Why I Self Pubbed

I’ve been asked this question a lot. Why did you self publish Impending Reveries? And I’d love to tell you all why.

Over the last year or so, I’ve made a lot of author friends. They have helped me to grow as a writer and as a person. I couldn’t have done any of this without them. But seeing their struggles has taught me a lot more. I’ve witnessed the horror stories of publishing. Publishers who don’t pay what’s promised. Editors who rewrite the work without permission. No notification of release date. And more.

Watching my friends go through this made me realize something. Yes, these aren’t the norm, but they DO happen. I write because I love to write. I publish to make money and to let others enjoy my imaginings. It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment to finish a story. So, if I can accomplish all of that without the chance of these horror stories happening to me, why shouldn’t I do it?

Dreaming Of The Future

My recently published book, Impending Reveries, all started with a dream. I woke up from a really great dream of the future. It was one of those dreams that was so great, I didn’t want to wake up. I stayed in bed, day-dreaming about the dream coming true. But then my over-active imagination kicked in and I began to imagine what it would be like if all of my dreams were true.

That was the birth of Impending Reveries. A story of people whose dreams are more than any of them could imagine. They are reality as seen through their soul mate’s eyes.

Now my question to you: How would you react if you suddenly came face-to-face with your dreams in reality?

Anouncement: Impending Reveries

The long-awaited day is finally here! Impending Reveries has been published!

Talyn has always had vivid dreams, but when she noticed the people, places, and events from her dreams happening around her, she wondered if she’d gone insane. Until she met Joseph. He was everything she’d dreamed of for years, literally, and when she learned that he’d dreamed of her too, things changed. What they had were more than dreams. They were Impending Reveries.

Join Talyn and Joseph as they search for the truth behind their dreams and the meanings that they hold, all the while, also searching for something even greater. Their own happily-ever-after.

Where to purchase:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/96142

The Dark Moment

Every story has that dark moment. The one that makes you wonder if the characters will make it through. This week, I had to format and edit that scene in Impending Reveries.

I hate that scene. These characters are part of me and hurting them hurts me. But pain is necessary for growth. I cried the whole time, but I finally made it through, as did my characters. But it got me to thinking (never a good thing LOL), how much is too much.

So, I ask you: how much suffering should a character go through? Is there a point where you would think it was TOO much?

New Board For GCCRWA

Saturday, we had the first meeting of the GCCRWA of the new year. With the new year, we have elected new board members. These lovely ladies have their work cut out for them. We are a crazy bunch of writers, who all seem to have ADD. There were at least three different people wanting to talk at once through the entire meeting. But our wonderful leaders kept it together and steered us all back to the topic at hand without having to use a cattle prod (which is amazing).

I learned a lot AND it was fun (a hard combination to find). So Kudos to you ladies. I’m looking forward to this new year. May we have a great one with lots of contract. Hey, I had to throw in a wish for us all. 🙂

This is from Silken Sands 2010

Stuff Happens

Have you ever noticed how stuff happens when you’re trying to live life? It seems that when you are moving forward in life, something always happens to slow you down. My problem is, it wasn’t just one thing. “Stuff” has been piling on top of me so fast that I’m unable to move without making things fall apart.

This is how I feel:

Do you see the person under there? Well, that would be me. Or should I say that was me. You see, I made a decision that some people might not approve of. I decided that moving forward is more important than all of that “stuff” piled on top of me. If life falls apart because of me moving forward, someone else can pick up the pieces. I’m tired of carrying it all.

So, this is my getting back to life post. Any of you want to join me?

Good Intentions Down the Drain

My recent blog about getting back to my online stuff had me really excited. I was truly looking forward to reconnecting. But, alas, fate had other ideas.

What has happened in the past week:

• A death in the family
• Hubby’s back went out
• 12-year-old acting like he’s 2
• And the bleeping phone company has been working on the bleeping lines which means no internet!!!

So let me just say AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, what I’ve been doing despite all of that:

• Getting my new story plotted out (it’s almost ready to be written)
• Since I’ve heard back from all of the submissions (rejections), I’ve been tweaking Impending Reveries and getting it ready for the next round of submissions
• Catching up on my TBR pile
• Visiting with family 🙂
• Fighting with Hubby about doctor’s orders 😦
• Trying to convince 12-year-old to act his age

So, if I’m unable to get back to you for a while, don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. I’m still here. Gathering more gray hair by the minute.

What have you been doing?

Sarcasm in Text

Texting can save time. Instead of spending time with small talk, a text gets straight to the point. Sarcasm, however, does not come through the same way.

I learned my lesson recently when a friend texted me asking if I would do her a favor. Now this friend knows me well enough to know that I don’t mind helping people, but I have my limits. She should have known what she was asking was not something I would agree to. (Don’t worry, it’s nothing illegal. It’s just something I HATE to do!)

I responded to her text: Sure, I’d love to do that! I rolled my eyes as I sent the text, being my sarcastic self. She responded with: Thanks, I really appreciate it!

What could I do? She didn’t catch my sarcasm and she’s so sweet, I didn’t want to take it back. So, I ended up doing one of my least favorite things in the world.

Oh well, chalk it up to a lesson learned. Now I’ll be more careful with my sarcasm.

Tell me, has your sarcasm gotten you into trouble lately?

Getting Lucky

To some people, luck is a four-letter word. They don’t believe in it. Call it what you will, we have all had those moments that something goes so right that it’s hard to explain. Like this:

Mind you, most people do not experience a moment where they get quite THAT lucky, but we get lucky just the same.

Writers are in a constant state of “I want to get lucky!” Write THE story, get the call from an agent, sign a book deal, have the world talking about your book, meet Oprah, etc. When one of us gets lucky, the rest of us are like a group of teenage boys, slapping each other on the back in congratulations while secretly thinking, “Why can’t it be me?”

Don’t get me wrong, I really am happy for my fellow writers, I just wish it was me TOO. It’s normally a LOOOONG road to publication and there are times that it would be easier to just give up.

I won’t do that, though, because one day it will be me that is bragging to everyone that I see:

“I just got LUCKY!!!!!”

Not so Happy with the Happily Ever After

Have you ever read a book where you wanted the heroine to end up with the bad guy? That was me this past weekend.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved the heroine. It was her relationship with the hero that I had issues with.

The hero thought she was a 15 yo boy when they first met, but through many twists and turns she turned out to be the model that he had drooled over for years. That still wasn’t what I had a problem with.

What I DID have a problem with was, the hero was booooring. I just couldn’t like him. The heroine had a lively sense of adventure but the hero was a dullard. (I know, this happens in real life all the time but I don’t like it in romance novels.)

By the end of the book, I was wanting the serial killer to get rid of the hero and run away with the heroine (which was what he wanted also).

It was a frustrating book. I know that as writers, we need to make the reader like/feel sorry for the bad guy, but to make him more likable than the hero is not a good thing.

Have you ever liked the villan more than the main character?