job. Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy my job very much. But there are days when a person can just get so overwhelmed. You've heard the phrase "some days you're the dog and some days you're the hydrant" haven't you? Well today I was most definitely the hydrant. By the time I got off work I was mentally exhausted.

When I got home I had a choice to make. I could let the stresses of my hectic day overwhelm me and head for bed early or I could delve into my passion for writing for a while. I opted for the latter. Do you know that I honestly feel so much better now? It's nice to brush the dust of the day off of my mind and retreat into my little worlds inside my head. Don't laugh. Every writer lives in their own fantasy land from time to time. I'm willing to bet that you do as well.

Today I mailed my signed and notarized contract back to Mountain Springs House. I am very excited and can't wait to hear from them on the next step of the publishing process. Although I've been published before this is the first time I've ever been part of a traditional publisher! This is really a dream come true for me. The little girl who wrote stories about fairies and horses on a word processor and hoped they would become books someday has finally had that dream of being a writer come true! Someday has become today!

I am already working on my next novel. This time around I'm approaching it in a totally different way. I usually just sit down with my laptop and start writing whatever stories I am seeing in my mind. This time around I am actually outlining my next work before I start writing. I carry a green notebook with me to work and when I am in the break room on lunch I can outline in it. So far I've outlined the first nine chapters. My husband took a peek at it tonight and thought it was pretty interesting. Since it's a work in progress I won't divulge too much info yet. I really am not sure where the novel will go at this moment. But I can tell you that this is quite different from "The Search for Mrs. Claus" so far.

I choose to make time for my passion. I am making writing a priority in my life. Feed your passion too. Keep feeding that passion. Write. Read. Play that guitar. Above all, be yourself! Free yourself and dive headfirst into your passion, whatever it may be. I guarantee you'll be a happier person.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! I'm very excited to share that my novel, "The Search for Mrs. Claus" has been accepted by Mountain Springs House and will be published! More info will come later.