Shala from ShaeGeeksOut on Youtube read and reviewed HOME! I can't believe it! Happy happy! Like, comment, subscribe, and share!
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Monday, January 23, 2017
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
HOME is out for sale!
Y'ALL!!!
It happened! My book is out on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, and a plethora of other websites for purchase!
This has been a life-long dream for me since I was a girl and making pretend books on the typewriter my Mema gave me.
It happened! My book is out on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, and a plethora of other websites for purchase!
This has been a life-long dream for me since I was a girl and making pretend books on the typewriter my Mema gave me.
Where you can purchase HOME:
Angus & Robertson Bookworld (Australia)
Indigo (Canada)
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Cover Reveal Blog Tour!
Wanna see something cool? Really cool? Before it comes out to the public?
You've got two chances! Find out what they are below the break!
You've got two chances! Find out what they are below the break!
Saturday, October 22, 2016
ARCs and book covers and things
Okay, so today I sent out some ARCs, or Advance Reading Copies. I'm hoping this gets the ball rolling on the excitement concerning HOME's debut. I had to bug some of my fellow writers for author blurbs so I could either 1. put them on the book's cover or 2. put them on my website. I freaked out, feeling like a jerk and that I was being obnoxious, but then I realized the answer will always be no if you never ask. Also, "no" is the worst thing that someone can say if you ask them to do a favor for you. So, I asked away and was surprised by the reaction and the number of authors who agreed.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
First Official Appearance!
First off, Happy Birthday to my Aunt Madge Lewis! I'm not going to tell you how old she is, she's Southern Lady, that'd be like asking her how much she weighs! 😜 HappyBirthday, Jojo! 🎉🎊
I hope you are all enjoying fall as much as I am here in Middle Tennessee and that you are reading tons of GREAT books! I started a new job, and the first few weeks were a little difficult to adjust to, but I think it's all going to work out. A friend of mine wanted to do a group read of the Anne of Green Gables series, so right now, I'm reading those novels all over again, and I can see a lot of things I didn't when I was 11 and reading them for myself.
I hope you are all enjoying fall as much as I am here in Middle Tennessee and that you are reading tons of GREAT books! I started a new job, and the first few weeks were a little difficult to adjust to, but I think it's all going to work out. A friend of mine wanted to do a group read of the Anne of Green Gables series, so right now, I'm reading those novels all over again, and I can see a lot of things I didn't when I was 11 and reading them for myself.
This is the Harvest season when we're getting towards what I call "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year", which is Halloween through New Years. I love these Holidays because they're 1. so much fun (Halloween), 2. family time (Thanksgiving in the US), and 3. a time of great love and thanks (Christmas and New Year's). I think this is wonderful energy during this time of year and we can all feel it. Yes, I'm one of those basic white girls who loves Fall! 😜 But something else is coming up the weekend of November 4th-6th... and it's a VERY big deal!
The great news was that I was invited to take part in the WordCrafts Press booth at the Springhouse Artisan Fair November 4th-6th! My very first public appearance at an event as an author! 😍 My publisher invited me so that I can sign swag for HOME, and speak to attendees about my books, and help the other authors at WordCrafts Press promote THEIR books as well! Hopefully, there will be cover art for my book by then, and I'm planning on having bookmarks and postcards-- which I will personally sign just for you! Mark your calendars if you want to meet me-- and a whole lot of other incredible artists, too!
• When: Saturday, November 5th, 6:00 – 8:00 P.M.
• Cost: Free!
Free, what a deal, right? So many conferences and conventions, you have to PAY to get in, but not this one! Remember also: autographed books make great Christmas presents! I hope to see you there!
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Rough Choices Being for the Best I Can Be
While writing Home, it felt like I was just writing something a muse was whispering my ear. It didn't feel 100% like my own story, but it is.
When I finally found a press that would publish me, I was elated. At the time, I had no professionally published credits to my name. I had no real experience. I was still learning, as one ought to do in writing.
Recently, I sent a new draft in with a little expansion of the story, and I waited, and a week and half later, he responded to me with an email telling me I was good writer and storyteller, but he wanted to know if I just wanted to get this story out with a lovely surface-edit or did I want to make it a great story with a difficult, harsh edit?
As someone who's been writing most of my life (since age nine) and suffers from debilitating perfectionism, I want nothing more to be a great writer. I know that my book is going to down in the Library of Congress forever and it would forever be a mark of what kind of person I was and what I believed in.
So, I chose the tougher route. It meant it would take longer to edit, and it would take longer to polish. Yeah, it stinks that I have to wait for my first novel to come out. But, I've been writing for twenty-seven years, a few more months aren't going to kill me. I know better than to write for the money, which would have pushed me into the soft edit. Will there be mistakes in the manuscript? Maybe. Will there be things I regret later about the book? Maybe. But I don't want to go ahead and rush-publish without getting the most of those taken care of as possible.
Personally, I hate it when I read books that start out a series so wonderfully, and then they go to seed later on. Most of the time, this is because authors start on Level 2 or Level 3 editing, which is you either do the edits you signed the contract for, or you don't get published and you have to give back any advance money. But after a few hit books, some authors get put on Level 1 editing, which is basically, "Hey, you're a cash cow, we just want you to get the book out under OUR publishing house because we know your name will make money. You don't have to listen to the editors, but we'll give you an edit anyway." It basically when publishers get nervous that their hit writers will run to another press that offers more money (oh, I wish I got that!).
I don't know if my writing career is going to take off. I don't know if I'll be a hit writer. I learned the hard way: don't write for the money. This industry is absolutely difficult to succeed in, just as difficult as the acting or the music industry (both of which, I've had a taste of). You're lucky if you make super-loyal fans (and I hope one day I can say that). I personally fear that I'd be selling out (if by luck, I had some success and got on Level 1 editing) if I said, "Hey, no big deal, I have the option to not to accept this edit, or that one, or THAT one!" and put out something less than my best.
I fear that ego. I don't ever want that ego. Please slap me if I ever brag about taking the easy way out instead of the hard way.
So, Home might be out in the fall or winter of 2016. Maybe in early 2017. But I damn sure am going to try to present my best for all of you.
When I finally found a press that would publish me, I was elated. At the time, I had no professionally published credits to my name. I had no real experience. I was still learning, as one ought to do in writing.
Recently, I sent a new draft in with a little expansion of the story, and I waited, and a week and half later, he responded to me with an email telling me I was good writer and storyteller, but he wanted to know if I just wanted to get this story out with a lovely surface-edit or did I want to make it a great story with a difficult, harsh edit?
As someone who's been writing most of my life (since age nine) and suffers from debilitating perfectionism, I want nothing more to be a great writer. I know that my book is going to down in the Library of Congress forever and it would forever be a mark of what kind of person I was and what I believed in.
So, I chose the tougher route. It meant it would take longer to edit, and it would take longer to polish. Yeah, it stinks that I have to wait for my first novel to come out. But, I've been writing for twenty-seven years, a few more months aren't going to kill me. I know better than to write for the money, which would have pushed me into the soft edit. Will there be mistakes in the manuscript? Maybe. Will there be things I regret later about the book? Maybe. But I don't want to go ahead and rush-publish without getting the most of those taken care of as possible.
Personally, I hate it when I read books that start out a series so wonderfully, and then they go to seed later on. Most of the time, this is because authors start on Level 2 or Level 3 editing, which is you either do the edits you signed the contract for, or you don't get published and you have to give back any advance money. But after a few hit books, some authors get put on Level 1 editing, which is basically, "Hey, you're a cash cow, we just want you to get the book out under OUR publishing house because we know your name will make money. You don't have to listen to the editors, but we'll give you an edit anyway." It basically when publishers get nervous that their hit writers will run to another press that offers more money (oh, I wish I got that!).
I don't know if my writing career is going to take off. I don't know if I'll be a hit writer. I learned the hard way: don't write for the money. This industry is absolutely difficult to succeed in, just as difficult as the acting or the music industry (both of which, I've had a taste of). You're lucky if you make super-loyal fans (and I hope one day I can say that). I personally fear that I'd be selling out (if by luck, I had some success and got on Level 1 editing) if I said, "Hey, no big deal, I have the option to not to accept this edit, or that one, or THAT one!" and put out something less than my best.
I fear that ego. I don't ever want that ego. Please slap me if I ever brag about taking the easy way out instead of the hard way.
So, Home might be out in the fall or winter of 2016. Maybe in early 2017. But I damn sure am going to try to present my best for all of you.
Monday, January 25, 2016
New Secret Project!
I did it! Got another secret ghostwriting project! Can't wait to start it. In the meantime, though, I have to focus on expanding HOME. Super news about that coming up soon, too!
That cold kicked my ass most of the snow weekend! I didn't even get to enjoy it! I spent most of it sleeping and coughing and feeling miserable. For some stupid reason, I even binge-watched the entire series of Celebrity Plastic Surgeons of Beverly Hills on Netflix.
Honestly, I thought it was contrived and kind of scripted. I also drank a lot of wine and tea, seeing as I didn't really have anywhere much to go or things to do. Tennessee basically shuts down during snows. We're just not equipped.
The moment I got back to work today, we were basically bombarded. I've really got to get on working on my writing outside of my day job.
Have a good week, y'all!
That cold kicked my ass most of the snow weekend! I didn't even get to enjoy it! I spent most of it sleeping and coughing and feeling miserable. For some stupid reason, I even binge-watched the entire series of Celebrity Plastic Surgeons of Beverly Hills on Netflix.
Honestly, I thought it was contrived and kind of scripted. I also drank a lot of wine and tea, seeing as I didn't really have anywhere much to go or things to do. Tennessee basically shuts down during snows. We're just not equipped.
The moment I got back to work today, we were basically bombarded. I've really got to get on working on my writing outside of my day job.
Have a good week, y'all!
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Snow Day is a Writing Day!
It's a snow day in Middle Tennessee! That means all the bread and milk is gone from the grocery stores and the schools are closed! And guess what... we only got an inch of snow, at the most.
 |
| But I have a Mac... nyuck, nyuck |
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| What downtown Nashville looked like this morning |
I'm trying to edit and expand on Home right now. It's way too short to sell as a YA novel. But, I'll get there. I haven't really worked on it for a long time (like six months) so I've got fresh eyes to look at it, which is a good thing.
I'm also finishing up a Harry Potter movie marathon from the long weekend, in honor of Alan Rickman's passing, plus, I've been listening to a lot of David Bowie. Man, we lost some great artists last week! I still stand by that the only man allowed to sparkle is David Bowie and Alan Rickman will always be my favorite movie villain.
Unfortunately, I'm getting the beginnings of a sore throat and sore sinuses. Boo! I hate getting sick. I'm just going to sip some hot tea with honey and some whiskey (afternoon thing), and try to exercise it out of my system. Shaun T's T25 and Zumba Wii, here I come! I'm also going to use my friend Lindsay Penner of the Green Penn's cure-all recipe for colds she shared with me:
1-2 tomatoes
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
Dash of cayenne pepper
Directions: Blend tomatoes, add in apple cider vinegar, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Drink this before bedtime and a nap to get it to work. These ingredients are great antibiotics, and you can thin it with water.
I hope this helps you out if you're going through a rotten cold! I'm going to give it a try and I'll update y'all on how it works.
Have a nice snow day!
PS: I hope you all saw Elisa Dane's cover reveal and pre-ordered Abandoned. Come on, y'all! Right now it's only $0.99 on Amazon kindle! Add it to your Goodreads TBR, too!
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