The funny thing about failure--it's everywhere. It's also not something you want to hear or admit. But it's always there--waiting. A bad word to many. A blemish to a blank sheet. To those who strive for perfection, it's the boogey man under the bed ready to strike fear. Let's face it, it will happen to you. More than once. It comes in all shapes and sizes from a simple thing to something that will not only affect you but many, maybe thousands or millions.
So, I sat down with failure and poured a cup of tea. What is failure really trying to say? Is failure that bad? I guess it depends on how big it is, but I stepped back for a moment and really let failure tell me. It seems I've misunderstood it. Sure failure hurts that's how it gets your attention. And at the time that it strikes you may not know why until a later time. I'm talking possibly years. That's where the misunderstanding comes in. Failure gets blamed for a lot of things, but it's the victim that needs to pay attention and turn failure around. Send him packing. I will admit failure has entered my life on many occasions, more than I like to state, but it wasn't until recently when I really looked at it--with my own two eyes and not from others advice, although that doesn't hurt the situation--it softens it. Spins it. Allows perspective to set in.
What is failure really trying to say? Try harder? Do better? Learn more? That's part of it. It's also trying to say that nothing is perfect. There's always room for improvement and everything is flawed. Sure there's a normal but believe it or not that's left to interpretation. Failure is trying to tell me there is another way. It's not my time. Failure never said to stop or not try. It simply is guiding me another way.
That's where it gets foggy. I need to know a clear path. I don't like the unknown. That's why failure is scary. It's messes things up and cuts your yellow brick road in half, blacking it out, making it seems like it leads to nowhere. The only way to get back is to keep going, try something different, learn something new--grow stronger. That's what life is--isn't it? Growing and finding out who you are. Failure has to be there to make sure that happens.
My thoughts for today.
How is everyone doing?
Have a great day!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
IWSG--Murky lake of writing
Well, not much is going on here. I finally got through that murky stage where you think you'll never write again or have an idea (whether it's great or not is undetermined). It's scary. It seems I go through it every time I finish a manuscript. I finally say a novel is done and a small idea comes but the characters don't speak. I think it's the brain telling you to stop and take a break. The remedy is--you should. Revising a manuscript for months can have your brain in knots. It needs to unravel. Of course when you're in the moment, it feels like an eternity. The end. No more words will flow. Patience eats at you.
But there is a light. That little pin hole that's making it's way through the darkness. See it. It's there.You're a writer so no matter what that spark will return. And that's where I'm at. The spark returned. Yes, I had my typical fit of "I will never write again because I suck and no one will ever want this," but I took a couple of days to send the brain to the brain spa and finally things are starting to flow again.
I'm still scared though. My last novel is going through the query process and I can't help but feel like I'm repeating my first experience, but I must go through it and be persistent to get anywhere. Right?So in a nutshell, I'm back on track. For now. I can't say that I will be a regular blogger but I'm still here now and again.
How do you make it through the murky blank lake of writing?
Have a great day!!
Monday, November 4, 2013
New releases, books to check out and congrats!!
Hi everyone! I'm trying to get back into a regular groove of blogging so we will see what this week brings. I have a bunch of things to highlight today so let's get to it.
1. If you haven't already, go check out the lovely Christina Lee's ALL OF YOU. It's hot!!! I did read this, and whoa, hotness. I'm team Bennett all the way. Currently, it's an ebook but will be released in paperback July 1, 2014. You go, Christina!!
Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class.
She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.
But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again.
When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her—and Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.
3. Another New Adult novel has been released by Kevin Sheridan. It has a very cool premise. And I had the pleasure to read it before the release. Definitely one to check out!! Congrats Kevin!!
Title: UNDER A BROKEN SUN
Author: Kevin P. Sheridan
Publisher: Dancing Dolphin Productions
Blurb:
When the world is thrown back into the dark ages, Adam Dawson must find his way across the country to reunite with his father, fighting through the religious zealots who believe the end has come.
4. In YA news, Ilene Wong has sold her debut novel, NONE OF THE ABOVE to Balzer + Bray. A huge congrats to her!! It will be released Fall of 2015. Go give a her your love!!
Big congrats to all these authors!! Mark your calendars for the releases and definitely check out the books that are out!!
That's all for today. No exciting news for me. Just writing and revising. Basically, I'm just moving along . . . slowly. I plan to be back for IWSG on Wednesday!!
Have a great day!!
1. If you haven't already, go check out the lovely Christina Lee's ALL OF YOU. It's hot!!! I did read this, and whoa, hotness. I'm team Bennett all the way. Currently, it's an ebook but will be released in paperback July 1, 2014. You go, Christina!!
Title: ALL OF YOU
Author: Christina Lee
Publisher: Penguin/InterMix
Blurb: In this powerfully emotional debut New Adult novel, Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He’s irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.
Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she’s perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother’s bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.
When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won’t accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.
Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.
So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.
Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she’s perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother’s bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.
When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won’t accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.
Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.
So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.
2. In other New Adult news, the amazing Stina Lindenblatt revealed the cover of her debut novel TELL ME WHEN. Sweetness!!
Title: TELL ME WHEN
Author: Stina Lindenblatt
Publisher: Carina Press / Harlequin
Release date: January 20, 2014
Blurb:
She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.
But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again.
When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her—and Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.
3. Another New Adult novel has been released by Kevin Sheridan. It has a very cool premise. And I had the pleasure to read it before the release. Definitely one to check out!! Congrats Kevin!!
Title: UNDER A BROKEN SUN
Author: Kevin P. Sheridan
Publisher: Dancing Dolphin Productions
Blurb:
When the world is thrown back into the dark ages, Adam Dawson must find his way across the country to reunite with his father, fighting through the religious zealots who believe the end has come.
4. In YA news, Ilene Wong has sold her debut novel, NONE OF THE ABOVE to Balzer + Bray. A huge congrats to her!! It will be released Fall of 2015. Go give a her your love!!
Big congrats to all these authors!! Mark your calendars for the releases and definitely check out the books that are out!!
That's all for today. No exciting news for me. Just writing and revising. Basically, I'm just moving along . . . slowly. I plan to be back for IWSG on Wednesday!!
Have a great day!!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
A book to check out.
Wow. I've been gone a while. Sorry. Between real life, writing, brainstorming, revising and querying, some things have slipped through the cracks. My next posts will be about up and coming books that you may want to should check out. :)
Today, I have THE EIGHTH DAY by Dianne K. Salerni. I've known Dianne for years and she is not only an amazing author but an incredible person. I can't thank her enough for all the advice she has given me. The cover of her new book, well first book in her new series, was released recently and it's really cool. I am so excited for the release and for Dianne. THE EIGHTH DAY will be born to the world summer 2014. So mark it on your calendars people.
Riley Pendare, Jax’s sort of clueless eighteen-year-old guardian, breaks the news: Jax just experienced the Eighth Day, an extra twenty-four-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people, like Jax and Riley, have the ability to live in all eight days. But others, like Evangeline, the teenage girl who’s been hiding in the house next door for years, exist only on this special day.
At first it’s awesome to have a secret day. But as Jax gets to know the very guarded Evangeline, he discovers that she is the sought-after key to an ancient spell rooted in Arthurian legend. And Riley—who forgets to pay bills and buy groceries!—is sworn to keep her safe from those who want to use her to eliminate the seven-day world and all who live there.
Jax tries to protect Evangeline, but with his new friend’s life on the line, as well as the threat of human destruction, he is faced with an impossible choice: trigger a real apocalypse or sacrifice Evangeline.
Today, I have THE EIGHTH DAY by Dianne K. Salerni. I've known Dianne for years and she is not only an amazing author but an incredible person. I can't thank her enough for all the advice she has given me. The cover of her new book, well first book in her new series, was released recently and it's really cool. I am so excited for the release and for Dianne. THE EIGHTH DAY will be born to the world summer 2014. So mark it on your calendars people.
Title: THE EIGHTH DAY
Author: Dianne K. Salerni
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release date: Summer 2014
MG Fantasy
Blurb:
When newly orphaned Jax Aubrey awakes to a world without people the day after his thirteenth birthday, he thinks it’s the apocalypse. But then the next day is a regular old Thursday. Has Jax gone crazy? What’s going on?
Riley Pendare, Jax’s sort of clueless eighteen-year-old guardian, breaks the news: Jax just experienced the Eighth Day, an extra twenty-four-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people, like Jax and Riley, have the ability to live in all eight days. But others, like Evangeline, the teenage girl who’s been hiding in the house next door for years, exist only on this special day.
At first it’s awesome to have a secret day. But as Jax gets to know the very guarded Evangeline, he discovers that she is the sought-after key to an ancient spell rooted in Arthurian legend. And Riley—who forgets to pay bills and buy groceries!—is sworn to keep her safe from those who want to use her to eliminate the seven-day world and all who live there.
Jax tries to protect Evangeline, but with his new friend’s life on the line, as well as the threat of human destruction, he is faced with an impossible choice: trigger a real apocalypse or sacrifice Evangeline.
Check out THE EIGHTH DAY summer of 2014. Can't wait!! You go, Dianne!!
Have a great day!!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
The Challenge
It's almost Friday!! The weekend is about to begin. After a week of getting back on schedule, I'm ready to relax. I did get some writing time in and it felt good. I have two manuscripts the best that I can get them so they are ready for the next step. I did start to query one of them. Yes, only one. I'm not insane. But I can't help feeling that this round of querying will only wind up like my last. I've entered a few contests and the results are what I expected . . . nothing. There are days I wonder if I'm invisible. I'm not flashy enough. Are my stories that boring?
Of course, I've only just begun this path with this novel so I decided I'm going to try a different approach with the rejection. I know, you're already saying, here we go again, but I'm not going to write a post about my problems. I know rejection happens to everyone and I'm sure some of you have worse stories to tell. No, I'm not going to crawl into that hole I have next to the swing set and rock back and forth. I'm going to challenge myself.
You see, lately, after I get over the frownie face part of the big R, I've worked even harder. It's that whole prove myself thing. I can't let my dream go, so I thought, why not take that to the next level. Besides eating an elephant size bag of chocolate (which I'm not sure I could physically do), I'll do something writing related to push me through.
Okay, I will take a couple of pieces of chocolate to soothe my soul. I can't ignore my chocolate addiction. The other part will be one of three things.
1. Double my word count for the day.
2. Write a short story.
3. Do exercises to brush up on writing skills.
The more I write, the stronger I'll become. Well, that's what they say.
I will also not check my email every five seconds. Let's face it, it's filled with advertisements and possibly more big R's. Not fun.
Do you challenge yourself when you face the big, bad rejection?
Have a great weekend!!
Of course, I've only just begun this path with this novel so I decided I'm going to try a different approach with the rejection. I know, you're already saying, here we go again, but I'm not going to write a post about my problems. I know rejection happens to everyone and I'm sure some of you have worse stories to tell. No, I'm not going to crawl into that hole I have next to the swing set and rock back and forth. I'm going to challenge myself.
You see, lately, after I get over the frownie face part of the big R, I've worked even harder. It's that whole prove myself thing. I can't let my dream go, so I thought, why not take that to the next level. Besides eating an elephant size bag of chocolate (which I'm not sure I could physically do), I'll do something writing related to push me through.
Okay, I will take a couple of pieces of chocolate to soothe my soul. I can't ignore my chocolate addiction. The other part will be one of three things.
1. Double my word count for the day.
2. Write a short story.
3. Do exercises to brush up on writing skills.
The more I write, the stronger I'll become. Well, that's what they say.
I will also not check my email every five seconds. Let's face it, it's filled with advertisements and possibly more big R's. Not fun.
Do you challenge yourself when you face the big, bad rejection?
Have a great weekend!!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Insecure Writer's Support Group--Learning from my muse.
Holy cow! Two years?! Seriously? I still can't believe it! I have to say thanks to the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh for hosting and commenting and organizing and . . . you get the idea. Writers need all the support they can get. I know I do. It's nice to be heard and to listen as well as get some advice.
So thank you again, Alex.
With that being said, I want to talk about muses. I don't mean the band, Muse. Although, they are quite good. I'm talking about that thing that keeps you going and inspires. Ahhh. That's it, soak it in. Your mind is spinning isn't it? I've said in the past that my muse is music. I can't really play anything. I took chorus in high school and piano, but I'm no musical genius, but boy how I love it. Certain pieces create scenes in my head that make me stop and just write. Even develop whole stories.
On Friday, I got to see one of my favorite bands of all time, Depeche Mode. Yes, they're still around and still producing kick butt music. I sat back and listened and realized how long they've been around. I even went back to the beginning of their career and listened to each album in order. It's amazing how much they've changed. You can hear how much they progressed and refined their sound. The songwriting has always been awesome in my eyes, thanks to Martin Gore who is a songwriting genius, but even that has matured and deepened over the years. The thing is I forget to look at myself. Yes, I started this journey later in life, and you know what, it's okay. All I can do is grow and refine and strengthen. Even the most experienced still has wiggle room for improvement and that takes practice and determination. Things never come easy, but you must be prepared when they do. And even then, you must continue to show that you still got it. Depeche Mode still does after all these years. They continue to push themselves to create something powerful.
So thanks, Depeche Mode, for creating the music that has inspired so much of my life. Not only for the stories and visions of characters, but for showing me how to strengthen and grow and create something powerful.
Who inspires you?
Please go and check out the other fine folks who participate. You never know what you might learn or who you might inspire.
Have a great day!!
So thank you again, Alex.
On Friday, I got to see one of my favorite bands of all time, Depeche Mode. Yes, they're still around and still producing kick butt music. I sat back and listened and realized how long they've been around. I even went back to the beginning of their career and listened to each album in order. It's amazing how much they've changed. You can hear how much they progressed and refined their sound. The songwriting has always been awesome in my eyes, thanks to Martin Gore who is a songwriting genius, but even that has matured and deepened over the years. The thing is I forget to look at myself. Yes, I started this journey later in life, and you know what, it's okay. All I can do is grow and refine and strengthen. Even the most experienced still has wiggle room for improvement and that takes practice and determination. Things never come easy, but you must be prepared when they do. And even then, you must continue to show that you still got it. Depeche Mode still does after all these years. They continue to push themselves to create something powerful.
So thanks, Depeche Mode, for creating the music that has inspired so much of my life. Not only for the stories and visions of characters, but for showing me how to strengthen and grow and create something powerful.
Who inspires you?
Please go and check out the other fine folks who participate. You never know what you might learn or who you might inspire.
Have a great day!!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Blinders
School is starting soon! Well for my kids at least. And yes, I'm excited. My schedule will be back. I can breathe. I love my kids tons, but I need some writing time. The one thing that's hard is blocking that little thing called the internet. It's pesky, isn't it. It teases and looks so inviting, but you must look away and not be tempted. It can be a total distraction, which leads to no time to develop a story. So what do you do when you're stuck on an manuscript problem and you see an email pop up only to learn that it was an advertisement, but it made you think about another social site that you need to check to see if so and so got a book deal? Shut it off. You heard me. I see your eyes are bulging and you're hyperventilating. It's not the end of the world. Seriously.
It seems like we get all our info off of social media (including yours truly). It can be addicting and totally put you off your game. Not only is it sucking up time and keeping you away from creating, it can damage your self esteem. How? As happy as I can be for others when they triumph, it can hurt a little if you have nothing to say about numero uno. In your mind, you may think you're making no progress because there's nothing new with you. But understand everyone is at a different level. They all are traveling down different paths at their own pace, and so are you. Stop and take a look around you, at you. Have I learned this lesson over and over? Yes, but it's worth repeating because we get stuck into the everyday hum drum and it may feel like you're going no where, but everyone else is miles ahead. Bologna. Yes, I used a lunch meat or you could see it as an Italian city, which ever you choose. Moving on.
You have to shut it off and put your fingers to the keys. Even if you have to go to the box directly and switch it off. Give yourself a certain amount of time without it. You'd be surprised at how much you can accomplish. Then reward yourself--chocolate, ice cream, internet time . . . yes childish, but effective. I use the same tactic with my kids. They want video game time, they must read or do math problems to earn time for it. So I should do the same for myself.
Who's up for the challenge?
I will be in the querying trenches for a while. I'm not sure how long I can fight, but I have two novels that are ready. So, my blogging will be spotty. I'm not querying both at the same time. That would be crazy. I plan to do one then the other while writing my fourth novel.
What's new with you?
Have a great day!!
It seems like we get all our info off of social media (including yours truly). It can be addicting and totally put you off your game. Not only is it sucking up time and keeping you away from creating, it can damage your self esteem. How? As happy as I can be for others when they triumph, it can hurt a little if you have nothing to say about numero uno. In your mind, you may think you're making no progress because there's nothing new with you. But understand everyone is at a different level. They all are traveling down different paths at their own pace, and so are you. Stop and take a look around you, at you. Have I learned this lesson over and over? Yes, but it's worth repeating because we get stuck into the everyday hum drum and it may feel like you're going no where, but everyone else is miles ahead. Bologna. Yes, I used a lunch meat or you could see it as an Italian city, which ever you choose. Moving on.
You have to shut it off and put your fingers to the keys. Even if you have to go to the box directly and switch it off. Give yourself a certain amount of time without it. You'd be surprised at how much you can accomplish. Then reward yourself--chocolate, ice cream, internet time . . . yes childish, but effective. I use the same tactic with my kids. They want video game time, they must read or do math problems to earn time for it. So I should do the same for myself.
Who's up for the challenge?
I will be in the querying trenches for a while. I'm not sure how long I can fight, but I have two novels that are ready. So, my blogging will be spotty. I'm not querying both at the same time. That would be crazy. I plan to do one then the other while writing my fourth novel.
What's new with you?
Have a great day!!
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