Nerves and anticipation

This time next week I'll be packing to go to Alabama. Not only will I get to spend some time with my critique partner, Christine Glover, but I'll be attending my first Reader's Luncheon. Sponsored by the Heart of Dixie Chapter of RWA, their keynote speaker this year is Eloise James. Registration is still open so if you considered attending but were afraid it was too late, you still have time. Here's the link if you're interested:  http://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=1223

This will also be my first appearance at a reading/writing event where I'll be attending as a Published Author. I'm excited but also a little nervous. I've scoured my closet looking for the best outfit and comfortable but stylish shoes. I've got business cards, Post-It notepads and pens with my name and logo in addition to other giveaways. Christine and I also have assembled a Debut Author Basket that will be one of approximately 38 raffle baskets. I look forward to meeting all the readers, reacquainting with some authors and meeting others.

Hope I see you there

Time is on my side.
Not.

Last week while my critique partner, Christine Glover, was here we discussed our current work in progress, critiquing and brainstorming as needed. We also spent time shopping for items to include in our Debut Author Raffle Basket that we're assembling for the Heart of Dixie Reader's Luncheon in June. We did some other social media activities and rounded out the days by attending an intensive one day workshop given by Margie Lawson.

We talked about future activities we'd like to attend. We went over prospective dates for more writing-get-togethers, we discussed strategies about social media and other business related matters. I even managed to squeeze in a doctors appointment. Throughout all of our talks, we both mentioned how life had gotten more complicated and crowded.

After Christine left on Sunday I wanted to take the time to regroup, maybe take a nap. However, everything that I'd let slide during her visit had to be handled. Laundry needed to be washed, clothes ironed. Yard work needed attention. Shopping had to be done so there were groceries for this week. I have a quilt to finish. Another on the way. And,  not just because he'd cooked for us the past four days, I wanted to spend time with The Craftsman. No, I do not loan him out.

Then it was time to venture back into the real world via the Day Job, where everything that had piled up while I was away had to be handled. I want to get a hair cut. I need to scrub bathrooms and vacuum floors.

Did I mention that I've received my first revisions letter?

The hours have become more precious.

For the most part the revisions are minor, with only a couple of difficult decisions to be made. My editor has invited me to call or email her with any questions or simply to discuss options. That is such a wonderful source of support. That doesn't mean, however, that I take this task lightly. It does mean that some tasks will be delayed, some social events missed.

I just have to find the best way to balance all the time.

How do you manage everything that life throws at us?

Family Blessings?


This past Sunday the family gathered at our house for the annual Easter fest. There was laughter, way too much food, more than a few adult beverages consumed and the fierce competition of our annual tournaments. People, there were trophies at stake :)

This was our fifth year for the The Craftsman and I to host the Easter family gathering. In preparation, on Saturday, we ran errands in the cold damp weather and then, again in the cold damp weather, tried to ready to outside for the projected sunny, warmer temperatures. Let me say that whatever we did to prepare was relatively minor when compared to the number of people who were coming....including children the count totaled 24. In the family into which I married, everyone contributes, thus the way too much food.

We laughed, often at each other. The longer we talk, the louder we get. There were some serious discussions, some quiet moments and yes even a few disagreements. We pry into one another's personal business with unrepentant audacity. We are, after all, a family of individuals, all raised to be strong and independent.

I'll be the first to admit there are times, for various reasons and an assortment of those strong individuals annoy or distress me. As I'm sure I do to and for them. In the end, however, I'm so blessed and grateful with the sure knowledge that at any time, for any reason, if I need one of them they will do everything within their power to help.

And that, in this every-changing world, is a blessing beyond words.

Coming Full Circle

I attended my first writing conference more years ago than I care to count. But so much has come from that day.

I attended because, shortly after we'd moved to Florida, the Florida Romance Writers caravaaned to various bookstores throughout the state. They came to the bookstore closest to where we lived. At the time I was finishing up the first book I wrote so naturally I was curious about meeting 'real' authors. They were all lovely, gracious and friendly. They signed my purchases, gave me bookmarks and other assorted promotion items. There were flyers about the Fun In The Sun conference to be held in February. I took home all the paper, put it on my desk and frankly gave little thought to most of it.
Until the day I went out to the mailbox and discovered confirmation of my conference registration.
That evening The Craftsman, who traveled in his job at the time, made his daily call. "What's new?" he asked. "Well," I answered, and went on to explain about my confusion over the unexpected registration. A moment of silence sat between us before he said. "I signed you up. It's my Valentine's Day gift for you."

Needless to say I was stunned. Pleased. Panicked.

I was actually going to have to go out in public and confess my secret of trying to write a book? Yet, how could I not after The Craftsman made such a wonderfully supportive gesture?

So, I went. Having no idea of what to expect, fearing I'd sit there all day with no one to talk to, looking like the lone wart on a frog.

Instead I walked into the large banquet room, sat at a random place. And the lovely blonde sitting in front of me turned around and introduced herself.

I made a friend for life.

As a result of that day, Pat Van Wie became my first critique partner. She became, and remains to this day, one of my most ardent supporters. She's an excellent wordsmith and taught me much about pacing among other things. She moved, I moved, but we always kept in touch. There were times when months would go by and we'd not hear from one another, then for whatever reason one of us would reach out and we'd pick right up as if we'd just spoken days earlier. She became a published author long before me, first with Harlequin Superromance, then Bantam Loveswept and then Bantam published her mainstream suspense books.

Now she's an editor for BelleBooks.

This week I learned she is now my editor.

So, while now the critiquing will be somewhat one-sided, I eagerly look forward to once again having Pat read, review, and strengthen my writing.

As I've mentioned The Craftsman and I have finally made progress on a long-awaited DIY project.  Last weekend I painted the room. Until we moved into this house, I had never done any of the painting in any of our houses. At a very young age, while working on a service project, I experience the horror, not to mention the resulting splatter of paint, when I let the paint roller continue to spin after I moved away from the wall. :)

However, in the last dozen or so years, between our house and helping out assorted family members, I've made up for lost time.

My favorite part of painting is the 'cutting in'. You know, the outside edges of windows and doors, along the ceiling and floor. It's the detail work and I see it as a challenge to get that line as straight as possible. And avoid getting it onto the ceiling or baseboard.

Anyway, this past Sunday I was on the last wall of the half bath when The Craftsman poked his head inside. "You know you're going to need another coat, right?"

I sighed. One of the reasons he's The Craftsman is due to his attention to perfection. But, yes, in this case I agreed with him and set about adding on the second coat.

At some point during the application of that second coat, I thought about how painting has much in common with writing and especially revising.

By time I was done applying that second coat, the room looked much better. Never have I revised a manuscript and not believed it was better for having taken that second pass and layering more detail. It was a richer, smoother read. Of course every time I hand over a manuscript to my critique partner there is a small part of me that thinks "Okay, this time I've got it right." Only, you guessed it, for her to point out the parts of the manuscript that needs a second coat, thin areas where the characters and/or the plot isn't as defined as it should be. Or where the plot should be cut a little closer. Sometime adding that second coat can be difficult because it's harder to see where you've already layered on, perhaps added too much, or where you still need to apply more. It helps to have that second eye looking at it, seeing the imperfections, telling you which spots you overlooked or missed.

For the most part, however, the manuscript - as this particular room did - is a more beautiful project for having taken the time and effort to make it shine.

Sometimes it takes a broad stroke, sometimes a dab here and there.

Like most everyone else in the country, I am so ready to be done with winter and am looking forward to spring. Especially after a Saturday such as we just had. On this Saturday, during a family gathering, the weather was perfect enough for us to sit outside on the deck, enjoying company, celebrating milestones and warm weather along with laughter and good conversation.

Sunday, however, brought cooler temperatures and rain. I'll be honest, on Sunday I was glad for the excuse to stay inside. The Craftsman and I worked on a home improvement project that I came up with back in October.  Up until this point we've either had other obligations or, for two weekends, the weather was nice enough to concentrate on outside tasks.

I'm so blessed with a wonderful house and, rare in this area, a bit of land. That means yard work. A lot of yard work.

That means balancing life, with all of its obligations and indulgences, with the writing life.

This is an exciting time for me. After all the years of work and angst over whether or not to continue on this path, I'm approaching the release date for my first book. But with that excitement comes obligation and committment. There's the edits for this first book, another book to plan and write, exercise, social media postings and promotional tasks. A quilt to complete. Throw in all the domestic chores that go hand in hand with maintaining a home and the hours fill up quickly.

How do you manage to handle obligations with relaxation?

It's almost been a year since I began this blog site and I admit I've been slack about posting the way I hoped to do.  Well, maybe not. The Craftsman will tell you he isn't much of a talker, and then add that he doesn't have to do so because I talk enough for both of us. Some days I actually let him get away with that nonsense.

If asked, I would describe myself as basically shy. If I'm around people that I'm comfortable with I can hold my own in conversations although I still tend to stand along the perimeter and observe rather than jump in and call attention to myself. Which is why this social media/promotional area is one of my weaker links.

Maybe the roots are in my childhood. Raised n the south, as an Army brat, I was constantly warned against making a pest of myself. I can recall going to a friend's house and as she announced that she was going into the kitchen to get a drink and did I want one, all I could think of was to tell her no. It never occurred to me to say yes, I would love something to drink. I didn't want to be a nuisance.

I'm approaching the publication of my first book -- in July of this year!

While it is something I dreamt of, hoped for, worked toward, now that it is approaching I'm nervous.
I want to be an adult, a professional, and handle the promotion as such. In today's world, I understand the publishing industry requires me to have a hand, at times a solo hand, in promoting my own book.  

Yes, I love this book. I'm thrilled and beyond proud that someone else thought it was good enough to publish. Of course I want people to buy it. I hope they will enjoy it. I'm terrified they will not. I want them to buy any other books I may be fortunate enough to publish. But I'm also scared to stand up, call attention to myself and say yes, please, please, please buy my book.

I've studied how some of the authors that I admire to see how they handle promotion. I've collected pens, note pads, magnets and bookmarks. If you ever go to a conference, there is an abundance of items. Some of these have enticed me to buy a book or read a new author. Other times, well, to be honest I just wanted the item because I thought it would be useful.

I'm more than happy to promote my fellow authors, either by way of Twitter, Facebook, word of mouth or attending book signings. Will I ask them to do the same for me? I know I should. What's more I know if I ask they will do so gladly and without reservation. Still, it's going to be hard for me to take that step.

What kind of promotional items appeal to you?

Oh...and please, please, pretty please buy my book when it come out :)