Thursday, May 24, 2012

It's Amazing...

It's amazing what you find while browsing through pictures on the internet. I got this pic of Gir, when she was a kitten, off of my daughter's FaceBook page.

I took it to the next level of course.

When my daughter graduated, they had pictures of her and her best friend up on the slideshow. It was very funny and sweet.

So what's next for me? I have one kid graduated, the other on his way. Working two jobs, trying to revise and edit a short story as well as book two and trying to find time to do something fun...

I haven't played any of my online games in weeks.

Weeks, people.

Meh, I actually don't miss the games so much as I miss my friends I play with. That's what gets me the most. I have had a couple of them email me and wonder where I have been, what rock I crawled under and why doesn't it have internet?!?

But, like everything else in life, we have to do what we have to do to get by. Right now, working this job and doing a paper route with my husband is what we have to do. The paper route was the better option and we have my son and brother in law both willing to help us so we can get a day off here and there.

Will it be difficult?

Hell yes. But, again, we all do what we have to do. So writing and gaming must take a hit. Sacrifices must be made if it means survival. But the paper route is nice, because I actually get to spend some more time with my husband. Usually by the time I get home from one job, he's going to bed.

It's all good. Like the pic above, it's all good in da hood. Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Monday, May 21, 2012

My Daughter Graduated...

My daughter graduated tonight.

So yes, you are going to get yet another post from me. Because I am so very proud of her, but like all writers, I am better at expressing myself with the written word.

I love my daughter. We've been through some tough shit together. Pardon the language, but there really is no other word for it.

We've laughed, we've cried. We've screamed at each other. We are mother and daughter and so much alike in so many ways. But we are opposites as well.

She struggled in high school, trying to keep up with everyone when she didn't quite grasp things as quickly as everyone else and she wanted to give up, give in.

But she didn't.

She kept moving on, she kept working hard and moving forward.

I'm so glad she found Flex High School. She found a niche where she could be herself.

I have to admit, there were times when I was right there with her, offering up the way out, but I think that is what solidified her motivation. She wanted to prove me wrong.

And she did. I'm glad she proved me wrong, glad she put up the good fight. I wouldn't have had it any other way. She is her mother's daughter. She doesn't back down from a fight when she knows she is right or it is for the best. She has a strong work ethic and is very talented.

I'm very proud of her. I would have said so tonight during the ceremony when they asked any of the guests to speak, but I knew I would have turned into a blubbering fool. She spoke and thanked her teachers, her friends and her family. But, like her mom, she got emotional as well.

So congratulations, my beautiful girl. You are working hard for your future.


Over 400 And Still Going...

I realized the other day that I have posted over 400 blogs. I have had over 30,000 page views (WOW!) and I still gain a couple of new followers every month.

Wow.

I'm still trying to maintain things here, still trying to keep it about writing and not about whining...

Hey, key word here is "Trying".

I'll be getting a handle on my money issues. My husband and I got a paper route (makes us sound like a couple of kids...) to help with the bills. We'll be doing it together, which will make it nice. We don't get to see each other much these days anyway.

So the last time I posted, it was due to a huge issue someone had with someone who fancied themselves a publisher. It sort of reminded me of the time when I worked closely with a fellow fantasy author after my huge debacle with PA. She had published with them as well. We helped lots of people at one point by basically doing lots of marketing for new authors. That's when we had the Author Trading Cards.

Those are still cool.

We had also compiled a few anthologies and tried to help promote authors even further. But, looking back on it now, we still didn't know a whole hell of a lot about the writing/publishing. We never made anyone mad, I don't think. At least, no one sent us any hate mail.

I looked over one of the short stories I had submitted for the first anthology and I cringed, then laughed. Mostly at myself.

Wow, did that thing need some serious editing. And knowing what I know now, I see where I can polish things up and possibly send it off to some betas, have them help and then find an editor.

I have also been thinking these days, that once our bills get back on track, I might go back to school and take some writing and English courses to better myself on that score. I would love to be an editor someday... I'm good at finding issues in other people's work. Just not my own.

Otherwise, I'm going to learn how to do tattoos. I can create beautiful works of art that will be seen often and cause people pain at the same time. What's not to love?

So have you looked over any old stories you've written and thought, "Omigosh! What the hell was I thinking?" or was your work golden right out of the box?

Have a great week everyone! See you all soon.

Friday, May 18, 2012

I Can't Stress It Enough...

I have recently read yet another horror story of brand-new-author-getting-the-shaft-from-a-so-called-publisher. I feel awful for the author when I see those.

Mandy DeGeit shared her experience on her blog, here. This is actually the follow up post and she does link back to what actually happened.

Now, I know I am not the writing guru. I'm not the one everyone runs to for advice. But I do know what its like to fall into something and you have no idea how to get out of it, how to breathe...

How to get that huge, crushing weight off of your chest and figure out how to get that tattoo of "MORON" off your forehead.

You know its there, everyone else is just too polite to point it out.

You have to research anyone interested in publishing your work. Just because you can't find the dirt on them doesn't mean it isn't out there. Ask people. If you have a blog with a following or a network tool like Twitter and FaceBook, ask people. There are all kinds of links and sites to find stuff on publishers.

And just because some hack fancies himself a publisher doesn't make him one.

Check out Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write Water Cooler and Google the hell out of these people. Most importantly... follow your gut instinct. You'll know if the publisher is right for you.

But still research them to death.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Twofer...

Woo! That's right, you get a whopping two posts out of me this week! I wanted to post up here for some help.

I need something good to read!!

I've been reading a few things lately and even read "The Hunger Games" finally. I have to wait a bit to get the next two books in that series. In the mean time, got any suggestions? And go easy on my purse. I am just looking for some good books to escape into. I have finished the last of my good books and when I went browsing for some freebies, they should have been in the horror section, if you know what I mean.

I stopped reading a book about pirates (PIRATES, people) because the author made them say "I, I Captain".

...

Seriously?

...

Yeah.  Deleted THAT one from my Kindle ASAP! Sorry, there are just some things I can't take.

So drop me a couple of suggestions, please! I need some reading material. Thanks everyone!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Happy, Happy, Happy...

First of all, I just want to wish a belated Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. I had a decent day. Very quiet, nothing stressful and I didn't even have to cook!

I could have done without the snow, however.

At any rate, I also want to apologize for not posting much on the writing front. I'm still waiting to hear back from my publisher about a few things. I think I have to take back every bad thing I said about the writing/editing process...

The waiting is killing me!!!

I'm not a very patient person by any stretch of the imagination. I have learned to be patient, but waiting for something this exciting just is not my specialty. I get anxious waiting for Christmas and want to open all the gifts a week early... And my birthday? Pssshhh forgeddaboutit!

These last few weeks have been very uninspiring for me. I'm hoping to get back on that writing spree. I have so much waiting in the wings, but trying to dredge up another job or some extra income is sucking me dry.

Gah, sorry, I don't want to get into all that again either. I've been a whiny one lately and very sorry for that. It just sucks.

Here's the water ~~~>
Here's our heads~~~~>

We just can't seem to get up enough over our bills. Which just makes us fall further behind. That's one of the reasons for selling our Magic cards. The other reason is I can't stand having so MANY!! lol!

Once I am done going through all of the cards, though, I have some plans to get some other things done. It is just going to take patience. Again. And some extreme scheduling on my part to get these things done.

Have a great Monday (I know that's sort of an oxymoron...lol) and a great week! I'll see you all soon.

Friday, May 11, 2012

If You Didn't Know How Much Of A Geek I Am...

Then you'll certainly get a good idea now!

My husband and I play Magic the Gathering, the trading card game. We've played since we first got together and I played for a year or two before that. So it was yet another thing we had in common that we like to do together. Among other things, of course. Like World of Warcraft! Gah, what were YOU thinking!?

Anyway (hee hee!) we have quite a collection. At last count, closing in on 5,000.

Yeah... I know.

So it is with sadness that I say (okay, not much sadness...) I'm selling our Magic cards. I've been going online to Card Kingdom and I'll be sending off what they're willing to buy. The rest will be online.

We are keeping some, we still want to play. And when we end up buying cards, we always end up getting the latest, newest cards. But I just can't see keeping such a collection like that, even if some of them are worth money...

Maybe I'm not much of a geek after all. I can just hear dozens of them dropping to the floor and clutching their inhalers at that last remark.

Anyway, if you know of anyone who is interested, I'm willing to pay shipping if they want to buy any of the cards. Just to get them out of my house. They can make a list, send it off to my email (it is in the contact section of my blog) and I'll let them know if I have what they want and how much. I won't be charging an arm and a leg. I'll do the normal nickel for Common, dime for Uncommon and then we can talk about the Rare and Ultra-Rare ones.

Thanks guys and have a great weekend!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Behind On The TBR...

I've been so far behind on my TBR list, that I finally got around to "The Hunger Games". My son actually brought it home from school to read but had to get it back right away because there was a waiting list. So I told him I would buy it online, he could read it on my Kindle. Which prompted me to read it. So I read it and finished it in a few days.

I liked it. I can't pinpoint right now just what exactly I liked, I'm still digesting it. But the writing was good as was the plot and flow of the story.

Overall, I'm glad I finally got to read the book before I saw the movie. Up here, in Alaska, I wait for everything to come out on DVD because of the fact that the movie only stays in the theater for a week, but gets maybe 4 days of actual showing. At least, that's how it feels. Harry Potter and the PotC movies got more playtime...

Oh, well. I'm not worried about it. I have NetFlix. Heehee!

Hope you are all having a good week. Looking forward to the weekend. I'm getting to the point where I think I would like to have a day job, Monday through Friday... Nights are beginning to get to me.

Actually, I want a job that is a little more challenging and a lot less redundant. That's just me. I don't mind doing the same thing over and over again, because then I know how to do it and do it well. The only change I had was these past 3 weeks of being on the morning shift because my left shoulder was killing me and I had it in a sling. I pinched a nerve, sleeping on it wrong. The Dr. actually wanted me to take three weeks off of work and immobilize my arm. *Snorts* Yeah, RIGHT.

Anyway, I don't want this blog to turn into a wah wah, so I'll end it now. Have a great rest of the week and wonderful weekend everyone!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Blogiverse...

I hope this is only a minor glitch with Blogger today. I've tried dozens of times to go to my reading list and it continues to tell me I am not following any blogs.

Pardon my language, but the hell I'm not!

Hopefully this is something that will get fixed. Soon. I'm starting to lose faith in this "new and improved" Blogger. Work out the kinks before you update, it is possible.

Other than that I am having a better day than I expected. The universe has answered some of my prayers, now I sit patiently awaiting the rest. Well, no, I'm not sitting around doing nothing. I'm actually working and trying to move forward. If I stop and just wait, then I really will not be able to move forward anymore.

Sorry so cryptic. I'm just having lots of personal issues these days and hoping to keep the roof we have over our heads. So feel free to add your prayers to mine.

Have a great day everyone.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Oh, Well...


This probably should have been my post for yesterday's Insecure Writer's Support Group post. But as usual, I am a day late and more than a dollar short.

So I have been thinking these past few days... I want to know how people can crank out a series of books in such a short time? Is it just smoke and mirrors or does it just happen that fast?

I've had several book and story ideas floating around in my brain and I keep thinking, "Man, I need to get this stuff down on paper!" and I never do. I keep thinking this same thing, but then I find myself distracted by work, chores, finding a moment to relax and now I am trying to integrate exercise into my life and routine. I feel like there are times I just don't give writing my all and if I would... wow... the things I could produce!

So is it just me or do these books I see on the shelves seem to be appearing at an alarmingly fast rate? Do these authors not sleep? What keeps them motivated and on task? What drives them? Do they just write out complete and total rough drafts in an hour and spend the rest of the week hammering out the details?

I'm a pantser, I've admitted to that before. I write by the seat of my pants. Careful planning is not my style, but I am thinking perhaps it should be if I want to see more than one book come to fruition.

What's your take on this?

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Book Status Update...

Hey everyone! I hope you have all survived the April A-Z challenge once again! April tends to be a hectic month with all those daily blog posts. Take a break now, relax, breath... bandage up your fingertips...

Since you have a moment to relax, I just wanted to first, update you on my book status. Looks like the tentative date I had been given may be missed. I'll let you know as soon as I hear something. Which leads me to my book launch/blog tour. If you have offered up to help me, I'll be sure to get that date as soon as possible. If you haven't sent me a message and you do want to help, here is what is happening:

My sister in law, Cheri Chesley, will be releasing her second book in her series, The Tyrant King, to coincide with my book release. We will be launching a book blog tour together. If you are interested in having us drop by and commandeer your blog for one day, please let us know. You can email me (paridzule(dot)keep(at)gmail(dot)com) and let me know one of the following:

~  That you want to have us stop at your blog on the tour... both of us or choose which of us you'd like to pick on.
~  Whether or not you want to do an interview or would just like a standard .jpg of the book cover(s)/author info/excerpt.
~  If you would also like to do a review of the book(s).

Any questions, feel free to ask. I will let you know that we are planning on holding a give away for anyone who participates in the tour. We'll have books, gift cards and swag! Who doesn't love swag?

Have a great week!