Month: April 2018

Focus On the Highlights

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I’m going to do my best NOT to make this a downer post but I’ve been feeling kind of down lately, so, I’ve decided to focus on the highlights. Yes? Here we go:

1) I figured out how to make a second Instagram. You’ve might’ve seen it since I linked it up with my personal account and not my author account (whatever). I didn’t realize I needed a second Instagram (#bookstagram), but every article I’ve read says it’s a MUST HAVE even though the only MUST HAVE of a writer is to write. I barely use my first Instagram so we’ll see how this goes.

2) I made an account on Book and Main Bites. I briefly mentioned this last post, but I’m actually kind of digging it. I like reading little bits of different stories and knowing I can go buy the book because of exciting little samples I’m able to read throughout it. Plus, networking is a thing and I’ve met some awesome authors.

3) I had an Eureka moment with Book 3. Whenever I don’t feel great editing/working on something, it’s usually because I’m missing a scene or an event didn’t pan out properly. I thought I had everything I wanted and then it hit me—I needed to take one scene and stretch that motherfucker out because it was such a climactic moment that I wasn’t giving the characters—or story—enough time to do what needed to be done. So, I fixed it. Erm—am fixing it.

4) Lastly, I’ll be sending BTT to be formatted and then after that (probably at the tail end of next week or the second week of May) it should be ready for pre-order. Which makes this whole thing real. REAL, GUYS. FREAKING REAL.

But I’m excited. I really love this story and I’m getting good feedback. Plus, it’s nice to know that I’m like, going for my dream and all.

How have you been? What’s something exciting/fun on your highlight list?

P.S. Oh! And a lot of people shared my teaser yesterday, so that was nice 🙂

Little Tease For Ya

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It’s been an interesting couple of weeks.

First thing: my sister is doing great. Fantastic, actually, because she doesn’t need to go back to the doctor or have any more surgery since everything came back benign. 😊

*wipes sweat from brow*

That’s the kind of good news I’m talking about. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and good vibes and for crossing your fingers and toes and eyes and everything else cross-able. It helped. It really did.

Second, I’ve had…a bit of a time. In addition to falling down and hitting my head rather hard (posted about it on my fb author page), I’ve been extremely disappointed in this whole searching-for-a-way-to-pay-my-bills-thing. The other week I was told I had a job, then come to find out that it was given to someone else. Then, I had a promising interview and was asked to come back for a second interview. And I…never heard from the company again (this was after follow up calls and emails.) Job-searching sucks. ☹

 

BUT let’s not focus on that because it’s sad and depressing and someone *cough* me *cough* has a book coming out. So, let’s focus on fun and creative things like…

BOOK TEASERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I need from you lovelies, are your opinions. I’m not sure if I like the 3D book covers or the flattened ones better. These are book teasers that I’ll be using on Twitter and other sites that let me advertise prior to publication.

So, let me know. Which do you like best? Which catches your eye more or would make you stop and think, “hmm…I may read that?” (Your opinions are SUPER important to me because I know what I like, but I only have two eyes so I need YOUR eyes to look at it freshly. I need to know what other people are thinking about these homemade teasers, so I know what’s working and not. Let’s face it: ya’ll are part of the team now. We’re in this together. So, thumbs up/thumbs down? Spill it. I need the intel 😉)

Also! I’ve joined this thing called Book and Main Bites. (I’m under C.G. Coppola) It’s for romance authors to put up little “bites” of their juicy/lovey moments without revealing their titles/book covers/too much about them. It’s a way for readers to discover new authors just by the content and not so much BUY MY BOOK links you usually see. So, any romance writers/readers out there, I’d check it out. I found a couple of new authors on there myself 😊

ONE MONTH TO GO UNTIL BETTER THAN THIS COMES OUT!!

You Can Judge Me Now

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Bring on the judgement because we all know you’re going to do it anyway. I do it. You do it. It’s kind of human nature to make snap decisions based on what your eyes see first. Like when you’re searching for your next great read and you scan books among books and stop only on the covers that appeal to you. The title may have something to do with it but—let’s be real, here—you’re attracted to the colors and font and pretty much the basic artwork. I’m guilty of this. There. I’ve said it. I judge books by their covers—but only in the initial stage. After I’ve thoroughly investigated the blurb and read a few pages, it’s content going forward. (I think we all do it this way, yes?)

So, with all that said, I now present to you darling readers/fans/people who happened upon this blog by mistake—the cover for my new release, Better Than This:

and for the 3-D lover:

Eh? Eh?

We like? We no like? We know our opinions are important but the decision has already been made (and paid for) so they might possibly be moot?

I actually really hope you like it. I had a tough time with this one because Autumn, the protag, is a painter and Alex, the love interest (and second main character) plays the guitar, so, I wanted to incorporate both elements. Paint and music. Which seems easy but then you actually try to shove the two together and you have a lot of options that maybe don’t look so great. Joleene (my cover artist) and I went back and forth a few times and after a little tinkering, this beauty was born.

You can be honest: did it catch your eye? Would it make you stop long enough to *maybe* glance at the blurb? Again, this is the final product so no changing at this point, but I’m curious to know for the second and third books releasing later this year.

If you’re curious about more behind-the-scene things like how I ended up on this exact version and all the different drafts in between, I have a post on my Patreon page called the Metamorphosis of a Book Cover.  Should cover everything you need to know 😉 Link on the right side somewhere where it says ‘Become a Patron’ ——–>

Also: please keep your fingers/eyes/toes crossed for my wonderful sister who hears back from the doctor today. Thanks in advance!

Life, Am i right?

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Last Wednesday I caught the throat bug and since I keep forgetting to take medicine, I STILL HAVE IT.

☹

In my defense, I’ve been distracted. My sister had outpatient surgery, the check engine light in my car came on (AGAIN), and I was planning Batman’s surprise birthday dinner by calling every restaurant that I know he likes to ask if they took reservations—WHICH THEY DON’T.

When did this become a thing? When I was a hostess, I always had to take reservations. It made sense. You had a larger party coming in and you wanted to let the restaurant know about it. Simple. Easy. Totally makes sense. Nowadays, you make “call aheads” which are apparently useless because unless your entire party is there, you won’t be seated. Seriously—what was the point of me calling? This is what I asked the hostess at the Cheesecake Factory when she informed me that even if the entire party DID arrive, we might still have to wait an hour. Seriously—WHAT WAS THE POINT OF ME CALLING?

And since it was a surprise for Batman, I had to keep sneaking away which made him all suspicious, especially when he heard a guy on the other end of the phone (which was a buddy of his coming to the dinner) and my voice kept coming in and out so I would squeak and then cough and then squeak and then cough and then run into the house for water.

My car is my car and until it’s a different car, that check engine light will always be in my life. My sister is doing fine – we’re just waiting for Wednesday to get the results. Cross your fingers (and eyes and toes…) that everything is benign because she needs a homerun in life right now. She is AMAZING and I was sort of hoping she’d win the lottery or marry Prince Harry and instead, she got outpatient surgery and a hospital bill. ☹ I know something awesome is coming her way but I wish it’d hurry up and get here. And no, Bradley Cooper, it’s not you anymore. You had your chance but my sis can do better. Sorry.

So, writing: I’ve decided that I will be releasing the ENTIRE Better Than This series this year. The first, as you know, is set to come out May 18th (same date as Deadpool!) and Better Than Now will be in August and Better Than You, in November. Three months apart. I’m not sure if this is a smart or stupid plan but I hate when the next book in the series is set to come out the following year (or two or more) because I forget about them or lose interest or whatever. PLUS, once I’m done with this series, I’ll be able to focus on the last book of ARIZAL WARS – Return to Dellapalania. 😉

Since I’m not sure how to arrange a cover reveal party or launch or whatever it is that most authors do, I’m just going to reveal it to you this Wednesday! Woop! If, between now and then, I can figure out how to do something bigger and better for a CR, I will. Otherwise, get excited to see the *amazing* cover for Better Than This on 4/11. I love it and I hope you will too!

…and that seems to be everything going on in my life currently. Still unemployed and suppressing the fear of running out of money, but I’m focusing on writing. And feeling better. And hoping my sister feels better. Things always work out and I’m sure they will this round too.

What about you? How’s your Sunday/life/health going?

we’re not all lost, IWSG

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I’m going to do something I haven’t done in a while and actually answer the monthly question for IWSG. Shocking, I know:

When your writing life is a bit cloudy or filled with rain, what do you do to dig down and keep on writing?

Force myself.

There’s really no magic recipe other than that. I write to escape anyway, so it’s never been much of a problem to dig down to do it. The hard part comes when I need a break from writing and that’s when I take a day or two off and then force myself back into it.

Wow. That was easier to answer than I thought.

Let’s see…what else is going on in my life? Still unemployed (and rapidly running out of money), so there’s that. Oh! I did get something pretty cool recently 😊. There’s this place called 2nd And Charles that sells books and video games and movies and toys, and basically all the things that Batman and I love and have based our relationship around. Since he collects retro video games, he ended up selling a bunch back this past weekend and got a ridiculous amount of store credit. Because he’s amazing and (I guess) in love with me or something, he told me to pick out whatever I wanted in the store—his treat. So, say hello to this beautiful baby:

“Not all those who wander are lost”

It’s one of my favorite sayings since I constantly accuse myself of being lost since I don’t have a “career” and therefore, am a piece of shit. Then I remember, oh yeah, I’m not meant to have a typical “career” and just because I don’t doesn’t mean I’m screwing up. Maybe I’m a job nomad who needs these life experiences to write about. Or something. Either way, thanks, Tolkien for reminding me that everyone’s life is different and that’s more than okay. It’s necessary. 😉

Also, I collect journals because I’m journal freak. But again, who of us readers/writers isn’t?

How’s your day going? What do you do when the rain is pouring or you (like me) get down on yourself?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) is a monthly blog hop for writers at all levels to share their fears and insecurities in a safe and encouraging place. Please drop by and say hi to Alex Cavanaugh who started this nifty concept in bringing us all together.

****Also – Don’t forget to check out my Patreon! (I can say that because I’m on there now. THAT’S RIGHT. I did something on a place that does things.)

AND, I have a YouTube channel now which is not letting me post the link because it’s weird or I’m stupid or it’s a combination of both. But probably the latter.