The Starving Novelist

Oh, how I love a good meme!

2012-02-29T06:03:00.000-08:00

Mainly because it gets me out of having to come up with an idea for a blog post all on my own :o) My creative brain cells are all being used to put some final touches on SPARK and to work on my WIP. I'm afraid that doesn't leave much for my blog.

My lovely friend, Cherie tagged me to participate in this blog hopping meme. I'll be the first to admit, I don't live the most exciting life (and I like it that way!), but I'll do the best I can!

1. What is your dream vacation?

A five-star, all-inclusive resort on a private, tropical island. You know, like the ones celebrities stay at that cost some exhuberant amount of money per night. It's not likely to ever happen in this lifetime, but that's why it's considered a DREAM vacation :o)

2. Are you spontaneous or do you like to plan ahead?

I'm definitely a planner, but it's not like I'm Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. I can handle little things popping up or the occasional change of plans. But I'm so not the type to just wake up in the morning and decide to take a road trip.

3. Tell us one thing you want to do but don’t dare to do.

Hmm. I don't know. This is kind of a strange question. There are a lot of things I'd like to do (to other people), but I don't, because of issues of legality. HA! Just kidding (kind of).

4. What's your biggest phobia?

I don't really have any phobias. One of my biggest fears is dying before my children are raised. It's not necessarily death I'm afraid of, it's the idea of leaving my children without a mother. I have a friend whose mother died when she was a child, and that messed her up for years. I think losing a parent at a young age is one of those things that stick with kids for a long, long time. The idea of my children going through that kind of pain is terrifying.

5. If you were stranded on a desert island – what 3 things would you want with you (not including laptop, or family).

Okay, this question is borrr-ring, so I'm going to make it a bit more interesting. If I was stranded on a DESSERT island, what three things would I want? Okay, NOW we're talkin'. (1) Big Boy's hot fudge ice cream cake, (2) lemon pie with AT LEAST a 3" tall layer of meringue, and (3) Banana pudding (made with home-made vanilla pudding, not the instant crap)

6. Name three blessings in your life.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy (one of my daughter's favorite sayings)--my husband, my son, and my daughter.

7. What was your nickname in High School?

I wasn't popular or nerdy enough in high school to have a nickname. I guess you can say I kind of flew under the radar. I had some at home, though. My brother called me dork, idiot, etc. My mom called me "Elvira" (from an old Oakridge Boys song I used to sing when I was little), and my dad called me "Annie-face" (go ahead, laugh).

8. If you could meet the President of the United States, what would you say to him?

My house is worth half of what I owe on it, and I REALLY want to move. Can you help a girl out?

9. If you could be any literary character for a day, who would you be?

Daisy Buchanan from THE GREAT GATSBY. I want to know what it's like to be rich with nothing to do all day except lounge around, sipping on mint juleps.

10. What is your favorite quote?

Easy! This quote has been my mantra since I started querying my first book:
In all manner of pursuits there's a tendency to overesimate brilliance and underestimate persistence. Talent is common. Determination is rare. -Ralph Keyes

So now I'm supposed to tag seven people to participate. This is always a bit awkward for me. It's kind of like inviting someone to a party when you're not sure if they even want to come. Oh, well. As usual, no pressure to participate if you don't want to!

A.G. Howard
J.A. Bennett
Meredith Jaeger
Krista McLaughlin
Marian Vere
Krista
A.M. Supinger

I'm looking forward to "hopping" around and reading everyone's answers :o)

Something is different . . .

2012-02-22T06:48:00.000-08:00

Look around.

Notice anything different?

I'll wait. *hums theme from Jeopardy*

Do you see it?

For those of you who aren't really into the "I Spy" or "Where's Waldo" books, I'll give you a hint. Look at the little blurb next to my picture.

Yep! I have an agent! Yesterday, I signed with Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency.

"The Call"

Eric called me and offered representation on January 30th. I can honestly say it was a HUGE surprise. I had just walked in the house after picking my kids up from school, and my husband was waiting for me with a big grin on his face. I think he said something like, "You got a call. Someone named Eric Myers?" *cue panic*

You always hear about people jumping around and screaming with excitement, but for me, it was sheer panic. As those of you who have been in the query trenches for a while can attest to, getting the call is one of those things you dream about, but you never expect it to happen. In my mind, what follows a full request is a rejection, not an offer of representation.

It didn't help the situation that I was unprepared. Sure, I had done some searches on what questions I should ask during the call, but I hadn't printed anything out or written anything down (mainly because I'm superstitious like that, and I thought doing so would somehow jinx me). So picture it--crazy mom running around the house, heart pounding, stomach turning, hands shaking. I cannot even express to you what a spaz I was. Once I realized I wasn't going to calm down, I took some Tylenol (Xanax would've worked better, but I had to work with what I had). Then, I sat down at the computer, and with the help of the internet and a good friend, I was able to quickly come up with a list of things to ask Eric.

None of it mattered though, because once I got him on the phone, I turned into--what I would consider--a bumbling fool. I might have managed a few coherent sentences, but mostly what came out of my mouth was a bunch of "uh-huh's and okay's." So much for my list. [side note: I did email him some questions the next day, and he kindly got back with me that day with answers]

At the time of the call, I had some fulls/partials out with other agents, so I told him I would get back with him in about two weeks. Those two weeks were crazy! I won't go into details about my stats, but I will say one of the fringe benefits of an offer is that it gets agents' attention. :o)

In the end, my decision to accept Eric's offer of representation was an easy one. He's a seasoned professional with an impressive sales history. I know that having an agent doesn't guarantee my book is going to sell, but I have to admit, it feels good to finally have someone in my corner who believes in my work.

I just want to say a quick thank you to those of you who helped me get to this point. Whether it was reading my entire manuscript, or just critiquing a few pages--thank you, thank you, thank you!! Also, thank you to everyone who has ever offered me support or a kind word. This is not always a friendly business, and so I appreciate every smidgen of kindness given to me. It never goes unnoticed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart :o)

Why writing a novel is like being in a relationship

2012-02-15T07:41:00.000-08:00

Those of you who follow my blog know I often compare writing to a relationship. There's an indescribable kind of love that connects me with my story, but just like any relationship; there are ups and downs, give and takes, love and hate.

Stage 1-- The awkward first date (the first chapter)

You've gotten to know your date over the phone or maybe over the internet, but the first time out with him/her is a scary thing. You don't really know what to expect. Maybe things will go as you imagined, then again, you might realize there's nothing there. Even if things go well, there's still a level of uneasiness. You don't know him/her all that well, and your mind races with questions. Is this who they really are? Do they have ulterior motives? Can I trust this person?

Stage 2-- Looking through rose colored glasses (the first half of the book)

The awkward first date is over, and soon you realize you really like this other person. Each date is anticipated with a tummy-turning giddiness, and soon, you find yourself falling hard and fast, head-over-heels in love. This person can do no wrong and is perfect in every single way. You turn a blind-eye to the imperfections and dismiss his/her quirks with a wave of the hand. The only thing you want to do is spend every, waking hour with the one you love.

Stage 3-- The first fight (your first "trouble spot" or bout of writer's block)

This stage is heartbreaking. You realize your relationship isn't as perfect as you thought. Maybe you blame yourself for not thinking things through, or maybe you feel guilty for not trying or caring enough. Sometimes things get ugly (laptops may or may not get thrown across the room). Regardless, if you truly love each other, things get resolved and you'll move on.

Stage 4-- The end of the honeymoon stage

The first fight is over, and as the relationship chugs along, you realize things are far from perfect. There are problems--big, ugly, in-your-face problems. But you're determined to make the relationship work; you've come too far just to throw it all away. You're confident that over time, things will get worked out and resolved.

Stage 5-- Deciding to stay together or break-up (stick with the novel or shelve it)

This can be one of the most difficult stages. Do you listen to what everyone around you is saying? Do you take their advice? Are you so committed to your other half that you'll do anything to make things work? Or do you decide to chalk it up as a good learning experience and move on? This is a very personal decision to make, and only you can make it. People can give you their opinions (and they will), but at the end of the day, you have to do what's best for you.

Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer Hubbard

2012-02-09T00:05:00.000-08:00

(Excerpt taken from Goodreads)

Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die, as sixteen-year-old Ryan discovers in the year following his suicide attempt. Despite his mother’s anxious hovering and the rumors at school, he’s trying to forget the darkness from which he has escaped. But it doesn’t help that he’s still hiding guilty secrets, or that he longs for a girl who may not return his feelings. Then he befriends Nicki, who is using psychics to seek contact with her dead father. This unlikely friendship thaws Ryan to the point where he can face the worst in himself. He and Nicki confide in one another the things they never thought they’d tell anyone—but their confessions are trickier than they seem, and the fallout tests the bounds of friendship and forgiveness.

I don't usually do reviews, but I had to tell you all about this book, because I really, really loved it. I actually won this book in a blog contest, so a quick thanks to Jenny Phresh for sending it my way!

Try Not to Breath is a very raw and honest story of one teen's journey through and out of the depths of depression. At so many points during this book, I found myself thinking, Wow, I've been there! I remember being treated like that and feeling exactly the same way! Jennifer Hubbard was able to capture the emotions and thoughts of a depressed teen with unbelievable accuracy and detail--without it coming off as overdone or cliche. I'm still in awe of how well written this story was.

My only complaint about this book was the cover itself. It leads the reader to believe they're going to experience a love story, but really, the "romance" element is very minor. It's more about the friendship (in my opinion) between Ryan and Nicki than anything else.

The book was a very quick read, which is good, considering the topic is kind of a downer. If your looking for something fresh and different, I highly recommend checking it out.

A Night in the Life of a Tooth Fairy

2012-02-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

Replace the fairies with a couple of bumbling parents and you've got the scenario at my house

For the second time in two weeks, I forgot to put money under my daughter's pillow (no mother-of-the-year award for me this year). The first time it happened, I had to make up a story about the tooth fairy running into bad weather. Thankfully, we'd had some snow the night before, so she believed it. She even swore she saw a wing print in the fluffy white stuff outside. Luckily, the weather cleared up and the tooth fairy was able to come the following night--though she was greeted with a note from the young miss, wanting an explanation for her absence the night before. After a well-crafted apology note (and a little guilt money), all was right with the world.

The second occurrence happened a few nights ago (yes, my daughter is now missing her two front teeth). Being the incredibly thoughtful man he is, my husband woke me up at 2:45 A.M. to kindly tell me I'd forgotten to visit my daughter's room (yeah, because taking care of it himself made no sense). I begrudgingly got up, but after several attempts to slip the dollar under my daughter's pillow without her waking up, I gave up and tagged in my husband.

So what did he do? He crawled into her room on his hands and knees (not joking) all "stealth-like" and tried to snatch the tooth, which my daughter had so thoughtfully put into a very noisy plastic baggy. Of course, the noise woke up my daughter, who then said, "Daddy, what are you doing?" My husband told her he was sleep walking (er...wouldn't that be sleep crawling?). Thank God for naive six-year-olds. My husband then told her to roll over so he could cover her up. While in the midst of adjusting and tucking, my husband snatched the tooth and slipped the dollar under her pillow. Phew!

The next morning my daughter said to me, "Wow, the tooth fairy is magic! I heard her grab the tooth while daddy was covering me up!" Ahh, innocence. I'm just going to enjoy this while it lasts. :o)

When Researching Agents, Don't Assume Anything

2012-01-25T00:05:00.000-08:00

"When you assume, you make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'

I'm not sure who came up with that clever saying, but I have to admit, it's often true. Case in point--I'm guilty of assuming something, and yes, I definitely feel like an ass.

Confession--I assumed male agents wouldn't be interested in my manuscript. Why? Because it's a novel told from the perspective of a teenage girl, with lots of family drama . . . and romance (see the blurb for SPARK under "Projects"). I never thought a male agent would be interested in something like that. I'm happy to say, I was wrong.

For almost three months, I carefully selected female agents I ASSUMED (there's that word again) would be interested in my novel--young, hip, lovers of dark/edgy fiction types (preferably). It wasn't until later I realized everyone else was doing the same thing. If everyone who writes dark/edgy YA paranormals only query those agents who are interested in dark/edgy YA paranormals, well . . . you get the picture. Those agents are going to be inundated with that stuff and aren't going to request anything unless it's absolutely amazing and unique.  Hence, my decision to try querying agents who [maybe] don't see my type of novel as often.

About three weeks ago, I started sending out queries again--this time to female AND male agents. The responses surprised the bejeezus out of me. I've already gotten four requests from male agents this month alone (and all four came within days of sending out the query), as opposed to just two from female agents. Also, out of all the queries I've sent out since I started back in October, only two agents have given me PERSONALIZED feedback on my query/sample pages (which most of you will attest to is VERY rare), and both were male agents.

I'm not sure why my manuscript is appealing to the guys more than the ladies. My only reasoning is that maybe there are other writers out there making assumptions similar to the ones I made. Maybe male agents don't see novels like mine as often as other young, female agents. I don't know the answer, but I'm glad I wised up, otherwise I would've lost out on the opportunity to have my work looked over by some really awesome [male] agents. Obviously, it was stupid of me to make such an assumption in the first place.  Agents are professionals after all. Their job is to find books they think they can sell. Period.

The lesson in all of this? Don't be afraid to go outside your comfort zone--query widely!   I'm not saying writers shouldn't research agents--i.e., if an agent doesn't rep young adult, don't send them a query for a young adult novel--but don't ever ASSUME an agent won't like something just because they don't say they do.

Out with the Old, In with the New! Well, Kinda.

2012-01-16T12:26:00.000-08:00

I'm baaaack! I know, I know--this post is a few days late, but life is still crazy in the Cook household. Seriously, I keep recounting my steps from about a month ago, because I'm sure I must've broke a mirror, walked under a ladder, or passed a black cat on the street. Oy! Yes, reality sucks sometimes, but that's not why I'm here. Right now, I want to escape reality for a bit, so I'm going to share a nice, happy, little story with you all :o)

First, I'll start at the beginning. Meet Bessie.

Bessie was a hand-me-down from my mom. Poor Bessie had been replaced by something younger and faster, and the ole' girl was just sitting around collecting dust. I knew this, and since writing in the cold basement on the desktop computer was getting old, I made it my mission to get my hands on her. A barter was arranged--I would make my mom one of those fringed, no-sew, fleece blankets (hellooo blisters); and she would give me her old laptop.

More than two years and two novels later (notice the permanent hand/palm marks on her), Bessie has been replaced--listen quietly and you can hear the sound of "Taps" playing in the background. Yes, it's sad, but it was time to pull the plug--which already had a short in it, by the way. Bessie could barely maneuver her way around the internet without coughing and sputtering, and the poor gal would over-heat at the drop of a dime.

So who was the little hussie who replaced my dear Bessie?

This shiny Miss Thang (yes, that's my goof-ball of a daughter trying to get in the pic).

Miss Thang was an early anniversary gift from my husband. The part that really tugs at my heartstrings is that he didn't want to dip into our savings, so he did side-jobs at his work the entire month of November just to earn enough money to buy her for me.

She's purdy, ain't she? I can now check all my email accounts in less time than it took for Bessie to come to life. I have to admit, I still have a soft-spot for my old girl and . . . for my Microsoft Word 2000. Yes, it's true. I have this fancy shmancy new computer, but I can't bring myself to make the switch to Word 2010! It's like when your grocery store gets remodeled--you know it's better, but you still crave the familiarity of the old store and knowing where everything is. Obviously, I don't like change. I'm actually contemplating downloading my copy of Microsoft Office 2000 to my new laptop *hides face in shame*, though I can totally picture Miss Thang rejecting such an inferior program--in a faux French accent, nonetheless.

Ah, my dear Bessie. You will be missed. Thank you for the good times, and I apologize for all the bad times (throwing you across the room was just an empty threat--honest). May you rest in peace.

Sometimes Real Life Happens . . .

2011-12-14T00:05:00.000-08:00

"Oh, life is like that. Sometimes, at the height of our revelries, when our joy is at its zenith, when all is most right with the world, the most unthinkable disasters decend upon us." -- Ralphie from "A Christmas Story"

Truer words were never spoken. Two weeks ago, life was good. My Christmas shopping was almost done, Christmas cards were addressed and awaiting stamps, the house was decorated--inside and out, and best of all, I was finally getting some positive responses from my queries. And then it happened . . . My husband threw his back out--BIG TIME.

I can honestly say, I have never seen another human being in so much pain--he made my labor and deliveries look like a walk in the park. I won't go into detail, but he had to spend five days in the hospital, just so they could get him to the point where he could walk and handle the car ride home.

I'm thrilled my husband is home, but taking care of him (he still can't do much for himself) AND the kids has been keeping me busy and away from the computer. It's funny how up until two weeks ago, my thoughts revolved around querying and writing "the next book". I was constantly checking my email for query responses and obsessively plotting potential stories in my head. But now . . . all I can think about is getting through each day. Because of this, I have decided this will be my last blog post for the year. Life is crazy right now, and I'm doing my best to simplify it as much as possible.

I'll be back the second week of January, but until then, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year :o)

Virtual Cookie Exchange 2011!

2011-11-30T00:05:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to share two of my most popular cookie recipes with everyone today, but first, I want to point out the list of blogs to the right. Those lovely ladies are participating in today's Virtual Cookie Exchange too and will be sharing their favorite cookie/sweet treat recipes on their respective blogs (can't wait to check them out!).

Okay, now for the good stuff!

My most popular/requested cookie during the holidays:

No-bake Chocolate Oatmeal Drops

2 Cups Sugar

1/2 Cup Milk

1/3 Cup Cocoa

1/4 Cup Butter

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 Cups Oatmeal (the real stuff, not instant)

Mix the sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter together in a small sauce pan over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil
Let it boil for one minute while constantly stirring
Remove from heat
Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal
Immediatly drop mixture by tablespoonful onto wax paper
Let the cookies cool (sometimes I place them in the fridge to speed up the process) and then store them in a airtight container.

My second most requested holiday treat are my Oreo truffles. I came across this recipe in a Kraft Food and Family magazine in the fall of 2006 and it quickly became a hit in my family.

Easy Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. (1 lb., 2 oz.) of Oreos, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

16 oz. of baking chocolate (I use milk chocolate, but some prefer dark or even white chocolate), melted

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor (or you can crush them by putting them in a freezer bag and rolling them with a rolling pin), set aside for later use
Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs
Place these crumbs in a medium bowl
Add the cream cheese and mix until well blended
Roll mixture into 42 balls, about 1" in diameter
Dip balls in chocolate and then place them on a wax paper-covered baking sheet
Sprinkle the tops of the truffles with the reserved cookie crumbs
Refridgerate them for about 1 hour or until firm

*Since these truffles have cream cheese in them, so be sure to store them in the refridgerator*

Oh, and in case you missed it, I posted the recipe for MY favorite holiday treat here (White chocolate covered popcorn mix, aka "Crack" ;)

Happy baking everyone, and thanks for stopping by! Please be sure to check out the other blogs participating in the cookie exchange!

Virtual Cookie Exchange November 30th!!

2011-11-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

So it's no big secret--I love food. Especially cookies. Cookies made with real butter and sugar *starts drooling while staring off into space* As Homer Simpson would say, mmmmm . . . sugar . . .

Ahem . . . anyway, I do A LOT of baking in the month of December, and I'm always on the look-out for new, yummy recipes. Therefore, I've decided to hold a virtual cookie exchange. On Wednesday, November 30th, I will post a recipe or two of my favorite cookies, and I would like to invite everyone else to do the same :o)

I would love to get a large group of participants, so if you're interested, leave me a comment that includes your name and blog address. On my sidebar, I will keep a list of all participating blogs.

On November 30th, simply post your favorite cookie/sweet treat recipe(s) on your blog. Oh, and feel free to include a photo(s) if you want. You can include a list of all the other participating blogs, or just simply include a link to my blog (which will have a list).

If you've been busy doing NaNoWriMo and haven't had much time to post, this is a quick and easy way to draw people to your blog.

I really think this could be a lot of fun, so please feel free to pass the word around--the more the merrier! If this isn't your thing (or you don't have the time), no worries, I completely understand. :o)

What really matters . . .

2011-11-16T00:07:00.000-08:00

I love reading the "success stories" on querytracker.net. It's always interesting to read about the writer's journey to "the call." Though I have to admit, there's one question that always makes me flinch: "How long have you been writing?" Aside from the fact there's always some gag-worthy answer like, "I came out of the womb with a pencil in my hand" or "I wrote my first short-story when I was three" (no offense if this applies to any of my readers ;), the question always makes me feel like a bit of an outsider. The truth is, I've never been one of those writers who write because they love writing. For me, it's always been about the stories in my head, and writing is just the medium I choose to express them.

When I was little, my vivid imagination was expressed through play. I was a Barbie FIEND! I'd play for hours on end. If I wasn't playing Barbies, I was playing house with my best friend from down the street. We would wrap old receiving blankets around our waists and heads and pretend we were getting married, or we'd stuff pillows under our shirts and pretend we were pregnant (oh, and remember using crayons as cigarettes?). Ah, yes. Back in the day when kids actually used their imaginations . . .

As I got older, the stories didn't go away, but my means to express them did. In college, I dabbled with the idea of going down some kind of creative path--directing, acting, writing--something that would allow me to share the stories that floated around in my noggin. Unfortunately, practicality won out.

Years (and an early midlife crisis) later, I came to the conclusion I HAD to share these stories.  As a SAHM, I couldn't very well go back to school or anything like that. BUT, I could write them down. Of course the idea was terrifying. I'd written angsty-teenage poetry, had a couple things published in my high school literary magazine, journaled, aced college papers, written press releases . . . but writing a novel?

Let's face it, some people have a talented love affair with words. They can bend and sculpt them into beautiful pieces of art. Their stories flow like calm and winding rivers. And then there's me. Writing does not come easy for this girl. Seriously, if you were to come to my house and observe one of my writing "sessions", you would see me type real fast for about maybe five seconds, and then sit staring at my screen for three minutes.   This little routine would go on for about an hour, with interludes of backspacing and maybe a little high-lighting and deleting. If I had two pages written after that hour, I would consider it a productive day.

But that's okay. The story is getting written down, and over the past two years I've learned (and continue to learn) to write, to bend and sculpt my words--not so my prose are a piece of art--but so that my readers can see the story in their heads with as much detail and clarity as I see it in my own.

There's a reason I wrote this post today.  This has been one of my roughest months as a writer since starting this journey two years ago, and I just wanted to remind myself of what it's all about. Take away the critiques, rejections, self-doubt, and every other negative emotion; and this is what I'm left with: the stories in my head. In the big scheme of things, it doesn't matter whether or not I ever get published. I'm CREATING something. I'm breathing life into something that had previously existed only in my little, crazed mind; and doing this makes me feel good and . . . alive. At the end of the day, isn't that all that matters?

Writing Update

2011-11-09T05:54:00.000-08:00

Querying

Yes, I'm still knee-deep in the query trenches. The bad news--the responses have been blah. The good news--I'm becoming desensitized to them (well, kinda). I did get a request last week from a query that included the first ten pages of my ms. As anyone who has gone through the query process will tell you, these are the best. When you get a request from a query with included pages, it makes you feel like you have a little bit of an advantage since the agent has already read some of your manuscript and liked it enough to want to see more. It also gives your confidence a boost (which we can all use, no?).

I also participated in a contest held by literary agent, Suzie Townsend last week. All you had to do was send your query to her within the allotted time frame, and she would give you personalized feedback (as opposed to the usual form rejection). She gave me some really good feedback, but also confirmed what I had suspected all along (see my post from two weeks ago)--the main reason she passed on it was because it's a paranormal romance :o( Because it's such a popular genre, she told me I REALLY need to stress in my query what makes my book different from everything else out there. Soooo, I rewrote my query and really tried to focus on the non-paranormal aspects, i.e., the stuff that makes my story unique.

Writing

I don't know about everyone else, but I have a really hard time writing while querying. It's like my heart and mind is just not into it. In spite of this, I did start a new WIP, but I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. It kind of feels like a so-so first date. I'm not really giddy about it, but there's something there . . .

As usual, it's totally different than my previous project. It's still YA, but it's a contemporary romance told from a boy's POV. I'm not sure how confident I am at telling a story from a boy's perspective; I've never done it before. I'm even thinking about splitting the book and having half of it told from the boy's POV and half of it from the girl's. For now, I'm taking things slow, at least until I have a better idea of the story/characters. I'm not a big outliner, but I like to at least have a good idea of who the characters are and where things are going.

I'm also in the process of outlining a potential sequel to the book I'm querying. Now THAT is a book I can't wait to write. Even if the first book goes nowhere, I still might write the second book . . . just for a sense of closure and because I love the story (even if none of those agents out there do ;-)

Oh, and I've written a couple blurbs for future projects. They both have a paranormal component to them, and seeing as how paranormal is DOA these days, I'll probably hold off on doing anything with them for a while.

How is the writing going for everyone else? Are all you NaNo'ers rockin' the wordage? ;o) I have so much respect for those of you participating. I'm pretty sure if I tried to do NaNo, I'd be loonier than Sybil by the end of the month :o) Good luck to you all!

Award Time--Feelin' the Love!

2011-11-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

The first award I'm accepting is the 7 x 7 award from both Jenny Phresh and Meredith Jaeger . Both of these wonderful ladies have must-read blogs that I highly recommend checking out! :o)

For this award, I had to go through all my old posts and find something that fits into each category--kind of like going through your summer clothes in the spring and trying to find something that fits after gaining your "winter 10". Though this was way less depressing.

1. Most beautiful: A Thank You to my Husband In this post, I thanked my husband for his undying support and belief in me. In other words, I got all mushy :o)

2. Most helpful: Why You Should be Following Agents on Twitter

3. Most popular: What They Don't Tell You In this post I wrote about the sort of things I learned after writing and querying book #1 and starting on book #2 (with a smidgen of humor)

4. Most controversial: Just Write! I don't know if I'd call this controversial, but I think it's closest thing I have to a "controversial" blog post. In this post, I talk about the obsession some writers have with platform building and how this can take away from what's really important (writing).

5. Most surprisingly successful: Always Put on Clean Underwear Before You Leave the House! I'm pretty sure the title of this post is what attracted people to it, lol. In this post, I wanted to know what piece of writing advice you could NOT live without.

6. Most underrated: Was Your Writing Career Born from Inspiration or Desperation?

7. Most pride worthy: Breaking Up is Hard to Do This is the post where I announced my decision to put my first novel on the back burner.

I'd like to pass this award on to several people who write amazing blog posts--I'm eager to see what they come up with for the categories ;o) As usual, if you don't want to participate, it's no skin off my back, it's just my way of letting you know I like what I read ;o)

1. Jenny Brown and her blog the pieces of my life
2. Marian Vere
3. Bethany Crandell and her blog Rookie Riter: Trying to get it write

My final two awards were given to me by the lovely Marian Vere . Thank you Marian! Best of all, no rules with these two! Just pass them on to some deserving bloggers :o)

This award goes to three ladies with BEA-UUU-TIFUL blog layouts :o)

1. Jenny Phresh and her blog The Party Pony
2. Anita Howard and her blog A Still and Quiet Madness
3. Cherie and her blog Ready. Write. Go.

And finally, this award goes to two bloggers with all-around fabulous blogs :o)

1. Jen Bennett and her blog A Book, A Girl, A Journey
2. Meredith Jaeger and her blog The Trouble with Twenty Two

I've Been Hacked!

2011-10-29T07:12:00.000-07:00

Just a note to everyone that my email account has been hacked. THANKFULLY it was NOT the account I use to send queries from. Could you imagine? UGH!

Anyways, if you happen to get a suspicious email from me, telling you to click on some link, DON'T!

Sorry for any inconvenience :o(

--Angela

Don't judge a book by its genre.

2011-10-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

We've all done it before, right? I'm guilty of doing it. A lot.

Me: The Hunger Games is a dystopian? Isn't that like science fiction? No thank you. I don't like science fiction.

This is just one example of many. I think every book on my top ten list is a book I initially wasn't too keen on reading. I think we all have pre-conceived notions of different genres. Sometimes, all it takes is one bad experience with the genre to turn us against it. For example I hated the show Star Trek when I was little--all of them, including the spin-offs, so whenever someone mentions the words "science fiction," my knee-jerk reaction is "no thank you." The same thing with urban fantasy. A while back, I read a book in this genre that I was less than impressed with, so now I'm totally turned off the idea of reading something else in this category.

I'll be the first to admit this is wrong, which is why it bothered me so much when I read this
article in Publisher's Weekly . To summarize, it talks about the over abundance of YA paranormals, and how some agents and editors want nothing to do with this genre because of its over-saturation.

Is this really happening? Are there literary agents and editors out there who immediately reject a book based on its genre? You bet your favorite vampire novel there are! Countless times I have come across agent profiles that include something along the lines of, "I am no longer interested in paranormals" or "no vampires". This is just what gets posted--I can only imagine the "special" instructions given to agency interns who are weeding through the electronic slush pile.

Yes, I can understand agents/editors not wanting to represent books similar to those out there, but a good story is a good story, right? Also, the word "paranormal" encompasses a lot more than vampires, werewolves, angels, and demons. Characters with special abilities . . . people and places that are cursed . . . all of this is considered paranormal.

This isn't the first genre to get ostracised. Chick-lit is no longer allowed to sit at the cool kids table, and I can only imagine that dystopian is heading in that same direction.

I like to pretend this isn't really happening. That agents/editors are judging queries/manuscripts based on the quality of writing and the story and NOT based on genre. But, as someone who is currently querying a paranormal, I can tell you the interest has not been great. I realize there could be a number of reasons for all the rejections--my query, the concept, the writing--but after reading this article, it does make me wonder.

Let Them Eat Crack!!

2011-10-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

I was really stumped for a blog post today. Querying hasn't been going as well as I'd hoped and it's got me in a really bitter, frustrated funk. By the way, does anyone else ever think about starting an anonymous blog just so you can write about all the crap that's not "PC" to write about on your real blog? No? Just me?

Anyways, because all the writerly stuff floating through my brain isn't blog appropriate (and I didn't want to go ANOTHER week without a post), I decided to share something with you all that makes me happy--Food!! Specifically, CRACK! Okay, not REAL crack, but this popcorn concoction that I make every Christmas :o) I call it crack, because it's sooooo addictive! Nummy-nummy!

Without further adieu . . .

1 bag of microwave popcorn (popped). I use the natural/unbuttered kind
3 Cups of "Kix" cereal
3 Cups of corn chips (i.e. "Fritos")
1 lb. of white chocolate, melted*

Mix the first three ingredients together. Then pour the white chocolate over the mix with one hand while stirring with the other so everything gets coated. Spread the mixture onto wax paper and let dry. Break into chunks and store in an air-tight container.

*with Halloween coming up, you could add orange food coloring to the chocolate to make it more festive!

ENJOY!

Seven pieces of inspiration behind my latest project

2011-10-12T00:04:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaack! Last week was crazy, and since something had to give, it was my weekly blog post. I think that was my first time missing a post since starting this blog, and so I apologize to anyone who actually looks forward to them *stifles laughter as crickets chirp*.

Anyhoo, moving on. Last week, the sweet and talented Cherie gave me an award. Ain't it purdy?

As usual, there's the "seven things about me" rule, but since I've done that (a couple of times), I'm going to switch it around and tell you seven things that inspired my latest project.

1) The short-lived television show "The Gates" that aired last summer (of '10). This show was about a gated community where the residents were of the supernatural persuasion (werewolves, vampires, witches, etc.). One of the residents was a teenage succubus. At the time, I had no idea what a succubus was, so I did a little research, and the wheels started turning. I loved the idea of having a protagonists with the ability to bring men to their knees--literally. So often it's the other way around, i.e. lonely girl meets incredibly gorgeous *insert mythological creature here* and instant falls in love and decides she would DO ANYTHING for him.

My novel takes a ~~more sinister~~ different approach from the story portrayed on the TV show, but that is where my idea was conceived.

2) The over-zealous, religous freak of a mother in Stephen King's "Carrie" (the movie). That woman scared the sh*t out of me as a child.

I love how religion and faith can be a beautiful thing, but how it can turn into something warped and scary when taken to the extremes. I don't want to give anything away, but this was something I definitely wanted to explore in my manuscript.

3) The character "Katherine" on the televison show "The Vampire Diaries." I love this character. She's a master at seduction and ruthless as hell. BUT, every now and again, she shows her vulnerability. She was the inspiration behind my main character's sister, Jade.

4) Grunge music. This was the stuff that was "in" when I was a teenager, and I found listening to it helped take me back to those days and all the emotions--loneliness, angst, sadness, anger--I felt being a teenager who was just trying to get through each day.

5) Tori Amos. I LOVE her, especially her CD titled "Little Earthquakes," which contains the most perfect angry-female-coming-of-age music. When I needed to write a scene where my MC stands up to the b*tchy snob-mob, I blasted the song "Precious Things." Talk about instant inspiration :o)

6) The relationship between Anna and Etienne (I hope I didn't just butcher his name) in "Anna and the French Kiss." I loved how the author, Stephanie Perkins, was able to create this really cute and playful friendship between the two of them and how she gradually had it lead up to something more. In my ms, the relationship between my MC and her love interest is definitely different than the one Perkins created, but I tried to infuse a little bit of that carefree playfulness into it.

7) All those Law and Order/CSI-ish type TV shows. I really wanted an element of mystery and suspense in my novel. I love how a lot of these shows will lead you in one direction and then totally switch gears and leave you with your jaw dropped at the end. That's what I wanted to do. Time will tell if I was successful at it ;o)

This was kind of fun! It's interesting when you sit and think about how every-day experiences--the shows we watch, the books we read, the music we listen to--affect our writing.

So now I'm supposed to hand the award off to five other people, but for the sake of not wanting anyone to feel left out, I'm going to skip this step. Yeah, that's right. That's how I roll ;-) Hope everyone has a great week!

Please Excuse My Dust!

2011-09-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

As you've probably noticed, I'm experimenting with blog templates. I'm trying to find something that reflects the tone of my new book--something kind of dark, but with a touch of femininity.
Oh, and I should note: googling "dark and feminine blogger templates" will give you some interesting results ;-)

I STILL haven't found exactly what I'm looking for, but because I'm sick of searching and toying around with various layouts, this will have to do for now :o)

Needless to say, I didn't have time to write a "real" post today. I'll try to have things back to normal by next week. :o)

p.s. if anyone knows of a good website for blogger templates, let me know!

Second Verse Same as the First?

2011-09-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

Soon I will be once again entering the world of querying. And I'm terrified. We're talking feel-like-I'm-going-to-hurl-every-time-I-think-about-it scared. Even though I feel like I'm better prepared this time around, I'm still worried it won't be enough. The thought of reliving the same experience I had the first time makes me want to crawl into bed and pull the covers up over my head. I can't stand the thought of going through all that rejection. Again.

With my first book, I did everything wrong. After I finished writing it, I did one round of edits and felt it ready to send off to agents *insert laughter*. Incase you haven't noticed, I suffered from newbie delusions of grandeur. I didn't know anything about critiques or beta readers. My mom and best friend read through it, pointed out a few typos, and that was it. As I queried, I started to learn about the importance of having your work read and critiqued by other writers; but by that point, my confidence was so low, I was too embarrassed to share my writing with anyone else. After eight months of querying and lots of revising, I had nothing to show for it except for the ten requests for partials/fulls (out of 120 queries) that never panned out.

This time, I'm doing all the stuff I should've done the first time around.

I found a subject that hasn't been done before in the young adult genre (or if it has, it's not common) and came up with a strong hook (I hope).
After I finished writing, I took almost two months off, so I could edit with fresh eyes.
I've been taking my time with the editing and revising--as in three months (and counting) worth of time.
I put my work out there and had chapters critiqued and a couple beta readers read the entire manuscript.

My fear? That even though I did everything "right," it won't be enough. I still won't be good enough. If this manuscript crashes and burns, I'm not sure if I can go through all of this a THIRD time. Don't get me wrong, I love and enjoy writing, but this whole trying-to-get-published thing is draining. It takes a toll on me in every way.

My question to those of you who've been there before, how did you do it? Was it easier or harder the second time around? What kept you going? Any words of wisdom? Liquor recommendations? ;-) Because as the band Whitesnake once said, "Here I go again on my own . . ."

The Dash

2011-09-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

I was switching wallets this weekend and came across this little piece of folded paper. It was something I had cut out and stuffed away in my wallet years ago (a lot of years ago--I'm embarrassed to say how long I've been using the same wallet). Unfortunately, I have no idea who the author is, but I love it. I hope you all find it just as inspirational as I do.

**UPDATE--after a quick google search, I found out the author is Linda M. Ellis**

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning . . . to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth . . .
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
the cars . . . the house . . . the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard . . .
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left.
(You could be at "dash mid-range.")

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile . . .
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read
with you life's actions to rehash . . .
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?

You should never feel guilty about how you feel.

2011-09-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the late post, my lovely followers, but I have been BEYOND stressed lately. I won't get into the boring details, but to give you an idea of the craziness, I have birthday parties and soccer games every weekend this month--and that's just what the weekends entail. During the week, it's a whole other level of nuttiness. I haven't had much time for commenting on blogs, but I've been trying to pop over and visit here and there. I'll try to catch up within the next couple of days.

This post will be short, but I just wanted to get something off my chest. As writers, we all have moments (or in my case, weeks) where we second guess our writing abilities. We feel down, depressed, funky, whatever. Just like any other emotion we feel, we can't help it! It is what it is! So writers, STOP APOLOGIZING FOR IT!! Do you apologize for feeling hungry even though there are starving children in Africa? Do you apologize for loving the boyfriend who broke your heart in high school?

There are always going to be people going through worse things than you in this world, but it doesn't make your feelings any less valid. I love it when I read open and honest blog posts from writers who are feeling insecure abut their writing. It makes me feel less alone. But when a writer turns around the next day and chastises themselves for feeling that way, it makes ME feel guilty. As writers, we need to know that our feelings are not only normal but acceptable. Trust me, no one is going to judge you. Heh--kind of like the mom dealing with a child having a temper tantrum in the middle of Target. As mothers, we sympathize because we've been there. The same thing with writers. When we read about a writer going through a difficult time, we understand, we relate (I've been know to utter a few "Amens" under my breath). Don't feel guilty about feeling down. Own it.

Why you should be following agents on twitter.

2011-08-31T05:45:00.000-07:00

Most of the reasons why you should be following agents are obvious.

get up-to-date information on what the they're looking for
find out about interviews they've recently done
what conferences they're going to be at
query likes and dislikes
new clients they've taken on
what kind of food they like--seriously, if you follow agents, you know they tweet about food. A lot.

Then there are the not-so-obvious reasons . . .

Months ago, I started following a certain agent (whose name will remain guarded, because duh, I'm not that dumb). At first, I liked his tweets. They were a nice mix of funny RT's and industry news. Then one day, I did a double take. His tweet included the "P" word (no, not "panty"), and he wasn't talking about his cat; he was referring to someone getting some *bleep*. Um, yeah. Seriously. I was absolutely shocked. I'm not a prude by any means, but I do expect agents to uphold to a certain level of professionalism. The bad news--this guy had my full. The good news--I never heard back from him (surprise, surprise).

Another incident involved an agent I was considering querying my current project to (when the time comes). Well, that was until she made a negative comment about a very well-known, best-selling, Detroit writer; whom I happen to love. It wasn't that she didn't like him that bothered me, but that she would make a comment about him in a public forum. This writer is a local hero to Detroiters and has done A LOT of good for the city and surrounding areas. Again, I expect professionalism from an agent. I would never go on Twitter and bash agents or fellow writers, and I expect the same from a potential agent.

My experiences should be a reminder that not all agents were created equally. I think we sometimes like to lump them all together--especially when we're 50+ agents into the query process. By that time, we're just trying to find a warm body with a website and email address. Who cares about personality? However, it's important to keep in mind that the agents you query are people you are possibly going to be working with, potentially for a long time.

Take the time to get to know agents before you query them. Before you even start the query process, go through and find out if they have a Twitter account. If they do, follow them. I think people tend to be more impulsive when it comes to tweeting, as opposed to when they're typing out answers for a blog interview or something like that. Tweets are more candid and less thought out. I'm not saying you can learn everything about an agent based on the occasional 140 characters, but I think they can at least give you an idea who they are, and that's better than not knowing anything about them. Think about it. Do you really want to risk being represented by a chauvinistic a**hole?

A Thank You to my Husband

2011-08-24T06:56:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, as in until the first draft of my first book was written, only my husband knew about the double life I lived--soccer mom by day, aspiring author by night. The only reason I told him, was because I had to explain why he would be watching TV by himself at night for the next several months.

When I told him I was going to write a book, I was actually giggly with embarrassment. I half expected him to laugh at me, but he didn't. I'm not going to get all sappy and say my husband was my number one supporter, because . . . well . . . he wasn't (men can be big babies at times--especially when they feel like they're being neglected). However, he never faltered in his belief in me. He never doubted my ability to write a novel and to some day get it published (still working on that part). I once asked him why he never doubted I would finish it, and he said "Because this is you we're talking about."

Despite his confidence in me (two years ago), I still felt it necessary to come up with a back-up plan. I gave myself a year to try this writing thing out. I would write my book, attempt to get it represented, and then if nothing panned out, I would happily (slight exaggeration) join the part-time workforce. Needless to say, that year came and went. As soon as the school-year started, I half expected my husband to start leaving the help-wanted section next to the coffee-maker every morning, but he didn't. When I approached him about holding off finding a job so I could work on my writing, he said, "Okay," followed by, "Yeah, I don't think you should give up on this." That was a year ago, and the conversation of me going back to work has never been brought up since. He could've been a jerk about the whole thing and insisted I get a job and stop typing away on the computer all day, but he didn't.

I am so proud of my husband. He works long, hard hours doing a manual-labor job. He deals with crappy coworkers and working conditions. He goes to work with sore muscles and pinched nerves sometimes. This is part of the reason I keep going. He works his butt off to provide for his family, and so that I can chase my dream. He believes I can succeed, and I don't want to let him down.

Whether or not spouses/significant others understand or are interested in what we're doing doesn't really matter, but their belief in us does.

Blogging was so much easier when I didn't think anyone was reading.

2011-08-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to understand the pressure writers feel once they've been published. It's one thing to write something when you think no one is going to read it, but it's whole other ball-game to write something you know a lot of people are going to read.

While blogging is nothing like getting published, I do understand the pressure of having to take into consideration that people are going to read what you write. When I first started blogging (on my old blog), I had just a handful of readers (if I was lucky), and while the number of readers I have now isn't huge--by any means--it's a lot more than a handful.

I am very thankful for those of you who think what I write is worthy of reading, but I have to admit, a part of me misses the old days. There was a sense of freedom that came with knowing the majority of my blog posts were only going to be read by ten or so people. I wrote whatever I wanted to, without having to worry about things like offending people--not that my posts were that offensive. I could write about whatever thoughts floated into my strange, little mind. Most of the time, my blog served the purpose of a writing diary. I often wrote about my writing experiences--rejections, writer's block, agent requests, revising, etc. It probably wasn't the best reading material, but I found it to be a good emotional outlet, almost therapeutic. Since I didn't have much of an audience, I didn't worry too much about whether or not other people were interested.

Things are different now. As my number of blog views and followers increase, I feel more and more pressure to write for an audience. I find myself racking my brain for topics of interest. I want my posts to appeal to everyone, not just a few. I also worry about offending people. I tend to be very opinionated, but because I want to be sensitive to my readers, I try to keep in reigned in when I write my posts (sometimes I succeed in this, sometimes I don't--ha!).

Am I alone here? Is this just me being neurotic, or do other bloggers feel this way? Do you feel more pressure the more popular your blog becomes?

Double Header- The best writing advice ever AND an award!

2011-08-10T05:57:00.000-07:00

I've compiled all the writing advice from last week's post, but first I'd like to thank Krista M for my new award! It's the Liebster Blog award, which means friend in German. Krista is a college student with four (yes, four!) novels under her belt! Her blog is a cute mix of every-day life and writing; I highly recommend checking it out ;o)

There's no tell-us-seven-things rule to go along with this award (thank you, Lord). It's sole purpose is to connect bloggers, specifically those with less than 200 followers. Look how quick and simple these rules are:

Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
Post the award on your blog.
Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the internet—other writers.
And best of all – have fun and spread the karma.

Here are my picks (in random order):

1) Jenny Phresh - This girl is hi-lar-i-ous! If your feeling down and need a laugh, check out her blog ;-)
2) Marian Vere - Marian's blog is always full of honest, well-written posts!
3) Bethany - Another funny gal. When she's not shopping at Wal-mart--her favorite store--she's juggling family, work, and a budding writing career!
4) Ashley Graham - Ashley has been absent from the blogosphere for a while, and I miss her inspirational posts :o( Check out some of her older blog posts, and you'll see what I mean ;-)
5) Anna Banks - Anna's debut novel "Of Poseidon" is scheduled for release in Spring of next year. Her posts about what happens AFTER nabbing an agent are awesome. Take a look!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now it's time for the best writing advice ever!

I want to thank everyone for sharing their best writing advice last week (you guys had some really good stuff!). Based on all the comments, it seems the best writing advice is to stay true to yourself. It sounds like a no-brainer, right? But seriously, how many time have you been tempted (even if just a teeny, tiny bit) to write a certain genre or in a certain POV, just because everyone else was doing it? Okay, so maybe you won't admit to it, but I bet the thought has passed your mind before--even if just fleetingly.

Staying true to yourself is invaluable writing advice, because when you try to force something, the outcome is never good.

Below is all the awesome advice left in the comment section of last week's post. Thanks again to everyone who shared!

"[1] Read anything and everything you can get your hands on. Set aside time to read read read. [2] There is almost always a better word, or sets of words that can replace an adverb. [3] Write write write - even if you have nothing to say, write it anyway." --Nina Powers

"You wanta be a writer ... you have to write." --Anita Howard

"Rules are more like guidelines, anyway. (ala Pirates of the Carribean style). Also: Follow your writerly gut." --Cherie

"Write for yourself, not for an audience. Even with 80+ rejections, I always received praise for having a strong voice in my manuscript. I attribute this to writing the book for me--not for anybody else. The moment you start writing to an audience, the soul of the book (meaning, the author's voice) disappears. You gotta write what works for YOU!" --Bethany

"Follow your gut and to never give up." --Jen

"Figure out what works for -you- and do that thing even if it goes against everything everyone else says. I mean, just because everyone else is eating rocks...Or jumping off of bridges..." --Andrew

"My advice would be to enjoy writing and not stress about everything, but to love what you write and stand behind it." --Krista M.

Always put on clean underwear before you leave the house!

2011-08-03T06:40:00.000-07:00

What does this really mean? Are there people out there who change their underwear every single time they go somewhere? If so, why? Sorry, but if I'm in a horrendous car crash, the state of my underwear is going to be the last thing on my mind. Needless to say, this is one piece of advice I could do without.

Some of you are probably wondering, "Where is she going with this? This isn't another maniacal meme, is it?" No fear, loyal followers, it is not!

I want to know what advice you couldn't live without. If someone asked you for the most important thing you've learned since starting your writing career, what would you tell them? If you had to pick one piece of advice--one and only one--to give to a 'newbie', what would it be?

I want everyone to tell me the most important thing they've learned (about writing) over the years. Maybe it's something you read or a fellow writer told you. Maybe you realized it early on, or maybe you've been writing for years, and you just now figured it out! Whatever it is, I want to know! I'm hoping to get as many responses as possible, because next week's post will be a compilation of everyone's answers.

To start things off, I'll tell you mine. The best advice I ever came across was to let your manuscript sit for at least six weeks before editing it. I read this on a blog about a year ago, and then read it again in Stephen King's book, ON WRITING, a couple of months ago. This advice is priceless. Why? Because it allows you to get some distance from your manuscript. After those six weeks are over and you start reading your ms, it almost seems foreign--and this is a good thing. It's like you're reading someone else's work. And you know how when you proof/critique someone else's work, the problem areas almost seem to jump off the page? The same thing will happen when you start reading over your own work. Well, at least it did for me ;-)

Okay, peeps. Now it's your turn. Imagine you're on your deathbed, and you have just enough breath left to give one piece of writing advice (yeah, because that's totally what's going to be on your mind as you lay dying). What would that advice be?

Just when you think you know someone . . .

2011-07-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you have to go through a lot of sh*t with someone to really know who they are. Not only is this true in life, but it's also true in the fictional world.

As I stated in my last blog post, I've been busy editing my current project. During this process, I've had more what-the-hell-was-I-thinking moments than I care to admit to. I understand this is normal (at least I'm hoping it is), but there was one oopsie that really stuck out in my mind. It had to do with my main character and her reaction to something said by her friend (a.k.a, future love interest). Her reaction in this particular scene was totally uncharacteristic. It was as if she had multiple personality syndrome, and one of her alter egos wanted to come out and play. Seriously.

One of the first things we learn about writing fiction, is that we have to know our main characters inside and out. We have to know what kind of music they like, what kind of food they eat, favorite colors, political views, hobbies, etc., etc. Before I even start a project, I do character sketches--nothing fancy, just a hand written page for each character, briefly describing them. I thought I had done my homework and had a good idea who my main character was, but when I encountered that particular scene mentioned above, I realized I hadn't. And to be honest, I'm not beating myself up about it.

Just like with real life, you can think you know everything about someone, but often, you don't really know what he/she is made of until you go through some rough times together. Think of relationships you've had with people in the past, and I'm sure you'll find this to be true.

It took finishing my novel to really realize who my character is. She's still the same girl I dreamt up in my mind seven months ago, but I now have a better understanding of how her life experiences have affected who she is and how she reacts in certain situations. Sure, I have ideas of how I would like my character to act, but just like we can't control the people around us, we can't make our characters act the way we want them to act; we have to let them be themselves (some of you will get this, and others will probably think I'm losing my mind).

To clarify what I'm saying, let me give you an example.  I'm currently reading a book, and I'm really confused by the main character--I can't firmly grasp who she is. The author has her acting one way around her friends and a totally different way around her boyfriend--and not in the intentional way either. I almost get the feeling like the author was more worried about the individual scenes as opposed to staying true to the character.

Sometimes we become so concerned with mechanics and plot, that we forget about the characters.  It's okay to have your characters change/grow over the course of the novel, but just make sure the change is a natural progression due to circumstances in the story and not because you want a more exciting scene. If that particular scene in my WIP hadn't been so in-your-face horrible, I might've breezed by it; but because it was, I now find myself paying closer attention to my mc's actions and dialogue.

Well, I'm off to fix some more identity-crisis moments. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week! :o)

Me-me No Likey the Word "Panties"

2011-07-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

I've been knee-deep in editing my WIP, which means all of my creative juices are drained by the time it comes around to writing my Wednesday blog posts, so I was actually kind of relieved when Bethany tagged me to participate in the "Panty Meme" (yes, you heard right, I said panty). Of course my version will pale in comparison (the girl is a creative genius, after all), but I have to do it or else risk a perverted goat breaking into my house and stealing all my underwear!

What do you call your panties/underwear/undergarments? Do you have any commonly used nicknames for them?
I never, ever, never, ever call them panties *shudders*. I can not stand that word. I thought I was the only one until I saw an episode of the Nickelodeon show "ICarly" a few weeks back. One of the characters, Sam, just about went into convulsions when her friend, Carly, said that word. I call them underwear or sometimes unders. That's it.

Have you ever had that supposedly common dream of being in a crowded place in your underwear?
Of course! Hasn't everyone at one time or another? Mine usually involve middle-school (which makes it a nightmare, as opposed to a harmless dream). Supposedly, if you have dreams like this, it means you're afraid of people seeing who you really are (the real you). Just a little dream trivia for you :o)

What is the worst thing you can think of to make panties out of?
I'm still traumatized by someone's answer of slugs (greenwoman?). Fish, of course, would also be nasty. Oh, and republicans (a little joke for Rookie--hehe!)

If you were a pair of panties, what color would you be, and WHY?
Black, because they're slimming.

Have you ever thrown your panties/underwear at a rock star or other celebrity? If so, which one(s)? If not, which one(s) WOULD you throw your panties/underwear at, given the opportunity?
No, of course not! What kind of girl do you think I am? The kind of girl who would pack g-strings in her pocket to toss up on stage during The New Kids on the Block reunion tour back in '94?? For shame! I'm hurt. Really, I am.

You’re out of clean panties. What do you do?
That would NEVER happen, because I keep a reserve stash. I admit, this stash consists of a mix of granny undies my mom bought me back in high school, along with some things (that resemble underwear) I got ten years ago at my bachelorette party, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Are you old enough to remember Underoos? If so, did you have any? Which ones?
I was born in the mid-seventies, so of course I remember them! I don't think I ever owned any though. Woe is me . . .

If you could have any message printed on your panties, what would it be?
"Exit Only"

How many bloggers does it take to put panties on a goat?
Hmm . . . depends if the goat is willing. Cross-dressing goats are the easiest, while au natural goats can be a bit stubborn.

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Woo-hoo! I survived the ~~panty~~ underwear meme! I'm supposed to tag some people, but I think all those willing have already done it, so I'll leave it at that. Next week I promise to return to my normally scheduled programming :o)

Letting my main character do my dirty work--another maniacal meme!

2011-07-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, a meme is just another name for a chain letter (without the benefit of winning the lottery after you pass it on to seven other people). Nonetheless, it's still fun--especially when it's being passed around to various creative writers :o)

I was recently tagged to participate in a meme by two wonderful friends Anita Howard and Jenny Phresh. The meme was very wholesome and harmless when it left Anita's blog, but upon reaching Jenny's, it was given a healthy dose of psychedelic drugs. Before I knew it, it was like Woodstock, with acid-laden memes popping up all over the blogosphere! I started to panic. I don't have much time for writing lately (because the kids are home all day), so the idea of using what little bit of time I do have to come up with a witty and creative meme made me feel more guilt ridden than a Facebook addict. BUT, I found a way around the guilt. What if I made this meme into a creative writing exercise? I could use this meme to get to know my mc better! Ha-HA! That's it!

I went ahead and picked my four favorite questions from each version of the meme. The first four are from Anita's, the second from Jenny's, but I will not be answering them. Instead, I've decided to hand the reins over to the main character of my WIP, sixteen-year-old Allison. Enjoy!

Do you think you're hot?
Whether I think it or not is beside the point. I'm a succubus, so being hot sorta comes with the territory.

When was the last time you ate chicken meat?

You mean, as opposed to chicken beak or chicken butt?

List the songs you listened to recently.
I've been listening to a lot of my mom's old C.D.'s, so a lot of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Pearl Jam. I know I sound like a dork, but listening to the same music she used to makes me feel closer to her.

Do you have nicknames?

Kids at school think they're freakin' hilarious when they call me 'Dark Allie.' Obviously, their small-town brains can't handle anyone who doesn't look like they do.

If you could go back in time and kick the crap out of someone, who would it be?
CEO of the snob-mob, Julie Sims. Ugh . . . she is such a bitch! I would've saved myself a lot of trouble if I'd just kicked her ass the day I met her.

What song would you like to be playing while you are kicking the crap out of someone?
"Today" by Smashing Pumpkins

Where da muffin top at?
Easy--just look at Julie Sims midsection when she wears her two-sizes-too-small, low-rise jeans

Why does evil exist?
I'm sure a lot of it has to do with idiots making deals with the devil (a certain shallow ancestor of mine included)

********************************************************************************************

Woo-hoo! That was so much fun! Okay, so now I'm supposed to tag some people to participate, but . . . playing around in Allison's head put me in a rule-breaking mood (I know, I'm such a rebel), so I'm not gonna ;-). However, if anyone would like to take a stab at it, feel free! :o)

Don't Underestimate the Importance of Non-writer Friends!

2011-07-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

Non-writer friends are awesome, aren't they? Sometimes their naivete is so darn cute we just want to pet them on their heads and squeeze their cheeks.  They amuse us with questions like, "When are you going to send that thing off to a publisher?" and "What are you going to do with all the money you're going to make?" Since they are our friends, we then take the time to explain to them the long process of trying to get published. They pretend to "get it", but then two weeks later, they're asking what the editor thought of your book. You respond, "Umm, it's with an agent, not an editor."

Despite their lack of understanding of the publishing world, non-writer friends (I'll refer to as NRF's from here on out) are often our biggest supporters. Why? Because they're simply amazed by the fact that we WROTE A BOOK! Who cares if it's more disjointed than your grandmother's hip, they're in awe that you took several months out of your life to type 50,000+ words!

NWF's are also awesome, because they say the things our writer friends can't (for fear of being bludgeoned to death with stones by the writing community). For example, "That agent doesn't know what the hell they're talking about!" and "How does that idiot stay in business? Taking six months to get back with you . . . sheesh!" Oh, and my personal favorite, "Your book is ten-times better than half the crap out there!"

Most of all, non-writer friends keep us grounded. They help remind us of who we are and everything we've accomplished. They push us to keep going. They might not fully understand what we're going through like other writers do, but they're unconditional belief in us and their praise of our work motivates us.

Whenever I start getting down on myself (and my ability to write), I think back to the first time I shared my manuscript with my closest and dearest friend. She's an avid reader--especially of women's fiction--so I was terrified of how she would respond to it. My fears were quickly laid to rest though when I received an email from her telling me she loved it.  She eagerly requested more pages, and not only that, she wanted to talk about it! She didn't want to discuss sentence or dialog structure, she wanted to talk about the characters and the plot and how she could relate to my main character. She loved my story!   I remember crying. Hard.  This was the first time I felt like I might actually have a shot at this whole publishing thing.

So while NWF's might ask annoying questions and maybe they couldn't maneuver the road to publication with a map, don't ever forget they were there for you before the book, and they'll be there after.  Win or lose, they'll always be cheering for you.

Where in the World was Angela Cook?

2011-06-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

Day 1 Welcome to Orlando!

The first day of our vacation, we checked into the Rosen Center Hotel in Orlando. The pool was HUGE and not the least bit crowded, so we spent much of that first day lounging poolside. My son had a blast "lizard hunting" (remember, we're from Michigan--the only type of lizards we have are the ones you buy in the pet store). When he finally managed to catch one, he brought it over (by the tail) to show me. Unfortunately, my son scared its tail off--literally. Yes, the lizard dropped to the ground, and we were left gawking at the squirming, body-less tail. (Ewww!)

Day 2 Disney World here we come!

The next day we headed off to the "Happiest Place on Earth" *trying to suppress laughter*. Obviously, whomever coined this expression has never visited with my children in tow. Sure it was hot, the lines were long at times, and I paid $100 for four souvenir t-shirts; but none of this compares to the wrath of a six-year-old going through the "diva" phase. Every time (and I mean EVERY time) we got in a line for a ride, she'd cross her arms, stick out her hip, and say "I'm not staying here! I'm leaving!" After numerous dirty looks and threats uttered between clenched teeth, from yours truly, she'd get on the ride. Of course afterwards she'd say, "That was fun! Let's do it again!"

Day 3 Cruisin' Time!

On day three, we headed on over to Port Canaveral and boarded the Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas for a 4-day Bahama Cruise. Let me start by saying, I love cruises. This was my third one. I went on my first in college, and then my husband (boyfriend, at the time) and I went on one about eleven years ago. I love everything about cruising--the food, the shows, the atmosphere, the scenery, even the teeny-tiny cabins. BUT, come to find out, I DO NOT like cruising with children. My kids refused to participate in the children's program, so they were with my husband and I 24/7 (in all their whining and arguing glory).

Day 4 Beach time in Coco Cay!

On day four, we stopped at Coco Cay (R.C.'s own private island). Hubby and the kids had a blast playing in the sea, and even had the experience of a sting ray swimming right by them. Even though we were told not to take shells/coral from the water, my daughter kept coming up to my lounge chair with handfuls of shells and tiny pieces of coral. I let her keep her favorite three, and we threw the rest back into the sea.

One more thing to add. At dinner that night, my son (the pickiest eater known to man) had escargot for dinner . . . AND HE LIKED IT! We all tried it (and liked it), but the fact that my son ordered and ate it still amazes me.

Day 5 Welcome to Nassau!

Okay, so I'm pretty sure the house in the photo to the right belongs to some celebrity, but I have no idea who. The "tour guide" on our glass-bottom-boat excursion was rambling off celebrity names and vague house descriptions left and right (i.e. "the house with the black roof belongs to Nicholas Cage" ugh . . . yeah, that narrows it down), so I can't be sure which house belongs to which celebrity.

While in Nassau, we visited the "straw market" which was an experience in and of itself. Basically, you have a gigantic tent full of Bahamian women, all selling the exact same stuff (purse knock-offs, beaded necklaces, and everything you can imagine made out of straw). The crazy part is, they attack you like a flock of hungry vultures. After making it down one claustrophobic "aisle" in 90 something-degree heat, I had had enough.

Day 6 Day at sea

I'd love to say the picture to the right was taken while reading a good book and sipping on a frozen, fruity cocktail, but I would be lying. We were actually on our way up to the pizzeria (for the umpteenth time) when I demanded we go out onto the deck for a moment. I quickly snapped the picture so that my fighting children wouldn't disrupt the people who were reading a book and enjoying a fruity drink ;o)

Day 7 Time to head home.

No more being waited on hand and foot, and no more cute towel animals like the one to the right. As usual, the vacation went by too fast. Sure my kids drove me nuts about 75% of the time, but the other 25% was spent listening to them giggle or watching their eyes get wide in amazement. And that was worth every bit of aggravation.

There Should Be No Comparison

2011-06-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

I think self-doubt is a very common "disease" amongst writers, and if not nipped in the bud, it can kill our writing career. As I stated last week, I've had a bit too much time on my hands, which has allowed my mind to wander in the fields of self-doubt. This, along with a recent blog post on Marian Vere's blog, prompted me to share an older post (from my previous blog) on the topic. I'm looking forward to reading the comments, but unfortunately, I will not have internet access for the next several days. I promise to respond at my earliest convenience. As usual, I appreciate all the visits and comments. "Talk" to you all soon!

I've been committing a big writer's no-no. I've been comparing myself to other writers (gasp!). The strange part is, I'm not comparing my writing to theirs, but my life to theirs. I'm reading blogs and author bios, and all I can think is, I've never taken those classes, I don't have that degree, I don't have that experience, I've never read those books, I don't belong to that group, etc. I'm actually embarrassed to say I went to the library and checked out a Jane Austen novel, JUST because it seemed like every "serious" women's fiction writer has read Jane Austen. Of course, I was bored to tears and only made it through the first chapter (barely).

I know, this is bad and SCREAMS of insecurity and self doubt. I kind of feel like I'm back in high school, and I'm looking at all the popular girls and mentally listing all the ways I'm not like them.

I have to keep reminding myself that there are different paths that lead to the same destination. True, I was not one of the "popular" girls in high school, but somehow I still managed to have some awesome friends, succeed in college, get a good job, and meet an awesome guy (my husband). So, even though I don't like Jane Austen, I can't write a novel in a month, and I don't have an MFA in creative writing; I can still succeed as a writer--even if it means taking the path less traveled ;o)

A Writing (or lack there of) Update

2011-06-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

I kind of feel like I'm stuck in purgatory at the moment. One project has been shelved and another one is "untouchable" for a couple more weeks (getting some distance from it before I start on revisions). So, what's a writer to do?

I've been trying to stay productive. Even though the querying process is still months away, I've written the first draft of my query and started researching agents. I also started writing my synopsis, but about a page and a half into it, I realized I needed to look some things up in my ms, and since it is strictly hands-off right now, the synopsis has been put on hold.

Real life has been crazy these past few weeks, so that's been keeping me busy; however, there's a part of me--the writer part--that feels all anxious inside. For a year and a half, I've been constantly writing in some way, shape, or form. Whether it was writing a first draft, editing/revising, or querying; I stayed busy. Now, I'm stuck in between projects with really nothing more to do than twiddle my thumbs, and it's kind of nerve-wracking.

Writing for me is escapism. I tend to be a bit of a worrier (to put it mildly). I over think and stress out over everything. Writing allows my mind to take a break from all the usual chaos. When I don't write, my mind has too much time to wander--and for me, that's never a good thing.

I have less than two weeks to go until I can blow the dust off of my ms and start editing. Just in time too, because with the kids getting out of school for summer vacation, I'm going to need some escapism . . . and maybe a couple amaretto sours ;o)

The Genre Confines

2011-06-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

I've written two books. The first is commercial women's fiction. The second is young adult paranormal. Each is as different as night and day. My WF novel is very character driven with lots of internal conflict. In my YA project, there's a lot more external conflict. If asked to choose a favorite, could I? No. It would be like asking me to choose which of my two children I love more. I loved writing both for different reasons. The WF project allowed me to utilize a lot of the issues and emotions I was dealing with at the time I wrote it. I put a lot of heart and personal experience into that one. On the other hand, writing my YA novel was pure fun. The voice came really easy to me (I am the queen of attitude and sarcasm, after all), and I had a blast creating the characters and the paranormal aspect.

I don't understand how or why writers are expected to pick one genre and stick to it. I read all genres--historical fiction, women's fiction, suspense, YA, romance, fantasy, etc. Why is it such a faux paus if I want to write in different genres? I'll be the first to admit, there are certain genres I probably wouldn't be very good at, but if I have an idea for something . . . something that gets me giddy with excitement, why shouldn't I write it?

The idea that writers can only "shine" in one genre is ridiculous. Look at Stephen King. The same guy who wrote "Pet Sematary" also wrote "The Shawshank Redemption." Those books belong to two different genres, but were both very successful in their own right.

There's the arguement that once you build a fan base, they come to expect the same "type" of book from you. Really? Are the majority of readers that stuck in their ways that they would turn their nose up in protest if an author did something different? It seems crazy to me that a writer who wants to try his/her hand at something different has to come up with a pen name to avoid disapointing his/her fans.

I don't believe that writers are one-trick ponys. We're fiction writers, for goodness sake. We have vast imaginations with the ability to dream up endless stories. So I say, don't let genre confine you, write the story that's in you.

Writing is like . . .

2011-06-01T06:02:00.000-07:00

Well, I can tell you what it's not like--a box of chocolates. Ms. Cherie, writercherie if you're nasty (sorry, couldn't resist), over at Ready. Write. Go tagged me to participate in this writing meme titled "Writing is NOT Like a Box of Chocolates." The rules: Come up with a metaphor for what writing is like (something other than chocolates, obviously), and then tag three people to participate via their blogs.

If you follow my blog, you probably already know what I think writing is like. Just look at some of my blog post titles ("The Honeymoon is Over" and "Breaking Up is Hard to Do"). Yep, writing is like a relationship. For the sake of not repeating myself, I'm going to make a small change to the rules. I'm going to tell you what writing THE FIRST BOOK is like (to me). Note: the following contains some content that might make the prudish a bit squirmy.

Writing the first book is like losing your virginity. You're anxious going into it, because you have no idea what to expect. As things progress, you keep thinking the nerves will fade away, but they don't. It's not anything like you thought it would be, because really, you have no idea what the hell you're doing, just a vague idea of what goes where. Through the entire process, you're praying to make it to the end, but it feels like the end is nowhere in sight. Afterwards, you're overwhelmed with relief. You're done. You made it through your first. It wasn't fun and exciting like you imagined, but instead, intimidating and terrifying. In spite of the negative aspects, you eventually go back for more. Why? Because, even though it was awkward and uncomfortable, there were moments . . . moments where you realized you kind of liked it ;o)

Now for the fun part. I get to hand the reigns over to three others. I haven't notified these people to see if they want to join in the fun, so I'm kind of putting them on the spot, so to speak. No hard feelings if they would rather not participate. Without further adieu, the lucky three are:

1) Marian over at Marian's Blog

2) Bethany over at Rookie Riter: trying to get it write

3) Jennie over at A Book, A Girl, A Journey

Breaking Up is Hard To Do

2011-05-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

I've tried. I've given it my all. And I'm tired, exhausted, numb. I continue to go through the motions, but there's no feeling behind my actions. All I'm doing is causing myself pain by dragging out the inevitable. People always ask, "How do you know when it's time?" All I can say is, you just know.

First off, let me clarify--I am very happily married :o) In the paragraph above, I am referencing my novel. My first novel, to be exact. After almost 120 queries, I think it's time to lay it to rest (listen closely and you can hear "Taps" playing in the background).

It's hard to explain, but there's this strange sense of resolve within me. I've accepted the fact that this book isn't "the one," and I'm ready to move on. You know when people say, "I love you, but I'm not in love with you." Well, that's kind of how I feel about my book. I still love it, but the passion I once had for it is gone.

Months ago, I couldn't imagine letting go of it. I had put so much into it, and the idea of all that time and energy going down the drain . . . UGH! But over the course of these past few months, I've realized it wasn't a waste. This was my first novel after all, and therefor, a huge learning experience. I can not begin to tell you how much I've learned. I will never regret writing this book. Even though it may never see the light of day, I consider it one of the greatest things I've ever done with my life.

Some day I might revisit it, but for now I'm just excited to take everything I've learned and put it to good use on my new project. Breaking up is hard to do, but more often than not, you wind up better because of it.

Just Write!

2011-05-18T05:42:00.000-07:00

A year and a half ago I decided to write a novel. I knew I was going to have to come up with a writing schedule and stick to it. The only time I could write (without distractions) was after I put my kids to bed. No problem, right? I could follow my dream without making any sacrifices! Right? Right!?  Not exactly. You see, I LOVED my prime time TV shows. I had certain programs I watched every night of the week.  Turning the TV on after putting the kids to bed was my way to relax after a stressful day of cleaning, feeding, yelling, breaking up fights, entertaining, etc., etc. I looked forward to this time every night. However, deep down I knew my book wasn't going to get written unless I sacrificed my precious TV time. Sure, I could make excuses and say things like, "Hey! Television is inspiration!" Yeah, that's it. "I HAVE to watch it . . . in order to get the creative juices flowing!" Really though, what good is a bunch of creative ideas if you don't have the time to write them down?

The same thing is true with social media. We can stay online for hours at a time--blogging, tweeting, facebooking--with the excuse that we're building our "platform" (platform shmlatform--I just like "talking" with my tweeps!), but what good is a platform if you don't have a book to set on top of it? Keeping up with social media can very easily cut into writing time. Sure, getting to know other writers is fun, but is it more important than your book?

More often than I care to admit, I've turned on my computer with the plan to do some writing, but then I say, "Well, I'll just check my blog real quick." Then it's, "Oh, I have to read over these comments." And, "I have to respond to these comments." By this time I'm saying, "Since I'm already on here, I might as well check Twitter." Before I know it, it's an hour (or more) later. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who has done this before ;-) I'm not saying social media is evil, but I do think the key is moderation and not to lose site of why you're there in the first place.

I had a really tough time writing this blog post, because I didn't want it to come off as preachy or know-it-all'ish. Many agents and writers have blogged about the topic of unpublished authors and platform building. Some say it's important, some say it's not. Rather than take a side, I just wanted to share some of my personal thoughts on the issue.

* The quality vs. quantity rule.  I don't think the number of followers you have is as important as the type of followers you have. I always say I'd rather have a dozen "close" cyber friends, as opposed to thousands of blog/twitter followers. If and when the time comes for me to market my book, I know my blogging buddies and favorite tweeps will have my back (as I will theirs).

* Remember Kenny Roger's song "The Gambler"? One of my favorite lines is, "You never count your money when you're sitting at the table. They'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done." I kind of feel this way about people who become obsessed with platform building before they even have an agent. Call me superstitious, but to me it almost seems like bad luck to try and get a huge following so early in the game.  It's kind of like writing your wedding guest list before you even have a boyfriend.

* It doesn't take years and years to build a platform/gain followers, and since books are not published overnight (well, unless you're going the e-book route), you'll have plenty of time to market your book after you sign a deal. I know of people who just started their blogs/twitter accounts two months ago, and they already have 100+ followers (and growing!).

To sum it all up, my theory is- don't worry about having twitter followers in the triple digits or more blog followers than so-and-so. JUST WRITE! They'll be time enough for buildin' a platform when the contract is signed. ;-)

What They Don't Tell You . . .

2011-05-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

When I was pregnant with my son, I devoured any and every bit of information I could get my hands on relating to pregnancy and babies. I subscribed to about three different magazines, I watched "A Baby Story" on TLC religiously, and I read What to Expect When You're Expecting from cover to cover. Yet, when the day came to deliver, I found myself saying, "What the hell? No one told me anything about this!" Who knew that when they tell you to push like you were having a bowel movement, that you just might . . . well, have a bowel movement. Also, why didn't anyone tell me there'd be more hands in and out of my vagina than the Christmas grab-bag at work (did I just lose some readers?).  Don't even get me started on the freakin' contractions you have after the baby is born (while recovering).  They were actually more painful than the ones I had before!

The same thing goes with trying to get published. You can read author bios, blogs, and "How To" books until your mind explodes, but there are certain things no one warns you about. Below is a list of my top ten, and in true David Letterman style, I've saved the best for last!

10) Determination plays a larger role in success than confidence or talent.

9)    Revising will often take longer than the initial writing of your manuscript.

8)   A submission request can put you on cloud nine for the entire day, but a rejection can depress you for an entire week.

7)   You will descend a little into madness with each book you write. Characters will have conversations in your head and will even go as far as to tell you what they want to do.

6) When people tell you not to take rejection personally--the writing is being rejected, not you--you just might have the urge to scream, "Who the hell do you think did the writing?!"

5)  No matter what the manufacturer says, there is no such thing as an indestructable laptop. If you throw it against a wall, it will break.

4) Remember that first roller coaster you went on when you were a kid? The one that slowly crept up hills and then just when you got to the top, it threw you down with a take-your-breath-away fury? Yep, the entire process is a lot like that.

3) The word "subjective" to an aspiring writer is kind of like the bell to Pavlov's dog, except we don't salivate when we hear it, instead we twitch . . . severely.

2) Finding an agent can only be compared to Indiana Jones trying to find the Ark of the Covenant.

1) You will learn more than you ever imagined on this crazy journey, and if you're lucky, you might meet some amazing people (yep, that's a shout-out to ya'll ;).

Did I leave anything out? Is there anything all the research/reading in the world couldn't have prepared you for?

Zombie Sleepover!

2011-05-08T06:47:00.000-07:00

In honor of Mother's Day, I wanted to do something . . . motherly. So, with the permission of my nine-year-old son, I am posting his short story, titled "Zombie Sleepover." He wrote it, and I formatted and typed it up. The only correction I had to make-- he started the story in third person but then slipped into first person (who hasn't done that before?). Enjoy!

Chapter 1

A long time ago there were two boys named Matthew and Ryan. Ryan’s dad was a scientist. He had a locked cabinet in the basement of their house that held secret potions. Matthew and Ryan were curious, so they decided to break into it. They found a potion and dared each other to drink it. What they didn’t know, is that the potion would turn them into zombies.

“Come on, man,” said Ryan, “let’s get out of here before we get caught!”

“I don’t feel so good,” moaned Matthew.

“What’s wrong?” asked Ryan.

“I feel like I’m turning into something.”

Suddenly they both saw the label on the potion. It read, ‘BEWARE: DO NOT DRINK THIS!’ Then, Ryan started to not feel good either. They both felt like they were getting meaner and dumber. They realized they were turning into zombies! They felt as if they wanted to kill and infect people.

Chapter 2

Ryan and Matthew noticed another bottle in the cabinet. In spite of being a dumb zombie, Ryan read the label as best as he could. “This potion will temporarily turn us back into humans. Let’s make a plan.”

“Okay,” Matthew mumbled in his zombie voice.

“We turn ourselves back into humans and invite some of our friends over for a sleepover. Once they fall asleep, we’ll infect them.”

Matthew and Ryan started calling their friends. “They all said yes to me,” said Ryan.

“They all said yes to me too,” said Matthew.

“Did you tell them seven o’clock?”

“Yeah. Let’s get ready!”

Chapter 3

The first friend to arrive was Owen. The next to arrive was Nick. Then came Tanner, and last was Tyrone.

Matthew had the idea to tire them out so they would be ready to go to bed soon. “Let’s start by doing some exercises, you guys. Let’s do jumping jacks. Now, lets do push ups.”

After that, everyone was exhausted. Matthew thought they’d surely fall asleep now. He just had to suggest something quiet and relaxing. “How about we watch some TV and have some popcorn?” After an hour or so, everyone was asleep.

“Is everyone asleep?” Ryan asked.

“Yes,” Matthew whispered.

Suddenly, they heard a car door close. It was Ryan’s mom. “We’re going to have to infect her too,” said Matthew.

“I guess that’s our only choice,” said Ryan.

Matthew and Ryan carefully and quietly crept up to her, and then infected her by biting her neck. “Now, she is out of the way, and we have one more zombie on our team,” said Ryan.

“Let’s go and infect everyone upstairs.” said Matthew.

Ryan and Matthew went upstairs and infected their friends. “Now we have four more zombies on our team,” Matthew told Ryan.

Chapter 4

“Let’s go to war with the humans,” Ryan said to Matthew.

“Okay, but first, we need to create some more zombies.”

All seven of the zombies started for the first house. Luckily, they didn’t have to bust the door down- it was already open.

“No, please, don’t turn us into zombies,” the owner of the house begged. But it was too late. The new zombies couldn’t resist the humans.

Matthew, Ryan, and the new zombies, went from house to house until everyone on the block was infected. Afterwards, they went back to Ryan’s house. Matthew’s mom, along with all the other boys’ moms, was standing there looking mad at them. They knew what the boys had been up to. “Don’t even think about infecting us,” said Tanner’s mom.

The boys stood there speechless. Then they went down into the basement and found a potion that would permanently turn them back into humans. Once they were no longer zombies, they went upstairs and apologized to their mothers. Their mothers then made them go around the neighborhood and turn everyone back into humans.

Before Ryan and Matthew’s friends left, they said they’d had a good time- even though Ryan and Matthew turned them into zombies.

Feelin' the Love!

2011-05-03T06:22:00.000-07:00

I recently received two purrrdy blog awards (notice my new bling to the right). The color-coordinating Versatile Blog Award was given to me twice!! First, by the hilariously funny Jenny Phresh. If you're looking for a good laugh, I highly recommend checking out her blog here. It was then bequeathed to me by honest and heartfelt blogger, Ashley Graham. Her blog can be found here.

My final award, the Inspirational Blog Award, was given to me by the lovely Anita Howard. Her blog offers a plethora of interviews, interactive games and contests, and good ole' fashion writer support. Check out her blog here .

Thank you to all three ladies for the awards! I so greatly appreciate all the support you guys give me :o)

Thankfully, no rules came with the Inspirational Blog Award (thank you, Anita), but such is not the case with the Versatile Blog Award (rumor has it, if the rules are not followed, men in black jumpsuits will charge my front door with guns drawn). So, without further ramblings from yours truly, here are the rules:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated me.
2. Share seven random facts about myself.
3. Pass the award along to 5 new-found blogging buddies.
4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

Okay, I checked number one off. Now, for number two (being a mom, yes, that makes me giggle). Here are my seven things (I'm sensing deja vu):

1. Ms. Anita has nothing on me as far as torture via an older brother. My brother was a huge fan of Bruce Lee movies. And guess who he used to practice his moves on? Yep, lil' ole' me--keep in mind he's almost 5 years older. Oh, and guess who had dog poo flung into her hair when she was younger? Right again! He still tortures me by doing things like posting pics of me (with a mouthful of food, no less) on Facebook.

2. I was born in Cleveland, and lived there for seven years until my parents divorced.

3. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from college (trust me, this makes me sound a lot smarter than I really am)

4. I HAVE to sleep with some kind of white noise (fan, air purifier, etc.).

5. I hate chocolate covered cherries--even the smell makes me nauseous.

6. My mother actually asked my husband (well, fiancee at the time), "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I know, nice.

7. My husband and I coached four seasons of little league soccer. Let me just say, dealing with the kids was the easy part. Ugh . . .

Phew! Okay, the number three rule states that I must pass the award on to five fellow bloggers, BUT, four of the five I was going to give it to have already gotten it. Sooo . . . I'm going to bend the rules and give it to one (I realize I'm breaking the rules, but since it's only one rule, maybe I'll just get a threatening phone call).

Drum roll please! And that person is Jenny and her blog the pieces of my life . Jenny is truly deserving of this award, because her blog really is versatile. She blogs about everything from family life, to food, to writing (I REALLY like the food part). She is an awesome and talented writer with a witty sense of humor. Oh, and she's a Query Tracker grad, which right off the bat makes her cool ;o)

Here is your award, Jenny!

Seven Things About Me

2011-04-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

Last week, fellow writer (and awesome cyber-friend), Anita Howard declared a game of tag. She posted seven interesting things about herself here and then invited her readers to do the same on their respective blogs.

If you'd like to play, simply leave me a comment letting me know when you've posted your seven things on your blog. If you don't feel like doing the blog thing, feel free to tell me something about yourself in the comments. I love taking a peak into the secret life of a writer! Ha-ha!

My Seven Things:

1) I won a school-wide "First Line of a Novel" contest in middle school. I think it was something really cliche, like "She woke up not knowing where she was or how she had gotten there."

2) I decorate my kids' birthday cakes every year. I started doing it a few years back when I couldn't find a "Wiggles" cake design at any of the bakeries. I'm not awesome at it, but I like doing it for them. Hopefully it's one of those things they'll always remember :o) Below are a couple of my "masterpieces" (hehe!).

3) I changed my major three times in college--and that was just the number of times I changed it formally. I started with a social work major, then I changed it to elementary education, and then somewhere around my junior year, I switched to sociology.

4) I LOVE Boxers (the dogs, not the athletes or the underwear). Our first Boxer, Lex, passed away a couple of years ago. We now have a little girl (well, not exactly little) named Daisy. She is my baby ;o)

5) Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, I worked for a small advertising, marketing, and public relations agency. Among other not-so-exciting things, I wrote press releases. This was definetly good experience for writing queries, since a query is basically like a press release. Both have to be interesting enough to get the reader's attention, but at the same time; simple, clear, and concise.

6) One of my favorite summer past-times? Going to yard sales! I love them! I'm always on the lookout for a good deal ;o)

7) If I won the lottery, I would buy a big piece of property out in the middle of nowhere and build a big ole' farmhouse (with a huge wrap-around porch, of course). Oh, and I'd have a huge barn in the back filled with horses, chickens, and piggies. ;o)

Okay, now it's your turn!

Was Your Writing Career Born From Inspiration or Desperation?

2011-04-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'm always curious to find out why one chooses to write a book. It's not exactly something you just wake up and decide to do one day, and those who do probably don't make it very far. As many of you will attest to, the path to creating a novel isn't a very smooth road to go down.

From the many blogs and author interviews I've read, it seems like people decide to write a novel out of either inspiration or desperation. For example, someone reads a book and is immediately inspired to give it a try themselves, or maybe they're inspired by a movie or a speech about "following your dreams." Either way, the determination to write comes from someplace good.

On the other hand, some people start writing out of desperation. Maybe a loved one passes away, someone gets a divorce or is dealing with depression. These people start writing out of desperation. The project becomes a life preserver of sorts; something keeping them afloat. They're desperate for escapism, to make their life mean something, or just to have something to strive towards.

My first writing project was born from the latter--desperation. About four years after making the decision to stay home full-time with my children, I found myself going through a (early) mid-life crisis. This caused a depression that hit me with a vengeance.

My entire life I'd always been the type of person who was always working towards something. I did the college thing, the career thing, and now I was doing the mom thing. I found myself wondering, What now? Is this it for me? Is this all God had planned out for me--to be someone's wife and mother? Don't get me wrong, I don't regret my decision to leave my career, and I still believe being there for your children is the greatest thing you can do with your life. BUT, I wanted more. I needed more. I started thinking about what I wanted out of life, and the most important thing I wanted was not to have any regrets. I decided to do the one thing I had promised myself years ago--write a novel.

It wasn't easy. To be honest, it was hell. I didn't have any confidence (I'm talking zip, zero, zilch). The only reason I kept on going was because I felt like I didn't have a choice. It was sink or swim for me, and even though writing it was the hardest thing I'd ever done, it kept me above water.

Little things have happened along the way that lead me to believe I'm right where I belong. I've never felt more sure about anything in my life, and I honestly believe that the path I'm on is my destiny. Finally knowing "what I want to be when I grow up" is an awesome feeling.

If you'd like to share, I'd love hear how you came to the decision to write that first book. Was it inspiration, desperation, or something else?

The Honeymoon is Over . . .

2011-04-13T06:32:00.000-07:00

This blog post was supposed to be about my current WIP and how I’m head over hills in love with everything about it. But alas, as I crossed the halfway mark, the rose-colored glasses came off. I knew it was all too good to be true- my eagerness to write and the way the words flowed effortlessly. *Deep sigh* Oh yes, those were the days.

I’m not saying I’ve fallen out of love with my WIP, but the relationship has changed. Things are not all butterflies and rainbows anymore. I no longer hear birds singing outside my window as I maniacally type away on my laptop. Unfortunately, all the little things that I could overlook early on in the relationship have now become thorns in my side.

When I started my WIP, I knew exactly what I was doing and where I was going. There would be some tough scenes, but they were so far off in the distance I didn’t dwell on them. I had fun breathing life into my characters and hanging out with them. Sure there were conflicts and emotional struggles in the first half of my ms, but I enjoyed writing them! I didn’t feel threatened or intimidated by them, because I had this strange thing called confidence. Notice the word HAD.

I was sweating this particular scene before I even started writing it. It involves the death of my main character’s sister. This is the one scene that had to be done right. I had to get the emotions right, the character interactions, the sequence of events—it all had to be perfect.

I spent all last week working on this scene. And it was hell. My confidence took a nose-dive before I even started writing, which of course lead to a massive bout of writers block, which then lead to crappy writing. Not to mention, when you’re writing something dark and depressing, it affects your mood. I didn’t find myself breaking down in the middle of writing or anything like that, but I did feel physically drained afterwards. Kind of like that feeling you get after a bad argument with your significant other. This scene literally sucked the life out of me.

Thankfully, the scene is over. Even though I’ve tried to make some edits to it already, it’s still VERY rough. This is one scene that’s going to need to simmer for a while before I can go back to it and make it sparkle. Distance makes the heart grow fonder :o)

Just like any rough patch in a relationship, if the love is there, you can get through it. I know there will be more tough times to come, but I’m also confidant love will conquer all, and what doesn’t kill me will make me a better writer (enough cliches for ya?). At least that's what I keep telling myself.

I’m curious, what scenes do you find difficult to write, and how do you get through them?

Here-a Blog, There-a Blog, Everywhere a Blog Blog!

2011-04-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

A writer with a blog is like a . . . fireman with a hose (I admit, I suck at analogies, though this one is making me giggle)--you often don't see one without the other. We all have different reasons for starting a blog--some use it as an online journal, others want it to be a resource to other writers, and some use it to ~~brag about~~ showcase their writing.

Whatever the reason for starting a blog, most writers' blogs have one thing in common--they're usually pretty darn good. This can be a problem for a busy writer! Reading blogs can take up A LOT of time. I've been trying to limit my time on the Internet lately by allowing myself 1/2 hr., 3x/day, to check my social networking sites and blogs. Uh . . . yeah. That's not working out too well. This has forced me to become really picky about which blogs I read. I thought I'd list a few of my top blog "turn-ons & turn-offs." Keep in mind, it's all subjective (ahh! query rejection flashback!), and this is just MY opinion (which should ALWAYS be taken with a grain of salt).

Turn-ons:

1) I feel welcome! I don't want to feel like an unwelcome house guest when I visit a blog. I'm not saying the blog author needs to respond to every single comment that's written on a post, but it is nice to at least have our comments acknowledged at some point.

2) A good voice! I hate to sound all agenty, but really, a good voice can pull in the reader--regardless of the topic. I love to laugh, so if the writer can put a smile on my face, you can bet I'll be coming back for more.

3) Something different!  In all honesty, I get tired of the same ole', same ole'. I don't always want to read "How to be a successful _______" blog posts. Sometimes I want the nitty-gritty. I want to hear about the stuff that's not so pretty. I love posts where the author comes clean about their insecurities or anxieties, because at the end of the day, we all want to feel like we're not alone.

Turn-offs:

1) Bitchy blogs. We all have our moments, but I'm really turned off by blogs where all the author does is complain, complain, complain. They complain about agents, or about how their favorite book got bad reviews. Also included in this are those blogs where you feel like you're being talked down on. It's one thing if someone is trying to be helpful based on THEIR experiences, but it's another thing if they're coming across as a know-it-all, and us readers are just a bunch of idiot minions.

2) Is that a blog post in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me? I don't read REALLY long blog posts. Period. Even if all my turn-ons mentioned above are met; if a blog post rivals a home closing agreement, I'm not even going to attempt reading it.  Plain and simple, I just don't have the time.

3) Deleting my comments! I've never left a mean comment on someones blog- never ever. So, when a (friendly/pleasant) comment of mine got deleted recently, I stopped following them. I didn't even give it a second thought. That's just rude and a guaranteed way to lost followers.

The Grass IS Greener on the Other Side!

2011-04-05T06:39:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of setting up my new home here at blogger. I am liking it here SO much more than where I was before. Blogger is very user friendly, which I unfortunately can't say the same about my previous blog. I'm going to try and move some of my favorite posts over to this site, while others are better off being forgotten ;o) I'll probably leave the old site up for a few weeks to avoid any confusion--I don't have that many followers to begin with, so I don't want to lose any if I don't have to! In case you're stumbling across this blog for the first time, older posts can be found at http://www.thestarvingnovelist.weebly.com/ (for now). Hope to have a "real" post up soon!