1st Day of School = My "New Year" Resolutions

My REAL LIFE:

So, it's that day:

• the alarm actually springs you out of bed
• you're excited to pack those lunches
• everyone's smiling and happy about school
• you take the obligatory first day pics
• you send them on their way
• the house is quiet

At least that's how it goes in our house...and has for the last fourteen years, if you count the preschool days.

So, today is a new day for Mom, too. It's the day I start planning how to reconstruct and reorganize my life. I've been at at-home mom (one with many side projects happening all the time) and summer is WONDERFUL for me because I spend so much of my time with my kiddos. But, I do look forward to getting some semblance of organization back now that school is in - even though, as an artist, organization is NOT one of my strong suits.

I'm also re-evaluating my health and wellness...re-starting my focus on keeping my body healthy.

(hands shake as I type this next sentence) AND I'M GIVING UP DIET PEPSI FOR GOOD!

I'm teaching private art lessons, too, which makes me so happy!

My AUTHOR LIFE:

A couple weeks ago I entered the #Pitchwars phenomenon on Twitter, thanks to the amazing Brenda Drake, the mastermind behind all the hubbub. Here's how it goes:

You scroll through all the author mentors and choose five whom you'd like to work with on a finished/polished manuscript. You fill out the Google form with all your info and select those five amazing women.

They take the next couple weeks to read all their submissions, request more of some authors and narrow down their choice to ONE.

The mentor and the author they chose then work together for two months sharpening scenes, killing off darlings (what we authors call cutting scenes and minor characters), polishing until your fingers bleed (well, that's an exaggeration, but almost). 

Then it's the agent round and, with the help of your mentor, your time to shine in front of some of the best literary agents in the business. All the while, hoping for that match made in Heaven that could get your book...your baby...into the hands of salivating readers everywhere.

TOMORROW IS D-DAY!

The day the mentors choose their mentee. There were over 1600 authors who sent in their work and only a handful of mentors-to-be. So, some of these amazing women and men read HUNDREDS of submissions and had to narrow them down to ONE.

So, I wait.

Of course, I follow my mentor choices and hang on every word they tweet. Their super vague hints OF COURSE are all about MY manuscript...jk

So, another of my "resolutions" for this year is to keep current with this author blog and document my journey. I've purposely kept my Mondays FREE for this school year so I have one day a week to re-energize and sort out all that needs to be done in the coming week. So, you may only hear from me on Mondays as I sit and eat my breakfast (like I'm doing now) or you may hear from me as I write and get stuck...and even when I'm procrastinating on a particularly difficult scene.

I am a "helper" by nature and want to give tips and advice to those of you who have a story inside of you and are looking for direction. I can not offer to read everyone's manuscripts and give advice or I'd never get my own writing done but I CAN point you in the direction of editor friends and beta readers who would be able to get you onto their reading schedule.

So, what am I working on?

Well, before the end of last year, I pulled the IN TOO DEEP series from Amazon and it's only available if you buy it used through Amazon sellers. My reason for that is long and drawn out and will probably soon be a blog post but the simplistic version is so I can re-write it and have it available for YOUNG ADULT readers.

WHEN I LIED is done...that's what's making its rounds at #Pitchwars.

I have SHIFT on the back burner.

I started a NEW book, called UPSTAGED, but it's currently sharing the back burner because an amazing agent asked what I was working on and I told her everything that was current as well as the ideas that just had jotted down notes in my IDEA journal...

Don't ya know, one of THOSE is what she was most interested in... so I've started a NEW, NEW book  for her. That book's working title is PURPLE HAZE.

...

...and now I need to take a walk...and check Twitter to see what my five mentors are HINTING at.

For those of you who have LIKED my AUTHOR FB page, I will always post a link there when there's a new post. If you haven't LIKED my page yet, please head over there and do it!

Also, I'd love to connect with you via Twitter, too.

I love reading comments and answering questions, so, please feel free to leave your thoughts below.

Peace.

WIN copies of IN TOO DEEP

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Check out True Story Book Blog for this giveaway!

 

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Check out Jessica Loves Books for this giveaway!

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BREAKING NEWS: On Solid Ground

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NEW CHAPTERS...ON SOLID GROUND

I am so excited!

IN TOO DEEP went over HUGE in the NA world. It's a tough book to read but one you can't put down...or so I've heard. When I say tough I'm refering to the rollercoaster of emotions you experience while reading. Just check out some of the reviews. And btw, there are more than 2,000 of you who have it on their to-read list...you may wanna move it to your read list.
In Too Deep

ON SOLID GROUND is the sequel and where it is similar in intensity to IN TOO DEEP, the intensity is NOT revolved around Gracie's broken heart...there are a couple new twists to the story my readers may NOT be expecting. But, based on the 5 STAR reviews it has gotten from bloggers who've received the pre-ARC, it's worth the stress.
On Solid Ground

The best part is, after a long discussion with my amazing editor, I have decided to add TWO more chapters to the end of the story to wrap up some loose ends with one of the characters.

SQUEEAAAALLLL!
I am so excited to get this book out to you! December can't come quick enough!! :)

Peace.

 

...through Author-Colored glasses...

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Well, of course I know that glasses cannot be author-colored. Not sure what that color is, I've never seen it in the CRAYOLA mega pack. But you all know the old "...through rose colored glasses" phrase. Basically this means if you put those glasses on, you will see things in a new way...like you have a secret that only the rose-colored glasses people know.

Well, if you look at it that way...there ARE Author-Colored glasses! And they are really funky like the ones above. I would totally wear those, wouldn't you? My teenagers wouldn't be seen with me, that's for sure, but I think they're awesome. May have to get myself a pair for my next Author Photo Shoot.

Anyway, my point...

I have noticed since writing a full novel and having started the content edits as per my editor, I am starting to see my novel like a giant equation...and I HATE MATH. But, it's similar in that, while editing, if you change a specific detail in Chapter 12, you may need to go back to Chapter 2 and add a hint, then ahead to Chapter 8 to switch something around so that the detail in Chapter 12 makes logical sense. See, equation!

Now, while I wait for line edits, I read...other people's books. I am noticing that I am picking up on things earlier than I would had I not used this Author Equation multiple times in the last couple months. And it's not that the authors I have read are blatantly obvious - they're really not. Those funky glasses really work!

In any book, there are details you are supposed to simply pick up and carry with you through the story... and then later the author throws you a curve ball and you have a big "AHA" moment when that little detail comes flying back like the missing piece of a puzzle. And you have the "why didn't I see that?" reaction. It's fun when that happens!

Now that I read through my Author-Colored glasses, I NOTICE those little details and SOMETIMES I piece something together a little sooner than I'd like...those "AHA" moments we readers love so much can be "aha" moments through my new glasses.

But...
More importantly, I am seeing many different versions of that equation through the eyes of other authors and that excites me. In some instances I am still thrown by the outcome but can quickly piece it all together and follow the climax back to its origin... it's a little like looking over your friend's shoulder during the math test.

Though, we authors don't call it cheating...we call it INSPIRATION! My writing will improve by checking out the creative equations in the books I read.

And I have come to LOVE my Author-Colored glasses!

 

Author Q & A...IN TOO DEEP

Well, I asked for it and I got it...QUESTIONS!

I wanted to do a Q & A for fun so I asked for questions on my AUTHOR PAGE. So, here are your answers...

HERE GOES.....

What inspired you to write a story?
I have been a story teller my entire life. I love to tell stories both truth and fiction. But to answer your question, I had a story to tell floating around in my head and it finally convinced me to let it out.

Will the book be available on Kindle?
Yes! I am so excited about that, too! I know, at least for me, I buy books most often when bookstores aren't open. Just the other night I finished a book and started another one while laying in bed after midnight! Having my book THAT available for people is so freaking cool!

Will you be doing a book signing tour?
I will definitely be doing some local signings. I have a speaking engagement set for a sorority event at Penn State and the Campus Bookstore wants me to do a signing there as well. I don't know if I am a big enough deal to have a "tour" yet but one day that would be really cool!

How long did it take to write the book?
This is a great question but I am not sure how to answer it. Most authors will probably tell you they've had a story in their minds for years before sitting down to write it. This story has been growing in my heart for two decades. The actual writing process obviously took significantly less time - exact amount of time, I'm not sure, as it was done in pieces and parts and then finally all fit together.

How do you kick writer's block in the butt?
Ugh. The dreaded writer's block. Everyone deals with this differently and some things will work for some people but not everyone. It really depends on your personality. But for me, personally, I do one of three things or bits and pieces of each...I listen to a huge amount of music and translate the stories and hurdles in the lyrics. Of course, I am not listening to dance beats, though, I am more into soulful alternative styles. The other thing I do is run through the story lines of movies I loved. What characteristics did the movie have? How did the couple interact? What did their issues or anxieties stem from? What drew me to that storyline? The whole time I'm jotting down these details and soon, hopefully, see a pattern in what drama I am drawn to and what friction between lovers do I find fascinating and I go from there. Or I take a long shower! Showers fix everything!

Did you pick names in the book based on names you liked or names that have meaning to the character's personality? Or did you know the character and then the name developed after?
What a great question! I did a bit of both for the characters of IN TOO DEEP. Gracie's name was definitely based on her personality and her values. When explaining the storyline and dilemma over names to my two closest friends, one of them said "I like the name Grace, and she gives so much grace in this relationship." She does gives GRACE...although, TOO MUCH grace when it comes to Noah...but I just thought her name spoke to her sweet spirit. Jake and Noah were just pulled out of nowhere. LOL. I had a ton of chapters written before I chose the guys' names. And it's amazing to me how well they suit them now that the story is finished. It's a very cool but arbitrary process for me.

Do you have an agent or do you just have a publisher? If you just have a publisher, did you query agents and then just decide to go directly with a publisher and not find an agent? How come?
No, I actually don't have an agent. I was approached by one that I had queried but she was about 3 days late as I had already signed with Sapphire Star Publishing. I actually only queried a handful of agents and editors but the owners of Sapphire Star found ME. Which is really kind of cool! Right before Christmas I participated in a Twitter event called #PitchMAS. There were strict guidelines and windows of time but basically in a specific number of words you had to PITCH your book and it would be posted on FEAKY SNUCKER'S blog. Agents and editors participated by browsing through the pitches and requesting queries, first 10 pages, etc. They requested, I sent, they offered my a contract on Christmas Eve!

If the story is based on your life experiences, how do you think the people in your life will react if they find themselves to be easily associated with any or all of the characters in your story?
I suppose many authors have that question floating around in their minds as they write. However, I think I can safely say that every character in every fictional book is based on someone the author knows, has known or knows about. I guess I think of it this way...
I write fiction. The end.
LOL! But I will say, IN TOO DEEP has the same pattern of abuse I endured but details, names and specific places have been changed. Much of what I wrote was literally pulled from my imagination in a new storyline but in order to make the story and its characters authentic, I did need to dig down into my own scars and reenact some situations in order to stay true to the recognizable pattern of abuse so the story remains believable.
We authors have an old saying, "Write what you KNOW!" So, in following that guideline, who would be writing about characters they DIDN'T know?

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed questions! This was fun! I hope to do this regularly, especially after the book comes out!

If you have a question, feel free to leave it in the comments and I will update this post with your question and my answer! :)

Peace.